bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
El conductismo en la formación docente: una mirada crítica
Authors: González Beade Ifrain
Published: April 2023

El objetivo del artículo fue analizar críticamente el uso del conductismo en la formación docente del siglo XXI, desde el estudio de los fundamentos teóricos más actuales sobre el conductismo y cómo se aplican en la educación superior. La investigación fue de corte cualitativo, crítico y exploratorio; para lo cual se utilizó una muestra constituida por 18 estudiantes que formaron parte de los grupos de enfoque; a quienes se les aplicó un cuestionario mediante preguntas abiertas donde pudieron manifestar sus opiniones desde la experiencia en el contexto universitario. Los resultados amplían los hallazgos de estudios previos en el ámbito educativo, ya que confirman la importancia de repensar los modelos para que fomenten el aprendizaje activo, la enseñanza diversificada y el acompañamiento permanente en el logro de destrezas, considerando que es importante tener en cuenta que los modelos pueden no ser efectivos para todos los estudiantes o en todas las situaciones educativas, pero en el caso de la Universidad Nacional de Educación (UNAE) se requiere cambios significativos en la metodología utilizada por algunos docentes. Por tanto, se concluye que el conductismo ha sido una teoría importante en la educación durante muchos años, pero para la formación docente tiene sus limitaciones.
Impacts of E-mutation: A Study on Service Recipients’ Perception
Authors: Hasan S. M. Mehedi , Gourab ASM Riyad Hassan
Published: April 2023

Land management has gained the utmost importance in the development arena worldwide in recent years. Land-related targets and indicators were incorporated in 5 goals, 8 targets, and 12 indicators of SDG. Different studies have identified the conventional land management system as a reason for inefficient land management in Bangladesh. The government of Bangladesh has taken some initiatives to digitise the land management system. Since 2018, the Land Administration has launched an E-mutation system to update land records. The objective of this research is to investigate the impacts of E-mutation on the service recipients and their perception about it. The research covers 03 circles in Savar Upazila, Union Land Offices, and their service recipients. The target respondents of the study are mutation applicants, Assistant Commissioner (Land), and Union Land Assistant Officers. Both quantitative and qualitative data are used to validate the results of this research. The study reveals that the impact of E mutation on the service recipients is positive, being pleased with the E-mutation system; as it reduces time, cost, and visit (TCV). In addition, it reduces the nuisance by brokers and ensures better service quality. However, nearly four- fifths of the service recipients are dependent to apply for E-mutation due to a lack of knowledge of land-related documents and poor ICT skills. This paper would aid the policymakers to devise further strategies for efficient land management in Bangladesh.
Stratigraphy of the Colorado group, Upper Cretaceous, in northern New Mexico
Authors: Rankin C. H.
Published: April 2023

In previous reports on the Cretaceous rocks of NM, writers have followed the nomenclature established by Cross, and have described all the rocks between the Dakota Sandstone and the Mesaverde coal measures as Mancos Shale. Lee and Darton, in describing the rocks of central and northeastern NM, recognize that some subdivisions of the Colorado group can be identified; but in their measured sections these authors don't differentiate formations.

Since 1925 the writer has measured a number of sections of Cretaceous rocks in northern NM while studying the economic geology and oil resources of the region. A study of these sections, which are presented herewith, supplemented by information obtained from the examination of well cuttings, reveals that all divisions of the Colorado Group as described in southern Colorado, except the Fort Hays Limestone and the Apishapa Shale, can be recognized in northern NM. The purpose of this paper is to identify and describe these divisions. The writer has integrated his studies with those of Lee, and also with the excellent descriptions of the rocks of the Colorado Group given by Dane, Pierce, and Reeside.

The recognition and study of the divisions of the Mancos Shale throws some interesting light on a phase of the geologic history of northern NM that has previously received only little attention. The persistence of the Greenhorn Limestone over most of northern NM aids materially in solving the problem of the Dakota Sandstone and contemporaneous strata in this and other areas.
Prevalence and factors associated with maternal near-miss in Magway Regional hospital, Magway, Myanmar
Authors:   , Thet Aye
Published: April 2023

Background: Maternal mortality is an important public health concern. Women die every day from pregnancy complications, delivery-related issues, and childbirth. Pregnancy related morbidity and mortality in Myanmar were dramatically increased from 17.6% in 2012 to 20.2% in 2018. In Myanmar, there are limited studies on maternal near miss. Therefore, this study aimed to estimate the prevalence and determine the factors associated with maternal near miss in Magway Regional Hospital, Myanmar.

Method: This cross-sectional study employed a health facility-based secondary data analysis to estimate the prevalence of maternal near miss cases, and examine factors associated with maternal near miss in Magway Regional Hospital in 2019. WHO maternal near-miss approach was adopted to examine the maternal near-miss. Records were obtained from Obstetrics and Gynecology ward from January 2019 to December 2019. Frequency, percentage, mean and standard deviation were presented for descriptive analysis. Chi-square and Binary logistic regression were used to describe the relationship between the selected independent variables and maternal near miss with statistically significant at p-value <0.05.

Results: A total of 3,291pregnant women between the ages of 15 to 50, who admitted into the Magway Regional hospital, and were included in this study. Among all, 11 cases of maternal near miss with 7 cases of maternal death. The maternal near miss ratio was 3.9 per 1,000 live births. Maternal mortality ratio was 246 per 100,000 live births, and maternal mortality index was 0.39. The pregnant women who had severe preeclampsia, eclampsia, and ruptured uterus found to have higher odds of getting maternal near miss

Conclusion: The results revealed that the maternal near miss ratio in this study was low, whereas maternal mortality ratio was 246 per 100,000 deliveries which was higher than worldwide average of maternal mortality ratio (211 per 100,000 deliveries in 2017). Moreover, the study highlighted that the quality of care during the reviewed period needed to improve, showed the highest number of deaths following abortion related sepsis cases.
Telemedicine use and associated factors related with HbA1c level among type 2 diabetes outpatients during COVID-19 outbreaks in Jakarta, Indonesia : a cross-sectional study
Authors:   , Wati Novi
Published: April 2023

Introduction: The Large-Scale Social Restriction (PSBB) has been implemented in Indonesia since April 2020 as a response to the COVID-19 outbreaks. This prolonged restriction could impact routine diabetes care and glucose control among diabetes patients. Telemedicine is expected to be a solution to the disrupted diabetes care amid the pandemic. This study aimed to determine the telemedicine use and associated factors to glycemic control among type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) outpatients during the pandemic. Methodology: This cross-sectional study was conducted online during March 2021. A structured questionnaire was administered to 264 subjects who were 25–54 years old, diagnosed with T2DM, domiciled in Jakarta. The survey included questions about general characteristics, diabetes conditions, consultation factors, self-care, family support and latest HbA1c level (%). For statistical analysis, chi-square was performed using SPSS software version 22. Result: The result from total of 264 T2DM outpatients found that 60.2% had HbA1c ≥7% during COVID-19 outbreaks. They were more likely to be overweight or obese (odds ratio [OR]=5.740; p<0.001), prescribed with combination of insulin and oral medication (odds ratio [OR]=3.083; p=0.016), and consumed fried foods frequently (odds ratio [OR]=5.204; p=0.005). The protective factors were having experience in using telemedicine before the pandemic (odds ratio [OR]=0.372; p=0.049), regular exercise (odds ratio [OR]=0.036; p<0.001) and consult with a doctor using telemedicine (odds ratio [OR]=0.193; p=0.029) or in-person visit (odds ratio [OR]=0.065; p<0.001). However, only 19.7% of the participants used telemedicine to consult a doctor. Conclusion: Glycemic control among T2DM outpatients during COVID-19 outbreaks tends to be suboptimal (HbA1c ≥7%). The findings highlight suggested that healthy eating and regular exercise ensure optimal glycemic control and prevent diabetes complication. Further, endorsement and technical support are needed to help diabetes patients in adopting telemedicine use for remote diabetes care which can be useful in an outbreak situation like COVID-19.
Unit cost analysis of acute respiratory infection (ARI) clinic for COVID-19 screening at Bangbuathong hospital, Nonthaburi, Thailand
Authors:   , Mongkol Tharit
Published: April 2023

The COVID-19 outbreak has affected the services of all hospitals in Thailand, especially making their financial position at risk of bankruptcy. Although managing the cost of health care services for COVID-19 effectively can help reduce that risk, but very few researches has been done and analyzed on these issues. This study aimed to identify the unit cost and cost recovery of Acute Respiratory Infection (ARI) clinic for COVID-19 screening at Bangbuathong Hospital. This research was a descriptive study by retrospective data collection from hospital recorded and database of costs of ARI clinic between March to May 2021, which was the period that covered before and during the 3rd wave of COVID-19 outbreak in Thailand. Data was analyzed from the provider perspective by considering only the accounting cost. The results showed the total of 1,955 cases in ARI Clinic. Total direct cost was 1,136,605.48 baht, divided into Labor cost (LC) 868,417.75 baht, Material cost (MC) 257,844.87 baht and Capital cost (CC) 10,342.87 baht. Each month had different costs. It was found that in March, with only few patients, the lowest cost was 244,288.96 baht. As of May, which had the highest number of patients in the clinic, the cost was 507,549.67 baht. Unit cost was 581.38 baht per case. But considering each month, March's highest was 744.78 baht. Finally, cost recovery which refers to the ratio of accrued revenue from National Health Security Office (sample collection fee 100 baht per case) and material cost was 0.54 (0.23, 0.66 and 0.57 per month, respectively). Summarizing, the cost and cost recovery of the ARI Clinic varies from month to month. Director and Chief Financial Officer (CFO) should be aware to consider adjusting resource management for the most cost-effective.
Genetic diversity of merozoite surface protein 1 gene of plasmodium falciparum in Thailand
Authors:   , Thu May
Published: April 2023

In 2030, World health organization’s target is to eliminate malaria at least in 35 countries. At present, Thailand is low risk of malaria so that, it has the potential to eliminate. About 10 years ago, malaria prevalence was high along the country border areas. To prevent the recurrence in those areas, evaluation of drug susceptibility of parasites and vaccine are important. Therefore, basic knowledge on genetic diversity in malaria parasite is needed. Merozoite surface protein 1(msp1), one of the vaccine candidate genes, is useful for monitoring genetic diversity of the parasite and the potential gene of vaccine. However, high diversity of block 2 region in msp1 is the barrier of vaccine design.

Therefore, in this study, genotyping of different msp1 alleles from endemic areas of Thailand was crucial for control program. Two-hundred and thirty-six P. falciparum-infected blood samples collected during 2013-2017 from five endemic regions were amplified by nested PCR to detect the block 2 region of msp1 gene; K1, MAD20 and RO33 allelic type. The DNA samples used in this study were extracted by using Chelex-100 method. These alleles were investigated with 2.5% agarose gel electrophoresis and fragment sizes were analyzed. The msp1, block 2 region of the isolates with mono-infection was determined by direct sequencing method. The sequences were aligned and constructed to get the phylogenetic tree.

The overall prevalence of MAD20, R033 and K1 allelic types in P. falciparum isolates were 57.2% (135/236) and 31.3% (74/236) and 15.7% (37/236) respectively. The number of alleles for MAD20, R033 and K1 were 46, 11 and 16 respectively. K1 type is comprised of 2-7 repetition of SGT and 2-3 repetition of SGP. Moreover, MAD20 is also comprised of different repetition of SGG, SVA and SVT. However, R033 is comprised of sequences without repetition. MAD 20 type was the most prevalent allele type found in this study. Multiplicity of infection of parasites in five provinces ranges from 1.0 to 1.2. The phylogenetic trees show that the isolates in five provinces are related each other.  The fluctuation of allele is observed in Thailand by comparing with the previous studies. The high diversity of block 2 region indicates that high transmission intensity of parasites still present.
Phytochemical screening, in vitro antimalarial activity and genetic diversity of selected asteraceae medicinal plants indigenous to Thailand
Authors:   , Liana Desy
Published: April 2023

The emergence of artemisinin resistance leaded the effort to find the new antimalarial drug or artemisinin activity booster. Due to the chance that secondary metabolites can be evolutionary conserved, combining phylogeny with ethnobotanical data for screening antimalarial activity may be helpful to predict bioactivity and minimize the expenditure and time for laboratory research. The aimed of this study is screening the antimalarial activity, phytochemicals and genetic diversity of selected Asteraceae medicinal plants generated by combinatorial phylogeny and ethnobotanical data.

733 medicinal plants were obtained from literature search however only 340 taxa were met the inclusion and exclusion criteria hence these taxa were further analysis. Obtained 340 Internal Transcribed Spacer (ITS) sequences from gene bank NCBI were analyzed by MUSCLE sequence alignment and Maximum Likelihood Phylogenetic Test to generate the phylogenetic tree. Interactive Tree of Life (ITOL) was used to analyze the clustered pattern in generated phylogenetic tree. Several clades were highlighted consistently in the phylogenetic tree for malaria treatment including Asteraceae, Apocynaceae, Rubiaceae and Euphorbiaceae while the strong signal was majorly shown in Asteraceae.

Afterwards, 16 ethanolic extract of Thai Asteraceae medicinal plants were investigated to determine the phytochemical screening, antimalarial activity, and the genetic diversity. Alkaloids, phenolics, flavonoids, triterpenes, steroids, saponins, diterpenes and lactones were screening by standard method. Antimalarial activity assay was done by DNA fluorescence-based assay against laboratory adapted 3D7 Plasmodium falciparum. Classification of antimalarial activity was done by categorizing the IC50 (µg/mL). In other hand, the genetic diversity was examined.  Extracted plant DNA by CTAB method was amplified and sequenced by universal ITS primer. Phylogenetic analyses were performed with Cannabis sativa as outgroup species. MAFFT sequences alignment and RAxML with automatic bootstrapping were performed to generate phylogenetic tree followed by making up with ITOL and Adobe Illustrator 2020.

All 16 ethanolic extract medicinal plants showed the presence of phenolics and flavonoids. Among 16 medicinal plants tested, 8 showed active which exhibited good-moderate (1; Sphaeranthus indicus), weak (4; Blumea balsamifera, Artemisia chinensis, Artemisia vulgaris, Tridax procumbens) and very weak (3; Wedelia trilobata, Eupatorium capillifolium, Vernonia cinerea) and the 8 remaining extract were showed inactive. The best promising extract is Sphaeranthus indicus with the IC50 6.59 µg/mL. Constructed phylogenetic tree using ITS region showed to be able to separate the species into their clade tribe based on current classification. In conclusion, phylogeny approach is useful to narrow down the selection of candidate taxa for bioactivity screening.
Willingness to pay for flood insurance: a case study of Phang Khon, Sakon Nakhon province
Authors:   , Paopid Soonthorn
Published: April 2023

Prolonged droughts and floods can reduce agricultural productivity and negatively impact businesses in the agriculture and food industries. The prevention and response to floods require both public and private efforts (e.g., “Pay for Flood” insurance) for utmost effectiveness. This study aims to determine the potential factors that influence willingness to pay for flood insurance for the people of Phang Khon District, near the Nam oon Dam, Sakhon Nakorn Province, Thailand, in paying flood insurance. The regression results showed that the height and duration of flooding, house price, and flood damage were crucial factors that triggered the willingness to pay flood insurance. In contrast, having a house with stairs decreased the likelihood of paying insurance. Overall, 11.8% of the respondents were willing to pay for flood insurance at 400 baht per month, and 6.2% were willing to pay at 600 baht per month (6.2%). These respondents consist of farmers and personal business. Nevertheless, these prices are not accepted flood insurance premiums in Thailand. The in-depth expert interviews provided more insight that suggests the possible insurance premium price to be started from 100 baht per month. In addition, this study found that typically many samples would wait for compensation from government support after the flood. This study can contribute to public sectors by guiding governments and insurance providers/companies for flood insurance practice.
The promotion of French language and culture by alliance Française in Bangkok, Thailand
Authors:   , Huang Shu-chin
Published: April 2023

The French language plays an important role in international society. It is widely used in commerce, diplomatic and academic fields, and is generally recognised as a representative of high culture. However, the language is facing a fast decline in Southeast Asia due to globalisation, which has expanded the role of English very rapidly all over the world. To solve the problem of the decrease in the role of French in the world, Alliance Française was established to disseminate the knowledge of French language and culture around the world.

This study aims to analyse the strategies used by Alliance Française to promote French language and culture in Thailand. Data for analysis, which is composed of information of language courses and cultural activities offered by Alliance Française in Bangkok, was collected from documents, interviews with representatives of Alliance Française, and questionnaires distributed to Thai students. It is found that the main strategies of Alliance Française are: 1) promoting language teaching and learning; 2) deepening the understanding of French culture; 3) building good relationship among French speaking communities. To achieve those strategies, particular activities are organised under the themes of language learning and cultural events. This study provides more knowledge of the problem of promoting French language and culture in Thailand and better understanding of the relationship between France and Thailand concerning the policy of cultural exchange.
The study of women leaders in Southeast Asia
Authors:   , Meichen Jin
Published: April 2023

In a patriarchal society, the subjection of women to men is a universal custom, so any departure from it appears unnatural. However, since the very early time in Southeast Asia, females enjoyed a relatively high status and independence. They also took important roles no matter in the family or the society. As a result, there were many outstanding women leaders and elite women throughout history.
However, the concept of patriarchy still affects Southeast Asia society. It is more common for a man to hold the position of leader in society. This article studied female leaders of Southeast Asia during the contemporary period to find out factors that supported them to the leading status in their societies, namely Corazon Aquino, the first female to ascend to the presidency in the Philippines’ history, Aung San Suu Kyi, the democratic advocate against the Junta in Myanmar, and Megawati Sukarnoputri, the first female president in Indonesia. It is interesting to find that family ties play a crucial role in their way to politics. Then the common thing which all these three women leaders got is gender symbolism. All of them were described by their supporters as “mother” or “ saint” to emphasize their characteristic of purity, mercy, and far away from corruption to contrast with the cheating and lying male leaders. It is also interesting to find that support from religious organizations seems not a vital factor for women leaders.
The influence of sports facilities' accessibility, motivation, and satisfaction on word-of-mouth and re-participation intentions of athletes with physical disabilities
Authors:   , Trongjitpituk Thee
Published: April 2023

More than a billion people are estimated to live with some form of disability, or about 15% of the world’s population and the number is still growing. People with disabilities are less likely to participate in sports due to several physical barriers they face. In an effort to find ways to increase the sports participation rate of people with disabilities, the concept of marketing (satisfaction, word-of-mouth intention, and re-participation intention) was applied to the field of accessibility for the first time. This study consisted of three objectives: (1) to find out the dimension of sports facilities’ accessibility and motivation, (2) to examine the effect of sports facilities’ accessibility on word-of-mouth and re-participation intentions through satisfaction, and (3) to explore the effect of motivation on re-participation intention. Data were collected from 330 athletes with physical disabilities in 22 disability sports events. Factor analysis revealed seven dimensions of sports facilities’ accessibility and three dimensions of motivation. Structural equation model (SEM) findings demonstrated that sports facilities’ accessibility significantly influenced both word-of-mouth and re-participation intentions through satisfaction, and motivation had a direct effect on re-participation intention.  The results of this study broadened the knowledge in the field which later leads to better management and performance of sports facilities, particularly for athletes/people with physical disabilities.
Effects of interleaved form-focused English instruction on Thai lower secondary school students' grammatical knowledge and perception towards the instruction
Authors:   , Rungwichitsin Narongchai
Published: April 2023

This study investigated the effects of interleaved form-focused instruction (FFI) on Thai lower secondary students’ grammatical knowledge, long-term retention, and their perception towards the instruction. Students took a pre-test, an immediate post-test, and a one-week delayed post-test, and were also interviewed at the end of the implementation. The test scores were to investigate the improvement of grammatical knowledge as well as the long-term retention, and the data from the semi-structured interview were analyzed to figure out the perceptions towards the overall instruction. The results showed significant improvement of grammatical knowledge in all areas of form, meaning, and use and also elicited statistical significance of the long-term retention with the increase of scores in both the immediate and delayed post-test. For students’ perception, the results disclosed that interleaved FFI seemed to be harder and more exhausting at first, but after getting familiar with it, the lessons were more preferable. The study recommended that interleaved FFI tended to be an effective method to improve students’ grammatical knowledge and to enhance long-term retention, and that it should be applied in language classroom with well-designed lessons.
Effects of reading instruction using backward design framework and citizenship theme to enhance English reading comprehension and social responsibility of tenth grade Thai EFL students
Authors:   , Chaisa Patamaporn
Published: April 2023

This study aimed to 1) investigate the effects of reading instruction using Backward Design framework and citizenship theme (BD&CT) to enhance English reading comprehension of tenth grade Thai EFL students, 2)  investigate the effects of reading instruction using BD&CT to enhance social responsibility (SR) of the students, 3)  explore the opinions of students towards the reading instruction using BD&CT. The participants included 36 tenth grade students who took course in English reading and writing as an additional course in the second semester of the academic year 2019. The research instruments were English reading comprehension test and social responsibility questionnaire, which were administered prior to implementing reading instruction using BD&CT and after implementing the instruction, and which was opinion survey questionnaire employed after implementing the intervention. The experiment lasted for 8 weeks. The statistical analysis of t-test along with descriptive statistics was used to analyze the quantitative data from English reading comprehension pretest and posttest, also for analyzing the quantitative data from pre-experiment and post-experiment social responsibility questionnaire. From the opinion survey questionnaire, quantitative data from five Likert scale was analyzed using the descriptive statistics and the qualitative data from the open-end questions part were analyzed using content analysis. The findings revealed that (1) the mean scores of English reading comprehension posttest were higher than the mean scores of the pretest at a statistically significant level (p < .05), (2) The mean scores of post-experiment social responsibility were higher than the mean scores of the pre-experiment social responsibility at a statistically significant level (p < .05). (3) Analysis of students’ opinions suggested that they had positive opinions toward the instruction since the designed instruction was beneficial to them in enhancing English reading comprehension and the students’ senses of social responsibility. Keeping with the results of student’s opinions survey, the findings suggested that they had a high engagement in the reading instruction, meanwhile they found the content of the citizenship theme meaningful to their life.
Teachers' beliefs and practices towards teaching English pronunciation among EFL senior high school teachers in Yunnan province, China
Authors:   , Liu Hua
Published: April 2023

The objectives of this study were 1) to examine EFL senior high school teachers’ beliefs towards teaching English pronunciation in Yunnan province and 2) to investigate the English pronunciation practices used by Yunnan EFL teachers. The participants were 59 EFL senior high school teachers in Yunnan province who were purposively sampled. There were 3 research instruments which were 1) online questionnaire; 2) semi-structured interview and 3) classroom observation. Quantitative data were analyzed by descriptive statistics, which were the means and standard deviation, and qualitative data were analyzed by content analysis. The findings revealed that 1) Yunnan EFL teachers’ beliefs towards pronunciation teaching were highly positive and they believed that teaching English pronunciation was really necessary. The goals of pronunciation teaching were mixed among native-like fluency, intelligibility and comprehensibility. They also have mixed beliefs in using traditional methods and communicative practices, and they believed that they needed training in pronunciation teaching. 2) In terms of practices, they taught both segmental and supra-segmental features, but the frequencies were not high due to the examination-oriented system, time limitation and lack of pronunciation teaching training. Also, they used traditional methods and controlled practices. English pronunciation teaching should be drawn to attention in national English curriculum. Pronunciation teaching goals should be intelligibility and comprehensibility. The training on how to use communicative methods and practices to teach pronunciation should be provided for Yunnan EFL teachers.
The role of foreigners in the succession struggles in seventeenth century Ayutthaya
Authors:   , Cavins Edward
Published: April 2023

During the time period that Anthony Reid has called “The Age of Commerce” in Southeast Asia; Ayutthaya attracted an increasing number of merchants and developed into a significant port on the intra-Asian trade route and true cosmopolitan city.  Many of these merchants settled in Ayutthaya and formed distinct communities with the preexisting merchants and mercenaries within Ayutthaya and on the outskirts of the city.  The increased commerce by these foreign merchants also resulted in a significant expansion of Ayutthaya’s civil administration and a corresponding increase in the number of foreigners employed within the bureaucracy.  By the seventeenth century, some foreigners had amassed enough wealth and manpower that they were considered khunnang (nobles) and became critical participants in and frequently determine the outcome of the royal succession conflicts in seventeenth century Ayutthaya.  The objective of this research is to study the structural and circumstantial factors associated with the royal succession struggles during the seventeenth century in Ayutthaya as well as compare and contrast the roles and involvement of foreigners in the 1628-1629 and the 1688 royal succession conflicts.
Fabrication of three-dimensional (3-D) corneal transplantable model from silk fibroin/gelatin-based biomaterial
Authors:   , Torsahakul Chutirat
Published: April 2023

Canine corneal blindness is a common cause of vision loss and visual impairment worldwide. While the demand of canine corneal graft is continuously elevated, the clinical useable grafts are limited to acellular biomaterials and allograft. This study aimed to generate the tissue-engineered canine cornea in the part of corneal epithelium and underlying stroma based on cLESCs (canine limbal epithelial stem cells) seeded silk fibroin and gelatin (SF/G) film and cCSSCs (canine corneal stromal stem cells) seeded SF/G scaffold respectively. Both cell types were successfully isolated by collagenase I. SF/G films and scaffolds served as the prospective substrates for cLESCs and cCSSCs by promoting cell adhesion, cell viability and cell proliferation. Furthermore, gene expression levels were compared among cells seeded tissue culture plate (TCP) and cells seeded their own scaffolds. Here, the results revealed the upregulation of P63 and Abcg2 of cLESCs as well as Kera, Lum, Aldh3a1 and Aqp1 which are the marker of cells differentiated into keratocytes and extracellular matrix production like a native cornea. Moreover, immunohistochemistry was illustrated the positive staining of P63, lumican, Aldh3a1 and collagen I. The results manifested the feasible platform to construct tissue-engineered canine cornea as the functional transplantable corneal grafts and provided the profitable acknowledgement in the area of canine corneal stem cells to develop stem cell-based therapy in the future.
Pharmacokinetics, pharmacodynamics and dosing regimen of long-acting oxytetracycline in nile tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus)
Authors:   , Vasuntrarak Kananuch
Published: April 2023

Antimicrobial resistance has become a serious global problem and is steadily increasing worldwide. In aquaculture, there are limited antimicrobial options for treatment. Thus, there are growing needs for more specific dosing regimens of existing antimicrobial drugs that are not only to obtain therapeutic efficacy but also to minimize the resistance of pathogens. The purposes of this study were to determine pharmacokinetics (PK) of long-acting oxytetracycline (OTC) after intraperitoneal (IP) administration in Nile tilapia. One hundred and twenty healthy male tilapia (450±37.47 g) were divided into two experimental groups (60 fish/group). Each group received OTC-LA single IP injection at dosage of 50 mg/kg or 100 mg/kg bodyweight. Blood samples were collected at various times post-dosing and plasma OTC were analyzed using high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). For pharmacodynamics (PD) study, 56 S. agalactiae isolates from diseased tilapia were determined for minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) and mutant prevention concentration (MPC) by agar dilution method. The results showed that the Cmax and Tmax of OTC were 110.70 ± 5.61 µg/ml at 2 h for the dosage of 50 mg/kg, and 287.85 ± 8.03 µg/ml at 4 h for the dosage of 100 mg/kg. OTC level in plasma was slowly depleted and remained at 3.99 ± 0.48 µg/ml and 23.00 ± 2.51 µg/ml at 168 h (7 day) after administration OTC-LA at the dosages of 50 and 100 mg/kg, respectively. From 56 S. agalactiae samples, MIC range was 0.5 to 2 µg/ml, with MIC50 and MIC90 at 0.5 µg/ml and 1 µg/ml, respectively. MPC range was 4 to 512 µg/ml, with MPC50 and MPC90 at 32 µg/ml and 128 µg/ml, respectively. For the ratio of MPC and MIC and mutant selection window (MSW) results, MPC50/MIC50 ratio was 64 (MSW: 0.5 - 32 µg/ml) and MPC90/MIC90 ratio was 128 (MSW: 1 -128 µg/ml). From the integrated PK/PD parameters, both OTC-LA at the dosages of 50 mg/kg and 100 mg/kg dosages achieved the target values and provided plasma OTC level above MIC for at least 7 days. While PK/PD parameters based on MPC, only OTC-LA at 100 mg/kg dosage can prevent the resistant-mutant subpopulation. Therefore, OTC-LA treatment at 100 mg/kg bodyweight IP administration would be suggested as the optimal dosing regimen to attain therapeutic efficacy and prevent the emergence of resistant-mutant subpopulation and possible to be used as a single administration for the infection caused by S. agalactiae.
The study of changes in gene regulation of serotonin signaling pathway and circulating serotonin concentration in dogs with pulmonary hypertension due to degenerative mitral valve disease
Authors:   , Tangmahakul Nattawan
Published: April 2023

Pulmonary hypertension (PH) is an abnormal increase in pulmonary vascular pressure. In dogs, PH is commonly found secondary to degenerative mitral valve disease (DMVD), especially in small breed dogs. Serotonin, a biogenic amine playing an essential role in both physiology and abnormalities of several organs, is a vasoactive substance that has been one of the suspicious mediators for the development of PH. Both local and circulating effects of serotonin have been investigated to discover the involvement of serotonin and the pathogenesis of PH in both humans and animals. The present study aimed to investigate the local serotonin signaling in lung and pulmonary arteries (PA) and the source and differences of serotonin in platelets and plasma of dogs with PH secondary to DMVD compared to healthy dogs and DMVD dogs without PH. The lung and PA tissues of fourteen small-breed dogs were collected and divided into the control (n = 4), DMVD (n = 5) and DMVD+PH (n = 5) groups. The quantitative reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR) and Western blot were used to assess the expression of genes and proteins associating with the serotonin signaling pathway. To measure the platelet and plasma serotonin concentrations, whole blood was collected from sixty-two small-breed dogs divided into the control (n = 22), DMVD (n = 20) and DMVD+PH (n = 20) groups. The blood samples were prepared and measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). The tendency of upregulated TPH-1, SERT, 5-HTR2A, ERK1/2 and pERK1/2 protein in PA tissues were found in DMVD dogs with and without PH, whereas the gene and protein expression in lung tissues was varied. The concentration of platelet serotonin of dogs with DMVD and high probability of PH (35.82 [2.69 - 126.35] ng/109 platelets) was decreased compared to DMVD dogs without PH (325.99 [96.84 - 407.66] ng/109 platelets) (p = 0.008). The concentration of plasma serotonin did not differ among all groups. These findings revealed that proteins related to the serotonin signaling pathway increased in dogs affected with DMVD with and without PH suggesting the local effect of serotonin in PA in dogs affected with DMVD with and without PH. In circulation, the degree of PH probability of dogs with PH secondary to DMVD is correlated with a decrease in platelet serotonin concentration. Roles of serotonin in PA and platelet serotonin should be investigated to elucidate the involvement of the local and systemic effect of the serotonin signaling pathway in dogs with naturally occurring PH due to DMVD.
Antimicrobial resistance in salmonella enterica isolated from dogs and cats in northern and northeastern Thailand
Authors:   , Chantharothaiphaichit Thanich
Published: April 2023

Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) is One Health issue involved in humans, animals and environment and a unified One Health approach is required to contain this problematic issue. However, data on AMR in companion animals is limited. Dogs and cats are popular pet animals and are known to carry many bacterial pathogens that are of public health importance, including Salmonella. This study aimed to identify serovars of Salmonella and phenotypically and genetically characterize AMR in Salmonella isolated from dogs and cats in Northern and Northeastern Thailand. A total of 178 S. enterica isolates from dogs (n= 159) and cats (n= 19) collected between 2015 – 2018 were included. Seventy-seven serovars were identified, of which serovars Weltevreden (9.6%), Stockholm (9.0%), and Typhimurium (7.3%) were most common. The majority of the isolates (34.3%) were multidrug resistant. Only one ESBL-producing isolate (i.e., serovar Stockholm) was identified and the isolate carried blaTEM-1 and blaCTX-M55. Of all plasmid-mediated quinolone resistance genes tested, only qnrS (10.1%) was detected. Plasmid replicon types found were IncA/C (0.6%), N (1.1%) IncFIIA (28.7%), IncHI1 (2.2%), and IncI1 (3.4%). IncFIIA was most prevalent (51 isolates, 28.7%). Based on the pMLST typing scheme, the plasmids were assigned to 5 different STs including IncA/C-ST6, IncH1-ST16, IncI1-ST60, IncI1-ST101, and IncI1-ST136, of which ST 16, of IncHI1 plasmid was the novel plasmid STs. Subtyping F-type plasmids using the RST scheme revealed 4 different combinations of replicons including S1:A-:B- (n=4), S1:A-:B22 (n=2), S3:A-:B- (n=1), and S-:A-:B47 (n=1). The findings highlight the role of household dogs and cats as carriers of AMR Salmonella enterica strains with R plasmid and AMR determinants. These Salmonella strains may spread to humans and environment and promote the wide distribution of AMR.
Bacteriophage and ozone-nanobubble based approaches for combating multidrug-resistant aeromonas hydrophila in nile tilapia (oreochromis niloticus) culture system
Authors:   , Le Thanh
Published: April 2023

Aeromonas hydrophila infection is considered one of the most important bacterial diseases responsible for the loss of millions of dollars in the global freshwater aquaculture industry. Multidrug-resistant (MDR) A. hydrophila is becoming a global issue of concern. Non-antibiotic approaches can minimize the requirement for antimicrobials to combat infectious diseases and antimicrobial resistance. This study aims to investigate the potential application of lytic bacteriophage, ozone nanobubbles (NB-O3), a potential combination of bacteriophage and nanobubble-based technology in combatting MDR A. hydrophila in Nile tilapia. A newly Myoviridae phage pAh6.2TG was isolated, identified, and characterized in this study. The application of this phage as a prophylactic agent significantly suppressed bacterial concentration in water and improved survivability of Nile tilapia challenged with the pathogenic MDR A. hydrophila with RPS of 50 ­ 73.3%. In addition, treatments of NB-O3 in a modified recirculation system were not only safe for juvenile Nile tilapia, but also modulated fish innate immunity and significantly improved survivability of Nile tilapia challenged with MDR A. hydrophila with RPS of 64.7 - 66.7%. The surviving fish from these treatments developed specific antibody IgM against the challenged bacteria. Taken together, this study reveals that phage pAh6.2TG and NB-O3 are promising non-antibiotic approaches to control diseases caused by MDR A. hydrophila in the freshwater fish aquaculture industry. Subsequently, an investigation of the impact of nanobubble technology on bacteriophage revealed that NB-O3 killed 99.99 and 100% bacteriophage in water after 5- and 10-min treatment, respectively, while oxygen nanobubbles (NB-O2) did not. The NB-O2 treatment improved the adherence of phage pAh6.2TG on fish body surface and the uptake of phages into the fish liver. Thus, a combination of NB-O2 treatment and phage therapy is feasible to control bacterial infections in aquaculture, while NB-O3 might be a promising viral disinfection method for aquaculture water. In summary, this study demonstrates that both bacteriophage and nanobubble technology are promising strategies for combatting MDR A. hydrophila in tilapia and probably other freshwater fish species.
Effects of algae-derived ß-glucan supplementation on production performances and specific immune responses in nursery to growing pigs
Authors:   , Chuaychu Sh.Boonnithi
Published: April 2023

เบต้ากลูแคนเป็นสารเสริมในอาหารสัตว์ที่มีการใช้กันอย่างแพร่หลายในอุตสาหกรรมการเลี้ยงสุกร ถึงแม้ว่าการเสริมสารเบต้ากลูแคนในสูตรอาหารสุกร จะเชื่อว่าสามารถช่วยพัฒนาการเจริญเติบโตและปรับการทำงานของภูมิคุ้มกันในสุกรได้ แต่อย่างไรก็ตาม ในปัจจุบันยังไม่มีข้อมูลการศึกษาที่ชัดเจนเกี่ยวกับผลของการเสริมเบต้ากลูแคนที่สกัดมาจากสาหร่ายต่ออัตราการเจริญเติบโตและการตอบสนองทางภูมิคุ้มกันโดยเฉพาะระบบภูมิคุ้มกันแบบจำเพาะในสุกร ดังนั้นการศึกษานี้จึงมีวัตถุประสงค์เพื่อประเมินผลของการใช้สารเสริมเบต้ากลูแคนจากสาหร่ายในอาหารสุกรต่อประสิทธิภาพการเจริญเติบโตและการตอบสนองทางภูมิคุ้มกันแบบจำเพาะในสุกรอนุบาลและสุกรขุนเล็ก โดยแบ่งสุกรหย่านมสามสายพันธุ์เป็น 3 กลุ่มการทดลอง ได้แก่  กลุ่มควบคุมที่ได้รับอาหารสูตรมาตรฐาน กลุ่มทดลองที่ 2 และ 3 ได้รับอาหารชนิดเดียวกันที่เสริมด้วยสารเสริมเบต้ากลูแคนจากสาหร่ายในปริมาณ 100 และ 200 กรัมต่อตันตามลำดับ จากการทดลอง ไม่พบความแตกต่างอย่างมีนัยสำคัญของประสิทธิภาพการผลิตและอัตราการเจริญเติบโตของสุกรสุกร การทดสอบการตอบสนองของระบบภูมิคุ้มกันที่จำเพาะหลังการฉีดวัคซีน CSFV และ PRRSV พบว่าสุกรที่ได้รับสารเสริมเบต้ากลูแคนจากสาหร่ายในอาหาร มีระดับ neutralizing antibody ต่อ CSFV สูงขึ้นอย่างมีนัยยะสำคัญ นอกจากนี้ พบการเพิ่มขึ้นของจำนวนเซลล์ CD4+(T lymphocytes) และ CD4+CD8+  (putative memory T lymphocytes) ซึ่งสร้างไซโตคายน์ IFN-g+ ที่มีความจำเพาะต่อ CSFV และ PRRSV ในกลุ่มสุกรที่ได้รับสารเสริมเบต้ากลูแคนจากสาหร่ายอีกด้วย จากการศึกษาสรุปได้ว่า ถึงแม้ว่าการให้สารเสริมเบต้ากลูแคนจะไม่สามารถเสริมสมรรถภาพการผลิตของสุกรได้ แต่มีคุณสมบัติทางชีวภาพในการเป็นสารกระตุ้นภูมิคุ้มกันซึ่งอาจเป็นการเพิ่มความต้านทานโรคติดเชื้อไวรัสในสุกรอนุบาลและสุกรขุนเล็กได้
Localization of tilapia tilapinevirus by in situ hybridization in the brain of nile tilapia (oreochromis niloticus)
Authors:   , Nguyen Hung
Published: April 2023

Tilapia tilapinevirus or tilapia lake virus (TiLV) is an emerging virus that poses a significant negative impact on farmed tilapia globally. Abnormal behaviours such as lethargy, loss of appetite, erratic swimming, stop schooling have been recorded during disease occurrence, which is possibly linked to brain activities. Previous studies described detection of the virus in multiple organs of infected fish; however, little is known about the in-depth localization of the virus in the central nervous system. Herein, we determined the distribution of TiLV and histopathological alterations in the entire brain of Nile tilapia experimentally infected fish. By in situ hybridization (ISH) using TiLV-specific probes, the results indicated that the virus was broadly spread throughout the brain. These findings have supported the association between brain dysfunctions and the neurological manifestation of infected fish. Interestingly, the strongest positive TiLV signal was dominantly detected in the forebrain (function as learning, appetitive behavior, and attention) and the hindbrain (function as controlling locomotion and basal physiology). In addition, the permissive cell zone for viral infection mostly was observed to be along the blood vessels and the ventricles, indicating that the virus may effectively enter the brain through the circulatory system and infect broad regions potentially through the cerebrospinal fluid along the ventricles, and subsequently induce the brain dysfunction. Understanding the pattern of viral localization in the brain may help elucidate the neurological disorders of the diseased fish. Our work revealed the first spatial visualization of viral distribution in the whole infected brain, providing new information on fish-virus interactions and also guide future studies to fulfill the disease pathogenesis.
Microbiological quality of and antimicrobial resistance in commercial probiotic products for food animals in Thailand
Authors:   , Tran Hoang
Published: April 2023

A total of 45 commercial probiotic products for food animals were investigated for the number of viable cells, bacterial species and the presence of antimicrobial resistance (AMR) genes. All products were enumerated for viable bacterial cells of Lactobacillus, Bacillus and Enterococcus. Confirmation of species was carried out by multiplex Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) for Lactobacillus (n=20), Enterococcus (n=20), and Amplified Ribosomal DNA Restriction Analysis (ARDRA) for Bacillus (n=190). The presence of Clostridium species was examined by PCR. The contamination of E. coli and Salmonella was also determined. Minimal Inhibitory Concentrations (MICs) for 14 antimicrobials was examined in the bacterial isolates obtained (n=64). The presence of 111 genes encoding resistance to clinically important antibiotics was tested in probiotic products (n=45). Possible resistance gene transferability was investigated in the isolates with resistance phenotype. The results showed that 34 of 45 products (75.5%) were incorrectly labeled in either numbers of viable cells or bacterial species or both. None of the products tested were contaminated with E. coli and Salmonella. Thirty-three out of 64 isolates (51.6%) exhibited resistance to at least one antimicrobial agent. Resistance to chloramphenicol (21%) was highest among probiotic bacteria, followed by trimethoprim (17%), clindamycin (16%) sulfamethoxazole (15%), ampicillin (10%), erythromycin (9%), vancomycin (9%), tetracycline (8%), ciprofloxacin (6%), streptomycin (5%) and kanamycin (5%). Sixteen in 45 products (35.5%) were positive to at least one AMR genes, including genes encoding resistance to β-lactamase (blaOXA-1-like and blaSHV), ciprofloxacin [oqxAB, qnrD, aac(6’)-Ib-cr, qrnB, and qnrS), streptomycin (aadA1, aadA2, aadE and strA-strB), gentamicin [aac(3)-II and aac(6’)-aph(2’’)], kanamycin [ant(4’)-Ia and aph(3’)-IIIa], tetracycline (tetA, tetB, tetL and tetM), chloramphenicol (catA and cmlA), macrolide (mefA), trimethoprim (dfrA12 and dfrA14), sulfonamide (sul1) and vancomycin (vanC). Almost AMR genes detected in probiotic products were not correlated to AMR phenotype of probiotic bacteria found in these products. Three streptomycin- resistant Lactobacillus isolates could horizontally transfer their resistance determinants. The findings demonstrated that the probiotic products could serve as reservoirs for spread of AMR genes and may not yield benefits to animals as claimed. The observations highlight the need for the adequate quality control of probiotic products.