bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
A Systematic Review of Methods and Study Quality of Economic Evaluations for the Treatment of Schizophrenia
Authors: Wang Luying , Shi Fenghao , Guan Xin , Xu He , Liu Jing , Li Hongchao
Published: October 2021

Background: Schizophrenia is a severe and complex disease with substantial economic and social burdens. Despite multiple treatment choices, adverse events, and impaired social functions are still challenges in clinical therapy. Pharmacoeconomic evaluations could provide evidence to help decision makers improve the utilization of scarce resources. However, there remains some challenges especially in modeling due to uncertainties in progression of schizophrenia. There are limited summaries about the overall methodologies of schizophrenia economic evaluations.

Objective: The aim of this study is to review the existing economic evaluations of antipsychotics for the treatment of schizophrenia and summarize the evidence and methods applied.

Methods: An electronic literature search was performed in PubMed, Web of Science, EBSCO host, The Cochrane Library and ScienceDirect from January 2014 to December 2020. Search terms included “schizophrenia,” “schizophrenic,” “pharmacoeconomic,” “economic evaluation,” “cost-effectiveness,” and “cost-utility.” The Literature was screened and extracted by two researchers independently and assessed with the Quality of Health Economic Studies (QHES) List and Consolidated Health Economic Evaluation Reporting Standards (CHEERS) Statement.

Results: A total of 25 studies were included in the review. The regions included Europe, North America, Asia and Africa. Most of the studies chose second-generation antipsychotics as comparators and integrated treatment sequences. Time horizons varied from 1 year to lifetime. The healthcare sector was the most common perspective, accordingly, most of the evaluations considered only direct medical costs. The Markov model and decision tree model were the most common choices. Adverse events, compliance and persistence were considered important parameters. Quality-adjusted life-years were the major outcomes applied to the economic evaluations. All utilities for health states and adverse events were collected from published literature. All of the studies applied uncertainty analysis to explore the robustness of the results. The quality of the studies was generally satisfactory. However, improvements were needed in the choice of time horizons, the measurements of outcomes and the descriptions of assumptions.

Conclusions: This study highlights the methodology of economic evaluation of schizophrenia. Recommendations for modeling method and future study are provided.
Coordinating Shared Tasks in Human-Robot Collaboration by Commands
Authors: Angleraud Alexandre , Mehman Sefat Amir , Netzev Metodi , Pieters Roel
Published: October 2021

Human-robot collaboration is gaining more and more interest in industrial settings, as collaborative robots are considered safe and robot actions can be programmed easily by, for example, physical interaction. Despite this, robot programming mostly focuses on automated robot motions and interactive tasks or coordination between human and robot still requires additional developments. For example, the selection of which tasks or actions a robot should do next might not be known beforehand or might change at the last moment. Within a human-robot collaborative setting, the coordination of complex shared tasks, is therefore more suited to a human, where a robot would act upon requested commands.In this work we explore the utilization of commands to coordinate a shared task between a human and a robot, in a shared work space. Based on a known set of higher-level actions (e.g., pick-and-placement, hand-over, kitting) and the commands that trigger them, both a speech-based and graphical command-based interface are developed to investigate its use. While speech-based interaction might be more intuitive for coordination, in industrial settings background sounds and noise might hinder its capabilities. The graphical command-based interface circumvents this, while still demonstrating the capabilities of coordination. The developed architecture follows a knowledge-based approach, where the actions available to the robot are checked at runtime whether they suit the task and the current state of the world. Experimental results on industrially relevant assembly, kitting and hand-over tasks in a laboratory setting demonstrate that graphical command-based and speech-based coordination with high-level commands is effective for collaboration between a human and a robot.
Correlating Biodegradation Kinetics of 2,4-Dichlorophenoxyacetic Acid (2,4-D) and 2,4,5-Trichlorophenoxyacetic Acid (2,4,5-T) to the Dynamics of Microbial Communities Originating From Soil in Vietnam Contaminated With Herbicides
Authors: Nguyen Thi Lan Anh , Dang Ha Thi Cam , Koekkoek Jacco , Dat Ton That Huu , Braster Martin , Brandt Bernd W. , Parsons John R. , Brouwer Abraham , van Spanning Rob J. M.
Published: October 2021

We determined the degradation rates of the herbicides 2,4-D and 2,4,5-T by two different bacterial communities. One of these originated from soil heavily contaminated with herbicides from Bien Hoa airbase, the other from the same soil but amended with additional carbon and Gibbs energy sources. The community from the contaminated, but untreated, soil degraded both 2,4-D and 2,4,5-T within 5 days of cultivation. The one from the amended soil, however, hardly showed any degradation of the compounds throughout 23 days of cultivation. After refreshment of the medium and prolonged culturing, however, this community degraded both herbicides within 25 days with progressively increasing rates. nMDS analysis revealed a highly significant differentiation pattern of the two communities. Cultures inoculated with amended soil showed a significant increase ofBacillusandPaenibacillusupon prolonged exposure to the herbicides. The succession in the culture from untreated soil, on the other hand, was dominated by species from the Proteobacteria. We were able to isolate two of them and they were shown to be related toBordetella petriiandSphingomonas histidinilytica, successively. Subsequent PCR analyses of their DNA revealed the presence of key genes involved in the degradation of the herbicides. This study provides a more fundamental understanding of the biodegradation of 2,4-D and 2,4,5-T by displaying part of the bacterial community succession during their breakdown allowing a comprehensive view on potential key degraders.
Accessibility Guidelines for VR Games - A Comparison and Synthesis of a Comprehensive Set
Authors: Heilemann Fiona , Zimmermann Gottfried , Münster Patrick
Published: October 2021

Increasing numbers of gamers worldwide have led to more attention being paid to accessibility in games. Virtual Reality offers new possibilities to enable people to play games but also comes with new challenges for accessibility. Guidelines provide help for developers to avoid barriers and include persons with disabilities in their games. As of today, there are only a few extensive collections of accessibility rules on video games. Especially new technologies like virtual reality are sparsely represented in current guidelines. In this work, we provide an overview of existing guidelines for games and VR applications. We examine the most relevant resources, and form a union set. From this, we derive a comprehensive set of guidelines. This set summarizes the rules that are relevant for accessible VR games. We discuss the state of guidelines and their implication on the development of educational games, and provide suggestions on how to improve the situation.
Adaptations in Reactive Balance Strategies in Healthy Older Adults After a 3-Week Perturbation Training Program and After a 12-Week Resistance Training Program
Authors: Van Wouwe Tom , Afschrift Maarten , Dalle Sebastiaan , Van Roie Evelien , Koppo Katrien , De Groote Friedl
Published: October 2021

Both resistance training (RT) and perturbation-based training (PBT) have been proposed and applied as interventions to improve reactive balance performance in older adults. PBT is a promising approach but the adaptations in underlying balance-correcting mechanisms through which PBT improves reactive balance performance are not well-understood. Besides it is unclear whether PBT induces adaptations that generalize to movement tasks that were not part of the training and whether those potential improvements would be larger than improvements induced by RT. We performed two training interventions with two groups of healthy older adults: a traditional 12-week RT program and a 3-week PBT program consisting of support-surface perturbations of standing balance. Reactive balance performance during standing and walking as well as a set of neuro-muscular properties to quantify muscle strength, sensory and motor acuity, were assessed pre- and post-intervention. We found that both PBT and RT induced training specific improvements, i.e., standing PBT improved reactive balance during perturbed standing and RT increased strength, but neither intervention affected reactive balance performance during perturbed treadmill walking. Analysis of the reliance on different balance-correcting strategies indicated that specific improvements in the PBT group during reactive standing balance were due to adaptations in the stepping threshold. Our findings indicate that the strong specificity of PBT can present a challenge to transfer improvements to fall prevention and should be considered in the design of an intervention. Next, we found that lack of improvement in muscle strength did not limit improving reactive balance in healthy older adults. For improving our understanding of generalizability of specific PBT in future research, we suggest performing an analysis of the reliance on the different balance-correcting strategies during both the training and assessment tasks.
Nutritional Characterisation of European Aquaculture Processing By-Products to Facilitate Strategic Utilisation
Authors: Malcorps Wesley , Newton Richard W. , Sprague Matthew , Glencross Brett D. , Little David C.
Published: October 2021

Sustainability analyses of aquaculture typically ignore the fate and value of processing by-products. The aim of this study was to characterise the nutritional content of the common processing by-products (heads, frames, trimmings, skin, and viscera) of five important finfish species farmed in Europe; Atlantic salmon (Salmo salar), European seabass (Dicentrarchus labrax), gilthead seabream (Sparus aurata), common carp (Cyprinus carpio), and turbot (Psetta maxima) to inform on best utilisation strategies. Our results indicate a substantially higher total flesh yield (64–77%) can be achieved if fully processed, compared to fillet only (30–56%). We found that heads, frames, trimmings and skin from Atlantic salmon, European seabass, gilthead seabream and turbot frames showed medium to high edible yields, medium to high lipid, and medium to high eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) content, indicating significant potential for direct use in human food. By-products which are unattractive for use in food directly but have low ash content and medium to high crude protein, lipid and EPA and DHA content, such as viscera, could be directed to animal feed. Skin showed interesting nutritional values, but has more potential in non-food applications, such as the fashion, cosmetic and pharmaceutical industries. The results indicate potential to increase the direct food, animal feed and non-food value of European aquaculture, without an increase in production volumes or the use of additional resources. The importance of changing consumer perceptions and addressing infrastructure and legislative barriers to maximise utilisation is emphasised.
Understanding Growth Rate Patterns among Different Drought Resistant Sugarcane Cultivars during Plant and Ratoon Crops Encountered Water Deficit at Early Growth Stage under Natural Field Conditions
Authors: Khonghintaisong Jidapa , Songsri Patcharin , Jongrungklang Nakorn
Published: October 2021

Drought-tolerant sugarcane genotypes have been proposed to alleviate the issue of early water deficits; however, it is important to investigate the impact of phenology on the crop growth rate and growth patterns. This study aimed to investigate the responses of different water deficit-tolerant cultivars on crop growth rate patterns of both plant crop and ratoon under rain-fed and well-irrigated conditions, and to determine the relationship between final stalk dry weight and crop growth rates during water deficit, recovery, and maturity phases. A 2 × 6 split plot in a randomized complete block design with four replications was used. Two water regimes, namely, field capacity (FC) and rain-fed conditions, were assigned as the main plot, whereas six sugarcane cultivars differing in water deficit-tolerant levels were assigned as sub-plots. Sugarcane cultivar KK3 consistently possessed high potential and low reduction in dried shoot weight. A correlation was found between stalk dry weight and stem growth rate, shoot growth rate, and height growth rate (HGR) during the recovery period in the first season, and HGR at the recovery stage was correlated with the dry weight of ratoon. The recovery phase of early water deficit stress was a key stage for determining the final stalk dry matter. The desired cultivars having a good adaptation to water deficit stress at the formative stage, such as KK3, showed a gradually increased growth rate during the early water deficit stage, but this growth accelerated, and the maximum growth rate was reached, during the recovery period. This knowledge will help to clarify the selection of sugarcane cultivars in breeding programs that can resist water deficit at the early growth stage.
Efficacy of Various Mechanical Weeding Methods—Single and in Combination—In Terms of Different Field Conditions and Weed Densities
Authors: Naruhn Georg-Peter , Peteinatos Gerassimos G. , Butz Andreas F. , Möller Kurt , Gerhards Roland
Published: October 2021

Public awareness and environmental policies have increased interest in applying non-herbicide weed control methods in conventional farming systems. Even though mechanical weed control has been used for centuries in agricultural practice, continuous developments—both in terms of implements and automation technologies—are continuously improving the potential outcomes. Current mechanical weed control methods were evaluated for their weed control efficacy and effects on yield potential against their equivalent herbicide methods. Furthermore, not much is known about the correlation between weed control efficacy (WCE) of different mechanical methods at varying weed density levels. A total of six experiments in winter wheat (2), peas (2), and soybean (2) were carried out in the years 2018, 2019, and 2020 in southwestern Germany. Harrowing and hoeing treatments at different speeds were carried out and compared to the herbicide treatments and untreated control plots. Regarding the average WCE, the combination of harrowing and hoeing was both the strongest (82%) and the most stable (74–100%) mechanical treatment in the different weed density levels. Whereas, in average, hoeing (72%) and harrowing (71%) were on the same WCE level, but harrowing (49–82%) was more stable than hoeing (40–99%). The grain yields in winter wheat varied between 4.1 Mg∙ha−1 (control) and 6.3 Mg∙ha−1 (harrow), in pea between 2.8 Mg∙ha−1 (hoe slow) and 5.7 Mg∙ha−1 (hoe fast) and in soybean between 1.7 Mg∙ha−1 (control) and 4 Mg∙ha−1 (herbicide). However, there were no significant differences in most cases. The results have shown that it is not possible to pinpoint a specific type of treatment as the most appropriate method for this cultivation, across all of the different circumstances. Different field and weather conditions can heavily affect and impact the expected outcome, giving, each time, an advantage for a specific type of treatment.
Expansion of Native Plant Stellera chamaejasme L. Alters the Structure of Soil Diazotrophic Community in a Salinized Meadow Grassland, Northeast China
Authors: Zhang Ying , Cui Zhenbo , Wang Tingting , Cao Chengyou
Published: October 2021

The invasion of native plants has posed a serious risk to species diversity and ecosystem function. How they modify underground community and facilitate successful invasion remain unknown. Soil diazotrophs may play an important role in invasion by native plants. Stellera chamaejasme L. has expanded within around the heavily degraded Horqin Grassland in northeast China in recent decades. This study aims to detect the effect of the expansion of S. chamaejasme L. on soil diazotrophic community structure through high-throughput sequencing and examine the relationship between diazotrophic community structure and soil physicochemical properties. An extensive increase in S. chamaejasme population induced significant changes in soil diazotrophic community and marked shifts in the relative abundances of Bradyrhizobium and Desulfuromonas. Soil organic matter (SOM), total nitrogen, NO3−-N, and electrical conductivity (EC) increased, whereas NH4+-N and pH significantly decreased in soil invaded by S. chamaejasme. The diazotrophic community structure was correlated with SOM, nitrogen content, EC, and pH. The relative abundances of Bradyrhizobium and Desulfuromonas were significant negatively and positively correlated with soil EC, respectively. This study suggests that the interaction between S. chamaejasme and soil diazotrophic microbes and the durative increase in soil EC may facilitate invasion by this S. chamaejasme population.
Innovative Land Arrangement in Combination with Irrigation Methods Improves the Crop and Water Productivity of Rice (Oryza sativa L.) Grown with Okra (Abelmoschus esculentus L.) under Raised and Sunken Bed Systems
Authors: Das Pijush , Pramanick Biswajit , Goswami Subhendu Bikash , Maitra Sagar , Ibrahim Sobhy M. , Laing Alison M. , Hossain Akbar
Published: October 2021

The underground water and water storage reservoirs are rapidly depleting due to nominal recharging by the rainfalls making water a scarce resource for irrigation resulting in poor crop growth and production. Irrigation water application should focus on the proficient use of each drop of water. Water productivity (WP) in agriculture can be improved through crop diversification, proper land and water management techniques. Considering this, a field investigation was carried out during 2013–2014 and 2014–2015 to study the crop response of rice (Oryza sativa L.) + okra (Abelmoschus esculentus L.) system to land configurations and irrigation regimes. Three raised-sunken beds (RSB) having width (m) ratios of 1:3, 2:3, 3:3 and two irrigation schedules viz. continuous standing water (CSW) of 5 ± 2 cm depth and alternate wetting and drying (AWD) at 3 ± 1 days interval for rice in sunken bed were tested. Rice yield was more (4.36 and 4.89 Mg ha−1) under CSW irrigation than AWD irrespective of raised bed width. The highest okra yield was noted by 14.09 and 15.43 Mg ha−1 with AWD in 1:3 RSB systems, whereas the lowest yield was recorded in CSW 1:3 RSB systems. Rice equivalent yield (REY) was found as the maximum in AWD than CSW irrespective of raised and sunken bed configurations. The AWD in 3:3 RSB systems exhibited the highest WP of 1.02 and 1.01 kg m−3 during the first and second year of study, respectively. Wider RSB system of land configuration ratio of 3:3 saved about 40–45% of irrigation water. Such information will help in the planning of an innovative intercropping system of summer rice + okra in the field by changing the land configuration to the raised bed and sunken bed with the AWD irrigation system.
Combining Willow Compost and Peat as Media for Juvenile Tomato Transplant Production
Authors: Adamczewska-Sowińska Katarzyna , Sowiński Józef , Jamroz Elżbieta , Bekier Jakub
Published: October 2021

In 2019–2020, a study was conducted to evaluate the suitability of willow composts as a substrate or substrate component in tomato transplant cultivation. In 2019, 4-year-old chopped willow biomass (mostly chips <2 cm long) was formed into four compost prisms: S0—willow compost without additives; SN—willow compost with the addition of nitrogen; SF—willow compost with the addition of wood-decaying mycelium; and SFN—willow compost with the addition of wood-decaying mycelium and nitrogen. Willow compost was rated as a homogeneous substrate (S0, SN, SF, and SFN) and as a substrate component with peat (P), mixed in willow:peat ratios such as 25:75, 50:50, and 75:25, in the variants S0:P, SN:P, SF:P, and SFN:P. For reference, deacidified peat was used as a homogeneous substrate. The study showed that willow compost could be used as a renewable plant material replacing peat. The best parameters (plant height, leaf span, number of leaves, and especially the highest weight) were found in tomato transplants grown in the SF:P and SFN:P substrates and at a 25:75 ratio. It was found that the addition of nitrogen to the compost, in order to obtain a wide C:N ratio, negatively affected the initial growth of tomato plants.
The Role of Cover Crop Types and Residue Incorporation in Improving Soil Chemical Properties
Authors: Khan Rimsha , Farooque Aitazaz A. , Brown Helen Carolyn Peach , Zaman Qamar U. , Acharya Bishnu , Abbas Farhat , McKenzie-Gopsill Andrew
Published: October 2021

Soil chemical properties can be improved by incorporating crop residues in soil and letting it decompose. This study explored the use of incorporating residues of cover crops for improvements in soil chemical properties including soil organic matter (SOM), soil pH, and the selected soil macro- and micronutrients in greenhouse and field trials. Factors of interest included (i) cover crops and their combinations and (ii) methods of crop termination and incorporation in soil (disc, mow + disc, glyphosate, roller crimper). The greenhouse trial showed up to a 20% higher amount of SOM accumulated in soils incorporated with crop residues. Buckwheat (3.12%) and phacelia (3.12%) produced significantly different and larger SOM than that of the control treatment that received no crop residues (p ≤ 0.05). The soil pH of the brown mustard treatment was also significantly affected by the experimental treatments (p ≤ 0.05). The incorporation of crop residues did not affect soil phosphorous (P) or potassium (K) concentrations, except for brown mustard, with significantly higher values of P and K than the control treatment. Calcium (Ca) was significantly higher in the soil of phacelia + pea treatment (p ≤ 0.05). Buckwheat + pea produced a higher concentration of Ca (1028 mg/kg) followed by buckwheat alone (1006 mg/kg). Analysis of variance (ANOVA) calculated on the results of the field trial showed that the mix treatment that had a mixture of four cover crops significantly increased the SOM content. Buckwheat produced the highest (2.95%) SOM, then brown mustard and timothy. This study concludes that, irrespective of the tillage incorporation methods, the residues from cover crops are a potential source of improvement in soil health, and this practice may promote sustainable agriculture in conditions similar to those in this study.
Transcriptomics Analysis Reveals the Immune Response Mechanism of Rabbits with Diarrhea Fed an Antibiotic-Free Diet
Authors: Chen Li , Du Kun , Bai Xue , Shao Jiahao , Tang Tao , Xia Siqi , Fan Huimei , Wang Jie , Jia Xianbo , Lai Songjia
Published: October 2021

China officially promulgated the announcement of banning the use of antibiotics in the animal industry in 2020. However, the prohibition of antibiotics in the animal industry would reduce the feed conversion rate and increase the mortality of animals. In order to obtain information about the pathogenesis and host immune response of rabbits with diarrhea after being fed an antibiotic-free diet, we first analyzed the intestinal tissue sections of rabbits. Secondly, the gene expression differences of rabbit intestinal segments were analyzed by high-throughput sequencing. Our analysis identified 168, 593, 2069, 334, 321, and 1423 DEGs in the comparison groups S_Z (the duodenum of healthy rabbits) vs. S_B (diarrhea in the duodenum of rabbits), K_Z (healthy rabbit jejunum) vs. K_B (rabbits with diarrhea in the jejunum), H_Z (healthy rabbit ileum) vs. H_B (rabbits with diarrhea in the ileum), M_Z (healthy cecum of rabbits) vs. M_B (rabbits with diarrhea in the cecum), J_Z (healthy rabbit colon) vs. J_B (colon of rabbits with diarrhea), and Z_Z (healthy rabbit rectum) vs. Z_B (rectum of rabbits with diarrhea), respectively. The reproducibility and repeatability of the results were validated by RT-qPCR. Enrichment analyses of GO annotations and KEGG pathways revealed the host DEGs that are potentially related to acute inflammation, stress response, tissue dehydration, adaptive immune response, protein binding, activation of related enzymes, migration of immune cells, and so on. In this descriptive study, our findings revealed the changes in the host transcriptome expression profile after feeding an antibiotic-free diet and suggested that feeding an antibiotic-free diet alters the host’s metabolic network and the expression of antiviral proteins, which provides a theoretical basis for further study on the immune response of animals fed an antibiotic-free diet.
Onset of Action of Bupivacaine Administered via Dural Puncture Epidural versus Spinal, Lumbosacral, and Sacrococcygeal Epidural Injections in Dogs: Randomised Clinical Trial
Authors: Martinez-Taboada Fernando , Sun Tsim Christopher , Redondo Jose Ignacio
Published: October 2021

The study aimed to compare bupivacaine onset time when administered via epidural anaesthesia injecting both at the lumbosacral and sacrococcygeal spaces, spinal anaesthesia, and DPE in clinical dogs. A total of 41 dogs requiring neuraxial anaesthesia as part of their anaesthetic protocol were recruited. They were randomly allocated to receive an epidural injection in the sacrococcygeal space aided by the nerve stimulator (SCO), an epidural injection in the lumbosacral (LS), a subarachnoid injection (SPI), or a DPE. The onset of anaesthesia was assessed every 30 s after the injection by testing the presence of patellar ligament reflex. The number of attempts and time to perform the technique were also recorded. Data were analysed using a one-way ANOVA for trimmed means with post hoc Lincoln test and a Kaplan–Meier curve. The significance level was set at p < 0.05, and the results are presented in absolute values and median (range). There was no difference in the number of attempts required to complete the techniques between groups (p = 0.97). Epidural injections (LS and SCO) tended to be shorter than SPI and DPE techniques, but there was no statistically significant difference (p = 0.071). The time to the disappearance of patellar ligament reflex (Westphal’s sign) in the SCO group was longer than in any other group. In conclusion, all techniques provided a rapid block of the patellar reflex. The SCO technique was the slowest in onset, while the other groups (SPI, DPE, and LS) were faster and almost indistinguishable.
Prandial Correlations and Structure of the Ingestive Behavior of Pigs in Precision Feeding Programs
Authors: Gomes Bruna C. K. , Andretta Ines , Valk Marcio , Pomar Candido , Hauschild Luciano , Fraga Alícia Z. , Kipper Marcos , Trevizan Luciano , Remus Aline
Published: October 2021

The feeding behavior of growing-finishing pigs was analyzed to study prandial correlations and the probability of starting a new feeding event. The data were collected in real-time based on 157,632 visits by a group of 70 growing-finishing pigs (from 30.4 to 115.5 kg body weight, BW) to automatic feeders. The data were collected over 84 days, during which period the pigs were kept in conventional (by phase and by group) or precision (with daily and individual adjustments) feeding programs. A criterion to delimit each meal was then defined based on the probability of an animal starting a new feeding event within the next minute since the last visit. Prandial correlations were established between meal size and interval before meal (pre-prandial) or interval after meal (post-prandial) using Pearson correlation analysis. Post-prandial correlations (which can be interpreted as hunger-regulating mechanisms) were slightly stronger than pre-prandial correlations (which can be interpreted as satiety regulation mechanisms). Both correlations decreased as the animals’ age increased but were little influenced by the feeding programs. The information generated in this study allows a better understanding of pigs’ feeding behavior regulation mechanisms and could be used in the future to improve precision feeding programs.
Investigation of Three Newly Identified Equine Parvoviruses in Blood and Nasal Fluid Samples of Clinically Healthy Horses and Horses with Acute Onset of Respiratory Disease
Authors: Pusterla Nicola , James Kaitlyn , Barnum Samantha , Delwart Eric
Published: October 2021

Three newly identified equine parvoviruses (equine parvovirus hepatitis (EqPV-H), equine parvovirus CSF (EqPV-CSF) and equine copivirus (Eqcopivirus)) have recently been discovered in horses with respiratory signs. However, the clinical impact of these three equine parvoviruses has yet to be determined. Nasal fluid samples and blood from 667 equids with acute onset of fever and respiratory signs submitted to a diagnostic laboratory were analyzed for the presence of common equine respiratory pathogens (equine influenza virus, equine herpesvirus-1/-4, equine rhinitis A and B virus, S. equi subspecies equi) as well as EqPV-H, EqPV-CSF and Eqcopivirus by qPCR. An additional 87 clinically healthy horses served as controls. One hundred and seventeen sick horses tested qPCR-positive for at least one of the three parvoviruses. Co-infections with common respiratory pathogens and parvoviruses were seen in 39 sick equids. All 87 clinically healthy horses tested qPCR-negative for all tested common respiratory pathogens and 10 healthy horses tested qPCR-positive for one of the equine parvoviruses. When the frequency of detection for EqPV-H, EqPV-CSF and Eqcopivirus of equids with respiratory signs was compared to that of clinically healthy horses, the difference was not statistically significant (p > 0.05), suggesting that the three recently identified equine parvoviruses do not contribute to the clinical picture of equids with respiratory disease.
Welfare in Nile Tilapia Production: Dorsal Fin Erection as a Visual Indicator for Insensibility
Authors: Camargo-dos-Santos Bruno , Carlos Clarissa Lerois , Favero-Neto João , Alves Nina Pacheco Capelini , Gonçalves Bruno Bastos , Giaquinto Percília Cardoso
Published: October 2021

In aquaculture, to ensure animal welfare in pre-slaughter and slaughter stages, it is fundamental that fish are insensible. A method for evaluating fish insensibility is based on visual sensibility indicators (VSI) assessment (i.e., self-initiated behavior, responses to stimuli and reflexes). However, many stimuli used to assess fish responses are painful. Therefore, this study verifies whether the presence/absence of a dorsal fin erection (DFE) response can be used as a painless VSI in Nile tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus). Three stunning protocols were applied to fish: benzocaine anesthesia (40 mg/L and 80 mg/L), ice water immersion (0–1, 2–3 and 5–6 °C) and CO2 stunning. After these stunning methods were applied in fish, the time of loss and return of DFE was observed, along with the vestibulo-ocular reflex (VOR). All fish stunned using benzocaine and ice water immersion lose both VSIs, while 95% of fish stunned using CO2 lose these VSIs. In all treatments, DFEs return quicker than VOR. Therefore, DFE can be used as a VSI in Nile tilapia, which is simple for producers to assess and does not require a painful stimulus. However, the DFE alone does not totally ensure fish insensibility and must be used together with other well-established VSIs at fish farms.
Dietary Eucommia ulmoides Extract Alleviates the Effect of Cold Stress on Chick Growth Performance, Antioxidant and Immune Ability
Authors: Hu Ting , Lei Yue , Li Minxue , Liu Qin , Song Li , Zhao Degang
Published: October 2021

This study aimed to investigate the protective value of Eucommia ulmoides extract (EUE) on chicks under cold stress. A total of 21 compounds were identified in EUE using mass spectrometry (LC-MS). Ninety chicks were divided into a control group (CS) fed a basal diet and an experimental group supplemented with EUE, exposed to 10 ± 1 °C for 8 h per day. Results showed, compared with the CS group, the body weights (BW) (p < 0.01) and average daily gains ADG (p < 0.05) of the EUE group were increased throughout the study period. Chicks fed EUE had higher AFI (0–7 d, p < 0.001) and lower feed-to-gain ratios (F/G) (0–15 d, p < 0.001). EUE increased the activities of superoxide dismutase (SOD) (15 d, p < 0.05) and glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px) (7 d, p < 0.05), whereas it decreased malondialdehyde (MDA) (15 d, p < 0.01). The contents of IgA (7 d, p < 0.05), IgG (7 d; 15 d, p < 0.01), and IgM (15 d, p < 0. 001) were higher in the EUE group. Dietary EUE could also reduce chick organ damage. Overall, EUE as a natural feed additive can improve the growth performance, antioxidant capacity, and immune level, and reduce the organ damage of cold-stressed chicks.
Biosynthesis of Smaller-Sized Platinum Nanoparticles Using the Leaf Extract of Combretum erythrophyllum and Its Antibacterial Activities
Authors: Fanoro Olufunto T. , Parani Sundararajan , Maluleke Rodney , Lebepe Thabang C. , Varghese Rajendran J. , Mgedle Nande , Mavumengwana Vuyo , Oluwafemi Oluwatobi S.
Published: October 2021

Nanobiotechnology is a promising field in the development of safe antibiotics to combat the increasing trend of antibiotic resistance. Nature is a vast reservoir for green materials used in the synthesis of non-toxic and environmentally friendly nano-antibiotics. We present for the first time a facile, green, cost-effective, plant-mediated synthesis of platinum nanoparticles (PtNPs) using the extract of Combretum erythrophyllum (CE) plant leaves. The extract of CE served as both a bio-reductant and a stabilizing agent. The as-synthesized PtNPs were characterized using ultraviolet-visible (UV–Vis) absorption spectroscopy, high-resolution transmission electron microscopy (HR-TEM), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), X-ray diffraction (XRD), and dynamic light scattering (DLS) techniques. The HR-TEM image confirmed that the PtNPs are ultrasmall, spherical, and well dispersed with an average particle diameter of 1.04 ± 0.26 nm. The PtNPs showed strong antibacterial activities against pathogenic Gram-positive Staphylococcus epidermidis (ATCC 14990) at a minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) of 3.125 µg/mL and Gram-negative Klebsiella oxytoca (ATCC 8724) and Klebsiella aerogenes (ATCC 27853) at an MIC value of 1.56 µg/mL. The CE-stabilized PtNPs was mostly effective in Klebsiella species that are causative organisms in nosocomial infections.
Highly Potent, Selective, and Competitive Indole-Based MAO-B Inhibitors Protect PC12 Cells against 6-Hydroxydopamine- and Rotenone-Induced Oxidative Stress
Authors: Elsherbeny Mohamed H. , Kim Jushin , Gouda Noha A. , Gotina Lizaveta , Cho Jungsook , Pae Ae Nim , Lee Kyeong , Park Ki Duk , Elkamhawy Ahmed , Roh Eun Joo
Published: October 2021

Monoamine oxidase B (MAO-B) is responsible for dopamine metabolism and plays a key role in oxidative stress by changing the redox state of neuronal and glial cells. To date, no disease-modifying therapy for Parkinson’s disease (PD) has been identified. However, MAO-B inhibitors have emerged as a viable therapeutic strategy for PD patients. Herein, a novel series of indole-based small molecules was synthesized as new MAO-B inhibitors with the potential to counteract the induced oxidative stress in PC12 cells. At a single dose concentration of 10 µM, 10 compounds out of 30 were able to inhibit MAO-B with more than 50%. Among them, compounds 7b, 8a, 8b, and 8e showed 84.1, 99.3, 99.4, and 89.6% inhibition over MAO-B and IC50 values of 0.33, 0.02, 0.03, and 0.45 µM, respectively. When compared to the modest selectivity index of rasagiline (II, a well-known MAO-B inhibitor, SI > 50), compounds 7b, 8a, 8b and 8e showed remarkable selectivity indices (SI > 305, 3649, 3278, and 220, respectively). A further kinetic study displayed a competitive mode of action for 8a and 8b over MAO-B with Ki values of 10.34 and 6.63 nM. Molecular docking studies of the enzyme-inhibitor binding complexes in MAO-B revealed that free NH and substituted indole derivatives share a common favorable binding mode: H-bonding with a crucial water “anchor” and Tyr326. Whereas in MAO-A the compounds failed to form favorable interactions, which explained their high selectivity. In addition, compounds 7b, 8a, 8b, and 8e exhibited safe neurotoxicity profiles in PC12 cells and partially reversed 6-hydroxydopamine- and rotenone-induced cell death. Accordingly, we report compounds 7b, 8a, 8b, and 8e as novel promising leads that could be further exploited for their multi-targeted role in the development of a new oxidative stress-related PD therapy.
Microcalorimetry—Versatile Method of Describing Bacterial Growth
Authors: Popa Mihnea Ioan Gabriel , Cursaru Adrian , Serban Bogdan , Cretu Bogdan , Muntean Andrei Alexandru , Popa Vlad Tudor , Chifiriuc Mariana Carmen , Cîrstoiu Cătălin
Published: October 2021

(1) Background: Due to the aging population in industrialized countries and due to the increase in the number of traffic or sports accidents, the number of artificial joints and implants for osteosynthesis will increase in the coming years. Therefore, the risk of postoperative infections will be higher as well. (2) Methods: For this study, we combined classical bacterial identification with the description of bacterial growth curves using microcalorimetry. (3) Results: We evaluated the growth of S. aureus and S. epedermidis, but we believe that this can be applied to any anaerobic or aerobic bacterial colony. We discovered that the time interval after which we can identify a growth curve does not exceed 15–20 h. (4) Conclusions: The diagnosis made by combining the methods of sonication and microcalorimetry manages to provide a great deal of information about the bacteria we studied. Microcalorimetry has real potential as a method for obtaining quick diagnosis in various cases of infection, but many more experiments need to be done to ensure the correct use of this technique. A detailed investigation (including kinetic analysis) of the reproducible thermal signal of bacterial growth can lead to the development of alternative means of rapid bacterial identification.
Collision Avoidance Controller for Unmanned Surface Vehicle Based on Improved Cuckoo Search Algorithm
Authors: Fan Yunsheng , Sun Xiaojie , Wang Guofeng , Mu Dongdong
Published: October 2021

For the dynamic collision avoidance problem of an unmanned surface vehicle (USV), a dynamic collision avoidance control method based on an improved cuckoo search algorithm is proposed. The collision avoidance model for a USV and obstacles is established on the basis of the principle of the velocity obstacle method. Simultaneously, the Convention on the International Regulations for Preventing Collisions at Sea (COLREGS) is incorporated in the collision avoidance process. For the improvement of the cuckoo algorithm, the adaptive variable step-size factor is designed to realize the adaptive adjustment of flight step-size, and a mutation and crossover strategy is introduced to enhance the population diversity and improve the global optimization ability. The improved cuckoo search algorithm is applied to the collision avoidance model to obtain an optimal collision avoidance strategy. According to the collision avoidance strategy, the desired evasion trajectory is obtained, and the tracking controller based on PID is used for the Lanxin USV. The experimental results show the feasibility and effectiveness of the proposed collision avoidance method, which provides a solution for the autonomous dynamic collision avoidance of USVs.
Electronic Cigarettes’ Toxicity: From Periodontal Disease to Oral Cancer
Authors: Jităreanu Alexandra , Agoroaei Luminița , Aungurencei Ovidiu Dumitru , Goriuc Ancuța , Diaconu Popa Diana , Savin Carmen , Caba Ioana-Cezara , Tătărușanu Simona , Profire Bianca , Mârțu Ioana
Published: October 2021

Electronic nicotine delivery systems first appeared on the market in 2003 and have been promoted as healthier alternatives to conventional tobacco cigarettes. The rapid evolution of technology for these products generated a wide variety of models, and electronic cigarettes have quickly gained worldwide popularity. However, research regarding the effects of both short-term and long-term exposure revealed a wide variety of potential negative effects on human health, and the first system to be affected by these electronic smoking devices is the oral cavity. This review makes an up-to-date extensive presentation of the possible mechanisms that associate electronic cigarette smoking with increased prevalence and progression of oral cancer. Oxidative stress, inflammation response, and DNA damage are the main mechanisms that explain e-cigarettes’ cytotoxicity, but there are still questions to be answered. At present, tens of thousands of e-liquids are available, with distinct compositions, which makes the research even more challenging. Another aspect approached in the present paper is the effect of nicotine on chemotherapy drug resistance. Nicotine activates nicotinic acetylcholine receptors, consecutively inhibiting apoptosis, increasing tumor cells proliferation and survival, and reducing the effects of chemotherapy drugs.
Models@Runtime: The Development and Re-Configuration Management of Python Applications Using Formal Methods
Authors: Bouhamed Mohammed Mounir , Díaz Gregorio , Chaoui Allaoua , Kamel Oussama , Nouara Radouane 
Published: October 2021

Models@runtime (models at runtime) are based on computation reflection. Runtime models can be regarded as a reflexive layer causally connected with the underlying system. Hence, every change in the runtime model involves a change in the reflected system, and vice versa. To the best of our knowledge, there are no runtime models for Python applications. Therefore, we propose a formal approach based on Petri Nets (PNs) to model, develop, and reconfigure Python applications at runtime. This framework is supported by a tool whose architecture consists of two modules connecting both the model and its execution. The proposed framework considers execution exceptions and allows users to monitor Python expressions at runtime. Additionally, the application behavior can be reconfigured by applying Graph Rewriting Rules (GRRs). A case study using Service-Level Agreement (SLA) violations is presented to illustrate our approach.
Titanium Nitride Plating Reduces Nickel Ion Release from Orthodontic Wire
Authors: Ito Arata , Kitaura Hideki , Sugisawa Haruki , Noguchi Takahiro , Ohori Fumitoshi , Mizoguchi Itaru
Published: October 2021

The leaching of metal ions from orthodontic appliances is a problem for their use in patients with metal allergies. Despite the development of a number of non-metal orthodontic appliances, including brackets, non-metal wires are not yet available. Therefore, it is necessary to modify the surfaces of orthodontic wires to prevent the leaching of metal ions into the oral environment for use in such patients. This study was performed to examine whether plating of orthodontic wire with titanium nitride (TiN), which does not impair its mechanical properties, could prevent the leaching of metal ions from the wire on immersion in acid. To investigate the acid corrosion resistance of the wire, the amount of metal ions eluted from the wire immersed in acid was measured by using inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS) and the dimethylglyoxime (DMG) test, the properties of the wire surface were examined by stereomicroscopy and scanning electron microscopy, and the surface roughness was measured using a surface roughness tester. The results indicated that TiN plating of orthodontic wire significantly suppressed the elution of metal ions on immersion in acid.
Wind Farm Layout Optimization with Different Hub Heights in Manjil Wind Farm Using Particle Swarm Optimization
Authors: Yeghikian Menova , Ahmadi Abolfazl , Dashti Reza , Esmaeilion Farbod , Mahmoudan Alireza , Hoseinzadeh Siamak , Garcia Davide Astiaso
Published: October 2021

Nowadays, optimizing wind farm configurations is one of the biggest concerns for energy communities. The ongoing investigations have so far helped increasing power generation and reducing corresponding costs. The primary objective of this study is to optimize a wind farm layout in Manjil, Iran. The optimization procedure aims to find the optimal arrangement of this wind farm and the best values for the hubs of its wind turbines. By considering wind regimes and geographic data of the considered area, and using the Jensen’s method, the wind turbine wake effect of the proposed configuration is simulated. The objective function in the optimization problem is set in such a way to find the optimal arrangement of the wind turbines as well as electricity generation costs, based on the Mossetti cost function, by implementing the particle swarm optimization (PSO) algorithm. The results reveal that optimizing the given wind farm leads to a 10.75% increase in power generation capacity and a 9.42% reduction in its corresponding cost.
Numerical Simulation of Gas Hydrate Production Using the Cyclic Depressurization Method in the Ulleung Basin of the Korea East Sea
Authors: Lee Taehun , Lee Joo Yong , Ahn Taewoong , Son Han Am
Published: October 2021

The depressurization method is known as the most productive and effective method for successful methane recovery from hydrate deposits. However, this method can cause considerable subsidence because of the increased effective stress. Maintenance of geomechanical stability is necessary for sustainable production of gas from gas hydrate deposits. In this study, the cyclic depressurization method, which uses changing the bottomhole pressure and production time during primary and secondary depressurization stage, was utilized in order to increase stability in the Ulleung Basin of the Korea East Sea. Various case studies were conducted with alternating bottomhole pressure and production time of the primary and secondary depressurization stages over 400 days. Geomechanical stability was significantly enhanced, while cumulative gas production was relatively less reduced or nearly maintained. Specially, the cumulative gas production of the 6 MPa case was more than three times higher than that of the 9 MPa case, while vertical displacement was similar between them. Therefore, it was found that the cyclic depressurization method should be applied for the sake of geomechanical stability.
Ultrafast Electron Dynamics in Magnetic Thin Films
Authors: Lee Hovan , Weber Cedric , Fähnle Manfred , Shalaby Mostafa
Published: October 2021

In past decades, ultrafast spin dynamics in magnetic systems have been associated with heat deposition from high energy laser pulses, limiting the selective access to spin order. Here, we use a long wavelength terahertz (THz) pump–optical probe setup to measure structural features in the ultrafast time scale. We find that complete demagnetization is possible with <6 THz pulses. This occurs concurrently with longitudinal acoustic phonons and an electronic response.