bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
FINANCIAL MARKET STABILITY – KEY LEVER ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT OF THE STATE
Authors: Aleksieienko Inna , Leliuk Svitlana , Poltinina Olga
Published: June 2021

Economic issues of the state's development at the present stage, largely depend on the development of the financial sphere. That is dictated by the reduction of the role of the real sector in the economy of the development of the state. Based on the experience of developed countries, we can state that the functioning of the effective banking system is the lever of development of the country's economy. The modern Ukrainian economy still cannot demonstrate the adequacy of the development of the financial market. The banking sector is most effective in this area. The issue of regulating the adequacy of bank capital is also relevant for the Ukrainian economy. The solution of this issue, to a certain extent, is embedded in the process of Ukraine's implementation of international standards for regulating the activities of banks. In this direction, the NBU has developed a program of measures to update regulatory requirements for banks. The paper argues the feasibility of a bank-centric financial market model for Ukraine. An analysis of the dynamics of the formation of bank capital has been carried out. The indicators of its sufficiency are considered separately. The results of the analysis of the compliance of Ukrainian banks with international liquidity standards are presented. Analysis of banks' capital security, dynamics of its absolute values with the rate of formation of gross domestic product was carried out. The bank's capital adequacy indicators are used as criteria for assessing their stability. The methodology used to assess the relationship between banks' equity and gross domestic product through sensitivity ratio (β). The level of communication between the indicators was determined by the value of the correlation ratio. Separately, an analysis of the impact of banks' equity on the level of gross domestic product for individual periods was carried out. The purpose of this analysis is to find out the peculiarities of banks' activities. As a result, it was proved that there is a connection between the indicator of the level of banks' equity capital and the gross domestic product. Additionally, the article describes the problems that hinder the development of the financial market in Ukraine. Government support for the banking sector is the basis for its development.
The originality of the cognitive independence manifestation of the personality of an older preschool-age child
Authors:   Izmail State University of Humanities, Ukraine, Melnyk Vita
Published: June 2021

The article presents the originality of the cognitive independence manifestation of the cognitive independence of the personality of an older pre-school child. The author has proved that the child’s cognitive independence in older pre-school age is an integral part of the personal development process. The success in developing the cognitive independence of older pre-school children is related to their activation in educational activities based on the skillful implementation of the following didactic principles as awareness, activity and independence, creativity, considering the age and individual characteristics of children in the educational process. Cognitive independence is based on the inclusion of creative tasks in the educational process with a view to nurturing and developing a culture of thought and the ability to learn independently in the environment. An important condition for the development of the child’s cognitive independence is the development of creative thinking, which is ensured not by the child’s reproduction of known patterns and actions, namely, the ability of the child to regroup, to consider new things from different points of view, resort to associations. The formation and development of cognitive independence are divided into three levels: low, medium, and high. This sequence will increase cognitive independence. The older pre-school age is the foundation for the development of the basic skills and abilities that a person needs during lifetime. It provides for synergistic development of qualities and processes, reaching the appropriate age of physical and psychological maturity of emotional, intellectual, and voluntary development. It gives the child the opportunity to learn about a new social situation: the transition to systematic schooling, with a new social role for the pupil and the necessary functions and actions that help to learn new educational activities. It is the maturity of cognitive autonomy that ensures success in the development of educational skills in the next stages of school life. Early school-age education is based on the age of a pre-school child and requires appropriate pedagogical interventions. The prospects for further research could be examined by means of scientific analysis to determine the didactic conditions for the development of the cognitive independence of children before school-age
The Content of Media Educational Models of Leading European Countries
Authors:   SI «Luhansk Taras Shevchenko National University», Ukraine, Byndas Olena
Published: June 2021

This article examines the content of media educational models by L. Masterman, A. Silverblаtt, K. Bazalgette, D. Buckingham and E. Hart, as well as J. Potter. The purpose of the survey is to characterize the theoretical foundations of media education and analyze the basic models of media education in leading European countries to further develop a media educational model for the formation of media literacy and media competence of future foreign language teachers in Ukraine. Noted that media education ought to be one of the components of training in higher educational institutions. To prove the need for media education, higher educational students must first understand what is the media education, how it differs from informational education and what skills a higher education applicant can develop during studying it. Therefore, it is important to study the experience of European countries, where close attention to media education is explained by the continuous growth of media consumption, the need to compensate for the effects of manipulative media influences, media dependence, the urgency of media security issues, the demand for media skills, connecting with the media sphere, democracy and active citizenship. During the work the author concludes that the most typical models are media educational models, which are a synthesis of socio-cultural, educational and informational, and practical-utilitarian models. Simultaneously, media educational models, like the British ones, are currently the most widespread and supported in most countries of the world, in particular in Ukraine
Self-regulation as the basis of successful professional development of higher educational establishment students
Authors:   Poltava V.G. Korolenko National Pedagogical University, Ukraine, Stryzhak Yuliia
Published: June 2021

The article deals with the essence of self-regulation development as the basis of successful professional development of higher educational establishment students. It also analyzes the functions and components of self-regulation. An attempt to clarify the nature of self-regulation of professional development made it possible to establish the reason for the functioning of the structural elements of self-regulation development during educational activities.One of the tasks of modern education is to meet the social requirements for preparing young people for a successful life in modern society. In connection with the restructuring of the world system in Ukraine, increasing the level of psychological and pedagogical support for professional training, the relevance of the study of the self-regulation of future professionals is growing significantly. Therefore, for specialists dealing with learning problems, pedagogical research devoted to the problems of self-regulation is becoming increasingly important.Researchers’ approaches towards self-regulation on physiological levels as well as in the field of education were analyzed.On the theoretical grounds of the self-regulation problem, self-regulation was regarded as a complicated mechanism, which provides planning and realizing a person's actions following the aim determined.The professional development of future professionals should be aimed not only at mastering modern knowledge of general and professional disciplines, education of highly educated, cultural, harmoniously developed personality but also to promote the ideas of health and lifelong learning, education for sustainable development, competence approach, democracy, creation of a single zone of European education and tolerance.
From the editors
Authors: Komulainen Ville
Published: June 2021

From the editors.
Partitioning of marine transition zone reefs among temperate, sub-tropical and tropical fishes is related more to depth and habitat than temperature
Authors: Fairclough DV
Published: June 2021

Changes in fish communities as oceans warm and cool and competition for space between established and novel species can be evaluated in biogeographic transition zones such as the west coast of Australia. At ~30° S in this region, a cool anomaly occurred in the 2000s, between marine heatwaves. Over 2 yr of that anomaly, surveyed reef fishes were 57% temperate, 18% sub-tropical and 25% tropical. The most numerous fishes included a wrasse, herring, bullseye, drummer and damselfish. Based on similarities in the composition of fishes, 7 significant clusters of reefs were identified along a gradation from deep, exposed reefs to shallow, protected lagoonal reefs. Endemic sub-tropical and temperate wrasses and damselfishes typified all reefs. Some of these were ubiquitous over exposed and lagoonal reefs and others prevalent in only one reef type, demonstrating habitat preferences and partitioning among closely related species. This was reflected in the differing order of importance of fishes that typified different reefs. Linear modelling indicated that abiotic (depth, distance from shore) and biotic factors (e.g. algae) explained most of the variation in the fish communities among reefs. Additional variation, particularly within lagoonal reefs, was related to relief, turf and corals, rather than water temperature. Occurrence and reproductive activity of a group of tropical/sub-tropical wrasses and damselfish in some lagoonal reefs with abundant tropical habitats (e.g. corals) suggested that they supported novel communities during cool anomalies. Better predictions of future change and interactions between existing and novel species with environmental cycles requires knowledge of species-specific habitat relationships and biology.
COMPARING THE PREDICTIVE PERFORMANCE OF OLS AND 7 ROBUST LINEAR REGRESSION ESTIMATORS ON A REAL AND SIMULATED DATASETS
Authors: Varin Sacha
Published: June 2021

Robust regression techniques are relevant tools
for investigating data contaminated with influential
observations. The article briefly reviews and describes 7
robust estimators for linear regression, including popular
ones (Huber M, Tukey’s bisquare M, least absolute
deviation also called L1 or median regression), some that
combine high breakdown and high efficiency [fast MM
(Modified M-estimator), fast ?-estimator and HBR (High
breakdown rank-based)], and one to handle small samples
(Distance-constrained maximum likelihood (DCML)). We
include the fast MM and fast ?-estimators because we use
the fast-robust bootstrap (FRB) for MM and ?-estimators.
Our objective is to compare the predictive performance on
a real data application using OLS (Ordinary least squares)
and to propose alternatives by using 7 different robust
estimations. We also run simulations under various
combinations of 4 factors: sample sizes, percentage of
outliers, percentage of leverage and number of covariates.
The predictive performance is evaluated by crossvalidation and minimizing the mean squared error (MSE).
We use the R language for data analysis. In the real
dataset OLS provides the best prediction. DCML and
popular robust estimators give good predictive results as
well, especially the Huber M-estimator.
In simulations involving 3 predictors and n=50, the results
clearly favor fast MM, fast ?-estimator and HBR whatever
the proportion of outliers. DCML and Tukey M are also
good estimators when n=50, especially when the
percentage of outliers is small (5% and 10%%). With 10
predictors, however, HBR, fast MM, fast ? and especially
DCML give better results for n=50. HBR, fast MM and
DCML provide better results for n=500. For n=5000 all the
robust estimators give the same results independently of
the percentage of outliers.
If we vary the percentages of outliers and leverage points
simultaneously, DCML, fast MM and HBR are good
estimators for n=50 and p=3. For n=500, fast MM, fast ?
and HBR provi
YORÙBÁNET: A DEEP CONVOLUTIONAL NEURAL NETWORK DESIGN FOR YORÙBÁ ALPHABETS RECOGNITION
Authors: Oluwashina Akinloye Oyeniran , Ebenezer Olukunle Oyebode
Published: June 2021

Numerous works have been proposed
and implemented in computerization of various
human languages, nevertheless, miniscule effort
have also been made so as to put Yorùbá
Handwritten Character on the map of Optical
Character Recognition. This study presents a novel
technique in the development of Yorùbá alphabets
recognition system through the use of deep
learning. The developed model was implemented
on Matlab R2018a environment using the
developed framework where 10,500 samples of
dataset were for training and 2100 samples were
used for testing. The training of the developed
model was conducted using 30 Epoch, at 164
iteration per epoch while the total iteration is 4920
iterations. Also, the training period was estimated
to 11296 minutes 41 seconds. The model yielded the
network accuracy of 100% while the accuracy of
the test set is 97.97%, with F1 score of 0.9800,
Precision of 0.9803 and Recall value of 0.9797.
Long-Term Vision For Rural Areas
Authors: Vásáry Viktória , Biró Szabolcs , Kis Máté , Varga Eszter
Published: June 2021

The European Commission initiated the preparation of a new long-term vision for rural areas. First step of this process was the launch of a public consultation to which also the Horizon 2020 SHERPA (Sustainable Hub to Engage into Rural Policies with Actors) project is making a contribution on behalf of 20 different Multi-Actor Platforms (MAPs). The Hungarian MAP - a group of science-society-policy actors - focuses on the Agricultural Knowledge and Innovation System (AKIS), more precisely digitalization. The topic of Agricultural Knowledge and Innovation System - is a horizontal issue and it is embedded even into the Common Agricultural Policy’s (CAP) strategic planning process. Being part of it, the development of AKIS requires close and intensive cooperation of policy makers, researchers and farmers or in broader context the society with various stakeholders. The aim of the Hungarian research was to identify the current and likely trends for the Hungarian rural areas and to point out key challenges, opportunities, enablers and hinderers in rural development in terms of the Agricultural Knowledge and Innovation System (AKIS) up until 2040. The methodology used was the Delphi technique. In the first phase, a review of key trends, main challenges and opportunities and a summary of existing foresight regarding digital agriculture was written. Then AKIS experts were asked to talk about their experiences and opinions in the framework of interviews, a focus group meeting and a survey. In the end, results of the survey were discussed in a consensus meeting. Among the results, it is worth mentioning that digitization and digitalization will fundamentally change the way rural areas operate including economic, environmental and social dimensions. The main enablers of a promising future vision are capacity building for knowledge transfer, adaptation for job creation and offering better quality of life, stronger community building for collaborations, deeper government involvement, and last but not least, strengthening the local identity in rural areas.
The Nomadic Mood of Loneliness Embodied in The Raven by Edgar Allen Poe
Authors: Mukhamedova Sh.
Published: June 2021

The article investigates the poem The Raven by American dark genius Edgar Allen Poe. The research was done basing on historical, biographical and psychological literary schools, and is aimed to disclose hidden link of the poem to the life of the author. Moreover, the research includes the study of elements of gothic literature depicted in the poem.
Volumetric Lattice Boltzmann Models in General Curvilinear Coordinates: Theoretical Formulation
Authors: Chen Hudong
Published: June 2021

A theoretical formulation of lattice Boltzmann models on a general curvilinear coordinate system is presented. It is based on a volumetric representation so that mass and momentum are exactly conserved as in the conventional lattice Boltzmann on a Cartesian lattice. In contrast to some previously existing approaches for arbitrary meshes involving interpolation approximations among multiple neighboring cells, the current formulation preserves the fundamental one-to-one advection feature of a standard lattice Boltzmann method on a uniform Cartesian lattice. The new approach is built on the concept that a particle is moving along a curved path. A discrete space-time inertial force is derived so that the momentum conservation is exactly ensured for the underlying Euclidean space. We theoretically show that the new scheme recovers the Navier-Stokes equation in general curvilinear coordinates in the hydrodynamic limit, along with the correct mass continuity equation.
Sex-Specific Relationship Between Parathyroid Hormone and Platelet Indices in Phenotypes of Heart Failure—Results From the MyoVasc Study
Authors: Dahlen Bianca , Müller Felix , Tröbs Sven-Oliver , Heidorn Marc William , Schulz Andreas , Arnold Natalie , Hermanns M. Iris , Schwuchow-Thonke Sören , Prochaska Jürgen H. , Gori Tommaso , ten Cate Hugo , Lackner Karl J. , Münzel Thomas , Wild Philipp S. , Panova-Noeva Marina
Published: June 2021

Background: Heart failure (HF) is a multifactorial syndrome with pathophysiological complexities still not fully understood. Higher mean platelet volume (MPV), a potential marker of platelet activation, and high concentrations of parathyroid hormone (PTH) have been implicated in the pathogenesis of HF.

Aim: This study aims to investigate sex-specifically the association between PTH concentrations and platelet indices in phenotypes of HF.

Methods and Results: PTH and platelet indices (MPV and platelet count) were available in 1,896 participants from the MyoVasc study in Mainz, Germany. Multivariable linear regression models, adjusted for age, sex, season, vitamin D status, cardiovascular risk factors, comorbidities, estimated glomerular filtration rate, and medication, were used to assess the associations between platelet indices and PTH. The results showed distinct sex-specific associations between PTH and platelet indices. A positive association between PTH and MPV was found in females with symptomatic HF with reduced ejection fraction (HFrEF) only [β = 0.60 (0.19; 1.00)]. Platelet count was inversely associated with PTH in male HFrEF individuals [β = −7.6 (−15; −0.30)] and in both males and females with HF with preserved ejection fraction (HFpEF).

Conclusion: This study reports differential, sex-specific relationships between PTH and platelet indices in HF individuals independent of vitamin D status and clinical profile. Particularly in phenotypes of symptomatic HF, distinct associations were observed, suggesting a sex-specific mechanism involved in the interaction between PTH and platelets.
The Role of Fasting LDL-C Levels in Their Non-fasting Reduction in Patients With Coronary Heart Disease
Authors: Lin Qiuzhen , Fu Yan , Zang XueYan , Liu Qiming , Liu Ling
Published: June 2021

The level of low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) decreases to a certain extent after daily meals; however, the influencing factor of this phenomenon has not been fully elucidated. This study included 447 patients with coronary heart disease (CHD). Serum levels of blood lipid parameters at 0, 2, and 4 hours (h) after a daily breakfast were monitored in all subjects. The levels of total cholesterol (TC), LDL-C, high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C) and non-HDL-C significantly decreased, while those of triglycerides (TG) and remnant cholesterol (RC) significantly increased from baseline to 4 h in both male and female patients (P < 0.05). Multiple linear regression analysis showed that fasting LDL-C level, the non-fasting change in RC level at 4 h and fasting TG level were significant predictors of the non-fasting change in LDL-C level at 4 h in patients with CHD, and fasting LDL-C level was the most significantly associated with the non-fasting change in LDL-C level. Patients with lower levels of fasting LDL-C had smaller non-fasting changes in LDL-C levels. When the fasting LDL-C level was <1.4 mmol/L, both absolute reduction and percent reduction in LDL-C level at 4 h were almost zero, which means that the non-fasting LDL-C level at 4 h was approximately equivalent to its fasting value (P < 0.05). This result indicated that the non-fasting changes in LDL-C levels were influenced by fasting LDL-C levels in patients with CHD. When the fasting LDL-C level was <1.4 mmol/L, the non-fasting LDL-C level could replace the fasting value to guide treatment.
Cardiac Shock Wave Therapy Improves Ventricular Function by Relieving Fibrosis Through PI3K/Akt Signaling Pathway: Evidence From a Rat Model of Post-infarction Heart Failure
Authors: Wang Luqiao , Tian Xin , Cao Yuting , Ma Xuejuan , Shang Leilei , Li Hao , Zhang Xueting , Deng Furong , Li Shumin , Guo Tao , Yang Ping
Published: June 2021

Objection: Cumulative studies have identified the effectiveness of cardiac shock wave therapy (CSWT) in treating heart failure after acute myocardial infarction (AMI), but little have been discussed with regard to the beneficial effects of CSWT on anti-fibrosis along with the underlying mechanism. In this study, we investigated whether CSWT could reduce post-AMI fibrosis and further explored the molecular mechanism.

Methods: Rat heart failure (HF) models induced by ligating the left anterior descending coronary artery were established and validated by echocardiography. Eligible animals were randomly categorized into five groups: the sham group, the HF group, the HF + CSWT group, the HF + LY294002 group, and the HF + CSWT + LY294002 group. The cardiac weight, serum level of BNP, NT-pro BNP and echocardiography parameters were measured to assess cardiac function in different groups. Masson's trichrome staining was used to assess the proportions of the fibrotic area. The expression level of CD34, αSMA was measured by RT-PCR, Immunohistochemistry and Immunofluorescent analyses and the level of PI3K/Akt was quantified by Immunohistochemistry and Western blotting.

Results: The application of CSWT significantly improved cardiac function and reduced myocardial fibrosis and level of CD34 and αSMA, compared to the HF group. CSWT led to significant elevations of p-PI3K and p-Akt expression levels compared to that of the HF group and the inhibition of the PI3K/Akt pathway abolished the observed beneficial effects of CSWT.

Conclusion: CSWT can facilitate the alleviation of cardiac fibrosis induced by AMI through the activation of PI3K/Akt signaling pathway.
Correlation of Significantly Decreased Serum Circulating Mesencephalic Astrocyte-Derived Neurotrophic Factor Level With an Increased Risk of Future Cardiovascular Disease in Adult Patients With Growth Hormone Deficiency
Authors: Ren Ziyu , Wang Yunting , Chen Qing , Long Jiangchuan , Zhang Rui , Wu Xun , Qian Wenjie , Chen Yue , Liu Dongfang , Ren Wei
Published: June 2021

Objective

Adult growth hormone deficiency (AGHD) is a rare chronic inflammatory disease caused by damage to the pituitary gland and is accompanied by disorders of multiple metabolic pathways. By examining the correlation between the serum mesencephalic astrocyte-derived neurotrophic factor (MANF) levels of AGHD patients and those of normal controls, we hope to elucidate the close relationship among MANF, lipid metabolism and insulin resistance in AGHD and discuss the potential therapeutic value of MANF.

Methods

This study included 101 AGHD patients and 100 healthy subjects matched for sex, age, height, and weight. Anthropometric parameters and biochemical indicators such as body mass index, waist circumference, hip circumference, serum MANF level, blood lipids and insulin level were measured. The above patients were also divided into several subgroups for correlation analysis based on indicators such as insulin resistance and BMI.

Results

The serum circulating MANF content of AGHD patients was significantly lower than that of the normal control group (5.235 (0.507-17.62) ng/ml (n=101) vs. 10.30 (1.84-16.65) ng/ml (n=100); p<0.0001), and circulating MANF levels were linearly correlated with HOMA-IR in the AGHD population (R=0.481, P=0.0041). When MANF was at pathological concentrations (lower than the mean circulating MANF of normal controls), the lowest concentration tertile (OR=21.429 p<0.0001) had a significantly higher disease odds ratio, Framingham risk score and 10-year risk of atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease than the highest concentration tertile.

Conclusions

MANF has a significant correlation with insulin resistance in the AGHD state. There is a strong correlation with abnormal glucose and lipid metabolism in the obese AGHD population. MANF is also a good assessment factor for the risk of cardiovascular disease in AGHD patients and has excellent therapeutic potential.
The Pitfall of Selective Environmental Information Disclosure on Stock Price Crash Risk: Evidence From Polluting Listed Companies in China
Authors: Xu Fei , Ji Qiang , Yang Mian
Published: June 2021

Due to incomplete legal regulation, enterprises have the motive of selective environmental information disclosure (EID), and such selective disclosure strategy may result in stock price crash risk. In this study, the EID scores of China’s 1,010 polluting listed companies between 2007 and 2017 are first measured by employing the text analysis approach. Subsequently, we empirically examine the impacts of corporate’s selective EID on the stock price crash risk. The results indicate that EID of China’s polluting listed companies has significantly increased their stock price crash risk, rather than reducing it. Specifically, the EID of polluting companies with lower information efficiency, higher inefficient investment, higher degree of government control, and location in lower marketization areas is more likely to increase their stock price crash risk. Additional analyses reveal that the EID of polluting listed companies in China cannot reduce their stock price synchronization, which means that the selective disclosure of environmental information of China’s polluting listed companies is useless, and thus cannot reduce the risk of stock price crash.
CD32+CD4+ T Cells Sharing B Cell Properties Increase With Simian Immunodeficiency Virus Replication in Lymphoid Tissues
Authors: Huot Nicolas , Rascle Philippe , Planchais Cyril , Contreras Vanessa , Passaes Caroline , Le Grand Roger , Beignon Anne-Sophie , Kornobis Etienne , Legendre Rachel , Varet Hugo , Saez-Cirion Asier , Mouquet Hugo , Jacquelin Beatrice , Müller-Trutwin Michaela
Published: June 2021

CD4 T cell responses constitute an important component of adaptive immunity and are critical regulators of anti-microbial protection. CD4+ T cells expressing CD32a have been identified as a target for HIV. CD32a is an Fcγ receptor known to be expressed on myeloid cells, granulocytes, B cells and NK cells. Little is known about the biology of CD32+CD4+ T cells. Our goal was to understand the dynamics of CD32+CD4+ T cells in tissues. We analyzed these cells in the blood, lymph nodes, spleen, ileum, jejunum and liver of two nonhuman primate models frequently used in biomedical research: African green monkeys (AGM) and macaques. We studied them in healthy animals and during viral (SIV) infection. We performed phenotypic and transcriptomic analysis at different stages of infection. In addition, we compared CD32+CD4+ T cells in tissues with well-controlled (spleen) and not efficiently controlled (jejunum) SIV replication in AGM. The CD32+CD4+ T cells more frequently expressed markers associated with T cell activation and HIV infection (CCR5, PD-1, CXCR5, CXCR3) and had higher levels of actively transcribed SIV RNA than CD32-CD4+T cells. Furthermore, CD32+CD4+ T cells from lymphoid tissues strongly expressed B-cell-related transcriptomic signatures, and displayed B cell markers at the cell surface, including immunoglobulins CD32+CD4+ T cells were rare in healthy animals and blood but increased strongly in tissues with ongoing viral replication. CD32+CD4+ T cell levels in tissues correlated with viremia. Our results suggest that the tissue environment induced by SIV replication drives the accumulation of these unusual cells with enhanced susceptibility to viral infection.
Axial Turbo-Expander Design for Organic Rankine Cycle Waste-Heat Recovery With Comparative Heavy-Duty Diesel Engine Drive-Cycle Performance Assessment
Authors: Soldado Juan Carlos , Pesyridis Apostolos , Sphicas Panos , Nikolakopoulos Pantelis , Markides Christos N. , Deligant Michael
Published: June 2021

Despite the high thermal efficiency achieved by modern heavy-duty diesel engines, over 40% of the energy contained in the fuel is wasted as heat either in the cooling or the exhaust gases. By recovering part of the wasted energy, the overall thermal efficiency of the engine increases and the pollutant emissions are reduced. Organic Rankine cycle (ORC) systems are considered a favourable candidate technology to recover exhaust gas waste heat, because of their simplicity and small backpressure impact on the engine performance and fuel consumption. The recovered energy can be transformed into electricity or directly into mechanical power. In this study, an axial turbine expander for an ORC system was designed and optimized for a heavy-duty diesel engine for which real-world data were available. The impact of the ORC system on the fuel consumption under various operating points was investigated. Compared to an ORC system equipped with a radial turbine expander, the axial design improved fuel consumption by between 2 and 10% at low and high engine speeds. Finally, the benefits of utilising ORC systems for waste heat recovery in heavy-duty trucks is evaluated by performing various drive cycle tests, and it is found that the highest values of fuel consumption were found in the NEDC and the HDUDDS as these cycles generally involve more dynamic driving profiles. However, it was in these cycles that the ORC could recover more energy with an overall fuel consumption reduction of 5 and 4.8%, respectively.
Children’s Informant Judgments and Recall of Valenced Facts at a Science Center
Authors: Marble Kimberly E. , Caporaso Jessica S. , Bettencourt Kathleen M. , Boseovski Janet J. , Pathman Thanujeni , Marcovitch Stuart , Scales Margaret L.
Published: June 2021

In laboratory-based research, children recognize who is an expert and demonstrate an interest in learning from that person. However, children prefer positive information in the moment and sometimes prioritize positivity over expertise. To what extent do these social judgments (e.g., a preference for positivity) relate to information that children remember? We investigated the relation between these judgments and memory at a local science center to better understand children’s learning outcomes in naturalistic settings. We examined the extent to which 4- to 8-year-olds accepted facts about an unfamiliar animal from a zookeeper informant (i.e., expert) and a maternal figure (i.e., non-expert) when these facts were positive, negative, or neutral. Children endorsed positive information as correct, regardless of expertise, but demonstrated the strongest memory for neutral information. We discuss the implications of this dissociation for learning outcomes in naturalistic contexts as well as theoretical frameworks regarding children’s learning from others.
Speciation and Antibiotic Susceptibilities of Coagulase Negative Staphylococci Isolated from Ocular Infections
Authors: Romanowski John E. , Nayyar Shannon V. , Romanowski Eric G. , Jhanji Vishal , Shanks Robert M. Q. , Kowalski Regis P.
Published: June 2021

Coagulase-negative staphylococci (CoNS) are frequently occurring ocular opportunistic pathogens that are not easily identifiable to the species level. The goal of this study was to speciate CoNS and document antibiotic susceptibilities from cases of endophthalmitis (n = 50), keratitis (n = 50), and conjunctivitis/blepharitis (n = 50) for empiric therapy. All 150 isolates of CoNS were speciated using (1) API Staph (biochemical system), (2) Biolog GEN III Microplates (phenotypic substrate system), and (3) DNA sequencing of the sodA gene. Disk diffusion antibiotic susceptibilities for topical and intravitreal treatment were determined based on serum standards. CoNS identification to the species level by all three methods indicated that S. epidermidis was the predominant species of CoNS isolated from cases of endophthalmitis (84–90%), keratitis (80–86%), and conjunctivitis/blepharitis (62–68%). Identifications indicated different distributions of CoNS species among endophthalmitis (6), keratitis (10), and conjunctivitis/blepharitis (13). Antibiotic susceptibility profiles support empiric treatment of endophthalmitis with vancomycin, and keratitis treatment with cefazolin or vancomycin. There was no clear antibiotic choice for conjunctivitis/blepharitis. S. epidermidis was the most frequently found CoNS ocular pathogen, and infection by other CoNS appears to be less specific and random. Antibiotic resistance does not appear to be a serious problem associated with CoNS.
Engineering of the CHAPk Staphylococcal Phage Endolysin to Enhance Antibacterial Activity against Stationary-Phase Cells
Authors: Arroyo-Moreno Sara , Begley Máire , Dembicka Kornelia , Coffey Aidan
Published: June 2021

Bacteriophage endolysins and their derivatives have strong potential as antibacterial agents considering the increasing prevalence of antibiotic resistance in common bacterial pathogens. The peptidoglycan degrading peptidase CHAPk, a truncated derivate of staphylococcal phage K endolysin (LysK), has proven efficacy in preventing and disrupting staphylococcal biofilms. Nevertheless, the concentration of CHAPk required to eliminate populations of stationary-phase cells was previously found to be four-fold higher than that for log-phase cells. Moreover, CHAPk-mediated lysis of stationary-phase cells was observed to be slower than for log-phase cultures. In the present study, we report the fusion of a 165 amino acid fragment containing CHAPk with a 136 amino acid fragment containing the cell-binding domain of the bacteriocin lysostaphin to create a chimeric enzyme designated CHAPk-SH3blys in the vector pET28a. The chimeric protein was employed in concentrations as low as 5 μg/mL, producing a reduction in turbidity in 7-day-old cultures, whereas the original CHAPk required at least 20 μg/mL to achieve this. Where 7-day old liquid cultures were used, the chimeric enzyme exhibited a 16-fold lower MIC than CHAPk. In terms of biofilm prevention, a concentration of 1 μg/mL of the chimeric enzyme was sufficient, whereas for CHAPk, 125 μg/mL was needed. Moreover, the chimeric enzyme exhibited total biofilm disruption when 5 μg/mL was employed in 4-h assays, whereas CHAPk could only partially disrupt the biofilms at this concentration. This study demonstrates that the cell-binding domain from lysostaphin can make the phage endolysin CHAPk more effective against sessile staphylococcal cells.
Alteration of Intestinal Microbiome of Clostridioides difficile-Infected Hamsters during the Treatment with Specific Cow Antibodies
Authors: Heidebrecht Hans-Jürgen , Lagkouvardos Ilias , Reitmeier Sandra , Hengst Claudia , Kulozik Ulrich , Pfaffl Michael W.
Published: June 2021

Clostridioides difficile infection (CDI) often develops after pretreatment with antibiotics, which can lead to damage of the intestinal microbiome. The approach of this study was to use specific polyclonal antibodies isolated from the milk of immunized cows to treat CDI, in contrast to the standard application of nonspecific antibiotics. To gain a deeper understanding of the role of the microbiome in the treatment of CDI with bovine antibodies, stool and intestinal fluid samples of hamsters were collected in large quantities from various treatments (>400 samples). The results show that the regeneration of the microbiome instantly begins with the start of the antibody treatment, in contrast to the Vancomycin-treated group where the diversity decreased significantly during the treatment duration. All antibody-treated hamsters that survived the initial phase also survived the entire study period. The results also show that the regeneration of the microbiome was not an antibody-induced regeneration, but a natural regeneration that occurred because no microbiota-inactivating substances were administered. In conclusion, the treatment with bovine antibodies is a functional therapy for both the acute treatment and the prevention of recurrence in hamsters and could meet the urgent need for CDI treatment alternatives in humans.
Counteraction of Biofilm Formation and Antimicrobial Potential of Terminalia catappa Functionalized Silver Nanoparticles against Candida albicans and Multidrug-Resistant Gram-Negative and Gram-Positive Bacteria
Authors: Ansari Mohammad Azam , Kalam Abul , Al-Sehemi Abdullah G. , Alomary Mohammad N. , AlYahya Sami , Aziz Mohammad Kashif , Srivastava Shekhar , Alghamdi Saad , Akhtar Sultan , Almalki Hussain D. , Adil Syed F. , Khan Mujeeb , Hatshan Mohammad R.
Published: June 2021

Biofilms not only protect bacteria and Candida species from antibiotics, but they also promote the emergence of drug-resistant strains, making eradication more challenging. As a result, novel antimicrobial agents to counteract biofilm formation are desperately needed. In this study, Terminalia catappa leaf extract (TCE) was used to optimize the TCE-capped silver nanoparticles (TCE-AgNPs) via a one-pot single-step method. Varied concentrations of TCE have yielded different sized AgNPs. The physico-chemical characterization of TCE-AgNPs using UV-Vis, SEM, TEM, FTIR, and Raman spectroscopy have confirmed the formation of nanostructures, their shape and size and plausible role of TCE bio-active compounds, most likely involved in the synthesis as well as stabilization of NPs, respectively. TCE-AgNPs have been tested for antibiofilm and antimicrobial activity against multidrug-resistant Pseudomonas aeruginosa (MDR-PA), methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA), and Candida albicans using various microbiological protocols. TCE-Ag-NPs−3 significantly inhibits biofilm formation of MDR-PA, MRSA, and C. albicans by 73.7, 69.56, and 63.63%, respectively, at a concentration of 7.8 µg/mL, as determined by crystal violet microtiter assay. Furthermore, SEM micrograph shows that TCE-AgNPs significantly inhibit the colonization and adherence of biofilm forming cells; individual cells with loss of cell wall and membrane integrity were also observed, suggesting that the biofilm architecture and EPS matrix were severely damaged. Moreover, TEM and SEM images showed that TCE-AgNPs brutally damaged the cell wall and membranes of MDR-PA, MRSA, and C. albicans. Additionally, extreme ultrastructural changes such as deformation, disintegration, and separation of cell wall and membrane from the cells, have also been observed, indicating significant loss of membrane and cell wall integrity, which eventually led to cell death. Overall, the research revealed a simple, environmentally friendly, and low-cost method for producing colloidal TCE-AgNPs with promising applications in advanced clinical settings against broad-spectrum biofilm-forming antibiotic-resistant bacteria and candida strains.
Molecular Detection of Carbapenemases in Enterobacterales: A Comparison of Real-Time Multiplex PCR and Whole-Genome Sequencing
Authors: Probst Katja , Nurjadi Dennis , Heeg Klaus , Frede Anne-Marie , Dalpke Alexander H. , Boutin Sébastien
Published: June 2021

Carbapenem-resistant Enterobacterales are a growing problem in healthcare systems worldwide. While whole-genome sequencing (WGS) has become a powerful tool for analyzing transmission and possible outbreaks, it remains laborious, and the limitations in diagnostic workflows are not well studied. The aim of this study was to compare the performance of WGS and real-time multiplex PCR (RT-qPCR) for diagnosing carbapenem-resistant Enterobacterales. In this study, we analyzed 92 phenotypically carbapenem-resistant Enterobacterales, sent to the University Hospital Heidelberg in 2019, by the carbapenem inactivation method (CIM) and compared WGS and RT-qPCR as genotypic carbapenemase detection methods. In total, 80.4% of the collected isolates were identified as carbapenemase producers. For six isolates, discordant results were recorded for WGS, PCR and CIM, as the carbapenemase genes were initially not detected by WGS. A reanalysis using raw reads, rather than assembly, highlighted a coverage issue with failure to detect carbapenemases located in contigs with a coverage lower than 10×, which were then discarded. Our study shows that multiplex RT-qPCR and CIM can be a simple alternative to WGS for basic surveillance of carbapenemase-producing Enterobacterales. Using WGS in clinical workflow has some limitations, especially regarding coverage and sensitivity. We demonstrate that antimicrobial resistance gene detection should be performed on the raw reads or non-curated draft genome to increase sensitivity.
Antenna Design for Microwave and Millimeter Wave Applications: Latest Advances and Prospects
Authors: Choo Hosung
Published: June 2021

Until recently, substantial effort has been devoted to new approaches and attempts to the design of antennas for microwave and millimeter-wave applications [...]
The Perception of the Online Teaching Process during the COVID-19 Pandemic for the Students of the Physical Education and Sports Domain
Authors: Mocanu George Danut , Murariu Gabriel , Iordan Daniel Andrei , Sandu Ion , Munteanu Mihaela Orlanda Antonovici
Published: June 2021

The context of the COVID-19 pandemic required the implementation of special measures to ensure the continuity and quality of teaching in higher education. The study presented here aims to identify the differences of opinion between the age categories of students in the first year of the Faculty of Physical Education and Sports in Galati, Romania, regarding teaching, learning and assessment activities on online platforms. A total of 147 students divided into three age groups (under 20 years, 20–30 years and over 30 years) filled out a questionnaire composed of items with closed and free answers, structured on four factors (attractiveness, accessibility, motivation and efficiency), after participating in the online teaching and evaluation act during the first semester of the academic year 2020–2021. Multivariate and univariate tests were applied, identifying the influence of the independent age variable on the dependent variables (aspects measured by the items of the questionnaire). Values were obtained at significant thresholds of F for some of the investigated aspects: boredom induced by online activities, stress value, participation, involvement, motivation and adaptation to the online program, usefulness and quality of teaching process, value of professional training and involvement in disruptive activities. The analysis of the differences between the average scores of the items for the pairs formed by age categories highlighted insignificant values between those under 20 and those aged 20–30, but multiple significant differences between the group of those over 30 and the other two groups. The centralization of free answers by environment (rural and urban) identified the advantages perceived by the students about the online activities (increasing the amount of free time, low financial costs, high accessibility, personal learning pace), the reported disadvantages (technical problems, low concentration, poor socialization) and contradictory proposals to improve activities (continuing online, returning to classical teaching, simplifying the subject, using video materials, involving all students in activities). The paper aims to evaluate the performance of teaching activities performed in the first year of study for the students of physical education and sports, in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic, involving questionnaires validated by the specialty center at the university. The analysis of the results highlighted a series of extremely important aspects that have a role in the future design of activities and courses.
Action Recognition Network Using Stacked Short-Term Deep Features and Bidirectional Moving Average
Authors: Ha Jinsol , Shin Joongchol , Park Hasil , Paik Joonki
Published: June 2021

Action recognition requires the accurate analysis of action elements in the form of a video clip and a properly ordered sequence of the elements. To solve the two sub-problems, it is necessary to learn both spatio-temporal information and the temporal relationship between different action elements. Existing convolutional neural network (CNN)-based action recognition methods have focused on learning only spatial or temporal information without considering the temporal relation between action elements. In this paper, we create short-term pixel-difference images from the input video, and take the difference images as an input to a bidirectional exponential moving average sub-network to analyze the action elements and their temporal relations. The proposed method consists of: (i) generation of RGB and differential images, (ii) extraction of deep feature maps using an image classification sub-network, (iii) weight assignment to extracted feature maps using a bidirectional, exponential, moving average sub-network, and (iv) late fusion with a three-dimensional convolutional (C3D) sub-network to improve the accuracy of action recognition. Experimental results show that the proposed method achieves a higher performance level than existing baseline methods. In addition, the proposed action recognition network takes only 0.075 seconds per action class, which guarantees various high-speed or real-time applications, such as abnormal action classification, human–computer interaction, and intelligent visual surveillance.