bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
HE EFFECT OF BINJAI LEAVES EXTRACT (Mangifera caesia) ON INCISIONAL BACK WOUND OF MICE (Mus musculus) TO THE NUMBER OF NEUTROPHIL CELLS (Preliminary Study of Drug Preparations for Wound Healing)
Authors: Dwiyanti Desty Ayu , Taufiqurrahman Irham , Aspriyanto Didit
Published: June 2020

Background: Ethanol extract of binjai leaves contain bioactive compounds in the form of flavonoid and saponin which is potential as anti-inflammatory, so it will be able to control the wound healing process. Binjai leaves extract can affect the number of neutrophil on inflammatory phase, as it is characterized by neutrophil cells infiltration to the wound tissue, so its number will increase at the beginning of inflammatory phase and decrease on the 3rd day. Objective: To prove the effect of binjai leaves extract in 1 mg/mL, 2 mg/mL, and 3 mg/mL which given topically to the number of neutrophil in day 1, 3, and 5 of wound incision on the back of male mice. Methods: The study design was a pure laboratory experimental study with post-test only with control group design which involved 36 mice divided into 4 groups: negative control group design which was given BR2 feed, treatment group which was given binjai leaves extract in 1 mg/mL, 2 mg/mL, and 3 mg/mL. Results: The result of One-way ANOVA showed that there was significant difference of all groups in day 1 (p=0.000), day 3 (p=0.001), and day 5 (p=0.000). Post-Hoc LSD test showed that there was significant difference (p<0.05) between the negative control group and treatment groups. Conclusion: Binjai leaves extract has an effect to increase the number of neutrophil in day 1 and decrease the number of neutrophil in day 3 and 5 on the healing of back wound incision in mice.
ORAL CANDIDIASIS IN HIV PATIENT SUFFERING PNEUMOCYSTIC CARINII PNEUMONIA
Authors: Riyanto Dahlia , Tanjungsari Rindang , Asmarawati Tri Pudy , Radithia Desiana
Published: June 2020

Background: HIV/AIDS infection provoked opportunistic infection systhemically and intraorally. Pneumocystic carinii pneumonia (PCP) and Oral candidiasis (OC) is the most prevalent opportunistic infection among HIV/AIDS patient and may serve as indicator of low CD4 count in HIV infection. Objective: This paper reports management of oral candidiasis in pneumocystic carinii pneumonia that affects a patient with HIV. Case: A 39 year-old man was hospitalized for pneumocystic carinii pneumonia with weakness of gait and emaciated posture. He was also diagnosed of HIV/AIDS infection through CD4 count and HIV rapid test. Intraoral white patches was reported occured within 2 days being hospitalized. Several tests were ordered resulting, metabolic acidosis, CD4 count were 10 cells/μL, HIV rapid test (ICT) was reactive for 3 methods, and microbiologic examination was positif to C.albicans from the smear of white plaque. The patient also diagnosed with OC pseudomembranous type. Case Management: Patient was treated using intravenous fluconazole 100 mg/day for five days and antiseptic mouthwash. Recovery was achieved within 3 weeks follow-up along with given anti retroviral (ARV) treatment by the internist. Conclusion: Management of OC in HIV/AIDS patient with PCP infection in this case were used systemic antifungal and antiseptic mouthwash. The multidiciplinary approach in managing this case obtained successful therapy.
Quality assessment of grape juice from integrated, organic and biodynamic viticulture using image forming methods
Authors: Fritz Jürgen , Athmann Miriam , Meissner Georg , Kauer Randolf , Geier Uwe , Bornhütter Roya , Schultz Hans
Published: June 2020

Aim: The image forming methods biocrystallisation, capillary dynamolysis and circular chromatography are introduced as a complementary tool for grape quality assessment. These methods were used to investigate grape juice samples from a long-term field trial comparing integrated, organic and biodynamic viticultural practices.Methods and results: Characteristic changes in structures created by the reaction of metal salts with grape juice were evaluated using biocrystallisation, circular chromatography and capillary dynamolysis image forming methods. In particular, this study tested the effects of cultivation method, aging time and juice concentration on structure formation.To assess grape quality, the images of the encoded grape juice samples were: i) grouped into pairs with similar image features, ii) characterised based on reference images (e.g., high versus low resistance to degradation, or the amount of substance necessary for structure formation), iii) ranked according to structures associated with grape quality, and iv) assigned to the different production methods (classification). In order for similar structural features in the image forming methods to be expressed, all samples of grape juice harvested from integrated production over four years required higher juice concentrations than samples from organic and biodynamic origin. This was interpreted as the latter two production systems having higher structure formation efficacy. Furthermore, juices produced from the integrated management system exhibited more structures, indicative of a lower resistance to aging. In three out of four harvest years, the biodynamic samples exhibited the highest structure forming efficacy and resistance to aging.Conclusion: These findings are consistent with enhanced form maintenance and thus higher internal product quality of biodynamic and organic grapes compared to grapes from integrated farming.Significance and impact of the study: Image forming methods may serve as a valuable tool for grape juice and wine quality assessment to complement compound-specific chemical analyses.
Conséquences d’un état inflammatoire ou infectieux sur le métabolisme et le besoin en acides aminés chez le porc
Authors: LE FLOC’H M.
Published: June 2020

Les modifications métaboliques associées aux états inflammatoires et infectieux sont susceptibles de modifier les besoins nutritionnels des animaux notamment en protéines et en acides aminés. L’organisme réoriente le flux des acides aminés vers les tissus impliqués dans la réaction inflammatoire ou la réponse immunitaire au détriment des tissus assurant la croissance. Ces acides aminés sont utilisés pour la synthèse des protéines de l’inflammation et de l’immunité dont le profil est différent de celui des protéines participant à la croissance, engendrant alors des besoins spécifiques en acides aminés. Par exemple, le besoin en acides aminés soufrés, notamment en cystéine, est fortement augmenté chez les animaux en situation de sepsis (nom donné aux états inflammatoires généralisés). La cystéine est utilisée dans la synthèse de glutathion dont la production est fortement augmentée lors des états inflammatoires. Chez le porc, on dispose encore de très peu de données expérimentales permettant d’établir les besoins spécifiques en acides aminés. La lysine n’est probablement pas un acide aminé limitant pour la réaction immunitaire alors que les concentrations sériques d’immunoglobulines sont influencés par la teneur en thréonine de l’aliment. La couverture de ces besoins spécifiques permettrait de limiter la chute des performances de croissance observées chez des animaux dont le système immunitaire est activé.
Contrôle chromosomique des populations animales d’élevage
Authors: DUCOS A. , BERLAND H.M. , PINTON A. , SEGUELA A. , BRUN-BARONNAT C. , DARRE A. , DARRE R.
Published: June 2020

Le contrôle chromosomique des populations animales d’élevage a pour principal objectif d’éviter la mise à la reproduction d’individus porteurs d’anomalies chromosomiques, ces dernières étant généralement responsables d’une dégradation importante des performances de reproduction des individus porteurs ou de leurs conjoint(e)s. La quasi totalité des contrôles (2000/an environ pour l’ensemble des espèces) est réalisée, en France, au sein de l’Unité mixte de recherches INRA-ENVT de Cytogénétique des Populations Animales. Ils concernent principalement les espèces bovine et porcine. Chez les bovins, la recherche de translocation Robertsonienne 1/29 concerne 1000 individus par an environ, dont 90 % sont des jeunes taureaux candidats à l’insémination artificielle. La fréquence de l’anomalie est la plus élevée en race Blonde d’Aquitaine (10,9 %). L’application des techniques de coloration en bandes des chromosomes a permis de mettre en évidence quatre anomalies chromosomiques nouvelles dans cette espèce. Chez le porc, environ 650 contrôles sont effectués annuellement. 80 % sont réalisés avant la mise à la reproduction des animaux et concernent majoritairement les verrats de race pure utilisés dans les centres d’insémination artificielle. Deux systèmes complémentaires de détection des verrats hypoprolifiques complètent le dispositif de contrôle. Vingt-quatre anomalies chromosomiques nouvelles ont été diagnostiquées dans ce laboratoire pour l’espèce porcine, dont 10 au cours des trois dernières années.
Croissance musculaire et fonction cardio-respiratoire chez le poulet de chair
Authors: SANCHEZ A. , PLOUZEAU M. , RAULT P. , PICARD M.
Published: June 2020

Cet article fait le point sur l’influence supposée de la sélection du poulet de chair privilégiant croissance rapide, rendement musculaire élevé et indice de consommation minimum, sur la fréquence des incidents d’élevage d’origines cardio-vasculaire et respiratoire, aggravés par les coups de chaleur. Les poulets à croissance rapide présentent un rapport du volume pulmonaire sur le poids corporel inférieur, une capacité à fixer l’O2 dans le sang plus faible, une viscosité sanguine plus élevée et des arythmies cardiaques plus fréquentes que les poulets à croissance lente. Ces facteurs peuvent expliquer leur prédisposition à l’apparition d’un syndrome d’hypertension pulmonaire se compliquant d’ascite. Du fait d’un développement relativement plus lent de leur système cardio-respiratoire, certains animaux ont parfois des difficultés à assurer un approvisionnement correct de leurs tissus musculaires en oxygène. Leur capacité d’adaptation à une stimulation du métabolisme par des facteurs environnementaux (climat, altitude, alimentation riche en protéines et en énergie ) est limitée et favorise indirectement l’installation d’une hypoxie relative en augmentant les besoins en O2. Les généticiens recherchent de nouveaux critères de sélection sur les caractéristiques pulmonaires, hématologiques et cardio-vasculaires en équilibre avec les caractéristiques de croissance.
La fraction lipidique des aliments et les corps gras utilisés en alimentation animale
Authors: MORAND-FEHR P. , TRAN G.
Published: June 2020

La fraction lipidique des fourrages et des aliments concentrés est généralement moins bien connue que leurs fractions glucidiques, protéiques et minérales. La teneur lipidique de ces aliments se mesure par le dosage de l’extrait éthéré selon deux procédés suivant qu’une hydrolyse à chaud est nécessaire ou non pour obtenir l’extraction la plus complète possible des lipides de l’aliment. Les fourrages ont une teneur en extrait éthéré de 2 à 12 % et un taux d’acide linolénique le plus souvent supérieur à 50 % des acides gras totaux. A mesure que la plante fourragère passe du stade jeune pousse au stade de maturité, les proportions des acides palmitique, stéarique et oléique augmentent alors que celle de l’acide linolénique diminue.
L’article présente la composition en acides gras d’une vingtaine d’aliments concentrés parmi les plus utilisés en alimentation animale. Ces valeurs sont issues de quatre bases de données (AFZ, CVB, MAFF et Souci) et d’une synthèse bibliographique récente de Givens pour les huiles végétales. Les céréales et les graines protéagineuses ont des teneurs en extrait éthéré souvent assez faibles (1,2 à 2,2 %) sauf le maïs et les co-produits de meunerie, une proportion très élevée d’acide linoléique (plus de 50 % des acides gras totaux) et des proportions faibles d’acides gras saturés, dominé par l’acide palmitique. La composition en acides gras des graines oléagineuses est variable selon l’espèce. Les huiles et farines de poisson sont caractérisées par une proportion importante d’acides gras polyinsaturés contenant plus de 18 atomes de carbone. Les compositions lipidiques des graisses et farines issues d’animaux terrestres sont remarquables par leur richesse en acides saturés et leur très faible proportion d’acides polyinsaturés.
Il existe une bonne concordance entre les valeurs des banques AFZ et CVB pour les céréales et les graines oléagineuses, et entre les valeurs AFZ, SOUCI et celles de Givens pour les huiles et les graisses animales. En revanche, la table MAFF présente quelques divergences avec les tables AFZ et CVB. Même si l’apparition des bases de données a permis d’accéder à une connaissance plus objective dans ce domaine, des progrès restent à faire sur les facteurs de variation des teneurs en extrait éthéré et de la composition en acides gras des aliments, ainsi que sur les proportions des acides gras mineurs et isomères des familles n-6 et n-3.
A Tailored Participatory Action Research for FOSS Communities
Authors: Alami Adam , Nielsen Peter Axel , Wasowski Andrzej
Published: June 2020

Participatory Action Research (PAR) is an established method to implement change in organizations. However, it cannot be applied in the open source (FOSS) communities, without adaptation to their particularities, especially to the specific control mechanisms developed in FOSS. FOSS communities are self-managed, and rely on consensus to reach decisions. This study proposes a PAR framework specifically tailored to FOSS communities. We successfully applied the framework to implement a set of quality assurance interventions in the Robot Operating System community. The framework we proposed is composed of three components, interventions design, democratization, and execution. We believe that this process will work for other FOSS communities too. We have learned that changing a particular aspect of a FOSS community is arduous. To achieve success the change must rally the community around it for support and attract motivated volunteers to implement the interventions.
Determination and Human Health Risk Assessment of Antibiotic Residue in Cow Milk in Bangladesh
Authors: Rahman Md. , Hassan Mohammad , Chowdhury Sharmin
Published: June 2020

Consumption of milk contaminated with antibiotic residues above the maximum residue limit (MRL) causes direct toxicity to humans and the development of superbugs that leads to the failure of antibiotic therapy and threatens human life. Besides, long-duration exposure might alter the nature of gut microflora results in the enhancement of many diseases. Therefore, we examined 300 raw and processed packet milk samples using thin layer chromatography (TLC) and ultra high performance liquid chromatography (UHPLC) method against five veterinary antibiotics and assessed the risk for consumers in Chattogram, Bangladesh. Risk analysis was calculated by using hazard quotient on the basis of 165 ml per capita milk consumption. We found a total of 7% prevalence of antibiotic residues in raw milk samples which were higher (8%) in individual samples than the pooled samples (4%). However, we did not find any processed packet milk samples as positive. The mean concentration of oxytetracycline residue was detected 61.29 µg/l and amoxicillin was 124 µg/l in individual milk samples. Risk analysis showed the hazard quotient values of 0.0056 for oxytetracycline and 0.0017 for amoxicillin residue which was confirmed that, no significant health risk associated with the consumption of milk produced and marketed in the study area. Our study might fill the gap of knowledge to measure the safety status of milk regarding public health issues.
Added value of harmonization and consistency of laboratories’ accreditation to the development of the global market
Authors: Ribeiro Alvaro , Gust Jeff , Vilhena Antonio , Wilson John
Published: June 2020

Laboratories are the largest group of stakeholders of the International Organization for Laboratory Accreditation (ILAC). The impact of laboratory activities as independent entities that ensure the safety and quality of products and services is growing and becoming a key issue in many fields. New challenges of globalisation, international trade, technological developments, and increasing expectations of citizens and consumers require a robust implementation of accreditation to promote the fair competition and sustainability of laboratories. For this purpose, the harmonization and consistency of accreditation is a major task that can be achieved through the cooperation of all stakeholders. The ILAC Laboratory Committee has conducted a survey to evaluate the present state of harmonization of accreditation activities. The main results are presented in this paper, and some recommendations for future activity are given at the end.
Conhecendo o Rio Gravataí: Plano de uma aula fora da sala
Authors: Nedel Oliveira Victor Hugo
Published: June 2020

As práticas pedagógicas chamadas de palavra de campo vêm ganhando destaque analítico nos tempos contemporâneos, uma vez que seu reconhecimento como boas práticas de ensino é cada vez mais exigido. Aprender através da prática, a partir de movimentos fora do espaço escolar e, com isso, o reconhecimento de um campo, promove o desejo de aprender. Este texto tem como objetivo principal apresentar um plano de aula na modalidade de trabalho de campo, no qual foi proposta a saída dos estudos para as duas turmas do nono ano do Ensino Fundamental da Escola de Aplicação da UFRGS, para Rio Gravataí, localizada na cidade de Gravataí, na Região Metropolitana de Porto Alegre, com o Projeto Rio Limpo. O plano de aula é apresentado com os seguintes tópicos: dados gerais, nos quais são apresentados os dados da escola, turmas, projeto e carga de trabalho; objetivos, onde os objetivos do plano de aula são apresentados, juntamente com os Parâmetros Curriculares Nacionais (PCNs) e a Base Curricular Nacional Comum (BNCC); descrição da classe / sequência de atividades, onde são apresentados os três momentos principais da proposta: aula pré-campo, atividade de campo e referências pós-campo; os recursos necessários para o desenvolvimento da atividade, seja na modalidade de recursos financeiros ou humanos; e, finalmente, a proposta de avaliação encaminhada, cuja centralidade está na preparação de um relatório de campo.
Hole Cleaning in Horizontal Wells Using Viscoelastic Fluids: An Experimental Study of Drilling-Fluid Properties on the Bed-Erosion Dynamics
Authors: Hirpa Mehmet Meric , Kuru Ergun
Published: June 2020

An experimental study was conducted to determine the influence of fluid elastic properties on the critical velocity, frictional pressure drops, and the turbulent-flow characteristics of polymer-fluid flow over a sand bed deposited in a horizontal pipe. Fluids were prepared using a special technique, which allowed for the alteration of fluid elastic properties while keeping the shear viscosity constant. By conducting experiments under controlled conditions, we were able to quantify the individual effect of the fluid elasticity (independent from shear viscosity) on the critical flow rate for bed erosion and the turbulent-flow characteristics of polymer-fluid flow over the stationary sand bed. Results showed that higher critical velocities were required for the onset of the bed erosion when we use the fluid with higher elasticity.
Time-Dependent Compressibility of Crude Oil in Gelled State Measured by a New Apparatus
Authors: Chen Lei , Ding Jinghua , Gao Junjie , Ren Shuyi , Gao Jingyang , Liu Gang
Published: June 2020

Compressibility is a basic property of gelled crude oil, which was always regarded as a constant in the unsteady-pipe-flow process. In this article, the compressibility of gelled crude oil was accurately measured, and some new characteristics were discovered by a new apparatus that was developed using a special sealing method consisting of an elastic film and the Newtonian fluid. There was no leakage in the special hermetical method, and the unexpected seal-ring deformation of the piston in the traditional compression apparatus was also well-avoided. Using the new apparatus, compressibility of the gelled crude oil was tested and it was found that the compressibility of gelled crude oil is strongly time dependent.
A Classification-Based Surrogate-Assisted Multiobjective Evolutionary Algorithm for Production Optimization under Geological Uncertainty
Authors: Zhao Mengjie , Zhang Kai , Chen Guodong , Zhao Xinggang , Yao Jun , Yao Chuanjin , Zhang Liming , Yang Yongfei
Published: June 2020

Multiobjective optimization (MOO) is a popular procedure for waterflooding optimization under geological uncertainty that maximizes the expectation of net present value (NPV) over all possible uncertainty models and minimizes the variance simultaneously. However, the optimization process involves a large number of decision variables, and the problem is computationally expensive. Surrogate-assisted evolutionary algorithms (SAEAs), which have proved to be an effective way to solve expensive problems, design computationally inexpensive functions to approximate each objective function. On the basis of characterization, we have designed an efficient multiobjective evolutionary algorithm (MOEA) to effectively deal with computationally expensive simulation-based optimization problems. The uniqueness of this algorithm is that it incorporates a Pareto-rank-learning scheme with surrogate-assisted infill criterion. The first is to introduce a multiclass error-correcting output codes (ECOC) model that directly predicts the dominance relationship between candidate solutions and prescreens, and the second is to train a radial-basis function (RBF) network that predicts the objective functions of prescreened solutions to calculate the hypervolume (HV) improvement that maintains convergence and diversity. Compared with typical surrogate-based methods, the developed method provides a classifier first that can enhance the accuracy in high dimensions and reduce computational complexity. To the best of our knowledge, the proposed method compares with state-of-the-art surrogate frameworks for multiobjective production-optimization problems. In this paper, the proposed approach is applied to two 200D benchmark problems and two synthetic reservoir models. The results show that the proposed method can achieve more comprehensive and efficient reservoir management (RM) with a higher convergence speed compared with traditional MOEAs and surrogate-assisted optimization methods.
Relationship between aspirin use of esophageal, gastric and colorectal cancer patient survival: a meta-analysis
Authors: Lin Juli , Lin Jian-xian , Zheng Chao-hui , Li Ping , Xie Jian-wei , Wang Jia-bin , Lu Jun , Chen Qi-yue , Cao Long-Long , Lin Mi , Huang Chang-ming
Published: June 2020

Background: Many studies have found that use of aspirin can lengthen survival in patients with gastrointestinal cancer. The aim of this study was to assess the survival benefit of aspirin use compared with non-aspirin use for patients with esophageal, gastric or colorectal cancer. Methods: We searched online databases, including PubMed, the Cochrane Library, Embase and www.clinicaltrials.gov for studies that were conducted,, before April 30th, 2020, to identify relevant studies. Overall survival and cancer-specific survival of esophageal, gastric and colorectal cancers among aspirin users were compared with those among non-aspirin users. Data extraction and quality evaluation were independently conducted by 2 investigators. A meta-analysis was performed to calculate the pooled risk ratios (RRs) for overall survival and cancer-specific survival by using either a fixed-effects model or a random-effects model. Results: A total of 18 studies were included in this meta-analysis, with more than 74,936 patients. There were no significant differences between postdiagnosis aspirin use and overall survival for esophageal and gastric cancers. For colorectal cancer, a benefit that was associated with postdiagnosis aspirin use was observed for overall survival and cancer-specific survival [HR= 0.83, 95%CI(0.75, 0.9.);HR= 0.78, 95%CI(0.66, 0.92), respectively. However, a prediagnosis of aspirin use did not provide a benefit for overall or cancer-specific survival in colorectal cancer. HR values for overall and cancer-specific survival benefits for colorectal cancer associated with both prediagnosis and postdiagnosis aspirin were as follows: HR=0.75，95%CI(0.61, 0.92) and HR=0.78, 95%CI(0.73, 0.85), respectively. In addition, the survival benefit of postdiagnosis aspirin use appeared to be confined to patients with mutated PIK3CA tumors [HR= 0.78, 95%CI(0.50, 0.99)] and was positive for PTGS2 (COX-2) expression [HR= 0.75, 95%CI(0.43, 1.30)]. Conclusions: These findings provide further indications that postdiagnosis aspirin use improves overall survival and cancer-specific survival in colorectal cancer, especially for patients who are positive for PTGS2 (COX-2) expression and PIK3CA-mutated tumors. However, aspirin therapy does not improve overall survival in esophageal and gastric cancers, although the meta-analysis was mainly limited to retrospective studies.
Substance P Induces Sympathetic Immune Response in the Contralateral Eye after the First Eye Cataract Surgery in Type 2 Diabetic Patients
Authors: Gong Xianhui , Ren Yueping , Pan Wenjie , Zheng Jingwei , Fang Xiuxiu , Cai Junyong , Song E
Published: June 2020

Background: Substance P (SP) is a nociceptive tachykinin which regulates the immune inflammatory reactions including monocyte chemoattractant protein 1 (MCP-1) production. Sequential second-eye cataract surgery patients often suffer more pain than the first one partly because of the MCP-1 increase in aqueous humor (AH). This study aims to illustrate whether SP is involved in sympathetic inflammatory responses in the contralateral eye in patients with or without type 2 diabetes.Methods: This prospective randomized clinical study included 51 cataract patients (22 with diabetes and 29 without). Bilateral sequential cataract surgeries were conducted with 1-day or 1-week interval randomly. More than 100 µl of AH were obtained before surgery and stored for later analysis using magnetic Luminex assays to detect interleukin (IL)-1β, IL-1ra,IL-6, IL-8, IL-10, MCP-1, vascular endothelial growth factor, spinal macrophage inflammatory protein (MIP-1a), interferon-inducible protein 10 (IP-10), regulated on activation, normal T expressed and secreted (RANTES), as well as the enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay for SP.Results: Among the 4 groups, no significant differences were found in age, sex distribution, the R/L ration of the first surgery eye, or the lens nucleus hardness (P ≥ 0.802). Over 100 µl of AH samples were collected safely in all cases without intraoperative complications. SP and MCP-1 levels were both increased significantly in the second eye of the diabetic patients with 1-day and 1-week interval (P ≤ 0.040). The SP increase in the second eye of the diabetic patients were significantly higher than that of the patients without diabetes (P ≤ 0.030) both in the groups with 1-day and 1-week interval. Similarly, the MCP-1 increase was significantly higher in the diabetic patients in the group with 1-week interval (P = 0.042). Conclusions: Substance P and MCP-1 productions elevated in the AH of the contralateral eye after the first-eye cataract surgery in diabetic patients, indicating that SP and MCP-1 were involved in the sympathetic inflammatory responses. Diabetic patients are susceptible to noninfectious inflammation after cataract surgery, and perceive more pain in the second-eye phacoemulsification. Trial registration: Chinese Clinical Trial Registry, ChiCTR1900028374, retrospectively registered on 20th December, 2019.
A participatory approach to marsh deer (Blastocerus dichotomus) morbidity and mortality passive surveillance in Argentina: first results.
Authors: Orozco Maria Marcela , Argibay Hernán D. , Minatel Leonardo , Guillemi Eliana C. , Berra Yanina , Schapira Andrea , Nucci Dante Di , Marcos Andrea , Lois Fernanda , Falzone Martin , Farber Marisa D.
Published: June 2020

Background: The comprehensive approach to diseases in broad ecological contexts appears as a new challenge for global health. Winter mortality of marsh deer ( Blastocerus dichotomus ) was historically described in Argentina even though field difficulties prevented their in-depth study. Results: Between May 2014 and April 2017, we investigated marsh deer morbidity and mortality through passive surveillance in the two largest populations in Argentina using a participatory approach. The latter spanned a network of researchers, field partners (veterinarians, park rangers, and local community), and decision makers. We sampled dead deer during as well as outside mortality events. A total of 44 marsh deer with different body condition scores were evaluated. We obtained reference haematology and biochemistry values from animals with good body condition score. Marsh deer with poor body condition had a high burden of the ticks Amblyomma triste and Rhipicephalus microplus . Vector-borne agents (VBAs), such as Theileria cervi , Trypanosoma theileri, Trypanosoma evansi, Ehrlichia chaffeensis, Anaplasma platys, Anaplasma odocoilei, Anaplasma marginale , and Candidatus Anaplasma boolense were also found. Haemonchus spp., Ostertagia spp., and Trichostrongylus spp. were the most frequent gastrointestinal parasites in deer with poor body condition. A Multiple Correspondence Analysis reinforced a possible association of winter period with lower body score condition, high tick loads, infection with E. chaffeensis , and presence of harmful gastrointestinal parasites. Conclusions: Our approach allowed the establishment of a participatory surveillance network of marsh deer morbidity and mortality in Argentina. We report and analyse the first data obtained opportunistically within the framework of this network, providing information on the infectious and parasitic agents in marsh deer populations. The occurrence of Fasciola hepatica and Leptospira interrogans serovar pyrogenes is reported for the first time in wild marsh deer from Argentina. The histopathological findings in succumbed animals allowed us to distinguish lesions associated with their body condition from those that were unrelated. Our data will be useful to improve the interpretation of future mortality events. The field implementation of a surveillance network is key to a holistic approach to wildlife diseases.
The role of mass media exposure on Tuberculosis knowledge and attitude among migrant and seasonal farmworkers in Northwest Ethiopia
Authors: Gelaye Kassahun Alemu , Debalkie Getu , Ayele Tadesse Awoke , Wami Sintayehu Daba , sisay Malede mequanent , Fetene Destaw , Wolde Haileab Fekadu , Akalu Temesgen Yihunie
Published: June 2020

Background: Globally, tuberculosis (TB) is the 10th leading cause of death. Despite no country achieved its target, the world health organization (WHO) proposed a 90-90-90 approach to fastening the end TB strategy. Improvement and progression of TB control need good knowledge and a favorable attitude towards the disease. However, interventions designed don’t take migrants and seasonal farmworkers into account. Therefore, this study aimed at estimating the level of knowledge and attitude on Tuberculosis among migrant and seasonal farmworkers in northwest Ethiopia. Methods: Community-based cross-sectional study was conducted in the West Gondar zone from October to November 2018. A two-stage cluster sampling was used to select 949 migrant and seasonal farmworkers. Both bivariate and multivariable logistic regression analyses were performed. A p-value of <0.05 was used to declare statistical significance. The goodness of fit was checked using Hosmer and Lemeshow test. Results: In this study, (41.8%), (95% CI: 38.73, 45.01) and (50.5%), (95% CI: 47.29, 53.65) of migrants and seasonal farmworkers had good knowledge and a favorable attitude, respectively. The odds of good knowledge among mass media exposed migrants were AOR=1.42, 95% CI: (1.02, 2.01). Moreover, urban residence and having good knowledge increase the odds of favorable attitude by 1.66, (AOR=1.7; 95% CI: 1.05, 2.62) and 4.3 (AOR=4.3, 95%CI: 3.26, 5.75), respectively. Conclusion: In this study, the overall knowledge and attitude of migrant and seasonal farmworkers on TB were low. Family size and mass media exposure significantly affect knowledge of the migrants on TB. On the other hand, the attitude was affected by urban residence, health information, and having good knowledge. Health promotion interventions, focused on TB cause, mode of transmission, prevention, and treatment are important to migrant and seasonal farmworkers to improve the knowledge and attitude of migrants and seasonal farmworkers.
Barriers to patient, provider, and caregiver adoption and use of electronic personal health records in chronic care: a systematic review
Authors: Niazkhani Zahra , Toni Esmaeel , Cheshmekaboodi Mojgan , Georgiou Andrew , Pirnejad Habibollah
Published: June 2020

Background: Electronic personal health records (ePHRs) are defined as electronic applications through which individuals can access, manage, and share health information in a private, secure, and confidential environment. Existing evidence shows their benefits in improving outcomes, especially for chronic disease patients. However, their use has not been as widespread as expected partly due to barriers faced in their adoption and use. We aimed to identify the types of barriers to a patient, provider, and caregiver adoption/use of ePHRs and to analyze their extent in chronic disease care.Methods: A systematic search in Medline, PubMed, Science Direct, Cumulative Index to Nursing and Allied Health Literature (CINAHL), the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials, and the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) database was performed to find original studies assessing barriers to ePHR adoption/use in chronic care until the end of 2018. Two researchers independently screened and extracted data. We used the PHR adoption model and the Unified Theory of Acceptance and Use of Technology to analyze the results. The Mixed Methods Appraisal Tool (MMAT) version 2018 was used to assess the quality of evidence in the included studies.Results: Sixty publications met our inclusion criteria. Issues found hindering ePHR adoption/use in chronic disease care were associated with demographic factors (e.g., patient age and gender) along with key variables related to health status, computer literacy, preferences for direct communication, and patient’s strategy for coping with a chronic condition; as well as factors related to medical practice/environment (e.g., providers’ lack of interest or resistance to adopting ePHRs due to workload, lack of reimbursement, and lack of user training); technological (e.g., concerns over privacy and security, interoperability with electronic health record systems, and lack of customized features for chronic conditions); and chronic disease characteristics (e.g., multiplicities of co-morbid conditions, settings, and providers involved in chronic care).Conclusions: ePHRs can be meaningfully used in chronic disease care if they are implemented as a component of comprehensive care models specifically developed for this care. Our results provide insight into hurdles and barriers mitigating ePHR adoption/use in chronic disease care. A deeper understating of the interplay between these barriers will provide opportunities that can lead to an enhanced ePHR adoption/use.
dTBI: A paradigm for closed-head injury in Drosophila
Authors: Saikumar Janani , Kim Joshua , Byrns China N. , Hemphill Matthew , Meaney David F. , Bonini Nancy M.
Published: June 2020

Drosophila models have been instrumental in providing insights into molecular mechanisms of neurodegeneration, that are applicable to human disease. We have recently described a model of controlled head injury to flies, which remarkably parallels many of the physiological responses of humans to traumatic brain injury (TBI). This protocol describes the construction, calibration and use the of the Drosophila TBI (dTBI) device, a platform that employs a piezoelectric actuator to reproducibly deliver a force, which briefly compresses the fly head against a metal surface. The extent of head compression can be specified, allowing the operator to set different thresholds of injury. Using readily available components and tools, the device can be assembled and calibrated within two days, for a total cost of ~$700. The dTBI device can be used to harness the power of Drosophila genetics and perform large-scale genetic or pharmacological screens, using a 7-day post-injury survival curve to identify modifiers of injury.
COVID-19 mortality and BCG vaccination: defining the link using machine learning
Authors: Brooks Nathan A. , Puri Ankur , Garg Sanya , Nag Swapnika , Corbo Jacomo , Turabi Anas El , Kaka Noshir , Zemmel Rodney W. , Hegarty Paul K. , Kamat Ashish M.
Published: June 2020

Population-level data have suggested that bacille Calmette-Guerin (BCG) vaccination may lessen the severity of COVID-19; prior reports have demonstrated conflicting results. We leveraged publicly available databases and unsupervised machine learning, adjusting for established confounders designated a priori, to assign countries into similar clusters. The primary outcome was the association of deaths per million related to COVID-19 (CSM) 30 days after each included country reported 100 cases with several factors including vaccination. Validation was performed using linear regression and country-specific modeling. This protocol details the statistical analyses used to establish an association between BCG vaccination and CSM, which includes : Definition of the target function, data processing, exploratory factor analysis for variable selection, k-means clustering and step wise linear regression for validation. This protocol is differentiated from previous works on the same subject by its' comprehensive nature which considers the effect of several confounding variables while studying the association between BCG vaccination and CSM. There are still several potential measured and unmeasured confounding variables which could not be included in this study. It is also unclear if the protection from neonatal vaccination with BCG is transferable to those receiving vaccination as an adult and how long such protection lasts. The authors advise caution against routine BCG vaccination for the prevention of COVID-19 until prospective trials are completed.
Effects of virtual reality associated with serious games for upper limb rehabilitation in patients with multiple sclerosis. A randomized controlled trial
Authors: Cuesta-Gómez Alicia , Baeza Patricia Sanchez-Herrera , Oña-Simbaña Edwin Daniel , Martínez-Medina Alicia , Ortiz-Comino Carmen , de Quirós Carlos Balaguer-Bernaldo , Jardón-Huete Alberto , Cuerda Roberto Cano-de la
Published: June 2020

Background: Dexterity and activities of daily living limitations on the upper limb (UL) represent one of the most common problems in patients with multiple sclerosis (MS). The aim of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness of the specially developed Serious Games that make use of the Leap Motion Controller (LMC) as main user interface for improving UL grip muscle strength, dexterity, fatigue, quality of life, satisfaction and compliance.Methods: A single-blinded randomized controlled trial was conducted. The sample was randomized into two groups: an experimental group who received treatment based on serious games designed by the research team using the developed LMC based Serious Games for the UL plus conventional rehabilitation, and a control group who received the same conventional rehabilitation for the UL. Both groups received two 60 min sessions per week over a ten-week period. Grip muscle strength, coordination, speed of movements, fine and gross UL dexterity, fatigue, quality of life, satisfaction and compliance were assessed in both groups pre-treatment, post-treatment and in a follow-up period of one month without receiving any treatment.Results: In the experimental group compared to the control group, significant improvements were observed in the post-treatment assessment for coordination, speed of movements, fine and gross UL dexterity. Also, significant results were found in the follow-up in coordination, speed of movements, fine and gross for the more affected side. Conclusions: An experimental protocol using an LMC based Serious Games designed for UL rehabilitation showed improvements for unilateral gross manual dexterity, fine manual dexterity, and coordination in MS patients with high satisfaction and excellent compliance. Trial registration: This randomized controlled trial has been registered at ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT04171908, Nov 2019.
The trajectory of high sensitivity C-reactive protein is associated with incident diabetes in Chinese adults
Authors: Xu Ren-ying , Jiang Xiaomin , Fan Zhuping , Wan Yanping , Gao Xiang
Published: June 2020

Background: We performed a cohort study to evaluate the association between the CRP trajectory and incident diabetes in Chinese adults. Methods: Included were 6,439 adults (4,111 men and 2,249 women; aged 46.6±11.9 years). The concentration of high sensitivity CRP (hs-CRP) was measured in 2013 (baseline), 2014, and 2015. The hs-CRP trajectory was identified based the above three measurements by latent mixture modeling. Incident diabetes cases were diagnosed by fasting blood glucose (³126mg/dl) or Hb A1c (³6.5%) during subsequent three years (2016-2018). Results: Hs-CRP concentration during 2013 -2015 was classified into 3 levels: low (<1.0 mg/L), moderate (1.0–3.0 mg/L), and high (³3.0 mg/L) based on a statement by American Heart Association. We named four hs-CRP trajectories as following: “low-stable” (low in 2013 and maintained at low concentration in 2014 and 2015), “moderate-fluctuated” (moderate in 2013, then increased to high concentration in 2014, and decreased to low concentration in 2015), “high-decreased” (high in 2013 but decreased to moderate concentration in 2014 and 2015), and “moderate-increased (moderate in 2013 and increased to high concentration in 2014 and 2015)”. We identified 235 incident diabetes during subsequent three years. The adjusted HR for incident diabetes was 1.71 (95% CI: 1.02, 2.87) comparing the moderate-increased and the low-stable group, after adjusting for potential confounders. In the secondary analyses, two single-measured hs-CRP concentration (in 2013 or in 2015) and the average of hs-CRP were associated with high risk of diabetes (P-trend<0.01 for all). Conclusions: The hs-CRP trajectory pattern was associated with altered incident diabetes in Chinese adults.
Evaluation of the association between presenteeism and perceived availability of social support among hospital doctors in Zhejiang, China
Authors: Xi Xiaoyu , Lu Qianni , Lu Mengqing , Xu Ailin , Hu Hao , Ung Carolina Oi Lam
Published: June 2020

Background: This study investigated the association between presenteeism and the perceived availability of social support among hospital doctors in China.Methods: A questionnaire was administered by doctors randomly selected from 13 hospital in Hangzhou China using stratified sampling. Logit model was used for data analysis.Results: The overall response rate was 88.16%. Among hospital doctors, for each unit increase of the perceived availability of social support, the prevalence of presenteeism was decreased by 8.3% (OR=0.91, P=0.000). In particular, if the doctors perceived availability of appraisal support, belonging support and tangible support as sufficient, the act of presenteeism was reduced by 20.2% (OR=0.806, P=0.000) 20.4% (OR=0.803, P=0.000) and 21.0% (OR=0.799, P=0.000) respectively with statistical differences.Conclusion: In China, appraisal support, belonging support and tangible support, compared to other social support, had a stronger negative correlation with presenteeism among hospital doctors. The benefits of social support in alleviating doctors’ presenteeism warrant further investigation.
Effectiveness and safety of ziv aflibercept in myopic choroidal neovascularisation patients
Authors: Nawar Amin E. , Shafik Heba M.
Published: June 2020

Background: Myopic choroidal neovascularization (CNV) is the most common sight threatening complication in high myopia. The present study evaluates the efficacy and safety of intravitreal injection of ziv-aflibercept in patients with myopic CNV. Methods: This is a prospective interventional study that was conducted on 20 eyes of 20 patients with active myopic CNV. Twelve patients were 40 years old or more. The study was performed in Ophthalmology department, Tanta University Eye Hospital ,Tanta University, Egypt. Complete ophthalmic evaluation was performed including best corrected visual acuity (BCVA), fundus examination and anterior segment examination. OCT was done for all patients at baseline and monthly after injection during the 6 months follow up period of the study. Statistical calculations were performed using the computer program SPSS (S tatistical Package for the Social Science) . Results: The younger age group received lower number of injections than the older age group, the best corrected visual acuity ( BCVA) and the central macular thickness (CMT) improved significantly in both groups with more improvement in the younger age group as regarding the BCVA. No significant correlation was found between the final BCVA and both the spherical equivalent and the central macular thickness after 6 months.No significant changes in IOP after intravitreal injection were detected in both groups .No complications were reported apart from mild sub conjunctival hemorrhage that occurred in three eyes after injection. Conclusion: Ziv-aflibercept is a highly effective and safe drug in cases of active myopic CNV that can produce similar results to other anti VEGF agents with less cost. The study was retrospectively registered with clinical trial .gov ID (NCT04290195) in 26-2-2020.
Parallel and non-parallel changes of the gut microbiota during trophic diversification in repeated young adaptive radiations of sympatric cichlid fish
Authors: Härer Andreas , Torres-Dowdall Julián , Rometsch Sina J. , Yohannes Elizabeth , Machado-Schiaffino Gonzalo , Meyer Axel
Published: June 2020

Background: Recent increases in understanding the ecological and evolutionary roles of microbial communities has underscored the importance for their hosts’ biology. Yet, little is known about gut microbiota dynamics during early stages of ecological diversification and speciation. We sequenced the V4 region of the 16s rRNA gene to study the gut microbiota of Nicaraguan Midas cichlid fish ( Amphilophus cf. citrinellus ). Specifically, we tested the hypothesis that parallel divergence in trophic ecology in extremely young adaptive radiations from two crater lakes is associated with parallel changes of their gut microbiota. Results: Bacterial communities of fish guts and lake water were highly distinct, indicating that the gut microbiota is shaped by host-specific factors. Among individuals of the same crater lake, differentiation in trophic ecology was weakly associated with gut microbiota differentiation, suggesting that diet, to some extent, affects the gut microbiota. However, differences in trophic ecology were much more pronounced across than within species whereas similar patterns were not observed for taxonomic and functional differences of the gut microbiota. Across the two crater lakes, we could not detect conclusive evidence for parallel changes of the gut microbiota associated with trophic ecology. Conclusions: A lack of clearly differentiated niches during early stages of ecological diversification might result in non-parallel changes of gut microbial communities, as observed in our study system as well as in other recently diverged fish species.