bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Misinformation Drives Low Human Papillomavirus Vaccination Coverage in South African Girls Attending Private Schools
Authors: Milondzo Tracy , Meyer Johanna C. , Dochez Carine , Burnett Rosemary J.
Published: February 2021

Background: Cervical cancer, caused by persistent human papillomavirus (HPV) infection, is the leading cause of female cancer deaths in South Africa. In 2014, the South African National Department of Health introduced a free public sector school-based HPV vaccination programme, targeting grade 4 girls aged ≥9 years. However, private sector school girls receive HPV vaccination through their healthcare providers at cost. This study investigated HPV vaccination knowledge, attitudes and practices of caregivers of girls aged ≥9 years in grades 4–7 attending South African private schools.

Methods: A link to an online survey was circulated to caregivers via an email sent to school principals of all private schools in four provinces enrolling girls in grades 4–7. Following a poor post-reminder response, a paid Facebook survey-linked advert targeting South African Facebook users aged ≥25 years nationally was run for 4 days, and placed on the South African Vaccination and Immunisation Centre's Facebook page for 20 days.

Results: Of 615 respondents, 413 provided HPV vaccination data and 455 completed the knowledge and attitudes tests. Most (76.5%) caregivers had good knowledge and 45.3% had positive attitudes. Of their daughters, 19.4% had received ≥1 dose of HPV vaccine. Of caregivers of unvaccinated girls, 44.3% and 41.1%, respectively were willing to vaccinate their daughters if vaccination was offered free and at their school. Caregivers of unvaccinated girls were more likely [odds ratio (OR): 3.8] to have been influenced by “other” influences (mainly online articles and anecdotal vaccine injury reports). Of caregivers influenced by their healthcare providers, caregivers of unvaccinated girls were more likely (OR: 0.2) to be influenced by alternative medical practitioners. Caregivers of vaccinated girls were more likely to have good knowledge (OR: 3.6) and positive attitudes (OR: 5.2). Having good knowledge strongly predicted (OR: 2.8) positive attitudes. Having negative attitudes strongly predicted (OR: 0.2) girls being unvaccinated.

Conclusion: Providing free school-based HPV vaccination in the private sector may not increase HPV vaccination coverage to an optimal level. Since misinformation was the main driver of negative attitudes resulting in <20% of girls being vaccinated, an advocacy campaign targeting all stakeholders is urgently needed.
Hierarchical, Dense and Dynamic 3D Reconstruction Based on VDB Data Structure for Robotic Manipulation Tasks
Authors: Mateo Carlos M. , Corrales Juan A. , Mezouar Youcef
Published: February 2021

This paper presents a novel approach to implement hierarchical, dense and dynamic reconstruction of 3D objects based on the VDB (Variational Dynamic B + Trees) data structure for robotic applications. The scene reconstruction is done by the integration of depth-images using the Truncated Signed Distance Field (TSDF). The proposed reconstruction method is based on dynamic trees in order to provide similar reconstruction results to the current state-of-the-art methods (i.e., complete volumes, hashing voxels and hierarchical volumes) in terms of execution time but with a direct multi-level representation that remains real-time. This representation provides two major advantages: it is a hierarchical and unbounded space representation. The proposed method is optimally implemented to be used on a GPU architecture, exploiting the parallelism skills of this hardware. A series of experiments will be presented to prove the performance of this approach in a robot arm platform.
Primordial Fluctuations From Quantum Gravity
Authors: Gozzini Francesco , Vidotto Francesca
Published: February 2021

We study the fluctuations and the correlations between spatial regions generated in the primordial quantum gravitational era of the universe. We point out that these can be computed using the Lorentzian dynamics defined by the Loop Quantum Gravity amplitudes. We evaluate these amplitudes numerically in the deep quantum regime. Surprisingly, we find large fluctuations and strong correlations, although not maximal. This suggests the possibility that early quantum gravity effects might be sufficient to account for structure formation and solve the cosmological horizon problem.
Biological and Socio-Cultural Factors Have the Potential to Influence the Health and Performance of Elite Female Athletes: A Cross Sectional Survey of 219 Elite Female Athletes in Aotearoa New Zealand
Authors: Heather Alison K. , Thorpe Holly , Ogilvie Megan , Sims Stacy T. , Beable Sarah , Milsom Stella , Schofield Katherine L. , Coleman Lynne , Hamilton Bruce
Published: February 2021

Health is a pre-requisite for optimal performance yet the parameters which govern health and performance of elite female athletes are little understood. The aim of this study was to quantify the health status of elite female athletes, and understand sociocultural factors influencing that status. The survey addressed demographic, health and athletic performance history, training load, contraceptive use, sport-specific appearance and performance pressures, and communication barriers. Three hundred and fifty-seven elite New Zealand female athletes were recruited to complete an on-line survey. Two hundred and nineteen athletes completed the survey. Oligomenorrhea/amenorrhea had been diagnosed in only 12% of athletes compared with 50% of athletes not on hormonal contraception who reported symptoms consistent with this diagnosis. Stress fractures and iron deficiency were common and associated with oligomenorrhoea/amenorrhea (P = 0.002), disordered eating (P = 0.009) or menorrhagia (P = 0.026). Athletes involved in individual sports (P = 0.047) and with higher training volumes (P < 0.001) were more likely to report a medical illness. Seventy-three percent of athletes felt pressured by their sport to alter their physical appearance to conform to gender ideals with 15% engaging in disordered eating practices. Barriers to communicating female health issues included male coaches and support staff, and lack of quality information pertaining to health. Elite female athletes may fail to reach peak performance due to specific health issues and undiagnosed pathology. Sociocultural factors influence the effectiveness of support of female's health and performance. Organizational and cultural change is required if elite female athletes are to combine optimal health with best performance.
A Review of Ureaplasma diversum: A Representative of the Mollicute Class Associated With Reproductive and Respiratory Disorders in Cattle
Authors: Santos Junior Manoel Neres , Macêdo Neres Nayara Silva de , Campos Guilherme Barreto , Bastos Bruno Lopes , Timenetsky Jorge , Marques Lucas Miranda
Published: February 2021

TheMollicutesclass encompasses wall-less microbes with a reduced genome. They may infect plants, insects, humans, and animals including those on farms and in livestock.Ureaplasma diversumis a mollicute associated with decreased reproduction mainly in the conception rate in cattle, as well as weight loss and decreased quality in milk production. Therefore,U. diversuminfection contributes to important economic losses, mainly in large cattle-producing countries such as the United States, China, Brazil, and India. The characteristics ofMollicutes, virulence, and pathogenic variations make it difficult to control their infections. Genomic analysis, prevalence studies, and immunomodulation assays help better understand the pathogenesis of bovine ureaplasma. Here we present the main features of transmission, virulence, immune response, and pathogenesis ofU. diversumin bovines.
A Comparative Review of Autologous Conditioned Serum and Autologous Protein Solution for Treatment of Osteoarthritis in Horses
Authors: Camargo Garbin Livia , Morris Michael J.
Published: February 2021

Many alternative treatments aimed at modulating osteoarthritis (OA) progression have been developed in the past decades, including the use of cytokine inhibitors. IL-1β is considered one of the most impactful cytokines in OA disease and therefore, its blockage offers a promising approach for the modulation of OA. Interleukin-1 receptor antagonist (IL-1Ra) is a naturally occurring anti-inflammatory protein belonging to the IL-1 family that competes with IL-1β for occupancy of its receptors, without triggering the same downstream inflammatory response. Because of its natural anti-inflammatory properties, different methods have been proposed to use IL-1Ra therapeutically in OA. Autologous conditioned serum (ACS) and autologous protein solution (APS) are blood-derived products produced with the use of specialized commercial kits. These processes result in hemoderivatives with high concentrations of IL-1Ra and other cytokines and growth factors with potential modulatory effects on OA progression. Several studies have demonstrated potential anti-inflammatory effect of these therapies with promising clinical results. However, as with any hemoderivatives, clinical outcomes may vary. For optimal therapeutic use, further research is warranted for a more comprehensive understanding of the product's composition and interaction of its components in joint inflammation. Additionally, differences between ACS and APS treatments may not be clear for many clients and clinicians. Thus, the objective of this narrative review is to guide the reader in important aspects of ACS and APS therapies,in vitroandin vivoapplications and to compare the use of both treatments in OA.
Cytotoxicity of Cultured Canine Primary Hepatocytes Exposed to Itraconazole Is Decreased by Pre-treatment With Glutathione
Authors: Kirk Natalie M. , Vieson Miranda D. , Selting Kim A. , Reinhart Jennifer M.
Published: February 2021

Objective: To identify the effect of glutathione (GSH) on cell survival in a novel in vitro model of itraconazole (ITZ)-associated hepatotoxicity using canine primary hepatocytes.

Sample: Commercially sourced, cryopreserved male dog (Beagle) primary hepatocytes from a single donor.

Procedures: Using a sandwich culture technique, canine primary hepatocytes were exposed to serial dilutions of ITZ. Calcein AM, 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2, 5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide (MTT), and neutral red were investigated as potential cell viability assays. Hepatocytes were then pre-incubated with GSH, exposed to serial dilutions of ITZ, and cell viability determined at 4 and 24 h post-ITZ exposure. Each condition was performed in technical triplicate and the effect of time, GSH concentration, and ITZ concentration on % cytotoxicity assessed using a multivariate linear regression model. Tukey's post-hoc test was used to detect individual differences.

Results: The neutral red cell cytotoxicity assay was chosen based on its superior ability to detect dose-dependent changes in viability. Hepatocyte cytotoxicity significantly increased with ITZ concentration (P < 0.001) and time (P = 0.004) and significantly decreased with GSH treatment (P < 0.001).

Conclusions and Clinical Relevance: This in vitro model demonstrates dose- and time-dependent ITZ-induced cytotoxicity, which is similar to clinical changes observed in canine patients and in in vivo rodent studies. Pre-treating with GSH is protective against in vitro cell death. These results suggest that GSH precursors may have a role in the management or prevention of ITZ-associated hepatotoxicity in dogs. Clinical trials are needed to evaluate their utility for this adverse drug reaction.
Comparative Genomics of Mycoplasma synoviae and New Targets for Molecular Diagnostics
Authors: Xu Bin , Chen Xi , Lu Fengying , Sun Yu , Sun Huawei , Zhang Jingfeng , Shen Liya , Pan Qunxing , Liu Chuanmin , Zhang Xiaofei
Published: February 2021

Mycoplasma synoviae is an important pathogen of poultry, causing significant economic losses in this industry. Analysis of the unique genes and shared genes among different M. synoviae strains and among related species is helpful for studying the molecular pathogenesis of M. synoviae and provides valuable molecular diagnostic targets to facilitate the identification of M. synoviae species. We selected a total of 46 strains, including six M. synoviae strains, from 25 major animal (including avian) Mycoplasma species/subspecies that had complete genome sequences and annotation information published in GenBank, and used them for comparative genomic analysis. After analysis, 16 common genes were found in the 46 strains. Thirteen single-copy core genes and the 16s rRNA genes were used for genetic evolutionary analysis. M. synoviae was found to have a distant evolutionary relationship not only with other arthritis-causing mycoplasmas, but also with another major avian pathogen, Mycoplasma gallisepticum, that shares the major virulence factor vlhA with M. synoviae. Subsequently, six unique coding genes were identified as shared among these M. synoviae strains that are absent in other species with published genome sequences. Two of the genes were found to be located in the genetically stable regions of the genomes of M. synoviae and were determined to be present in all M. synoviae isolated strains (n = 20) and M. synoviae-positive clinical samples (n = 48) preserved in our laboratory. These two genes were used as molecular diagnostic targets for which SYBR green quantitative PCR detection methods were designed. The two quantitative PCR methods exhibited good reproducibility and high specificity when tested on positive plasmid controls and genomic DNA extracted from different M. synoviae strains, other major avian pathogenic bacteria/mycoplasmas, and low pathogenic Mycoplasma species. The detection limit for the two genes was 10 copies or less per reaction. The clinical sensitivity and specificity of the quantitative PCR methods were both 100% based on testing chicken hock joint samples with positive or negative M. synoviae infection. This research provides a foundation for the study of species-specific differences and molecular diagnosis of M. synoviae.
Rozważania nad etymologią gromu
Authors: Witczak Krzysztof Tomasz
Published: February 2021

The Polish appellative grom m. ‘thunderclap’ (< Proto-Slavic *gromъ m.
‘thunder, thunderclap, roar of a thunder’) should be associated with Greek
βρόμος m. ‘any loud noise; crackling of fi re; roar of a thunder; roaring of a storm;
rage, fury’. Both these nouns derive from the Proto-Indo-European archetype
*gu̯
rómos m. ‘loud noise; thunder, thunderclap, roar of a thunder’ (originally
nomen actionis with the meaning ‘roaring; thundering’, derived from the root
*gu̯
rem- ‘to roar, to thunder’, cf. Gk. βρέμω ‘to roar; to clash, ring (of arms); to
shout, rage (of men)’, pol. grzmieć ‘to thunder’). The comparison of PSl. *gromъ
with Gk. χρόμος m. ‘neighing or whinnying (of horse)’ is semantically doubtful.
Terminologia a współczesna rzeczywistość naukowa.
Authors: Gajda Stanisław
Published: February 2021

The author refl ects on a new interpretation framework in research on
terminology. Referring to the philosophy of science and modern science studies,
he distinguishes two types of doing science: traditional science and modern
science. The centre of the linguistic cognitive space is located in traditional
science. The naturalistic cognitive perspective determined also the shape of
terminology studies. After philosophical ontology, the author adopts four ways
in which a term can exist: in specifi c texts and in the system as well as in
the individual and collective consciousness. This requires giving consideration
to various perspectives (including the anti-naturalistic one) in terminological
research and diverse cognitive methods, as well as a theoretical consolidation
of the obtained results.
Terminologia w pierwszym napisanym po polsku podręczniku geometrii, geodezji [Geometria to jest miernicka nauka Stanisława Grzepskiego, 1566]
Authors: Biniewicz Jerzy
Published: February 2021

Geometria, to jest miernicka nauka (Geometry or the science of measurement)
by Stanisław Grzepski was published in 1566. A look at the examined treaty
from the angle of the discourse theory makes it possible to notice a living
communication process leading to the formation of the paradigm designated by
the expert – layman roles in the 16th century scientifi c, educational literature.
When sharing information with a novice, an expert reaches for the specialised
register vocabulary including, most of all, scientifi c terms being in operation in
the fi eld of the 16th-century science. Terminology is a tool for creating a clear
worldview, it combines the abstractness of the message with the observation of
the practical sphere. The occurrence of terms in a text fulfi lling an educational
function legitimises the author as an expert, proves the effectiveness of
the solutions dictated by science. Moreover, terms in an educational text, as
a record of knowledge, are a functional instrument of ensuring that the reasoning
is consistent, making it a logically designed structure that is recipient-friendly
in terms of cognition.
Polskie nazwy pojazdów lotniczych na podstawie Wojskowego słowniczka lotniczego polsko-francusko-niemiecko-rosyjskiego [1922].
Authors: Faliszewska Paulina
Published: February 2021

The paper is based on an analysis of names of aviation vehicles included in
the Wojskowy słowniczek lotniczy polsko-francusko-niemiecko-rosyjski (Military
Polish–French–German–Russian aviation glossary), published in 1922. The
lexemes are examined in terms of the origin (whether they are loan-words or
of Polish origin) and their structure in order to determine the rules underlying
this linguistic process. Extralinguistic factors and events are also taken into
consideration in the analysis, e.g. the development of Polish aviation, the social
tendencies in the 1920s, conditions of military service.
Język pism Józefa Piłsudskiego – Rok 1920
Authors: Dubisz Stanisław
Published: February 2021

Rok 1920 (1920) is the most extensive text by Józef Piłsudski. The image
of the author inferred from the linguistic features of the text is one of a typical
user of general Polish in the interwar period, that is a representative of the
Polish intelligentsia of those days. The idiolectal and regional characteristics are
infrequent or occasional (in the phonetic, grammatical, and lexical layers). The
stylistics of the treaty is primarily the stylistics of a realistic description and the
author’s narrative, used effi ciently and displaying a great narrative talent and
the knowledge of realities.
Paratekstowe strategie zachęcania czytelnika do lektury tekstów popularnonaukowych
Authors: Piekarczyk Dorota
Published: February 2021

The author of this paper begins with showing the role played by covers
today (a cover as a marketing tool used by a publisher, as a paratext presenting
a publication and encouraging people to read it, and as a “commercial
interpretation” of a text) and demonstrates that they are a special place where the
intentions of the author of a text, the needs of its publisher, and the expectations
of readers clash. She chooses the following specific issue as the object of her
investigation: book metaphors used in paratexts of popular scientific studies.
It has not been examined from this angle before. By analysing the metaphors
used by publishers, she shows that they are strategies of attracting readers.
The author focuses on the aspects of metaphors that allow publishers to achieve
the objectives of not only typical covers but also ones imposed on popularisation
of science. Analyses indicate that metaphors are applied mainly to stimulate the
readers’ minds, to engage them emotionally, and to open them to the cognitive
values brought by scientific knowledge.
Перспективы развития конституционнойюстиции
в РеспубликеБеларусь
The prospects for the development of constitutionaljustice
in the Republic of Belarus
Authors: Пастухов Михаил Иванович
Published: February 2021

The article analyzes the legislation and practice of constitutional justice in the Republic of Belarus, and provides a more advanced model for the competences of the Constitutional Court of Belarus, which takes into account the experience of countries in Eastern Europe and the CIS.
Effect of Manure from Cattle Fed 3-Nitrooxypropanol on Anthropogenic Greenhouse Gas Emissions Depends on Soil Type
Authors: Weber Tien L. , Hao Xiying , Gross Cole D. , Beauchemin Karen A. , Chang Scott X.
Published: February 2021

Cattle production is a large source of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from the Canadian livestock sector. Efforts to reduce CH4 emissions from enteric fermentation have led to modifications of diet composition for livestock, resulting in a corresponding change in manure properties. We studied the effect of applying manure from cattle fed a barley-based diet with and without the methane inhibitor supplement, 3-nitrooxypropanol (3-NOP), on soil GHG emissions. Three soils common to Alberta, Canada, were used: a Black Chernozem, a Dark Brown Chernozem, and a Gray Luvisol. We compared the supplemented (3-NOPM) and non-supplemented manure (BM) amendments to a composted 3-NOPM (3-NOPC) amendment and a control with no manure amendment (CK). In an 84-day laboratory incubation experiment, 3-NOPM had significantly lower cumulative CO2 emissions compared to BM in both the Black Chernozem and Gray Luvisol. The cumulative N2O emissions were lowest for 3-NOPC and CK and highest for 3-NOPM across all soil types. Cumulative CH4 emissions were only affected by soil type, with a net positive flux from the fine-textured Gray Luvisol and Dark Brown Chernozem and a net negative flux from the coarse-textured Black Chernozem. Cumulative anthropogenic GHG emissions (CO2-equivalent) from soil amended with 3-NOPM were significantly higher than those for both BM and CK amendments in the Black Chernozem, while the cumulative anthropogenic GHG emissions from the 3-NOPC treatment were similar to or significantly lower than those for the BM and CK treatments across all soil types. We conclude that soil GHG emissions resulting from the 3-NOPM amendment are dependent on soil type and 3-NOPM could potentially increase soil GHG emissions compared to BM or CK. Although we show that the composting of 3-NOPM prior to soil application can reduce soil GHG emissions, the composting process also releases GHGs, which should also be considered in assessing the life-cycle of manure application. Our results provide a first look at the potential effect of the next stage in the life cycle of 3-NOP on GHG emissions. Further research related to the effect of soil properties, particularly in field studies, is needed to assess the best management practices related to the use of manure from cattle-fed diets supplemented with 3-NOP as a soil amendment.
Development of Vernonia amygdalina Leaf Extract Emulsion Formulations in Controlling Gray Mold Disease on Tomato (Lycopersicon esculentum Mill.)
Authors: Yusoff Siti Fairuz , Haron Farah Farhanah , Asib Norhayu , Mohamed Mahmud Tengku Muda , Ismail Siti Izera
Published: February 2021

Postharvest fruits including tomatoes are commonly infected by gray mold disease resulting in significant economic losses in the fruit industry. Therefore, this study aimed to develop botanical fungicide derived from Vernonia amygdalina leaf extract to control gray mold on tomato. The emulsion formulation containing surfactant, oil carrier and water was optimized at different non-ionic alkyl polyglucoside surfactants through eleven combinations of oil to surfactant ratio (0:10, 1:9, 2:8, 3:7, 4:6, 5:5, 6:4, 7:3, 8:2, 9:1 and 10:0 w/w). From eight selected formulations, two formulations, F5 and F7 showed stable in storage, remarkable thermodynamic stability, smaller particle size (66.44 and 139.63 nm), highly stable in zeta potential (−32.70 and −31.70 mV), low in polydispersity index (0.41 and 0.40 PdI), low in viscosity (4.20 and 4.37 cP) and low in surface tension (27.62 and 26.41 mN/m) as compared to other formulations. In situ antifungal activity on tomato fruits showed F5 formulation had a fungicidal activity against B. cinerea with zero disease incidence and severity, whereas F7 formulation reduced 62.5% disease incidence compared to a positive control with scale 1. Based on these findings, F5 formulation exhibited pronounced antifungal activity and may contribute to the development of new and safe antifungal product against gray mold on tomato.
How Does Protein Nutrition Affect the Epigenetic Changes in Pig? A Review
Authors: Marín-García Pablo Jesús , Llobat Lola
Published: February 2021

Epigenetic changes regulate gene expression and depend of external factors, such as environment and nutrition. In pigs, several studies on protein nutrition have been performed to improve productive and reproductive traits. Indeed, these studies aimed not only to determine broad protein requirements but also pigs’ essential amino acids requirements. Moreover, recent studies tried to determine these nutritional requirements for each individual, which is known as protein precision nutrition. However, nutritional changes could affect different epigenetic mechanisms, modifying metabolic pathways both in a given individual and its offspring. Modifications in protein nutrition, such as change in the amino acid profile, increase or decrease in protein levels, or the addition of metabolites that condition protein requirements, could affect the regulation of some genes, such as myostatin, insulin growth factor, or genes controlling cholesterol and glucose metabolism pathways. This review summarizes the impact of most common protein nutritional strategies on epigenetic changes and describes their effects on regulation of gene expression in pigs. In a context where animal nutrition is shifting towards precision protein nutrition (PPN), further studies evaluating the effects of PPN on animal epigenetic are necessary.
Economics of Twin Pregnancies in Dairy Cattle
Authors: Cabrera Victor E. , Fricke Paul M.
Published: February 2021

Twinning in Holstein dairy cows has increased over time concurrent with increased milk production. Twinning in dairy cattle is not desirable due to the negative effects on both cows that calve twins and calves born as twins that result in economic losses to dairy farms. Although a twin pregnancy could bring additional income from extra calves and shorten gestation length, twinning compromises milk production, increases the incidence of dystocia and perinatal mortality, decreases calf birth weight, increases the incidence of metabolic diseases, decreases fertility, increases the incidence of freemartinism, increases overall culling risks, and shortens the productive lifespan of cows. Based on a summary of economic analyses from several studies, the estimated losses due to twinning range between $59 to $161 per twin pregnancy. Most twinning in dairy cows is dizygotic and directly related to the incidence of double ovulations, and economic losses are greater for unilateral than for bilateral twins. Hormonal manipulation before artificial insemination that allows for timed artificial insemination is a primary strategy for decreasing twinning in dairy cows before it occurs by decreasing the incidence of double ovulation thereby decreasing conception of dizygotic twins and the associated negative economic consequences. When twins are diagnosed early during gestation, management options might include doing nothing, terminating the pregnancy, or attempting manual embryo reduction. Based on a recent economic analysis of these options, attempting manual embryo reduction decreased the economic losses of a twin pregnancy by $23 to $45.
Antimicrobial Resistance and Molecular Characterization of Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus aureus Isolated from Slaughtered Pigs and Pork in the Central Region of Thailand
Authors: Tanomsridachchai Wimonrat , Changkaew Kanjana , Changkwanyeun Ruchirada , Prapasawat Watsawan , Intarapuk Apiradee , Fukushima Yukari , Yamasamit Nattapong , Flav Kapalamula Thoko , Nakajima Chie , Suthienkul Orasa , Suzuki Yasuhiko
Published: February 2021

Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) have been a major public health concern in humans. Among MRSA, livestock-associated (LA)-MRSA strains have always been associated with exposure to livestock or their products and have emerged in different countries globally. Although studies have identified LA-MRSA from healthy pigs and pork in Thailand, prevalence in slaughtered pigs is still unknown. In addition, there are few reports on the epidemiology and molecular characteristics of LA-MRSA in Thailand. Hence, this is the first report investigating the epidemiology and molecular characteristics of MRSA in individual slaughtered pigs and pork in Thailand. A total of 204 nasal swab and 116 retailed pork samples were collected from three slaughterhouses and four fresh markets, respectively. Individual samples were used for screening for MRSA and obtained isolates were examined for drug- resistance profiling for 12 antimicrobial agents of 10 drug classes. In addition, SCCmec typing and multi-locus sequence typing were conducted to obtain genotype profiles. MRSA were isolated from 11 and 52 nasal swab and pork samples, respectively. The prevalence was significantly higher in the pork than in the nasal swab samples (p-value < 0.05). A high prevalence of ST9-SCCmecIX and ST398-SCCmecV with high-level antimicrobial resistance from markets and slaughterhouses indicated the spreading of MRSA with these genotypes in the Thai swine processing chains and suggested the need for further investigation to determine a control.
Functions of ROS in Macrophages and Antimicrobial Immunity
Authors: Herb Marc , Schramm Michael
Published: February 2021

Reactive oxygen species (ROS) are a chemically defined group of reactive molecules derived from molecular oxygen. ROS are involved in a plethora of processes in cells in all domains of life, ranging from bacteria, plants and animals, including humans. The importance of ROS for macrophage-mediated immunity is unquestioned. Their functions comprise direct antimicrobial activity against bacteria and parasites as well as redox-regulation of immune signaling and induction of inflammasome activation. However, only a few studies have performed in-depth ROS analyses and even fewer have identified the precise redox-regulated target molecules. In this review, we will give a brief introduction to ROS and their sources in macrophages, summarize the versatile roles of ROS in direct and indirect antimicrobial immune defense, and provide an overview of commonly used ROS probes, scavengers and inhibitors.
How Successful Is Transfer Learning for Detecting Anorexia on Social Media?
Authors: López-Úbeda Pilar , Plaza-del-Arco Flor Miriam , Díaz-Galiano Manuel Carlos , Martín-Valdivia Maria-Teresa
Published: February 2021

Anorexia is a mental disorder that involves serious abnormalities in nutritional intake behavior. This behavior leads to significant weight loss, which can lead to severe malnutrition. Specifically, eating disorders exhibit the highest mortality rate of any mental illness. Early identification of anorexia, along with appropriate treatment, improves the speed of recovery in patients. Presently there is a strong and consistent association between social media use and eating concerns. Natural Language Processing, a branch of artificial intelligence, has the potential to contribute towards early anorexia detection in textual data. Currently, there is still a long way to go in the identification of anorexia on social media due to the low number of texts available and in fact, most of these are focused on the treatment of English texts. The main contribution of this paper is the application of transfer learning techniques using Transformer-based models for detecting anorexia in tweets written in Spanish. In particular, we compare the performance between already available multilingual and monolingual models, and we conduct an error analysis to understand the capabilities of these models for Spanish.
A Heuristic Storage Location Assignment Based on Frequent Itemset Classes to Improve Order Picking Operations
Authors: Li Yue , Méndez-Mediavilla Francis A. , Temponi Cecilia , Kim Junwoo , Jimenez Jesus A.
Published: February 2021

Most large distribution centers’ order picking processes are highly labor-intensive. Increasing the efficiency of order picking allows these facilities to move higher volumes of products. The application of data mining in distribution centers has the capability of generating efficiency improvements, mainly if these techniques are used to analyze the large amount of data generated by orders received by distribution centers and determine correlations in ordering patterns. This paper proposes a heuristic method to optimize the order picking distance based on frequent itemset grouping and nonuniform product weights. The proposed heuristic uses association rule mining (ARM) to create families of products based on the similarities between the stock keeping units (SKUs). SKUs with higher similarities are located near the rest of the members of the family. This heuristic is applied to a numerical case using data obtained from a real distribution center in the food retail industry. The experiment results show that data mining-driven developed layouts can reduce the traveling distance required to pick orders.
Spatially Explicit Model for Anaerobic Co-Digestion Facilities Location and Pre-Dimensioning Considering Spatial Distribution of Resource Supply and Biogas Yield in Northwest Portugal
Authors: Coura Renata D’arc , Alonso Joaquim Mamede , Rodrigues Ana Cristina , Ferraz Ana Isabel , Mouta Nuno , Silva Renato , Brito A. G.
Published: February 2021

The high volumes of animal manure and sewage sludge, as a consequence of the development of intensive and specialized cattle dairy farms in peri-urban areas, pose challenges to local environmental quality and demands for systems innovation. Besides these negative impacts, energy recovery from biogas produced in anaerobic co-digestion processes should contribute to local sustainable development. This research considers technical data obtained from the optimization of biomethanization processes using sewage sludge and cattle manure liquid fraction, aiming to develop a spatially explicit model including multicriteria evaluation and an analytical hierarchy process to locate biogas production facilities, allocate energy resources and consider biogas unit pre-dimensioning analysis. According to the biophysical conditions and socioeconomic dynamics of the study area (Vila do Conde, Northwest Portugal), a spatially explicit model using multicriteria and multiobjective techniques allowed the definition of suitable locations, as well as the allocation of resources and support pre-dimensioning of biogas facilities. A p-median model allowed us to allocate resources and pre-dimensioning biogas facilities according to distance and accessibility elements. The results indicate: (i) the location of areas with adequate environmental conditions and socioeconomic suitability advantages to install biogas production facilities, and (ii) the ability to compare the options of centralized or distributed location alternatives and associated pre-dimensioning.
Chemical Composition and Antioxidant Activity of Essential Oil from Daucus reboudii Coss., an Endemic Plant of Algeria
Authors: Smaili Tahar , Bendif Hamdi , Öztürk Mehmet , Flamini Guido , Peron Gregorio
Published: February 2021

Plants of the Daucus genus (Apiaceae) are used worldwide as traditional medicines or culinary ingredients. In this work, in order to explore a new chemotype, the essential oil obtained from the aerial parts of Daucus reboudii Coss., collected from the National Park of Gouraya (Bejaïa, Algeria), was analyzed by GC-MS. Twenty-eight compounds were identified, accounting for 96.6% of the total oil. (E)-anethol was the main constituent (59.4%), followed by estragol (21.2%) and dodecanal (4.4%). (E)-anethol is an uncommon constituent of Daucus genus, hence it could be considered as a marker that contributes to differentiating D. reboudii from other species. Metal chelating, ABTS•+ and DPPH• assays were performed to determine the antioxidant activity. The highest activity was revealed by the DPPH• method, where D. reboudii essential oil showed a significantly higher activity compared to the reference standard BHT at doses of 50 and 100 µg/mL. Results suggest that the essential oil from D. reboudii could have a potential use in the food industry as food preservative. Nevertheless, further studies are needed to assess its applicability, and to elucidate also the composition of non-volatile compounds of this plant.
Experimental and Characteristic Analysis during the Engine Start-Up Process for a Compound Power-Split Hybrid Electric Vehicle
Authors: Su Yanzhao , Hu Minghui , Huang Jin , Su Ling , Qin Datong
Published: February 2021

Experimental research is essential in the development of a hybrid electric vehicle. In this study, a bench test was conducted for a compound power-split hybrid electric vehicle (PSHEV) to analyze the real dynamic characteristics of its components and the factors of system shock and vibration during the engine start-up process. Firstly, the mode switching process with an engine start-up was divided into four stages by the lever method. The basic control strategy of mode switching with engine start-up was formulated and tested on a bench test platform. Secondly, based on the bench test data, the output characteristics of the battery motor, engine, and driveshaft were analyzed in detail. The main variable parameters of the engine control unit were investigated in the engine start-up process. Ultimately, the results showed that the engine’s pulsating torque was the main reason for system jerk and vibration during the engine start-up process, and the excessive intake manifold pressure before the engine’s ignition was one of the main reasons for the large output torque ripple. When initiating the electric engine starting process, the jerk and vibration presented a wide fluctuation. The maximum value of the equivalent jerk was 92.12 m/s3, and the maximum value of the absolute value of the vibration acceleration was 4.077 m/s2.
Calcium Release from Different Toothpastes after the Incorporation of Tricalcium Phosphate and Amorphous Calcium Phosphate
Authors: Hou Ping-Jen , Lee Chang-Yu , Ou Keng-Liang , Lan Wen-Chien , Chuo Yen-Chun , Lin Hung-Yang , Chao Hsiao-Wei , Huang Bai-Hung , Saito Takashi , Tsai Hsin-Yu , Yang Tzu-Sen , Walinski Christopher J. , Ruslin Muhammad
Published: February 2021

This study aimed to investigate the free calcium released from different brands of toothpaste after incorporation with a beta-tricalcium phosphate (β-TCP)/amorphous calcium phosphate (ACP) mixed powder and with β-TCP powder alone. Four brands of toothpaste were used for the experiment: Nano-Bio Activation Toothpaste, Colgate Total Advanced Whitening Toothpaste, BORONIA Herbal Whitening, and BioMin F. The investigated β-TCP and ACP powders were prepared by a two-step sintering method using raw coral material. Analytical results found that the mean calcium concentration of the β-TCP/ACP (2:1) powder in deionized water was 3.4% when the pH was between 5 and 9. Moreover, statistical results revealed that the toothpaste containing β-TCP powder had significantly higher calcium concentrations than the normal toothpaste. The toothpaste containing mixed β-TCP/ACP powder had a higher calcium concentration than the toothpaste containing only β-TCP powder. Twice as much free calcium could be released from β-TCP/ACP toothpaste than from β-TCP-only toothpaste. Thus, toothpaste containing β-TCP/ACP mixed powder offers greater benefits to facilitate the remineralization of enamel than toothpaste containing only β-TCP.
An Efficient Direction of Arrival Estimation Algorithm for Sources with Intersecting Signature in the Time–Frequency Domain
Authors: Khan Nabeel Ali , Ali Sadiq , Choi Kwonhue
Published: February 2021

An efficient direction of arrival estimation method is proposed. The proposed algorithm accurately estimates the instantaneous frequency of signals received by multiple sensors (array of sensors/antennas). The estimated instantaneous frequency is then used to separate sources and estimate their direction of arrivals. Experimental results indicate that the proposed method achieves better performance than the existing methods both in terms of computational requirements and localization accuracy. It is also shown that the proposed method can work in under-determined situations.
Numerical Modeling of Nonlinear Response of Seafloor Porous Saturated Soil Deposits to SH-Wave Propagation
Authors: Krylov Artem A. , Alekseev Dmitry A. , Kovachev Sergey A. , Radiuk Elena A. , Novikov Mikhail A.
Published: February 2021

Numerical modeling of seismic response of soil deposits is usually conducted as part of seismic hazard assessment, preceding facility construction in any tectonically active regions, including offshore sites. A significant feature of subsea soils is their porous and water-saturated structure. Thus, the purpose of the present study is to introduce a procedure for modeling nonlinear behavior of porous, moist soils during SH-wave propagation, to verify it and compare response for synthetic soil profiles with porous medium parameters specific for low moisture onshore and high moisture offshore sites with cohesive and non-cohesive soils. The well-known and approved NERA code was used as a basis and improved to incorporate the Biot and Gassman equations for elastic waves propagation in a fluid-saturated porous solid. The applicability of the presented approach was substantiated for integration into other well-known algorithms. Obtained results showed good agreement between the simulated by different methods and observed spectra. The modeling also showed that the response of cohesive and non-cohesive soils with moisture specific both for onshore and offshore sites is explained by effects of resonances and effect of seismic amplitude saturation, which, in turn, depend on the corresponding value of the layer thickness and S-wave impedance for porous saturated soil layer. The proposed scheme could have significant practical usage for studying the effect of porous medium parameters on the seismic response of the moist soil deposits.
A Sliding Surface for Controlling a Semi-Bridgeless Boost Converter with Power Factor Correction and Adaptive Hysteresis Band
Authors: Ortiz-Castrillón José Robinson , Mejía-Ruiz Gabriel Eduardo , Muñoz-Galeano Nicolás , López-Lezama Jesús María , Cano-Quintero Juan Bernardo
Published: February 2021

This paper proposes a new sliding surface for controlling a Semi-Bridgeless Boost Converter (SBBC) which simultaneously performs Power Factor Correction (PFC) and DC bus regulation. The proposed sliding surface is composed of three terms: First, a normalized DC voltage error term controls the DC bus and rejects DC voltage disturbances. In this case, the normalization was performed for increasing system robustness during start-up and large disturbances. Second, an AC current error term implements a PFC scheme and guarantees fast current stabilization during disturbances. Third, an integral of the AC current error term increases stability of the overall system. In addition, an Adaptive Hysteresis Band (AHB) is implemented for keeping the switching frequency constant and reducing the distortion in zero crossings. Previous papers usually include the first and/or the second terms of the proposed sliding surface, and none consider the AHB. To be best of the author’s knowledge, the proposed Sliding Mode Control (SMC) is the first control strategy for SBBCs that does not require a cascade PI or a hybrid PI-Sliding Mode Control (PI-SMC) for simultaneously controlling AC voltage and DC current, which gives the best dynamic behavior removing DC overvoltages and responding fast to DC voltage changes or DC load current perturbations. Several simulations were carried out to compare the performance of the proposed surface with a cascade PI control, a hybrid PI-SMC and the proposed SMC. Furthermore, a stability analysis of the proposed surface in start-up and under large perturbations was performed. Experimental results for PI-SMC and SMC implemented in a SBBC prototype are also presented.
Investigating the WRF Temperature and Precipitation Performance Sensitivity to Spatial Resolution over Central Europe
Authors: Stergiou Ioannis , Tagaris Efthimios , Sotiropoulou Rafaella-Eleni P.
Published: February 2021

The grid size resolution effect on the annual and seasonal simulated mean, maximum and minimum daily temperatures and precipitation is assessed using the Advanced Research Weather Research and Forecasting model (ARW-WRF, hereafter WRF) that dynamically downscales the National Centers for Environmental Prediction’s final (NCEP FNL) Operational Global Analysis data. Simulations were conducted over central Europe for the year 2015 using 36, 12 and 4 km grid resolutions. Evaluation is done using daily E-OBS data. Several performance metrics and the bias adjusted equitable threat score (BAETS) for precipitation are used. Results show that model performance for mean, maximum and minimum temperature improves when increasing the spatial resolution from 36 to 12 km, with no significant added value when further increasing it to 4 km. Model performance for precipitation is slightly worsened when increasing the spatial resolution from 36 to 12 km while further increasing it to 4 km has minor effect. However, simulated and observed precipitation data are in quite good agreement in areas with precipitation rates below 3 mm/day for all three grid resolutions. The annual mean fraction of observed and/or forecast events that were correctly predicted (BAETS), when increasing the grid size resolution from 36 to 12 and 4 km, suggests a slight modification on average over the domain. During summer the model presents significantly lower BAETS skill score compared to the rest of the seasons.
Reproducibility of the Quantification of Reversible Wall Interactions in VOC Sampling Lines
Authors: Sassi Guido , Khan Bilal Alam , Lecuna Maricarmen
Published: February 2021

Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs) are widely measured at ppb and ppt level in many contexts, from therapeutic drug control in respiratory diseases to monitoring of climate change and indoor air quality. The need for accuracy is a common denominator in all these fields. The interactions between gas mixtures and solid surfaces in sampling lines and instruments play an important role in calculating the total uncertainty of the amount of VOC. The amount of substances in the gas mixture is affected by its reversible and irreversible interactions with the sampling line. The main aim of this paper is to propose and discuss a method to quantify the amount of substance segregated by reversible interactions on sampling lines. To validate the proposed method, the areic amount of a VOC (Acetone) is measured for a commercial test pipe (Sulfinert®) as the amount of substance per unit area of the internal surface of the test pipe segregated from the flowing gas mixture. Stainless steel coated by Sulfinert® was chosen as a test material because of its wide use and its limited irreversible and permeation effects. A certified gas mixture of Acetone in air with a nominal mole fraction of 10 µmol mol−1 was used for validation. Broad temperature control was used and the sensibility of the method to the temperature and the pressure has been evaluated to correct the bias due to physical condition. The sensitivity to the residence time and the Reynolds number of the gas flow has been evaluated to verify the reaching of equilibrium and the limits of the applicability of the method. The areic amount of Acetone at equilibrium on Sulfinert® coated pipe was measured as 40 nmol m−2, and an equilibrium constant value of around 0.2 m was calculated as the ratio between the superficial amount segregated on the wall and the amount concentration of Acetone in the mixture, both at the equilibrium. The observed reproducibility was better than 2.5%. This method is aimed to investigate VOC losses due to interactions for many VOC/material systems at a lower amount of substance levels.