The purpose of this study was to investigate the leadership practices of Indonesian Islamic boarding school (pesantren) leaders, school principals, and teachers in responding to the health crisis caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, to ensure the continuation of boarding school education in the “new normal” period. Generated using a moderated focus group discussion with principals and teachers, the findings suggest that principals' and teachers' leadership practices are acceptable in the policy, social support, and financial dimensions but still lack structural and teaching aspects about conducting blended learning. Based on this study's findings, pesantren leaders (kyai) and school principals should pay attention to training programs for implementing blended learning for teachers. The government is encouraged to assist in providing technical facilities pesantren can implement blended learning more effectively.

This study aimed to describe nyantri (Islamic crash course) program as a leadership strategy adopted by school principals in strengthening the school organizational culture. This study used a qualitative approach via theoretical phenomenology orientation and a multicase design. The data collection was done through observation, documentation, and in-depth interviews. The validity of the data was measured by data reduction, data presentation, and conclusion. The results of this study found three models of Islamic crash course performed: tashih, that is, Al-Qur’an reading competence, taushiyah (Islamic lecture) of leadership values, and apprenticeship for the application of a santri’s (Islamic crash course student) character values. The benefits for the teachers are the preservation of their Al-Qur’an reading competence and the improved intensity of the leadership and application of Islamic values, which form the school organizational culture. An integration of values rooted from the three models into the institutional vision could strengthen the school organizational culture to improve school achievement.

Some of the technical problems that appear are obtaining solar cell parameters from I-V curve measurement data. One simple method is using linear graphical fit at zero current or voltage conditions. Although the accuracy of the obtained values is acceptable, other problems may arise regarding the number of parameters which could be obtained. We report a comparison between manual or graphical fit and fit using Shockley’s equation. The single I-V curve under the lighting was inferred to obtain the intrinsic parameters of the solar cells’ performance. The fittings were performed using the nonlinear equation of Shockley by determining some initial values of fittings such as R_s, R_sh, n, I₀, I_ph, and T. In the case of the Shockley equation fit, the iteration was performed several times to obtain the least possible inferred parameters. We have successfully obtained a better result of nonlinear Shockley fitting compared to the manual linear fit.

In this study, we report the synthesis of the magnetite/silica nanocomposites and their structural and functional groups, magnetic properties, morphology, antimicrobial activity, and drug delivery performance. The X-ray diffraction characterization showed that magnetite formed a spinel phase and that silica formed an amorphous phase. The particle sizes of magnetite increased from 8.2 to 13.2 nm with increasing silica content, and the particles were observed to be superparamagnetic. The nanocomposites tended to agglomerate based on the scanning electron microscopy images. The antimicrobial activity of the magnetite/silica nanocomposites revealed that the increasing silica content increased the inhibition zones by 74%, 77%, and 143% in case of Gram-positive bacteria (B. subtilis), Gram-negative bacteria (E. coli), and fungus (C. albicans), respectively. Furthermore, doxorubicin was used as the model compound in the drug loading and release study, and drug loading was directly proportional to the silica content. Thus, the increasing silica content increased the drug loading owing to the increasing number of OH- bonds in silica, resulting in strong bonds with doxorubicin. Based on this study, the magnetite/silica nanocomposites could be applied as drug delivery vehicles.

Patients with localized juvenile periodontitis (LJP) exhibit defective neutrophil functions to a variety of environmental and host stimuli. It is not clear, however, how many of the measurable functions are defective and whether individual patients exhibit single or multiple dysfunctions. The purpose of this study was to evaluate chemotaxis, phagocytosis, specific granule release and Superoxide production in a group of 23 previously unreported LJP patients. Our results indicate that all 23 of these LJP patients exhibited Chemotaxis depression to N‐formyl‐L‐methionyl‐L‐leucyl‐L‐phenylalanine (FMLP) and endotoxin‐activated serum (EAS). Smaller groups from the 23 chemotactically defective LJP group were used to test other functions due to inability to obtain sufficient quantities of blood. Fourteen of 14 LJP patients tested exhibited defective phagocytosis. Ten LJP patients were evaluated for specific granule release, and 14 LJP patients were evaluated for Superoxide production. Both granule release and Superoxide production were found to be normal in chemotactically defective LJP patients. Since both defective and normal responses noted in the same neutrophil populations are mediated by the same receptor, it is hypothesized that the cellular defect lies in a post receptor pathway.