bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Mycobacterium tuberculosis PhoP integrates stress response to intracellular survival by maintenance of cAMP homeostasis
Authors: Khan Hina , Paul Partha , Goar Harsh , Bamniya Bhanwar , Baid Navin , Sarkar Dibyendu
Published: January 2024

Survival of
M. tuberculosis
within the host macrophages requires the virulence regulator PhoP, but the underlying mechanism remains unknown. Because growing evidence connects PhoP with varying stress response, we hypothesized that the level of 3ʹ,5ʹ cAMP, one of the most widely used second messengers, was regulated by the
phoP
locus, linking numerous stress response with cAMP production. A transcriptomic analysis discovers that PhoP functions as a repressor of cAMP-specific phosphodiesterase (PDE) Rv0805, which hydrolytically degrades cAMP. The most fundamental insight is derived from the PhoP-dependent regulation of
rv0805
expression by specific recruitment of the regulator within the promoter region of the PDE. Consistent with these results, absence of PhoP or ectopic expression of
rv0805
independently accounts for elevated PDE synthesis and depletion of intra-mycobacterial cAMP level. Thus, genetic manipulation to inactivate PhoP-
rv0805
-cAMP pathway leads to disruption of cAMP homeostasis, decreased stress tolerance and reduced survival of the bacilli.
Comparative transcriptomics reveal a novel tardigrade-specific DNA-binding protein induced in response to ionizing radiation
Authors: Anoud Marwan , Delagoutte Emmanuelle , Helleu Quentin , Brion Alice , Duvernois-Berthet Evelyne , As Marie , Marques Xavier , Lamribet Khadija , Senamaud-Beaufort Catherine , Jourdren Laurent , Adrait Annie , Heinrich Sophie , Toutirais Geraldine , Hamlaoui Sahima , Gropplero Giacomo , Giovannini Ilaria , Ponger Loic , Geze Marc , Blugeon Corinne , Couté Yohann , Guidetti Roberto , Rebecchi Lorena , Giovannangeli Carine , De Cian Anne , Concordet Jean-Paul
Published: January 2024

Tardigrades are microscopic animals renowned for their ability to withstand extreme conditions, including high doses of ionizing radiation (IR). To better understand their radio-resistance, we first characterized induction and repair of DNA double- and single-strand breaks after exposure to IR in the model species Hypsibius exemplaris. Importantly, we found that the rate of single-strand breaks induced was roughly equivalent to that in human cells, suggesting that DNA repair plays a predominant role in tardigrades’ radio-resistance. To identify novel tardigrade-specific genes involved, we next conducted a comparative transcriptomics analysis across three different species. In all three species, many DNA repair genes were among the most strongly overexpressed genes alongside a novel tardigrade-specific gene, which we named Tardigrade DNA damage Response 1 (TDR1). We found that TDR1 protein interacts with DNA and forms aggregates at high concentration suggesting it may condensate DNA and preserve chromosome organization until DNA repair is accomplished. Remarkably, when expressed in human cells, TDR1 improved resistance to Bleomycin, a radiomimetic drug. Based on these findings, we propose that TDR1 is a novel tardigrade-specific gene conferring resistance to IR. Our study sheds light on mechanisms of DNA repair helping cope with high levels of DNA damage inflicted by IR.
Attention-enhanced gated recurrent unit for action recognition in tennis
Authors: Gao Meng , Ju Bingchun
Published: January 2024

Human Action Recognition (HAR) is an essential topic in computer vision and artificial intelligence, focused on the automatic identification and categorization of human actions or activities from video sequences or sensor data. The goal of HAR is to teach machines to comprehend and interpret human movements, gestures, and behaviors, allowing for a wide range of applications in areas such as surveillance, healthcare, sports analysis, and human-computer interaction. HAR systems utilize a variety of techniques, including deep learning, motion analysis, and feature extraction, to capture and analyze the spatiotemporal characteristics of human actions. These systems have the capacity to distinguish between various actions, whether they are simple actions like walking and waving or more complex activities such as playing a musical instrument or performing sports maneuvers. HAR continues to be an active area of research and development, with the potential to enhance numerous real-world applications by providing machines with the ability to understand and respond to human actions effectively. In our study, we developed a HAR system to recognize actions in tennis using an attention-based gated recurrent unit (GRU), a prevalent recurrent neural network. The combination of GRU architecture and attention mechanism showed a significant improvement in prediction power compared to two other deep learning models. Our models were trained on the THETIS dataset, one of the standard medium-sized datasets for fine-grained tennis actions. The effectiveness of the proposed model was confirmed by three different types of image encoders: InceptionV3, DenseNet, and EfficientNetB5. The models developed with InceptionV3, DenseNet, and EfficientNetB5 achieved average ROC-AUC values of 0.97, 0.98, and 0.81, respectively. While, the models obtained average PR-AUC values of 0.84, 0.87, and 0.49 for InceptionV3, DenseNet, and EfficientNetB5 features, respectively. The experimental results confirmed the applicability of our proposed method in recognizing action in tennis and may be applied to other HAR problems.
Investigating Escherichia coli habitat transition from sediments to water in tropical urban lakes
Authors: Liu Boyu , Lee Choon Weng , Bong Chui Wei , Wang Ai-Jun
Published: January 2024

Background

Escherichia coli is a commonly used faecal indicator bacterium to assess the level of faecal contamination in aquatic habitats. However, extensive studies have reported that sediment acts as a natural reservoir of E. coli in the extraintestinal environment. E. coli can be released from the sediment, and this may lead to overestimating the level of faecal contamination during water quality surveillance. Thus, we aimed to investigate the effects of E. coli habitat transition from sediment to water on its abundance in the water column.

Methods

This study enumerated the abundance of E. coli in the water and sediment at five urban lakes in the Kuala Lumpur-Petaling Jaya area, state of Selangor, Malaysia. We developed a novel method for measuring habitat transition rate of sediment E. coli to the water column, and evaluated the effects of habitat transition on E. coli abundance in the water column after accounting for its decay in the water column.

Results

The abundance of E. coli in the sediment ranged from below detection to 12,000 cfu g–1, and was about one order higher than in the water column (1 to 2,300 cfu mL–1). The habitat transition rates ranged from 0.03 to 0.41 h–1. In contrast, the E. coli decay rates ranged from 0.02 to 0.16 h−1. In most cases (>80%), the habitat transition rates were higher than the decay rates in our study.

Discussion

Our study provided a possible explanation for the persistence of E. coli in tropical lakes. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first quantitative study on habitat transition of E. coli from sediments to water column.
CUIDADOS DOMICILIARIOS PARA PERSONAS MAYORES DEPENDIENTES: UNA REVISIÓN DE ALCANCE
Authors: Iriarte Parra Evelyn , Araya Alejandra-Ximena
Published: January 2024

INTRODUCCIÓN: Existe escasa evidencia que indague en los aspectos psicosociales del cuidado, considerando la perspectiva de quienes cuidan a personas mayores (PM) dependientes para diseñar intervenciones idóneas para los cuidadores informales y las PM. OBJETIVO: Sintetizar la evidencia disponible en torno a los cuidados domiciliarios disponibles para PM dependientes con un fuerte énfasis en los cuidadores informales. MATERIALES Y MÉTODOS: Se realizó una búsqueda de artículos publicados en los últimos 10 años (enero 2012 hasta enero 2022) en dos bases de datos revisadas por pares. Se identificaron un total de 116 artículos y 42 artículos fueron revisados. RESULTADOS: Los resultados identificados fueron agrupados en: (1) factores que influyen en la sobrecarga o calidad de vida del cuidador, (2) necesidades de cuidado en la diada, (3) intervenciones o recomendaciones de cuidados para la diada, (4) uso de redes de apoyo al cuidado (informal y formal). CONCLUSIONES: Las implicancias para la práctica clínica de esta revisión implican profundizar en las necesidades sentidas de los cuidadores y conexión con la red de estatal y territorial. Lo anterior impacta directamente en los factores que influyen en la percepción de sobrecarga del cuidador, así como también en su calidad de vida. Investigar el rol del cuidador a través de la generación de evidencia robusta es aún una tarea pendiente.
PRÁCTICAS DE CRIANZA EN ALIMENTACIÓN, CONDUCTA ALIMENTARIA Y RIESGO DE DIABETES: UNA REVISIÓN SISTEMÁTICA
Authors: Wilson Mendivil Lilian Yunueth , Bañuelos-Barrera Yolanda , Miranda-Félix Patricia Enedina , Ortiz-Félix Rosario Edith , Bañuelos-Barrera Patricia
Published: January 2024

INTRODUCCIÓN: Las prácticas de crianza en alimentación y la conducta alimentaria han sido ampliamente estudiadas en niños, sin embargo, es necesario proporcionar información sobre su impacto en adultos. La evidencia sugiere que las prácticas de crianza en alimentación pueden tener un impacto en la conducta alimentarias emocional, descontrolada, restrictiva y desordenada, las cuales están asociadas con el incremento del Índice de masa corporal (IMC), el sobrepeso y la obesidad, mismos que se encuentran como principal factor de riesgo para el desarrollo de DT2. OBJETIVO: analizar través de una revisión sistemática la evidencia existente acerca de la relación entre las prácticas de crianza en alimentación, la conducta alimentaria y el riesgo de diabetes en adultos. METODOLOGÍA: Se realizó una búsqueda de literatura publicada de 2013 a 2023 en las bases de datos Pubmed, Scopus, EBSCOhost, Clarivate Science Citation Index Expanded y SpringerLink. Se identificaron 459 estudios, luego de aplicar los criterios de exclusión, se revisaron 15 estudios en total. RESULTADOS: Las subescalas de las prácticas de crianza en alimentación más empleadas fueron: preocupación, control, presión para comer y restricción. Se encontró asociación entre las prácticas de crianza en alimentación, la conducta alimentaria y el incremento del IMC. CONCLUSIÓN: Se consideran insuficientes las investigaciones que muestran el impacto de las prácticas de crianza en alimentación sobre la conducta alimentaria y si estas a su vez tienen efectos en el riesgo de diabetes en la etapa adulta.
Shear Bond Strength of Veneering Composite Versus Different Polyetheretherketone Materials after Various Surface Treatments: An In-vitro Study
Authors: Vishnupriya Venkatasubramanian , Vidhyasankari N , Mathew Chalakuzhiyil Abraham , Maheshwaran Marappan , Rajkumar Krishnan , Biju Katturkaran Antonisamy , Sakthignanavel Shanmugam , Vijayalakshmi Vijayakumar
Published: January 2024

Introduction: Polyetheretherketone, also known as PEEK, is a semicrystalline thermoplastic material with many advantages. Since its grey material, it has to veneering with composite resin to enhance its aesthetic appeal. Bonding PEEK and composite veneers poses challenges due to its inert surface. Aim: To assess and compare the Shear Bond Strength (SBS) between various polyetheretherketone materials and veneering composites following various surface treatments. Materials and Methods: The in-vitro study was conducted at KSR Dental College and Hospital in Tiruchengode, Tamil Nadu, India, over a period of three months from December 2022 to February 2023. A total of 108 PEEK discs were prepared for the study, divided into three groups: unfilled PEEK, 30% carbon reinforced PEEK, and 10% carbon + 10% graphite + 10% Polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) reinforced PEEK. The specimens underwent different surface treatments, including no treatment, sandblasting with 110 um alumina particles, and acid etching with 98% sulphuric acid. Additionally, 108 composite discs were prepared and bonded to the PEEK specimens using adhesive and resin cement. The bonded specimens were immersed in distilled water for 24 hours, and the Shear Bond Strength (SBS) was determined using a universal testing machine. Statistical analysis was performed using one-way ANOVA, and mean values were compared using posthoc tests. Results: The results indicated significant variation in SBS among the three groups without treatment (p=0.011) and after sandblasting with 110 um alumina (p=<0.001). The 30% carbon reinforced PEEK exhibited the highest SBS regardless of the surface treatments. Conclusion: Among the tested materials, 30% carbon reinforced PEEK demonstrated the highest SBS, regardless of the surface treatments. Acid etching yielded the highest SBS among the various surface treatments, irrespective of the type of PEEK material used.
Establishment of Reference Interval of Thyroid Hormones and Autoantibodies: A Cross-sectional Study
Authors: Resmy K , Krishnan Sajitha , Gayathri S , Pradeep Pooja , Babu Anju , Keerthana G , Nandini K
Published: January 2024

Introduction: The accurate diagnosis of thyroid disease relies on the sensitivity and specificity of laboratory tests, which require specific reference intervals. Thyroid hormone levels can be influenced by factors such as age, gender, iodine intake and geographical region. Therefore, it is recommended for clinical laboratories to establish their own reference intervals. Aim: To establish reference intervals for Thyroid Stimulating Hormone (TSH), Free Thyroxine (FT4), Anti-thyroglobulin antibody (anti-TG), and Anti-Thyroid Peroxidase Antibody (antiTPO) in males and and females. Materials and Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted in the Department of Biochemistry, Amrita Institute of Medical Sciences (AIMS), Kochi, India, from December 2021 to July 2022. The study included 217 apparently healthy subjects aged between 18 years and 60 years. TSH, FT4, anti-TPO, and anti-TG levels were analysed to establish reference values for males and females in the two age groups: 18-40 years and 41-60 years. Reference intervals for thyroid parameters were expressed as mean±Standard Deviation (SD), median, 2.5th and 97.5th percentiles. The Mann-Whitney U test was used to assess the statistical significance of thyroid parameters between gender and age groups. Results: The mean age in the female population was 38.24±11.64 years, while in the male population, it was 39.24±10.98 years. The reference intervals and cut-offs for TSH, FT4, anti-TG and anti-TPO in females were determined as 0.80-4.12 μIU/mL, 0.99- 1.57 ngm/mL, <85.33 IU/mL and <45.13 IU/mL, respectively. In males, the reference intervals and cut-offs for TSH, FT4, anti-TG and anti-TPO were determined as 0.51-5.09 μIU/mL, 1.03-1.79 ng/mL, <87.09 IU/mL and <33.88 IU/mL, respectively. There was a significant difference in anti-TPO (p-value=0.017) in males between the two age groups. A significant difference was also observed in FT4 (p-value=0.010) and anti-TPO (p-value=0.034) between males and females. Conclusion: The study successfully established reference intervals and cut-off values for TSH, FT4, anti-TG, and antiTPO. It was found that anti-TPO levels decrease significantly with age progression. Additionally, the reference interval for TSH was wider in the 41-60 years age group compared to the younger age group.
Profile of Acute Poisoning and Its Outcome in Children Admitted to a Tertiary Care Hospital in Northeast India: A Cohort Study
Authors: Shira Caroline D , Boruah Manjit , Das Himadri
Published: January 2024

Introduction: Acute poisoning in children is an important public health problem. It is a significant paediatric emergency in both developing and developed countries, leading to preventable morbidity and mortality. While there is substantial research literature on acute childhood poisoning from developed countries, there is a lack of data from developing countries like India due to inadequate and poor surveillance of poisoning-related data. Aim: To investigate the clinical and epidemiological profile, as well as the outcome, of acute poisoning in children admitted to the paediatric emergency department of a tertiary care hospital in Northeast India. Materials and Methods: This prospective cohort study was conducted in the Paediatrics department of Assam Medical College and Hospital, Dibrugarh, Assam, India, from April 1, 2021, to March 31, 2022. All children under the age of 12 years who presented to the paediatric department with a history of exposure to toxic substances were included in the study. The admitted children were assessed in terms of demographic variables, type of poison, route of poisoning, time of presentation, circumstances of poisoning, storage place of poison, clinical presentation, and interventions provided. Data were presented as mean and frequency. Results: A total of 78 children under 12 years of age were enrolled in the study, with a mean age of three years and three months at presentation. The majority of cases (96.2%) involved accidental poisoning, while a small proportion (3.8%) was due to suicidal poisoning. Of the two reported cases of suicidal poisoning, one involved a male child and the other involved a female child. Both children were above six years of age. The most common causes of poisoning were kerosene (34.6%), organophosphorus compounds (10.3%), and liquid mosquito repellents (9.1%). Conclusion: This study revealed both unintentional and intentional poisoning cases, with a high prevalence of accidental poisoning observed in children below three years of age. Kerosene was identified as the most common cause of childhood poisoning.
Assessment of Subclinical Cardiovascular Disease Risk by Measuring Carotid Intima Media Thickness in Rheumatoid Arthritis Patients: A Cross-sectional Study
Authors: Singh Tamanna , Chaubey Manaswi , Bhattnagar Ranjan , Mayank Niharika , Debuka Aditya
Published: January 2024

Introduction: Rheumatoid Arthritis (RA) is a chronic inflammatory disease that affects both synovial joints and extra-articular regions. Patients with RA have an increased risk of Cardiovascular Disease (CVD), leading to premature mortality. Aim: To assess subclinical atherosclerosis in RA patients using Carotid Intima Media Thickness (CIMT) and compare it with age-matched healthy individuals. Materials and Methods: This cross-sectional study included 50 RA patients and 50 healthy age- and sex-matched controls. Ultrasound was used to measure CIMT, which serves as an indicator of subclinical atherosclerosis. Framingham, Atherosclerotic CVD (ASCVD) risk scores, and QRISK3 scores were used to estimate the 10-year CVD risk. Student’s t-test and Chi-square test were used to identify statistically significant differences. Results: RA patients had significantly higher mean CIMT values compared to controls (p-value<0.001), indicating an increased burden of atherosclerosis. While ASCVD scores were comparable, Framingham scores were significantly lower (p-value=0.028), and QRISK3 scores were significantly higher (p-value=0.007) in RA patients. This suggests an underestimation of CVD risk by Framingham and potentially better prediction by QRISK3. Conclusion: The study highlights that RA patients have a higher burden of atherosclerotic disease compared to healthy adults of the same age when CIMT is used as a marker of atherosclerosis. These findings indicate the need for early CVD risk assessment and intervention in RA patients using appropriate risk-scoring systems and tools. Further research with larger sample sizes and longitudinal follow-up is warranted to confirm these findings.
К моделированию медленных колебаний и статического взаимодействия литосферных отдельностей, "Наука юга России"
Authors: Телятников И.С. , Павлова А.В.
Published: January 2024

Исследование направлено на развитие механико-математических моделей и методов изучения напряженно-деформированного состояния геофизических структур, подверженных статическому нагружению, а также низкочастотным гармоническим нагрузкам. Представлен метод решения задач о статическом взаимодействии системы плит покрытия с упругой подложкой. В рамках данной модели выражения для смещений лицевой поверхности и контактных напряжений построены на основе решения матрично-функциональных уравнений Винера – Хопфа, к которым сводится исходная задача. Наряду со статической задачей, возникающей при исследовании факторов, влияющих на прочностные свойства геологических структур, также рассмотрена задача о длиннопериодных установившихся колебаниях системы покрытие/подложка.
Содержание и распределение разных форм меди и цинка в черноземе южном в ампелоценозах Ростовской области, "Наука юга России"
Authors: Кучеренко А.В. , Бирюкова О.А.
Published: January 2024

Приведены результаты исследований содержания и распределения разных форм меди и цинка в черноземе южном в ампелоценозах центральной орошаемой природно-сельскохозяйственной зоны Ростовской области. Содержание валовых и подвижных форм меди и цинка в почвах про- изводственных полей соответствует фоновому уровню и не превышает предельно допустимых концентраций. По содержанию подвижных форм биомикроэлементов обеспеченность чернозема южного цинком низкая (<2,0 мг/кг), медью – средняя (0,21 0,50 мг/кг). При расчете коэффициентов радиальной дифференциации выявлена общая закономерность в распределении валовых и подвижных соединений меди и цинка в условиях ампелоценоза, обусловленная их постепенным снижением вниз по почвенному профилю и активным накоплением в гумусо-аккумулятивных горизонтах. Содержание валовой формы меди (горизонт Ап 62,69 мг/кг) убывает вниз по профилю на 31,7 %, до 42,80 мг/кг, в горизонте С, содержание валового цинка в горизонте Ап составляет 98,47 мг/кг и снижается на 20,6 %, до 78,18 мг/кг, в горизонте С. Содержание подвижных форм микроэлементов также характеризуется постепенным снижением: количество меди в горизонте Ап составляет 0,29 мг/кг, снижаясь на 34,5 % вниз по профилю, до 0,19 мг/кг (горизонт С), количество цинка уменьшается на 50 % с горизонта Ап (0,36 мг/кг) до горизонта C (0,18 мг/кг). Низкое содержание подвижных соединений биомикроэлементов в черноземе южном обусловлено его физико-химическими свойствами, в том числе и содержанием карбонатов. Отмечена обратная корреляционная связь между исследуемыми микроэлементами и CaO: для меди r = 0,85, для цинка r = 0,81.
Quality Characteristics and Sensory Properties of Bread Elaborated with Flour Blends of Wheat and African Yam Bean
Authors: Alugwu Samson Ugochukwu , Alugwu Brenda Unoma , Ifeanyieze Florence Obiageli
Published: January 2024

This study evaluated quality characteristics and sensory properties of bread elaborated with flour blends of wheat and African yam bean. The wheat flour was procured, while the purchased African yam bean seeds were cleaned, sorted, washed and steeped in 2.5 litres of clean water for 12 h with intermittent changing of soaking water at 3 h intervals, drained, sprayed on moistened jute bag spread on malting table and covered with moistened jute bag. The seeds were germinated for 72 h with occasional sprinkling of water. Thereafter, harvested imbibed seeds were dried in a hot air oven at 60⁰C for 12 h and converted into flour with attrition mill. Wheat flour and African Yam Bean flour were sieved individually with 60 mm mesh size sieve. The flours were blended in the percentage ratios (W: W) of 100:0, 90:10, 80:20 and 70:30 for samples A, B, C and D, respectively. Three grams of yeast (Saccharomyces cerevisiae, Foshan Ceng Goa Food Co. Ltd, De Rich Instant Dry) were dissolved in clean bowl with 30 l of water and 10 g sugar of the stipulated receipe and left for 1 h to activate at ambient temperature (29 ± 1⁰C). The flour blends were evaluated for proximate composition, functional properties and consumer acceptability. Preference ranking tests were conducted to describe and evaluate the acceptability of the bread loaves according to hedonic scale on texture, flavour, colour and overall acceptability using a 9-point, where1 = dislike extremely and 9 = extremely like. The data generated were analyzed statistically using one way analysis of variance and means separated by Tukey test at 5% level of Significance. The results showed that sample D – 30% substituted African yam bean flour had higher swelling index (1.81g/g), water absorption capacity (160.00%), protein content (14.89 %), fat content (2.80%), panelists textural scores (6.55) and the least flavour scores (4.05),colour scores (5.70) and overall acceptability scores (3.85) compared to other samples. There were no statistically significant differences (p > 0.05) in overall acceptability scores of samples B, C and D. The overall acceptability scores showed that samples acceptance decreased with increased levels of substitution with African yam bean seed flour.
Assessing the Positioning of Rainwater Harvesting Systems in Recep Tayyip Erdoğan University Campuses Using Multi-Criteria Decision-Making Methods
Authors: Bekiryazici Fatih
Published: January 2024

Multi-Criteria Decision-Making (MCDM) Methods provide an instrumental tool for the investigation of current decision-making procedures. Such a decision-making problem is the process of determining the most suitable position for rainwater harvesting systems. In this short communication, TOPSIS method is suggested as a sample Multi-Criteria Decision-Making method and the main campus of Recep Tayyip Erdoğan University is used as an application of the method for this problem. TOPSIS method results show that the Student Life Center Roof is found as the most suitable location with a similarity coefficient of S_1^*=0.6789 also results show that Multi-Criteria Decision-Making methods can provide a fast and practical technique for determining the position for rainwater harvesting systems in university campuses.
Exploring Transformational Leadership Practices among School Leaders in Korean Schools
Authors: Ko John
Published: January 2024

This study explored transformational leadership practices among school leaders in Korean Schools specifically in Baguio City, Philippines. Utilizing a combined-method approach, the respondent pool consisted of 20 school heads and 108 teachers from three Korean schools in Baguio City and La Trinidad, carefully selected through purposive sampling. The data collection process encompassed dual sets of questionnaires and interviews tailored for both school heads and teachers. The gathered data was processed using frequency counts and percentages, weighted mean, F-test, and Pearson correlation which formed the basis for the discussion and interpretation of data in the results and discussion section of the paper. Findings revealed consistent engagement in highly practiced transformational behaviors, with a notable emphasis on clear communication, continuous support, coaching, and mentorship. Education level and tenure of service emerged as key factors, indicating a significant effect on leadership practices and their impact on teachers. However, challenges such as resource constraints pose hurdles that need addressing. Recommendations include recognition programs for academic accomplishments, fostering intergenerational collaboration, and implementing personalized coaching and mentorship initiatives to enhance leadership effectiveness. Strategies to overcome resource constraints involve exploring partnerships and optimizing resource utilization for sustainable transformational leadership practices. The Korean schools may implement suggested strategies, promoting the effectiveness of school head transformational leadership practices and ultimately contributing to a thriving educational environment.
Comparative Growth Performance of Genetically Improved, Chinese, and Local Strains of Rainbow Trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss) in Mid-hill Nepal
Authors: Mahato Ishori Singh , Paudel Krishna , Shrestha Abhimanyu
Published: January 2024

Aims: This study aimed to evaluate the growth performance of rainbow trout fry (Oncorhynchus mykiss) derived from the best performing families in a previous experiment.

Study Design:  Experimental (Original Research Article).

Place and Duration of Study: Fisheries Research Station (FRS), Trishuli Nepal, between April 2021 and June 2021.

Methodology: A total of 2700 fry with similar initial weights were randomly assigned to three groups based on their origin: Farmers Trout (T1:1.39±0.16g), Chinese Trout (T2: 1.40±0.06g), and Genetically Improved Trout (T3: 1.19±0.1g), each group replicated thrice with 300 fish per tank. The parameters assessed were weight gain, feed conversion ratio, and survival rate. All fish were fed farm-made feed for 90 days with fortnightly sampling.

Results: The Genetically Improved trout group exhibited the highest weight gain (14.22±0.51g), followed by the Chinese trout (13.08±0.24g), and Farmers trout (10.77±0.82g) groups (P=.01). The specific growth rate followed a similar trend, with the Genetic group showing the highest value of 4.28±0.08% and the Farmers group showing the lowest value of 3.60±0.07% (P=.01). However, there was no significant difference in the feed conversion ratio among the groups, which ranged from 0.77 to 1.07. Conversely, the Chinese group's fry demonstrated a significantly higher survival rate (77.94±3.63%) compared to the Genetic (72.33±1.09%) and Farmers (59.28±4.6%) groups (P=.02).

Conclusion: The weight gain and growth rate of genetically enhanced rainbow trout is considerably higher and may enhance the production and profitability of the rainbow culture in Nepal. However, the performance of genetically improved trout requires more validation in farmer’s raceways.
Biomolecular Characterization of Lactic Acid Bacteria (Lactobacilli and Cocci) Isolated from Nonnonkoumou, a Artisanal Milk Curd in Daloa, Côte D’ivoire
Authors: Jostasie Dogoua Koko Guillaine , Christelle Assohoun-Djeni Nanouman Marina , Clément Kouassi Kouassi , Théodore Djeni N’dédé
Published: January 2024

Nonnonkoumou is an artisanal sour milk consumed in Côte d'Ivoire, particularly in the town of Daloa. Its production is carried out under uncontrolled conditions and uses a variety of lactic acid bacteria. The main objective of this study was to characterize the cocci and lactobacilli present in the nonnonkoumou. The cocci had the highest loads going from 8.31 ± 0.14 log CFU / mL to 6.76 ± 0.01 log CFU / mL compared to the lactobacilli which had loads between 6.12 ± 0.30 log CFU / mL and 4.35 ± 0.42 log CFU / ml. This preponderance of cocci in all the nonnonkoumou samples taken in comparison to bacilli have been shown through the cocci / bacilli ratio which varied from 1.9 to 1.22. PCR followed by Amplified Ribosomal DNA Restriction Analysis (ARDRA) after enzymatic digestion with Hae III and Hinf I have revealed 4 Hinf I profiles and 3 Hae III for lactobacilli and 2 Hae III profiles and 4 Hinf I profiles for cocci. This technique has revealed 4 species of lactobacilli isolated from nonnonkoumou which are Lactobacillus reuteri, Lactobacillus paracasei, Lactobacillus plantarum and Fructobacillus durionis and 6 groups of cocci corresponding to 6 species. The species identified during this study made it possible to understand their technological role and their contribution to the health quality of nonnonkoumou.
Effect of Natural Farming on Soil Health, Growth, Yield and Quality of Sorghum-Oat Fodder Production System
Authors: Kumar Sushant , Kumar Rajesh , Tripathi Ankur , Singh Vikash , Azam Kamaran , Verma Ashish Kumar
Published: January 2024

The field experiment was conducted on fodder sorghum (Sorghum bicolor L.) and fodder oat (Avena sativa L.) during the kharif and rabi season in 2022-23 at GPB Research Farm, Acharya Narendra Deva University of Agriculture & Technology, Kumarganj, Ayodhya (U.P). The experiment was laid out in randomized block design (RBD). Results revealed that the growth parameters of kharif sorghum and rabi oat viz., plant population (20.96 m-1 and 71.83 m-1), plant height (190.00 cm and 112.42 cm), Leaf: stem ratio (0.74 and 0.38), green fodder yield (274.46 q ha-1 and 263.9 q ha-1), dry fodder yield (68.61 q ha-1 and 65.97 q ha-1) and quality parameters viz., crude protein content (8.83 % and 7.84 %), crude protein yield (6.06 q ha-1 and 5.17 q ha-1), ADF (40.22 % and 44.31 %) and NDF (65.59 % and 73.61%) at harvest was improved by different organic treatments over control, being highest under FYM @ 5 t ha- 1 + Natural farming with mulch followed by FYM @ 5 t ha-1 + Natural farming without mulch.
The Effect of Various Doses of Zinc on the Growth and Yield of Soybean Crop, Glycine Max, L
Authors: Ahirwar Surendra Kumar , Kumar Anil , Bhargava Ragni , Patel Ravi , Dwarka  , Singh Ompal , Sharma Sachin , Jain Sumeet Kumar , Jain Deepanshu , Ahirwar Manoj Kumar
Published: January 2024

Investigate Zn application effects on soybean (Glycine max L.) yield and its components (number of pods per plant, number of seeds per pod and 1000 grain weight), a field experiment conducted at unit research farm, School of Agriculture, Eklavya University, Damoh, Madhya Pradesh in Kharif Session 2022-23. The experiment was arranged in split plot of a randomized complete block design and replicated three times. Parameters measured were grain yield, harvest index, first pod height, number of pods per plant, number of seeds per pod and 1000 grain weight. There was a significant and positive correlation between grain yield and its components. The plant height increased with the increasing levels of Zn at 30, 45, and 90 DAS over control. The higher Zn levels i.e. 2.5, 5.0, 7.5 and 10 kg Zn ha-1 was statistically at par. Lowest height was observed at control and highest at 10 kg Zn ha-1. The highest stover yield of 3.78 t ha-1 was observed with 5.0 kg Zn ha-1 and higher levels were found statistically at par.
Plastic bronchitis in children: A case series and review of the medical literature
Authors: Brogan Thomas V. , Finn Laura S. , Pyskaty D. James , Redding Gregory J. , Ricker David , Inglis Andrew , Gibson Ronald L.
Published: November 2002

Plastic bronchitis is characterized by marked obstruction of the large airways by bronchial casts. We reviewed our experience and the literature to determine whether mortality rates are determined by underlying disease or cast type. We present 3 children with obstructive bronchial casts. One 3‐year‐old patient with Noonan's syndrome developed respiratory failure following surgery for tetralogy of Fallot requiring support with extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) the first such case. There were 42 cases in the literature of children with plastic bronchitis. Casts may be divided into two types. Type I casts are inflammatory, consisting mainly of fibrin with cellular infiltrates, and occur in inflammatory diseases of the lung. Type II, or acellular casts, consist mainly of mucin with a few cells, and usually occur following surgery for congenital cardiac defects. Patients categorized by underlying disease included 31% with asthma or allergic disease, 40% with underlying cardiac defects, and 29% with other diseases. Mortality was 16%, but increased to 29% in patients with cardiac defects. Deaths occurred as long as 1 year after surgical repair for underlying defects. There were no deaths in patients with asthma. Life‐threatening events were statistically higher in patients with cardiac defects (41%) than in those with asthma (0%, P = 0.02). Higher mortality in patients with type II casts compared to type I casts did not reach statistical significance (28% vs. 6%; P = 0.06). In conclusion, patients presenting with plastic bronchitis are at high risk for serious complications, especially with underlying cardiac disease. Pediatr Pulmonol. 2002; 34:482–487. © 2002 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
S‐[18F]fluoromethyl‐(+)‐McN5652, a PET tracer for the serotonin transporter: Evaluation in rats
Authors: Marjamäki Päivi , Zessin Jörg , Eskola Olli , Grönroos Tove , Haaparanta Merja , Bergman Jörgen , Lehikoinen Pertti , Forsback Sarita , Brust Peter , Steinbach Jörg , Solin Olof
Published: November 2002

The [18F]fluoromethyl analog of (+)‐McN5652 ([18F]FMe‐McN) for imaging serotonin transporter (SERT) with positron emission tomography (PET) has recently been synthesized. We describe here the biological evaluation of [18F]FMe‐McN in rats. Biodistribution studies of [18F]FMe‐McN in rat brain ex vivo after an intravenous injection showed a high accumulation of radioactivity in the regions rich in SERT, such as raphe nuclei, hypothalamus, thalamus, substantia nigra, locus coeruleus, and amygdala. Region‐to‐cerebellum ratios reached a maximum value of 9 in raphe nuclei within 3.5 h after administration. The specificity and selectivity of [18F]FMe‐McN binding to SERT was studied by preinjecting blocking doses of serotonin, norepinephrine, and dopamine transporter inhibitors. Fluoxetine, a specific inhibitor for SERT, decreased the specific binding of [18F]FMe‐McN in raphe nuclei by 91 ± 4%; in other regions rich in SERT, similar results were obtained. GBR12909 and nisoxetine, selective inhibitors for dopamine transporter (DAT) and norepinephrine transporter (NET), respectively, showed no significant effects on the uptake of [18F]FMe‐McN. Our studies show that [18F]FMe‐McN has a clear potential as a tracer for studies with PET of SERT function in humans. Synapse 47:45–53, 2003. © 2002 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Influence of end shape, temperature, and time on the switching of small magnetic elements
Authors: Yi G. , Aitchison P. R. , Doyle W. D. , Chapman J. N. , Wilkinson C. D. W.
Published: November 2002

The switching characteristics of 10 nm thick permalloy elements with submicron widths has been studied by Lorentz microscopy. Of particular interest were the changes that occurred when the end-shape of the elements was modified. Gentle curving of the ends led to a reduction in switching field compared with an equivalent element with square ends. The principal reason for this was the different magnetization configurations found close to the element ends. At a temperature of 150 °C switching fields fell markedly, though those for elements with gently curved ends remained consistently lower. While most of the elements under study supported only high moment remanent states, intermediate low moment remanent states could be induced in elements of a certain size. The conditions under which this occurred are discussed.
Magnetic structure and hysteresis in hard magnetic nanocrystalline film: Computer simulation
Authors: Jin Yongmei M. , Wang Yu U. , Kazaryan Andrei , Wang Yunzhi , Laughlin David E. , Khachaturyan Armen G.
Published: November 2002

Three-dimensional micromagnetic simulations are used to study the effect of crystallographic textures on the magnetic properties of uniaxial nanocrystalline films of hard magnetic materials with arbitrary grain shapes and size distributions. The correlation lengths (effective ferromagnetic exchange interaction radius and domain wall width) are assumed to be smaller than the typical grain size. The Landau–Lifshitz equations of magnetization dynamics are employed to describe the distribution of magnetization in ferromagnetic domains, domain evolution during magnetization switching, and the hysteresis curve. The equations are solved numerically in reciprocal space using the fast Fourier transform technique. Simulations are performed for films of different grain textures. The results show that magnetic coupling between grains in thin films significantly affects the morphology of the magnetic domains and their response to the magnetic field applied. The greater the deviation of the uniaxial directions of the grains from the film normal, the smaller the coercivity and the remanence magnetization. It is also shown that the remanence magnetization and coercivity respond differently to the variations in film texture and that the magnetic reversal process is a collective process involving groups of grains. In particular, it is found that the crystallographic texture of the grains has a more complicated effect on the coercivity than on the remanence magnetization and on the character of topological changes during the magnetization reversal process.
Spectral dependence of signal distortions in spatially resolved photothermal radiometry
Authors: Paoloni S. , Fournier D.
Published: November 2002

We consider a photothermal microscope based on spatially resolved IR radiometry to perform thermal diffusivity measurements. We analyze the influence of the detected IR wavelength range on the signal distortion arising from nonlinearity in the IR emission and diffraction effects. These distortions, which are responsible for raising the phase profile and hence for a thermal diffusivity overestimate, are further enhanced if the short wavelength portion of the emitted IR spectra is selected for a given heating power. A theoretical explanation is given which is confirmed by measurements.
Semi-empirical approach for the analysis of infrared photothermal microscopy
Authors: Paoloni S. , Fournier D.
Published: November 2002

Thermal diffusivity measurement by IR photothermal microscope is analyzed in this article. In order to avoid artifacts in thermal diffusivity estimation, data must be carefully analyzed with a model including signal distortions coming from diffraction and nonlinearity in IR emission. We present an alternative method for signal analysis. The key aspect is the possibility to estimate the quantities involved in the signal description directly from the experimental data obtained for properly selected conditions. This approach is particularly useful when the distortions are relevant, as in case of shifted spectral bandwidth toward the short wavelength of the IR detector with respect to the typical range 2–12 μm. This situation is typical when a CO2 laser is used as pump beam to investigate visible transparent samples. The method is applied to estimate the thermal diffusivity of an uncoated BK7 glass sample.
Electrical response of amorphous silicon thin-film transistors under mechanical strain
Authors: Gleskova H. , Wagner S. , Soboyejo W. , Suo Z.
Published: November 2002

We evaluated amorphous silicon thin-film transistors (TFTs) fabricated on polyimide foil under uniaxial compressive or tensile strain. The strain was induced by bending or stretching. The on- current and hence the electron linear mobility μ depend on strain ε as μ=μ0(1+26×ε), where tensile strain has a positive sign and the strain is parallel to the TFT source-drain current path. Upon the application of compressive or tensile strain the mobility changes “instantly” and under compression then remains constant for up to 40 h. In tension, the TFTs fail mechanically at a strain of about +0.003 but recover if the strain is released “immediately.”
High-temperature performance in ∼4 μm type-II quantum well lasers with increased strain
Authors: Ongstad Andrew P. , Kaspi Ron , Chavez Joeseph R. , Dente Gregory C. , Tilton Michael L. , Gianardi Donald M.
Published: November 2002

In this article, we report on a systematic study of mid-IR, W-Integrated Absorber (W-IA), lasers that employ strained InAs/InxGa1−xSb/InAs active layers, in which the indium content of the hole bearing InxGa1−xSb has been varied from xIn=0 to xIn=0.45. The output characteristics of the lasers improve as the In percentage is increased; the threshold temperature sensitivity (T0) values are observed to increase from ≈35 to ≈50 K. Further, the differential quantum efficiencies as a function of temperature are significantly improved in the devices with xIn⩾0.25. For samples with nominally eight monolayers (8 ML) InAs/7 ML InxGa1−xSb/8 ML InAs, the lasing wavelength at 84 K is observed to shift from 3.33 μm for xIn=0 out to a maximum of 4.62 μm for xIn=0.35. This large shift is well predicted by an empirical psuedopotential model; the model also predicts that the position of the hole wave function is sensitively dependent on strain level and that for xIn<0.25, the holes are no longer confined in the W active region, but rather in the thick IA layers where they experience a bulklike density of states. This suggests that the improved thermal performance with increasing strain is due to the onset of hole quantum confinement in the W region, and improved or deeper hole confinement in that epitaxial layer.
Properties of photoluminescence in type-II GaAsSb/GaAs multiple quantum wells
Authors: Chiu Y. S. , Ya M. H. , Su W. S. , Chen Y. F.
Published: November 2002

The optical properties of type-II GaAsSb/GaAs multiple quantum wells were investigated by photoluminescence. It was found that the peak position of photoluminescence (PL) spectra shows a giant blueshift under a moderate optical excitation level. As the pumping intensity increases further, the saturation of the peak position was observed. The giant blueshift can be interpreted in terms of the band-bending effect due to the spatially photoexcited carriers in a type-II alignment. The saturation effect was attributed to the creation of an energy barrier induced by photocarriers, which prevents the charge transfer. The change of integrated photoluminescence intensity with increasing excitation intensity is also consistent with the band-bending model. In addition, the temperature dependence of the PL spectra reveals that the thermal escape of electrons from the GaAs well into the GaAsSb barrier is responsible for the PL quenching.
Magnetic properties of epitaxially grown semiconducting Zn1−xCoxO thin films by pulsed laser deposition
Authors: Kim Jae Hyun , Kim Hyojin , Kim Dojin , Ihm Young Eon , Choo Woong Kil
Published: November 2002

We have characterized Zn1−xCoxO (x=0.25) films grown on sapphire (0001) substrates by pulsed laser deposition using various growth conditions to investigate the growth condition dependence of properties of Co-doped ZnO films. The substrate temperature (TS) was varied from 300 to 700 °C and the O2 pressure (PO2) from 10−6 to 10−1 Torr. When TS is relatively low (≲600 °C), homogeneous alloy films with a wurtzite ZnO structure are grown and predominantly paramagnetic, whereas inhomogeneous films of wurtzite ZnO phase mixed with rock-salt CoO and hexagonal Co phases form when TS is relatively high and PO2 is fairly low (≲10−5 Torr). The presence of Co clusters leads to room temperature ferromagnetism in inhomogeneous films. The temperature dependence of the magnetization for the homogeneous Zn1−xCoxO (x=0.25) films shows spin-glass behavior at low temperature and high temperature Curie–Weiss behavior with a large negative value of the Curie–Weiss temperature, indicating strong antiferromagnetic exchange coupling between Co ions in Zn1−xCoxO. We have found that Co can be dissolved in ZnO over 40% under an optimum growth condition of TS=600 °C and PO2=10−5 Torr, where epitaxial homogeneous Zn1−xCoxO (x=0.25) films of the best crystalline quality are obtained.
Cage effect for the photodissociation of H2O molecules in argon clusters embedded inside neon clusters
Authors: Kanaev A. , Museur L. , Edery F. , Laarmann T. , Möller T.
Published: November 2002

A study of energy relaxation processes of H2O-doped rare gas clusters excited with vacuum ultraviolet synchrotron radiation is presented. An enhanced quenching of electronically excited fragment OH*(A) is observed in ArmNeN clusters (m<102, N≈7.5×103). The doping of interior of small argon clusters has been achieved by using a “sequential pick-up” technique (NeN+H2O+mAr). Due to a low temperature of the Ne host cluster the Ar atoms are fixed around the H2O molecule prohibiting structural rearrangements. A strong decrease of the OH*(A) fluorescence yield has been observed for m>m1=12. This effect is attributed to a formation of the second (m2=54) and higher shells of Ar atoms around the water molecule. The principal contribution from a noncomplete second shell (m2*=32) after a closure of 20 triangular windows in the first shell is suggested. Due to a finite size of the cluster matrix and fast sample renewal, the cage exit and reentry processes can be investigated.