Use of 3D technology in underground tourism: example of Rzeszow (Poland) and Lviv (Ukraine)

During the COVID-19 pandemic, human mobility has been limited all over the world. People started to take advantage of computer technology to compensate for the lack of possibility of leaving their homes. Virtual travel, which can be conducted in many different ways, has become one of the ways of using this technology. Therefore, analyses have been carried out to investigate the possibility of applying 3D technology to promote underground tourist attractions. The Underground Tourist Route in Rzeszow (Poland) and the underground of the Old City Hall in Lviv (Ukraine) were selected as the research objects. They were inventoried with the terrestrial laser scanning (TLS) method and with the application of the Faro Focus 3D laser scanner. Then films demonstrating virtual tour around the inventoried objects were created based on the clouds of points obtained during the measurements. As a part of the research, it was verified whether these methods could encourage people to visit the researched objects more than their standard advertisements presented on the Internet. The evaluation was performed with the use of a semantic differentiation test. The survey research carried out for this purpose was implemented using the CAWI technique. The questionnaires were available for the respondents from the last week of April 2020 to the first week of July 2020. The size of the researched group accounted for 393 people. The respondents came from 23 countries on 5 continents. The obtained results confirm that the use of 3D technology in the promotion of tourist attractions may be a good decision.

Immunnostimulatory activity of Holothuria atra sea cucumber

Immunostimulant is a substance that can stimulate the immune system against pathogenic microbes. Natural products produced by sea cucumbers have the potential to be developed as immunostimulants. This study was aimed to evaluate the imunostimulatory activity of Holothuria atra extract using the phagocytocyte assay of macrophage cells and the differentiation of leukocyte in rats. The samples of H. atra were taken from Halmahera waters, North Maluku, Indonesia. Extraction was carried out with 96% ethanol. Phagocytocyte activity assay was carried out using macrophage cells isolated from Balb/c mice (Mus musculus) using a series of doses 0.5; 1.0; 2.0; 4.0; 8.0; 16.0 and 32.0 mg/kg body weight. Leukocyte differentiation test in vivo was conducted using Rattus norvegicus rat treated with H. atra extract for 90 days with the following series of doses: 0, 25, 50, 100, and 200 mg/kg body weight. The results showed that the highest phagocytosis activity was reached at a concentration of 4.0 µg/ml, but it was insignificantly different from the negative control group (p < 0.05). Leukocyte differentiation assay showed that the administration of H. atra extract increased the immune system response in the animals which was characterized by the increasing number of lymphocyte cells. H. atra extract also decreased the number of monocytes and neutrophils, suggesting the suppression of inflammation in the tested rats. Extract administration for 90 days did not cause a hypersensitivity reaction as indicated by the unchanged number of eosinophil and basophil cells. Based on the results of this study, it is concluded that H. atra had a potency to develop as an immunostimulant.

Genetic structure and diversity in Neochen jubata (Aves: Anatidae) from the Araguaia River, GO, Brazil

The Orinoco Goose (Neochen jubata) is a few-known and endemic Anatidae to South America, inhabiting sandy beaches along medium and large rivers, with a well-developed riparian forest and in swamp savannas and large freshwater baths. Recent data indicate the presence of longitudinal migratory behavior, and despite them, there are no records on the genetic profile of this species. The Araguaia River region, in the municipality of Luiz Alves, Goiás, receives an undetermined number of ducks seasonally, and there is little information about the individuals who visit this place, constituting the ideal scenario for a study able to offer a genetic overview perspective of this species and to understand the relationship between these individuals better. For this, we genetically characterized 61 individuals sampled in three distinct years of collection using microsatellite molecular markers and mitochondrial DNA. Genetic diversity analyses revealed low levels of heterozygosity for all sampled groups. However, they are within the equilibrium proposed by Hardy-Weinberg (HWE), as inbreeding or drift are not acting in these groups. The parentage analysis supports it, showing a high number of unrelated individuals over the years. AMOVA showed a significant difference among groups. These results may reflect the structure of this migratory species in that region, with the paired differentiation test of individuals from 2013 and 2014 being more similar to each other than those from other years, indicating a possible genetic structure diagnosed by the years of capture. However, there is a high allelic sharing among the three sampled groups, suggesting that these individuals are a population that connects over time and that they have a philopatric relationship with the location. The results found in this study constitute an initial milestone for the genetic knowledge of the mallard duck that should be raised in many other genetic studies.

Repeated false reactive ADVIA centaur® and bio-rad Geenius™ HIV tests in a patient self-administering anabolic steroids

Background An individual is considered HIV positive when a confirmatory HIV-1/HIV-2 differentiation test returns positive following an initial reactive antigen/antibody combination screen. Falsely reactive HIV screens have been reported in patients with various concomitant infectious and autoimmune conditions. Falsely positive confirmatory HIV differentiation assays are seen less frequently, but have been observed in cases of pregnancy, pulmonary embolism, and malaria. Case presentation A healthy 27 year-old man was referred after a reactive ADVIA Centaur® HIV Ag/Ab screen and positive Bio-Rad Geenius™ HIV 1/2 Confirmatory assay, suggesting HIV-1 infection. The patient’s HIV viral load was undetectable prior to initiation of antiretroviral therapy, and remained undetectable on subsequent testing after initiation of antiretroviral therapy. Both Centaur® and Geenius™ tests were repeated and returned reactive. As this patient was believed to be at low risk of acquiring HIV infection, samples were additionally run on Genscreen™ HIV-1 Ag assay and Fujirebio Inno-LIA™ HIV-1/2 score, with both returning non-reactive. For confirmation, the patient’s proviral HIV DNA testing was negative, confirming the initial results as being falsely positive. The patient disclosed that he had been using a variety of anabolic steroids before and during the time of HIV testing. Discussion and conclusions The erroneous diagnosis of HIV can result in decreased quality of life and adverse effects of antiretroviral therapy if initiated, hence the importance of interpreting the results of HIV testing in the context of an individual patient. This reports suggests a potential association between the use of anabolic steroids and falsely-reactive HIV testing.

Normative Responses to Clinical Tests for Cervicogenic Dizziness: Clinical Cervical Torsion Test and Head-Neck Differentiation Test

Background The clinical diagnosis of cervicogenic dizziness (CGD) is challenging because of a lack of sensitive and specific diagnostic tests. It is vital for clinicians to know normative responses to suggested clinical tests to help them develop the method and interpretation of these tests and maximize their diagnostic value for CGD. Objective The purpose of the study was to determine normative responses to the clinical application of the cervical torsion test and the head-neck differentiation test (HNDT) with consideration of different age groups and sex. Design This was an observational study. Methods One hundred forty-seven people who were healthy and asymptomatic served as controls and performed both tests, which involved 3 components: cervical torsion, cervical rotation, and en bloc rotation (head and trunk rotation together). Results Thirty-five (23.81%) of the 147 participants reported some symptoms (mild dizziness, visual disturbances, unusual eye movements on opening eyes after the test, motion sickness, or nausea) on 1 or more of the 3 test components in either test. The specificity when using a positive response to torsion alone (ie, a negative response to the rotation or en bloc component) was high (for the cervical torsion test, 98.64%; for the head-neck differentiation test, 89.8%), as participants with likely global sensorimotor sensitivity were eliminated. The combined specificity was 100%, as no participants presented with exclusive positive torsion results in both tests. Age and sex did not influence the results. Limitations There were several examiners who were not blinded. Conclusions Confirmation of the high specificity of these clinical tests with the method used in this study to conduct and interpret the results will allow future research to determine the sensitivity of these clinical measures in a population with CGD and specificity in those with dizziness of other origins.

Pengaruh Perbandingan Serbuk Santan dan Gula dalam Pembuatan Manisan Instan Beras Rendang terhadap Penerimaan Konsumen dengan Analisis Sensori Uji Pembeda

This research has been carried out in the Laboratory of Chemistry, Agricultural Biochemistry and Food Nutrition, Laboratory of Technology and Agricultural Process Engineering Faculty of Agricultural Technology Laboratory of Animal Husbandry Biotechnology Faculty of Animal Husbandry, and Laboratory of Tablet Faculty of Pharmacy in July to August 2018. The aims of this study was to determine the ratio of coconut milk and sugar to the characteristics of instant beras rendang flour and find out the best ratio in organoleptic instant beras rendang product with a differentiation test. This research method used a completely randomized design with 5 treatments and 3 replications, which treatments A (35% coconut milk powder : 15% sugar), B (30% coconut milk Powder : 20% Sugar), C (25% coconut milk Powder : 25% Sugar), D (20% Coconut Milk Powder : 30% Sugar), E (15% Coconut Milk Powder : 15% Sugar). Tests carried out included sensory analysis by differentiating test.

DAYA TERIMA PRODUK OLAHAN REMPEYEK DAUN KERSEN (Muntingia calabura L) SEBAGAI SNACK HERBAL MASYARAKAT LOKAL

The amount of food or snacks that contain preservatives or chemicals consumed by the community, therefore, requires innovation and creation in food or herbal snacks made from local raw materials as consumption of the local community. This study aims to determine the acceptability of processed leaves of kersen leaves as a herbal snack for the local community. The method used was Randomized Block Design (RBD) with three samples A (young cherry leaf chips), B (medium cherry leaf chpis), and C (old cherry leaf chips) repeated 3 times. The instruments used were organoleptic test or sensory evaluation, by means of a value-differentiation test and hedonic scale test, with parameters of the quality of crispness, taste, color, and preference. The panel used by 35 untrained panelists namely the public and students as invited guests at the exhibition of products field lecture in Cikedung Indramayu West Java District. From the results of the power test, the kersen leaf chips which has the best percentage is medium-sized kersen leaf processed products with a crisp quality level of 51.42%, flavor (not bitter) 37, 14%, color (slightly brownish) 37.14%, and preference (somewhat like) 45.71%. Therefore, it is necessary to diversify food or snacks especially those that have nutritional value, are easy, economical, made from local resources, and can be used as entrepreneurial opportunities for the community.

Analisis Capaian Kinerja Pelaksanaan Anggaran Penerapan Aplikasi Electronic Monitoring Pelaksanaan Anggaran (e-MPA)

This study aim to examine and found the empirical evidence the consistancy between budget absorption and realization after the implementation of Electronic Monitoring Budget Execution aplication (e-MPA) at Ministry of Religion working unit at Lampung Province. This study use 4.416 population data for the period of 2012 until 2013 before the implementation of e-MPA aplication and the period of 2015 until 2016 after the implementation of e-MPA aplication. Data used are secondary data obtained by accessing the site http://www.kemenag.go.id. The data analyzed using differentiation test with statistical test tool SPSS 22. The result shows that there is a difference of consistancy of budget absorption and there is also a difference on budget realization after the implementation of e-MPA aplication.the difference occured is the decreasing on statistic result of absorption consistancy and absorption realization for budgeting that indicates there is no goal congruence caused by communication pattern, information support, and uncorrect guidelines comprehension for e-MPA aplication.