bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Tuotantotilojen pintahygienian selvittäminen eri tuotantoympäristöissä
Authors: Kuisma Risto , Kymäläinen Hanna-Riitta , Lehto Marja
Published: March 2020

Elintarvikehuoneistossa tuotantotilat on jaettu eri hygienia-alueisiin, ja näiden välistä ristikontaminaatiota tulee välttää. Kuluttajat ja suurkeittiöt haluavat yhä pidemmälle prosessoituja tuotteita. Nämä tuotteet käyvät jatkojalostusprosessissa läpi useita eri käsittelyvaiheita, kuten esimerkiksi pesun, kuorinnan, pilkkomisen, leikkuun, huuhtelun, pakkaamisen tai paistamisen ja savustamisen (kala). Tuotteiden kontaminoituminen voi tapahtua tuotannon kaikissa vaiheissa. Virheelliset toimintatavat voivat edistää tuotteiden pilaantumista ja siirtää tautia aiheuttavia tai tuotetta pilaavia mikrobeja tuotteisiin esimerkiksi henkilöstön, prosessiveden, laitteiden ja koneiden välityksellä. Omavalvonta, jossa hyödynnetään mikrobiologisia menetelmiä, on tärkeä työkalu tuotantoprosessien turvallisuuden hallinnassa. Tutkimuksen tavoitteena oli selvittää erilaisten tuotantotilojen hygieenistä tasoa sekä tunnistaa kriittiset pisteet tuotannossa ja tuotantotiloissa. Tutkimuskohteena olivat kala-, omena-, peruna- ja salaattiyritykset. Tuotantotilojen ja prosessilaitteiden pintojen hygieeninen taso tutkittiin erilaisilla määritysmenetelmillä otetuista pintanäytteistä. Näytteet otettiin yrityksessä käytetyn tavanomaisen puhdistuksen jälkeen. Aerobisten mikrobien, enterobakteerien ja ß-glukuronidaasi-entsyymejä tuottavien lajien sekä hiivojen ja homeiden kokonaismäärän määritykseen käytettiin muun muassa Hygicult®-kontaktilevyjä. Kasviksia käsittelevien laitosten pinnoilta mitattiin korkeita mikrobipitoisuuksia kun niitä verrataan suomalaisessa pintahygieniaoppaassa esitettyihin yleisiin viitearvoihin. Tulosten arvioinnissa tulee kuitenkin ottaa huomioon eri tuotantolaitosten tyypit ja tuotannon vaiheet. Tutkimuksen jälkeen yritysten johtoa opastettiin kiinnittämään aiempaa enemmän huomiota laitoksen puhtaanapitoon, tuotantoalueiden suunnitteluun, työntekijöiden koulutukseen ja omavalvontaan. Kokonaisuutena tulokset osoittivat, että monissa kasvisten tuotantoyrityksissä on selkeä tarve parantaa puhdistus- ja hygieniakäytäntöjä.  Kalaa käsittelevän yrityksen pintahygieniatulokset olivat pääsääntöisesti erinomaisella tasolla.

Tutkimus tehtiin ”Uutta liiketoimintaa sivutuotteista (Uusivu)” -hankkeessa, jossa kehitetään kasvis-, liha- ja kalayritysten sivutuotteiden hyödyntämistä ja käsittelyä. Käsittelyketjua tarkastellaan kestävän kehityksen tarpeiden pohjalta. Uusivu-hanke on alueiden välinen Manner-Suomen maaseudun kehittämishanke ja sitä toteuttavat Luonnonvarakeskus Luke ja Helsingin yliopisto sekä yritykset. Hanketta rahoittavat Uudenmaan, Kaakkois-Suomen, Varsinais-Suomen, Etelä- ja Pohjois-Savon, Hämeen ja Pirkanmaan ELY-keskukset sekä yritykset. Hanke alkoi vuoden 2017 alussa ja se kestää vuoden 2020 kesäkuun loppuun.
Uusia keinoja maatalouskosteikkojen toiminnan tehostamiseen
Authors: Tulonen Piia , Stenman Tarja
Published: March 2020

Ilmastonmuutoksen myötä kosteikkojen merkitys vesiensuojelussa, tulvien torjunnassa sekä myös kasteluveden varastona kasvaa. Talvikauden aikaisen maa-alueilta peräisin olevan ravinne- ja kiintoainehuuhtouman ennakoidaan kasvavan. Kosteikkojen vesiensuojelulliset toimintamekanismit – sedimentaatio, denitrifikaatio, adsorptio ja ravinteiden kertyminen biomassaan – tunnetaan hyvin, mutta myös uutta tutkimustietoa toimintamekanismien tehostamisesta on saatu. Tehokkuuteen vaikuttavista toimista tärkeimmiksi nousevat kosteikon riittävä koko, tarkoin valittu sijainti sekä kosteikon hoito. Kosteikon toimintaa voidaan tehostaa kasvilajivalinnoilla. Jo suunnitteluvaiheessa voidaan valita vesiensuojelullisesti tehokkaita kasvilajeja, joita kosteikolle istutetaan. Mahdollisesti myös puumateriaalin hyödyntämisellä voidaan tehostaa kosteikon toimintaa. Jyväskylän ammattikorkeakoulun Biotalousinstituutin agrologiopiskelija Piia Tulonen selvitti opinnäytetyössään maatalouden vesiensuojelukosteikkojen toiminnan tehostamiskeinoja.
Kotimaista valkuaisomavaraisuutta ja ympäristöä tukeva välikasvatusporsaiden ruokinta
Authors: Högel Heidi , Perttilä Sini , Kurkilahti Mika , Niemi Jarkko , Helenius Tapio , Siljander-Rasi Hilkka , Immonen Niina , Kytölä Kimmo , Kyntäjä Soile , Hapola Antti
Published: March 2020

Tilaseurannassa selvitettiin valkuaislähteiden soveltuvuutta välikasvatusporsaiden liemiruokintaan, niiden vaikutuksia porsaiden tuotanto-ominaisuuksiin (päiväkasvu, rehun syönti ja rehuhyötysuhde) ja hyvinvointiin (hännänpurenta ja kuolleisuus). Tutkitut kotimaiset valkuaisrehukomponentit olivat ohravalkuaisrehu (OVR) ja härkäpapu. Seurannassa oli yhteensä 560 Duroc-kolmiroturisteytysporsasta, joiden alkupaino oli keskimäärin 9.1 kg. Porsaat jaettiin kontrolli- ja koeryhmään. Havaintoyksikkönä kokeessa oli venttiili. Jokaisella venttiilillä oli 40 porsasta. Kontrollirehu sisälsi ohraa, vehnää, kauraa, kasviöljyä, soijapohjaista täydennysrehua ja ohravalkuaisrehua. Koerehussa soijan sijaan käytettiin härkäpapua sekä härkäpapuruokinnan koostumusta täydentävää rehua. Porsailla oli kolmivaiheinen vapaa liemiruokinta ja rehunkulutusta seurattiin tilan ruokintalaitteella. Porsaat punnittiin kokeen alussa, ruokintajaksojen vaihtuessa ja kokeen lopussa. Porsaat kasvoivat keskimäärin 480 g päivässä eikä päiväkasvussa ollut tilastollisesti merkitseviä eroja ryhmien välillä. Rehunkulutus koko kokeen aikana eläintä kohti oli 342 MJ NEk ja 30.4 kg ka, eikä ryhmien välillä ollut merkitseviä eroja. Myöskään rehuhyötysuhteissa ei ryhmien välillä tullut merkitseviä eroja. Välikasvattamossa olennaista on, että porsaat kasvavat nopeasti, tasaisesti ja rehutehokkaasti välityspainoonsa. Molemmissa ruokintaryhmissä yli 75% porsaista myytiin eteenpäin 49 vuorokauden sisällä vieroituksesta. Kontrolliryhmästä suurin osa porsaista myytiin 46‒47 päivän kuluttua (54%) ja koeryhmästä 39‒40 päivän kuluttua vieroituksesta (47%). Koeryhmän porsaita jäi kuitenkin koeseurannan puitteissa merkittävästi enemmän jäljelle (21 vs 12%) suhteessa myytyjen porsaiden määrään. Tilaseurannan tulokset viittaavat siihen, että härkäpavulla ja siihen sopivilla täydennyksillä voitaisiin korvata rehun soija vilja-OVR‒pohjaisella ruokinnalla. Kontrolli- ja koeryhmän porsaiden välillä ei ollut merkittävää eroa tuotantotuloksissa. Tutkimustietoon perustuvien johtopäätösten saamiseksi vaaditaan kuitenkin jatkotutkimuksia suuremmalla havaintomäärällä tai tarkentamalla koeasetelmaa esimerkiksi porsaskohtaisin lisäpunnituksin.
A Head and Neck Surgeon’s Consideration of King Hyojong’s Poisoning: Fatal Facial Abscess
Authors: Kim Han Su
Published: March 2020

Background and Objectives The King Hyojong was the 17th King of the Chosun dynasty from 1649 to 1659. He is well known for his plan for northern campaigns against the Manchus (Bukbeol, 북벌), an act of vengeance on the Qing dynasty for the war of 1636. His plan for the northern conquest was never put into action since he suddenly died of small boil on face in 40 years old. After his death, the reason of his sudden death was questioned by the public. Many people suspected him of being killed by poison. We studied and considered the cause of King Hyojong’s death based on two tremendous Chosun dynasty’s official records.Materials and Method We reviewed Joseon Wangjo Sillok (the annals of the Joseon dynasty) and Seungjeongwon Ilgi (the diaries of royal secretariat of the Joeson dynasty).Results King Hyojong had congenital pre-auricular fistula. He also had been suffering from diabetes and its related complications for a long time before his death. His pre-auricular fistula was infected and not managed properly. It could be presumed that King Hyojong’s cause of death was hypovolemic shock from fatal injury of superficial temporal artery caused by inappropriate incision and drainage.Conclusion We assumed a historical person’s cause of death based on Chosun dynasty’s official records.
The taking of Western/Euro Mathematics as reappropriation/repair
Authors: Appelbaum Peter , Stathopoulou Charoula
Published: March 2020

Reorienting ethnomathematics away from reclaiming or celebrating epistemologies lost to colonialization, we propose the need to position local knowledges as the authorities that re appropriate Western Mathematical traditions in the service of local cultures and concerns. Drawing from several post-colonial novels in which a divided world and clash of traditions is at the center of character, plot, politics, and the human condition (Jhumpa Lahiri’s The Namesake, Nuruddin Farah’s North of Dawn) applying the work of Ligia (Lichio) Lopez, on the construction of indigeneity as a form of coloniality, we urge the application of a metaphor in order to understand and interpret mathematics education through the prism of ethnomathematics. Can one enjoy the privileges of western civilization and yet perceive resistance in this acculturation process as a positive action of affirmation? What are the corresponding costs for any choice? What about students — mostly out of mainstream — at school that very often are confronting a similar dilemma?
In Vitro and In Vivo Experimental Hepatotoxic Models in Liver Research: Applications to the Assessment of Potential Hepatoprotective Drugs
Authors: FARGHALI H. , KGALALELO KEMELO M. , WOJNAROVÁ L. , KUTINOVÁ CANOVÁ N.
Published: March 2020

This mini-review highlights our and others’ experience about in vitro and in vivo models that are being used to follow up events of liver injuries under various hepatotoxic agents and potential hepatoprotective drugs. Due to limitations of the outcomes in each model, we focus primarily on two models. First, a developed perfusion method for isolated immobilized hepatocytes that improves the process of oxygenation and helps in end-product removal is of considerable value in improving cell maintenance. This cellular model is presented as a short-term research-scale laboratory bioreactor with various physiological, biochemical, molecular, toxicological and pharmacological applications. Second, the in vivo model of D-galactosamine and lipopolysaccharide (D-GalN/LPS) combination-induced liver damage is described with some details. Recently, we have revealed that resveratrol and other natural polyphenols attenuate D-GalN/LPS-induced hepatitis. Moreover, we reported that D-GalN/LPS down-regulates sirtuin 1 in rat liver. Therefore, we discuss here the role of sirtuin 1 modulation in hepatoprotection. A successful development of pharmacotherapy for liver diseases depends on the suitability of in vitro and in vivo hepatic injury systems. Several models are available to screen the hepatotoxic or hepatoprotective activity of any substance. It is important to combine different methods for confirmation of the findings.
Influence of Species Composition and Management on Biomass Production in Missouri
Authors: Udawatta Ranjith P. , Gantzer Clark J. , Reinbott Timothy M. , Wright Ray L. , Robert Robert A. Pierce , Wehtje Walter
Published: March 2020

Perennial biofuel crops help to reduce both dependence on fossil fuels and greenhouse gas emissions while utilizing nutrients more efficiently compared to annual crops. In addition, perennial crops grown for biofuels have the potential to produce high biomass yields, are capable of increased carbon sequestration, and are beneficial for reducing soil erosion. Various monocultures and mixtures of perennial grasses and forbs can be established to achieve these benefits. The objective of this study was to quantify the effects of feedstock mixture and cutting height on yields. The base feedstock treatments included a monoculture of switchgrass (SG) and a switchgrass:big bluestem 1:1 mixture (SGBBS). Other treatments included mixtures of the base feedstock with ratios of base to native forbs plus legumes of 100:0, 80:20, 60:40, and 20:80. The study was established in 2008. Biomass crops typically require 2 to 3 years to produce a uniform stand. Therefore, harvest data were collected from July 2010 to July 2013. Three harvest times were selected to represent (1) biomass for biofuel (March), (2) forage (July), and (3) forage and biomass (October). Annual mean yields varied between 4.97 Mg ha−1 in 2010 to 5.56 Mg ha−1 in 2011. However, the lowest yield of 2.82 Mg ha−1 in March and the highest yield of 7.18 Mg ha−1 in July were harvested in 2013. The mean yield was 5.21 Mg ha−1 during the 4 year study. The effect of species mixture was not significant on yield. The cutting height was significant (p < 0.001), with greater yield for the 15 cm compared to the 30 cm cutting height. Yield differences were larger between harvest times during the early phase of the study. Yield difference within a harvest time was not significant for 3 of the 10 harvests. Future studies should examine changes in biomass production for mixture composition with time for selection of optimal regional specific species mixtures.
Influence of Burner Position on Temperature Distribution in Soybean Flaming
Authors: Rajković Miloš , Malidža Goran , Stepanović Strahinja , Kostić Marko , Petrović Kristina , Urošević Mirko , Vrbničanin Sava
Published: March 2020

The main objective of this study was to identify optimal burner orientation for a newly designed flame cultivator by quantifying the flame temperature distributions of cross, back, and parallel position of burners at different heights of the soybean canopy (distance from the soil surface). Flame temperatures were measured within-row for three burner orientations at seven propane doses (20–100 kg/ha) and eight different canopy heights (0–18 cm above soil surface). Soybean plants in V3 growth stage were flamed with the same doses and burner orientations, and 28 days after treatment (DAT) crop injury (0%–100%), plant height (cm), dry matter (g) and grain yield (t/ha) were assessed. All three burner orientations had high flame temperatures at lower canopy heights (<6 cm high) that gradually decreased with increasing canopy height (6–18 cm). Measured temperatures ranged from 33 to 234 ℃ for cross flaming, 29 to 269 ℃ for back flaming and 23 to 155 ℃ for parallel flaming, with high variability in temperature patterns. Back flaming generated flame temperatures above 100℃ at a lower propane dose (27 kg/ha) compared to cross and parallel flaming (40 and 50 kg/ha). For all tested parameters, parallel and cross flaming had better impact on soybeans than back flaming, but for weed control in crop rows, cross flaming is recommended.
Forage Legume Establishment under Exposure to Progressive Declines in Aminocyclopyrachlor and Aminopyralid in Temperate Pastures
Authors: Miller Amanda J. , Leite Vagner M. , Hall Linda M. , Bork Edward W.
Published: March 2020

Legumes such as alfalfa (Medicago sativa L.) and white clover (Trifolium repens L.) increase forage productivity and quality in northern temperate pastures, but require re-establishment following broadleaf weed control using herbicides. To quantify the residual effects of two herbicides (aminocyclopyrachlor and aminopyralid) on potential legume re-establishment we examined alfalfa and clover recruitment at two field sites over two years. Sites were over-seeded with alfalfa and clover to populate the seed bank, and then sprayed with herbicide, after which seedling densities were monitored in late summer and fall of the current growing season. Defoliation (via mowing) effects were also assessed to evaluate the role of vegetation competition on legume establishment. Herbicides were applied at recommended rates (1.0), and 0.5, 0.25, 0.125, 0.0625, and 0 times recommended field rates, emulating exponential herbicide degradation (one through four half-lives). Alfalfa and white clover seedling densities were negatively impacted by all rates of herbicide, with modestly greater negative impacts from aminopyralid than aminocyclopyrachlor, although responses to herbicides remained site and legume specific. Reductions in alfalfa and clover were particularly evident through the 0.25 (i.e., two half-life) herbicide rate, with reductions in alfalfa ranging from 78% to 95%, and in clover from 73% to 88%. Legume densities at the 0.125 (three half-life) rate were 39%–68% lower than those in nonsprayed control plots. Our results suggest that at least three half-lives of degradation must occur, and likely four or more, before these legumes can re-establish at densities acceptable for pasture production. These findings have implications for producers seeking to promptly re-establish forage legumes within pastures sprayed for broadleaf weed control in northern temperate regions.
Yoga, Ahimsa and Consuming Animals: UK Yoga Teachers’ Beliefs about Farmed Animals and Attitudes to Plant-Based Diets
Authors: Mace Jenny L. , McCulloch Steven P.
Published: March 2020

Yoga is a holistic discipline originating in ancient India. Yoga has links with Hinduism, Buddhism and Jainism based on a shared philosophical framework of unity with all beings and belief in ahimsa, meaning non-harming. There is debate in the international yoga community about the spiritual, ethical and health-related links between yoga and plant-based diets. This mixed methodology research investigates the beliefs about the moral status of farmed animals and attitudes towards plant-based diets of UK yoga teachers. A sequential mixed-methods design employing a questionnaire and semi-structured interviews is used. This paper focuses on the questionnaire-based phase of the research. Key results are: (i) UK yoga teachers have very progressive beliefs about the moral status of farmed animals; (ii) 29.6% of UK yoga teachers follow a plant-based diet (n = 446), which is 25-fold the proportion in the wider UK population; (iii) 73.9% desire to follow a plant-based diet; (iv) 68.6% regard plant-based diets as best aligned to their yogic practice; and (v) UK yoga teachers with more progressive beliefs about farmed animals and with more self-reported knowledge of agriculture abstain from consuming animal products to a greater extent. The far higher proportions of UK yoga teachers following vegetarian and plant-based diets, relative to the wider population, are likely based on applying yogic teachings such as the principle of ahimsa through abstaining from the consumption of animal products.
Familiarity and Use of Veterinary Services by US Resident Dog and Cat Owners
Authors: Bir Courtney , Ortez Mario , Olynk Widmar Nicole J. , Wolf Christopher A. , Hansen Charlotte , Ouedraogo Frederic B.
Published: March 2020

Pet ownership, veterinary use, and beliefs regarding veterinary care were elicited through the use of a nationally representative survey of 997 U.S. residents. Fifty-one percent of respondents have or had a dog in the past five years and 37% have or had a cat in the past five years. Over ninety percent of cat and dog owners had visited a veterinarian at any time, but only about 40% visited a veterinarian annually. With the rise of options in veterinary medicine, including low-cost options for vaccines and spay/neuter, further study and analysis of pet-owners use of veterinary care is warranted. Fifty-four percent of dog owners and 40% of cat owners who went to a low-cost spay/neuter clinic also went to a veterinarian/clinic/practice. This finding suggests that pet-owners who use low-cost options do so in a manner that supplements rather than replaces traditional veterinary care. Logit models were employed to evaluate the relationship between dog and cat owner demographics and visiting a veterinarian. The probability of visiting a veterinarian increased with age and income for dog owners.
Convolutional Neural Networks Using Skip Connections with Layer Groups for Super-Resolution Image Reconstruction Based on Deep Learning
Authors: Ahn Hyeongyeom , Yim Changhoon
Published: March 2020

In this paper, we propose a deep learning method with convolutional neural networks (CNNs) using skip connections with layer groups for super-resolution image reconstruction. In the proposed method, entire CNN layers for residual data processing are divided into several layer groups, and skip connections with different multiplication factors are applied from input data to these layer groups. With the proposed method, the processed data in hidden layer units tend to be distributed in a wider range. Consequently, the feature information from input data is transmitted to the output more robustly. Experimental results show that the proposed method yields a higher peak signal-to-noise ratio and better subjective quality than existing methods for super-resolution image reconstruction.
A Dynamic Emotional Session Generation Model Based on Seq2Seq and a Dictionary-Based Attention Mechanism
Authors: Guo Qiangqaing , Zhu Zhenfang , Lu Qiang , Zhang Dianyuan , Wu Wenqing
Published: March 2020

With the development of deep learning, the method of large-scale dialogue generation based on deep learning has received extensive attention. The current research has aimed to solve the problem of the quality of generated dialogue content, but has failed to fully consider the emotional factors of generated dialogue content. In order to solve the problem of emotional response in the open domain dialogue system, we proposed a dynamic emotional session generation model (DESG). On the basis of the Seq2Seq (sequence-to-sequence) framework, the model abbreviation incorporates a dictionary-based attention mechanism that encourages the substitution of words in response with synonyms in emotion dictionaries. Meanwhile, in order to improve the model, internal emotion regulator and emotion classifier mechanisms are introduced in order to build a large-scale emotion-session generation model. Experimental results show that our DESG model can not only produce an appropriate output sequence in terms of content (related grammar) for a given post and emotion category, but can also express the expected emotional response explicitly or implicitly.
Generic Language for Partial Model Extraction from an IFC Model Based on Selection Set
Authors: Deng Xueyuan , Lai Huahui , Xu Jiayi , Zhao Yunfan
Published: March 2020

During data sharing and exchange of building projects, the particular business task generally requires a part of the complete model. This paper adopted XML schema to develop a generic language to extract the partial model from an Industry Foundation Classes (IFC) model based on the proposed Selection Set (called PMESS). In this method, the Selection Set was used to integrate users’ requirements, which could be mapped into IFC data. To ensure the validity of the generated partial IFC models in syntax and semantics, seven rules—including three basic rules for a valid IFC file, three extraction rules based on the Selection Set, and a processing rule for redundant information—were defined. Through defining PMESS-based configuration files, the required data can be extracted and formed as a partial IFC model. Compared with the existing methods, the proposed PMESS method can flexibly extract the user-defined required information. In addition, these PMESS-based configuration files can be stored as templates and reused in other tasks, which prevents duplicated work for defining extraction requirements. Finally, a practical project was used to illustrate the utility of the proposed method.
Vitamin D and Rehabilitation after Stroke: Status of Art
Authors: Siotto Mariacristina , Santoro Massimo , Aprile Irene
Published: March 2020

Stroke is the first cause of disability in the population and post-stroke patients admitted to rehabilitation units often present a malnutrition status which can influence nutritional indices and then vitamin levels. Vitamin D deficiency seems implicated beyond stroke severity and stroke risk, and also affects post-stroke recovery. Some studies on vitamin D levels and outcome in stroke patients are available but very few data on vitamin D levels and outcome after rehabilitation treatment are reported. This literature review shows the possible relationship between vitamin D deficiency and recovery in post-stroke patients undergoing rehabilitation treatment. Moreover, because several studies have reported that single nucleotide polymorphisms and promoter methylation in genes are involved in vitamin D metabolism and might affect circulating vitamin D levels, these aspects are evaluated in the current paper. From the studies evaluated in this review, it emerges that vitamin D deficiency could not only have an important role in the recovery of patients undergoing rehabilitation after a stroke, but that genetic and epigenetic factors related to vitamin D levels could have a crucial role on the rehabilitation outcome of patients after stroke. Therefore, further studies are necessary on stroke patients undergoing rehabilitation treatment, including: (a) the measurement of the 25(OH) vitamin D serum concentrations at admission and post rehabilitation treatment; (b) the identification of the presence/absence of CYP2R1, CYP27B1, CYP24A1 and VDR polymorphisms, and (c) analysis of the methylation levels of these genes pre- and post-rehabilitation treatment.
Succinamide Derivatives Ameliorate Neuroinflammation and Oxidative Stress in Scopolamine-Induced Neurodegeneration
Authors: Iqbal Sumbal , Shah Fawad Ali , Naeem Komal , Nadeem Humaira , Sarwar Sadia , Ashraf Zaman , Imran Muhammad , Khan Tariq , Anwar Tayyaba , Li Shupeng
Published: March 2020

Oxidative stress-mediated neuroinflammatory events are the hallmark of neurodegenerative diseases. The current study aimed to synthesize a series of novel succinamide derivatives and to further investigate the neuroprotective potential of these compounds against scopolamine-induced neuronal injury by in silico, morphological, and biochemical approaches. The characterization of all the succinamide derivatives was carried out spectroscopically via proton NMR (1H-NMR), FTIR and elemental analysis. Further in vivo experiments showed that scopolamine induced neuronal injury, characterized by downregulated glutathione (GSH), glutathione S-transferase (GST), catalase, and upregulated lipid peroxidation (LPO). Moreover, scopolamine increased the expression of inflammatory mediators such as cyclooxygenase2 (COX2), nuclear factor kappa B (NF-kB), tumor necrosis factor (TNF-α), further associated with cognitive impairment. On the other hand, treatment with succinamide derivatives ameliorated the biochemical and immunohistochemical alterations induced by scopolamine, further supported by the results obtained from molecular docking and binding affinities.
Pro-Resolving Effect of Ginsenosides as an Anti-Inflammatory Mechanism of Panax ginseng
Authors: Im Dong-Soon
Published: March 2020

Panax ginseng, also known as Korean ginseng, is a famous medicinal plant used for the treatment of many inflammatory diseases. Ginsenosides (ginseng saponins) are the main class of active constituents of ginseng. The anti-inflammatory effects of ginseng extracts were proven with purified ginsenosides, such as ginsenosides Rb1, Rg1, Rg3, and Rh2, as well as compound K. The negative regulation of pro-inflammatory cytokine expressions (TNF-α, IL-1β, and IL-6) and enzyme expressions (iNOS and COX-2) was found as the anti-inflammatory mechanism of ginsenosides in M1-polarized macrophages and microglia. Recently, another action mechanism emerged explaining the anti-inflammatory effect of ginseng. This is a pro-resolution of inflammation derived by M2-polarized macrophages. Direct and indirect evidence supports how several ginsenosides (ginsenoside Rg3, Rb1, and Rg1) induce the M2 polarization of macrophages and microglia, and how these M2-polarized cells contribute to the suppression of inflammation progression and promotion of inflammation resolution. In this review, the new action mechanism of ginseng anti-inflammation is summarized.
The Neurochemistry of Autism
Authors: Marotta Rosa , Risoleo Maria C. , Messina Giovanni , Parisi Lucia , Carotenuto Marco , Vetri Luigi , Roccella Michele
Published: March 2020

Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) refers to complex neurobehavioral and neurodevelopmental conditions characterized by impaired social interaction and communication, restricted and repetitive patterns of behavior or interests, and altered sensory processing. Environmental, immunological, genetic, and epigenetic factors are implicated in the pathophysiology of autism and provoke the occurrence of neuroanatomical and neurochemical events relatively early in the development of the central nervous system. Many neurochemical pathways are involved in determining ASD; however, how these complex networks interact and cause the onset of the core symptoms of autism remains unclear. Further studies on neurochemical alterations in autism are necessary to clarify the early neurodevelopmental variations behind the enormous heterogeneity of autism spectrum disorder, and therefore lead to new approaches for the treatment and prevention of autism. In this review, we aim to delineate the state-of-the-art main research findings about the neurochemical alterations in autism etiology, and focuses on gamma aminobutyric acid (GABA) and glutamate, serotonin, dopamine, N-acetyl aspartate, oxytocin and arginine-vasopressin, melatonin, vitamin D, orexin, endogenous opioids, and acetylcholine. We also aim to suggest a possible related therapeutic approach that could improve the quality of ASD interventions. Over one hundred references were collected through electronic database searching in Medline and EMBASE (Ovid), Scopus (Elsevier), ERIC (Proquest), PubMed, and the Web of Science (ISI).
Pre-School Teachers’ Knowledge, Belief, Identification Skills, and Self-Efficacy in Identifying Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD): A Conceptual Framework to Identify Children with ASD
Authors: Taresh Sahar , Ahmad Nor Aniza , Roslan Samsilah , Ma’rof Aini Marina , Zaid Sumaia
Published: March 2020

Recently, the identification and detection of children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) has become an essential issue under ASD intervention services. The high percentage of ASD among children requires preschool teachers to recognizse children’s abnormal development and identify them at an early stage, followed by referral to specialists. Therefore, this identification calls for a specific ability among preschool teachers, identified as knowledge, belief, identification skills, and self-efficacy (KBISSE). This conceptual framework aims to utilize the current literature to present a discussion on preschool teachers’ KBISSE in identifying children with ASD and making decisions to refer children suspected with ASD to specialists. The conceptual framework is discussed based on social cognitive theory (SCT) and the health belief model (HBM). The conceptual framework emphasizes the need for preschool teachers to be educated in ASD via an educational module that could increase teachers’ self-efficacy in identifying children with ASD. Besides, knowledge in ASD, belief in ASD, and identification skills are also necessary variables for building the educational module. The educational module is useful for guiding future research on preschool teachers’ identification of children with any disability, one of which is ASD, and subsequent specialist referral at an early stage.
A Concept of the Development of Riverside Embankment in the Context of Cracow (A Local Centre)
Authors: Majerska-Pałubicka Beata , Latusek Elżbieta
Published: March 2020

The subject of this article is the presentation of site conditions and the authors’ concept of the development of the degraded riverside area located in the city of Cracow-Kraków Zabłocie. The concept transforms the above-named area into a multifunctional complex including museum, coworking, business and hotel functions. The area subject to development borders three important districts of Cracow: Old Town (Stare Miasto), Grzegórzki and Podgórze on the bank of the Vistula (Wisła) river. In the land development and urban planning documents of the city of Cracow this area has been marked as the public space which is to become a local focal point or a local centre. The main objective of this work was to find answers to the posed research questions concerning the historic context, formal and legal state, significance for the community as well as economic and ecological implications of the area to be developed. The main purpose was to properly develop the degraded riverside embankment in the downtown environment. The research method was based on own mixed method which encompassed the studies of historical literature and the legal–formal status as well as in situ examinations, including the analyses of the condition of the built and natural environment, traffic and circulation as well as photographic documentation. The authors also familiarised themselves with the activities undertaken by the local community with a view to the area’s regeneration. On the grounds of initial investigations, the SWOT analysis was performed and the evaluation of groups of prospective users was conducted. Comparative studies were conducted including selected examples of European riverside development projects. In its assumptions, the proposed concept of the riverside development in Kraków-Zabłocie is to meet the needs of the local community, enable further development of tourism, which is very important to Cracow, and satisfy the paradigm of sustainable development. The effect is a multi-functional complex that becomes an inherent part of the existing context.
Microcellular Environmental Regulation of Silver Nanoparticles in Cancer Therapy: A Critical Review
Authors: Raja Ganesan , Jang Yoon-Kwan , Suh Jung-Soo , Kim Heon-Su , Ahn Sang Hyun , Kim Tae-Jin
Published: March 2020

Silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) play significant roles in various cancer cells such as functional heterogeneity, microenvironmental differences, and reversible changes in cell properties (e.g., chemotherapy). There is a lack of targets for processes involved in tumor cellular heterogeneity, such as metabolic clampdown, cytotoxicity, and genotoxicity, which hinders microenvironmental biology. Proteogenomics and chemical metabolomics are important tools that can be used to study proteins/genes and metabolites in cells, respectively. Chemical metabolomics have many advantages over genomics, transcriptomics, and proteomics in anticancer therapy. However, recent studies with AgNPs have revealed considerable genomic and proteomic changes, particularly in genes involved in tumor suppression, apoptosis, and oxidative stress. Metabolites interact biochemically with energy storage, neurotransmitters, and antioxidant defense systems. Mechanobiological studies of AgNPs in cancer metabolomics suggest that AgNPs may be promising tools that can be exploited to develop more robust and effective adaptive anticancer therapies. Herein, we present a proof-of-concept review for AgNPs-based proteogenomics and chemical metabolomics from various tumor cells with the help of several technologies, suggesting their promising use as drug carriers for cancer therapy.
The Second Generation Antibody-Drug Conjugate SYD985 Overcomes Resistances to T-DM1
Authors: Nadal-Serrano Mercedes , Morancho Beatriz , Escrivá-de-Romaní Santiago , Bernadó Morales Cristina , Luque Antonio , Escorihuela Marta , Espinosa Bravo Martín , Peg Vicente , Dijcks Fred A. , Dokter Wim H.A. , Cortés Javier , Saura Cristina , Arribas Joaquín
Published: March 2020

Trastuzumab-emtansine (T-DM1) is an antibody-drug conjugate (ADC) approved for the treatment of HER2 (human epidermal growth factor receptor 2)-positive breast cancer. T-DM1 consists of trastuzumab covalently linked to the cytotoxic maytansinoid DM1 via a non-cleavable linker. Despite its efficacy, primary or acquired resistance frequently develops, particularly in advanced stages of the disease. Second generation ADCs targeting HER2 are meant to supersede T-DM1 by using a cleavable linker and a more potent payload with a different mechanism of action. To determine the effect of one of these novel ADCs, SYD985, on tumors resistant to T-DM1, we developed several patient-derived models of resistance to T-DM1. Characterization of these models showed that previously described mechanisms—HER2 downmodulation, impairment of lysosomal function and upregulation of drug efflux pumps—account for the resistances observed, arguing that mechanisms of resistance to T-DM1 are limited, and most of them have already been described. Importantly, SYD985 was effective in these models, showing that the resistance to first generation ADCs can be overcome with an improved design.
Identification of PLK1 as a New Therapeutic Target in Mucinous Ovarian Carcinoma
Authors: Affatato Roberta , Carrassa Laura , Chilà Rosaria , Lupi Monica , Restelli Valentina , Damia Giovanna
Published: March 2020

Mucinous epithelial ovarian cancer (mEOC) is a rare subset of epithelial ovarian cancer. When diagnosed at a late stage, its prognosis is very poor, as it is quite chemo-resistant. To find new therapeutic options for mEOC, we performed high-throughput screening using a siRNA library directed against human protein kinases in a mEOC cell line, and polo-like kinase1 (PLK1) was identified as the kinase whose downregulation interfered with cell proliferation. Both PLK1 siRNA and two specific PLK1 inhibitors (onvansertib and volasertib) were able to inhibit cell growth, induce apoptosis and block cells in the G2/M phase of the cell cycle. We evaluated, in vitro, the combinations of PLK1 inhibitors and different chemotherapeutic drugs currently used in the treatment of mEOC, and we observed a synergistic effect of PLK1 inhibitors and antimitotic drugs. When translated into an in vivo xenograft model, the combination of onvansertib and paclitaxel resulted in stronger tumor regressions and in a longer mice survival than the single treatments. These effects were associated with a higher induction of mitotic block and induction of apoptosis, similarly to what was observed in vitro. These data suggest that the combination onvansertib/paclitaxel could represent a new active therapeutic option in mEOC.
Haploinsufficient Rock1+/− and Rock2+/− Mice Are Not Protected from Cardiac Inflammation and Postinflammatory Fibrosis in Experimental Autoimmune Myocarditis
Authors: Tkacz Karolina , Rolski Filip , Czepiel Marcin , Działo Edyta , Siedlar Maciej , Eriksson Urs , Kania Gabriela , Błyszczuk Przemysław
Published: March 2020

Progressive cardiac fibrosis is a common cause of heart failure. Rho-associated, coiled-coil-containing protein kinases (ROCKs) have been shown to enhance fibrotic processes in the heart and in other organs. In this study, using wild-type, Rock1+/− and Rock2+/− haploinsufficient mice and mouse model of experimental autoimmune myocarditis (EAM) we addressed the role of ROCK1 and ROCK2 in development of myocarditis and postinflammatory fibrosis. We found that myocarditis severity was comparable in wild-type, Rock1+/− and Rock2+/− mice at day 21 of EAM. During the acute stage of the disease, hearts of Rock1+/− mice showed unaffected numbers of CD11b+CD36+ macrophages, CD11b+CD36–Ly6GhiLy6chi neutrophils, CD11b+CD36–Ly6G–Ly6chi inflammatory monocytes, CD11b+CD36–Ly6G–Ly6c– monocytes, CD11b+SiglecF+ eosinophils, CD11b+CD11c+ inflammatory dendritic cells and type I collagen-producing fibroblasts. Isolated Rock1+/− cardiac fibroblasts treated with transforming growth factor-beta (TGF-β) showed attenuated Smad2 and extracellular signal-regulated kinase (Erk) phosphorylations that were associated with impaired upregulation of smooth muscle actin alpha (αSMA) protein. In contrast to cardiac fibroblasts, expanded Rock1+/− heart inflammatory myeloid cells showed unaffected Smad2 activation but enhanced Erk phosphorylation following TGF-β treatment. Rock1+/− inflammatory cells responded to TGF-β by a reduced transcriptional profibrotic response and failed to upregulate αSMA and fibronectin at the protein levels. Unexpectedly, in the EAM model wild-type, Rock1+/− and Rock2+/− mice developed a similar extent of cardiac fibrosis at day 40. In addition, hearts of the wild-type and Rock1+/− mice showed comparable levels of cardiac vimentin, periostin and αSMA. In conclusion, despite the fact that ROCK1 regulates TGF-β-dependent profibrotic response, neither ROCK1 nor ROCK2 is critically involved in the development of postinflammatory fibrosis in the EAM model.
Austrian COLOSS Survey of Honey Bee Colony Winter Losses 2018/19 and Analysis of Hive Management Practices
Authors: Oberreiter Hannes , Brodschneider Robert
Published: March 2020

We conducted a citizen science survey on overwinter honey bee colony losses in Austria. A total of 1534 beekeepers with 33,651 colonies reported valid loss rates. The total winter loss rate for Austria was 15.2% (95% confidence interval: 14.4–16.1%). Young queens showed a positive effect on colony survival and queen-related losses. Observed queen problems during the season increased the probability of losing colonies to unsolvable queen problems. A notable number of bees with crippled wings during the foraging season resulted in high losses and could serve as an alarm signal for beekeepers. Migratory beekeepers and large operations had lower loss rates than smaller ones. Additionally, we investigated the impact of several hive management practices. Most of them had no significant effect on winter mortality, but purchasing wax from outside the own operation was associated with higher loss rates. Colonies that reported foraging on maize and late catch crop fields or collecting melezitose exhibited higher loss rates. The most common Varroa destructor control methods were a combination of long-term formic acid treatment in summer and oxalic acid trickling in winter. Biotechnical methods in summer had a favourable effect on colony survival.
Urinary Metabolomics around Parturition Identifies Metabolite Alterations in Dairy Cows Affected Postpartum by Lameness: Preliminary Study
Authors: Zhang Guanshi , Dervishi Elda , Zwierzchowski Grzegorz , Mandal Rupasri , Wishart David S. , Ametaj Burim N.
Published: March 2020

(1) Background: The objective of this study was to evaluate the urine of dairy cows for presence of metabolites with the potential to be used as screening biomarkers for lameness as well as to characterize pre-lame, lame, and post-lame cows from the metabolic prospective. (2) Methods: Six lame and 20 control healthy cows were used in this nested case-control study. Urinary 1H-NMR analysis was used to identify and measure metabolites at five time points including −8 and −4 weeks prepartum, lameness diagnosis week (1–3 weeks postpartum) as well as at +4 and +8 weeks after calving. (3) Results: A total of 90 metabolites were identified and measured in the urine. At −8 and −4 weeks, 27 prepartum metabolites were identified as altered, at both timepoints, with 19 and 5 metabolites excreted at a lower concentration, respectively. Additionally, a total of 8 and 22 metabolites were found at greater concentration in pre-lame cows at −8 and −4 weeks, respectively. Lame cows were identified to excrete, at lower concentrations, seven metabolites during a lameness event with the top five most important metabolites being Tyr, adipate, glycerate, 3-hydroxy-3-methylglutarate, and uracil. Alterations in urinary metabolites also were present at +4 and +8 weeks after calving with N-acetylaspartate, glutamine, imidazole, pantothenate, beta-alanine and trimethylamine, with the greatest VIP (variable importance in projection) score at +4 weeks; and hipurate, pantothenate 1,3-dihydroxyacetone, galactose, and Tyr, with the greatest VIP score at +8 weeks postpartum. (4) Conclusions: Overall, results showed that urine metabotyping can be used to identify cows at risk of lameness and to better characterize lameness from the metabolic prospective. However, caution should be taken in interpretation of the data presented because of the low number of replicates.
Elevated LysoGb3 Concentration in the Neuronopathic Forms of Mucopolysaccharidoses
Authors: Baydakova Galina , Ilyushkina Alex , Gaffke Lidia , Pierzynowska Karolina , Bychkov Igor , Ługowska Agnieszka , Wegrzyn Grzegorz , Tylki-Szymanska Anna , Zakharova Ekaterina
Published: March 2020

Mucopolysaccharidoses (MPSs) are a group of lysosomal storage disorders associated with impaired glycosaminoglycans (GAGs) catabolism. In MPS I, II, III, and VII, heparan sulfate (HS) cannot be degraded because of the lack of sufficient activity of the respective enzymes, and its accumulation in the brain causes neurological symptoms. Globotriaosylsphingosine (LysoGb3), the deacylated form of globotriaosylceramide (Gb3), is described as a highly sensitive biomarker for another lysosomal storage disease—Fabry disease. The connection between MPSs and LysoGb3 has not yet been established. This study included 36—MPS I, 15—MPS II, 25—MPS III, 26—MPS IV, and 14—MPS VI patients who were diagnosed by biochemical and molecular methods and a control group of 250 males and 250 females. The concentration of lysosphingolipids (LysoSLs) was measured in dried blood spots by high pressure liquid chromatography—tandem mass spectrometry. We have demonstrated that LysoGb3 concentration was significantly elevated (p < 0.0001) in untreated MPS I (3.07 + 1.55 ng/mL), MPS II (5.24 + 2.13 ng/mL), and MPS III (6.82 + 3.69 ng/mL) patients, compared to the control group (0.87 + 0.55 ng/mL). LysoGb3 level was normal in MPS VI and MPS IVA (1.26 + 0.39 and 0.99 + 0.38 ng/mL, respectively). Activity of α-galactosidase A (α-Gal A), an enzyme deficient in Fabry disease, was not, however, inhibited by heparan sulfate in vitro, indicating that an increase of LysoGb3 level in MPS I, MPS II, and MPS III is an indirect effect of stored MPSs rather than a direct result of impairment of degradation of this compound by HS. Our findings indicate some association of elevated LysoGb3 concentration with the neuronopathic forms of MPSs. The pathological mechanism of which is still to be studied.
Diffusion-Tensor-Tractography-Based Diagnosis for Injury of Corticospinal Tract in a Patient with Hemiplegia Following Traumatic Brain Injury
Authors: Park Chan-Hyuk , Kim Su-Hong , Jung Han-Young
Published: March 2020

This paper reports a mechanism for corticospinal tract injury in a patient with hemiplegia following traumatic brain injury (TBI) based on diffusion tensor tractography (DTT) finding. A 73-year-old male with TBI resulting from a fall, without medical history, was diagnosed as having left convexity epidural hematoma (EDH). He underwent craniotomy and suffered motor weakness on the right side of the body. Two weeks after onset, he was transferred to a rehabilitation department with an alerted level of consciousness. Four weeks after onset, his motor functions were grade 1 by the Medical Research Council’s (MRC) standards in the right-side limbs and grade 4 in the left-side limbs. The result of DTT using the different regions of interest (ROIs) showed that most of the right corticospinal tract (CST) did not reach the cerebral cortex around where the EDH was located, and when the ROI was placed on upper pons, a disconnection of the CST was shown and a connection of the CST in ROI with the middle pons appeared. However, the right CST was connected to the cerebral cortex below the pons regardless of ROI. This study is the first report to use DTT to detect that the discontinuation of the left CST in the cerebral cortex and injury lesions below the lower pons and between the upper and lower pons are responsible for motor weakness in a patient.