Showing papers by "Gadjah Mada University published in 2020"

Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2): An overview of viral structure and host response.

Abstract: Background and aim As a result of its rapid spread in various countries around the world, on March 11, 2020, WHO issued an announcement of the change in coronavirus disease 2019 status from epidemic to pandemic disease. The virus that causes this disease is indicated originating from animals traded in a live animal market in Wuhan, China. Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2 can attack lung cells because there are many conserved receptor entries, namely Angiotensin Converting Enzyme-2. The presence of this virus in host cells will initiate various protective responses leading to pneumonia and Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome. This review aimed to provide an overview related to this virus and examine the body’s responses and possible therapies. Method We searched PubMed databases for Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus-2, Middle East respiratory syndrome-related coronavirus and Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus. Full texts were retrieved, analyzed and developed into an easy-to-understand review. Results We provide a complete review related to structure, origin, and how the body responds to this virus infection and explain the possibility of an immune system over-reaction or cytokine storm. We also include an explanation of how this virus creates modes of avoidance to evade immune system attacks. We further explain the therapeutic approaches that can be taken in the treatment and prevention of this viral infection. Conclusion In summary, based on the structural and immune-evasion system of coronavirus, we suggest several approaches to treat the disease.

Global Retinoblastoma Presentation and Analysis by National Income Level

Abstract: Importance: Early diagnosis of retinoblastoma, the most common intraocular cancer, can save both a child's life and vision. However, anecdotal evidence suggests that many children across the world are diagnosed late. To our knowledge, the clinical presentation of retinoblastoma has never been assessed on a global scale. Objectives: To report the retinoblastoma stage at diagnosis in patients across the world during a single year, to investigate associations between clinical variables and national income level, and to investigate risk factors for advanced disease at diagnosis. Design, Setting, and Participants: A total of 278 retinoblastoma treatment centers were recruited from June 2017 through December 2018 to participate in a cross-sectional analysis of treatment-naive patients with retinoblastoma who were diagnosed in 2017. Main Outcomes and Measures: Age at presentation, proportion of familial history of retinoblastoma, and tumor stage and metastasis. Results: The cohort included 4351 new patients from 153 countries; the median age at diagnosis was 30.5 (interquartile range, 18.3-45.9) months, and 1976 patients (45.4%) were female. Most patients (n = 3685 [84.7%]) were from low- and middle-income countries (LMICs). Globally, the most common indication for referral was leukocoria (n = 2638 [62.8%]), followed by strabismus (n = 429 [10.2%]) and proptosis (n = 309 [7.4%]). Patients from high-income countries (HICs) were diagnosed at a median age of 14.1 months, with 656 of 666 (98.5%) patients having intraocular retinoblastoma and 2 (0.3%) having metastasis. Patients from low-income countries were diagnosed at a median age of 30.5 months, with 256 of 521 (49.1%) having extraocular retinoblastoma and 94 of 498 (18.9%) having metastasis. Lower national income level was associated with older presentation age, higher proportion of locally advanced disease and distant metastasis, and smaller proportion of familial history of retinoblastoma. Advanced disease at diagnosis was more common in LMICs even after adjusting for age (odds ratio for low-income countries vs upper-middle-income countries and HICs, 17.92 [95% CI, 12.94-24.80], and for lower-middle-income countries vs upper-middle-income countries and HICs, 5.74 [95% CI, 4.30-7.68]). Conclusions and Relevance: This study is estimated to have included more than half of all new retinoblastoma cases worldwide in 2017. Children from LMICs, where the main global retinoblastoma burden lies, presented at an older age with more advanced disease and demonstrated a smaller proportion of familial history of retinoblastoma, likely because many do not reach a childbearing age. Given that retinoblastoma is curable, these data are concerning and mandate intervention at national and international levels. Further studies are needed to investigate factors, other than age at presentation, that may be associated with advanced disease in LMICs.

The Effect of COVID-19 Pandemic: How are the Future Tourist Behavior?

Abstract: Aims: This research examines tourist travel intentions after the end of the pandemic. Study Design: Descriptive quantitative study. Place and Duration of Study: Research from February April 2020 in Jakarta, Indonesia. Methodology: This research is a descriptive study describing the current situation using a quantitative approach. Probability sampling with simple random sampling. Data collection using survey methods by distributing online questionnaires (Google Form) through WhatsApp broadcast messages and reach 128 respondents. Simple quantitative data analysis. Results: The travel preferences are (78%), or the majority of respondents said they would go back on tour. About (65%) will return to travel in the near term, which is 0-6 months after the pandemic is declared over, of the type of tourism desired by respondents is nature tourism by (66%), The majority of the desired tour duration is short-period, which is 1-4 days. The survey results show that travel intention mean value is higher than travel anxiety. Conclusion: Empirical predictions of tourist behavior after this pandemic ends. There are passion and optimism that tourism will recover faster because the majority of respondents in this study have planned when and where they will immediately after COVID-19 pandemic end with new travel preferences. Original Research Article Wachyuni and Kusumaningrum; JESBS, 33(4): 67-76, 2020; Article no.JESBS.57217 68

The therapeutic potential of targeting tryptophan catabolism in cancer.

Abstract: Based on its effects on both tumour cell intrinsic malignant properties as well as anti-tumour immune responses, tryptophan catabolism has emerged as an important metabolic regulator of cancer progression. Three enzymes, indoleamine-2,3-dioxygenase 1 and 2 (IDO1/2) and tryptophan-2,3-dioxygenase (TDO2), catalyse the first step of the degradation of the essential amino acid tryptophan (Trp) to kynurenine (Kyn). The notion of inhibiting IDO1 using small-molecule inhibitors elicited high hopes of a positive impact in the field of immuno-oncology, by restoring anti-tumour immune responses and synergising with other immunotherapies such as immune checkpoint inhibition. However, clinical trials with IDO1 inhibitors have yielded disappointing results, hence raising many questions. This review will discuss strategies to target Trp-degrading enzymes and possible down-stream consequences of their inhibition. We aim to provide comprehensive background information on Trp catabolic enzymes as targets in immuno-oncology and their current state of development. Details of the clinical trials with IDO1 inhibitors, including patient stratification, possible effects of the inhibitors themselves, effects of pre-treatments and the therapies the inhibitors were combined with, are discussed and mechanisms proposed that might have compensated for IDO1 inhibition. Finally, alternative approaches are suggested to circumvent these problems.

Reduced dengue incidence following deployments of Wolbachia-infected Aedes aegypti in Yogyakarta, Indonesia: a quasi-experimental trial using controlled interrupted time series analysis.

Abstract: Background: Ae. aegypti mosquitoes stably transfected with the intracellular bacterium Wolbachia pipientis ( w Mel strain) have been deployed for biocontrol of dengue and related arboviral diseases in multiple countries. Field releases in northern Australia have previously demonstrated near elimination of local dengue transmission from Wolbachia -treated communities, and pilot studies in Indonesia have demonstrated the feasibility and acceptability of the method. We conducted a quasi-experimental trial to evaluate the impact of scaled Wolbachia releases on dengue incidence in an endemic setting in Indonesia. Methods: In Yogyakarta City, Indonesia, following extensive community engagement, w Mel Wolbachia -carrying mosquitoes were released every two weeks for 13–15 rounds over seven months in 2016–17, in a contiguous 5 km 2 area (population 65,000). A 3 km 2 area (population 34,000) on the opposite side of the city was selected a priori as an untreated control area. Passive surveillance data on notified hospitalised dengue patients was used to evaluate the epidemiological impact of Wolbachia deployments, using controlled interrupted time-series analysis. Results: Rapid and sustained introgression of w Mel Wolbachia into local Ae. aegypti populations was achieved. Thirty-four dengue cases were notified from the intervention area and 53 from the control area (incidence 26 vs 79 per 100,000 person-years) during 24 months following Wolbachia deployment. This corresponded in the regression model to a 73% reduction in dengue incidence (95% confidence interval 49%,86%) associated with the Wolbachia intervention. Exploratory analysis including 6 months additional post-intervention observations showed a small strengthening of this effect (30 vs 115 per 100,000 person-years; 76% reduction in incidence, 95%CI 60%,86%). Conclusions: We demonstrate a significant reduction in dengue incidence following successful introgression of Wolbachia into local Ae. aegypti populations in an endemic setting in Indonesia. These findings are consistent with previous field trials in northern Australia, and support the effectiveness of this novel approach for dengue control.

A review of outdoor thermal comfort indices and neutral ranges for hot-humid regions

Abstract: This paper reviews frequently used outdoor thermal comfort indices in hot-humid regions and neutral thermal ranges to offer guidelines for selecting an appropriate index for hot-humid regions. An overview of the development of outdoor thermal comfort (OTC) indices based on type of approach, from linear equation approach - to adaptive thermal comfort model – is provided and the advantages and limitations of each index are presented. Subjective neutral ranges from 31 studies conducted in hot-humid regions were assessed on the basis of geographical location, Koppen-Geiger's climate classification, parameters, a survey method, instrumentation set-up, respondent profile, method of analysis, neutral range, and coefficient of determinations in order to gain an understanding of their deviations. The review of 31 calibration studies of (m)PET's, (OUT_)SET*’s and UTCI's neutral ranges indicated that the lower threshold of (m)PET's neutral range needs to be lowered, while the lower threshold of (OUT_)SET*’s and UTCI's ranges should be raised. The appropriateness of (OUT_)SET*’s thermal range for hot climates was proven by its full-coverage neutral range in the evaluation. However, the accurate response to ambient thermal conditions was determined by the advancement of a human thermoregulatory model.

Factors influencing volatile fatty acids production from food wastes via anaerobic digestion

Abstract: Volatile fatty acids (VFAs) are intermediate products in anaerobic digestion. The effect of substrate loading or inoculum to substrate ratio (ISR), the addition of methanogen inhibitor, O2 presence ...

Machine Learning-Based IoT-Botnet Attack Detection with Sequential Architecture.

Abstract: With the rapid development and popularization of Internet of Things (IoT) devices, an increasing number of cyber-attacks are targeting such devices. It was said that most of the attacks in IoT environments are botnet-based attacks. Many security weaknesses still exist on the IoT devices because most of them have not enough memory and computational resource for robust security mechanisms. Moreover, many existing rule-based detection systems can be circumvented by attackers. In this study, we proposed a machine learning (ML)-based botnet attack detection framework with sequential detection architecture. An efficient feature selection approach is adopted to implement a lightweight detection system with a high performance. The overall detection performance achieves around 99% for the botnet attack detection using three different ML algorithms, including artificial neural network (ANN), J48 decision tree, and Naive Bayes. The experiment result indicates that the proposed architecture can effectively detect botnet-based attacks, and also can be extended with corresponding sub-engines for new kinds of attacks.

COVID-19: Threat and fear in Indonesia.

Abstract: The purpose of this article is to provide a brief report on how the Indonesian population has experienced the COVID-19 pandemic in the first 2 months since the establishment of COVID-19 Rapid Response Task Force on March 13. The discussion will focus on the psychological trauma that the population has experienced due to the lack of preparedness, the poorly equipped health care system, and lockdown policies in dealing with the spread of the coronavirus. Four different types of psychological trauma were increasingly observed, based on digital communication with people affected and reports from the news and social media. These 4 types of psychological trauma were social withdrawal, hysteria, individual violence, and collective violence. On the basis of the described psychological consequences of the pandemic, it can be assumed that both the individual and collective reactions must be considered to reduce harm of the coronavirus pandemic. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2020 APA, all rights reserved).

Clinical characteristics and mortality associated with COVID-19 in Jakarta, Indonesia: a hospital-based retrospective cohort study

Abstract: Background Data on COVID-19-related mortality and associated factors from low-resource settings are scarce. This study examined clinical characteristics and factors associated with in-hospital mortality of COVID-19 patients in Jakarta, Indonesia, from March 2 to July 31, 2020. Methods This retrospective cohort included all hospitalised patients with PCR-confirmed COVID-19 in 55 hospitals. We extracted demographic and clinical data, including hospital outcomes (discharge or death). We used Cox regression to examine factors associated with mortality. Findings Of 4265 patients with a definitive outcome by July 31, 3768 (88%) were discharged and 497 (12%) died. The median age was 46 years (IQR 32–57), 5% were children, and 31% had at least one comorbidity. Age-specific mortalities were 11% (7/61) for 3) symptoms; and shorter time from symptom onset to admission. Patients 1 comorbidity had a nearly six-fold higher risk of death than those without (adjusted hazard ratio 5·50, 95% CI 2·72-11·13; 27% vs 3% mortality). Interpretation Overall mortality was lower than reported in high-income countries, probably due to younger age distribution and fewer comorbidities. However, deaths occurred across all ages, with >10% mortality among children 50 years.

Stable establishment of wMel Wolbachia in Aedes aegypti populations in Yogyakarta, Indonesia

Abstract: The successful establishment of the wMel strain of Wolbachia for the control of arbovirus transmission by Aedes aegypti has been proposed and is being implemented in a number of countries. Here we describe the successful establishment of the wMel strain of Wolbachia in four sites in Yogyakarta, Indonesia. We demonstrate that Wolbachia can be successfully introgressed after transient releases of wMel-infected eggs or adult mosquitoes. We demonstrate that the approach is acceptable to communities and that Wolbachia maintains itself in the mosquito population once deployed. Finally, our data show that spreading rates of Wolbachia in the Indonesian setting are slow which may reflect more limited dispersal of Aedes aegypti than seen in other sites such as Cairns, Australia.

Whey protein-polysaccharide conjugates obtained via dry heat treatment to improve the heat stability of whey protein stabilized emulsions

Abstract: Background As the demand for “clean label emulsions” and natural emulsifiers is increasing, whey proteins have a big potency to be used as an emulsifier in food emulsions. However, in order to enable their application, whey proteins should withstand high temperature processing. Hence, the limited heat stability of whey proteins is a major drawback: they are highly heat labile and thus prone to heat induced protein denaturation and aggregation. As this phenomenon highly impacts their functionality, it is of utmost importance to increase the heat stability of whey proteins to broaden their application in the food industry, which requires a thorough knowledge of the heat stability properties of whey proteins. Scope and approach To better understand the heat stabilizing activity of whey protein-polysaccharides conjugates, studies on the heat stability of whey proteins and whey protein stabilized emulsions, as well as approaches to improve their heat stability, especially using the dry heat treatment method are reviewed. Key findings and conclusions Chemical modification by combining whey proteins and polysaccharides has been reported to successfully improve the heat stability of the obtained conjugates. Hence, this new whey protein-polysaccharide material is promising to be used as a natural emulsifier.

Simultaneous removal of lead(II), chromium(III), and copper(II) heavy metal ions through an adsorption process using C-phenylcalix[4]pyrogallolarene material

Abstract: Heavy metal ion removal remains a serious challenge to the sustainability of our environment. In this work, a simple adsorbent, i.e., C-phenylcalix[4]pyrogallolarene bearing 12 phenolic functional groups, has been successfully synthesized and evaluated for the simultaneous adsorption of heavy metal ions in acidic media. Results showed that C-phenylcalix[4]pyrogallolarene exhibited good adsorption percentages for heavy metal ions, i.e., lead(II), chromium(III), copper(II), and nickel(II). Given that the adsorption of all metal ions was driven by the ion exchange mechanism, the adsorption process depends on the pH value of the aqueous phase, yielding the optimum pH values of 5.0, 4.9, 5.2, and 7.9 for lead(II), chromium(III), copper(II), and nickel(II) ions, respectively. The kinetics of heavy metal ion adsorption was governed by the pseudo-second order model, whereas the adsorption isotherm behavior was governed by the Langmuir model. The results also showed that the adsorption capacities for lead(II), chromium(III), copper(II), and nickel(II) were 60.97, 14.31, 8.14, and 16.86 mg g−1, respectively. The interaction between heavy metal ions and C-phenylcalix[4]pyrogallolarene was also investigated through UV–vis, FTIR, and 1H-nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopic studies. The findings showed that C-phenylcalix[4]pyrogallolarene is a potential adsorbent material for the simultaneous removal of heavy metal ions.

How agriculture, manufacture, and urbanization induced carbon emission? The case of Indonesia.

Abstract: The agriculture and manufacturing sectors are the backbones of the Indonesian economy; for this reason, research on the effects of these sectors on carbon emissions is an important subject. This work adds urbanization to enrich research on the Environmental Kuznets Curve (EKC) in Indonesia. The results of this study indicate that the EKC hypothesis was confirmed in Indonesia with a turning point of 2057.89 USD/capita. The research results show that all variables affect the escalation of greenhouse gas emissions in Indonesia. Furthermore, there is a bidirectional causality relationship between emissions with economic growth, emissions with agricultural sector, emissions with manufacturing sector, economic growth with agricultural sector, and economic growth with manufacturing. The unidirectional causality is found in emissions by urbanization and economic growth by urbanization. To reduce the impact of environmental damage caused by the activities of agriculture, manufacturing, and urbanization sectors, it is recommended that the government conduct water-efficient rice cultivation and increase the use of renewable energy.

The global abundance of tree palms

Abstract: Aim: Palms are an iconic, diverse and often abundant component of tropical ecosystems that provide many ecosystem services. Being monocots, tree palms are evolutionarily, morphologically and physiologically distinct from other trees, and these differences have important consequences for ecosystem services (e.g., carbon sequestration and storage) and in terms of responses to climate change. We quantified global patterns of tree palm relative abundance to help improve understanding of tropical forests and reduce uncertainty about these ecosystems under climate change. Location: Tropical and subtropical moist forests. Time period: Current. Major taxa studied: Palms (Arecaceae). Methods: We assembled a pantropical dataset of 2,548 forest plots (covering 1,191 ha) and quantified tree palm (i.e., ≥10 cm diameter at breast height) abundance relative to co-occurring non-palm trees. We compared the relative abundance of tree palms across biogeographical realms and tested for associations with palaeoclimate stability, current climate, edaphic conditions and metrics of forest structure. Results: On average, the relative abundance of tree palms was more than five times larger between Neotropical locations and other biogeographical realms. Tree palms were absent in most locations outside the Neotropics but present in >80% of Neotropical locations. The relative abundance of tree palms was more strongly associated with local conditions (e.g., higher mean annual precipitation, lower soil fertility, shallower water table and lower plot mean wood density) than metrics of long-term climate stability. Life-form diversity also influenced the patterns; palm assemblages outside the Neotropics comprise many non-tree (e.g., climbing) palms. Finally, we show that tree palms can influence estimates of above-ground biomass, but the magnitude and direction of the effect require additional work. Conclusions: Tree palms are not only quintessentially tropical, but they are also overwhelmingly Neotropical. Future work to understand the contributions of tree palms to biomass estimates and carbon cycling will be particularly crucial in Neotropical forests.

Carbohydrate Binding Modules: Diversity of Domain Architecture in Amylases and Cellulases From Filamentous Microorganisms

Abstract: Enzymatic degradation of abundant renewable polysaccharides such as cellulose and starch is a field that has the attention of both the industrial and scientific community. Most of the polysaccharide degrading enzymes are classified into several glycoside hydrolase families. They are often organized in a modular manner which includes a catalytic domain connected to one or more carbohydrate-binding modules. The carbohydrate-binding modules (CBM) have been shown to increase the proximity of the enzyme to its substrate, especially for insoluble substrates. Therefore, these modules are considered to enhance enzymatic hydrolysis. These properties have played an important role in many biotechnological applications with the aim to improve the efficiency of polysaccharide degradation. The domain organization of glycoside hydrolases (GHs) equipped with one or more CBM does vary within organisms. This review comprehensively highlights the presence of CBM as ancillary modules and explores the diversity of GHs carrying one or more of these modules that actively act either on cellulose or starch. Special emphasis is given to the cellulase and amylase distribution within the filamentous microorganisms from the genera of Streptomyces and Aspergillus that are well known to have a great capacity for secreting a wide range of these polysaccharide degrading enzyme. The potential of the CBM and other ancillary domains for the design of improved polysaccharide decomposing enzymes is discussed.

Budaya Media Sosial, Edukasi Masyarakat, Dan Pandemi COVID-19

Abstract: This study wants to explore the public education of COVID-19 through the social and cultural media in it. Furthermore, this research also identifies how the media affect the community and by involving mass media communication in strategies to raise awareness about COVID-19 prevention and prevention efforts. This study uses a qualitative method by utilizing a virtual ethnographic approach that refers to the ethnographic research approach conducted in online settings about the internet and social media. The results show that social media culture in Indonesia can act as a teacher who can educate the public and stimulate in the latest research related to COVID-19; as education for public health services; directing people to their websites and landing pages for information on the latest and most trusted COVID-19; marketing innovative services such as health care social funding services; posts related to case information, photos, and results (with permission) relating to COVID-19 to educate the public; sharing reviews and testimonies of patients who recover as motivation and initial prevention efforts; and providing support among Indonesian citizens in the face of the COVID-19 pandemic. Keywords: Social Media Culture, Public Education, Covid-19 Pandemic Abstrak Penelitian ini ingin mengeksplorasi tentang edukasi masyarakat terhadap COVID-19 melalui media sosial dan budaya yang ada di dalamnya. Lebih lanjut, penelitian ini turut mengidentifikasi bagaimana media mempengaruhi masyarakat dan dengan melibatkan komunikasi media massa dalam strategi untuk meningkatkan kesadaran tentang usaha penanganan dan pencegahan COVID-19. Penelitian ini menggunakan metode kualitatif dengan memanfaatkan pendekatan virtual etnografi yang mengacu pada pendekatan penelitian etnografi yang dilakukan dalam pengaturan online tentang internet dan media sosial. Hasil penelitian menunjukkan bahwa budaya media sosial di Indonesia dapat bertindak sebagai guru yang mampu mengedukasi masyarakat dan menstimulasi dalam penelitian terbaru terkait COVID-19; sebagai pendidikan layanan kesehatan masyarakat; mengarahkan masyarakat ke situs web dan halaman arahan mereka untuk informasi terkait COVID-19 terbaru dan terpercaya; memasarkan layanan inovatif seperti layanan dana sosial perawatan kesehatan; posting terkait informasi kasus, foto, dan hasil (dengan izin) yang berkaitan dengan COVID-19 untuk mengedukasi masyarakat; berbagi ulasan dan testimoni pasien yang sembuh sebagai motivasi dan upaya awal pencegahan; dan memberikan dukungan antar warga negara Indonesia dalam menghadapi pandemi COVID-19. Kata kunci: Budaya Media Sosial, Edukasi Masyarakat, Pandemi Covid-19

Towards a Lightweight Detection System for Cyber Attacks in the IoT Environment Using Corresponding Features

Abstract: The application of a large number of Internet of Things (IoT) devices makes our life more convenient and industries more efficient. However, it also makes cyber-attacks much easier to occur because so many IoT devices are deployed and most of them do not have enough resources (i.e., computation and storage capacity) to carry out ordinary intrusion detection systems (IDSs). In this study, a lightweight machine learning-based IDS using a new feature selection algorithm is designed and implemented on Raspberry Pi, and its performance is verified using a public dataset collected from an IoT environment. To make the system lightweight, we propose a new algorithm for feature selection, called the correlated-set thresholding on gain-ratio (CST-GR) algorithm, to select really necessary features. Because the feature selection is conducted on three specific kinds of cyber-attacks, the number of selected features can be significantly reduced, which makes the classifiers very small and fast. Thus, our detection system is lightweight enough to be implemented and carried out in a Raspberry Pi system. More importantly, as the really necessary features corresponding to each kind of attack are exploited, good detection performance can be expected. The performance of our proposal is examined in detail with different machine learning algorithms, in order to learn which of them is the best option for our system. The experiment results indicate that the new feature selection algorithm can select only very few features for each kind of attack. Thus, the detection system is lightweight enough to be implemented in the Raspberry Pi environment with almost no sacrifice on detection performance.

Stunting is not a synonym of malnutrition.

Abstract: WHO documents characterize stunting as, “…impaired growth and development that children experience from poor nutrition, repeated infection, and inadequate psychosocial stimulation.” The equation of stunting with malnutrition is common. This contrasts with historic and modern observations indicating that growth in height is largely independent of the extent and nature of the diet. We measured 1716 Indonesian children, aged 6.0–13.2 years, from urban Kupang/West-Timor and rural Soe/West-Timor, urban Ubud/Bali, and rural Marbau/North Sumatra. We clinically assessed signs of malnutrition and skin infections. There was no relevant correlation between nutritional status (indicated by skinfold thickness) and height SDS (hSDS). In total 53% of boys, and 46% girls in rural Soe were stunted, with no meaningful association between mean of triceps and subscapular skinfolds (xSF) and height. Skinfold thickness was close to German values. Shortest and tallest children did not differ relevantly in skinfold thickness. The same applied for the association between hSDS and mid-upper-arm circumference (MUAC) using linear mixed effects models with both fixed and random effects. In total 35.6% boys and 29.2% girls in urban Ubud were overweight; 21.4% boys and 12.4% girls obese, but with mean hSDS = −0.3, still short. Relevant associations between hSDS and xSF and MUAC were only found among the overweight urban children confirming that growth is accelerated in overweight and obese children. There were no visible clinical signs of malnutrition or chronic infection in the stunted children. The present data seriously question the concept of stunting as prima facie evidence of malnutrition and chronic infection.

How gender differences and perceptions of safety shape urban mobility in Southeast Asia

Abstract: Despite numerous studies on how gender differences affect transport mobility choices and perception of safety, there has been little emphasis on the influence of spatial and socio-cultural constructs on it, particularly in the Southeast Asian context. This article investigates this relation through (1) an on-street survey involving 383 participants in eight neighbourhoods in Jakarta and Kuala Lumpur, (2) analysing videos taken with the walking with video approach, and (3) a computational analysis of the street network using space syntax. Findings suggest that a large proportion of women ascribed to negative perceptions of safety as compared to men. Negative perceptions of safety were related to wariness towards motorcycles in Jakarta and absence of other pedestrians and the image of the place in Kuala Lumpur. This difference can be attributed to distinctions in spatial configurations and socio-cultural constructs between both cities. Findings provide practical insights – mode segregation or changes to street design – to address gendered mobility for sustainable urban transport in the region.

Health-Seeking Behavior of People in Indonesia: A Narrative Review.

Abstract: This review aims to locate existing studies on health-seeking behavior of people in Indonesia, identify gaps, and highlight important findings. Articles were retrieved from Medline, Scopus, Web of Science, Academic Search Complete (via Ebsco), and ProQuest with a number of key words and various combinations. Articles from Indonesian journals were also searched for with Google Scholar. A total of 56 articles from peer-reviewed journal databases and 19 articles from Indonesian journals were reviewed. Quantitative designs were applied more frequently than qualitative, and mixed methods designs were used in some studies. The majority gathered retrospective information about people's behaviors. Communicable diseases and maternity care were the most frequently studied conditions, in contrast to noncommunicable diseases. In terms of geographical distribution, most research was conducted on Java island, with very few in outside Java. Important findings are a model of Indonesian care-seeking pathways, an understanding of determinants of people's care choices, and the role of sociocultural beliefs. The findings from this narrative review provide insight to what and how Indonesians make decisions to manage their illness and why. This makes an important contribution to understanding the problem of underutilization of medical services despite the government's extensive efforts to improve accessibility.

Combined use of Sentinel-1 and Sentinel-2 data for improving above-ground biomass estimation

Abstract: Above-ground Biomass (AGB) represents the largest amount of biomass found on earth. Passive and active remote sensors have been a useful tool in estimating AGB for this purpose; nevertheless, both ...