bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Embolização da artéria gástrica esquerda como tratamento para a obesidade: revisão sistemática e metanálise
Authors: Oliveira Rafaela Aparecida Dias de , Lima Eduardo Teodoro , Leão Lívia Caetano da Silva , Martins Neto Marcelo Macedo
Published: January 2021

A embolização arterial gástrica (EAG) é uma das terapias minimamente invasivas que vêm sendo estudada como alternativa à cirurgia bariátrica, a fim de se mitigar possíveis complicações cirúrgicas. A EAG é realizada há mais de 40 anos para tratamento de hemorragias gastrointestinais, porém mais recentemente pesquisadores estudam a hipótese de que o procedimento possa ser realizado com finalidade anorexígena, associando a redução na produção do hormônio grelina à perda ponderal alcançada. Essa revisão sistemática objetiva sumarizar os resultados obtidos nos últimos 5 anos, avaliando a eficácia e segurança da EAG com finalidade anorexígena e sua relação com o hormônio grelina. Metodologia: Foi feita busca cruzada com os descritores "gastric artery embolization" e "obesity", retirados do DeCS/MeSH, nas bases de dados Pubmed, MEDLINE e Cochrane Library. Resultados: Essa revisão revelou 87 pacientes obesos submetidos à embolização da artéria gástrica esquerda, com perda ponderal média de 9,32% (T= 6,9 meses) e redução média dos níveis séricos de grelina de 15,05% (T= 6 meses). Discussão: Até o momento, os resultados sugerem que a EAG pode ser uma técnica segura, porém não eficaz para o tratamento da obesidade. Considerações finais: Considerando-se que a cirurgia bariátrica proporciona perda de peso sustentada entre 45-80% em até 2 anos, são necessários ensaios com N maior para avaliação de perda ponderal sustentada proporcionalmente à queda dos níveis de grelina, pois estatisticamente a relação entre as variáveis não se comprova. Além disso, são necessárias pesquisas com maior duração para análise de potenciais complicações a longo prazo.
Estudo da relação entre a geração de resíduos sólidos urbanos e o Produto Interno Bruto (PIB) per-capito no Brasil
Authors: Norberto Alison de Souza , Lira Silas Almeida , Nascimento Anderson Viana do , Duarte Armando Dias , Silva Jailma Gabrieli Cavalcante da , Alves João Victor Cavalcanti , Pedrosa Thayse Diniz , Oliveira Neto José Francisco de
Published: January 2021

A redução da geração de resíduos sólidos no Brasil vem sendo abordada ao longo de décadas, no ano de 2010 com o lançamento da Política Nacional de Resíduos Sólidos (PNRS) viu-se então diretrizes mais sólidas para promover essa redução. No que concerne ao processo de geração de resíduos sólidos urbanos (RSU), diversos aspectos estão relacionados, dentre os quais, os aspectos econômicos. Diante deste cenário, esta pesquisa buscou avaliar a relação da geração de RSU per capita do Brasil com o seu Produto Interno Bruto (PIB) per capito ao longo das duas primeiras décadas do século XXI. Nas análises, foram utilizados os dados dos relatórios da Associação Brasileira de Empresas de Limpeza Pública e Resíduos Especiais (ABRELPE) e dados do PIB divulgados pelo governo federal. Ao fim, identificou-se que os indicadores não estão correlacionais quando do ponto de vista geral do país, mas que trazem um comportamento diferente em algumas de suas regiões, que sofreram a influência de fatores econômicos resultando em um comportamento diferente do resultado nacional.
A colaboração da Fonoaudiologia educacional em prol de um sistema de ensino igualitário
Authors: Santos Poliana Carneiro , Nascimento Mariana Fonseca Silva
Published: January 2021

A presente pesquisa possui como objetivo principal analisar a contribuição da fonoaudiologia por meio de seus profissionais no que se refere à inclusão de crianças com necessidades educacionais especiais em escola regular. Dentre os objetivos específicos ressaltam-se: Identificar de que modo atua os profissionais de fonoaudiologia na educação escolar regular; Demonstrar os principais instrumentos da fonoaudiologia em prol da inclusão escolar; Verificar os principais atores envolvidos na atuação fonoaudiológica.Para a fundamentação da pesquisa houve a necessidade de realizar uma revisão bibliográfica, analisando diversas teorias sobre as formas que a fonoaudiologia pode contribuir em prol do melhor desenvolvimento na educação regular de alunos que apresentam necessidades especiais. As fontes de pesquisa foram artigos científicos, monografias, dissertações, livros e consultas em sítios eletrônicos (internet), ressaltando-se Scielo, Pubmed e Medline.Concluiu-se pela presente pesquisa que a Fonoaudiologia é de suma importância na contribuição de uma educação caracterizada pela inclusão, juntamente a equipes multidisciplinares, como pedagogos, por exemplo, objetivando sempre uma vida mais saudável do corpo discente. Constatou-se ainda na pesquisa, posteriormente ao estudo dos referenciais teóricos, que todas as pesquisas descrevem a inclusão de um modo mais alicerçado na teoria, demonstrando como deve correr a atuação do fonoaudiólogo no processo de inclusão educacional, demonstrando regras necessárias para a sua eficácia, quais os profissionais que devem integrar uma equipe multidisciplinar, no entanto não retratam a realidade da prática de inclusão educacional, não mostrando como o processo de inclusão tem ocorrido realmente, sendo evidenciado que relatos de casos ainda são bastante escassos sobre a temática. Assim, considera importante que sejam elaboradas novas pesquisas demonstrando a prática na educação inclusiva.
O Processo de trabalho dos Agentes Comunitários de Saúde
Authors: Brandão Gisetti Corina Gomes , Lucena Débora de Souza , Monteiro Jardel Marcelle dos Santos , Barbosa Neto João Henrique , Batista José Roniere Morais , Nunes Kamylla Soares , Vilar Leilane Mendes , Santos Stephany da Silva
Published: January 2021

Objetivo: Caracterizar o perfil dos Agentes Comunitários de Saúde, e identificar os processos que facilitam e os que dificultam o trabalho dos ACSs. Método: A análise do material empírico oriundo das entrevistas semiestruturadas, com os ACSs do município de Campina Grande- PB, Brasil, escolhidos de forma não probabilística e por conveniência, realizadas no período de maio de 2018 à agosto de 2019, se deu através da análise de conteúdo de Bardin, e sua categorização a partir do Iramuteq 0.6. O estudo teve caráter descritivo-exploratório, de abordagem qualitativa, sistemática e subjetiva. A presente pesquisa foi aprovada pelo Comitê de Ética em Pesquisa (CEP) do Hospital Universitário Alcides Carneiro, CAAE n° 65858717.9.00005182. Resultados: Nas falas dos ACSs, identifica-se que os mesmos reconhecem sua importância como agentes facilitadores do serviço, vinculando UBS e comunidade, além do seu papel educativo e seu conhecimento experiente e íntimo aos usuários. Por outro lado, reforçam as dificuldades como a falta de EPIs, dificuldades para lidar com violência doméstica, e na comunidade, há falta de vacinas e outros insumos, e carência no apoio da gestão. Conclusão: Em síntese, a falta de articulação no serviço se mostra o maior impecílio para a efetividade da assistência à comunidade por meio dos ACSs.
Uso de inoculante Azospirillum brasilense na produção de mudas de Tento Carolina
Authors: Almeida Luciana Santos , Sobrinho Severino de Paiva , Luz Petterson Baptista da , Caldeira Daniela Soares Alves , Oliveira Altacis Junior de , Oliveira Taniele Carvalho de , Vilarinho Marcella Karoline Cardoso , Vieira Carlos Luiz , Silva Alex Sandro Poquiviqui da , Silva Gabriel Vinicius Batista da
Published: January 2021

As Bactérias diazotróficas Azospirillum brasilense são benéficas para as plantas devido à capacidade de quebrar a molécula de N2, facilitando sua assimilação pelas plantas, além disso, é considerada promotora de crescimento vegetativo, pois, induzem na produção e liberação de fitormônios como auxinas, giberelinas e citocininas, responsáveis pelo crescimento vegetativo e expansão do sistema radicular. Devido à espécie de Tento Carolina ser bastante utilizada em arborização urbana e em áreas de reflorestamento, objetivou-se neste trabalho avaliar o efeito da inoculação de Azospirillum brasilense, em diferentes doses, no desenvolvimento de mudas de Tento Carolina (Adenanthera pavonina L.). A pesquisa foi composta por um ensaio com delineamento experimental inteiramente casualizado com seis tratamentos, quatro repetições e quatro plantas por parcela. As doses utilizadas foram: T1: 0 ml (testemunha); T2: 0,3 ml; T3: 0,6 ml; T4: 0,9 ml; T5: 1,2 ml e T6: 1,5 ml) para 30 gramas de sementes. O experimento foi conduzido em casa de vegetação, no município de Cáceres, MT. As avaliações morfológicas das plantas foram realizadas 120 dias após a semeadura. Os dados foram submetidos ao programa computacional R, aplicando-se o teste F para diagnóstico de efeito significativo, e as médias comparadas pelo teste Tukey a 5% de probabilidade. Os resultados obtidos apontam que houve diferença significativa entre os tratamentos com utilização de Azospirillum brasilense, e somente para as variáveis de número de folhas e relação altura da parte aérea/diâmetro do coleto seu uso foi indiferente. Nenhum tratamento com inoculante apresentou resultado superior ao tratamento denominado testemunha.
Investigação sobre o nível de satisfação acadêmica no curso de administração CAMEAM-UERN
Authors: Medeiros Maria Josiany Viana , Macri Luma Michelly Soares Rodrigues
Published: January 2021

O objetivo deste trabalho foi investigar os níveis de satisfação acadêmicas do curso de Administração CAMEAM-UERN. A construção de uma pesquisa de satisfação é importante para o desenvolvimento de um ensino de qualidade, junto à concepção dos estudantes que fazem parte do curso e da instituição de estudo, pois são essenciais para a potencialização do crescimento e qualidade de ensino. A presente pesquisa é de caráter qualitativo e quantitativo, de natureza exploratória e descritiva. Para tanto, foi utilizado um questionário com 35 (trinta e cinco) questões sobre a satisfação dos discentes referentes aos vários aspectos relacionados à vida acadêmica, onde atribuíram valores em uma escala de 1 (um) à 5 (cinco) para afirmar entre nada e totalmente satisfeito, respectivamente, e foi aplicado com o universo de 103 (cento e três) alunos do 4º (quarto) ao 10º (décimo) período do curso de Administração do CAMEAM-UERN. Após a coleta de dados foram utilizados gráficos e tabelas para demonstração dos resultados obtidos através da análise estatística, esquematizados em 6 (seis) dimensões relacionadas à satisfação pessoal, com o curso, professores, colegas e ambiente físico da instituição, obtendo um resultado positivo perante a satisfação dos alunos com relação à maioria dos aspectos tratados, e uma possível atenção para melhorias no que correspondem aos dados coletados com os resultados neutros. A análise deste estudo pode ser útil à instituição para condutas a serem tomadas para potencialização do nível de satisfação dos discentes do curso de Administração do CAMEAM-UERN.
Inflammatory mediators and their clinical repercussions on anorexia nervosa
Authors: Carvalho Anny Priscylla Silva de , Assis Larissa Silva de , Simões Dayane Lorraine Vale , Materko Wollner , Brito Maysa de Vasconcelos
Published: January 2021

Anorexia Nervosa (AN) is an eating disorder that affects adults, young people and children, has a multifactorial etiology, characterized by a distortion of body image associated with fear of gaining weight, leading the individual to commit severe food restriction, causing extreme weight loss and malnutrition. This, clinical and metabolic manifestations associated with inflammatory biomarkers are triggered, based on evidence on the dysregulation of the immune system and an inflammatory immunomodudulation during AN. The present study aims to present evidence that demonstrates how inflammatory mediators are systematically related to the most common clinical manifestations more in AN. This is an integrative review, based on consultation of the databases: MEDLINE and LILACS. Sixteen studies were selected from 2014 to 2020 with 56, 25% NE3, followed by 31, 25% NE 5 and 12, 5% NE 2. Studies have shown that inflammatory biomarkers such as interleukins, and chemokines, leptin, ghrelin, omentine-1, adinonectin, BDNF, VEGF, VCAM, PCR, OC, CTX, OPG, RANK, RANKL, IFN -γ, NO, IGF and some classes of TNF are related to clinical manifestations in AN contributing to prolonged and difficult to reverse symptoms, such as depression, sleep disorders, memory and learning, altered behavior , tissue damage, decreased appetite, risk for cardiovascular disease, changes in the intestinal microbiome, osteoporosis, amenorrhea, inflammation of the hypothalamus, impaired energy metabolism and unregulated inflammatory state. However, further clarification is needed on this topic, as there are still few studies in this line of research.
Uso de crema dental en niños peruanos menores de 12 años, durante el periodo del 2016 al 2018. Resultados de una encuesta nacional
Authors: Diaz Soriano Ana , Torres Ramos Gilmer , Pérez Vargas Luis , Chein Villacampa Sylvia , Andia Ticona. Marcelino , Castañeda Sarmiento. Sara , Arieta Miranda Jéssica , Ruiz Yasuda Katherine , López Ramos Roxana , Ramírez Sotelo Laura , Apaza Ramos Sonia , Blanco Victorio Daniel , Arce García Claudia , Orihuela Gutiérrez Josué
Published: January 2021

Objective: To report the use of toothpaste in Peruvian children under 12 years old, during the period of 2016 - 2018. Materials and methods: The study was descriptive, longitudinal and retrospective, using the records of the ENDES database, Peru, during 2016-2018. The sample was multistage, probabilistic and stratified, consisting of 118,716 records of children under 12 years of age. The variables were: use of toothpaste, fluoride concen-tration, department, geographical area and natural region. A descriptive analysis of the absolute and relative frequencies was performed. Results: Of the participants, they brushed their teeth, 88%; they brush their teeth 2 times a day, 40%; they used toothpaste, 98%; they used toothpaste with a fluorine concentration of 1000ppm or more, 44.6% (n = 15 376), 43.2% (n = 14 545) and 44% (n = 16 227), for the years 2016, 2017 and 2018, respectively. In the departments of Piura, Loreto, San Martin and Ucayali use toothpaste ≥1000ppm of fluoride, in a greater percentage, in a 55% to 74.9%. Dental creams with ≥1000ppm of fluoride were more used in the jungle region and urban areas. Conclusions: The population was found to brush their teeth, twice a day and use toothpaste; However, less than half of Peruvians under 12 years of age use fluoridated toothpaste with 1000 ppm or more. These results could be related to current preventive policies against tooth decay.
Evaluación del manejo terapéutico en estudiantes de pregrado, egresados y docentes en piezas con hipomineralización incisivo-molar (HIM) en una universidad privada de Lima
Authors: Castilla Fiorella , Ramírez María
Published: January 2021

Objetivo: Evaluar el manejo terapéutico elegido por los estudiantes de pregrado, egresados y docentes de una Universidad privada de Lima en piezas dentarias con HIM. Materiales y métodos: En este estudio se trabajó con 151 participantes, siendo estudiantes de pregrado, egresados y docentes entre los 20 a 42 años de una Universidad Privada en Chorrillos, Lima-Perú. Se les aplicó un cuestionario, el cual se subdividió en 2 fases: tipo de material y tipo de preparación cavitaria con 3 casos de HIM con diferente grado de severidad. Para el análisis univariado, se procedió a obtener la estadística descriptiva, frecuencias absolutas y relativas. Para análisis bivariado se realizó la prueba de Chi cuadrado (P<0.05). Resultados: En el caso 1, el tratamiento de mayor elección por todos los encuestados fue “Sellante de fisuras a base de material de ionómero de vidrio. En el caso 2, el tratamiento de mayor elección fue “corona preformada”. En el caso 3, hubo diferencias en la elección de preparación cavitaria. También, se observa que hubo diferencia significativa entre el nivel de formación con manejo terapéutico. (p=0,000). Conclusiones: En base a los resultados encontrados es posible con­cluir que se encontraron diferencias en la elección del manejo terapéu­tico entre los tres grupos de participantes ante los casos de HIM.
Efectividad de las pastas dentales en la reducción del recuento de Streptococcos mutans en niños de 5 años de edad
Authors: De la Cruz Campos Silvia Beatriz , Albites Achata Ursula
Published: January 2021

Objetivo: Determinar cuál de las pastas dentales; una pasta dental con 1.5% de arginina y 1450 ppm de flúor, una con 10% de xilitol y 1450 ppm de flúor y; una pasta dental de 1450 ppm de flúor; es más efectiva en la reducción del recuento de S. mutans en saliva en niños de 5 años de edad. Metodología: La muestra estuvo constituida por 45 niños de 5 años de edad divididos en 3 grupos correspondientes a cada pasta a evaluar, una pasta dental con 1.5% de arginina y 1450 ppm de flúor, una con 10% de xilitol y 1450 ppm de flúor y una con 1450 ppm de flúor. Se realizaron recuentos de ufc de S. mutans en siembras realizadas en agar MSB, de muestras de saliva estimulada obtenidas de los sujetos de la muestra, antes y después de dos semanas del uso de la pasta asignada a cada subgrupo. Resultados: La media del recuento de S. mutans antes fue de 727,59 UFC y después fue de 103,50. La significancia fue de 0.000 entre el recuento de S. mutans antes y después del uso de las pastas en los tres grupos evaluados. Se encontró diferencia estadísticamente significativa entre los 3 grupos encontrándose que el grupo de la pasta con 10% de xilitol y 1450 ppm de flúor fue más efectiva que las otras dos pastas dentales.  Conclusión: Las tres pastas dentales demostraron ser efectivas en la reducción del recuento de S. mutans en saliva en niños de 5 años de edad, sin embargo, la pasta dental con 10% de xilitol y 1450 ppm de flúor demostró ser más eficiente que las otras dos pastas
Relación entre los conocimientos, actitudes y prácticas en salud bucal de los padres con la caries de infancia temprana de niños con anemia de la comunidad de Recuay
Authors: Sihuay Torres Kamila , López Príncipe Maricell Eugenia , Cigüeñas Raya Edith , Mezarina Mendoza Jhon Paul
Published: January 2021

La caries de infancia temprana afecta a más del 60% de niños del Perú, afectando su calidad vida y alimentación. Es importante conocer los conocimientos, actitudes y prácticas en salud bucal de los cuidadores de estos niños para realizar estrategias de intervención adecuadas. Objetivo: Relacionar los conocimientos, actitudes y prácticas en salud bucal de los padres con la caries de infancia temprana de niños con anemia de la comunidad de Recuay. Materiales y métodos: Estudio de nivel relacional, enfoque cuantitativo, diseño observacional, transversal y prospectivo. Participaron 52 niños de 0 a 6 años diagnosticados con anemia y sus padres. Se aplicó el índice de ceo-d e índice de higiene oral simplificado (IHO-S) a los niños; y un cuestionario de conocimientos, actitudes y prácticas en salud bucal a sus padres. Se relacionó el índice de ceo-d con el nivel de conocimientos, actitudes y prácticas utilizando el coeficiente de correlación de Spearman. Resultados: Se encontró que el 69% de niños presenta caries de infancia temprana, el índice de ceo-d promedio fue de 3,3, el cual aumentaba con la edad. El IHO-S promedio fue de 1,95. El nivel de conocimientos, actitudes y prácticas de los padres fue regular, adecuado y regular respectivamente. El coeficiente de correlación de Spearman entre las prácticas en salud bucal y el índice de ceo-d fue de 0,375 (p<0,05). Conclusiones: Solo se encontró una relación significativa entre las prácticas en salud bucal de los padres con el índice de ceo-d de sus hijos.
Aplicaciones del láser de alta po-tencia en odontología pediátrica
Authors: Angeles Maslucan Romy , Muñoz Nuñez Rosa , Puyen De García Miriam , Taboada Villanueva Claudia , Vargas Gil Jhoanna , Vicente Ramos Nadia
Published: January 2021

El láser es integrado en las ciencias médicas a mediados de los años 70 y se encuentra en constante evolución. En el mercado odontológico encontramos al láser de alta potencia, tales como el láser de Argón, de Diodo, Nd: YAG, Er, Cr: YSGG, Er: YAG y CO2, resaltando las aplicaciones del láser de diodo en tejidos blandos y el láser de Erbio para tejidos duros. Dentro de las ventajas del láser de alta potencia está acelerar la cicatrización y la expresión de colágenos, la desinfección de conductos radiculares en pulpectomías y la disminución en la permeabilidad dental. En el área de la odontología pediátrica, debemos resaltar la disminución del tiempo de trabajo y un aumento en la colaboración del paciente por la reducción/eliminación del dolor en los procedimientos; como por ejemplo la aplicación de anestesia. Dentro de los puntos a evaluar para el profesional de salud está el costo/beneficio y la capacitación necesaria para poder realizar los procedimientos con precisión, exactitud y bajo todas las medidas de seguridad.
A Comparative Study on Application of Unmanned Aerial Vehicle Systems in Agriculture
Authors: Rahman Mohammad Fatin Fatihur , Fan Shurui , Zhang Yan , Chen Lei
Published: January 2021

Presently in agriculture, there is much ample scope for drone and UAS (Unmanned Aircraft System) development. Because of their low cost and small size, these devices have the ability to help many developing countries with economic prosperity. The entire aggregation of financial investments in the agricultural area has increased appreciably in recent years. Sooth to say, agriculture remains a massive part of the world’s commercial growth, and due to some complications, the agriculture fields withstand massive losses. Pets and destructive insects seem to be the primary reasons for certain degenerative diseases. It minimizes the potential productivity of the crops. For increasing the quality of the plants, fertilizers and pesticides are appropriately applied. Using UAVs (Unmanned Aerial Vehicles) for spraying pesticides and fertilizing materials is an exuberant contraption. It adequately reduces the rate of health dilemma and the number of workers, which is quite an impressive landmark. Willing producers are also adopting UAVs in agriculture to soil and field analysis, seed sowing, lessen the time and costs correlated with crop scouting, and field mapping. It is rapid, and it can sensibly diminish a farmer’s workload, which is significantly a part of the agricultural revolution. This article aims to proportionally represent the concept of agricultural purposed UAV clear to the neophytes. First, this paper outlines the harmonic framework of the agricultural UAV, and then it abundantly illustrates the methods and materials. Finally, the article portrays the outcome.
Investigating the Features of PDO Green Hams during Salting: Insights for New Markers and Genomic Regions in Commercial Hybrid Pigs
Authors: Zappaterra Martina , Zambonelli Paolo , Schivazappa Cristina , Simoncini Nicoletta , Virgili Roberta , Stefanon Bruno , Davoli Roberta
Published: January 2021

Protected Designation of Origin (PDO) dry-cured hams production is greatly dependent on raw meat quality. This study was performed to identify genetic markers associated with the quality of dry-cured ham. Carcass traits of 229 heavy pigs belonging to three commercial genetic lines were registered (weight, EUROP classification). Phenotypic traits (Semimembranosus muscle ultimate pH, ham weight and lean meat content, adsorbed salt) of the corresponding thighs, undergone PDO ham process in three different plants, were measured, using a fast and non-invasive technology. Green ham weight and lean meat percentage influenced the estimated salt content and the weight loss during salting, even if the processing plant greatly affected the variability of the measured ham traits. The genomic data were obtained with the GeneSeek Genomic Profiler (GGP) 70k HD Porcine Array, using the slaughter day and the sex of the animals in the statistical analyses. The phenotypic traits were associated with the genotypes through GenAbel software. The results showed that 18 SNPs located on nine porcine chromosomes were found to be associated with nine phenotypic traits, mainly related to ham weight loss during salting. New associations were found between markers in the genes Neural Precursor Cell Expressed Developmentally Down-Regulated 9 (NEDD9, SSC7), T-Cell Lymphoma Invasion and Metastasis 2 (TIAM2, SSC1), and the ham quality traits. After validation, these SNPs may be useful to improve the quality of thighs for the production of PDO dry-cured hams.
Effect of Date Palm Pollen Supplementation on the Egg Production, Ovarian Follicles Development, Hematological Variables and Hormonal Profile of Laying Hens
Authors: Saleh Mohamed , Kokoszyński Dariusz , Mousa Mohamed Abd-Allah , Abuoghaba Ahmed Abdel-Kareem
Published: January 2021

This experiment studied the effect of DPP supplementation in the laying hens’ diet on the ovarian follicle development, hematological variables and hormonal profile of laying hens. Eighty-four, 78-week-old, Lohman LSL hybrids layers were equally divided into four groups (4 groups × 7 replicates × 3 hens); hens in the 1st group were fed a basal diet (control), while those in the 2nd, 3rd and 4th groups, were fed on the same diet and supplemented with 1.25, 2.5 and 5.0 g DPP/kg diet. The results showed that the egg weight, egg mass and laying rate of laying hens treated with DPP levels were significantly increased compared to those of the hens in the control group. Egg weight, egg surface area, albumen quality and percentage of the yolk in treated hens significantly increased compared with controls. The increased DPP levels in laying hens‘ diet significantly (p < 0.05) increased WBC, Hb and TAC, while heterophil/lymphocyte (H/L ratio) significantly decreased. Additionally, the concentrations of FSH and LH and the weights of ovary and oviduct in the treated hens significantly (p < 0.05) increased compared with the control. In conclusion, the DPP supplementation in the hen diet significantly improved egg production, EW, H/L ratio, ovarian follicles, FSH and LH hormones concentrations.
Lactobacillus crispatus BC1 Biosurfactant Delivered by Hyalurosomes: An Advanced Strategy to Counteract Candida Biofilm
Authors: Abruzzo Angela , Giordani Barbara , Parolin Carola , De Gregorio Priscilla R. , Foschi Claudio , Cerchiara Teresa , Bigucci Federica , Vitali Beatrice , Luppi Barbara
Published: January 2021

The emergence of resistance to antifungal drugs has made the treatment of vulvovaginal candidiasis (VVC) very challenging. Among natural substances, biosurfactants (BS) produced by Lactobacillus have gained increasing interest in counteracting Candida infections for their proven anti-adhesive properties and safety profile. In the present study, liposomes (LP-BS) or liposomes coated with hyaluronic acid (HY-LP-BS) were prepared in the presence of the BS isolated from the vaginal strain Lactobacillus crispatus BC1 and characterized in terms of size, ζ potential, stability and mucoadhesion. The anti-biofilm activity of free BS, LP-BS and HY-LP-BS was investigated against different Candida albicans and non-albicans strains (C. glabrata, C. lusitaniae, C. tropicalis, C. krusei and C. parapsilosis), clinically isolated from patients affected by VVC. The inhibition of biofilm formation and the dispersal of pre-formed biofilm were evaluated. The obtained phospholipid vesicles showed suitable size for vaginal application and good stability over the storage period. HY-LP-BS exhibited good mucoadhesive properties and the best anti-biofilm profile, both in preventing or limiting the surface colonization by a broad spectrum of Candida species. In conclusion, the formulation of a novel antifungal agent derived from the vaginal microbiota into mucoadhesive nanocarriers appears to be a promising biotherapeutic strategy to counteract vulvovaginal candidiasis.
Essential Oils as Antimicrobials in Crop Protection
Authors: Alonso-Gato María , Astray Gonzalo , Mejuto Juan C. , Simal-Gandara Jesus
Published: January 2021

At present, organic crops have reached an important boom in a society increasingly interested in the conservation of the environment and sustainability. It is evident that a part of the population in the Western world focuses their concern on how to obtain our food and on doing it in a way that is as respectful as possible with the environment. In this review, we present a compilation of the work carried out with the use of essential oils as an alternative in the fight against different bacteria and fungi that attack crops and related products. Given the collected works, the efficacy of essential oils for their use as pesticides for agricultural use is evident.
Novel Cecropin-4 Derived Peptides against Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus aureus
Authors: Peng Jian , Mishra Biswajit , Khader Rajamohammed , Felix LewisOscar , Mylonakis Eleftherios
Published: January 2021

Increasing microbial resistance, coupled with a lack of new antimicrobial discovery, has led researchers to refocus on antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) as novel therapeutic candidates. Significantly, the less toxic cecropins have gained widespread attention for potential antibacterial agent development. However, the narrow activity spectrum and long sequence remain the primary limitations of this approach. In this study, we truncated and modified cecropin 4 (41 amino acids) by varying the charge and hydrophobicity balance to obtain smaller AMPs. The derivative peptide C18 (16 amino acids) demonstrated high antibacterial activity against Gram-negative and Gram-positive bacteria, as well as yeasts. Moreover, C18 demonstrated a minimal inhibitory concentration (MIC) of 4 µg/mL against the methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) and showed synergy with daptomycin with a fractional inhibition concentration index (FICI) value of 0.313. Similar to traditional cecropins, C18 altered the membrane potential, increased fluidity, and caused membrane breakage at 32 µg/mL. Importantly, C18 eliminated 99% persisters at 10 × MIC within 20 min and reduced the biofilm adherence by ~40% and 35% at 32 and 16 µg/mL. Besides, C18 possessed a strong binding ability with DNA at 7.8 μM and down-regulated the expression of virulence factor genes like agrA, fnb-A, and clf-1 by more than 5-fold (p < 0.05). Interestingly, in the Galleria mellonella model, C18 rescued more than 80% of larva infected with the MRSA throughout 120-h post-infection at a single dose of 8 mg/kg (p < 0.05). In conclusion, this study provides a reference for the transformation of cecropin to derive small peptides and presents C18 as an attractive therapeutic candidate to be developed to treat severe MRSA infections.
Hydrophobic Anti-Reflective Coating of Plasma-Enhanced Chemical Vapor Deposited Diamond-Like Carbon Thin Films with Various Thicknesses for Dye-Sensitized Solar Cells
Authors: Song Jae-Sil , Park Yong Seob , Kim Nam-Hoon
Published: January 2021

Diamond-like carbon (DLC) thin films, prepared by a radio frequency plasma-enhanced chemical vapor deposition (PECVD) system, were investigated for application as an anti-reflective coating (ARC) for dye-sensitized solar cells (DSSCs) with a change in film thickness. The strength of the Raman spectrum, G-peak position, and ID/IG ratio, related to sp3 bonds in the DLC thin films, is directly attributed to some tribological properties including surface roughness, hardness, elastic modulus, friction coefficient, and contact angle. Some optical properties, such as transmittance, refractive index, and absorption coefficient, were examined after changing the thickness of DLC thin films. The optimal short-circuit current density (Jsc), open-circuit voltage (Voc), and fill factor (FF) values were obtained for the significantly improved conversion efficiency (CE) from 4.92% to 5.35% in the 60 nm thick PECVD DLC ARC for DSSCs with hard and hydrophobic surfaces.
Smart Sensing of PSC Girders Using a PC Strand with a Built-in Optical Fiber Sensor
Authors: Kim Sung Tae , Yoon Hyejin , Park Young-Hwan , Jin Seung-Seop , Shin Soobong , Yoon Suk-Min
Published: January 2021

This paper presents a multi-functional strand capable of introducing prestressing force in prestressed concrete (PSC) girders and sensing their static and dynamic behavior as well. This innovative strand is developed by replacing the core steel wire of the strand used in PSC structures with a carbon fiber-reinforced polymer (CFRP) wire with a built-in optical Fiber Bragg Grating (FBG) sensor. A full-scale girder specimen was fabricated by applying this multi-function strand to check the possibility of tracking the change of prestressing force at each construction stage. Moreover, dynamic data could be secured during dynamic loading tests without installing accelerometers and made it possible to obtain the natural frequencies of the structure. The results verified the capability to effectively manage the prestressing force in the PSC bridge structure by applying the PC strand with a built-in optical sensor known for its outstanding practicability and durability.
Immunohistochemical Expression
Authors: Loreto Carla , Caltabiano Rosario
Published: January 2021

Immunohistochemistry (IHC) is an ancillary method, widely used in pathologist practice, that allows to identify diagnostic and prognostic/predictive therapeutic response protein markers on tissue samples by the use of specific monoclonal antibodies and chromogenic substances that guarantee the visualization of the antibody–antigene binding complex under the light microscope [...]
Improving the Targets’ Trajectories Estimated by an Automotive RADAR Sensor Using Polynomial Fitting
Authors: Magu Georgiana , Lucaciu Radu , Isar Alexandru
Published: January 2021

A way to reduce the uncertainty at the output of a Kalman filter embedded into a tracker connected to an automotive RADAR sensor consists of the adaptive selection of parameters during the tracking process. Different informed strategies for automatically tuning the tracker’s parameters and to jointly learn the parameters and state/output sequence using: expectation maximization; optimization approaches, including the simplex algorithm; coordinate descent; genetic algorithms; nonlinear programming using finite differencing to estimate the gradient; Bayesian optimization and reinforcement learning; automatically tuning hyper-parameters in the least squares, were already proposed. We develop here a different semi-blind post-processing approach, which is faster and more robust. Starting from the conjecture that the trajectory is polynomial in Cartesian coordinates, our method supposes to fit the data obtained at the output of the tracker to a polynomial. We highlight, by simulations, the improvement of the estimated trajectory’s accuracy using the polynomial fitting for single and multiple targets. We propose a new polynomial fitting method based on wavelets in two steps: denoising and polynomial part extraction, which compares favorably with the classical polynomial fitting method. The effect of the proposed post-processing methods is visible, the accuracy of targets’ trajectories estimations being hardly increased.
Authentication of Rice (Oryza sativa L.) Using Near Infrared Spectroscopy Combined with Different Chemometric Classification Strategies
Authors: Le Nguyen Doan Duy , Nguyen Quoc Cuong , Marini Federico , Biancolillo Alessandra
Published: January 2021

Rice is a staple food in Vietnam, and the concern about rice is much greater than that for other foods. Preventing fraud against this product has become increasingly important in order to protect producers and consumers from possible economic losses. The possible adulteration of this product is done by mixing, or even replacing, high-quality rice with cheaper rice. This highlights the need for analytical methodologies suitable for its authentication. Given this scenario, the present work aims at testing a rapid and non-destructive approach to detect adulterated rice samples. To fulfill this purpose, 200 rice samples (72 authentic and 128 adulterated samples) were analyzed by near infrared (NIR) spectroscopy coupled, with partial least squares-discriminant analysis (PLS-DA) and soft independent modeling of class analogies (SIMCA). The two approaches provided different results; while PLS-DA analysis was a suitable approach for the purpose of the work, SIMCA was unable to solve the investigated problem. The PLS-DA approach provided satisfactory results in discriminating authentic and adulterated samples (both 5% and 10% counterfeits). Focusing on authentic and 10%-adulterated samples, the accuracy of the approach was even better (with a total classification rate of 82.6% and 82.4%, for authentic and adulterated samples, respectively).
A Survey on Robotic Technologies for Forest Firefighting: Applying Drone Swarms to Improve Firefighters’ Efficiency and Safety
Authors: Roldán-Gómez Juan Jesús , González-Gironda Eduardo , Barrientos Antonio
Published: January 2021

Forest firefighting missions encompass multiple tasks related to prevention, surveillance, and extinguishing. This work presents a complete survey of firefighters on the current problems in their work and the potential technological solutions. Additionally, it reviews the efforts performed by the academy and industry to apply different types of robots in the context of firefighting missions. Finally, all this information is used to propose a concept of operation for the comprehensive application of drone swarms in firefighting. The proposed system is a fleet of quadcopters that individually are only able to visit waypoints and use payloads, but collectively can perform tasks of surveillance, mapping, monitoring, etc. Three operator roles are defined, each one with different access to information and functions in the mission: mission commander, team leaders, and team members. These operators take advantage of virtual and augmented reality interfaces to intuitively get the information of the scenario and, in the case of the mission commander, control the drone swarm.
Effect of Impact Velocity, Flooring Material, and Trochanteric Soft-Tissue Quality on Acetabular Fracture during a Sideways Fall: A Parametric Finite Element Approach
Authors: Khakpour Shahab , Tanska Petri , Esrafilian Amir , Mononen Mika E. , Saarakkala Simo , Korhonen Rami K. , Jämsä Timo
Published: January 2021

A low-energy acetabular fracture, as a result of falling from standing height, is common among elderly patients and the number of cases is increasing rapidly in developed countries. Several biomechanical factors contribute to the incidence, severity, and type of acetabular fractures, such as body configuration at the impact moment or bone and soft-tissue quality. The current parametric study developed a comprehensive finite element model of the pelvic girdle and simple representation of the whole body and investigated the effects of impact velocity, conventional indoor/outdoor flooring material, and trochanteric soft-tissue stiffness on an acetabular fracture. Our results show that whereas the impact velocity has a substantial influence on the incidence and type of acetabular fracture, the effects of conventional flooring materials and trochanteric soft-tissue quality are not remarkable. It seems that other factors such as the quality of bone (healthy vs. osteoporotic), the thickness of trochanteric soft-tissue, and body configuration at the impact are more critical in the occurrence and type of the acetabular fracture. These results can be valuable in the prevention of acetabular fractures and the design of protective measures such as hip pads or novel flooring materials.
Reactivity Assessment of Modified Ferro Silicate Slag by R3 Method
Authors: Sivakumar Pithchai Pandian , Matthys Stijn , De Belie Nele , Gruyaert Elke
Published: January 2021

Traditional methods to track the reactivity of supplementary cementitious materials (SCMs) and their contribution to the hydration mechanism mostly use Portland Cement (PC) as an activator. Alternatively, a novel method to assess the reactivity of SCMs called R3 was recently presented. This novel method uses lab grade chemicals such as portlandite (CH), K2SO4, KOH, and CaCO3 to activate the SCM by resembling the pH of the alkaline pore solution created by PC. By using this method, the reactivity of the SCM can be easily quantified from measured heat release, bound water content, and CH consumption. The primary objective of the current study is to apply the novel methodology to analyze the reactivity of Modified Ferro Silicate (MFS) Cu slag benchmarked against siliceous fly ash (FA), ground granulated blast-furnace slag (GGBFS), and inert quartz filler. GGBFS showed the highest cumulative heat release and bound water content due to its latent hydraulic behavior. Determination with XRD analysis of the major phase of the R3 model MFS slag paste showed the participation of Fe in the hydration mechanism by forming Fe-AFm. R3 paste with GGBFS showed the presence of hydrotalcite/Al-AFm, whereas FA showed the presence of ettringite (AFt) as their crystalline reaction products. The experiments also indicate that the MFS slag acts as a reactive pozzolanic material with an acceptable performance in heat release, bound water content, and CH consumption, and can be used as SCM to make concrete. With the possibility of using MFS slag as SCM to replace part of PC, sustainability and circular economy can be fairly well achieved.
Detecting Vulnerabilities in Critical Infrastructures by Classifying Exposed Industrial Control Systems Using Deep Learning
Authors: Blanco-Medina Pablo , Fidalgo Eduardo , Alegre Enrique , Vasco-Carofilis Roberto A. , Jañez-Martino Francisco , Villar Victor Fidalgo
Published: January 2021

Industrial control systems depend heavily on security and monitoring protocols. Several tools are available for this purpose, which scout vulnerabilities and take screenshots of various control panels for later analysis. However, they do not adequately classify images into specific control groups, which is crucial for security-based tasks performed by manual operators. To solve this problem, we propose a pipeline based on deep learning to classify snapshots of industrial control panels into three categories: internet technologies, operation technologies, and others. More specifically, we compare the use of transfer learning and fine-tuning in convolutional neural networks (CNNs) pre-trained on ImageNet to select the best CNN architecture for classifying the screenshots of industrial control systems. We propose the critical infrastructure dataset (CRINF-300), which is the first publicly available information technology (IT)/operational technology (OT) snapshot dataset, with 337 manually labeled images. We used the CRINF-300 to train and evaluate eighteen different pipelines, registering their performance under CPU and GPU environments. We found out that the Inception-ResNet-V2 and VGG16 architectures obtained the best results on transfer learning and fine-tuning, with F1-scores of 0.9832 and 0.9373, respectively. In systems where time is critical and the GPU is available, we recommend using the MobileNet-V1 architecture, with an average time of 0.03 s to process an image and with an F1-score of 0.9758.
A Persona-Based Approach for Identifying Accessibility Issues in Elderly and Disabled Users’ Interaction with Home Appliances
Authors: Lee Joong Hee , Kim Yong Min , Rhiu Ilsun , Yun Myung Hwan
Published: January 2021

Disabled and elderly populations may not fully appreciate the benefits of advanced technologies and every-day products due to accessibility issues. However, the diverse characteristics of disabled and elderly users make conducting user research a challenging task for stakeholders who oversee the needs of developing accessible products. They need a tool providing rich information to empathize with the disabled and elderly users, instead of standards and documents without detailed explanation of real-world applications. Therefore, this study aims to identify accessibility issues based on the interview and observation data from 52 people with different disabilities and ages. We developed eight personas representing four different user groups under the context of home appliance usage: visually impaired, hearing impaired, spinal-cord impaired, and elderly. Each persona takes a role as a tool to understand the target users and has a persona card representing their task barriers, frustrations, needs, and quotations along with a cartoonized character. In this study, we address two common accessibility issues and two persona-specific issues within each user group. The issues are presented in stakeholder’s language personas to help them comprehend and empathize with their users.
The Impact of Antimicrobial Substances on the Methanogenic Community during Methane Fermentation of Sewage Sludge and Cattle Slurry
Authors: Koniuszewska Izabela , Czatzkowska Małgorzata , Harnisz Monika , Korzeniewska Ewa
Published: January 2021

This study showed the effect of amoxicillin (AMO), and oxytetracycline (OXY) at a concentration of 512 µg mL−1, and sulfamethoxazole (SMX), and metronidazole (MET) at a concentration of 1024 µg mL−1 on the efficiency of anaerobic digestion (AD) of sewage sludge (SS) and cattle slurry (CS). The production of biogas and methane (CH4) content, and the concentration of volatile fatty acids (VFAs) was analyzed in this study. Other determinations included the concentration of the mcrA gene, which catalyzes the methanogenesis, and analysis of MSC and MST gene concentration, characteristic of the families Methanosarcinaceae and Methanosaetaceae (Archaea). Both substrates differed in the composition of microbial communities, and in the sensitivity of these microorganisms to particular antimicrobial substances. Metronidazole inhibited SS fermentation to the greatest extent (sixfold decrease in biogas production and over 50% decrease in the content of CH4). The lowest concentrations of the mcrA gene (106 gD−1) were observed in CS and SS digestates with MET. A decline in the number of copies of the MSC and MST genes was noted in most of the digestate samples with antimicrobials supplementation. Due to selective pressure, antimicrobials led to a considerably lowered efficiency of the AD process and induced changes in the structure of methanogenic biodiversity.
Moisture Removal Techniques for a Continuous Emission Monitoring System: A Review
Authors: Dinh Trieu-Vuong , Kim Jo-Chun
Published: January 2021

A continuous emission monitoring system (CEMS) is a well-known tool used to analyze the concentrations of air pollutants from stationary sources. In a CEMS, the presence of a high moisture level in a sample causes a loss of analytes due to artifact formation or absorption. This issue brings about a bias in the measurement data. Thus, moisture removal is an important pretreatment step. Condensation and permeation methods have been widely employed to remove moisture from the CEMS for gaseous compounds. In terms of particulate matter, dilution methods have been applied to reduce the moisture level in the gas stream. Therefore, condensation, permeation, and dilution methods are critically reviewed in this work. The removal efficiencies and recovery rates of analytes are discussed, as well as the advantages and disadvantages of each technique. Furthermore, the suitable applications of each technique are determined. Condensation methods have not been well documented so far, while permeation and dilution methods have been continuously studied. Many types of permeation materials have been developed. The limitations of each method have been overcome over the years. However, the most reliable technique has not yet been discovered.