bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
A review on the influence of dietary immunobiotics on the performance, intestinal morphology and immune-related gene expression in post-hatched broiler chicks
Authors: Khaskheli Asad A. , Khaskheli Muhammad I. , Khaskheli Allah J. , Khaskheli Arshad A.
Published: March 2021

The use of antibiotics in the broiler industry is continuously increasing for promoting growth performance, improving the edible meat yield, and preventing microbial infections in the chicks. Due to the extreme misuse of antibiotics, antimicrobial resistance is developing among the broilers and simultaneously to their consumers. Keeping in view these facts current review was planned to understand the effect of different dietary immunobiotics on the performance, intestinal morphology, and immune-related gene expression in post-hatched broiler chicks. The review of the literature indicated that the application of immunobiotics as functional foods and its biological value have been reported by many scientists worldwide. In addition, to develop immunologically functional foods, immunobiotics also help in regulating intestinal immunity. The current review further explored that the immunobiotics regulate intestinal immune homeostasis, cellular and molecular mechanisms. It was also interesting to note that immunobiotics concerning microorganisms stimulate the activation of mucosal immunity in the Gut Associated Lymphoid Tissues (GALT). In vitro studies on the toll-like receptor (TLR) 2-transfected cells showed that immunobiotics can potentially be used to enhance the immune system in the GALT. Keeping in view reviewed studies on immunobiotics it could be concluded that immunobiotics positively influence the performance, intestinal morphology, and immune-related gene expression in post-hatch chicks. They could be used as the best alternative to antibiotics. Keywords: Gut Associated Lymphoid Tissues; Immune system; Prebiotics; Receptors.
Blastocystis sp. : Evaluation of polyclonal antibody prepared from crude protein for serological diagnosis using Rabbit serum
Authors: Susantoputro Septian Hakim , Suwanti Lucia Tri , Ernawati Rahadju , Mufasirin Mufasirin , Koesdarto Setiawan , Tyasningsih Wiwiek , Puspitasari Heni
Published: March 2021

The diagnosis of Blastocystis infection is still based on the clinical sign which is not specific and there is no available serologic test for it. This study aimed to evaluate the polyclonal antibody prepared form crude protein of Blastocystis for the development of the Blastocystis serological test. Crude protein was extracted from the yeast of Blastocystis sp, then inoculated into rabbits to produce the antibody of crude protein. The serum of rabbits would be collected before and after immunization to compare the antibody titer. The profile of crude protein was analyzed using SDS-Page. The rabbit serum was analyzed using ELISA and Western Blot. The SDS-Page result showed bands in 100 kDa, 90 kDa, 70 kDa, 60 kDa, 58 kDa, 50 kDa, 40 kDa, 35 kDa, 30 kDa and 27 kDa. The ELISA assay showed that there was an increase in antibody titer of crude protein after immunization. Western Blot showed that three proteins (30 kDa, 40 kDa and 50 kDa) having immunogenicity characteristic. It is concluded that protein 30 kDa, 40 kDa and 50 kDa prepared from the crude protein of Blastocystis sp. can be used for developing a serologic test for Blastocystis infection. Keywords: Blastocystis sp, Crude Protein, Polyclonal Antibody  .
Growth evaluation of Oreochromis niloticus fed different concentrations of choline and methionine
Authors: Nugroho Rudy Agung , Sari Normala , Aryani Retno , Manurung Hetty , Rudianto Rudianto
Published: March 2021

A 12-week research was conducted to determine the effects of choline and methionine supplementation on the growth performance of Nile tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus). Three diets, P2-P4 with 0.04; 0.08; 0.12 % of choline; P6-P8 with same levels choline plus methionine (0.15 %); a diet with only 0.15 % methionine (P5); and control without any supplementation (P1) were fed to tilapia (initial weight ±21.05 g) for 12 weeks. Final weight (FW), Body Weight Gain (BWG), Average Daily Gain (ADG), Specific Growth Rate (SGR), and Protein Efficiency Ratio (PER), Feed Efficiency (FE), Feed Intake (FI), Feed Conversion Rate (FCR), Survival Rate (SR), crude protein and lipid of fish fed various levels of choline and methionine were also measured. The results showed that tilapia fed 0.04 % choline (P2) had significantly better growth parameters and feed efficiency than other groups. Meanwhile, SR of tilapia was not affected by any supplementation of choline and methionine. The tilapia fed 0.08% choline (P3) showed the highest crude protein (52.50 ± 0.98 %) in the carcass proximate but low lipid (19.03 ± 0.10 %). This finding demonstrated the benefits of choline (0.04-0.08 %) supplementation in the tilapia diet in term of growth and carcass proximate.
Preferensi lokasi penyu bertelur di Pantai Taman Kili-Kili, Kabupaten Trenggalek, Jawa Timur, Indonesia
Authors: Darmawan Arief , Saputra Dhira Khurniawan , Gunawan Ari , Masani Sabul
Published: March 2021

Taman Kili-Kili Beach, Trenggalek Regency, East Java Province is one of location where sea turtles landing and laying their eggs. This location is a community-based conservation area. Based on information from Wonocoyo Village Pokmaswas who worked at the location, the landing and nesting area of sea turtles tends to be on the west side of the coast. This study aimed to provide a scientific explanation of these conditions by using remote sensing data of time series Sentinel Image 2a, beach sand texture data, beach profiles, sea turtle landing location, supratidal area prediction using GIS analysis and eggs data. Result showed that the preference of the landing and nesting area of sea turtles on the west side of Taman Kili-Kili Beach was related to the dynamics of the coastal conditions especially the coastline and supratidal area. Environmental factors greatly influence the dynamics of this supratidal area.
Fabrication of a carbon nanotube/tungsten disulfide visible spectrum
photodetector
Authors: Rashid Haroon , Sapiee Nurfarhana Mohamad , Arsad Norhana , Ahmad Harith , Bakar Ahmad Ashrif A. , Reaz Mamun Ibne
Published: March 2021

Two-dimensional-material-based photodetectors are gaining prominence in optoelectronic
applications, but there are certain factors to consider with bulk
material usage. The demand for a highly responsive and highly
efficient device with an inexpensive fabrication method is always of
paramount importance. Carbon nanotubes (CNT) are well known, owing to
their upheld vigorous structural and optoelectronic characteristics,
but to fabricate them at a large scale involves multifarious
processes. A visible range photodetector device structure developed
using a simple and inexpensive drop-casting technique is reported
here. The optoelectronic characteristics of the device are studied
with IV measurements under light and
dark conditions by incorporating a thin CNT layer on top of a
tungsten-disulfide-based heterojunction photodetector to enhance the
overall characteristics such as detectivity, responsivity,
photocurrent, rise time, and fall time in the visible range of the
light spectrum with a violet light source at 441 nm. In the DC bias
voltage range of

−

20

to 20 V, IV measurements are carried out under dark and illumination
conditions with different incident power densities. The threshold
voltage is recognized at 2.0 V. Photocurrent is found to be highly
dependent on the state of the incident light. For

0.3074

m
W

/

c

m

2

illuminated power, the highest
responsivity and detectivity are determined to be 0.57 A/W and

2.89

×

1

0

11

Jones. These findings encourage an
alternative fabrication method at a large scale to grow CNTs for the
enhancement of optoelectronic properties of present
two-dimensional-material-based optoelectronic and photonics
applications.
In vivo quantitative analysis of anterior chamber white blood cell mixture composition using spectroscopic optical coherence tomography
Authors: Qian Ruobing , McNabb Ryan P. , Zhou Kevin C. , Mousa Hazem M. , Saban Daniel R. , Perez Victor L. , Kuo Anthony N. , Izatt Joseph A.
Published: March 2021

Anterior uveitis is the most common form of intraocular inflammation, and one of its main signs is the presence of white blood cells (WBCs) in the anterior chamber (AC). Clinically, the true composition of cells can currently only be obtained using AC paracentesis, an invasive procedure to obtain AC fluid requiring needle insertion into the AC. We previously developed a spectroscopic optical coherence tomography (SOCT) analysis method to differentiate between populations of RBCs and subtypes of WBCs, including granulocytes, lymphocytes and monocytes, both in vitro and in ACs of excised porcine eyes. We have shown that different types of WBCs have distinct characteristic size distributions, extracted from the backscattered reflectance spectrum of individual cells using Mie theory. Here, we further develop our method to estimate the composition of blood cell mixtures, both in vitro and in vivo. To do so, we estimate the size distribution of unknown cell mixtures by fitting the distribution observed using SOCT with a weighted combination of reference size distributions of each WBC type calculated using kernel density estimation. We validate the accuracy of our estimation in an in vitro study, by comparing our results for a given WBC sample mixture with the cellular concentrations measured by a hemocytometer and SOCT images before mixing. We also conducted a small in vivo quantitative cell mixture validation pilot study which demonstrates congruence between our method and AC paracentesis in two patients with uveitis. The SOCT based method appears promising to provide quantitative diagnostic information of cellular responses in the ACs of patients with uveitis.
Vibration monitoring based on optical sensing of mechanical nonlinearities in glass suspended waveguides
Authors: Casamenti Enrico , Yang Tao , Vlugter Pieter , Bellouard Yves
Published: March 2021

Vibration monitoring plays a key role in numerous applications, including machinery predictive maintenance, shock detection, space applications, packaging-integrity monitoring and mining. Here, we investigate mechanical nonlinearities inherently present in suspended glass waveguides as a means for optically retrieving key vibration pattern information. The principle is to use optical phase changes in a coherent light signal travelling through the suspended glass waveguide to measure both optical path elongation and stress build-up caused by a given vibration state. Due to the intrinsic non-linear mechanical properties of double-clamped beams, we show that this information not only offers a means for detecting excessive vibrations but also allows for identifying specific vibration patterns, such as positive or negative chirp, without the need for any additional signal processing. In addition, the manufacturing process based on femtosecond laser exposure and chemical etching makes this sensing principle not only simple, compact and robust to harsh environments but also scalable to a broad frequency range.
High-efficiency and high-speed narrow-width MOS capacitor-type Si optical modulator with TM mode excitation
Authors: Fujikata Junichi , Takahashi Shigeki , Noguchi Masataka , Nakamura Takahiro
Published: March 2021

We developed a high-speed and high-efficiency narrow-width metal-oxide-semiconductor (MOS) capacitor-type Si optical modulator (Si-MOD) by applying TM optical mode excitation. We designed and fabricated an optical-mode-converter structure from TE to TM mode. Even in the case of a 200-nm width, the Si MOS-MOD showed high-modulation efficiency in TM mode (about 0.18 Vcm), and the electrical capacitance decreased as the MOS junction width decreased. We also demonstrated high-speed operation at 32 Gbps and 40 Gbps for the 30-µm-long Si MOS-MOD in TM mode.
Efficient quantum digital signatures without symmetrization step
Authors: Lu Yu-Shuo , Cao Xiao-Yu , Weng Chen-Xun , Gu Jie , Xie Yuan-Mei , Zhou Min-Gang , Yin Hua-Lei , Chen Zeng-Bing
Published: March 2021

Quantum digital signatures (QDS) exploit quantum laws to guarantee non-repudiation, unforgeability and transferability of messages with information-theoretic security. Current QDS protocols face two major restrictions, including the requirement of the symmetrization step with additional secure classical channels and the quadratic scaling of the signature rate with the probability of detection events. Here, we present an efficient QDS protocol to overcome these issues by utilizing the classical post-processing operation called post-matching method. Our protocol does not need the symmetrization step, and the signature rate scales linearly with the probability of detection events. Simulation results show that the signature rate is three orders of magnitude higher than the original protocol in a 100-km-long fiber. This protocol is compatible with existing quantum communication infrastructure, therefore we anticipate that it will play a significant role in providing digital signatures with unconditional security.
Localized surface plasmon resonance of Au–Cu alloy nanoparticles enhances the performance of polymer photovoltaic devices for outdoor and indoor applications
Authors: Kumar Gautham , Sharma Ganesh D. , Chen Fang-Chung
Published: March 2021

Au-Cu alloy nanoparticles (NPs) are synthesized for triggering localized surface plasmon resonance (LSPR) in organic photovoltaic devices (OPVDs). Because Cu is readily oxidized, alloying with Au enhances the chemical stability of the NPs, thereby simplifying the fabrication processes. The electrical characterizations indicate that the alloy NPs improve the device performance under both one-sun illumination and indoor lighting conditions due to the effects of LSPR. Finally, the result of the stability test reveals that the use of the Au-Cu NPs would not affect the device stability. We anticipate that the results in this work open up a new avenue for plasmonic-enhanced OPVDs featuring low cost, stable nanostructures.
Impact of polycystic ovary syndrome on quality of life of women in correlation to age, basal metabolic index, education and marriage
Authors: Tabassum Fauzia , Jyoti Chandra , Sinha Hemali Heidi , Dhar Kavita , Akhtar Md Sayeed
Published: March 2021

Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) is the major endocrine related disorder in young age women. Physical appearance, menstrual irregularity as well as infertility are considered as a sole cause of mental distress affecting health-related quality of life (HRQOL). This prospective case-control study was conducted among 100 PCOS and 200 healthy control cases attending tertiary care set up of AIIMS, Patna during year 2017 and 2018. Pre-validated questionnaires like Short Form Health survey-36 were used for evaluating impact of PCOS in women. Multivariate analysis was applied for statistical analysis. In PCOS cases, socioeconomic status was comparable in comparison to healthy control. But, PCOS cases showed significantly decreased HRQOL. The higher age of menarche, irregular/delayed menstrual history, absence of child, were significantly altered in PCOS cases than control. Number of child, frequency of pregnancy, and miscarriage were also observed higher in PCOS cases. Furthermore, in various category of age, BMI, educational status and marital status, significant differences were observed in the different domain of SF-36 between PCOS and healthy control. Altogether, increased BMI, menstrual irregularities, educational status and marital status play a major role in altering HRQOL in PCOS cases and psychological care must be given during patient care.
Ultrasound and MRI findings as predictors of propranolol therapy response in patients with infantile hemangioma
Authors: Park Hee Jin , Lee So-Yeon , Rho Myung Ho , Jung Hye Lim
Published: March 2021

Objectives

To evaluate the prognostic value of ultrasound and MRI findings in patients with infantile hemangioma undergoing propranolol therapy.

Methods

This study was based on retrospective interpretation of prospectively acquired data. Thirty-eight consecutive patients (28 females and 10 males; mean age ± standard deviation, 3.2 ± 2.2 months) who underwent propranolol treatment for infantile hemangioma were included. Pre-treatment ultrasound images were assessed in terms of echogenicity, lesion height and vascularity. Presence of prominent intratumoral fat, non-fat septa, and enhancement pattern on MRI were retrospectively evaluated. Mann-Whitney test, chi-square, and Fisher’s exact tests were used to compare imaging parameters between patients with treatment success and failure.

Results

All patients underwent ultrasound and 15 patients underwent MRI. A total of 24 patients showed successful treatment. Between patients with treatment success and failure, there were significant differences in increased vascularity on pre-treatment ultrasound (19/24 vs. 6/14, p = 0.025), decreased vascularity on post-treatment ultrasound (21/24 vs. 5/14, p = 0.001), and prominent intratumoral fat on MRI (1/8 vs. 5/7 p = 0.033). There were no significant differences in echogenicity, lesion height on ultrasound, non-fat septa and MR enhancement pattern.

Conclusions

Increased vascularity on pre-treatment ultrasound was significantly associated with successful treatment for propranolol therapy in patients with infantile hemangioma, whereas prominent fat component on MRI was significantly associated with treatment failure.
A knowledge-based multivariate statistical method for examining gene-brain-behavioral/cognitive relationships: Imaging genetics generalized structured component analysis
Authors: Hwang Heungsun , Cho Gyeongcheol , Jin Min Jin , Ryoo Ji Hoon , Choi Younyoung , Lee Seung Hwan
Published: March 2021

With advances in neuroimaging and genetics, imaging genetics is a naturally emerging field that combines genetic and neuroimaging data with behavioral or cognitive outcomes to examine genetic influence on altered brain functions associated with behavioral or cognitive variation. We propose a statistical approach, termed imaging genetics generalized structured component analysis (IG-GSCA), which allows researchers to investigate such gene-brain-behavior/cognitive associations, taking into account well-documented biological characteristics (e.g., genetic pathways, gene-environment interactions, etc.) and methodological complexities (e.g., multicollinearity) in imaging genetic studies. We begin by describing the conceptual and technical underpinnings of IG-GSCA. We then apply the approach for investigating how nine depression-related genes and their interactions with an environmental variable (experience of potentially traumatic events) influence the thickness variations of 53 brain regions, which in turn affect depression severity in a sample of Korean participants. Our analysis shows that a dopamine receptor gene and an interaction between a serotonin transporter gene and the environment variable have statistically significant effects on a few brain regions’ variations that have statistically significant negative impacts on depression severity. These relationships are largely supported by previous studies. We also conduct a simulation study to safeguard whether IG-GSCA can recover parameters as expected in a similar situation.
Working memory and lexical ambiguity resolution in Cantonese Chinese
Authors: Yip Michael C. W.
Published: March 2021

The present study examined how working memory functions in the underlying mechanism of the lexical disambiguation process (in activation approach or in inhibition approach). We recruited sixty native Cantonese listeners to participate in two experimental tasks: (a) a Cantonese-version reading span task to measure their working memory (WM) capacity and (b) a standard cross-modal priming task to measure the lexical disambiguation time. The results revealed that (1) the underlying mechanism of the disambiguation process seemed favorable for an inhibition approach and (2) the frequency of the individual meanings of the ambiguous words and the numbers of their meanings might interact with the WM capacity during lexical access, particularly for the low-WM span group.
A comparative study on dispersed doses during photon and proton radiation therapy in pediatric applications
Authors: Shahmohammadi Beni Mehrdad , Krstic Dragana , Nikezic Dragoslav , Yu Kwan Ngok
Published: March 2021

The Monte Carlo method was employed to simulate realistic treatment situations for photon and proton radiation therapy for a set of Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL) pediatric phantoms for 15, 10, 5 and 1-year olds as well as newborns. Complete radiotherapy situations were simulated using the previously developed NRUrad input code for Monte Carlo N-Particle (MCNP) code package. Each pediatric phantom was irradiated at five different positions, namely, the testes, colon, liver, left lung and brain, and the doses in targeted organs (Dt) were determined using the track length estimate of energy. The dispersed photon and proton doses in non-targeted organs (Dd), namely, the skeleton, skin, brain, spine, left and right lungs were computed. The conversion coefficients (F = Dd/Dt) of the dispersed doses were used to study the dose dispersion in different non-targeted organs for phantoms for 15, 10, 5 and 1-year olds as well as newborns. In general, the F values were larger for younger patients. The F values for non-targeted organs for phantoms for 1-year olds and newborns were significantly larger compared to those for other phantoms. The dispersed doses from proton radiation therapy were also found to be significantly lower than those from conventional photon radiation therapy. For example, the largest F values for the brain were 65.6% and 0.206% of the dose delivered to the left lung (P4) for newborns during photon and proton radiation therapy, respectively. The present results demonstrated that dispersion of photons and generated electrons significantly affected the absorbed doses in non-targeted organs during pediatric photon therapy, and illustrated that proton therapy could in general bring benefits for treatment of pediatric cancer patients.
Comorbid anxiety and depression: Prevalence and associated factors among pregnant women in Arba Minch zuria district, Gamo zone, southern Ethiopia
Authors: Bante Agegnehu , Mersha Abera , Zerdo Zerihun , Wassihun Biresaw , Yeheyis Tomas
Published: March 2021

Introduction

Prenatal anxiety and depression are major health problems all over the world. The negative sequela of prenatal comorbid anxiety and depression (CAD) has been suggested to be higher than that of anxiety or depression alone. CAD increases the odds of preterm birth, low birth weight, prolonged labor, operative deliveries, postpartum psychiatric disorders and long term cognitive impairment for the newborn. Despite its significant ill consequences, there is a dearth of studies in low-and middle-income countries. So far, to the best of our knowledge, no study assessed the prevalence of CAD in Ethiopia. Hence, the purpose of this study was to assess CAD and associated factors among pregnant women in Arba Minch Zuria district, Gamo zone, southern Ethiopia.

Methods

A community-based cross-sectional study was conducted among 676 pregnant women from January 01 to November 30, 2019. Patient Health Questionnaire 9-item (PHQ-9) and Generalized Anxiety Disorder 7-item (GAD-7) scales were used to assess depression and anxiety respectively. The data were collected electronically using an open data kit (ODK) collect android application and analyzed using Stata version 15.0. Bivariate and multivariable analyses were carried out to identify factors associated with CAD using binary logistic regression. Statistical significance was set at p-value < 0.05.

Results

A total of 667 women were involved. The prevalence of CAD was 10.04% [95% confidence interval (CI): 7.76, 12.33]. Being married [adjusted odds ratio (AOR): 0.16, 95% CI: 0.05, 0.56], categorized in the highest wealth quintile [AOR: 2.83, 95% CI: 1.17, 6.84], having medical illness [AOR: 3.56, 95% CI: 1.68, 7.54], encountering pregnancy danger signs [AOR: 2.66, 95% CI: 1.06, 6.67], experiencing life-threatening events [AOR: 2.11, 95% CI: 1.15, 3.92] and household food insecurity [AOR: 3.51, 95% CI: 1.85, 6.64] were significantly associated with CAD.

Conclusions

In general, one in every ten women faced CAD in the study area. Nutritional interventions, early identification and treatment of pregnancy-related illness and medical ailments, prenatal mental health problems screening and interventions are imperative to minimize the risk of CAD in pregnant women.
Psychological distress in the academic population and its association with socio-demographic and lifestyle characteristics during COVID-19 pandemic lockdown: Results from a large multicenter Italian study
Authors: Fornili Marco , Petri Davide , Berrocal Carmen , Fiorentino Giuseppe , Ricceri Fulvio , Macciotta Alessandra , Bruno Andreina , Farinella Domenica , Baccini Michela , Severi Gianluca , Baglietto Laura
Published: March 2021

Measures implemented in many countries to contain the COVID-19 pandemic resulted in a change in lifestyle with unpredictable consequences on physical and mental health. We aimed at identifying the variables associated with psychological distress during the lockdown between April and May 2020 in the Italian academic population. We conducted a multicenter cross-sectional online survey (IO CONTO 2020) within five Italian universities. Among about 240,000 individuals invited to participate through institutional communications, 18 120 filled the questionnaire. Psychological distress was measured by the self-administered Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS). The covariates collected included demographic and lifestyle characteristics, trust in government, doctors and scientists. Associations of covariates with influenza-like symptoms or positive COVID-19 test and with psychological distress were assessed by multiple regression models at the local level; a meta-analysis of the results was then performed. Severe levels of anxiety or depression were reported by 20% of the sample and were associated with being a student or having a lower income, irrespective of their health condition and worries about contracting the virus. The probability of being severely anxious or depressed also depended on physical activity: compared to those never exercising, the highest OR being for those who stopped during lockdown (1.53; 95% CI, 1.28 to 1.84) and the lowest for those who continued (0.78; 95% CI, 0.64 to 0.95). Up to 21% of severe cases of anxiety or depression might have been avoided if during lockdown participants had continued to exercise as before. Socioeconomic insecurity contributes to increase mental problems related to the COVID-19 pandemic and to the measures to contain it. Maintaining or introducing an adequate level of physical activity is likely to mitigate such detrimental effects. Promoting safe practice of physical activity should remain a public health priority to reduce health risks during the pandemic.
Identification and distribution of Brachyspira species in feces from finishing pigs in Argentina
Authors: Carranza Alicia , Parada Julián , Tamiozzo Pablo , Flores León Malena , Camacho Pablo , Di Cola Gabriel , Corona-Barrera Enrique , Ambrogi Arnaldo , Zielinski Gustavo
Published: March 2021

Background and Aim: Brachyspira are Gram-negative, aerotolerant spirochetes that colonize the large intestine of various species of domestic animals and humans. The aim of this study was to determine the presence and distribution of different species of Brachyspira presents in feces from finishing pigs in Argentina.

Materials and Methods: Fecal samples (n=1550) were collected from finishing pigs in 53 farms of the most important swine production areas of Argentina, and Brachyspiras species were identified by bacteriological and molecular methods.

Results: The regional prevalence of Brachyspira spp. was at the level of 75.5% (confidence interval 95%, 62.9-87.9), and it was lower among those farms with >1001 sows. One hundred and twenty-eight isolates of Brachyspira were properly identified and the species found were: Brachyspira hyodysenteriae, Brachyspira pilosicoli, Brachyspira innocens, and Brachyspira murdochii. B. hyodysenteriae and B. pilosicoli had low prevalence (1.9% and 7.5%, respectively), B. innocens was isolated from 34% of the farms and B. murdochii was found in 39.6%.

Conclusion: The present study provides epidemiological data about herd prevalence of the different Brachyspira species in Argentina, showing that the prevalence figure seems to be higher than that reported in other countries.
Influence of the amount of food resources in the foraging behavior of Nasutitermes corniger (Motschulsky)
Authors: Souza Thiago Sampaio de , Gazal Vinícius Siqueira , Aguiar-Menezes Elen de Lima , Fernandes Vinicius José , Leite-Mayerhofer Aline Machado
Published: March 2021

Food scarcity or abundance are factors regulating termites’ foraging behavior in general. The aim of the present study is to evaluate the influence of four amounts of Eucalyptus grandis on foraging behavior events shown by worker and soldier of Nasutitermes corniger during laboratory tests. The tests were carried out with adult and active N. corniger colonies found in nests collected in the field, which were stored in glass cubes connected to the test arenas. Four different amounts of wood blocks were used in the tests and each amount concerned a treatment and defined a different experimental group: 1, 2, 3 and 4 blocks/arenas, with 5 repetitions. Each test lasted 60 minutes and consisted in observing, or not, the occurrence of behavioral events shown by foragers when they had contact with the treatment. The duration of each event was recorded, whenever it was observed. The number of recruited foragers and the number of workers consuming the blocks were recorded at the end of each test applied to each treatment. Nasutitermes corniger presented the three behavioral events in all treatments; however, there was not significant difference between treatments in the occurrence of the two first events, in the time taken from test start to the occurrence of a new event, in the number of recruited termites and in the number of gnawing workers. Only workers’ mass recruiting was influenced by the amount of wood available. The occurrence of this event was significantly higher in treatments with greater amounts of wood. Thus, N. corniger adjusts its mass recruitment behavior in response to available food amount, which should be considered when developing baiting system for its control.
Castor bean cake in top-dressing application as a source of nitrogen on the production and quality of zucchini organic seeds
Authors: Lanna Natália de Brito Lima , Bardiviesso Estefânia Martins , Tavares Ana Emília Barbosa , Silva Priscilla Nátaly de Lima , Nakada-Freitas Pâmela Gomes , Noda Sayuri Beatriz Hara , Cardoso Antonio Ismael Inácio
Published: March 2021

Studies in vegetables show that fertilization influences seed production positively, however, when the quality of the seeds is analyzed, the results are mostly inconsistent. The objective of this study was to evaluate the effect of castor bean cake (CBC) dose splitting in top-dressing application on the production and quality of zucchini organic seeds, as well as its effect on the macronutrient content of fruits and seeds. The experimental design was a randomized block design and four replications. There were 13 treatments with four doses of CBC in top-dressing (1.7, 3.4, 5.1 and 6.8 t ha-1) per three applications (33.3-33.3-33.3%, 50-50% and 33-50-17%) and the control treatment without any kind of top-dressing fertilization. The study evaluated the number of ripe fruits per plant, the production (number and mass) of seeds per fruit and per plant, the mass of one hundred seeds, seed germination, first germination count, and macronutrient content in the diagnosis leaf, in mature fruits (without seeds) and seeds. The number of ripe fruits per plant was not affected by the CBC doses in top-dressing, neither by the splitting of the applications. It was observed that the number of seeds per fruit, mass of seeds per fruit and mass of seeds per plant showed quadratic behavior. Regarding seed quality, only the 1.7; 3.4 and 5.1 t ha-1 doses produced seed with superior quality than the other doses. In conclusion, the CBC doses increased the number of seeds per fruit, mass of seeds per fruit and per plant up to the 4.5t ha-1 dose, approximately.
Índice de Sustentabilidade do Monumento Natural da Gruta do Lago Azul, Bonito, Mato Grosso do Sul, Brasil
Authors: Da Silva-Melo Marta Regina , Pereira de Melo Gleidson André , Robaldo Guedes Neiva Maria
Published: March 2021

Com relevante beleza cênica, a Gruta do Lago Azul é uma das mais importantes cavernas do patrimônio espeleológico nacional e um atrativo turístico com visibilidade mundial. O presente estudo tem como objetivo analisar o índice de sustentabilidade do Monumento Natural da Gruta do Lago Azul, Bonito, Mato Grosso do Sul. Foi utilizado o Barômetro da Sustentabilidade Turística (BST) e o modelo AMOEBA de Indicadores de Sustentabilidade do Turismo (AIST) para analisar o nível de sustentabilidade. Foram selecionados vinte indicadores que resultaram nos seguintes índices: o Sistema Humano apresentou média de 48,62% e o Sistema Ecológico foi equivalente a 58,17%. O índice verificado encontra-se em um estágio intermediário, proporcional a 41-60%, considerado satisfatório. Apesar disso, foi constatada a inexistência de um Plano de Manejo e de um Programa de Educação Ambiental, previstos no Sistema Nacional de Unidade de Conservação. Diante do exposto, infere-se que a integralidade do nível de sustentabilidade do Monumento Natural da Gruta do Lago Azul ainda não acontece de forma efetiva.  Portanto, fomentar um autêntico turismo sustentável em áreas que dispõe de serviços ambientais essenciais para a sociedade, como a Gruta do Lago Azul, é implementar um desenvolvimento compatível em atender às necessidades das gerações atuais, sem comprometer a capacidade das gerações futuras.
Feasibility Study of Concrete Louvers for High-rise Residential Buildings in Terms of Cooling Energy Requirements
Authors: Bahaadin Sara Dh. , Raof Binaee Y. , Abdulrahman Hendren
Published: March 2021

High-rise residential buildings are increasing worldwide, including cities in the Kurdistan Region of Iraq. Therefore, creating sustainable environments in and around these residential buildings are becoming an important problem. Improving energy efficiency in buildings has received critical attention worldwide. Countries have developed national sustainability strategies that lead to the lower energy consumption while maintaining comfort, reducing energy consumption, and minimizing harmful emissions. In this paper, an analysis of the impact of external shading devices in high-rise residential buildings on energy consumption of a 13-storey building in Sulaimani city is studied. The study is focused on fixed shading elements, explaining the influence of the design of vertical and horizontal shading devices on the total energy consumption of this type of building. The results show that both a single fixed horizontal blind with a depth of 20 cm and a triple vertical shading with the same depth are considered useless. The reduction in cooling loads by two fixed horizontal louvers almost doubled compared to a single fixed horizontal shading with 20 cm. Moreover, triple fixed horizontal louvers with 40 cm have almost the same effect on reducing cooling loads as triple fixed louvers with 60 cm. On the other hand, a triple fixed horizontal shading device with 60 cm has twice the effect on reducing annual cooling loads as a triple fixed vertical shading device with 60 cm.
Structural Behavior of Reinforced Concrete Beams Incorporating Foamed Glass as Aggregates
Authors: Atrushi Dawood S.
Published: March 2021

Natural resources that are utilized in civil engineering applications can be saved by replacing them with some recycled materials to produce sustainable concrete with required mechanical and durability properties. In recent years, recycled glass is being used as aggregates in concrete production in many countries across the world. In the present study, the structural properties of reinforced concrete beams containing foamed glass (FG) as a partial natural coarse aggregate replacement are investigated. Five concrete mixes were employed to conduct the present study. The coarse aggregate was replaced with 0%, 25%, 50%, 75%, and 100% (by volume) of FG. Four point-loading flexural tests on beams were conducted up to failure. The results showed that the compressive strength was decreasing linearly with the increasing amount of FG. It was also observed that the ductility of the reinforced concrete beams significantly improved. However, the load-carrying capacity of the beam and load at which the first crack occurs was reduced. It was concluded that the inclusion of FG in structural concrete applications is possible and the structural behavior of concrete beams proved to be similar to that of other types of lightweight aggregate concrete such as wood and plastic aggregates used in similar structural elements.
En busca de un consenso
Authors: Martín Ortega Elena , Sánchez Miguel Emilio
Published: March 2021

Para cerrar el monográfico y extraer de él conclusiones útiles, se identifican en primer lugar los elementos en los que parece haber coincidencia. Después, se muestra dónde residen los desacuerdos y finalmente, y reconsiderando lo que nos une y nos separa, se presenta una propuesta con seis medidas para atender a los problemas identificados.
Características diferenciales de la delincuencia juvenil entre 2006 y 2015 en adolescentes con medidas judiciales en medio abierto del Ayuntamiento de Valencia
Authors: González Sala Francisco , Ripoll Ferrando Alejandro
Published: March 2021

El objetivo del presente trabajo era determinar la existencia de diferencias en la delincuencia juvenil entre adolescentes que cometieron un delito en el 2006 y en 2015, y si existían diferencias en función del género en las variables delictivas. La muestra estuvo formada por 427 adolescentes entre 14 y 18 años con una medida judicial en medio abierto. Los resultados muestran que se comenten más delitos en 2006, la reincidencia es mayor en 2015 y se da un crecimiento de los delitos de lesiones en el año 2015. Con respecto al género las mujeres cometen su primer delito a una edad menor, sin embargo los hombres cometen más delitos y presentan una mayor reincidencia. En relación a las medidas impuestas la libertad vigilada y el internamiento son las más empleadas en ambos años, incrementándose el tiempo de la misma de forma significativa en 2015 frente al 2006. Se observa un cambio en las medidas de PSBC frente a las TSE, más frecuentes en 2015. La presencia de medidas con contenido refleja un aumento de las mismas en 2015, siendo las más frecuentes las relacionadas con aspectos formativos y laborales, con el consumo de sustancias y con la terapia familiar.
Efectos del conflicto parental postdivorcio en la adaptación y bienestar de los hijos
Authors: Sanchis Castelló Alicia , Robredo Torres Cristina , Llop Pérez Raquel , Carbonell Vayá Enrique J.
Published: March 2021

El debate acerca de la idoneidad de las separaciones y los nuevos matrimonios respecto al bienestar de los hijos sigue siendo un tema presente en la psicología. En esta investigación hemos querido observar la relación entre diversos factores considerados de riesgo, como la relación afectiva paterno-filial o el conflicto entre progenitores, y la adaptación de los menores a su entorno o su satisfacción familiar, así como analizar si se se diferencian de la población general. Los resultados obtenidos muestran que la implicación de los menores en el conflicto parental y la discrepancia educativa entre ambos progenitores son los factores que más peso tienen a la hora de explicar la insatisfacción familiar. Por otra parte, la insatisfacción familiar está directamente relacionada con la inadaptación personal, escolar y social de los menores evaluadas a través del TAMAI, aunque no se observan diferencias estadísticamente significas con la población de referencia
La buena práctica pericial, el camino hacia la excelencia profesional en Psicología Forense
Authors: Lluch Quevedo Mar
Published: March 2021

La situación legislativa actual permite que cualquier profesional de la psicología, pueda realizar un informe psicológico pericial, al no existir en estos momentos una regulación de la Psicología Jurídica o Forense. Esta situación deriva en que, en los mejores casos sólo con un ajuste al código deontológico, se emitan dictámenes periciales, que aun no teniendo tachas deontológicas, dejan mucho que desear, y siembran dudas respecto a la labor pericial que se realiza por profesionales de la Psicología, dejando la puerta abierta al constante cuestionamiento desde otras profesiones, respecto al carácter científico de nuestra profesión. La labor pericial implica tanto investigación como evaluación forense, siguiendo el método científico, lo que conlleva la elaboración de hipótesis que el profesional deberá falsar a lo largo de su evaluación para concluir con solidez y rigor científico, dando respuesta a la pregunta formulada. Por ello la elaboración de un informe pericial, va mucho más allá del informe escrito de las conclusiones, sobre los resultados obtenidos por las personas evaluadas a través de pruebas psicológicas, con ajuste a las normas establecidas en el Código Deontológico del Psicólogo.
Estudio de caso único en gimnasia rítmica desde la perspectiva del coaching motivacional utilizando el modelo “La Jirafa de Cantón”
Authors: Sánchez Plazas Ana Isabel , Expósito Boix Violeta , Peris-Delcampo David , Cantón Chirivella Enrique
Published: March 2021

El actual trabajo presenta un diseño de caso único en una gimnasta rítmica de 11 años utilizando una metodología de triangulación metodológica combinando un test-retest junto con el análisis cualitativo de las entrevistas realizadas. Para la intervención se utilizó el modelo de coaching motivacional “La Jirafa de Cantón” (Cantón, 2013, 2014a) mediante un protocolo diseñado para su utilización (Cantón y Peris-Delcampo, 2017). Se usaron los cuestionarios de Bienestar Psicológico de Ryff (Díaz et al. 2006), la Escala de Autoestima de Rosenberg (Vázquez-Morejón et al., 2004), la Escala de Autoeficacia General de Schwarzer y Bassler (1996) y la Escala de Autoeficacia para Niños y Adolescentes de Bandura (Carrasco y Del Barrio, 2002).
Los resultados muestran una mejora de las puntuaciones de la escala específica para niños y adolescentes y un aumento de la apreciación subjetiva de los aspectos motivacionales y la percepción de recursos para lograr los objetivos planteados, tanto de la deportista como del entorno. Estos resultados están en la línea de otros estudios similares.
Problemática en Atención Primaria: tratamiento y aherencia
Authors: Carpallo González María , Peña García Alejandra , Benítez Gómez-Valadés Debla , Salgado Kvedaras Estefanía , Mae Wood Cristina
Published: March 2021

Cuando se habla de trastornos de ansiedad y del estado de ánimo, que se encuentran entre los más frecuentes en los servicios de Atención Primaria, surgen dos inconvenientes respecto a su tratamiento. El primero de ellos es que apenas existan estudios controlados y basados en la evidencia que traten de implantar en Atención Primaria un tratamiento psicológico empíricamente validado. El segundo y más olvidado, es el papel de vital importancia que juega la adherencia, pues sin ella no hay tratamiento ni resultados.
Para fomentar la adherencia terapéutica y, así, la eficacia del tratamiento, las intervenciones deben adaptarse a cada paciente en particular, a cómo experimenta su enfermedad. Deben tenerse en cuenta la adherencia y también los factores que la influencian, que están interrelacionados entre sí: factores derivados del paciente y de su entorno, delpersonal asistencial y de los servicios de salud y del trastorno y del tratamiento. También se requiere una intervención específica respecto al tipo de adherencia a fomentar y a la fuente de apoyo más influyente para ella.
Es necesario que futuras investigaciones proporcionen información más detallada sobre el abandono del tratamiento para poder incrementar la adherencia y optimizar así la efectividad de los tratamientos.
El tratamiento psicológico de los desórdenes emocionales en Atención Primaria. Análisis de un caso clínico.
Authors: Baquero Tomás Marina , Modrego Muñoz María , Morettí Luciana , González Blanch César , Iruarrizaga Díez Iztiar
Published: March 2021

La prevalencia de desórdenes emocionales (DE) ha aumentado considerablemente en los últimos años. Los servicios de Atención Primaria (AP) son los primeros receptores de la mayoría de pacientes con estas patologías, especialmente las relacionadas con la depresión, la ansiedad y las somatizaciones. En España, la proporción de estos pacientes que recibe un tratamiento mínimamente adecuado es baja, por lo que resulta necesario establecer de protocolos de tratamiento eficientes, basados en la evidencia científica, para el abordaje de los DE. El proyecto PsicAP es un protocolo de intervención grupal fundamentado en el enfoque transdiagnóstico y basado en técnicas cognitivo-conductuales. El objetivo es acercar los tratamientos psicológicos a la AP, facilitando el acceso a un porcentaje elevado de la población. A continuación, se describe el caso clínico de un paciente con un DE que participa en el proyecto PsicAP. El programa, basado en el modelo de tratamiento transdiagnóstico, se desarrolla en 7 sesiones grupales, de hora y media de duración y repartidas en 24 semanas. El programa resulta eficaz en la reducción de la sintomatología clínica, lo que confirma que se trata de un tratamiento breve, de bajo coste y útil para el abordaje de los DE en el contexto de AP.
¿Quien cuida del cuidador? Tratamiento para familiares de personas con trastornos alimentarios y trastornos de personalidad.
Authors: Guillén Botella Verónica , Marco Salvador José Heliodoro , Jorquera Rodero Mercedes , Bádenes Laura , Roncero Sanchís María , Baños Rivera Rosa María
Published: March 2021

Los familiares de pacientes con trastornos alimentarios (TA) experimentan frecuentemente un elevado sufrimiento, ansiedad, e impotencia. Si, además del TA, el paciente padece trastorno de la personalidad (TP), el agotamiento emocional puede ser devastador. Sin embargo, no se ha descrito ningún tratamiento para aliviar el impacto en familiares de pacientes con ambos trastornos. El objetivo fue analizar la eficacia de un programa de tratamiento basado en estrategias de psicoeducación y resolución de problemas para familiares de pacientes con TA comórbidos con un TP. Método: Participaron 115 familiares (62.6% mujeres) de los cuales la mayoría eran madres (56.5%), seguidos de padres (28.7%), parejas/maridos (7%), hermanos (5.2%) y tíos (2.6%). Los participantes completaron la Escala de Zarit y la Escala General de Autoeficacia (EGA) antes y después del tratamiento. Resultados: Se encontraron diferencias significativas en la subescala Persistencia (EGA), y una tendencia a la mejoría en la Escala de Zarit. Conclusión: Estos resultados sugieren que el tratamiento fue efectivo. Además, los familiares mejoraron significativamente en aspectos clave: la sobrecarga por enfermedad y la persistencia en el cuidado y atención del paciente. Resulta fundamental profundizar en esta línea y analizar qué estrategias de tratamiento puedan resultar de mayor utilidad.