bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Energy Consumption and Health Insurance Premiums in China's Provinces: Evidence From Asymmetric Panel Causality Test
Authors: Wang Kai-Hua , Liu Lu , Lobont Oana-Ramona , Nicoleta-Claudia Moldovan
Published: April 2021

This article employs asymmetric panel causality test to address the causal nexus between energy consumption (EC) and healthcare insurance premiums (IP) for China's different provinces. The empirical results indicate that there exist asymmetric causality runs from positive EC shocks to positive healthcare IPs in Beijing, Hebei, Tianjin, Shanxi, Inner Mongolia, Shaanxi, Gansu, Qinghai, Ningxia, Shandong, Henan, and Anhui. There is no significant link in southern and northeastern provinces mainly because of their industrial structure, high economic development level, strong insurance consciousness, and climate conditions. Therefore, governments should encourage technological innovation and further improve energy efficiency. Meanwhile, we need to optimize EC structure and raise the proportion of renewable energies. The authorities should carry out stricter environmental protection policies and protect people from pollution that comes from fossil fuel burn. The commercial health insurance should be included in the health system and become an important supplement to public health insurance.
3D Printing Hydrogel-Based Soft and Biohybrid Actuators: A Mini-Review on Fabrication Techniques, Applications, and Challenges
Authors: Sun Wenhuan , Schaffer Saul , Dai Kevin , Yao Lining , Feinberg Adam , Webster-Wood Victoria
Published: April 2021

Stimuli-responsive hydrogels are candidate building blocks for soft robotic applications due to many of their unique properties, including tunable mechanical properties and biocompatibility. Over the past decade, there has been significant progress in developing soft and biohybrid actuators using naturally occurring and synthetic hydrogels to address the increasing demands for machines capable of interacting with fragile biological systems. Recent advancements in three-dimensional (3D) printing technology, either as a standalone manufacturing process or integrated with traditional fabrication techniques, have enabled the development of hydrogel-based actuators with on-demand geometry and actuation modalities. This mini-review surveys existing research efforts to inspire the development of novel fabrication techniques using hydrogel building blocks and identify potential future directions. In this article, existing 3D fabrication techniques for hydrogel actuators are first examined. Next, existing actuation mechanisms, including pneumatic, hydraulic, ionic, dehydration-rehydration, and cell-powered actuation, are reviewed with their benefits and limitations discussed. Subsequently, the applications of hydrogel-based actuators, including compliant handling of fragile items, micro-swimmers, wearable devices, and origami structures, are described. Finally, challenges in fabricating functional actuators using existing techniques are discussed.
Conducting a VR Clinical Trial in the Era of COVID-19
Authors: Stradford Joy , Sakhare Ashwin , Ravichandran Roshan , Schroeder E. Todd , Michener Lori A. , Pa Judy
Published: April 2021

The outbreak of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2, also known as Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) sparked a global public health pandemic that has impacted every aspect of daily life. Medical research was affected, and many clinical trials were halted to minimize COVID-19 transmission risk and spread while the world navigated this novel virus. Here we describe the relaunch of our virtual reality (VR) pilot clinical trial that uses an in-lab brain and body training program to promote brain health in mid-to-late life older adults, in the era of COVID-19. This case series includes five healthy female participants between 51 and 76 years of age, a subset of a larger VR pilot clinical trial that started pre-pandemic. We developed a revised study protocol based on the Center for Disease Control and World Health Organization guidelines to help manage the spread of COVID-19. Since the limited resumption of clinical trials at our institution in August 2020, we successfully completed over 200 in-lab virtual reality training sessions using our revised protocol. During this time, none of the five participants or three study staff reported any COVID-19 symptoms or reported a positive COVID-19 test. More than 40 voluntary COVID-19 tests were completed by our study staff over the last 6 months. All participants rated our safety protocol as very satisfied or extremely satisfied and that they would be very likely or extremely likely to participate in a VR clinical trial during the pandemic. Based on these findings, we suggest that continued VR clinical trial research during the COVID-19 pandemic is achievable and can be safely resumed if specific safety protocols are in place to mitigate the risk of exposure and spread of COVID-19.
Interaction of HCO+ Cations With Interstellar Negative Grains. Quantum Chemical Investigation and Astrophysical Implications
Authors: Rimola Albert , Ceccarelli Cecilia , Balucani Nadia , Ugliengo Piero
Published: April 2021

In cold galactic molecular clouds, dust grains are coated by icy mantles and are prevalently charged negatively, because of the capture of the electrons in the gas. The interaction of the charged grains with gaseous cations is known to neutralize them. In this work, we focus on the chemical consequences of the neutralization process of HCO+, often the most abundant cation in molecular clouds. More specifically, by means of electronic structure calculations, we have characterized the energy and the structure of all possible product species once the HCO+ ion adsorbs on water clusters holding an extra electron. Two processes are possible: (i) electron transfer from the negative water cluster to the HCO+ ion or (ii) a proton transfer from HCO+ to the negative water cluster. Energetic considerations favor electron transfer. Assuming this scenario, two limiting cases have been considered in astrochemical models: (a) all the neutralized HCO+ is retained as neutral HCO adsorbed on the ice and (b) all the neutralized HCO+ gets desorbed to the gas phase as HCO. None of the two limiting cases appreciably contribute to the HCO abundance on the grain surfaces or in the gas.
An Ice Vest, but Not Single-Hand Cooling, Is Effective at Reducing Thermo-Physiological Strain During Exercise Recovery in the Heat
Authors: Seeley Afton D. , Sherman Ross A.
Published: April 2021

Sports limit the length of breaks between halves or periods, placing substantial time constraints on cooling effectiveness. This study investigated the effect of active cooling during both time-limited and prolonged post-exercise recovery in the heat. Ten recreationally-active adults (VO2peak43.6 ± 7.5 ml·kg−1·min−1) were exposed to thermally-challenging conditions (36°C air temperature, 45% RH) while passively seated for 30 min, cycling for 60 min at 51% VO2peak, and during a seated recovery for 60 min that was broken into two epochs: first 15 min (REC0−15) and total 60 min (REC0−60). Three different cooling techniques were implemented during independent recovery trials: (a) negative-pressure single hand-cooling (~17°C); (b) ice vest; and (c) non-cooling control. Change in rectal temperature (Tre), mean skin temperature (T¯sk), heart rate (HR), and thermal sensation (TS), as well as mean body temperature (T¯b), and heat storage (S) were calculated for exercise, REC0−15and REC0−60. During REC0−15, HR was lowered more with the ice vest (−9 [−15 to −3] bts·min−1,p= 0.002) and single hand-cooling (−7 [−13 to −1] bts·min−1,p= 0.021) compared to a non-cooling control. The ice vest caused a greater change inT¯skcompared to no cooling (−1.07 [−2.00 to −0.13]°C,p= 0.021) and single-hand cooling (−1.07 [−2.01 to −0.14]°C,p= 0.020), as well as a greater change inScompared to no cooling (−84 [−132 to −37] W,p< 0.0001) and single-hand cooling (−74 [−125 to −24] W,p= 0.002). Across REC0−60, changes inT¯b(−0.38 [−0.69 to −0.07]°C,p= 0.012) andT¯sk(−1.62 [−2.56 to −0.68]°C,p< 0.0001) were greater with ice vest compared to no cooling. Furthermore, changes in inT¯b(−0.39 [−0.70 to −0.08]°C,p= 0.010) andT¯sk(−1.68 [−2.61 to −0.74]°C,p< 0.0001) were greater with the ice vest compared to single-hand cooling. Using an ice vest during time-limited and prolonged recovery in the heat aided in a more effective reduction in thermo-physiological strain compared to both passive cooling as well as a single-hand cooling device.
Endoscopic Assistance in the Deep and Narrow Spaces of the Brain—Microscopic Tumor Surgery Supported by the New Micro-Inspection Tool QEVO® (Technical Note)
Authors: Schebesch Karl-Michael , Doenitz Christian , Höhne Julius , Haj Amer , Schmidt Nils Ole
Published: April 2021

Introduction: To evaluate the feasibility and efficacy of the innovative micro-inspection tool QEVO® (Carl Zeiss Meditec, Oberkochen, Germany) as an endoscopic adjunct to microscopes for better visualization of the surgical field in complex deep-seated intracranial tumors in infants and adults.

Materials and Methods: We retrospectively assessed the surgical videos of 25 consecutive patients with 26 complex intracranial lesions (time frame 2018–2020). Lesions were classified according to their anatomical area: 1 = sellar region (n = 6), 2 = intra-ventricular (except IV.ventricle, n = 9), 3 = IV.ventricle and rhomboid fossa (n = 4), and 4 = cerebellopontine angle (CPA) and foramen magnum (n = 7). Indications to use the QEVO® tool were divided into five “QEVO® categories”: A = target localization, B = tailoring of the approach, C = looking beyond the lesion, D = resection control, and E = inspection of remote areas.

Results: Overall, the most frequent indications for using the QEVO® tool were categories D (n = 19), C (n = 17), and E (n = 16). QEVO® categories B (n = 8) and A (n = 5) were mainly applied to intra-ventricular procedures (anatomical area 2).

Discussion: The new micro-inspection tool QEVO® is a powerful endoscopic device to support the comprehensive visualization of complex intracranial lesions and thus instantly increases intraoperative morphological understanding. However, its use is restricted to the specific properties of the respective anatomical area.
Deep Insight Into Long Non-coding RNA and mRNA Transcriptome Profiling in HepG2 Cells Expressing Genotype IV Swine Hepatitis E Virus ORF3
Authors: Jiao Hanwei , Shuai Xuehong , Luo Yichen , Zhou Zhixiong , Zhao Yu , Li Bowen , Gu Guojing , Li Wenjie , Li Mengjuan , Zeng Hui , Guo Xiaoyi , Xiao Yu , Song Zhenhui , Gan Ling , Huang Qingzhou
Published: April 2021

Swine hepatitis E (swine HE) is a new type of zoonotic infectious disease caused by the swine hepatitis E virus (swine HEV). Open reading frame 3 (ORF3) is an important virulent protein of swine HEV, but its function still is mainly unclear. In this study, we generated adenoviruses ADV4-ORF3 and ADV4 negative control (ADV4-NC), which successfully mediated overexpression of enhanced green fluorescent protein (EGFP)-ORF3 and EGFP, respectively, in HepG2 cells. High-throughput sequencing was used to screen for differentially expressed long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) and messenger RNAs (mRNAs). The cis-target genes of lncRNAs were predicted, functional enrichment (Gene Ontology [GO] and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes [KEGG]) was performed, and 12 lncRNAs with statistically significant different expressions (p ≤ 0.05 and q ≤ 1) were selected for further quantitative real-time reverse transcription (qRT-PCR) validation. In HepG2 cells, we identified 62 significantly differentially expressed genes (DEGs) (6,564 transcripts) and 319 lncRNAs (124 known lncRNAs and 195 novel lncRNAs) that were affected by ORF3, which were involved in systemic lupus erythematosus, Staphylococcus aureus infection, signaling pathways pluripotency regulation of stem cells, the peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor (PPAR) signaling pathway, and platinum drug resistance pathways. Cis-target gene prediction identified 45 lncRNAs corresponding to candidate mRNAs, among which eight were validated by qRT-PCR: LINC02476 (two transcripts), RAP2C-AS1, AC016526, AL139099, and ZNF337-AS1 (3 transcripts). Our results revealed that the lncRNA profile in host cells affected by ORF3, swine HEV ORF3, might affect the pentose and glucuronate interconversions and mediate the formation of obstructive jaundice by influencing bile secretion, which will help to determine the function of ORF3 and the infection mechanism and treatment of swine HE.
The Development of a Juvenile Porcine Augmented Renal Clearance Model Through Continuous Infusion of Lipopolysaccharides: An Exploratory Study
Authors: Dhondt Laura , Croubels Siska , Temmerman Robin , De Cock Pieter , Meyer Evelyne , Van Den Broeck Wim , De Paepe Peter , Devreese Mathias
Published: April 2021

Augmented renal clearance (ARC) as observed in the critically ill (pediatric) population can have a major impact on the pharmacokinetics and posology of renally excreted drugs. Although sepsis has been described as a major trigger in the development of ARC in human critically ill patients, mechanistic insights on ARC are currently lacking. An appropriate ARC animal model could contribute to reveal these underlying mechanisms. In this exploratory study, a state of ARC was induced in 8-week-old piglets. Conscious piglets were continuously infused over 36 h with lipopolysaccharides (LPS) from Escherichia coli (O111:B4) to induce sepsis and subsequently trigger ARC. To study the dose-dependent effect of LPS on the renal function, three different doses (0.75, 2.0, 5.0 μg/kg/h) were administered (two ♂ piglets/dose, one sham piglet), in combination with fluid administration (0.9% NaCl) at 6 ml/kg/h. Single boluses of renal markers, i.e., creatinine [40 mg/kg body weight (BW)], iohexol (64.7 mg/kg BW), and para-aminohippuric acid (PAH, 10 mg/kg BW) were administered intravenously to evaluate the effect of LPS on the renal function. Clinical parameters were monitored periodically. Blood sampling was performed to determine the effect on hematology, neutrophil gelatinase-associated lipocalin, and prostaglandin E2 plasma levels. All piglets that were continuously infused with LPS displayed an elevated body temperature, heart rhythm, and respiratory rate ~1–3 h after start of the infusion. After infusion, considerably higher total body clearances of iohexol, creatinine, and PAH were observed, independent of the administration of LPS and/or its dose. Since also the sham piglet, receiving no LPS, demonstrated a comparable increase in renal function, the contribution of fluid administration to the development of ARC should be further evaluated.
Influence of a University Tobacco-Free Policy on the Attitudes, Perceptions of Compliance, and Policy Benefit Among the University Students: A Pre-Post Investigation
Authors: Chaaya Monique , Farran Dina , Saab Dahlia , Al-Hindi Mahmoud , Romani Maya , Khairallah Mary , Nakkash Rima
Published: April 2021

Objective: To evaluate the effectiveness of a university tobacco-free policy by examining differences in students’ attitudes, perceptions of compliance and policy benefits, after one year of the policy’s implementation.

Methods: Cross-sectional studies were undertaken to collect data pre- and 1 year post-policy implementation. The two samples were selected using stratified random sampling.

Results: The prevalence of smoking decreased from 26% pre-policy implementation to 21% 1 year after (p = 0.035). The proportion of smokers who thought the policy had contributed to a reduction in smoking frequency increased from 10% to 70% (p < 0.001). Smokers’ support for the policy rose from 42 to 58% (p = 0.007).

Conclusion: Against the background of a strongly pro-tobacco environment in Lebanon, it is possible to create a positive change in the mindset of smokers at the levels of the education and smoking cessation and more efforts should be expended to bring it about.
Social Actors in the Housing Policy Process. A Constructivist Perspective
Authors: Zubrzycka-Czarnecka Aleksandra
Published: April 2021

The main issue of the research in this work is involvement of social actors in the housing policy process. The literature review leads the author to conclude that in housing studies there exists a conceptual gap concerning knowledge about the role of social actors in the housing policy process. The gap is particularly apparent when one attempts to examine the housing policy process in the light of the concept of deliberative democracy. Furthermore, there are no research tools in housing studies that would make it possible to grasp the involvement of social actors in the housing policy process. The research problem in this work is formulating a research scheme which would enable to examine the involvement of social actors in the housing policy process and enrich housing studies with possibility to benefit more from the constructivist approach. The theoretical and methodological aim of this dissertation is to obtain a broader and deeper insight into the role of social actors in the housing policy process by expanding the author’s ‘D-Housing’ scheme.
Clusters of Elements for Quality Assurance of Health Worker Protection Measures in Times of COVID-19 Pandemic
Authors: Orzeł Bartosz , Wolniak Radosław
Published: April 2021

The COVID-19 (coronavirus disease) pandemic has had a significant impact on the healthcare delivery system worldwide. Many pre-pandemic norms, standards, and methods of providing medical services in most medical facilities had to be changed and re-evaluated. Many of them will likely stay changed and will probably never be provided in the same way in post-pandemic reality. The COVID-19 crisis is still ongoing and some sources say that we should be prepared for a third wave of the pandemic. The scope of the analysis conducted in this publication is related to the healthcare sector, including services and Polish healthcare professionals’ work quality during the COVID-19 crisis. The research gap, the basis for conducting new research, is the lack of clarified results analysing the quality assurance of healthcare workers during the COVID-19 pandemic. It is necessary to ask about healthcare professionals’ rate of personal protective equipment quality in Polish medical facilities. The result of cluster analysis will help us to know what the clusters for variables on quality assurance of protection measures for healthcare workers are. The research was carried out using a questionnaire survey on a sample of 21 medical personnel in Polish hospitals. The main findings of this publication are problems with information flow between staff and staff managers and determining appropriate zones. The quality of the personal protective equipment offered by medical facilities’ management and their availability is at an appropriate level. The publication aims to analyse the level of quality assurance of health care worker protection measures in the example of Silesian voivodeships in Poland during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Towards a Model of Muslim Women’s Management Empowerment: Philosophical and Historical Evidence and Critical Approaches
Authors: Samier Eugenie , ElKaleh Eman
Published: April 2021

This paper constructs a culturally appropriate model for Muslim women’s empowerment in management and leadership positions that addresses sustainability goals of quality education, gender equality, economic growth and reducing inequalities, as well as national and cultural differences from Western women’s empowerment models. The approach to model building begins with two sources of evidence for women’s empowerment—first, the empowerment of women recognised in the Qur’an and Sunnah, and in the historical-biographical record, particularly in the early Islamic period that draws to some extent on hermeneutics. This is followed by identifying four approaches that can be used in constructing a comprehensive model of Muslim women’s empowerment: Bourdieu’s social, cultural and intellectual capital theory; multiple modernities theory that recognises societal diversity; cultural security arguments for the preservation of cultures; and postcolonial critiques that argue for diversity through decolonising. The main argument of this paper is that sustainability goals cannot be achieved without a model appropriate to the valuational, cultural and societal context in which women are educated and work. The final section of this paper proposes a multidimensional and multilevel model that can be used as a guidance for empowering Muslim women in management and leadership positions. The model construction is based partly on Côté and Levine’s psychosocial cultural model that identifies multiple levels and dimensions of identity, role and social institution construction. This article contributes to the current literature by proposing a theoretical foundation and a multidimensional model that can inform and shape the empowerment of Muslim women in management and leadership positions in different societies.
Successful Indoor Mass Storage of Honeybee Queens (Apis mellifera) during Winter
Authors: Rousseau Andrée , Giovenazzo Pierre
Published: April 2021

The production of young, mated honeybee queens (Apis mellifera) is essential to replace dead queens or to start new colonies after wintering. Mass storage of mated honeybee queens during winter and their use the following spring is an interesting strategy that could help fulfill this need. In this study, we investigated the survival, fertility, and fecundity of young, mated queens stored massively in queenless colonies from September to April (eight months). The queens were kept in environmentally controlled rooms at temperatures above and below cluster formation. The results show that indoor mass storage of mated queens can be achieved with success when queen banks are stored above cluster temperature. Significantly higher survival of queens was measured when wintering queen banks at 16 °C. Surviving queens wintered at different temperatures above or below cluster formation had similar fertility (sperm viability) and fecundity (egg laying and viable worker population). This study shows the potential of indoor overwintering of honeybee queen banks. The technique we describe could be applied on a commercial scale by beekeepers and queen breeders.
Hostile Interactions of Punjab Urial (Ovis vignei punjabiensis) towards Indian Gazelle (Gazella bennettii) during Feeding Sessions in Captive Breeding Settings
Authors: Khattak Romaan Hayat , Teng Liwei , Mehmood Tahir , Rehman Ejaz Ur , Zhang Zhirong , Liu Zhensheng
Published: April 2021

Natural wildlife habitats are regularly subjected to anthropogenic pressures for different purposes, which are heading the biodiversity towards drastic decline. Several endangered wild species are raised in captivity with the aim of re-introduction. In some instances, mixed herds’ rearing approach in captivity is adopted for providing social enrichment to captive stocks; however, the impacts of species on each other are least documented. We tested our prediction that keeping mixed herds of captive wild sheep and antelopes provides adequate social enrichment to the captive stocks: if interspecific interactions are balanced. In the current study, we studied the interspecific competition between mixed herds of captive Punjab urial (Ovis vignei punjabiensis) and Indian gazelle (Gazella bennettii) at Manglot Wildlife Park, Nowshera District, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Province, Pakistan. We documented the negative effects of behavioural interference by Punjab urial on the feeding behaviour of Indian gazelle. The outcome of the current study revealed that Punjab urial are highly intolerant towards Indian gazelle, with high interference during feeding. Out of the total aggressive events, 77% (N = 1259) of events ended up with win/loss, in which Punjab urial dominated the Indian gazelle 3.5 times. Moreover, lopsided dominance by Punjab urial resulted in increased intraspecific competition among Indian gazelle (p < 0.001). Current study divulged Indian gazelle to be the subordinate species, with less intake of food. Instead of providing social enrichment by heterospecifics, the Punjab urial is negatively affecting the Indian gazelle, therefore, the results of our study discourage the practice of admix captive breeding for wild sheep and antelopes.
Recent Advances in Understanding the Influence of Zinc, Copper, and Manganese on the Gastrointestinal Environment of Pigs and Poultry
Authors: Broom Leon J. , Monteiro Alessandra , Piñon Arturo
Published: April 2021

Zinc, copper, and manganese are prominent essential trace (or micro) minerals, being required in small, but adequate, amounts by pigs and poultry for normal biological functioning. Feed is a source of trace minerals for pigs and poultry but variable bioavailability in typical feed ingredients means that supplementation with low-cost oxides and sulphates has become common practice. Such trace mineral supplementation often provides significant ‘safety margins’, while copper and zinc have been supplemented at supra-nutritional (or pharmacological) levels to improve health and/or growth performance. Regulatory mechanisms ensure that much of this oversupply is excreted by the host into the environment, which can be toxic to plants and microorganisms or promote antimicrobial resistance in microbes, and thus supplying trace minerals more precisely to pigs and poultry is necessary. The gastrointestinal tract is thus central to the maintenance of trace mineral homeostasis and the provision of supra-nutritional or pharmacological levels is associated with modification of the gut environment, such as the microbiome. This review, therefore, considers recent advances in understanding the influence of zinc, copper, and manganese on the gastrointestinal environment of pigs and poultry, including more novel, alternative sources seeking to maintain supra-nutritional benefits with minimal environmental impact.
The Effect of Replacement of Soybean Meal with Corn Dried Distillers Grains with Solubles (cDDGS) and Differentiation of Dietary Fat Sources on Pig Meat Quality and Fatty Acid Profile
Authors: Świątkiewicz Małgorzata , Olszewska Anna , Grela Eugeniusz R. , Tyra Mirosław
Published: April 2021

The aim of the study was to investigate mixtures comprising corn distillers dried grain with solubles as a partial replacer for soybean meal (SBM) and different dietary fat sources, in order to determine their effect on the meat quality and fatty acid profile. Thirty-two crossbred fatteners were divided into four groups: I–SBM + rapeseed oil, II–cDDGS + rapeseed oil, III–cDDGS + beef tallow, IV–cDDGS + coconut oil. The experiment took place from 60 to 118 kg. At the end of fattening, all pigs were slaughtered and samples of meat (musculuslongissimus lumborum) were taken. The fatty acid profile, texture, and quality traits were analyzed. Corn DDGS affected drip loss. Beef tallow and coconut oil improved water holding capacity and drip loss and increased fat content, compared to the control group. The dietary fat type affected the fatty acid composition, iodine value, and consequently some quality traits of meat. However, these relationships varied. Fat content in the meat was inversely correlated with shear force and texture parameters, but positively with tenderness and juiciness. The fatty acid profile significantly influenced cohesiveness, chewiness, resilience and sensory traits, which were the most beneficial in meat with higher fat content and higher fat saturation index.
Sequential Modulation of the Equine Fecal Microbiota and Fibrolytic Capacity Following Two Consecutive Abrupt Dietary Changes and Bacterial Supplementation
Authors: Collinet Axelle , Grimm Pauline , Julliand Samy , Julliand Véronique
Published: April 2021

In horses, abrupt changes from high-fiber (HF) to high-starch (HS) diets can affect the cecal and colonic microbiota. This study investigated modifications and recovery of fecal microbiota after two consecutive abrupt dietary changes. Twelve horses fed HF for 2 weeks were changed to HS for 5 days then returned to HF for 7 weeks. Six received lactic acid bacteria supplementation. Bacterial population diversity, structure, and activity, especially fibrolysis, were assessed to obtain an overview of alteration in hindgut microbiota. Two days after the abrupt change from HF to HS, the findings in feces were consistent with those previously reported in the cecum and colon, with a decrease in fibrolytic activity and an increase in amylolytic activity. Fecal parameters stabilized at their basal level 3–4 weeks after the return to HF. A bloom of cellulolytic bacteria and lower pH were observed after 1.5 weeks, suggesting a higher level of fiber degradation. In supplemented horses the relative abundance of potentially fibrolytic genera was enhanced 2 days after HS and 2 days to 2–3 weeks after the return to HF. Fecal analysis could be a promising technique for monitoring hindgut microbial variations accompanying dietary changes.
Constant Rate Infusion of Lidocaine, Tumescent Anesthesia and Their Combination in Dogs Undergoing Unilateral Mastectomy
Authors: Vullo Cecilia , Tambella Adolfo Maria , Falcone Annastella , Marino Gabriele , Catone Giuseppe
Published: April 2021

Tumescent anesthesia (TUM) is a technique that was initially used to perform liposuction under local anesthesia, which consists of the injection of such large volumes of local anesthetic until to produce swelling and firmness (tumescence) of the surgical area. The aim of this study was to compare the intraoperative analgesic efficacy of lidocaine (LID) constant rate infusion (CRI), of TUM, or their combination (LID/TUM) and the postoperative pain and analgesic requirement in dogs undergoing unilateral mastectomy. Twenty-four dogs were premedicated with dexmedetomidine (3 μg/kg) and methadone (0.2 mg/kg) intravenously (IV). After induction with propofol IV to effect, dogs were randomly allocated to receive a loading dose of lidocaine (2 mg/kg) followed by a CRI of 100 μg/kg/min (Group LID) in addition to an equivalent volume of lactated Ringer’s solution instead of local TUM; a loading dose of lactated Ringer’s solution followed by a CRI of Ringer’s solution in addition to TUM (Group TUM); a loading dose of lidocaine (2 mg/kg) followed by a CRI of 100 μg/kg/min in addition to TUM (Group LID/TUM). Anesthesia was maintained with isoflurane in oxygen. Postoperative pain scores were assessed once the dogs had fully recovered from the sedative effects, and following 15, 30, 45 and 60 min. The results of the current study allow us to assert that all three treatments provided satisfactory intraoperative antinociceptive effects but administration of LID/TUM induced greater inhibition on sympathetic stimulating effect up to 60 min from recovery, thus, providing better early postoperative pain relief in dogs undergoing mastectomy.
Pharmacokinetics and Pharmacodynamics of Cefepime in Adults with Hematological Malignancies and Febrile Neutropenia after Chemotherapy
Authors: Álvarez José C. , Cuervo Sonia I. , Silva Edelberto , Díaz Jorge A. , Jiménez Lorena L. , Parra Daniel S. , Gómez Julio C. , Sánchez Ricardo , Cortés Jorge A.
Published: April 2021

Patients with chemotherapy-induced febrile neutropenia (CIFN) may have changes in the pharmacokinetics (PK) compared to patients without malignancies or neutropenia. Those changes in antibiotic PK could lead to negative outcomes for patients if the therapy is not adequately adjusted to this. In this, open-label, non-randomized, prospective, observational, and descriptive study, a PK model of cefepime was developed for patients with hematological neoplasms and post-chemotherapy febrile neutropenia. This study was conducted at a cancer referral center, and study participants were receiving 2 g IV doses of cefepime every 8 h as 30-min infusions. Cefepime PK was well described by a two compartment model with a clearance dependent on a serum creatinine level. Using Monte Carlo simulations, it was shown that continuous infusions of 6g q24h could have a good achievement of PK/PD targets for MIC levels below the resistance cut-off point of Enterobacteriaceae. According to the simulations, it is unnecessary to increase the daily dose of cefepime (above 6 g daily) to increase the probability of target attainment (PTA). Cumulative fraction of response (CFR) using interment dosing was suboptimal for empirical therapy regimens against K. pneumoniae and P. aeruginosa, and continuous infusions could be used in this setting to maximize exposure. Patients with high serum creatinine levels were more likely to achieve predefined PK/PD targets than patients with low levels.
Laser Induced Method to Produce Curcuminoid-Silanol Thin Films for Transdermal Patches Using Irradiation of Turmeric Target
Authors: Cocean Alexandru , Cocean Iuliana , Cimpoesu Nicanor , Cocean Georgiana , Cimpoesu Ramona , Postolachi Cristina , Popescu Vasilica , Gurlui Silviu
Published: April 2021

A new possible method to produce a transdermal patch is proposed in this paper. The study refers to the pulsed laser deposition method (PLD) applied on turmeric target in order to obtain thin layers. Under high power laser irradiation of 532 nm wavelength, thin films containing curcuminoids were obtained on different substrates such as glass and quartz (laboratory investigation) and hemp fabric (practical application). Compared FTIR, SEM-EDS and LIF analyses proved that the obtained thin film chemical composition is mainly demethoxycurcumin and bisdemethoxycurcumin which is evidence that most of the curcumin from turmeric has been demethixylated during laser ablation. Silanol groups with known role into dermal reconstruction are evidenced in both turmeric target and curcuminoid thin films. UV–VIS reflection spectra show the same characteristics for all the curcuminoid thin films, indicating that the method is reproducible. The method proves to be successful for producing a composite material, namely curcuminoid transdermal patch with silanol groups, using directly turmeric as target in the thin film deposited by pulsed laser technique. Double layered patch curcuminoid—silver was produced under this study, proving compatibility between the two deposited layers. The silver layer added on curcuminoid-silanol layer aimed to increase antiseptic properties to the transdermal patch.
Photochemistry of 1-Phenyl-4-Allyl-Tetrazol-5-One: A Theoretical Study Contribution towards Mechanism Elucidation
Authors: Duque-Prata Amilcar , Serpa Carlos , Caridade Pedro J. S. B.
Published: April 2021

The photodegradation mechanism of 1-phenyl-4-allyl-tetrazol-5-one has been studied using (time-dependent) density functional theory with the M06-HF, B3LYP, and PBE0 functionals and the VDZ basis set. All calculations have been carried out using the polarizable continuum model to simulate the solvent effects of methanol. The reaction pathway evolution on the triplet state has been characterised to validate a previously postulated experimental-based mechanism. The transition states and minimums have been initially located by local scanning in partial constrained optimisation, followed by a fully relaxed search procedure. The UV spectra has shown to be better described with PBE0 functional when compared with the experimental results, having the M06-HF a shift of 40 nm. From the energetic point of view, the postulated mechanism has been validated in this work showing a concerted photoextrusion of the N2 molecule. The intramolecular proton transfer occurs at a later stage of the mechanism after cyclization of the allyl group on a triplet biradical intermediate. The photoproduct observed experimentally, a pyrimidinone, has been characterised. The infrared spectroscopic reaction profile has also been proposed.
Moving Vehicle Tracking with a Moving Drone Based on Track Association
Authors: Yeom Seokwon , Nam Don-Ho
Published: April 2021

The drone has played an important role in security and surveillance. However, due to the limited computing power and energy resources, more efficient systems are required for surveillance tasks. In this paper, we address detection and tracking of moving vehicles with a small drone. A moving object detection scheme has been developed based on frame registration and subtraction followed by morphological filtering and false alarm removing. The center position of the detected object area is the input to the tracking target as a measurement. The Kalman filter estimates the position and velocity of the target based on the measurement nearest to the state prediction. We propose a new data association scheme for multiple measurements on a single target. This track association method consists of the hypothesis testing between two tracks and track fusion through track selection and termination. We reduce redundant tracks on the same target and maintain the track with the least estimation error. In the experiment, drones flying at an altitude of 150 m captured two videos in an urban environment. There are a total of 9 and 23 moving vehicles in each video; the detection rates are 92% and 89%, respectively. The number of valid tracks is significantly reduced from 13 to 10 and 56 to 26 in the first and the second video, respectively. In the first video, the average position RMSE of two merged tracks are improved by 83.6% when only the fused states are considered. In the second video, the average position and velocity RMSE are 1.21 m and 1.97 m/s, showing the robustness of the proposed system.
Modeled 3D-Structures of Proteobacterial Transglycosylases from Glycoside Hydrolase Family 17 Give Insight in Ligand Interactions Explaining Differences in Transglycosylation Products
Authors: Linares-Pastén Javier A. , Jonsdottir Lilja Björk , Hreggvidsson Gudmundur O. , Fridjonsson Olafur H. , Watzlawick Hildegard , Karlsson Eva Nordberg
Published: April 2021

The structures of glycoside hydrolase family 17 (GH17) catalytic modules from modular proteins in the ndvB loci in Pseudomonas aeruginosa (Glt1), P. putida (Glt3) and Bradyrhizobium diazoefficiens (previously B. japonicum) (Glt20) were modeled to shed light on reported differences between these homologous transglycosylases concerning substrate size, preferred cleavage site (from reducing end (Glt20: DP2 product) or non-reducing end (Glt1, Glt3: DP4 products)), branching (Glt20) and linkage formed (1,3-linkage in Glt1, Glt3 and 1,6-linkage in Glt20). Hybrid models were built and stability of the resulting TIM-barrel structures was supported by molecular dynamics simulations. Catalytic amino acids were identified by superimposition of GH17 structures, and function was verified by mutagenesis using Glt20 as template (i.e., E120 and E209). Ligand docking revealed six putative subsites (−4, −3, −2, −1, +1 and +2), and the conserved interacting residues suggest substrate binding in the same orientation in all three transglycosylases, despite release of the donor oligosaccharide product from either the reducing (Glt20) or non-reducing end (Glt1, Gl3). Subsites +1 and +2 are most conserved and the difference in release is likely due to changes in loop structures, leading to loss of hydrogen bonds in Glt20. Substrate docking in Glt20 indicate that presence of covalently bound donor in glycone subsites −4 to −1 creates space to accommodate acceptor oligosaccharide in alternative subsites in the catalytic cleft, promoting a branching point and formation of a 1,6-linkage. The minimum donor size of DP5, can be explained assuming preferred binding of DP4 substrates in subsite −4 to −1, preventing catalysis.
Modeling of Cutting Force in the Turning of AISI 4340 Using Gaussian Process Regression Algorithm
Authors: Alajmi Mahdi S. , Almeshal Abdullah M.
Published: April 2021

Machining process data can be utilized to predict cutting force and optimize process parameters. Cutting force is an essential parameter that has a significant impact on the metal turning process. In this study, a cutting force prediction model for turning AISI 4340 alloy steel was developed using Gaussian process regression (GPR), support vector machines (SVM), and artificial neural network (ANN) methods. The GPR simulations demonstrated a reliable prediction of surface roughness for the dry turning method with R2 = 0.9843, MAPE = 5.12%, and RMSE = 1.86%. Performance comparisons between GPR, SVM, and ANN show that GPR is an effective method that can ensure high predictive accuracy of the cutting force in the turning of AISI 4340.
Wildlife Monitoring Using a Multi-UAV System with Optimal Transport Theory
Authors: Kabir Rabiul Hasan , Lee Kooktae
Published: April 2021

This paper addresses a wildlife monitoring problem using a team of unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) with the optimal transport theory. The state-of-the-art technology using UAVs has been an increasingly popular tool to monitor wildlife compared to the traditional methods such as satellite imagery-based sensing or GPS trackers. However, there still exist unsolved problems as to how the UAVs need to cover a spacious domain to detect animals as many as possible. In this paper, we propose the optimal transport-based wildlife monitoring strategy for a multi-UAV system, to prioritize monitoring areas while incorporating complementary information such as GPS trackers and satellite-based sensing. Through the proposed scheme, the UAVs can explore the large-size domain effectively and collaboratively with a given priority. The time-varying nature of wildlife due to their movements is modeled as a stochastic process, which is included in the proposed work to reflect the spatio-temporal evolution of their position estimation. In this way, the proposed monitoring plan can lead to wildlife monitoring with a high detection rate. Various simulation results including statistical data are provided to validate the proposed work. In all different simulations, it is shown that the proposed scheme significantly outperforms other UAV-based wildlife monitoring strategies in terms of the target detection rate up to 3.6 times.
The Role of Palynology in Archaeoecological Research: Reconstructing Human-Environment Interactions during Neolithic in the Western Mediterranean
Authors: Revelles Jordi
Published: April 2021

This paper provides an overview of the potential of palynology within palaeoenvironmental research to reconstruct past landscapes and assess the relationship between vegetation and the first farming communities. The analysis of pollen and non-pollen palynomorphs in natural records evidenced how the adoption of farming and new sedentary settlement patterns resulted in major landscape transformation on extra-local or regional scales in the Western Mediterranean, affecting sclerophyllous and riparian forests in North Corsica, Mediterranean maquis in South Corsica, and oak forests in NE Iberia. In addition, palynology has been confirmed as a relevant source of data to address the local palaeoenvironmental evolution in lakes, wetlands, and archaeological sites, providing evidence of the presence of flocks (spores of coprophilous fungi), and changes in hydrology (salinity, dryness/wetness, aquatic/palustrine phases) and in geomorphology (soil erosion indicators). Finally, the spatial analysis of pollen and NPP intra-site distribution is presented here as a valuable tool to assess the social use of space in archaeological sites. In that sense, archaeopalynology has provided detailed information about site formation processes, social use of space, and the use of plants and fungi in the site of La Draga (Girona, Spain).
Enigmatic Evolutionary History of Porphobilinogen Deaminase in Eukaryotic Phototrophs
Authors: Oborník Miroslav
Published: April 2021

In most eukaryotic phototrophs, the entire heme synthesis is localized to the plastid, and enzymes of cyanobacterial origin dominate the pathway. Despite that, porphobilinogen deaminase (PBGD), the enzyme responsible for the synthesis of hydroxymethybilane in the plastid, shows phylogenetic affiliation to α-proteobacteria, the supposed ancestor of mitochondria. Surprisingly, no PBGD of such origin is found in the heme pathway of the supposed partners of the primary plastid endosymbiosis, a primarily heterotrophic eukaryote, and a cyanobacterium. It appears that α-proteobacterial PBGD is absent from glaucophytes but is present in rhodophytes, chlorophytes, plants, and most algae with complex plastids. This may suggest that in eukaryotic phototrophs, except for glaucophytes, either the gene from the mitochondrial ancestor was retained while the cyanobacterial and eukaryotic pseudoparalogs were lost in evolution, or the gene was acquired by non-endosymbiotic gene transfer from an unspecified α-proteobacterium and functionally replaced its cyanobacterial and eukaryotic counterparts.
Healthcare Data for Achieving a More Personalized Treatment of Chronic Kidney Disease
Authors: Herrera-Gómez Francisco , Álvarez F. Javier
Published: April 2021

The current concept of healthcare incites a more personalized treatment of diseases. To this aim, biomarkers are needed to improve decision-making facing chronic kidney disease (CKD) patients. Prognostic markers provided by real-world (observational) evidence are proposed in this Special Issue entitled “Biomarkers in Chronic Kidney Disease”, with the intention to identify high-risk patients. These markers do not target measurable parameters in patients but clinical endpoints that may be in turn transformed to benefits under the effect of future interventions.
Amphetamine-Decreased Progesterone and Estradiol Release in Rat Granulosa Cells: The Regulatory Role of cAMP- and Ca2+-Mediated Signaling Pathways
Authors: Chen Chung-Yu , Chen Chien-Rung , Chen Chiao-Nan , Wang Paulus , Mündel Toby , Liao Yi-Hung , Tsai Shiow-Chwen
Published: April 2021

The purpose of this study is to evaluate the amphetamine effects on progesterone and estradiol production in rat granulosa cells and the underlying cellular regulatory mechanisms. Freshly dispersed rat granulosa cells were cultured with various test drugs in the presence of amphetamine, and the estradiol/progesterone production and the cytosolic cAMP level were measured. Additionally, the cytosolic-free Ca2+ concentrations ([Ca2+]i) were measured to examine the role of Ca2+ influx in the presence of amphetamine. Amphetamine in vitro inhibited both basal and porcine follicle-stimulating hormone-stimulated estradiol/progesterone release, and amphetamine significantly decreased steroidogenic enzyme activities. Adding 8-Bromo-cAMP did not recover the inhibitory effects of amphetamine on progesterone and estradiol release. H89 significantly decreased progesterone and estradiol basal release but failed to enhance a further amphetamine inhibitory effect. Amphetamine was capable of further suppressing the release of estradiol release under the presence of nifedipine. Pretreatment with the amphetamine for 2 h decreased the basal [Ca2+]i and prostaglandin F2α-stimulated increase of [Ca2+]i. Amphetamine inhibits progesterone and estradiol secretion in rat granulosa cells through a mechanism involving decreased PKA-downstream steroidogenic enzyme activity and L-type Ca2+ channels. Our current findings show that it is necessary to study the possibility of amphetamine perturbing reproduction in females.