bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Ecotourism in Seafront Resorts for Future TOD Development in Small Island (Case Study: Gili Air, NTB)
Authors: Bachtiar Jasmine C U
Published: August 2020

Transit-Oriented Development (TOD) has been thought to encourage tourism development in targeted areas. There are small islands that have many potentials as a tourism destination; however, they do not have TOD on their transportation system. In the future, TOD development may focus on tourism development that required eco-resort to prevent environmental issues. This study was conducted to compare two seafront resorts based on tourists’ perceptions to encourage the architects to design more eco-resorts in Gili Air. Data on ecological contexts of cottages unit (CU), building position and circulation (PC), landscape elements (LE), and waste management (WM) were collected in situ through measurements and observations. Data on tourist perceptions were collected using a questionnaire with a Lickert scale (N1=53; N2=62). The results showed that the two resorts have a different quality in three indicators, i.e., Local character on building style, night lighting on the terrace, and attractiveness in building positioning. Besides, six crucial points should be considered for seafront resorts to achieve ecotourism goals at Gili Air. The seafront-resorts are expected to have an essential role in TOD and ecotourism development to what extent their significant presence can reduce their impacts on people and the environment.
Studies on Visual Environment Phenomena of Urban Areas: A Systematic Review
Authors: Achsani Rizky Amalia , Wonorahardjo Surjamanto
Published: August 2020

The visual environment in the development of urban areas plays an essential role, especially in the case of Transit-Oriented Development (TOD). The development of TOD facilitates many human activities, so it requires a high-quality visual environment. This study aims to identify and map visual environment phenomena that occur in TOD using a keyword from eight TOD principles and analyze through a systematic review method. Two hundred sixty articles are selected from scopus.com and go through the analysis process, and only 31 articles used in this review. The results arranged based on its importance at TOD: visual performance, visual comfort, and visual experience. Based on the phenomena in visual performance, stakeholders must consider the fulfilment of users activities, namely cyclist, elderly, and pedestrian. Based on phenomena in visual comfort, stakeholders must consider all places in the urban area, namely neighbourhood, building, and street. Lastly, based on phenomena in visual experience, stakeholders must consider the effect on the health, social life and safety of users and also the face of the city. The purpose of this mapping is to raise awareness of its importance and drive more research in the field of the visual environment in urban areas. The stakeholders can consider this mapping to determine the TOD development policy.
Energy Efficient Low-Cost Housing in Ho Chi Minh using EDGE Buildings
Authors: Rahmadyani Helfa , Suhendri
Published: August 2020

Various forecasts on the urbanization rate in the world state that more than 50% of the world’s population will live in cities by 2030. In the condition of land scarcity i.e. the land availability in the city is limited, a compact development is needed. Compact development will be closely related to Transit-Oriented Development (TOD). Transit-oriented development is not only about transit, but consisting of mixture development of housing, office, retail, and/or other amenities. In this type of development, vertical housing is unavoidable, including housing schemes for a low-income citizen, thus well-performed low-cost housing is important to be studied. Among the numerous studies, some focus on the construction materials and methods, some others on the comfort and health aspect, more on the management of the building, and not least focus on energy consumption of the housing building. This study develops an energy-efficient low-cost apartment through the calculation of various passive and active design strategies. The study uses two parameters i.e. energy saving percentage and incremental cost to determine the most optimal combination strategies. The case study in this research is in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam. The comparison of the design alternatives is done quantitatively using EDGE Buildings. The combination of low-cost housing design strategies can save energy by 49.86% with an incremental cost of 27,598,581 VND and the payback period in 5.21 years.
Environment Responses by Professional Role on Current Building to Achieve Sustainability: Bandung as a case study
Authors: Juliardi Robby Dwiko , Misnan Moh , Khalid A. G.
Published: August 2020

According to the TOD development plan, issues and topics focus on the professional role of the environment responses aspect of the current building. Thus, this provides to the existing building towards the green achievement as the consequences of green implementation. Providing a clear overview for the reader, that the environment responses is one of the measures forward to mitigate significant impacts of the building stock on the environment, society, and economy. Professional for respondents taken from Bandung, Indonesia, exploring for knowledge and awareness. However, this paper consists of a critical review of the existing body of knowledge of professionals related to the role of sustainable achievement. Both definitions and scope of TOD development and infrastructure of the current buildings around on sustainability and discussions approach to achieve how professionals recognize their role in those aspects. Besides, predominately focus of professional knowledge as the aspects which are affecting sustainable building achievement. Finally, the components as the result must be considered during the pre-construction works period, which will be followed up by professionals in Bandung depend on TOD location. The nine attentions as the findings of the result to be carried out by professionals showing their role to realize and control of physical infrastructure that surround the TOD area in Bandung for the future through developing a strategy on green or sustainability control.
Floor Design Strategies for Low Carbon Apartment towards Sustainable Transit Oriented Development
Authors: Larasati Dewi , Hanifah Yulita , Reztrie Noveryna Dwika , Nugrahanti Fathina Izmi
Published: August 2020

Reconsider design strategies for apartment constructions to achieve the ideal vision of TOD can be implemented through material use. It expected people living in urban areas are increasing and the construction will be increasing. A case study analysis is presented in order to show how floor design contributes to a building’s embodied impact. Results are presented in the form of an impact allocation scheme and an impact reduction scheme. Strategies of floor material usage can be implemented by the designer to reduce carbon footprint impacts. Material finishing such as ceramics and the size of modular material consistently giving significant impact, however, the designer also needs to consider the unit layout. Waste of the material affected to give rise the carbon emission. A designer should consider the factor of carbon emission impact since the early design stages on these decisions that achieve a large embodied impact reduction.
BIM Implementation to Improve Construction Work Performance
Authors: Larasati Dewi , Hanifah Yulita , Willis Furry Andini , Nugrahanti Fathina Izmi , Lubis Irma Handayani
Published: August 2020

In the development of Transit-oriented Areas (TOD), infrastructure development including building construction is the most crucial stage due to the large value of investment in this sector. However, some facts convey that the performance of construction projects is still very low, both in terms of cost, quality, time, and service level. This is happened partly due to the character of construction projects that have high risks and high uncertainties, involve many stakeholders, and go through various stages. Various attempts are made to improve the performance of the project, including utilizing BIM in overcoming various problems that arise due to the distinctive character of the construction project and the temporary nature of the project. The implementation of BIM in the observed case study shows that BIM as a system can contribute to improve the communication system between stakeholders, help identify risks, and help ensure all information can be conveyed properly at each transition stage of the project.
Innate immune-mediated antiviral response to SARS-CoV-2 and convalescent sera a potential prophylactic and therapeutic agent to tackle COVID-19
Authors: Abdullah  , Faisal Shah , Aman Komal , Rahman Anees ur
Published: August 2020

The whole world is confronting the pandemic of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). Unfortunately, there is no vaccine to prevent novel coronavirus infection. Besides several experimental drugs, the strong immune responses and convalescent sera are the current two potential options to tackle coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) infection. Innate immune-mediated antiviral responses are initiated by the recognition of viral invasion through pathogen-associated molecular patterns (PAMPs). In coronavirus, the PAMPs are recognized by Toll-like receptors 3 and 7, endosomal ribonucleic acid receptors, RNA in cytosol, and by pattern recognition receptor (RIG-1) in the alveolar cells and site of invasion. Nuclear factor-κB and interferon regulatory transcription factor (IRF3) are activated in response to the above recognition episode and translocate to nucleus. These transcription factors in the nucleus initiate the expression of interferon type 1 and pro-inflammatory cytokine storm, which leads to first line of defense at the site of viral entrance. The effectiveness of innate immune system is greatly relies on type 1 interferons and its cascade, because of their role in the inhibition of viral replication and initiation of adaptive immune responses. The successful interferon type 1 response put down the viral replication and transmission at prompt point. Passive immunization is the administering of antibodies into infected patients, which is taken from recovered individuals. The convalescent sera of the recovered COVID-19 patients are containing antiviral neutralizing antibodies and are used therapeutically for infected individuals by SARS-CoV-2 and for the purpose of prophylaxis in exposed individuals. The convalescent sera is found effective when administered early at the onset of symptoms.
FS–GBDT: identification multicancer-risk module via a feature selection algorithm by integrating Fisher score and GBDT
Authors: Zhang Jialin , Xu Da , Hao Kaijing , Zhang Yusen , Chen Wei , Liu Jiaguo , Gao Rui , Wu Chuanyan , De Marinis Yang
Published: August 2020

Cancer is a highly heterogeneous disease caused by dysregulation in different cell types and tissues. However, different cancers may share common mechanisms. It is critical to identify decisive genes involved in the development and progression of cancer, and joint analysis of multiple cancers may help to discover overlapping mechanisms among different cancers. In this study, we proposed a fusion feature selection framework attributed to ensemble method named Fisher score and Gradient Boosting Decision Tree (FS–GBDT) to select robust and decisive feature genes in high-dimensional gene expression datasets. Joint analysis of 11 human cancers types was conducted to explore the key feature genes subset of cancer. To verify the efficacy of FS–GBDT, we compared it with four other common feature selection algorithms by Support Vector Machine (SVM) classifier. The algorithm achieved highest indicators, outperforms other four methods. In addition, we performed gene ontology analysis and literature validation of the key gene subset, and this subset were classified into several functional modules. Functional modules can be used as markers of disease to replace single gene which is difficult to be found repeatedly in applications of gene chip, and to study the core mechanisms of cancer.
DREIMT: a drug repositioning database and prioritization tool for immunomodulation
Authors: Troulé Kevin , López-Fernández Hugo , García-Martín Santiago , Reboiro-Jato Miguel , Carretero-Puche Carlos , Martorell-Marugán Jordi , Martín-Serrano Guillermo , Carmona-Sáez Pedro , Glez-Peña Daniel , Al-Shahrour Fátima , Gómez-López Gonzalo
Published: August 2020

Motivation

Drug immunomodulation modifies the response of the immune system and can be therapeutically exploited in pathologies such as cancer and autoimmune diseases.

Results

DREIMT is a new hypothesis-generation web tool, which performs drug prioritization analysis for immunomodulation. DREIMT provides significant immunomodulatory drugs targeting up to 70 immune cells subtypes through a curated database that integrates 4960 drug profiles and ∼2600 immune gene expression signatures. The tool also suggests potential immunomodulatory drugs targeting user-supplied gene expression signatures. Final output includes drug–signature association scores, FDRs and downloadable plots and results tables.

Availabilityand implementation

http://www.dreimt.org.

Supplementary information

Supplementary data are available at Bioinformatics online.
Impaired State-Dependent Potentiation of GABAergic Synaptic Currents Triggers Seizures in a Genetic Generalized Epilepsy Model
Authors: Zhang Chun-Qing , Catron Mackenzie A , Ding Li , Hanna Caitlyn M , Gallagher Martin J , Macdonald Robert L , Zhou Chengwen
Published: August 2020

Epileptic activity in genetic generalized epilepsy (GGE) patients preferentially appears during sleep and its mechanism remains unknown. Here, we found that sleep-like slow-wave oscillations (0.5 Hz SWOs) potentiated excitatory and inhibitory synaptic currents in layer V cortical pyramidal neurons from wild-type (wt) mouse brain slices. In contrast, SWOs potentiated excitatory, but not inhibitory, currents in cortical neurons from a heterozygous (het) knock-in (KI) Gabrg2+Q/390X model of Dravet epilepsy syndrome. This created an imbalance between evoked excitatory and inhibitory currents to effectively prompt neuronal action potential firings. Similarly, physiologically similar up-/down-state induction (present during slow-wave sleep) in cortical neurons also potentiated excitatory synaptic currents within brain slices from wt and het KI mice. Moreover, this state-dependent potentiation of excitatory synaptic currents entailed some signaling pathways of homeostatic synaptic plasticity. Consequently, in het KI mice, in vivo SWO induction (using optogenetic methods) triggered generalized epileptic spike-wave discharges (SWDs), being accompanied by sudden immobility, facial myoclonus, and vibrissa twitching. In contrast, in wt littermates, SWO induction did not cause epileptic SWDs and motor behaviors. To our knowledge, this is the first mechanism to explain why epileptic SWDs preferentially happen during non rapid eye-movement sleep and quiet-wakefulness in human GGE patients.
Novel Eco-friendly HPLC Methods Using Refractive Index Detector for Analysis of Three Veterinary Antibiotics in Pharmaceutical Formulations and Rat Plasma
Authors: Gamal Mohammed , Elhalim Lobna Mohammed Abd
Published: August 2020

Antibiotic resistance increases the human mortality rate nowadays. The main purpose of the present study was to develop green reversed-phase high-performance liquid chromatography (RP-HPLC) methods with a refractive index detector for the assay of the three veterinary antibiotics (VAs), i.e., maduramicin ammonium (MA), apramycin sulfate (AS) and clarithromycin (CLA) in pharmaceutical dosage forms and spiked rat plasma. The method utilized isocratic elution using an ODP-40 C18 column, the flow rate was set at 1.0 mL/min and negative polar signals. The linearity ranges were 3.0–18.0 μg/mL for MA, 1.5–4.0 μg/mL for AS and 0.5 to 3.0 μg/mL for CLA, respectively. Liquid-liquid extraction (LLE) procedure was optimized in plasma samples. The recoveries percentages were 85.4, 81.2 and 88.8 correspondingly, in rat plasma. However, the drugs extraction by protein precipitation method yields very poor recoveries (around 50%). The new HPLC- refractive index (RI) methods are better than the previously reported HPLC-ultra violet methods in terms of greenness and simplicity of procedures. Moreover, the previously reported LC–MS methods lack the simplicity and availability of such expensive techniques in Quality control (QC) labs. The novelty of this research is the use of refractive index detector for the first time for VAs analysis.
American Archias: Cicero and The Souls of Black Folk
Authors: Withun David
Published: August 2020

While scholars have long noted the classical influences apparent in the style and thought of W. E. B. Du Bois, there has been little sustained discussion of the nature of these influences and their manifestations in his writings. This article seeks to correct that absence through an examination of the influence of Cicero’s Pro Archia poeta on Du Bois’s most well-known work, The Souls of Black Folk. Though Du Bois mentions many other authors in Souls, the Pro Archia is the only work of another author mentioned by name as a source for Du Bois’s thought. Extrapolating from this explicit reference to the Pro Archia as well as numerous other references to and influences by Cicero’s works throughout Du Bois’s oeuvre, I posit a two-fold influence of the Pro Archia on Souls as Du Bois draws upon the dual argument in Cicero’s work. First, Du Bois seeks to defend the civil rights of African Americans, drawing on Cicero’s argument for the legal status and citizenship rights of the poet Archias. Both Cicero and Du Bois go beyond mere legal argumentation, however, to provide a defence of the necessity of the liberal arts and a celebration of poets and their work.
Afterword: Bending the Rules
Authors: Stamatakis Chris
Published: August 2020

This afterword to ‘Artes Poeticae: Formations and Transformations, 1500–1650’ surveys some of the organizing themes and questions that bind the various chapters of this special issue of CRJ. Particular attention is paid to the various, arguably evolving, attitudes to rules inherited from or retrospectively sourced in classical antiquity by early modern writers and commentators. The afterword attributes much of the early modern contestation over rules to lexical minutiae in (principally) Aristotelian and Horatian poetics and considers how writers in the period 1500–1650 derive literary-critical capital from those moments when familiar categories and definitions break down.
#MondayNightIBD: Management of Chronic #Pouchitis
Authors: Donet Jean A , Rieder Florian , Charabaty Aline
Published: August 2020

We present a #MondayNightIBD case of chronic pouchitis and discuss key diagnostic and therapeutic challenges commonly encountered in clinical practice. We make reference not only to the limited published literature but also to the informed opinions of the #MondayNightIBD discussion participants, identifying gaps where management guidelines and research are needed. A #MondayNightIBD Algorithm for Pouchitis Management is proposed.
Polistes versicolor (Hymenoptera: Vespidae), an Introduced Wasp in the Galapagos Islands: Its Life Cycle and Ecological Impact
Authors: Parent Christine E , Peck Stewart B , Causton Charlotte E , Roque-Albelo Lázaro , Lester Philip J , Bulgarella Mariana
Published: August 2020

The yellow paper wasp, Polistes versicolor (Olivier) was first recorded in the Galapagos archipelago in 1988. Its life cycle and ecological impacts were studied on two islands 11 yr after it was first discovered. This invasive wasp adapted quickly and was found in most environments. Colony counts and adult wasp monitoring showed a strong preference for drier habitats. Nest activities were seasonally synchronized, nest building followed the rains in the hot season (typically January–May), when insect prey increases, and peaked as temperature and rains started to decline. Next, the number of adult wasps peaked during the cool season when there is barely any rain in the drier zones. In Galapagos, almost half of the prey loads of P. versicolor were lepidopteran larvae, but wasps also carried spiders, beetles, and flies back to the colonies. An estimated average of 329 mg of fresh insect prey was consumed per day for an average colony of 120–150 wasp larvae. The wasps preyed upon native and introduced insects, but likely also affect insectivorous vertebrates as competitors for food. Wasps may also compete with native pollinators as they regularly visited flowers to collect nectar, and have been recorded visiting at least 93 plant species in Galapagos, including 66 endemic and native plants. Colonies were attacked by a predatory moth, Taygete sphecophila (Meyrick) (Lepidoptera: Autostichidae), but colony development was not arrested. High wasp numbers also affect the activities of residents and tourists. A management program for this invasive species in the archipelago is essential.
Long-term outcomes after reoperation for mitral paravalvular leaks: a single-centre experience
Authors: Yajima Shin , Fukushima Satsuki , Yamashita Kizuku , Shimahara Yusuke , Tadokoro Naoki , Kakuta Takashi , Sakaniwa Ryoto , Kobayashi Junjiro , Fujita Tomoyuki
Published: August 2020

OBJECTIVES

We aimed to analyse the pathology of paravalvular leak (PVL), and determine the long-term outcomes of redo mitral valve replacement and risk factors of all-cause mortality.

METHODS

Seventy-nine patients (mean age 70 ± 9 years; 54 female, 68%) who underwent redo mitral valve replacement for mitral PVL between January 2000 and May 2019 were retrospectively reviewed. Indications for PVL intervention were haemolytic anaemia (57/79, 72%), New York Heart Association class III/IV congestive heart failure (56/79, 71%) and prosthetic valve endocarditis with PVL (2/79, 3%).

RESULTS

PVL most commonly occurred at lateral sectors (42/79, 55%). Early mortality occurred in 2 patients (3%) due to low cardiac output syndrome. Two patients (3%) had residual PVL at discharge. Sixteen patients (23%) developed late PVL (mean follow-up, 3.4 ± 2.9 years), among whom 11 (69%) developed PVL at same area as that preoperatively. Additionally, 9 patients (56%) developed PVL at lateral sectors in late follow-up. At 1, 5 and 10 years, the survival rate was 93%, 72% and 45%; rate of freedom from cardiac death was 96%, 92% and 78%; and rate of freedom from PVL recurrence was 94%, 82% and 54%, respectively. Chronic kidney disease was the only risk factor in the multivariate analysis for mortality [P = 0.013; hazard ratio 4.0 (1.4–11.0)].

CONCLUSIONS

Surgery for mitral PVL confers reasonable early and long-term outcomes. Greater attention to the anterolateral annulus may help prevent PVL.
Domestic industrialization under colonization: evidence from Korea, 1932–1940
Authors: Arimoto Yutaka , Lee Changmin
Published: August 2020

This paper examines whether the influx of Japanese establishments in colonial Korea during the 1930s suppressed the entry of Korean establishments. We construct new subsector–county-level panel data to exploit variations across counties within subsectors. We find that Korean entry rates were higher in counties with a higher presence of Japanese establishments. However, the spillover effects do vary across subsectors, and we find suggestive evidence of negative impacts of Japanese presence in subsectors with more large-scaled establishments. Taken together, Japanese establishments did seem to raise entry barriers in some subsectors but also functioned as a catalyst for Korean entry in other subsectors.
Mobile health applications for managing atrial fibrillation for healthcare professionals and patients: a systematic review
Authors: Lane Deirdre A , McMahon Naoimh , Gibson Josephine , Weldon Jo C , Farkowski Michal M , Lenarczyk Radoslaw , Watkins Caroline L , Dilaveris Polychronis , Caiani Enrico G , Potpara Tatjana S
Published: August 2020

Aims

A plethora of mobile health applications (m-health apps) to support healthcare are available for both patients and healthcare professionals (HCPs) but content and quality vary considerably and few have undergone formal assessment. The aim is to systematically review the literature on m-health apps for managing atrial fibrillation (AF) that examine the impact on knowledge of AF, patient and HCP behaviour, patients’ quality-of-life, and user engagement.

Methods and results

MEDLINE, EMBASE, CINAHL, and PsychInfo were searched from 1 January 2005 to 5 September 2019, with hand-searching of clinical trial registers and grey literature. Studies were eligible for inclusion if they reported changes in any of the following: (i) knowledge of AF; (ii) provider behaviour (e.g. guideline adherence); (iii) patient behaviour (e.g. medication adherence); (iv) patient quality-of-life; and (v) user engagement. Two reviewers independently assessed articles for eligibility. A narrative review was undertaken as included studies varied widely in their design, interventions, comparators, and outcomes. Seven studies were included; six m-health apps aimed at patients and one at HCPs. Mobile health apps ranged widely in design, features, and method of delivery. Four studies reported patient knowledge of AF; three demonstrated significant knowledge improvement post-intervention or compared to usual care. One study reported greater HCP adherence to oral anticoagulation guidelines after m-health app implementation. Two studies reported on patient medication adherence and quality-of-life; both showed improved quality-of-life post-intervention but only one observed increased adherence. Regarding user engagement, five studies reported patient perspectives on usability, three on acceptability, and one on feasibility; overall all m-health apps were rated positively.

Conclusion

Mobile health apps demonstrate improvements in patient knowledge, behaviour, and quality of life. Studies formally evaluating the impact of m-health on HCP behaviour are scarce and larger-scale studies with representative patient cohorts, appropriate comparators, and longer-term assessment of the impact of m-health apps are warranted.
Strong effects of lab-to-field environmental transitions on the bacterial intestinal microbiota ofMus musculusare modulated byTrichuris murisinfection
Authors: Bär Julian , Leung Jacqueline M , Hansen Christina , Loke P'ng , Hall Alex R , Conour Laura , Graham Andrea L
Published: August 2020

Studies of controlled lab animals and natural populations represent two insightful extremes of microbiota research. We bridged these two approaches by transferring lab-bred female C57BL/6 mice from a conventional mouse facility to an acclimation room and then to an outdoor enclosure, to investigate how the gut microbiota changes with environment. Mice residing under constant conditions served as controls. Using 16S rRNA sequencing of fecal samples, we found that the shift in temperature and humidity, as well as exposure to a natural environment, increased microbiota diversity and altered community composition. Community composition in mice exposed to high temperatures and humidity diverged as much from the microbiota of mice housed outdoors as from the microbiota of control mice. Additionally, infection with the nematode Trichuris muris modulated how the microbiota responded to environmental transitions: The dynamics of several families were buffered by the nematodes, while invasion rates of two taxa acquired outdoors were magnified. These findings suggest that gut bacterial communities respond dynamically and simultaneously to changes within the host's body (e.g. the presence of nematodes) and to changes in the wider environment of the host.
Topsy-turvy binding of negatively charged homogalacturonan oligosaccharides to galectin-3
Authors: Zheng Yi , Su Jiyong , Miller Michelle C , Geng Jie , Xu Xuejiao , Zhang Tao , Mayzel Maksim , Zhou Yifa , Mayo Kevin H , Tai Guihua
Published: August 2020

Galectin-3 is crucial to many physiological and pathological processes. The generally accepted dogma is that galectins function extracellularly by binding specifically to β(1→4)-galactoside epitopes on cell surface glycoconjugates. Here, we used crystallography and NMR spectroscopy to demonstrate that negatively charged homogalacturonans (HG, linear polysaccharides of α(1→4)-linked-D-galacturonate (GalA)) bind to the galectin-3 carbohydrate recognition domain. The HG carboxylates at the C6 positions in GalA rings mandate that this saccharide bind galectin-3 in an unconventional, “topsy-turvy” orientation that is flipped by about 180o relative to that of the canonical β-galactoside lactose. In this binding mode, the reducing end GalA β-anomer of HGs takes the position of the nonreducing end galactose residue in lactose. This novel orientation maintains interactions with the conserved tryptophan and seven of the most crucial lactose-binding residues, albeit with different H-bonding interactions. Nevertheless, the HG molecular orientation and new interactions have essentially the same thermodynamic binding parameters as lactose. Overall, our study provides structural details for a new type of galectin–sugar interaction that broadens glycospace for ligand binding to Gal-3 and suggests how the lectin may recognize other negatively charged polysaccharides like glycoaminoglycans (e.g. heparan sulfate) on the cell surface. This discovery impacts on our understanding of galectin-mediated biological function.
Factors associated with the utilization of inactivated polio vaccine among children aged 12 to 23 months in Kalungu District, Uganda
Authors: Faith Mirembe Rachel , Juliet Babirye , Tumuhamye Nathan , Mathias Tumwebaze , Sacks Emma
Published: August 2020

Uganda officially introduced the inactivated polio vaccine (IPV) in May 2016 as part of the polio eradication strategy and integrated it into its routine immunization programme in addition to the oral polio vaccine. The current coverage stands at 60% as of July 2017. We therefore aimed to determine factors associated with the uptake of IPV among children in Kalungu District so as to inform the implementation of the vaccine policy. A community-based cross-sectional study was conducted among caregivers of 406 eligible children aged 12–23 months through multi-stage systematic sampling and a standardized semi-structured questionnaire. Nine key informant interviews were conducted through purposive selection of health care providers and members of Village Health Teams (VHTs) based on their expertize. Modified Poisson regression and thematic content analysis were used to determine factors significant to IPV uptake among children. 71% of sampled children aged 12–23 months had received IPV in Kalungu District. The survey found that being encouraged by health workers and VHTs was significant to children’s uptake of IPV (Adjusted PR 1.24, 95% CI; 1.22–3.47). Distance to the immunization point (Adjusted PR 0.32,95% CI; 0.16–0.62) and caregiver’s education level (Adjusted PR 1.16,95% CI; 1.05–2.22) were also associated with IPV uptake. Qualitative findings from health workers and VHT members further confirmed the perception that distance to the immunization post was important, and VHTs also stated that being encouraged by health workers was critical to IPV uptake. The current prevalence of IPV uptake among children aged 12–23 months in Kalungu is 71%, higher than the last reported national coverage (60%), though still below the recommended national coverage of 95%. Efforts should be focused on sensitization of caregivers through health workers and VHTs. Immunization outreach should be strengthened so as to bring services closer to patients.
How ready is the system to deliver primary healthcare? Results of a primary health facility assessment in Enugu State, Nigeria
Authors: Ekenna Adanma , Itanyi Ijeoma Uchenna , Nwokoro Ugochukwu , Hirschhorn Lisa R , Uzochukwu Benjamin
Published: August 2020

Primary health centres are an effective means of achieving access to primary healthcare (PHC) in low- and middle-income countries. We assessed service availability, service readiness and factors influencing service delivery at public PHC centres in Enugu State, Nigeria. We conducted a cross-sectional study of 60 randomly selected public health centres in Enugu using the World Health Organization’s Service Availability and Readiness Assessment (SARA) survey. The most senior health worker available was interviewed using the SARA questionnaire, and an observational checklist was used for the facility assessment. None of the PHC centres surveyed had all the recommended service domains, but 52 (87%) offered at least half of the recommended service domains. Newborn care and immunization (98.3%) were the most available services across facilities, while mental health was the least available service (36.7%). None of the surveyed facilities had a functional ambulance or access to a computer on the day of the assessment. The specific-service readiness score was lowest in the non-communicable disease (NCD) area (33% in the rural health centres and 29% in the urban health centres) and NCD medicines and supplies. Availability of medicine and supplies was also low in rural PHC centres for the communicable disease area (36%) and maternal health services (38%). Basic equipment was significantly more available in urban health centres (P = 0.02). Urban location of facilities and the presence of a medical officer were found to be associated with having at least 50% of the recommended infrastructure / basic amenities and equipment. Continuing medical education, funding and security were identified by the health workers as key enablers of service delivery. In conclusion, despite a focus on expanding primary care in Enugu State, significant gaps exist that need to be closed for PHC to make significant contributions towards achieving universal healthcare, core to achieving the health-related Sustainable Development Goal agenda.
Integrative Comparative Cognition: Can Neurobiology and Neurogenomics Inform Comparative Analyses of Cognitive Phenotype?
Authors: Burmeister Sabrina S , Liu Yuxiang
Published: August 2020

Synopsis

A long-standing question in animal behavior is what are the patterns and processes that shape the evolution of cognition? One effective way to address this question is to study cognitive abilities in a broad spectrum of animals. While comparative psychologists have traditionally focused on a narrow range of organisms, today they may work with any number of species, from frogs to birds or bees. This broader range of study species has greatly enriched our understanding of the diversity of cognitive processes among animals. Yet, this diversity has highlighted the fundamental challenge of comparing cognitive processes across animals. An analysis of the neural and molecular mechanisms of cognition may be necessary to solve this problem. The goal of our symposium was to bring together speakers studying a range of species to gain a broadly integrative perspective on cognition while at the same time considering the potentially important role of neurobiology and genomics in addressing the difficult problem of comparing cognition across species. For example, work by MaBouDi et al. indicates that neural constraints on computing power may impact the cognitive processes underlying numerical discrimination in bees. A presentation by Lara LaDage demonstrated how neurobiology can be used to better understand cognition and its evolution in reptiles while Edwards et al. identify the cerebellum as potentially important in the performance of the complex process of nest building. We see that molecular approaches highlight the contributions of the prefrontal cortex and hippocampus to cognitive phenotype across vertebrates while, at the same time, identifying the genes and cellular processes that may contribute to evolution of cognition. The potentially important role of neurogenesis and synaptic plasticity emerge clearly from such studies. Still unanswered is the question of whether molecular tools will contribute to our ability to discriminate convergent/parallel evolution from homology in the evolution of cognitive phenotype.
Clinical experience with SUBA-itraconazole at a tertiary paediatric hospital
Authors: Abbotsford Joanne , Foley David A , Goff Zoy , Bowen Asha C , Blyth Christopher C , Yeoh Daniel K
Published: August 2020

Background

Itraconazole remains a first-line antifungal agent for certain fungal infections in children, including allergic bronchopulmonary aspergillosis (ABPA) and sporotrichosis, but poor attainment of therapeutic drug levels is frequently observed with available oral formulations. A formulation of ‘SUper BioAvailability itraconazole’ (SUBA-itraconazole; Lozanoc®) has been developed, with adult studies demonstrating rapid and reliable attainment of therapeutic levels, yet paediatric data are lacking.

Objectives

To assess the safety, efficacy and attainment of therapeutic drug levels of the SUBA-itraconazole formulation in children.

Methods

A single-centre retrospective cohort study was conducted, including all patients prescribed SUBA-itraconazole from May 2018 to February 2020. The recommended initial treatment dose was 5 mg/kg twice daily (to a maximum of 400 mg/day) rounded to the nearest capsule size and 2.5 mg/kg/day for prophylaxis.

Results

Nineteen patients received SUBA-itraconazole and the median age was 12 years. The median dose was 8.5 mg/kg/day and the median duration was 6 weeks. Indications included ABPA (16 patients), sporotrichosis (1), cutaneous fungal infection (1) and prophylaxis (1). Of patients with serum levels measured, almost 60% (10/17) achieved a therapeutic level, 3 with one dose adjustment and 7 following the initial dose. Adherence to dose-adjustment recommendations amongst the seven patients not achieving therapeutic levels was poor. Of patients with ABPA, 13/16 (81%) demonstrated a therapeutic response in IgE level. SUBA-itraconazole was well tolerated with no cessations related to adverse effects.

Conclusions

SUBA-itraconazole is well tolerated in children, with rapid attainment of therapeutic levels in the majority of patients, and may represent a superior formulation for children in whom itraconazole is indicated for treatment or prevention of fungal infection.
One-minute Preceptors in Action: Breast Radiologists and the Medical Student General Radiology Elective
Authors: Lee Sheila S , Beck Dallaghan Gary L , Oldan Jorge D , Jordan Sheryl G
Published: August 2020

Breast imaging, with its unique patient-facing, multimodality, and multidisciplinary workflow, offers opportunities to engage medical students enrolled in a general radiology rotation and to highlight the role of the radiologist in patient care. At a time when breast radiologists face unprecedented challenges in delivering safe and efficient imaging services, however, accommodating larger numbers of medical students can overwhelm reading rooms, dilute meaningful learning experiences for the student, and place further demands on faculty. In order to meet the students’ and clinician educators’ needs, Neher’s one-minute preceptor teaching strategy is used to create a high-yield learning environment in a short amount of time. In this model, the breast radiologist weaves together multiple impactful and varied learning experiences in only 8 to 12 total hours of structured student exposure during the 160-hour general radiology course. We describe our adaptation of this technique and the positive impact that a short breast imaging component had on our general radiology medical student rotation. This standardized curriculum is easily adaptable to a variety of learning styles. It contributes to medical students’ understanding of the various facets of radiology through direct participation and exceeds education goals set forth by the Alliance of Medical Student Educators in Radiology. Students’ evaluations of the general radiology rotation demonstrated a sharp uptick in the year following the adoption of the technique, and students’ rotation final examination mean scores on the breast questions were higher for students who participated at least eight hours on service in the breast radiology clinic.
Characterization of a New Set of Microsatellite Markers Suggests Polygyny and Polyandry in Atta cephalotes (Hymenoptera: Formicidae)
Authors: Muñoz-Valencia Vanessa , Kähkönen Kirsi , Montoya-Lerma James , Díaz Fernando
Published: August 2020

The leaf-cutting ant, Atta cephalotes L. (1758), is a major herbivore with great economic impact in the Neotropics. Because of its broad range and human-mediated dissemination, the ecology of this ant has received considerable attention; however, questions concerning its population genetics, dispersal, and social structure remain unexplored. Here, we aimed to identify and provide information on molecular and statistical performance of a suite of polymorphic microsatellite markers for A. cephalotes while demonstrating their utility for further genetic studies. We designed primer sequences targeting thousands of microsatellite loci and then screened 30 of these for amplification and polymorphism. Fifteen of these loci were selected and used to evaluate their polymorphism using 74 ants sampled from 15 different nests of the same location. This set of 15 loci exhibited variation of 2–20 alleles, with a mean heterozygosity of 0.57. All loci followed Hardy–Weinberg expectations with no evidence of linkage disequilibrium, while two loci showed evidence of null alleles. Our preliminary analysis suggested substantial nest differentiation with no population viscosity within the sampled location, as well as colonies with multiple queens (polygyny) and paternity (polyandry). Our newly identified microsatellites have proven to be highly informative to investigate gene flow, social structure and reproduction of this key agricultural pest.
Does the Effect of Irradiation Dose Vary Between Flies Selected and Non-selected to Resist Desiccation? The Case ofAnastrepha ludens(Diptera: Tephritidae)
Authors: Arredondo José , Aguirre-Medina Juan F , Meza José S , Cancino Jorge , Díaz-Fleischer Francisco
Published: August 2020

The sterile insect technique (SIT), used to control different species of tephritid fruit flies (Diptera: Tephritidae), is an important element in sustainable agriculture because of its low negative impact on the environment. In SIT, flies are mass produced and sterilized in the laboratory and then released in a target area. However, once released, laboratory flies may confront harass environments that would reduce their performance and consequently SIT efficiency. Selecting flies that resist stressful conditions may help to improve the efficiency of the SIT by releasing males that resist desiccation, for example, ensuring, thus, their survival in environments with low relative humidity. However, the selection process may affect the resistance of flies to the stress of sterilization, since some life history traits are affected. Here, we studied the effect of irradiation on Anastrepha ludens (Loew) (Diptera: Tephritidae) desiccation resistant flies (DR) compared with nonselected flies (NS). We measured the effect of gamma irradiation dose (0, 20, 40, 60, and 80 Gy) on sterility (males and females) and quality parameters (emergence, flight ability, survival, and male sexual performance) in A. ludens adults of the DR and NS (control) strains. Our results indicate that irradiation affected equally the sterility of adults of both strains. None of the quality parameters differed between strains. The only difference was that DR flies survived longer than control flies. Thus, flies that are resistant to desiccation can be used in the SIT without altering the current process of irradiation and packing.
The long-term impact of Italian colonial roads in the Horn of Africa, 1935–2015
Authors: Bertazzini Mattia C
Published: August 2020

This article exploits the quasi-natural experiment provided by the extensive road network that was built across the Horn of Africa during the Italian occupation of Ethiopia (1936–1941), to examine how a first-mover advantage in transportation can affect the spatial distribution of economic activity in developing countries over the long run. The results show that Italian paved roads rendered areas located within 10 km of them significantly more populated, urbanized and luminous around 2010, relative to comparable, more distant locations. Early roadbuilding lifted first-mover locations out of isolation and allowed for net welfare gains, thanks to a reduction in transport costs and specialization. To this day, first-mover locations continue to diverge from the control group, due to a coordination mechanism that led to an oversupply of governmental facilities in the post-colonial period.
Construction of the Antheraea pernyi (Lepidoptera: Saturniidae) Multicapsid Nucleopolyhedrovirus Bacmid System
Authors: Ye Bo , Zhao Zhenjun , Yue Dongmei , Li Peipei , Wang Linmei , Zhang Bo , Fan Qi
Published: August 2020

In this study, we established the Antheraea pernyi multicapsid nucleopolyhedrovirus (AnpeNPV) bacmid system for the construction of a Bac-to-Bac expression system and the generation of virus mutants. The CopyRight pSMART BAC cloning vector harboring the chloramphenicol resistance gene was introduced into the AnpeNPV genome to produce the AnpeNPV bacmid that could be propagated in Escherichia coli with stable replication. The enhanced green fluorescent protein (EGFP) was successfully expressed in both Tn-Hi5 cells and A. pernyi pupae using the AnpeNPV Bac-to-Bac expression system. To generate the AnpeNPV mutants, we developed the AnpeNPV bacmid/λ Red recombination system that facilitated the deletion of viral genes from the AnpeNPV genome. The genes cathepsin and chitinase were deleted and a derivative AnpeNPV Bac-to-Bac expression system was constructed. Furthermore, we demonstrated that the novel expression system could be used to express human epidermal growth factor in A. pernyi pupae. Taken together, the AnpeNPV bacmid system provides a powerful tool to create the AnpeNPV Bac-to-Bac expression system for protein expression in A. pernyi pupae. Further, it helps to knock-out genes from the AnpeNPV genome with λ Red recombination system for identification of the role of viral genes involved in regulating gene expression, DNA replication, virion structure, and infectivity during the AnpeNPV infection process.
Assessment of the N- and P-Fertilization Effect of Black Soldier Fly (Diptera: Stratiomyidae) By-Products on Maize
Authors: Gärttling Daniel , Kirchner Sascha M , Schulz Hannes
Published: August 2020

To meet the growing demand for an alternative animal protein source, the Black Soldier Fly (BSF) (Hermetia illucens) industry is expanding. Thus, the valuation of its byproducts, foremost BSF frass, is getting more economic and ecological weight. Three different residues, BSF frass, larval skins, and dead adult flies, were compared with a mineral and an organic commercial fertilizer in a pot trial with maize (Zea mays L., [Poales: Poaceae]). byproducts were applied in three nutrient-based application rates (180; 215 kg N/ha; 75 kg P2O5/ha), and plant nutrients, physiological and yield parameters were measured at harvest date. Ground flies had the highest N-fertilizing effect of all byproducts, similar to commercial mineral and organic fertilizers used as controls, whereas its proportion of the BSF production systems’ output is low. Frass as the abundant byproduct showed comparably low N-fertilization effects. Its low N availability was attributed to volatilization losses, mainly driven by high pH and ammonium contents. BSF frass as the main byproduct output is more suited as a basic fertilizer or potting substrate amendment than as a short-term organic fertilizer. Postprocessing of frass seems reasonable. For a profound assessment of frass as fertilizer, several aspects (e.g., the overall impact of postprocessing, plant strengthening and plant protection potential, effects on microbial processes) must be clarified.