bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
A Systematic Review of Instruments to Assess Guilt in Children and Adolescents
Authors: Zaccari Vittoria , Aceto Marianna , Mancini Francesco
Published: December 2020

Background: Guilt feelings have received considerable attention in past psychological theory and research. Several studies have been conducted that represent a range of views and propose various implications of guilt in children and adolescents. Variations in theoretical definitions of guilt, emphasizing a lack of measurement convergence, make it difficult to derive a comprehensive definition of the construct in childhood and adolescence. Research shows substantial variability in instruments used to measure guilt in children and adolescents.

Purpose: The aim is to discuss existing contributions, illustrating the empirical validity of the available instruments used to measure guilt and identifying the nature of their theoretical backgrounds among children and adolescents.

Methods: A systematic search was conducted using the following databases: PsycINFO, PsycARTICLES, MEDLINE, Scopus, Web of Science, and PubMed (all years up to February 19, 2020). Search terms were compiled into three concepts for all databases: “measure,” “guilt,” and “childhood/adolescence.” In addition, a search was conducted to detect the gray literature.

Results: After removing the duplicates, a total of 1,408 records were screened, resulting in the identification of 166 full-text articles to be further scrutinized. Upon closer examination, there was consensus that 148 of those studies met the study inclusion criteria or were not retrieved. Twenty-five studies were included in the quality assessment. The data were organized on three main categories: (1) interpersonal or prosocial guilt; (2) intrapunitive guilt or that referring to an excessive sense of responsibility; (3) not specifying a theoretical construct. A great heterogeneity in psychometric evaluations and substantial variability in guilt construct emerged. The construct most represented and supported by valid instruments was interpersonal or prosocial guilt. Analysis of the gray literature showed that some instruments were not immediately available to the clinical and scientific communities.

Conclusions: The studies analyzed and selected for qualitative review employed various instruments to measure guilt. Results confirmed what is widely documented in the literature about substantial variability in instruments used to measure guilt. We argue the need to develop measures that assess currently overlooked dimensions of guilt and to provide further additional information about the psychometric proprieties of the available developed instruments.
Relationship Between Geomagnetic Storms and Auroral/Magnetospheric Substorms: Early Studies
Authors: Akasofu Syun-Ichi
Published: December 2020

This paper describes a short story of how I learned in early days in space physics (1960–1970) that there are the direct and feed-back relationships between geomagnetic storms and auroral/magnetospheric substorms. In those days, both geomagnetic storms and auroral substorms were almost independent subjects. It is now understood that auroral substorms are directly related to the development of the ring current and thus of the main phase of geomagnetic storms. Further, we have begun to recognize that the growth of the ring current (caused by auroral/magnetospheric substorms) will change the internal structure of the magnetosphere, which in turn will change and could modify at least the intensity of auroral substorms. Thus, there are interesting feed-back processes between them. It is expected that this feed-back relationship between geomagnetic storms and auroral/magnetospheric substorms will become one of the major issues in magnetospheric physics in the future. In fact, an effort to understand this relationship will deepen our understanding of both geomagnetic storms and auroral/magnetospheric substorms. The progress in understanding the relationship between auroral substorms and geomagnetic storms is an example, in which it takes a long time to advance even one step. It is hoped that this paper will serve to learn the background in the development of space physics in the early days.
Identification of Protein Carbonyls (PCOs) in Canine Serum by Western Blot Technique and Preliminary Evaluation of PCO Concentration in Dogs With Systemic Inflammation
Authors: Ruggerone Beatrice , Colombo Graziano , Paltrinieri Saverio
Published: December 2020

In people, serum Protein Carbonyls (PCOs) increase during oxidative stress (OS) due to oxidative damage to proteins. OS is often associated with inflammation and especially with sepsis, a condition hard to diagnose in veterinary medicine because reliable markers are lacking. The aim of this study was to assess whether PCOs in canine serum may be detected by antibody-based methods such as Western Blotting (WB), and to preliminarily investigate the possible utility of this marker in dogs with inflammation. A serum sample oxidized in vitro was used to set up the method; the coefficient of variation obtained by repeated analysis varied from 24 to 36%. In order to assess whether the technique may cover the range of PCOs concentration detectable in routine practice, PCOs were measured in 4 healthy dogs and in 15 with inflammatory diseases, in some cases potentially associated with sepsis, as suggested by the results of other inflammatory markers such as C-Reactive Protein (CRP) and the anti-oxidant enzyme Paraoxonase 1 (PON-1): the concentration of PCOs was low in dogs with normal PON-1 activity, moderately increased in the majority of dogs with low-normal PON-1 activity, and severely increased in dogs with very low PON-1 activity. In conclusion this study demonstrates that PCOs, may be detected in canine serum, using antibody-based techniques such as WB. The preliminary results in dogs with and without systemic inflammation encourage further studies on the possible role of PCOs as inflammatory markers.
Analysis of High Force Voice Coil Motors for Magnetic Levitation
Authors: Kim Jae-Yeol , Ahn Dahoon
Published: December 2020

A voice coil motor is a simple and linear electromagnetic actuator. Since it has a non-contact force and very low stiffness, it is widely used for precision positioning devices including magnetic levitation systems. During magnetic levitation, high force of a voice coil motor is required to compensate for the weight of the device and ensure a fast dynamic response. In this paper, two types of voice coil motors were analyzed by their volumetric change. The change of the generated force according to the volumetric change was inspected by finite element simulation models. The enhancement of force was dependent on which type of the voice coil motor is used, which component is enlarged, and which direction is the voice coil motor expands in. Based on the analysis results, two voice coil motors were optimally designed for a magnetic levitation positioning device. As a result of the design, it was confirmed that different types of voice coil motor generate different forces even if they have the same volume. For the two types of voice coil motors, the force differed by up to 40%.
Revenues of Municipalities as a Tool of Local Self-Government Development (Comparative Study)
Authors: Papcunová Viera , Hudáková Jarmila , Štubňová Michaela , Urbaníková Marta
Published: December 2020

A municipality’s budget is a tool that significantly affects the long-term economic potential of the area. In addition, it is an important tool for the management of the municipality, in relation to the effective provision of public services for inhabitants. To ensure them, it uses the revenues that the local self-government receives from various sources. The aim of the paper is to characterize and to compare the mechanism of creating revenues of the local self-government in the Slovak and Czech Republic and, at the same time, to analyze the relationships between individual groups of local revenues in the time period 2009–2018. We analyzed the basic groups of municipal revenues: total revenues, current revenues, and capital revenues. For the analysis, we used selected mathematical–statistical methods (trend lines, correlation coefficient). Although both countries were part of one country, both have a dual model of public administration and have undergone fiscal decentralization; the structure and sources of local self-government revenues are different. However, a common attribute is the dependence of local self-government on state revenues. Tax revenues are the most important part of current budget revenues. Despite fiscal decentralization, local budget revenues are dependent on the state. In the Slovak Republic, share taxes from the state represent 74% of the total tax revenues of municipalities, and in the Czech Republic, 85% of the total tax revenues of municipalities.
STL-ATTLSTM: Vegetable Price Forecasting Using STL and Attention Mechanism-Based LSTM
Authors: Yin Helin , Jin Dong , Gu Yeong Hyeon , Park Chang Jin , Han Sang Keun , Yoo Seong Joon
Published: December 2020

It is difficult to forecast vegetable prices because they are affected by numerous factors, such as weather and crop production, and the time-series data have strong non-linear and non-stationary characteristics. To address these issues, we propose the STL-ATTLSTM (STL-Attention-based LSTM) model, which integrates the seasonal trend decomposition using the Loess (STL) preprocessing method and attention mechanism based on long short-term memory (LSTM). The proposed STL-ATTLSTM forecasts monthly vegetable prices using various types of information, such as vegetable prices, weather information of the main production areas, and market trading volumes. The STL method decomposes time-series vegetable price data into trend, seasonality, and remainder components. It uses the remainder component by removing the trend and seasonality components. In the model training process, attention weights are assigned to all input variables; thus, the model’s prediction performance is improved by focusing on the variables that affect the prediction results. The proposed STL-ATTLSTM was applied to five crops, namely cabbage, radish, onion, hot pepper, and garlic, and its performance was compared to three benchmark models (i.e., LSTM, attention LSTM, and STL-LSTM). The performance results show that the LSTM model combined with the STL method (STL-LSTM) achieved a 12% higher prediction accuracy than the attention LSTM model that did not use the STL method and solved the prediction lag arising from high seasonality. The attention LSTM model improved the prediction accuracy by approximately 4% to 5% compared to the LSTM model. The STL-ATTLSTM model achieved the best performance, with an average root mean square error (RMSE) of 380, and an average mean absolute percentage error (MAPE) of 7%.
Quantitative Assessment of Trace and Macro Element Compositions of Cassava (Manihot esculenta) Storage Roots Enriched with Β-Carotene as Influenced by Genotypes and Growing Locations
Authors: Alamu Emmanuel Oladeji , Maziya-Dixon Busie , Dixon Alfred Gilbert
Published: December 2020

Cassava’s important mineral contents depends on some factors, including genetic and growing locational factors. The study aimed to evaluate the influence of genotype and growing locations on the mineral concentrations in yellow-fleshed cassava root genotypes. Twenty-five pipeline yellow-fleshed cassava genotypes and three white-fleshed varieties (check samples) were planted at five different experimental fields for two seasons, each representing the major agroecological zones in Nigeria. Standard laboratory protocols were employed in the sampling to ensure zero contamination, and the trace and macro elements were determined using the inductively coupled plasma optical emission spectroscopic method (ICPOES). The trace and macro elements identified in all the genotypes and varieties investigated were Fe, Mn, B, Cu, Mo, Co, Ni, Zn, and Al; Ca, Mg, Na, K. P, and S respectively. Genotype and growing location had a highly significant (p < 0.05) effect on all the trace elements except Ti and Cr. However, there was no interactive effect between genotype and growing location on all the trace elements except for Pb and Zn. Among the explanatory variables, the variable growing location was the most influential on macro and trace elements. Conclusively, genotypes 01/1442 and 01/1273 have outstanding trace and macro element concentrations.
Productivity and Biometric Characteristics of 11 Varieties of Willow Cultivated on Marginal Soil
Authors: Matyka Mariusz , Radzikowski Paweł
Published: December 2020

In response to the growth in the global population and climate change concerns, questions remain regarding the adaptation of production systems to meet increasing food and energy demands. The aim of the paper is to present the production potential and biometric features of 11 willow varieties bred and cultivated mainly in Europe. The experiment was set up on marginal soil. The research was conducted in 2016–2020 and concerned 11 varieties of willow harvested in a three-year cycle. The dry matter yield of the examined willow varieties ranged from 6.5 to 13.8 Mg ha−1 year−1. Varieties Tur, Sven, Olof, Torhild, and Tordis were characterized by a relatively low level of yield (7.2–8.2 Mg ha−1 year−1). The highest dry matter yield was obtained for the varieties Ekotur and Żubr, respectively, of 11.5 and 13.8 Mg ha−1 year−1. The assessed varieties differed in both the level of obtained dry matter yield and biometric features. The Żubr variety produced the smallest number of shoots (three), but with the greatest height (4.8 m) and diameter (29.6 mm). Varieties with high production potential develop fewer shoots, but are taller and have a larger diameter than other varieties.
Nitrogen Fertilization Management with Blends of Controlled-Release and Conventional Urea Affects Common Bean Growth and Yield during Mild Winters in Brazil
Authors: Garcia Pedro Lopes , Sermarini Renata Alcarde , Trivelin Paulo Cesar Ocheuze
Published: December 2020

The common bean (Phaseolus vulgaris L.) requires nitrogen (N) during its vegetative and reproductive stages. A single application of a blend of polymer-sulfur coated urea (PSCU) and conventional urea (U) treated with NBPT (N-(n-butyl) thiophosphoric triamide) can meet that demand. Broadcast application could improve yield than other N management practices. This research evaluated two blends (70%PSCU + 30%U and 30%PSCU + 70%U) and three N fertilization managements (incorporated, broadcast, and split application) on soil ammonia volatilization (AV) and N mineral content (NM); plant N uptake (NU) and 15N recovery from U (NUR); and yield (GY). Irrigated field experiments were conducted in 2018 and 2019 in Rhodic Eutrustox soil. The N application rate was 90 kg ha−1. AV reached 12% (30%PSCU + 70%U, broadcast application) and 14% of the applied N (split application at the third trifoliate leaf unfolded stage (V4)). The incorporated application resulted in higher NM in the vegetative and reproductive stages than the other management practices. Broadcast application resulted in higher NU than split application at physiological maturity. Split application resulted in higher NUR (grain) and GY than broadcast application. There was a positive correlation between NUR (grain) and GY in all N fertilization management treatments. The NUR values reached 48% (30%PSCU + 70%U) and 18% (70%PSCU + 30%U). Split N application using these blends can improve NUR in grain and GY compared to broadcast application in Rhodic Eutrustox soil. This information can help farmers improve the fertilization management practices used with these blends, and thereby avoid economic losses and environmental pollution.
Optimization of Main Link Lengths of Transplanting Device of Semi-Automatic Vegetable Transplanter
Authors: Hwang Seok-Joon , Park Jeong-Hyeon , Lee Ju-Yeon , Shim Sung-Bo , Nam Ju-Seok
Published: December 2020

In this study, the lengths of the main links of the transplanting device of a semi-automatic vegetable transplanter were optimized to reduce the weight at the same planting trajectory. The theoretical planting trajectory was obtained from the kinematic analysis for the link structure of the transplanting device and verified through kinematic simulation using commercial software and actual measurement using high-speed camera. Then, the lengths of the main links that have a great influence on the planting trajectory were optimized to have a minimum total length at the same planting trajectory. A genetic algorithm was used as an optimization tool. As a result, with the optimal lengths of the main links, the same planting trajectory was maintained while reducing the total length by 18.32% compared to the conventional one. The transplanting device with the optimal main link lengths would have benefits in terms of agricultural economy by reducing manufacturing and fuel costs.
Pituitary Pars Intermedia Dysfunction and Metabolic Syndrome in Donkeys
Authors: Gehlen Heidrun , Schwarz Bianca , Bartmann Claus , Gernhardt Jennifer , Stöckle Sabita D.
Published: December 2020

Appropriate medical care for donkeys is challenging despite being important working animals in non-industrialized countries and pets in first world countries. Although the same principles of diagnosis and therapy as in horses are commonly applied, there are differences in reference values and physiologic reaction to dynamic tests. However, donkeys seem to suffer from typical equine diseases, such as metabolic syndrome and pituitary pars intermedia dysfunction (PPID). Asinine metabolic syndrome (AMS) comprises obesity, insulin dysregulation, and laminitis. The principles of diagnosis are similar to horses. Donkey-specific reference ranges for insulin and glucose have been evaluated previously. Examinations regarding dynamic testing revealed differences in the intravenous glucose tolerance test and the combined insulin tolerance test compared to horses. The therapy of AMS is based mainly on weight loss and exercise. There are conflicting data regarding the incidence of PPID in donkeys. Laminitis and hypertrichosis were described as the main clinical signs. Species-specific and seasonal reference ranges were defined to diagnose PPID in donkeys. Furthermore, the dexamethasone suppression test, the thyrotropin releasing hormone (TRH) test and the combined dexamethasone suppression/TRH test were evaluated. Pergolide is commonly recommended for treatment.
Autochthonous Yeast from Pork and Game Meat Fermented Sausages for Application in Meat Protection and Aroma Developing
Authors: García-Béjar Beatriz , Sánchez-Carabias Daniel , Alarcon Marina , Arévalo-Villena María , Briones Ana
Published: December 2020

The wild yeast community was studied in fermented sausages from pork and game meat (deer and wild boar) during the maturation process from different curing rooms. Although the biotechnological importance of yeasts in the maturation process of pork sausages is known, there is a lack of information for sausage maturation involving game meat. A total of 123 yeasts were isolated and, by amplifying and sequencing of the ITS region, were classified in 14 species. Debaryomyces hansenii, Kazachstania servazzii, and Wickerhamomyces anomalus were isolated in both pork and game samples. The PCR-RAPD technique differentiated between 26 and 18 strains from pork and game meat sausages, respectively. The physicochemical parameters and their relationship with the yeast community were also studied. The antioxidant and anti-lipid peroxidation capability were analyzed and the 70% and 50% of the tested strains showed these abilities, respectively. Moreover, the biocontrol capability against mycotoxigenic molds was found in 19 strains, but better results were observed in game meat yeasts. On the other hand, almost 30% of strains produce a pleasant olfactory aroma, and volatile compounds associated with the yeast pathway metabolic during the maturation process have been characterized such as esters, aldehydes, fusel alcohols, etc. This study has allowed a better understanding of the biodiversity of this type of food, as well as selecting potential yeast strains for their future use as starters.
Regeneration during Obesity: An Impaired Homeostasis
Authors: Ghanemi Abdelaziz , Yoshioka Mayumi , St-Amand Jonny
Published: December 2020

Obesity is a health problem that, in addition to the known morbidities, induces the generation of a biological environment with negative impacts on regeneration. Indeed, factors like DNA damages, oxidative stress and inflammation would impair the stem cell functions, in addition to some metabolic and development patterns. At the cellular and tissulaire levels, this has consequences on growth, renewal and restoration which results into an impaired regeneration. This impaired homeostasis concerns also key metabolic tissues including muscles and liver which would worsen the energy balance outcome towards further development of obesity. Such impacts of obesity on regeneration shows the need of a specific care given to obese patients recovering from diseases or conditions requiring regeneration such as burns, radiotherapy and leukemia. On the other hand, since stem cells are suggested to manage obesity, this impaired regeneration homeostasis needs to be considered towards more optimized stem cells-based obesity therapies within the context of precision medicine.
Long-Term Determinants of the Seroprevalence of Toxoplasma gondii in a Wild Ungulate Community
Authors: Barroso Patricia , García-Bocanegra Ignacio , Acevedo Pelayo , Palencia Pablo , Carro Francisco , Jiménez-Ruiz Saúl , Almería Sonia , Dubey Jitender P. , Cano-Terriza David , Vicente Joaquín
Published: December 2020

Toxoplasma gondii is an obligate intracellular protozoan which infects warm-blooded vertebrates, including humans, worldwide. In the present study, the epidemiology of T. gondii was studied in the wild ungulate host community (wild boar, red deer, and fallow deer) of Doñana National Park (DNP, south-western Spain) for 13 years (2005–2018). We assessed several variables which potentially operate in the medium and long-term (environmental features, population, and stochastic factors). Overall, the wild ungulate host community of DNP had high seroprevalence values of T. gondii (STG; % ± confidence interval (CI) 95%; wild boar (Sus scrofa) 39 ± 3.3, n = 698; red deer (Cervus elaphus) 30.7 ± 4.4, n = 423; fallow deer (Dama dama) 29.7 ± 4.2, n = 452). The complex interplay of hosts and ecological/epidemiological niches, together with the optimal climatic conditions for the survival of oocysts that converge in this area may favor the spread of the parasite in its host community. The temporal evolution of STG oscillated considerably, mostly in deer species. The relationships shown by statistical models indicated that several factors determined species patterns. Concomitance of effects among species, indicated that relevant drivers of risk operated at the community level. Our focus, addressing factors operating at broad temporal scale, allows showing their impacts on the epidemiology of T. gondii and its trends. This approach is key to understanding the epidemiology and ecology to T. gondii infection in wild host communities in a context where the decline in seroprevalence leads to loss of immunity in humans.
Next-Generation Sequencing Based Gut Resistome Profiling of Broiler Chickens Infected with Multidrug-Resistant Escherichia coli
Authors: Afridi Ome Kalsoom , Ali Johar , Chang Jeong Ho
Published: December 2020

The study was designed to investigate the fecal microbiome and resistome of broiler chickens infected with multidrug-resistant (MDR) Escherichia coli (E. coli). Fecal samples (n = 410) from broiler chickens were collected from thirteen randomly selected sites of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and screened for the presence of MDR E. coli. Upon initial screening, thirteen (13) MDR E. coli isolates were then subjected to shotgun metagenome next-generation sequencing (NGS). NGS based resistome analysis identified the multidrug efflux pump system-related genes at the highest prevalence (36%) followed by aminoglycoside (26.1%), tetracycline (15.9%), macrolide-lincosamide-streptogramin (9.6%), beta-lactam (6.6%), rifampin (2%), sulphonamide (1.3%), phenicol (0.91%), vancomycin (0.62%), trimethoprim (0.34%), colistin (0.30%), and quinolone (0.33%). The most abundant virulence-associated genes (VAGs) identified were iroN, iutA, iss, and iucA. NGS based taxonomic profiling at the phylum level revealed the predominance of Proteobacteria (38.9%) followed by Firmicutes (36.4%), Bacteroidetes (15.8%), and Tenericutes (8.9%). Furthermore, pathobionts such as E. coli, Salmonella enterica, Klebsiella pneumoniae, and Shigella flexneri belonging to the family Enterobacteriaceae were predominantly found. This study revealed the widespread presence of MDR genes, diverse VAGs, and a dysbiotic gut in the broiler chickens infected with MDR E. coli of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa for the first time using NGS.
Drug-Resistant Fungi: An Emerging Challenge Threatening Our Limited Antifungal Armamentarium
Authors: Arastehfar Amir , Gabaldón Toni , Garcia-Rubio Rocio , Jenks Jeffrey D. , Hoenigl Martin , Salzer Helmut J. F. , Ilkit Macit , Lass-Flörl Cornelia , Perlin David S.
Published: December 2020

The high clinical mortality and economic burden posed by invasive fungal infections (IFIs), along with significant agricultural crop loss caused by various fungal species, has resulted in the widespread use of antifungal agents. Selective drug pressure, fungal attributes, and host- and drug-related factors have counteracted the efficacy of the limited systemic antifungal drugs and changed the epidemiological landscape of IFIs. Species belonging to Candida, Aspergillus, Cryptococcus, and Pneumocystis are among the fungal pathogens showing notable rates of antifungal resistance. Drug-resistant fungi from the environment are increasingly identified in clinical settings. Furthermore, we have a limited understanding of drug class-specific resistance mechanisms in emerging Candida species. The establishment of antifungal stewardship programs in both clinical and agricultural fields and the inclusion of species identification, antifungal susceptibility testing, and therapeutic drug monitoring practices in the clinic can minimize the emergence of drug-resistant fungi. New antifungal drugs featuring promising therapeutic profiles have great promise to treat drug-resistant fungi in the clinical setting. Mitigating antifungal tolerance, a prelude to the emergence of resistance, also requires the development of effective and fungal-specific adjuvants to be used in combination with systemic antifungals.
Antimicrobial Susceptibility Testing in Pseudomonas aeruginosa Biofilms: One Step Closer to a Standardized Method
Authors: Lozano Carmen , López María , Rojo-Bezares Beatriz , Sáenz Yolanda
Published: December 2020

The ability of Pseudomonas aeruginosa to form biofilm during a long-term infection makes it difficult to treat patients correctly. The current clinical antimicrobial susceptibility testing methods are based on the study of planktonic strains. A standardized protocol to analyze the antimicrobial susceptibility in biofilms is necessary for routine laboratories. The aims of this study were to develop a simple biofilm model and to study the antimicrobial susceptibility of P. aeruginosa strains in biofilm growth. Different artificial sputum media, and aerobiosis and microaerobiosis conditions were analyzed using a microtiter plate method and P. aeruginosa PAO1 as reference strain. Planktonic and biofilm antimicrobial susceptibility to cefepime, imipenem, azithromycin, gentamicin, tobramycin, and ciprofloxacin were determined in clinical and non-clinical P. aeruginosa strains. The Synthetic Cystic Fibrosis Medium was proposed as a good medium. The biofilm greatly increased the resistance to tested antimicrobials, except for azithromycin. Cefepime and imipenem showed poor anti-biofilm effect while tobramycin, gentamicin, and ciprofloxacin showed good activity in some strains. Azithromycin showed a better activity in biofilm than in planktonic state when aerobic conditions were used. This study establishes useful information to test antimicrobial susceptibility in P. aeruginosa biofilms, and includes possible antimicrobial options to treat long-term infected patients.
Purification and Chemical Characterization of a Potent Acaricide and a Closely Related Inactive Metabolite Produced by Eurotium rubrum C47
Authors: Ortiz-Lemus José F. , Campoy Sonia , Cañedo Librada M. , Liras Paloma , Martín Juan F.
Published: December 2020

Mites are arthropods and some of them infest dry meat cured products and produce allergic reactions. Some mites, such as Tyrolichus casei, Tyrophagus putrescentiae, or Tyrophagus longior feed on filamentous fungi that grow during the meat curing process. Removal of mite infestation of meat products is extremely difficult and there are no adequate miticidal compounds. The filamentous fungus Eurotium rubrum growing on the surface of ham is able to exert a biocontrol of the population of mites due to the production of miticidal compound(s). We have purified two compounds by silica gel chromatography, gel filtration, semipreparative and analytical HPLC and determined their miticidal activity against T. casei using a mite feeding assay. Mass spectrometry and NMR analysis showed that these two compounds are prenylated salicilyl aldehydes with a C-7 alkyl chain differing in a double bond in the C-7 alkyl chain. Structures correspond to those of flavoglaucin and aspergin. Pure flavoglaucin has a miticidal activity resulting in more than 90% mite mortality whereas aspergin does not affect the mites. Both compounds were formed simultaneously by E. rubrum C47 cultures in different media suggesting that they are synthesized by the same pathway. Production of both compounds was higher in solid culture media and the products were associated with abundant formation of cleistothecia. In liquid cultures both compounds remained mainly cell-associated and only about 10% of the total compounds was released to the culture broth. This miticidal compound may be used to combat efficiently mite infestation in different habitats. These results, will promote further advances on the utilization of flavoglaucin in food preservation and in human health since this compound has antitumor activity.
Antimicrobial Susceptibility of Mycoplasma bovis Isolates from Veal, Dairy and Beef Herds
Authors: Bokma Jade , Gille Linde , De Bleecker Koen , Callens Jozefien , Haesebrouck Freddy , Pardon Bart , Boyen Filip
Published: December 2020

Mycoplasma bovis is an important pathogen causing mostly pneumonia in calves and mastitis in dairy cattle. In the absence of an effective vaccine, antimicrobial therapy remains the main control measure. Antimicrobial use in veal calves is substantially higher than in conventional herds, but whether veal calves also harbor more resistant M. bovis strains is currently unknown. Therefore, we compared antimicrobial susceptibility test results of M. bovis isolates from different cattle sectors and genomic clusters. The minimum inhibitory concentration of nine antimicrobials was determined for 141 Belgian M. bovis isolates (29 dairy, 69 beef, 12 mixed, 31 veal farms), and was used to estimate the epidemiological cut-off. Acquired resistance was frequently observed for the macrolides, while no acquired resistance to oxytetracycline and doxycycline, minimal acquired resistance to florfenicol and tiamulin, and a limited acquired resistance to enrofloxacin was seen. M. bovis isolates from beef cattle or genomic cluster III had higher odds of being gamithromycin-resistant than those from dairy cattle or genomic clusters IV and V. In this study, no cattle industry could be identified as source of resistant M. bovis strains. A single guideline for antimicrobial use for M. bovis infections, with a small remark for gamithromycin, is likely sufficient.
Last Call for Replacement of Antimicrobials in Animal Production: Modern Challenges, Opportunities, and Potential Solutions
Authors: Nowakiewicz Aneta , Zięba Przemysław , Gnat Sebastian , Matuszewski Łukasz
Published: December 2020

The constant market demand for easily available and cheap food of animal origin necessitates an increasing use of antibiotics in animal production. The alarming data provided by organizations monitoring drug resistance in indicator and pathogenic bacteria isolated from humans and animals indicate a possible risk of a return to the preantibiotic era. For this reason, it seems that both preventive and therapeutic measures, taken as an alternative to antimicrobials, seem not only advisable but also necessary. Nevertheless, the results of various studies and market analyses, as well as difficulties in the implementation of alternative substances into veterinary medicine, do not guarantee that the selected alternatives will completely replace antimicrobials in veterinary medicine and animal production on a global scale. This publication is a brief overview of the drug resistance phenomenon and its determinants, the steps taken to solve the problem, including the introduction of alternatives to antimicrobials, and the evaluation of some factors influencing the potential implementation of alternatives in animal production. The review also presents two groups of alternatives, which, given their mechanism of action and spectrum, are most comparable to the effectiveness of antibiotics, as emphasized by the authors.
The Antinociceptive, Antioxidant and Anti-Inflammatory Effects of 5-Fluoro-2-Oxindole during Inflammatory Pain
Authors: Redondo Alejandro , Riego Gabriela , Pol Olga
Published: December 2020

Recent studies demonstrate that 5-fluoro-2-oxindole inhibits neuropathic pain but the antinociceptive actions of this drug and its effects on the plasticity, oxidative and inflammatory changes induced by peripheral inflammation as well as on the effects and expression of µ-opioid receptors (MOR) have not been evaluated. In C57BL/6 male mice with inflammatory pain provoked by the subplantar administration of complete Freund’s adjuvant (CFA), we evaluated: (1) the antinociceptive actions of 5-fluoro-2-oxindole and its reversion with the HO-1 inhibitor, tin protoporphyrin IX (SnPP); (2) the effects of 5-fluoro-2-oxindole in the protein levels of mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK), Nrf2, NADPH quinone oxidoreductase1 (NQO1), heme oxygenase 1 (HO-1), oxidative stress marker (4-hydroxy-2-nonenal; 4-HNE), inducible nitric oxide synthase (NOS2), microglial markers (CD11b/c and IBA-1), and MOR in the spinal cord and/or paw of animals with inflammatory pain; (3) the antinociceptive effects of morphine in 5-fluoro-2-oxindole pre-treated animals. Treatment with 5 and 10 mg/kg of 5-fluoro-2-oxindole inhibited the allodynia and hyperalgesia induced by CFA in a different, time-dependent manner. These effects were reversed by SnPP. Treatment with 5-fluoro-2-oxindole increased the expression of NQO1, HO-1 and MOR and inhibited the CFA-induced upregulation of phosphorylated MAPK, 4-HNE, NOS2, CD11b/c and IBA-1 in spinal cords and/or paws. The local effects of morphine were improved with 5-fluoro-2-oxindole. This work reveals that 5-fluoro-2-oxindole inhibits the plasticity, oxidative and inflammatory responses provoked by peripheral inflammation and potentiates the antinociceptive effects of morphine. Thus, treatment with 5-fluoro-2-oxindole alone and/or combined with morphine are two remarkable new procedures for chronic inflammatory pain management.
Ethanol Induces Microglial Cell Death via the NOX/ROS/PARP/TRPM2 Signalling Pathway
Authors: Sha’fie Muhammad Syahreel Azhad , Rathakrishnan Sharani , Hazanol Iffa Nadhira , Dali Mohd Haziq Izzazuddin , Khayat Mohd Ezuan , Ahmad Syahida , Hussin Yazmin , Alitheen Noorjahan Banu , Jiang Lin-Hua , Syed Mortadza Sharifah Alawieyah
Published: December 2020

Microglial cells are the primary immune cell resident in the brain. Growing evidence indicates that microglial cells play a prominent role in alcohol-induced brain pathologies. However, alcohol-induced effects on microglial cells and the underlying mechanisms are not fully understood, and evidence exists to support generation of oxidative stress due to NADPH oxidases (NOX_-mediated production of reactive oxygen species (ROS). Here, we investigated the role of the oxidative stress-sensitive Ca2+-permeable transient receptor potential melastatin-related 2 (TRPM2) channel in ethanol (EtOH)-induced microglial cell death using BV2 microglial cells. Like H2O2, exposure to EtOH induced concentration-dependent cell death, assessed using a propidium iodide assay. H2O2/EtOH-induced cell death was inhibited by treatment with TRPM2 channel inhibitors and also treatment with poly(ADP-ribose) polymerase (PARP) inhibitors, demonstrating the critical role of PARP and the TRPM2 channel in EtOH-induced cell death. Exposure to EtOH, as expected, led to an increase in ROS production, shown using imaging of 2’,7’-dichlorofluorescein fluorescence. Consistently, EtOH-induced microglial cell death was suppressed by inhibition of NADPH oxidase (NOX) as well as inhibition of protein kinase C. Taken together, our results suggest that exposure to high doses of ethanol can induce microglial cell death via the NOX/ROS/PARP/TRPM2 signaling pathway, providing novel and potentially important insights into alcohol-induced brain pathologies.
Use of Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs) and Photogrammetry to Obtain the International Roughness Index (IRI) on Roads
Authors: Prosser-Contreras Matías , Atencio Edison , Muñoz La Rivera Felipe , Herrera Rodrigo F.
Published: December 2020

Road inspection and maintenance require a large amount of data collection, where the main limiting factor is the time required to cover long stretches of road, having a negative impact on the optimization of the work. This article aims to identify modern tools for road maintenance and analysis. To carry out the research, recent methodologies are used to guide the work in different stages to adequately justify the processes involved. Using unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), cameras, and GPS, three-dimensional virtual models are reconstructed, which are useful for extracting the necessary information since they allow for accurate replication of the captured. In this way, it is possible to obtain longitudinal profiles associated with the road, and with it, the international roughness index (IRI) is calculated, which gives results within 0.1 (m/km) of the certified official results, which shows its potential use and development.
Voice as a Mouse Click: Usability and Effectiveness of Simplified Hands-Free Gaze-Voice Selection
Authors: Zhao Darisy G. , Karikov Nikita D. , Melnichuk Eugeny V. , Velichkovsky Boris M. , Shishkin Sergei L.
Published: December 2020

Voice- and gaze-based hands-free input are increasingly used in human-machine interaction. Attempts to combine them into a hybrid technology typically employ the voice channel as an information-rich channel. Voice seems to be “overqualified” to serve simply as a substitute of a computer mouse click, to confirm selections made by gaze. It could be expected that the user would feel discomfort if they had to frequently make “clicks” using their voice, or easily get bored, which also could lead to low performance. To test this, we asked 23 healthy participants to select moving objects with smooth pursuit eye movements. Manual confirmation of selection was faster and rated as more convenient than voice-based confirmation. However, the difference was not high, especially when voice was used to pronounce objects’ numbers (speech recognition was not applied): Score of convenience (M ± SD) was 9.2 ± 1.1 for manual and 8.0 ± 2.1 for voice confirmation, and time spent per object was 1269 ± 265 ms and 1626 ± 331 ms, respectively. We conclude that “voice-as-click” can be used to confirm selection in gaze-based interaction with computers as a substitute for the computer mouse click when manual confirmation cannot be used.
Estimation of Distribution Factor for Peak Penetration Resistance Prediction of Spudcan Foundations in Loose to Medium-Dense Sand Overlying Clay
Authors: Jan Muhammad Asad , Adeel Muhammad Bilal , Pervaiz Usman , Park Duhee
Published: December 2020

A series of 3D finite element (FE) analyses were performed to estimate the peak penetration resistance of spudcan foundations in sand over clay soil profiles. Elasto-perfectly plastic models following Mohr–Coulomb and Tresca failure criteria were used for sand and clay layers, respectively. The coupled Eulerian–Lagrangian (CEL) approach was used to simulate the large deformation in soil that occurs during the spudcan penetration. The performance of the numerical model was validated against centrifuge test results. A parametric study with a broad range of strength parameters for sand and clay was performed. The numerical results were used to assess the influence of sand thickness (Hs), the diameter of spudcan (D), friction angle of sand, and undrained shear strength of clay (su). A wide range of su was utilized to predict the resistance both of the soft and stiff clays. The calculated peak resistances are compared with a published analytical model. It is demonstrated that the model highly overestimates the peak resistance for stiff clays, most likely because it was developed specifically for soft clays and, therefore, does not account for the influence of su. One of the parameters of the model is revised to account both for su. Comparisons highlight that the modified model is able to capture the simulated peak penetration resistance for both soft and stiff clays.
An Intelligent Controlling Method for Battery Lifetime Increment Using State of Charge Estimation in PV-Battery Hybrid System
Authors: Qays Md Ohirul , Buswig Yonis , Basri Hazrul , Hossain Md Liton , Abu-Siada Ahmed , Rahman Md Momtazur , Muyeen S. M.
Published: December 2020

In a photovoltaic (PV)-battery integrated system, the battery undergoes frequent charging and discharging cycles that reduces its operational life and affects its performance considerably. As such, an intelligent power control approach for a PV-battery standalone system is proposed in this paper to improve the reliability of the battery along its operational life. The proposed control strategy works in two regulatory modes: maximum power point tracking (MPPT) mode and battery management system (BMS) mode. The novel controller tracks and harvests the maximum available power from the solar cells under different atmospheric conditions via MPPT scheme. On the other hand, the state of charge (SOC) estimation technique is developed using backpropagation neural network (BPNN) algorithm under BMS mode to manage the operation of the battery storage during charging, discharging, and islanding approaches to prolong the battery lifetime. A case study is demonstrated to confirm the effectiveness of the proposed scheme which shows only 0.082% error for real-world applications. The study discloses that the projected BMS control strategy satisfies the battery-lifetime objective for off-grid PV-battery hybrid systems by avoiding the over-charging and deep-discharging disturbances significantly.
A Deep-Learning-Based Bearing Fault Diagnosis Using Defect Signature Wavelet Image Visualization
Authors: Duong Bach Phi , Kim Jae Young , Jeong Inkyu , Im Kichang , Kim Cheol Hong , Kim Jong Myon
Published: December 2020

A new method is established to construct the 2-D fault diagnosis representation of multiple bearing defects from 1-D acoustic emission signals. This technique starts by applying envelope analysis to extract the envelope signal. A novel strategy is propounded for the deployment of the continuous wavelet transform with damage frequency band information to generate the defect signature wavelet image (DSWI), which describes the acoustic emission signal in time-frequency-domain, reduces the nonstationary effect in the signal, shows discriminate pattern visualization for different types of faults, and associates with the defect signature of bearing faults. Using the resultant DSWI, the deep convolution neural network (DCNN) architecture is designed to identify the fault in the bearing. To evaluate the proposed algorithm, the performance of this technique is scrutinized by a series of experimental tests acquired from a self-designed testbed and corresponding to different bearing conditions. The performance from the experimental dataset demonstrates that the suggested methodology outperforms conventional approaches in terms of classification accuracy. The result of combining the DCNN with DSWI input yields an accuracy of 98.79% for classifying multiple bearing defects.
Numerical Simulation of the Degree of Protection for K9 Artillery Position under Explosion Scenario Using METT+TC
Authors: Kim Kukjoo , Park Young-Jun
Published: December 2020

This study proposes a method to evaluate the protective performance of an existing K9 artillery position according to various explosion scenarios. Thus, a commercial software package AUTODYN was used to create a 3D model of the existing artillery position. Following the mission, enemy, terrain and weather, troops and support available, time available, and civil consideration (METT+TC) analysis, a total of three blast loading scenarios were selected. According to the results, the wall rotation angle of a near-miss explosion was within the standard of 2°; considering contact explosions, the rotation angles were also within 2°. This confirmed that the K9 artillery position under examination for protective performance was within the elastic design range. Considering the final evaluation and combining the results, the walls and slabs of the K9 artillery position were determined to be able to withstand the corresponding blast pressures and have no issues in protective performance. Meanwhile, due to the limitations of the actual blast tests for evaluating the protective performance of civilian protective structures and those of the ROK Armed Forces, these tests were replaced with numerical analysis-based evaluations. However, due to the lack of specified procedures for numerical analysis based on finite element analysis, there were several difficulties in practice. Therefore, this study aims to provide a basic procedure for evaluating the protective performance of protective structures in the future by presenting analytical and blast loading conditions which are necessary for evaluating protective performance.
Comparing the Psychosocial Safety Climate between Megaprojects and Non-Megaprojects: Evidence from China
Authors: Xie Linlin , Lin Guixin , Hon Carol , Xia Bo , Skitmore Martin
Published: December 2020

Compared to non-megaprojects, megaprojects are often more complex and riskier, and construction employees are thus susceptible to a higher level of psychosocial hazards, which adversely affect their psychosocial health and safety performance. The psychosocial safety climate evaluates the employees’ perceived level of psychosocial health and safety of the workplace and reveals the causes of psychosocial hazards that need to be addressed; it is, therefore, of great significance to determine whether the psychosocial safety climate (PSC) of megaprojects is different from that of non-megaprojects. A questionnaire survey is described involving 10 megaprojects and 143 non-megaprojects in China. The results show that, contrary to expectations, the psychosocial safety climate of megaprojects is significantly better than that of non-megaprojects. Compared with those of non-megaprojects, the employees of megaprojects have a higher common perception of the organization’s emphasis on psychosocial health and safety-related policies, procedures, and behavioral practices in work processes. This research, for the first time, demonstrates and tests the use of the psychosocial safety climate scale (PSC-12) for measuring the construction industry’s PSC, provides insights for understanding the psychosocial safety climate of megaprojects, and serves as a reference for organizational management to intervene in employees’ psychosocial health and correct unsafe behaviors. It also contributes to theoretical research and the measurement standards of psychological safety in megaprojects.