bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Evaluating and Engaging: Using Participatory Video With Kenyan Secondary School Students to Explore Engagement With Health Research
Authors: Davies Alun , High Chris , Mwangome Nancy , Hanlin Rebecca , Jones Caroline
Published: March 2022

Background

The growing ethical requirement to engage communities with health research has yielded diversification in approaches and targeted audiences. Conventional approaches like community “town-hall meetings,” laboratory open-days and focus group discussions, have evolved into new methods and audiences such as community drama and school engagement with health research (SEHR) involving learning interactions between researchers and school students. While engagement practices are diversifying, evaluations of these initiatives are rare in Low- and Middle-Income Countries (LMIC). This article focuses on the use of Participatory Video (PV) to explore the influence of the KEMRI-Wellcome Trust Research Programme's (KWTRP) School Engagement Programme (SEP) on the views and understandings of science and research among Kenyan state secondary school students.

Methods

Twelve male and twelve female students from four coeducational schools were provided with film-making kits (1 per school), and a one-day PV training workshop. They prepared 22 short films over 8 weeks depicting their experiences and views of research and engagement and conveying their career aspirations. Schools were selected based on prior SEP participation; two schools having experienced different engagement approaches, and the others with no prior school engagement. Study data comprised footage and participant observation notes.

Results

PV provided an opportunity to simultaneously engage and evaluate to inform practice. Through student-led filmmaking, PV stimulated conversations with students about research and engagement, enabling them to share their views in a way they felt was appropriate. These interactions offered an understanding of student gains from engagement, the depth of interaction required to address perceptions held about research and the potential unintended consequences of engagement. PV also provided insights into the context and complexity of life in which engagement is situated. Understanding this context is important because of its potential influence on participation in engagement activities. We draw on these insights to make two recommendations for school engagement practice. First is that PV can provide an enjoyable and insightful means of combining engagement with evaluation. Second, given that time for SEHR is competed for against other important curricular and extracurricular activities, SEHR practitioners must ensure that activities are as beneficial and enjoyable as possible to students.
A Data-Driven Customer-Search Modeling With the Consideration of Traffic Environment
Authors: Yu Lan , Sun Zhuo , Jin Lianjie , Chen Chao
Published: March 2022

In order to explore the determinants of vacant taxi drivers' customer-search behavior, this paper intends to calibrate a time-dependent Multinomial Logit (MNL) model by mining over 1.6 billion GPS records from about 8,400 taxis in Shanghai, China. First, based on the ordering points to identify the clustering structure (OPTICS) algorithm, the downtown area of Shanghai city is divided into 47 hotspots to identify the hot areas of customer delivery and searching. Then, by investigating a typical search delivery process of a vacant taxi, five candidate factors that may affect the customer-search behavior are summarized and defined. Using the maximum likelihood method, the significant factors are finally found. The results reveal that the relative passenger demand, the regional likelihood of pick-ups as well as the expected rate of return are the most significant factors influencing customer-search behavior. Although the impact of traffic situation (i.e., the en-route delay and traffic condition of the target hotspot) is not particularly significant, service providers and policymakers should still take full advantage of it to schedule taxi service and mitigate the traffic congestion caused by the circulation of vacant taxis. Besides, this paper also shows that the customer-search behavior of a vacant taxi driver varies with the time of day. Findings in this paper are expected to provide comprehensive insights about factors that should be considered in the future operation pattern of a taxi service system where human driver taxis and self-driving taxis are mixed.
Linking Local Projects With Global Processes: Learning From Transdisciplinary Collaborations in African Cities
Authors: Patel Zarina , Schneider Flurina , Paulavets Katsia
Published: March 2022

The central role of science and robust data sets as a means for advancing sustainable development has gained traction across science and policy communities globally. Furthermore, strengthening the science-policy interface in ways that link scientific knowledge production and societal problem solving requires both inter-disciplinary collaborations, as well as collaboration between researchers and extra-scientific actors. The paucity of data and understanding of the distinctive dynamics shaping Africa's urban transition provide an increasing impetus for engaging alternate and inclusive knowledge partnerships. Whilst the number of knowledge collaborations across African cities is increasing steadily, critical engagement with the practice of transdisciplinary approaches and the potential these alternate knowledge configurations might have for steering Africa's urban future(s) is limited. Drawing on the application of transdisciplinary approaches across 11 projects from the Leading Integrated Research for Agenda 2030 in Africa (LIRA 2030 Africa) programme on Advancing the implementation of SDG 11 in cities in Africa, this paper provides insights into the role of transdisciplinary approaches in bridging between local projects and global agendas. Evidence from the LIRA programme illustrates a positive relationship between carefully and purposefully constituted project teams who engage deeply with local contexts and the relevance of the resulting interventions. The common but differentiated experiences across the LIRA projects make it clear that the future of African urbanism is not singular but differentiated according to different local contexts. These projects simultaneously address the conceptual and service delivery deficits in local areas, whilst highlighting blind spots in global policy agendas that are misaligned to the complexity of African cities. The significance of transdisciplinary approaches that link the “what” to the “how” of urban change, is found to be critical in data poor post-colonial contexts, which are urgently in need of evidence-based policy reform shaping the reconfiguration of service delivery mechanisms. Finally, the significance of transdisciplinary research by early career scholars in and of Africa serves to shift the political economy of research on Africa, contributing to the transformative potential of urban experimentation in bridging between the global and the local.
Planning for Livelihoods Under Hydrosocial Uncertainty in Periurban Pune
Authors: Luft Sarah , Gomes Sharlene L. , Chakraborty Shreya , Hermans Leon M. , Butsch Carsten
Published: March 2022

Periurban farmers in India are operating in fast-paced transformative environments of uncertain, quickly changing hydrosocial landscapes while simultaneously responding to different urban, rural and periurban demands. The urge is growing toward a more sustainable, integrative agricultural transformation, in which local stakeholders have more agency to control their own development. Yet, farmers are mostly passive in the process of shaping periurban futures as they face challenges in dealing with growing uncertainties in their hydrosocial environments. From a political ecology perspective, the concept of the hydrosocial cycle helps in understanding these uncertainties and their impacts on farmers' livelihoods and in classifying water-society dynamics. We adopted this concept to critically assess different perceptions of uncertainties based on the effects of uneven hydrosocial development. Extending beyond this analysis, we then followed a multi-perspective, scenario-based planning approach to show a methodology to support farmers in adapting and planning accordingly. We applied a modified Delphi method that combines local knowledge of actors from the village Paud in periurban Pune (India) with the expertise of Indian and international experts. We used the method to determine actions and institutions for different future scenarios and to understand which drivers and signals interfere and affirm each scenario's feasibility. From both bodies of knowledge, we could identify one realistic preferred/business-as-usual scenario and two alternatives with eight different drivers that cause complex, hydrosocial uncertainties. Both bodies of knowledge suggest that farming will continue to be an important water-based livelihood in Paud in the future. Yet, we were able to contrast different mechanisms involved in the future thinking of actors and experts. This research contributes to understanding possible processes of adaptation through co-creation of knowledge. The applied methodology can enable farmers to reflect on possible futures, activate their available capabilities, and may facilitate more sustainable and adaptive decision-making. After further refinements, the method employed could in future be useful for policy making and planning.
Gender Neutral Language in (Greater) Buenos Aires, (Greater) La Plata, and Córdoba: An Analysis of Social Context Information Using Textual and Temporal Features
Authors: Kellert Olga
Published: March 2022

In this article, I explore Twitter data to analyze Gender Neutral Language (GNL) in (Greater) Buenos Aires, (Greater) La Plata, and Córdoba. The goal is to characterize the social context behind GNL. Social context analysis of social media data is challenging given that this data type does not contain the social characteristics of its users and the circumstances under which the tweets were written. In order to fill this gap, I will derive the social context information from textual and temporal features by analyzing the names of locations, companies, and people used in the text and relating these entities to the message of the tweet. The analysis of temporal features will give us insights into the correlation between language use and social events. Our results show that the general characterization of the social context behind GNL is associated with socio-economically rich areas in city centers. Users of GNL in the investigated areas address certain groups of people with words that express familiarity and close social relationships, such as those meaning “friends” and “neighbors” and that give them information about a political, cultural, or social event or concerning commercial products/services. The temporal analysis by month supports this characterization by showing that certain political and social events induce a higher frequency of GNL. This paper contributes to previous research on GNL in Argentina by testing existing hypotheses quantitatively. The new discovery presented here is that political activism is not the only language context in which GNL is used in social media and that GNL is not exclusively used in big cities of Argentina but also in smaller cities.
Physical Activity Capacity Assessment of Patients With Chronic Disease and the 1-Minute Sit to Stand Test: Is There an Interest?
Authors: Allado Edem , Poussel Mathias , Albuisson Eliane , Paysant Jean , Temperelli Margaux , Hily Oriane , Moussu Anthony , Benhajji Noura , Gauchard Gerôme , Chenuel Bruno
Published: March 2022

Objective

This study aimed to evaluate the efficacy of the 1-minute Sit to Stand test (1MSTS) to determine physical activity capacities for patients with chronic disease.

Methods

For this cross-sectional study, we studied fifty patients with chronic disease and no beta-blocker treatment. They systematically performed a cardiopulmonary exercise test to determine maximal oxygen uptake (V'O2max). We considered two groups of patients based on the results of the functional evaluation of exercise performance: (1) No limitation in exercise performance (V'O2max greater or equal to 80% of the theoretical reference) and (2) limited exercise performance (V'O2max <80% of the theoretical value). All patients also received an 1MSTS on the same day.

Results

We found 22 (44.0%) patients with normal exercise capacity and 28 (56.0%) patients with limited exercise performance. In this sample, mean 1MSTS repetitions were 27.1 (7.1) and 25.2 (8.7), respectively. There were no significant differences between the two groups for repetition and Borg Scale end test. The correlation between V'O2max measured during the exercise test and 1MSTS repetitions displayed a positive slope [r = 0.401 (95% CI 0.114–625)].

Conclusion

This study demonstrated a moderate relationship between 1MSTS and V'O2max for patients with chronic disease. 1MSTS did not permit the precise determination of physical activity capacities in this sample.
Realizing the Potential of Neglected and Underutilized Bananas in Improving Diets for Nutrition and Health Outcomes in the Pacific Islands
Authors: Burkhart Sarah , Underhill Steven , Raneri Jessica
Published: March 2022

Pacific Island countries are undergoing rapid food system transformation. This has led to a deterioration in diet quality with decreased consumption of traditional, fresh foods, and increasing consumption of imported, ultra-processed foods. Consequently, the triple burden of malnutrition is a now a major issue in the region. It is estimated that Vitamin A deficiency (VAD) is widespread, particularly in Kiribati, Vanuatu, and Solomon Islands. Rates of overweight, obesity, and diet-related non-communicable disease (DR-NCD) are high. Increasing consumption of local, traditional fruits and vegetables, particularly those that have high nutritional value like Pacific Island bananas, could play an important role in improving diets and health outcomes of Pacific Islander populations. Many of the banana cultivars found in the Pacific Islands region are high in carotenoids, an important precursor to Vitamin A. Fe'i bananas, such as Utin Iap, have been shown to contain much higher amounts of carotenoids than that of the commonly consumed Cavendish banana. As a traditional, starchy staple food, bananas are a good source of carbohydrate, including resistant starch, with small amounts of protein and little fat. These characteristics also lend themselves to being part of a healthy diet. The promotion of neglected and underutilized banana cultivars in the Pacific region provides a food-based and low-cost solution that simultaneously supports healthy diets and good nutrition, local farming systems and livelihood opportunities. However, to realize this potential, more work is required to understand the availability of nutrient rich banana in the region, current consumption patterns and drivers of consumption.
Promoting Sustainable Seafood Market in Japan: Perspectives From MSC and ASC Applicants
Authors: Ishihara Hiroe , Blandon Abigayil , Watanabe Juri , Yagi Nobuyuki
Published: March 2022

Japanese seafood market has witnessed a slow but steadfast increase in the amount of certified seafood circulated on the market despite the fact that there are few incentives to apply for certification schemes such as the Marine Stewardship Council (MSC) and the Aquaculture Stewardship Council (ASC). This is because it is difficult for the producers to reap benefits from the price premium as the retailers are unwilling to charge the consumers with a higher price for the certified seafood; at the same time, there are no sourcing codes set by the retailers to ban the access of uncertified seafood. By conducting semi-structured interviews with the applicants of MSC and ASC, this study reveals the motivation of the applicants such as the desire of producers to differentiate their seafood products from similar products on the market and to establish stable distribution channels with large retailers. We argue that this type of motivation poses a unique challenge in promoting sustainable seafood in Japan, that is the certified product needs to remain a small proportion of circulated seafood products.
Analysis of the Application Effect of PDCA Cycle Management Combined With Risk Factor Management Nursing for Reducing Infection Rate in Operating Room
Authors: Chen Hong , Wang Ping , Ji Qi
Published: March 2022

Purpose

To explore the application effect of plan-do-check-action (PDCA) cycle management combined with risk factor management nursing in an operating room.

Methods

A total of 150 surgical patients in our hospital from November 2020 to February 2021 were selected as the conventional group, and 150 surgical patients in our hospital from March 2021 to June 2021 were selected as the research group. The conventional group implemented routine infection management, and the research group implemented PDCA cycle management combined with risk factor management. Detection of pathogenic bacteria, incidence of incision infection, infection control, occurrence of irregular events, and nursing quality in the operating room were observed in the two groups.

Results

The detection rate of Gram-negative bacillus and Gram-positive cocci, infection rate of incision, and total incidence of irregular events in the research group were lower than those in the conventional group (P < 0.05). The qualified rate of disinfection of object surface, hands of medical staff and air, and nursing quality scores in the research group were higher than those in the conventional group (P < 0.05).

Conclusion

Plan-do-check-action (PDCA) cycle management combined with risk factor management nursing can reduce the detection rate of pathogenic bacteria and infection rate of incision in the operating room, reduce the incidence of irregular events, improve the qualified rate of disinfection, and greatly improve the quality of nursing, which can be considered to be widely used in clinical practice.
The Effect of Different Opioids on Acid-Base Balance and Blood Gas Analysis in Hospitalized Dogs
Authors: Quintavalla Fausto , Spindler Kevin Pascal , Aldigeri Raffaella , Fidanzio Francesca
Published: March 2022

Pain management is central to veterinary practice, contributing to successful case outcomes and enhancement of the veterinarian-client-patient relationship. Analgesic drugs represent one of the pillars of the multimodal approach to acute and chronic pain management. In dogs, the most used opioids are methadone, buprenorphine and tramadol. Several episodes of hypoglycemia in people treated with tramadol and methadone have recently been described. The aim of this work is to evaluate the changes in the glycemic and acid-base balance induced by tramadol, methadone and buprenorphine in hospitalized dogs. A retrospective review of the medical records of dogs hospitalized for both medical and surgical reasons was performed. During 2018-2020, a total of 876 canine patients were treated with opioids, including 228 with tramadol, 273 with methadone and 375 with buprenorphine. Of all these dogs, only a small percentage met the inclusion criteria presented in the initial design. All the hospitalized animals were monitored daily through clinical examination and blood sampling. Blood samples were obtained before opioid administration (T0), and 24 h (T1) and 48 h (T2) after °pioid administration. The following parameters were evaluated: blood gas value (pH, pCO2), acid-base state (cHCO3), oxymetric values (ctHb, haematocrit), electrolyte values (K+, Na+, iCa, Cl-) and metabolic values (glucose, lactate, anion GAP K+c). The glycemic value in enrolled dogs showed a decrease over time, regardless of the type of opioid used, but remained within the physiological range. The highest average glycemic drop was recorded for methadone, between T0 and T1, followed by tramadol between T1 and T2, while buprenorphine recorded the highest overall glycemic drop between T0-T2 when compared to the other two opioids. Female dogs showed the greatest drop in glycemic value. Lactate concentration always presented values beyond the physiological range at an early stage, which then normalized quickly. Measurement of electrolyte concentrations showed a consistent increase in the values of iCa, Na and Cl. In hospitalized dogs treated with opioids monitoring of gas analytic parameters is important and more attention should be paid to patients hospitalized with certain metabolic and endocrine diseases.
Chlorine Dioxide Inhibits African Swine Fever Virus by Blocking Viral Attachment and Destroying Viral Nucleic Acids and Proteins
Authors: Wei Ruiping , Wang Xiaoying , Liu Xiaohong , Guo Chunhe
Published: March 2022

African swine fever (ASF) is a highly contagious disease and provokes severe economic losses and health threats. At present no effective vaccine or treatment is available to prevent or cure ASF. Consequently, there is an urgent need to develop effective drugs against ASF virus (ASFV). Chlorine dioxide (ClO2), an ideal biocide, has broad-spectrum antibacterial activity and no drug resistance. Here, we found that ClO2 strongly inhibited ASFV replication in porcine alveolar macrophages (PAMs). The inhibitory effect of ClO2 occurred during viral attachment rather than entry, indicating that ClO2 suppressed the early stage of virus life cycle. ClO2 showed a potent anti-ASFV effect when added either before, simultaneously with, or after virus infection. Furthermore, ClO2 could destroy viral nucleic acids and proteins, which may contribute to its capacity of inactivating ASFV virions. The minimum concentration of degradation of ASFV nucleic acids by ClO2 is 1.2 μg/mL, and the degradation is a temperature-dependent manner. These have guiding significance for ClO2 prevention and control of ASFV infection in pig farms. In addition, ClO2 decreased the expression of ASFV-induced inflammatory cytokines. Overall, our findings suggest that ClO2 may be an ideal candidate for the development of novel anti-ASFV prophylactic and therapeutic drugs in swine industry.
Háromnyelvű fogorvosi szakszótár
Authors: Matekovits György , Székely Melinda
Published: March 2022

Az anyanyelvükön tanuló fogorvostan-hallgatók, diplomájuk kézhezvétele után, az összes további megmérettetésüket– rezidens-, szakorvos- és főorvosi vizsga – román nyelven kell teljesítsék. A fiatal diplomások rengeteg román kifejezést nem ismernek, amit a gyakorlatok során használtak, és rendszerint tükörfordítást alkalmaznak, amiből gyakranértelmetlen, sőt néha humoros mondatok kerekednek ki. Ennek a megalázó helyzetnek a megoldására elkészítettüka szakirodalom első, háromnyelvű, Magyar–Román–Angol Fogorvosi Szakszótárát, amely 13 550 címszóból áll. Szótárunka Scientia Kiadó gondozásában jelent meg Kolozsváron 2003-ban. Három újrakiadást élt meg, és több mint ezer példány talált olvasóra. Az érdeklődők között, a magyar fogorvostan-hallgatók mellett, román és angol nyelven tanuló medikusok is voltak. Bizonyíték a régi bölcsességre, miszerint a könyveknek megvan a maguk sorsa…
Pneumatic Soft Robots: Challenges and Benefits
Authors: Su Hang , Hou Xu , Zhang Xin , Qi Wen , Cai Shuting , Xiong Xiaoming , Guo Jing
Published: March 2022

In the field of robotics, soft robots have been showing great potential in the areas of medical care, education, service, rescue, exploration, detection, and wearable devices due to their inherently high flexibility, good compliance, excellent adaptability, and natural and safe interactivity. Pneumatic soft robots occupy an essential position among soft robots because of their features such as lightweight, high efficiency, non-pollution, and environmental adaptability. Thanks to its mentioned benefits, increasing research interests have been attracted to the development of novel types of pneumatic soft robots in the last decades. This article aims to investigate the solutions to develop and research the pneumatic soft robot. This paper reviews the status and the main progress of the recent research on pneumatic soft robots. Furthermore, a discussion about the challenges and benefits of the recent advancement of the pneumatic soft robot is provided.
Effects of Dietary Natural Mycotoxins Exposure on Performance, Biochemical Parameters and Milk Small Molecule Metabolic Pathways of Lactating Cows
Authors: Wu Xufang , Guo Liya , Huang Guoxin , Tang Wenhao , Zhao Shengguo , Wang Jiaqi , Zhang Yangdong
Published: March 2022

The presence of mycotoxins in feed has the potential to cause significant detriment to animal and human health, and even severe economic implications. Previous studies on the effects of mycotoxins mainly focused on the addition of commercially available mycotoxins into feeds in animals. In the present study, corn meal and cottonseed were kept in warm and humid conditions to allow for mycotoxins produced and then used to substitute 50% and 100% of normal corn meal and cottonseed in diets for lactating cows for 14 days. The results showed that aflatoxin M1, deoxynivalenol, aflatoxin B1, and zearalenone were primary mycotoxins in milk from cows fed the diets. Compared with the control group, feeding the diets containing mildewy corn meal and cottonseed reduced feed intake, milk yield, and milk fat, protein and lactose productions (p > 0.05). No significant difference was observed in the acetate and valerate concentrations, acetate to propionate ratio, and the calculated CH4 production in rumen fluid (p > 0.05), whereas, the propionate, butyrate, isovalerate concentrations were affected (p < 0.05) depending on the content and type of natural mycotoxins. Serum creatinine and total glyceride concentrations were influenced with corn meal and cottonseed fully replaced with the mildewy feeds. Metabolic pathways for small molecule metabolites in milk were altered by dietary mycotoxin exposures, and the changes were mainly associated with amino acid metabolism, glucose metabolism, and energy metabolism. However, cows exposed to natural mycotoxins in the diets were still in healthy conditions and had low somatic cell count in milk.
Microbiological and Toxicological Evaluation of Fermented Forages
Authors: Adácsi Cintia , Kovács Szilvia , Pócsi István , Győri Zoltán , Dombrádi Zsuzsanna , Pusztahelyi Tünde
Published: March 2022

Several feed preservation methods can ensure lower mycotoxin contamination levels enter the food life cycle, and a relatively common wet preservation method of forage plant materials is fermentation. This study aimed to characterize the microbiological state and mycotoxin contamination of fermented silages and haylages (corn, alfalfa, rye, and triticale), their main microbiota, and isolation of bacteria with mycotoxin resistance. Bacteria that remain viable throughout the fermentation process and possess high mycotoxin resistance can have a biotechnological benefit. Lactic acid bacteria, primarily found in corn silage, were Lactiplantibacillus plantarum isolates. Meanwhile, a high percentage of alfalfa silage and haylage was characterized by Lactiplantibacillus pentosus. In rye silage and haylage samples, Pediococci were the typical bacteria. Bacterial isolates were characterized by deoxynivalenol and zearalenon resistance. Some of them were sensitive to aflatoxin B1, while ochratoxin A caused 33–86% growth inhibition of the cultures. The mycotoxin resistant organisms are under further research, aiming for mycotoxin elimination in feed.
Comparative Study on Synergistic Toxicity of Enrofloxacin Combined with Three Antibiotics on Proliferation of THLE-2 Cell
Authors: Luan Yehui , Chen Kexin , Zhao Junjie , Cheng Linli
Published: March 2022

Little attention has been paid to the problem of the combined toxicity of accumulated antibiotics on humans from food and clinical treatments. Therefore, we used human hepatocytes to study the joint toxicity of four common antibiotics. The cytotoxicity of enrofloxacin (ENR), combined with ciprofloxacin (CFX), florfenicol (FFC), or sulfadimidine (SMD) on THLE-2 cells was determined by CCK-8 assays; then their joint toxicity was evaluated using CalcuSyn 2.0. Dose–effect curves and median-effect plots established on large amounts of data and CI values were calculated to judge the nature of the combination’s interaction. ED50, ED75, and ED90 were predicted to elucidate the changing trend of the concentration on the toxicity of each drug pair. The ENR-CFX and ENR-FFC pairs exhibited synergistic toxicity only at special concentration rates, while ENR and SMD synergistically induced cytotoxicity at almost all the concentration rates studied. The mixed ratio was a significant factor for synergistic toxicity and should be evaluated in all combined effect studies. These results suggested that the combined toxicity of these four drugs should be taken into account in their risk assessment.
Prevalence and Characteristics of Streptococcus agalactiae from Freshwater Fish and Pork in Hong Kong Wet Markets
Authors: Sapugahawatte Dulmini Nanayakkara , Li Carmen , Dharmaratne Priyanga , Zhu Chendi , Yeoh Yun Kit , Yang Jun , Lo Norman Wai Sing , Wong Kam Tak , Ip Margaret
Published: March 2022

We report the antimicrobial resistance of 191 fish and 61 pork Group B Streptococcus (GBS) procured from Hong Kong wet markets. Two-hundred-and-fifty-two GBS strains were isolated from 992 freshwater fish and 361 pig offal during 2016–2019. The strains were isolated from homogenised samples and plated on selective media, followed by identification through MALDI-TOF-MS. Molecular characterisation, an antibiotic susceptibility test, and biofilm formation were performed on the strains. The isolation rates of the fish GBS and pig GBS were 19.3% (191 strains from 992 freshwater fish) and 16.9% (61 strains from 361 pig organs), respectively. The fish GBS was predominantly serotype Ia, ST7, while pig GBS was serotype III, ST651 (45 strains). An antibiotic susceptibility test revealed that the fish GBS were mostly antibiotic-sensitive, while the pig GBS were multidrug-resistant. A biofilm formation experiment showed that over 71% of fish GBS and all pig GBS had moderate biofilm formation ability. In general, the prevalence rate of GBS in animals and the multidrug resistance phenotype presented in the strains raise concerns about its zoonotic potential and effects on public health.
A Metabolic Network Mediating the Cycling of Succinate, a Product of ROS Detoxification into α-Ketoglutarate, an Antioxidant
Authors: Legendre Félix , MacLean Alex , Tharmalingam Sujeenthar , Appanna Vasu D.
Published: March 2022

Sulfur is an essential element for life. However, the soil microbe Pseudomonas (P.) fluorescens can survive in a low sulfur environment. When cultured in a sulfur-deficient medium, the bacterium reprograms its metabolic pathways to produce α-ketoglutarate (KG) and regenerate this keto-acid from succinate, a by-product of ROS detoxification. Succinate semialdehyde dehydrogenase (SSADH) and KG decarboxylase (KGDC) work in partnership to synthesize KG. This process is further aided by the increased activity of the enzymes glutamate decarboxylase (GDC) and γ-amino-butyrate transaminase (GABAT). The pool of succinate semialdehyde (SSA) generated is further channeled towards the formation of the antioxidant. Spectrophotometric analyses, HPLC experiments and electrophoretic studies with intact cells and cell-free extracts (CFE) pointed to the metabolites (succinate, SSA, GABA) and enzymes (SSADH, GDC, KGDC) contributing to this KG-forming metabolic machinery. Real-time polymerase chain reaction (RT-qPCR) revealed significant increase in transcripts of such enzymes as SSADH, GDC and KGDC. The findings of this study highlight a novel pathway involving keto-acids in ROS scavenging. The cycling of succinate into KG provides an efficient means of combatting an oxidative environment. Considering the central role of KG in biological processes, this metabolic network may be operative in other living systems.
Cell-Based Antioxidant Properties and Synergistic Effects of Natural Plant and Algal Extracts Pre and Post Intestinal Barrier Transport
Authors: Furger Christophe , Gironde Camille , Rigal Mylène , Dufour Cécile , Guillemet Damien
Published: March 2022

In this work, both direct and indirect cell-based antioxidant profiles were established for 27 plant extracts and 1 algal extract. To evaluate the direct antioxidant effects, fluorescent AOP1 cell assay was utilized, which measures the ability of different samples to neutralize intracellular free radicals produced by a cell-based photo-induction process. As the intestinal barrier is the first cell line crossed by the product, dose response curves obtained from Caco-2 cells were used to establish EC50 values for 26 out of the 28 natural extracts. Among them, 11 extracts from Vitis, Hamamelis, Syzygium, Helichrysum, Ilex and Ribes genera showed remarkable EC50s in the range of 10 µg/mL. In addition to this, a synergistic effect was found when combinations of the most potent extracts (S. aromaticum, H. italicum, H. virginiana, V. vinifera) were utilized compared to extracts alone. Indirect antioxidant activities (i.e., the ability of cells to trigger antioxidant defenses) were studied using the ARE/Nrf2 luminescence reporter-gene assay in HepG2 cells, as liver is the first organ crossed by an edible ingredient once it enters in the bloodstream. Twelve extracts were subjected to an intestinal epithelial barrier passage in order to partially mimic intestinal absorption and show whether basolateral compartments could maintain direct or indirect antioxidant properties. Using postepithelial barrier samples and HepG2 cells as a target model, we demonstrate that indirect antioxidant activities are maintained for three extracts, S. aromaticum, H. virginiana and H. italicum. Our experimental work also confirms the synergistic effects of combinations of post-intestinal barrier compartments issued from apical treatment with these three extracts. By combining cell-based assays together with an intestinal absorption process, this study demonstrates the power of cell systems to address the issue of antioxidant effects in humans.
Shear Behaviour of Aeolian Sand with Different Density and Confining Pressure
Authors: Li Xuefeng , Xu Wendong , Chang Lei , Yang Wenwei
Published: March 2022

Different from the other roadbed material, the unique mechanical properties of aeolian sand bring great difficulties to the construction and maintenance of desert highways. However, the main attention was usually paid to the engineering properties of aeolian sand, such as collapsibility, strong permeability, and poor gradation. To investigate the shear behaviour of aeolian sand under different engineering conditions, the drained and undrained tests were performed on aeolian sand with relatively large range of density and confining pressure. Under this condition, both the drained and undrained tests tend to the same critical state line, and the shear behaviour of aeolian sand is directly dependent on its density. Under the undrained condition, the q-ε1 curves and the effective stress paths in triaxial stress space exhibit four types of undrained shear behaviour, such as flow, limited flow, strain hardening, and strain softening. Meanwhile all the specimens exhibit three types of failure, such as flow slip, bulging failure, and shear bands. In the q-p’ plane, the analogous drained and undrained stress paths can be followed by aeolian sand with same initial relative density but different confining pressures, and there are two critical state lines due to the generation of shear bands for dense sand. In addition, the critical state lines in e-lnp’ plane decrease with increasing initial relative density Dr, that is, the material constant eᴦ decreases with increasing Dr, and the λ is also not constant but decreases with the increase in Dr. The results suggest that the strength behaviours of aeolian sand can be fitted by a straight line considering relative density and confining pressure and that two empirical formulas are established to describe this feature.
AB-ResUNet+: Improving Multiple Cardiovascular Structure Segmentation from Computed Tomography Angiography Images
Authors: Habijan Marija , Galić Irena , Romić Krešimir , Leventić Hrvoje
Published: March 2022

Accurate segmentation of cardiovascular structures plays an important role in many clinical applications. Recently, fully convolutional networks (FCNs), led by the UNet architecture, have significantly improved the accuracy and speed of semantic segmentation tasks, greatly improving medical segmentation and analysis tasks. The UNet architecture makes heavy use of contextual information. However, useful channel features are not fully exploited. In this work, we present an improved UNet architecture that exploits residual learning, squeeze and excitation operations, Atrous Spatial Pyramid Pooling (ASPP), and the attention mechanism for accurate and effective segmentation of complex cardiovascular structures and name it AB-ResUNet+. The channel attention block is inserted into the skip connection to optimize the coding ability of each layer. The ASPP block is located at the bottom of the network and acts as a bridge between the encoder and decoder. This increases the field of view of the filters and allows them to include a wider context. The proposed AB-ResUNet+ is evaluated on eleven datasets of different cardiovascular structures, including coronary sinus (CS), descending aorta (DA), inferior vena cava (IVC), left atrial appendage (LAA), left atrial wall (LAW), papillary muscle (PM), posterior mitral leaflet (PML), proximal ascending aorta (PAA), pulmonary aorta (PA), right ventricular wall (RVW), and superior vena cava (SVC). Our experimental evaluations show that the proposed AB-ResUNet+ significantly outperforms the UNet, ResUNet, and ResUNet++ architecture by achieving higher values in terms of Dice coefficient and mIoU.
PROSIM in the Cloud: Remote Automation Training Platform with Virtualized Infrastructure
Authors: Rosioru Sabin , Mihai Viorel , Neghina Mihai , Craciunean Daniel , Stamatescu Grigore
Published: March 2022

The need for high-availability, efficient, training solutions for industrial automation technology is driving the adoption of new tools, software and services supporting the Industry 4.0 paradigm. Specific requirements include vendor agnostic and standards-based programming languages and availability of both physical input–output and industrial communication, while providing a rich and immersive experience through suitable human–machine interface components. The PROSIM platform represents an integrated embedded hardware-software system for programmable logic controller automation training which provides examples in increasing order of complexity, ranging from basic digital logic up to complex manufacturing simulations and process control. A fully software-based solution has been developed in order to complement the laboratory-based system as a training digital twin. We describe the design, implementation and evaluation of the platform as ported onto the HUBCAP collaborative sandboxing environment for virtualized operation. Integration of dedicated communication libraries for Open Platform Communications, Unified Architecture, with simulated programmable logic controllers such as PLCSIM and ARSim is also discussed for fully leveraging new features emerging from increased information and operational technology convergence witnessed in realistic, plant-level, environments. Qualitative and quantitative evaluation in comparison to the physical system while leveraging the resources provided by the cloud environment is carried out.
The Relationship between PM2.5 and PM10 in Central Italy: Application of Machine Learning Model to Segregate Anthropogenic from Natural Sources
Authors: Colangeli Carlo , Palermi Sergio , Bianco Sebastiano , Aruffo Eleonora , Chiacchiaretta Piero , Di Carlo Piero
Published: March 2022

Particular Matter (PM) data are the most used for the assessment of air quality, but it is also useful to monitor VOC and CO. The health impact of PM increases with decreasing aerodynamic dimensions, therefore most of the monitoring is aimed at PM10 (fraction of PM with aerodynamic dimensions smaller than 10 µm) and PM2.5 (fraction with aerodynamic dimensions lower than 2.5 µm). Generally, anthropogenic emissions contribute mainly to PM2.5 levels, whereas natural sources can largely affect PM10 concentrations. PM2.5/PM10 ratio can be used as a proxy of the origin (anthropogenic vs natural) of the PM, providing a useful indication about the main sources of PM that characterizes a specific geographical or urban setting. This paper presents the results of the analysis of continuous measurements of PM10 and PM2.5 concentrations at eight stations of the regional air quality monitoring network in Abruzzo (Central Italy), in the period 2017–2018. The application of models based on machine learning technique shows that PM2.5/PM10 ratio can be used to classify PM emissions and to know the nature of the emission source (natural and anthropogenic), under determinate conditions, and properly taking into account the meteorological parameters.
A Study on Lower Limb Asymmetries in Parkinson’s Disease during Gait Assessed through Kinematic-Derived Parameters
Authors: Arippa Federico , Leban Bruno , Monticone Marco , Cossu Giovanni , Casula Carlo , Pau Massimiliano
Published: March 2022

Unilaterality of motor symptoms is a distinctive feature of Parkinson’s Disease (PD) and represents an important co-factor involved in motor deficits and limitations of functional abilities including postural instability and asymmetrical gait. In recent times, an increasing number of studies focused on the characterization of such alterations, which have been associated with increased metabolic cost and risk of falls and may severely compromise their quality of life. Although a large number of studies investigated the gait alterations in people with PD (pwPD), few focused on kinematic parameters and even less investigated interlimb asymmetry under a kinematic point of view. This retrospective study aimed to characterize such aspects in a cohort of 61 pwPD (aged 68.9 ± 9.3 years) and 47 unaffected individuals age- and sex-matched (66.0 ± 8.3 years), by means of computerized 3D gait analysis performed using an optical motion-capture system. The angular trends at hip, knee and ankle joints of pwPD during the gait cycle were extracted and compared with those of unaffected individuals on a point-by-point basis. Interlimb asymmetry was assessed using angle–angle diagrams (cyclograms); in particular, we analyzed area, orientation, trend symmetry and range offset. The results showed that pwPD are characterized by a modified gait pattern particularly at the terminal stance/early swing phase of the gait cycle. Significant alterations of interlimb coordination were detected at the ankle joint (cyclogram orientation and trend symmetry) and at the hip joint (range offset). Such findings might be useful in clinical routine to characterize asymmetry during gait and thus support physicians in the early diagnosis and in the evaluation of the disease progression.
Impact of Red Complex Bacteria and TNF-α Levels on the Diabetic and Renal Status of Chronic Kidney Disease Patients in the Presence and Absence of Periodontitis
Authors: Mahendra Jaideep , Palathingal Plato , Mahendra Little , Alzahrani Khalid J. , Banjer Hamsa Jameel , Alsharif Khalaf F. , Halawani Ibrahim Faisal , Muralidharan Janani , Annamalai Pandapulaykal T. , Verma Shyam Sankar , Sharma Vivek , Varadarajan Saranya , Bhandi Shilpa , Patil Shankargouda
Published: March 2022

Scientific evidence shows a positive association in the etiopathogenesis of periodontitis and chronic kidney disease (CKD). Various confounding factors, such as obesity, diabetes, and inflammation, also play a significant role in the progression of CKD, which remains unexplored. We hypothesise the role of red complex bacteria with various confounding factors associated with chronic kidney disease. The study comprised a total of 120 participants categorised into 4 groups: the control group (C), periodontitis subjects without CKD (P), periodontally healthy chronic kidney disease subjects (CKD), and subjects having both periodontitis and CKD (P + CKD), with 30 subjects in each group. Demographic variables, and periodontal, renal, and diabetic parameters were recorded. Tumour necrosis factor (TNF)-α levels and those of red complex bacteria such as Prophyromonas gingivalis (P.g), Treponema denticola (T.d), and Tonerella forsythia (T.f) were assessed, and the obtained results were statistically analysed. Among the various demographic variables, age showed a level of significance. Mean PI, GI, CAL, and PPD (the proportion of sites with PPD ≥ 5 mm and CAL ≥ 3 mm) were elevated in the P + CKD group. Diabetic parameters such as fasting blood sugar (FBS) and HbA1c levels were also greater in the P + CKD group. Renal parameters such as eGFR and serum creatinine levels were greater in CKD patients. The estimation of red complex periodontal pathogens such as Pg, Td and Tf levels were significantly greater in the P and P + CKD groups. Pearson correlation analysis revealed significant correlation of red complex bacteria with all variables. Greater levels of P.g, T.d and T.f were found in the P groups, thus indicating their important role in the initiation and progression of inflammation of periodontitis and CKD, with diabetes as one of the confounding factors. The study also confirmed a log-linear relationship between TNF-α levels and red complex bacteria, thereby demonstrating the role of inflammatory biomarkers in periodontal disease progression that could contribute to the development of systemic inflammation such as CKD.
Traditions for Future Cross-National Food Security—Food and Foraging Practices among Different Native Communities in the Western Himalayas
Authors: Haq Shiekh Marifatul , Hassan Musheerul , Jan Hammad Ahmad , Al-Ghamdi Abdullah Ahmed , Ahmad Khalid , Abbasi Arshad Mehmood
Published: March 2022

Traditional diets exist in all cultures and geographic regions, and they often represent healthy eating options. Traditional culinary preparations have, however, often undergone profound change, even in the isolated Himalayan region. Therefore, we adapted methods to identify traditional plant foraging activities to better understand their significance in food system sustainability, as well as to promote innovative local gastronomies. Information on wild food and foraging practices was gathered from varied ethnic groups such as Kashmiri, Gujjars, Pahari, Dogra, Bakarwal, Balti, Beda and Brokpa through interviews (n = 716) and group discussions (n = 67) in four bio-geographic regions of the Jammu and Kashmir Himalayas (J&KH). The data were subjected to ordination techniques (Principal Component Analysis) via R software Ver. 4.0.0. We documented 209 food species, of which 73% were plants and 27% animals, used by the inhabitants of four bio-geographic regions of J&KH. The highest number of food plant species was recorded in Indian Kashmir, followed by Jammu, Azad Kashmir and Ladakh (81, 65, 60 and 27 species, respectively), and the maximum number of animal species was reported in Indian Kashmir, followed by Azad Kashmir, Ladakh and Jammu (33, 21, 19 and 17 species, respectively). The Azad Kashmir and Indian Kashmir regions showed greater similarity, whereas the least overlap was observed between Kashmir and Ladakh. The PCA showed considerable variation between different regions, and specific groups of species were more related to one specific region than others. The reported uses of Abies pindrow, Acacia modesta, Bergenia ciliata, Bergenia stracheyi and Juglans regia among plants, and Jynx torquilla, Streptopelia orientalis and Tadorna ferruginea among animals, are novel for the gastronomy of this part of the Himalayan region. We also recorded for the first time from this region seven unique food preparations of wild animals. This study documented extensive traditional knowledge on the usage of wild species, and is the first scientific description of wild food species and their vernacular names in the Western Himalayas, Jammu and Kashmir. Our findings can contribute significantly to combating food insecurity by revitalizing and reconsidering the rich bio-cultural food heritage around which local traditional communities have developed their food systems.