bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Performance of a baited underwater video system vs. the underwater visual census technique in assessing the structure of fish assemblages in a Mediterranean marine protected area
Authors: LA MANNA GABRIELLA , GUALA IVAN , GRECH DANIELE , PERRETTI FRANCESCO , RONCHETTI FABIO , MANGHI MICHELE , RUIU ALBERTO , CECCHERELLI GIULIA
Published: October 2021

Accurate, rapid and cost-effective fish assemblage monitoring is fundamental for marine protected area (MPA) management as a pivotal tool to verify whether and to what extent MPA conservation objectives have been achieved and to redefine these objectives in the framework of an adaptive management. Recently, there has been a sharp increase in the number of video-based methods to study fish fauna, such as baited remote underwater video (BRUV) systems, that, depending on the objectives of the monitoring, can provide complementary or additional data to the more commonly used underwater visual census (UVC). Even though BRUV systems have been widely used in a wide range of geographic contexts and habitats, their use in the Mediterranean basin is still sporadic and the evaluation of the efficiency of BRUV systems and whether they can be used to complement other techniques needs investigation. Thus, the objective of this study was to assess the performance of a BRUV system in a Mediterranean MPA and to evaluate its effectiveness in assessing the structure of fish assemblages (abundance and species richness) by comparing estimates with those obtained by the UVC technique. The fish fauna were monitored by BRUV and UVC in the Capo Caccia – Isola Piana Marine Protected Area (Sardinia, Italy), in July and October-November 2020, at four sampling sites and two areas, hundreds of meters apart, for each site. Overall, 46 taxa and a total of 3620 individuals were observed by BRUV, while 36 taxa and a total of 2995 individuals were observed by UVC. The species first observed in front of the camera’s field of view and able to reach the maximum abundance were the planktivores (Chromis chromis and Oblada melanura) followed by several carnivorous species belonging to the families Labridae, Serranidae and Sparidae, and lastly two carnivores (Mullus surmuletus and Mugilidae spp.) and some high-level predators (Dentex dentex, Seriola dumerili, Sphyraena viridensis, Dicentrarchus labrax). The maximum species richness and abundance were reached between 39 and 50 min. The cumulative species richness increased until around 30 min. Species richness was higher during the BRUV compared to the UVC monitoring. The consistency in findings between BRUV and UVC and a better performance of BRUV in detecting some species (mainly high-level predators), supports BRUV as an additional technique for describing and quantifying species richness and abundance also in the Mediterranean Sea. Based on the results of this study, the advantages/disadvantages, shortcomings, suggestions and resources needed for the two techniques are outlined.
Co-occurrence of a reef-building coral and canopy-forming macroalgae in the Mediterranean Sea
Authors: PONS-FITA ALÈSSIA , KERSTING DIEGO K. , BALLESTEROS ENRIC
Published: October 2021

Canopy-forming macroalgae are amongst the main competitors of corals by affecting coral recruitment, growth of recruits and adults, fecundity and in the worst-case scenario causing coral bleaching and necrosis. However, potentially reef-building coral Cladocora caespitosa (Linnaeus, 1767) and canopy-forming macroalgae of the order Fucales (Cystoseira sensu lato) are known to concur in a few places of the Mediterranean Sea. Here we look at the small-scale relationships between Cladocora abundance and Cystoseira s. l. densities at three different places where they coexist. Relationships have turned out to be both species and site-specific even though most relationships are neutral, pointing to a predominant concurrence of corals and macroalgae at the small scale. These findings shed new information on the relationship between corals and fleshy macroalgae in a temperate environment and serve as a starting point for future studies addressing the interactions between C. caespitosa and Cystoseira s. l.
Support for the research and monitoring of marine algae: a study of Italian coastal users
Authors: LUCREZI SERENA
Published: October 2021

Marine algae offer numerous extrinsic and intrinsic ecosystem services. Human impacts and climate change, however, have contributed to disrupting or compromising their ecology and distribution. Continuing research and monitoring of marine algae are pivotal but require public support. This study investigated public knowledge of and attitude towards marine algae and support for their research and monitoring. The focus was coastal users, a diversified group of interest for research into the perceptions of marine algae. The study was carried out in the Conero Riviera (Adriatic Sea, Italy), a location where coastal users come into contact with several types of marine algae. Semi-structured interviews were conducted in 2020 with 202 randomly selected scuba divers, beach and promenade visitors in the Riviera. Data analysis was thematic and statistical. Participants possessed basic knowledge of marine algae, which was more sophisticated among scuba divers. Coastal users ascribed both extrinsic and intrinsic values to marine algae. Most participants recognised the importance of protecting and managing marine algae while supported research and monitoring, prioritising types of marine algae which provide specific extrinsic and intrinsic ecosystem services. Based on the results, strategies of outreach, communication and engagement are suggested for the study location and types of coastal users. This study contributed to the growing body of research on Ocean Literacy, confirming the importance of investigating perceptions of marine resources to steer research, management and outreach strategies.
COVID-19 forecast for 13 Caribbean countries using ARIMA modeling for confirmed, death, and recovered cases
Authors: Talukdar Debjyoti , Tripathi Vrijesh
Published: October 2021

Background: The rapid spread of the Covid-19 virus in the Caribbean region has led to increased surveillance with an increasing trend of confirmed cases of COVID-19 in 13 Caribbean countries. Our study aims to analyze the impact of Covid-19 (SARS nCoV-2) in 13 Caribbean countries in terms of the number of confirmed cases, deaths, and recovered cases.

Methods: The study uses the ARIMA model based on the time series pattern according to data retrieved from John Hopkins University. The data were analyzed using Stata 14 SE software for the period January 22, 2020, and August 16, 2021, and forecasted till December 31, 2021. All chosen models were compared with other models in terms of various factors like AIC/BIC, log-likelihood, p-value significance, coefficient < 1, and 5% significance. The ACF and PACF graphs were plotted to reduce bias and select the best-fitting model.

Results: The results show the predicted trend in terms of confirmed, death, and recovered cases of COVID-19 for 13 Caribbean countries. The projected ARIMA model forecast for the period December 16, 2021, to December 31, 2021, shows 2470272 (95% CI 2438965 - 2501579) confirmed cases, 27220 (95% CI 26886 - 27555) deaths, and 818105 (95% CI 818085 - 818125) recovered cases related to Covid-19. The final ARIMA model chosen for confirmed COVID-19 cases, several deaths, and recovered cases are ARIMA (9,2,4), ARIMA (1,2,1), and ARIMA (1,2,1), respectively.

Conclusions As per the results of the forecasted COVID-19 models, there is a steady rise in confirmed, death, and recovered cases during the period June 1, 2020, until November 30, 2020, and April 1, 2021, until June 15, 2021. It shows an increasing trend for confirmed and recovered COVID-19 cases and a slowing of the number of deaths.
Building a safety buffer for European food security: the role of small-scale food production and local ecological and gastronomic knowledge in light of COVID-19
Authors: Sõukand Renata , Kalle Raivo , Fontefrancesco Michele Filippo , Pieroni Andrea
Published: October 2021

The lockdown caused by the coronavirus 2019 disease (COVID-19) has created a situation in which food availability is affected not only by the availability of money but also by the availability of food itself. On the basis of five pillars, including 1) supporting community-based farming, 2) defending small firms, 3) developing narratives on the high value of local food, 4) encouraging subsistence gardening and foraging in the wild, and 5) promoting local ecological and gastronomic knowledge, the essay points a way forward to attain greater sustainability and resilience of safe food chains that starts with reassessing the relevance of local food systems.
Practical Nonparametric Sampling Strategies for Quantile-Based Ordinal Optimization
Authors: Shin Dongwook , Broadie Mark , Zeevi Assaf
Published: October 2021

Given a finite number of stochastic systems, the goal of our problem is to dynamically allocate a finite sampling budget to maximize the probability of selecting the “best” system. Systems are encoded with the probability distributions that govern sample observations, which are unknown and only assumed to belong to a broad family of distributions that need not admit any parametric representation. The best system is defined as the one with the highest quantile value. The objective of maximizing the probability of selecting this best system is not analytically tractable. In lieu of that, we use the rate function for the probability of error relying on large deviations theory. Our point of departure is an algorithm that naively combines sequential estimation and myopic optimization. This algorithm is shown to be asymptotically optimal; however, it exhibits poor finite-time performance and does not lead itself to implementation in settings with a large number of systems. To address this, we propose practically implementable variants that retain the asymptotic performance of the former while dramatically improving its finite-time performance.
Information Inundation on Platforms and Implications
Authors: Allon Gad , Drakopoulos Kimon , Manshadi Vahideh
Published: October 2021

Information Inundation and Polarization

In the paper “Information Inundation on Platforms and Implications,” Gad Allon, Kimon Drakopoulos, and Vahideh Manshadi study the process of learning and opinion formation in the presence of platforms. The paper is motivated by the relatively recent changes in how people access and consume news. Specifically, more and more people access news through social platforms, such as Facebook, Reddit, or Twitter. The paper tries to answer a simple question: why is it that we become more polarized even though we have more information sources than ever? In this paper, the authors assume that people are almost rational and are not easily biased as a result of psychological biases. Yet the authors show that, even if people are good “statisticians” in the sense that they try to find the information that reduces their ignorance by the most significant amount, they choose to consume information that slows their ability to learn. In fact, the authors show that screening information sources results in polarization: everyone is sort of “stuck” in their side of the political map. We are essentially illustrating a mechanism that generates confirmation bias even for a seemingly rational reader.
Study scope
Authors: Menon Shyam , Kucchai Faiz , Anjum Raheel , Kurien Reuben
Published: October 2021

A brief overview of recently published articles on subjects relevant to endoscopic practitioners
Introducing an Organ Donor Registry is Saskatchewan
Authors:   University of Regina, Zarzeczny Amy , Radu Luiza ,   University of Regina
Published: October 2021

On 3 September 2020, Saskatchewan launched an organ donor registry that allows participants 16 years and older to register their intent to be an organ donor either online or using a paper form. Saskatchewan has historically performed poorly at a national level with low rates of organ donations. Saskatchewan's new registry is intended to increase the numbers of organ donors in the province, while also helping to modernize its organ donation system and ease donation conversations with families. Saskatchewan's introduction of this registry brought the province in line with other provinces and territories across Canada that use similar systems, and provided a response to the surge in public interest around organ donation that followed the Humboldt Bronco bus crash tragedy and related ``Logan Boulet Effect.'' The 2019-2020 and 2020-2021 provincial budgets included dedicated funding for the development and launch of the registry, which was accompanied by a media campaign to increase public awareness. Though it is too early to evaluate the success of the registry, early indications suggest donation rates will be a key evaluation metric. Registries are commonly thought to help increase public awareness of, and support for, organ donation, but improving Saskatchewan's organ donation rates will likely also require companion measures to strengthen the culture and practice of donation in the province.
Por una educación para la ciudadanía global ¿desde un enfoque STEM?
Authors: Serantes-Pazos Araceli , Digón-Regueiro Patricia , Cruz-López Laura , DePalma Renée , Méndez-García Rosa María , Barba Núñez María
Published: October 2021

Editorial número 10.
construcción de una ciudad con material reutilizado como escenario de stop motion. Una propuesta STEAM para educación primaria
Authors: Balsells-Gila Rebeca , López-Luengo María Antonia
Published: October 2021

Se presenta una contribución teórico-práctica de educación STEAM integrada. Por un lado, el marco teórico sintetiza los beneficios educativos y los retos que supone la implementación de la educación STEAM en las aulas. De acuerdo con este, se presenta una propuesta educativa diseñada para 6.º curso de educación primaria que integra contenidos de diversas disciplinas, elementos transversales y competencias curriculares. La secuencia didáctica fue valorada por 13 profesionales de la educación quienes establecieron su viabilidad y relevancia ante la imposibilidad de su implementación debido a la COVID-19. Estos destacan la selección del reto artístico para la motivación, la buena secuenciación de actividades y la gran diversidad de recursos generados para la implementación y la evaluación del proyecto.
Adaptive color correction and detail restoration for underwater image enhancement
Authors: Wang Quan , Cai Chengtao , Zhang Weidong , Li Peitong , Xin Boyu
Published: October 2021

Underwater images have different color casts due to different attenuation conditions, such as bluish, greenish, and yellowish. In addition, due to floating particles and special illumination, underwater images have problems such as the lack of detail and unnecessary noise. To handle the above problems, this paper proposes a new, to the best of our knowledge, three-step adaptive enhancement method. For the first step, adaptive color correction, the three channels are adjusted based on the intermediate color channel, which is calculated by considering the positional relationship of the histogram distribution. For the second step, denoise and restore details, we first transform the space to hue, saturation, value (HSV), a detailed restoration method based on the edge-preserving decomposition that restores the lost detail while removing the influence of some noise. For the third step, we improve the global contrast. Still in the HSV space, a simple linear stretch strategy is applied to the saturation channel. Experiments on the standard underwater image enhancement benchmark data set have proved that our method yields more natural colors and more valuable detailed information than several state-of-the-art methods. In addition, our method also improves the visibility of underwater images captured by low-light scenes and different hardware cameras.
Performance analysis of a photonic crystal fiber polarization filter
filled with different materials
Authors: Wu Junjun , Wang Chao , Hu Lichun , Dou Chao
Published: October 2021

A compact square photonic crystal fiber
polarization filter with high performance is proposed. Two larger
holes filled with different metal and fluid are designed to break the
strict structure symmetry and forming high birefringence. Four small
pores are designed to provide a wider channel for the coupling between
defect mode and core mode. Its filtering and coupling characteristics
are analyzed by the full vector finite element method. In addition,
the properties of PCF filled with different materials are compared and
discussed. Different metal materials have different dielectric
constants, different optical damping, interband transitions, molecular
structure, and physicochemical properties, which make their
transmission modes and coupling strength different. The results show
that the performance of a PCF filter filled with gold and liquid is
the best, which is very suitable for an adjustable PCF polarization
filter. The calculation results show that the extinction ratio of the
designed filter can reach 5383 dB for a device length of 3 mm; the
unwanted fiber loss can reach 2073 dB/cm; and the applicable bandwidth
of 2000 nm covers almost the whole communication band. The proposed
polarization filter shows large unwanted loss, high extinction ratio,
wide bandwidth and coordination, which make it a good candidate for
excellent optical fiber filter devices.
Math, color, and new additions to the team: editorial
Authors: Carney P. Scott
Published: October 2021

Editor-in-Chief P. Scott Carney introduces the Journal’s newest Topical
Editors, John Schotland and Minchen Wei.
Depth imaging through the anterior to posterior segment of the whole human eye based on optical coherence tomography in the spectral-domain
Authors: An Lin , Ye Chong , Wu Xiaocui , Lan Gongpu , Huang Yanping , Xu Jingjiang , Wei Xunbin , Qin Jia
Published: October 2021

An optical coherence tomography system is proposed for synchronized zoom imaging of the cornea, retina, and the whole eye. The system was combined with an electrically tunable lens provided with 15 ms zoom response time and a customized optical delay line. A full-range technique was used to extend the depth of the B-scan cross sectional image. The anterior and posterior segments of the human eye were scanned by a coaxial rotating double galvanometer system. The transverse scanning ranges can reach up to 8 mm in whole eye scanning and 14 mm in fast single-frame scanning. The speed of image acquisition is over 4 Hz, and five B-scans were stitched to obtain a whole eye image. The system with electrically tunable lens and optical delay line achieved whole eye depth imaging in vivo.
Single-shot real-time compressed ultrahigh-speed imaging enabled by a snapshot-to-video autoencoder
Authors: Liu Xianglei , Monteiro João , Albuquerque Isabela , Lai Yingming , Jiang Cheng , Zhang Shian , Falk Tiago H. , Liang Jinyang
Published: October 2021

Single-shot 2D optical imaging of transient scenes is indispensable for numerous areas of study. Among existing techniques, compressed optical-streaking ultrahigh-speed photography (COSUP) uses a cost-efficient design to endow ultrahigh frame rates with off-the-shelf CCD and CMOS cameras. Thus far, COSUP’s application scope is limited by the long processing time and unstable image quality in existing analytical-modeling-based video reconstruction. To overcome these problems, we have developed a snapshot-to-video autoencoder (S2V-AE)—which is a deep neural network that maps a compressively recorded 2D image to a movie. The S2V-AE preserves spatiotemporal coherence in reconstructed videos and presents a flexible structure to tolerate changes in input data. Implemented in compressed ultrahigh-speed imaging, the S2V-AE enables the development of single-shot machine-learning assisted real-time (SMART) COSUP, which features a reconstruction time of 60 ms and a large sequence depth of 100 frames. SMART-COSUP is applied to wide-field multiple-particle tracking at 20,000 frames per second. As a universal computational framework, the S2V-AE is readily adaptable to other modalities in high-dimensional compressed sensing. SMART-COSUP is also expected to find wide applications in applied and fundamental sciences.
Low-latency full-field temporal magnification based on spectral compression
Authors: Xie Xiangzhi , Li Jilong , Yin Feifei , Xu Kun , Dai Yitang
Published: October 2021

Temporal magnification is an emerging technology for the observation of single-shot optical signals with irregular and ultrafast dynamics, which exceed the speed, precision, and record length of conventional digitizers. Conventional temporal magnification schemes suffer from transmission delay and large volume of dispersive elements. Because only the signal envelope can be magnified in the dispersion-based schemes, real-time full-field (phase and amplitude) measurement for a complex ultrafast optical signal remains an open challenge. Here, a bandwidth-compressed temporal magnification scheme for low-latency full-field measurements of ultrafast dynamics is proposed. Unlike the dispersion-based schemes, temporal magnification of a complex optical signal is achieved by bandwidth compression. The bandwidth is coherently compressed by the Vernier effect relying on the detuned free spectral range of a periodic optical filter and time lens. Experimentally, a temporal magnification factor of 224 is realized, and full-field measurements for picosecond pulses are demonstrated. The proposal eliminates the dependence on dispersive elements and shows great potential in integration, which may pave a new path toward full-field measurement for nonrepetitive and statistically rare signals.
Metabolic syndrome among individuals living with hypertension in Accra, Ghana
Authors: Christian Aaron Kobina , Sanuade Olutobi Adekunle , Kushitor Sandra Boatemaa , Kushitor Mawuli , Kretchy Irene , Agyemang Charles , de-Graft Aikins Ama
Published: October 2021

Metabolic syndrome (MetS) is a major risk factor to cardiovascular diseases. In this study, we investigate the prevalence and associated risky behaviour of MetS in resource-poor urban communities in Accra, Ghana. We analysed data on 111 persons with hypertension, screened and recruited for a therapeutic lifestyle intervention program in August 2015. MetS was measured using the International Diabetes Federation (IDF) and the World Health Organization definitions. The prevalence of MetS was 58.4% and 16.8% by the IDF and WHO definitions respectively. More women (61.8%) compared to men (31.8%) had MetS (p = 0.011). Approximately 31% of the hypertensive patients were engaged in moderate-intensity physical activity; 9.0% were current smokers, 42.0% consumed excess alcohol over the past month prior to the interview and 41.0% discontinued taking their antihypertensive medications without consulting with a doctor. About 42.0% and 37.0% of respondents always consumed fruits and vegetables respectively at least two times a day. The binary logistic regression showed that compared to women, men had lower odds of consuming two or more servings of vegetable in a day (OR: 0.2; 95% CI; 0.1, 0.8). Increase in age was associated with higher odds of consuming fruits at least twice a day (1.0; 1.0, 1.1) but with lower odds of engaging in moderate intensity physical activity (0.9; 0.8, 1.0). Being married was associated with higher odds of engaging in moderate physical activity (2.8; 1.0, 8.2). Therapeutic methods essential for the management of patients with hypertension and MetS should include non-pharmacological remedies targeting the promotion of medication adherence, Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension (DASH) and physical activities; these are vital to changing unhealthy lifestyle which worsens the underlying pathology.
Working in labor and delivery unit increases the odds of work place violence in Amhara region referral hospitals: Cross-sectional study
Authors: Dagnaw Eyaya Habtie , Bayabil Abrham Walelign , Yimer Tigist seid , Nigussie Tewodros Seyoum
Published: October 2021

Background

Workplace violence is any act of negative behavior that causes, physically and psychologically harm to health professionals face in the workplace. The prevalence of workplace violence becomes a challenging occupational issue with increasing nature worldwide. In spite of the seriousness and the impact of the problem, little is known about its magnitude and determinants in the study area and even in Ethiopia.

Objective

The study aimed to assess the magnitude of workplace violence and its associated factors among health care providers working for the last one year at Obstetrics and gynecology department in Amhara Regional State Referral Hospitals, Ethiopia 2019.

Methods

Institutional based cross-sectional study was conducted from October 1st to 30th, 2019. 503 study participants were incorporated in the study. A pre-tested structured questionnaire was used to collect the data. Data were entered into EPI info version 7.2.3.1 and analyzed using SPSS version 23. Binary Logistic regression model was fitted to identify factors associated with workplace violence considering the association to be significant p- value <0.05.

Result

This study revealed that 44.5%of the health care providers had reported workplace violence (95% CI: 40.2–48.7). Of this majority of the Victims were experienced a verbal type of violence 200 (88.1%), followed by physical 14 (6.2%), sexual 11 (4.8%), and racial two (0.8%). Factors of workplace violence in this research with statically significant, were: working in labor ward (AOR = 7.4,95% CI: 2.9–18.7), Female sex of participant (AOR = 2.4, 95% CI:1.4–4), work experience less than 5 years(AOR 8.5, 95%CI:7.3–33.3) and numbers of staff less than5 in a shift (AOR = 5.3 95% CI:3.8–39.8) and 5–10 staff in a shift (AOR = 3.3, 95% CI:2.7–25).

Conclusion and recommendations

The prevalence of workplace violence among obstetrics and gynecology department health professionals in Amhara regional state referral hospitals was high. Developing an incident resolution protocol and legislations to encourage health professionals to prompt report violent acts and judicial punishment of perpetrators will be useful to combat workplace violence at obstetrics and gynecology department.
Beneficial effects of a plant-fish oil, slow carbohydrate diet on cardio-metabolic health exceed the correcting effects of metformin-pioglitazone in diabetic pigs fed a fast-food diet
Authors: Koopmans Sietse J. , van Beusekom Heleen M. M. , van der Staay F. Josef , Binnendijk Gisabeth , Hulst Marcel , Mroz Zlaw , Ackermans Mariette T. , Benthem Lambertus
Published: October 2021

Background

Lifestyle influences endocrine, metabolic and cardiovascular homeostasis. This study investigated the impact of diet and oral anti-diabetic medication on cardio-metabolic health in human-sized diabetic pigs.

Methods

After a growing pre-phase from ~30 to ~69 kg during which domestic pigs were fed either a low fat, low sucrose diet (group A) or a fast food-type diet elevated in lard (15%) and sucrose (40%) (group B), the pigs were subdivided in 5 groups (n = 7–8 pigs per group). Group 1, normal pigs from group A on a low fat, low sugar (L) pig diet and group 2, normal pigs from group B on a high lard (25%), sucrose-fructose (40%), cholesterol (1%) fast food-type (F) diet. Diabetes (D) was induced in group B pigs by streptozotocin and group 3 received the F diet (DF), group 4 received the F diet with Anti-diabetic medication metformin (2 g.day-1)-pioglitazone (40 mg.day-1) (DFA) and group 5 switched to a Plant-Fish oil (25%), Slowly digestible starch (40%) diet (DPFS). The F and PFS diets were identical for fat, carbohydrate and protein content but only differed in fat and carbohydrate composition. The 5 pig groups were followed up for 7 weeks until reaching ~120 kg.

Results

In normal pigs, the F diet predisposed to several abnormalities related to metabolic syndrome. Diabetes amplified the inflammatory and cardiometabolic abnormalities of the F diet, but both oral FA medication and the PFS diet partially corrected these abnormalities (mean±SEM) as follows: Fasting plasma TNF-ɑ (pg.ml-1) and NEFA (mmol.l-1) concentrations were high (p<0.02) in DF (193±55 and 0.79±0.16), intermediate in DFA (136±40 and 0.57±012) and low in DPFS pigs (107±31 and 0.48±0.19). Meal intolerance (response over fasting) for glucose and triglycerides (area under the curve, mmol.h-1) and for lactate (3-h postprandial, mmol.l-1) was high (p<0.03) in DF (489±131, 8.6±4.8 and 2.2±0.6), intermediate in DFA (276±145, 1.4±1.1 and 1.6±0.4) and low in DPFS (184±62, 0.7±1.8 and 0.1±0.1). Insulin-mediated glucose disposal (mg.kg-1.min-1) showed a numerical trend (p = NS): low in DF (6.9±2.2), intermediate in DFA (8.2±1.3) and high in DPFS pigs (10.4±2.7). Liver weight (g.kg-1 body weight) and liver triglyceride concentration (g.kg-1 liver) were high (p<0.001) in DF (23.8±2.0 and 69±14), intermediate in DFA (21.1±2.0 and 49±15) and low in DPFS pigs (16.4±0.7 and 13±2.0). Aorta fatty streaks were high (p<0.01) in DF (16.4±5.7%), intermediate in DFA (7.4±4.5%) and low in DPFS pigs (0.05±0.02%).

Conclusion

This translational study using pigs with induced type 2 diabetes provides evidence that a change in nutritional life style from fast food to a plant-fish oil, slowly digestible starch diet can be more effective than sole anti-diabetic medication.
Cat owners’ perception on having a pet cat during the COVID-19 pandemic
Authors: Jezierski Tadeusz , Camerlink Irene , Peden Rachel S. E. , Chou Jen-Yun , Sztandarski Patryk , Marchewka Joanna
Published: October 2021

Restrictions during the COVID-19 pandemic may affect the lives of pet animals. We aimed to assess the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the welfare of pet cats across countries, as well as the owners’ experience in relation to their cat(s). An online survey containing 21 questions was distributed internationally. Questions were related to information about the cat and its behaviour and health, changes in the household due to the pandemic, and how the owner related to the cat. The survey was completed by 324 respondents from 25 different countries. The survey showed that keeping pet cats during the COVID-19 pandemic did not create problems for the owners, except some difficulties in acquiring veterinary care. The majority (67.3%) of respondents reported no changes in their cats’ behaviour. When behavioural changes were reported, they were mostly of a positive nature. Owners who took more measures in relation to the cat to prevent the spread of the virus, e.g., reduced contact, were 1.8 times more likely to report changes in the behaviour of their cats but also 3.8 times more likely to report difficulties related to the care of the cat during the pandemic. Two-third of the respondents indicated a reduction of their own psychological tensions due to having a cat during the pandemic. We concluded that the welfare of pet cats, as reported by the owners, was not adversely affected by the pandemic and the human-cat interaction had positive effects on the owners during the lockdown.
Inclusive finance, industrial structure upgrading and farmers’ income: Empirical analysis based on provincial panel data in China
Authors: Liu Guibo , Fang Huimin , Gong Xiaoxian , Wang Feifei
Published: October 2021

This paper empirically studies the relationship among inclusive finance, industrial structure upgrading and farmers’ income, using the panel data of 28 provinces in China from 2006 to 2016.The research finds that inclusive finance can significantly promote the increase of farmers’ income. Moreover, the Upgrading of Industry Structure (UIS) is the intermediary mechanism of inclusive finance to promote the increase of farmers’ income, and this intermediary mechanism is heterogeneous among farmers with different income levels. Finally, the promotion effect of the UIS on farmers’ income is affected by the threshold effect of inclusive finance. Compared with the development level of low inclusive finance, the promotion effect of the UIS on farmers’ income is stronger under the development level of high inclusive finance. According to the results of empirical analysis, we suggest that the development strategy of inclusive finance should aim at the industrial development in rural areas, promote the organic connection between farmers and modern agricultural industry, and drive farmers to increase their income through the transformation and upgrading of rural industries.
Coping with intimate partner violence and the COVID-19 lockdown: The perspectives of service professionals in Spain
Authors: Vives-Cases Carmen , La Parra-Casado Daniel , Briones-Vozmediano Erica , March Sebastià , María García-Navas Ana , Carrasco José Miguel , Otero-García Laura , Sanz-Barbero Belén
Published: October 2021

Socioeconomic crisis and humanitarian disasters can cause increased stress for women who experience inter-partner violence (IPV). This study analyzed the impact of the COVID-19 lockdown on this important issue, their related health and social services and working conditions from the perspectives of professionals in different sectors. Forty-three semi-structured interviews were carried out with 47 professionals (44 women and 3 men) from 40 different entities (September 2020—April 2021). This content analysis suggests that the pandemic and its associated prevention measures have had a negative impact on women exposed to IPV and their children, which affected their social wellbeing. Professionals described burnout, difficult and slow administrative processes, and problems with coordination and access to information. These negative impacts were mitigated, in part, by the work of professionals, but this suggests that a series of key strategies are needed to improve the response capacity of the service sector to IPV in situations of crisis. These improvements are related to the availability of human and material resources; an efficient coordination network between the professionals from different sectors; existence of informal support networks in the community; protocols/procedures and prior training for better implementation; and greater flexibility and accessibility of basic services that benefit women who experience IPV.
A post-intentional phenomenological investigation of inclusivity in a therapeutic theatre production
Authors: Cook Angelle
Published: October 2021

This article presents a dissertation study that investigated the lived experiences of participants engaged in an inclusive therapeutic theatre production through a post-intentional phenomenological lens, informed by critical dis/ability theory. The study included ten participants aged 14–26 with a variety of dis/abilities. The data were gathered through semi-structured interviews and a focus group and analysed using thematic analysis. The qualitative findings included six themes and fifteen subthemes. These findings suggested that the participants experienced belonging and community, personal growth and insight, feelings of empowerment and the desire to make societal change by being a part of the inclusive production.
Gibeleko erradioenbolizazioaren CFD simulazioak: odolaren biskositatearen eragina gibeleko hemodinamikan eta mikroesferen banaketan
Authors: Lertxundi Unai , Aramburu Jorge , Antón Raúl , Bilbao Jose Ignacio , Rodríguez-Fraile Macarena , Sangro Bruno
Published: October 2021

Erradioenbolizazioa (RE) gibeleko minbizia tratatzeko metodoetako bat da. Bertan, mikrokateter bidez gibeleko arterian mikroesfera erradioaktiboak injektatzen dira, tumoreei enbolizazio eta erradiazio bidez erasotzeko. Mikroesferen ibilbidea ordenagailu bidezko fluido dinamikako simulazioekin (CFD) azter daiteke. kalkulu horien iraupen luzea arazo bat da medikuntzaren egunerokotasunean simulazioak erabili ahal izateko. kalkuluak azkartzeko asmoz, odolaren biskositatearen izaera ez-newtondarra izaera newtondarrera sinplifikatu da. Emaitzek erakutsi dute mikroesferen banaketan eta odolaren hemodinamikan biskositate aldakorraren eragina baztergarria dela, odola fluido newtondar gisa aztertzearen sinplifikazioa ontzat emanez.
Relações diplomáticas entre Portugal e a UNESCO. A visita de Amadou-Matar M'Bow a Portugal em agosto de 1977
Authors: Valente dos Santos Raquel
Published: October 2021

Com a democratização da sociedade portuguesa e iniciado o processo de descolonização, procurou-se reforçar a presença de Portugal junto da comunidade internacional.Portugal regressa à UNESCO em 1974, após ter abandonado o estatuto de Estado-Membro no ano de 1972, em sequência da aprovação, por parte da UNESCO, de um conjunto de resoluções condenando a sua política colonial.Através do recurso a documentação de arquivo, nomeadamente, do Arquivo Histórico-Diplomático, e Arquivo Oliveira Salazar, bem como pela consulta de periódicos portugueses, o artigo centra-se na relevância da visita do Diretor-geral da UNESCO, Amadou-Mahtar M'Bow, a Portugal em 1977, procurando-se verificar quais os contactos estabelecidos, e os progressos alcançados em áreas sob domínio da referida organização internacional.
Como se preveniu uma epidemia: a profilaxia da tuberculose na primeira metade do século XX em Portugal
Authors: Vieira Ismael
Published: October 2021

A historiografia da saúde é consensual a considerar a tuberculose como a doença infetocontagiosa mais letal da contemporaneidade. Muito se tem escrito acerca das correntes de pensamento médico sobre a tuberculose a par dos vários tratamentos, incluindo o sanatorial, mas pelo contrário as estratégias preventivas têm tido menor expressão. Com este trabalho pretendemos analisar as medidas profiláticas mais relevantes destinadas ao combate à tuberculose em Portugal, empreendidas por várias instituições e personalidades ligadas ao problema na primeira metade do século XX.
Limites e Limiares: contributos para pensar a sociedade complexa
Authors: Cordeiro António Rochette , Dias-Trindade Sara , Pita António Pedro
Published: October 2021

Esta obra reflete o cruzamento de diferentes perspetivas sobre a sociedade complexa, fruto da interseção de diferentes áreas sobre as assenta o trabalho do Ceis20. Aproveitando a comemoração de 20 anos de existência do Centro, esta obra apresenta novos contributos para áreas que passam pela História, Artes, Saúde, Comunicação e Sociedade, numa visão interdisciplinar do que pode ser a construção de Ciência.
Manual de Comunicação Clínica
Authors: Quartilho Manuel João
Published: October 2021

A obra faz considerações breves sobre a arte de cuidar e sobre os conceitos de compreensão e explicação, no contexto clínico. Faz uma referência crítica às dimensões morais da educação médica e às atuais dinâmicas neoliberais da Universidade. Faz uma revisão sobre as aptidões básicas de comunicação clínica. Valoriza a partilha de informações e a discussão de temas sensíveis. Desenvolve o tema da tomada de decisões partilhada. Avalia os modos de dar más notícias, com considerações sobre o protocolo SPIKES. Detalha a importância da comunicação com a família do doente. Aborda a comunicação com crianças e jovens. Realça a diversidade da comunicação no contexto clínico. Aborda a comunicação com pessoas de diferentes estatutos culturais. Aborda questões associadas ao erro médico e expõe modelos adequados à reparação do erro. Faz considerações sobre conteúdo e processo da entrevista clínica, segundo o modelo de Calgary-Cambridge. Debate o tema crítico da comunicação clínica digital. Procede ainda uma abordagem crítica às humanidades médicas, com análise das suas potencialidades no ensino e formação dos futuros médicos. Desenvolve, finalmente, aspetos relacionados com o conceito de funcionamento, no domínio teórico da medicina narrativa.
Comparison of fine-needle cytologic diagnosis between the left and right liver lobes of dogs and cats with diffuse liver disease
Authors: Chaivoravitsakul Nardtiwa , Chankow Katriya , Horoongruang Kongthit , Limpongsai Luksamee , Tantarawanich Artima , Pluemhathaikij Latticha , Rattanapinyopituk Kasem , Angkanaporn Kris
Published: October 2021

Background and Aim: Ultrasound-guided fine-needle sample collection for cytology with manual restraint is frequently used for the primary assessment of diffuse liver disease in veterinary patients in Thailand. For better diagnosis, repeated collection of samples ensures the collection of adequate, representative samples, which increase diagnostic accuracy. However, in those that are unable to receive general anesthesia, it is difficult to collect the samples from several liver locations in manually restrained dogs and cats. The study aimed to compare the cytologic diagnosis of the ultrasound-guided fine-needle non-aspiration technique between the left and right liver lobes in dogs and cats with neoplastic and non-neoplastic diffuse liver disease.

Materials and Methods: This prospective study included 25 client-owned dogs and cats with diffuse liver diseases. Two liver samples were randomly collected from the left and right liver lobes under ultrasound guidance for cytologic examination. All slides were subsequently examined blindly by experienced pathologists for cytologic analysis with cytologic agreement scores (CASs).

Results: Among all 50 samples obtained from ultrasound-guided fine-needle sample collection of the left and right liver, 78% were diagnostic and 22% were non-diagnostic. In the diagnostic group, 73.3% of fine-needle samples had concordant results between the left and right liver, which exhibited 100% cytologic agreement in lymphoma and 63.6% in non-neoplastic groups. Samples collected from the left liver had slightly higher CAS and higher cytologic quality than had those from the right liver lobe (p=0.053).

Conclusion: The location and number of sample collections did not have a significant difference in the cytologic diagnosis of diffuse liver disease, especially in patients with lymphoma. For manually restrained patients, one time ultrasound-guided non-aspiration cytology procedure from the left liver lobe not only decreased restraint duration and minimized tissue trauma but also allowed for an adequate cytologic diagnosis in diffuse liver disease compared to multiple collections.
Fabrication, Structural, Optical, Electrical Properties and
Influence of Complexing Agents on Ternary CuZnS2 Thin Film
Authors: Anuja E. , Thiruneelakandan R.
Published: October 2021

In the present work, copper zinc sulphide (CuZnS2) thin films with and without complexing agents
using glass plate as substrate were prepared. Chemical bath deposition method was employed to
deposit the thin films. Powder X-ray diffraction (PXRD) patterns of the prepared films indicate the
crystalline nature of CuZnS2 with cubic phases. The SEM and AFM images illustrate that the deposited
films were highly influenced on the polyhedral morphology by the complexing agents. The influence
of complexing agents on absorbance and band gap of the CuZnS2 thin films were characterized using
UV-Vis absorption studies. Hall effect measurements indicate the CuZnS2 thin film without surfactant
belongs to p-type semiconductor and become n-type after adding the complexing agents EDTA and
Leishman stain. From the I-V curve, all the samples having slow conducting nature was found for
changing the voltage with the current from -32 nA to +30 nA using solar stimulator.
Antigout Potential of Selected Malaysian Traditional Vegetables/Ulam
Authors: Che Omar Nurul Syuhada , Abu Bakar Fazleen Izzany , Abu Bakar Mohd Fadzelly , Yee Lim Sin , Mutalib Maisarah Abdul
Published: October 2021

The discovery of pharmacologically active plant-derived natural products as an alternative approach
is highly needed for the purpose of disease treatment, specifically in gout remedy. This study was
conducted to investigate the antigout potential of five selected Malaysian traditional vegetables/ulam,
namely Gynura bicolor, Barringtonia racemosa, Centella asiatica, Manihot esculenta and Lasia
spinosa. n-Hexane, ethyl acetate and methanol extracts of the selected traditional vegetables/ulam
were analyzed for their xanthine oxidase inhibitory activity and phytochemical contents. The highest
total phenolic and total flavonoid contents were observed in methanol extracts of L. spinosa and M.
esculenta with the values of 1.68 ± 0.05 mg GAE/g and 1.26 ± 0.05 mg RE/g, respectively whereas
methanol extract of G. bicolor showed the highest total anthocyanin content. G. bicolor extracted in
three sequential solvents were found to possess the strongest xanthine oxidase inhibition with the
lowest IC50 values. Therefore, the presence of phytochemical compounds in G. bicolor extracts might
contribute to its antigout activity, suggesting this plant as antigout agent.
Synthesis and Characterization of Nickel Cobalt Vanadate (NiCo2V2O8)
Nanostructures: Photocatalytic and Supercapacitor Applications
Authors: Naik R. Lakshmana , Narsaiah T. Bala , Ravikumar C.R. , Kumar A. Naveen , Vinutha K. , Jahagirdar A.A. , Ananda Murthy H.C.
Published: October 2021

With the emerging newer energy storage applications, transition metal vanadates are booming up as
better catalysts. Among all the transition metal vanadates, nickel cobalt vanadate nanomaterials
(NiCo2V2O8 NP), are being considered as a promising material with electrocatalytic and photocatalytic
activity. In this article, the synthesis of circular and ovular structured NiCo2V2O8 nanostructures by the
hydrothermal route without using any capping agent is reported. The crystallinity, physical structure
and morphology of the prepared nanomaterial were studied by X-ray diffraction (XRD), transmission
electron microscopy (TEM) and Fourier transform infrared (FT-IR) spectroscopy. The photocatalytic
property of NiCo2V2O8 nanostructures was studied by decolorizing industrially hazardous dye such as
malachite green dye under ultra-violet light conditions for a regular interval of time (10 min) up to 60
min. The experiments showed decolorization efficiencies as 52.43 for malachite green dye. The
electrochemical behaviour of the prepared compound was studied and energy specific capacity was
elucidated as 218.4 F g-1 with high reversibility property the material. The NiCo2V2O8 nanostructures
showed better electrochemical activity and photocatalytic activity, which could be utilized for
supercapacitor and pollutant remediation applications.