bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Análisis de técnicas mnemónicas de la entrevista cognitiva
Authors: Elizalde Monjardin Marisol , Holliday Robyn , Flowe Heather
Published: October 2019

El objetivo principal de este estudio es examinar la efectividad de técnicas mnemónicas de la entrevista cognitiva como la reconstrucción del contexto, el reporte total, el cambio del orden y el cambio de perspectiva sobre determinado evento. Para éste trabajo se utilizó una muestra de 60 estudiantes universitarios de la licenciatura en Psicología de la UAS con un promedio de edad de 19.37 años. Se llevó a cabo una serie de 4 ANCOVAS, de acuerdo al tipo de entrevista, que incluían el número de detalles correctos, incorrectos y confabulados reportados como variables dependientes y duración de la entrevista como covariable. La combinación de técnicas mnemónicas de reporte total con cambio de orden conduce a un mayor número de detalles correctos reportados en la fase de recuerdo libre que otras combinaciones de técnicas mnemónicas.
Estudio de las interacciones escolares de estudiantes de profesiones del área de la salud
Authors: Soria Trujano Marisela Rocío , Ávila Ramos Edy
Published: October 2019

El objetivo de este estudio fue evaluar las relaciones entre estudiantes de profesiones del área de la salud, y entre los mismos y sus profesores, así­ como la percepción de los jóvenes acerca de las condiciones académicas (capacidades de enseñanza del profesorado y formación que reciben los alumnos) analizando las posibles diferencias entre género y profesión. Se evaluaron 113 estudiantes universitarios, de ambos sexos, de la Facultad de Estudios Superiores Iztacala de la UNAM, divididos en dos muestras, la primera conformada por 62 alumnos de la carrera de odontología con una media de edad de 21 años, y la segunda constituida por 51 estudiantes de la carrera de biología con una media de edad de 22 años. Se aplicó la prueba t de Student para muestras independientes con el fin de establecer diferencias entre géneros y profesiones con respecto a las interacciones de interés. La mayoría de los participantes de ambos géneros y profesiones reportó tener problemas en el ámbito escolar: sobrecarga de trabajo, poca interacción o conflictos con compañeros o profesores y poco apoyo de otros alumnos.
Motivos de consulta psicológica en grupos etarios
Authors: Rodríguez Navarro Grecia Eugenia , Rosales Acevedo Enrique , García Sánchez María Dolores , Luis Delgado Oliva Eréndira
Published: October 2019

El siguiente trabajo de investigación tiene como objetivo identificar los motivos de consulta psicológica más frecuentes por los grupos etarios, las diferencias genéricas en cuanto a los motivos de consulta y hacer un perfil sociodemográfico de la población. Para lo que se llevó a cabo una investigación cuantitativa de tipo descriptiva y no experimental en la Unidad de Especialidades Médicas Psiquiátricas-Centro Integral de Salud Mental (Uneme-cisame), Con una población conformada por 885 participantes de entre 3 y 91 años de edad, de los cuales se extrajeron las variables sociodemográficas y se llevó a cabo un análisis estadístico-descriptivo.
Indicación de ser observado y consumo alimentario de adolescentes
Authors: Ortega Orozco Yulemi , Ávalos Gómez Carolina , Vacio Muro Ma. de los Ángeles , Valdez Ruiz José Felix , Méndez Sanchez Cecilia
Published: October 2019

Diversas investigaciones han demostrado que las personas disminuyen su ingesta alimentaria en presencia de otro, pues al sentirse evaluados, buscan causar una buena impresión. Dada la susceptibilidad de los adolescentes a la influencia social, resulta importante evaluar el efecto de las normas sociales sobre su consumo alimentario, específicamente cuando éstos se saben observados. Se realizó un estudio con diseño experimental ABA´, se evaluó el consumo inicial y final de los participantes en las fases A y A´ y en la fase B se les dio la indicación de que serían observados mientras se alimentaban. Participaron seis adolescentes con peso normal y se dividieron al azar en dos grupos (control y experimental). Se realizaron análisis individuales y entre grupos. El grupo experimental disminuyó su ingesta en la fase B en comparación con el grupo control. Estos hallazgos sugieren que el manejo de impresiones está presente en ausencia de un evaluador.
Mapa Digital de México para el análisis de riesgo suicida
Authors: Domínguez Mercado Diana Lucia , Hermosillo de la Torre Alicia Edith , Méndez Sánchez Cecilia , Sahagún Padilla Miguel , Palacios Salas Pedro
Published: October 2019

De acuerdo con la Organización Mundial de la Salud, la observación y el registro sistemático del comportamiento suicida constituye una de las primeras acciones a considerar en la conformación de planes estratégicos para la prevención del suicidio. El desarrollo de los Sistemas de Información Geográfica (SIG) facilita esta labor al permitir integrar elementos psicológicos, sociales y culturales en un contexto geográfico.  El presente trabajo muestra la utilidad de Mapa Digital para la georreferenciación de variables psicosociales asociadas al riesgo de suicidio evaluadas en adolescentes y jóvenes del estado de Aguascalientes. La herramienta permite realizar análisis multinivel reuniendo diferentes tipos de información en un punto geográfico. Se reconoce que el utilizar estos sistemas permiten profundizar en el análisis de la problemática y con ello incidir adecuadamente en las políticas de intervención comunitaria.
El desarrollo moral y la toma de decisiones éticas del psicólogo
Authors: García Avitia César Augusto , Preciado Serrano María de Lourdes , González Mario Ángel , Bernal Alejandro César Antonio Luna
Published: October 2019

En una disciplina con las características de la psicología, la ética profesional es fundamental. Las universidades, asociaciones, colegios y otros tipos de organizaciones de psicólogos alrededor del mundo consideran de gran relevancia a la ética para la formación y el ejercicio de la profesión. Para clarificar los procesos involucrados en el comportamiento ético profesional, en las últimas décadas surgen diversos modelos de toma de decisiones éticas, principalmente en disciplinas como medicina, enfermería y el derecho, entre otras.

La posibilidad de poner en práctica un proceso de toma de decisiones éticas requiere que las personas presenten ciertas habilidades que han sido investigadas por diversos autores, dando lugar al constructo de “razonamiento moral”. En este artículo se reporta el análisis de las características de desarrollo del razonamiento moral que un psicólogo requiere para cumplir con las exigencias de la ética profesional desde la perspectiva de las principales teorías que lo han abordado.
Percepción de prácticas parentales en adolescentes tempranos y tardíos: una perspectiva del desarrollo
Authors: Barcelata Eguiarte Blanca Estela , Gutiérrez Arenas Vianey
Published: October 2019

La familia es fundamental en el desarrollo del ser humano. Las prácticas decrianza durante la adolescencia de los hijos deben cumplir con dos funcionesmedulares;: brindarles seguridad y permitir el desarrollo de la autonomía. Estainvestigación tuvo como objetivo responder a la pregunta: ¿Existen diferenciasen la percepción de las prácticas parentales entre adolescentes tempranos ylos tardíos y de acuerdo con el sexo? Participaron 357 adolescentes escolaresde 13 a 18 años de la Ciudad de México (investigación financiada por PAPIITIN305917), a quienes se les aplicó el EMBU-A para adolescentes mexicanos.Para el análisis de los datos se utilizó el programa SPSS 21. Los adolescentestempranos perciben mayor calidez de ambos padres mientras que losadolescentes tardíos perciben mayor control parental y menor favoritismo. Noobstante, en general los adolescentes perciben menor calidez y mayor rechazodel padre, y mayor favoritismo de ambos padres.
Análisis cuantitativo del consumo tecnológico en infantes y preescolares hispanohablantes
Authors: Suárez Brito Paloma , Alva Canto Elda Alicia
Published: October 2019

Los dispositivos tecnológicos que utilizan hoy en día los adultos, se han infiltrado en la vida cotidiana de infantes y preescolares. Sin embargo, estudios recientes han mostrado que el uso excesivo de medios electrónicos (>2 horas al día) en preescolares, genera patrones de sueño alterados, y conductas agresivas, hostiles e hiperactivas. El propósito del presente estudio fue realizar una evaluación de los hábitos tecnológicos de infantes y preescolares mexicanos entre 1 y 6 años de edad.  A través del análisis de 10 variables, obtenidas de la aplicación de un cuestionario via telefónica a los cuidadores de 300 niños(as); se describe el tipo y frecuencia de uso de diferentes dispositivos tecnológicos. El presente estudio se ofrece como una herramienta para la toma de decisiones informada sobre la pertinencia del uso de dispositivos móviles en edades tempranas.
Üniversiteli Sporcuların Psikolojik Dayanıklılık Düzeylerinin İncelenmesi
Authors: KARADEMİR Tamer , AÇAK Mahmut
Published: October 2019

Bu
çalışma üniversitede eğitim öğrenim gören sporcu öğrencilerin ele alınan bazı
değişkenlere göre psikolojik dayanıklılık düzeylerinin nasıl şekillendiğini
belirlemek amacıyla yapılmıştır. Çalışma Kahramanmaraş Sütçü İmam
Üniversitesinde 220 öğrenci üzerinde yürütülmüştür. Verilerin toplanmasında kişisel
bilgi formu ve Yetişkinler için Psikolojik Dayanıklılık Ölçeği’nin kısa formu
kullanılmıştır. Araştırma grubunun cinsiyet değişkenine göre psikolojik
dayanıklılık düzeylerinde erkekler lehine fark olduğu tespit edilmiştir. Yaş değişkenine
göre istatistiksel olarak anlamlı fark olduğu belirlenmiştir. Bu çalışma
sonucunda; psikolojik dayanıklılık düzeylerinin cinsiyete göre farklılık gösterdiği
ve erkeklerin psikolojik dayanıklılık düzeylerinin daha yüksek olduğu
görülmüştür. Yaş değişkeninin psikolojik dayanıklılık düzeyini belirlemede
etkili olduğu ve 18-21 yaş grubundakilerin aldığı puan ortalamalarının daha
düşük olduğu görülmüştür. Ayrıca gelir durumu yüksek olan öğrencilerin
psikolojik dayanıklılık düzeylerinin de yüksek olduğu bulunmuştur.
Measuring students’ writing skills using Facebook group application in EFL context
Authors: Sakkir Geminastiti , Dollah Syarifuddin
Published: October 2019

This research aims to measure the effectiveness of students’ writing skill through the application of Facebook group in English learning. It employed a quantitative method using the pre-experimental design. The subject of the research was the second-semester students of one of the private universities in South Sulawesi, Indonesia in the academic year of 2017/2018. They were selected purposively due to the writing problems occurred in the class. The total number of the sample was 20 students, which were taken by census sampling technique. The instrument was a writing test to obtain data on the students’ writing achievement through the Facebook group. The data analysis found that the students’ mean score in English writing was significantly improved. The students’ mean score in the pretest was 65.30 while their mean score in the posttest was 78.05. The t-table was also lower than the t-test, that is 2.093<6.04. Based on the result the researchers concluded that the application of Facebook group in English learning improved students’ ability in writing.
Management of Geographic Tongue, Fissure Tongue, and Oral Candidiasis on Dorsum of an Elderly Smoking Patient’s Tongue
Authors: Hernawati Sri
Published: October 2019

Background: A geographic tongue is an inflammatory lesion of the tongue accompanied with atrophy formation of papilla or depapilation of the filiform papillae. The geographic tongue usually appears together with the appearance of the fissure tongue, a midline, multiple, fissure on the surface of the tongue that expands from front to back and has various patterns. Predisposing factors of geographic tongue and fissure tongue are nutritional deficiencies and stress. Oral candidiasis is one of the fungal infections that affect the oral mucosa caused by the fungus Candida albicans. Predisposing factors of oral candidiasis e.g. stress, and smoking habits. Case: 64-year-old male patient with a clinical appearance on the dorsum of the tongue in a bracelet-like form with depapilation, vertical fissure 3 mm deep and thick white plaque which could be scraped and felt painful. Diagnosis: geographic tongue, fissure tongue and oral candidiasis. Therapy: aloe vera in oral solution as antiinflammatory and analgesic, Nystatin oral suspension functions as a topical antifungal medicine, multivitamin Becomzet (Vitamin B complex, A, C, E, and Zinc) as a multivitamin. Conclusion: after therapy using aloe vera solution, nystantin becomzet controls both patients had undergone a healing process in both the case of geographic tongue, fissure tongue and oral candidiasis.

Keywords: Geographic tongue, Candidasis
The Incidence of Anemia and the Student Achievement Index at Midwifery Department, Health Polytechnic of Banda Acehment Index Midwifery Program Banda Aceh
Authors: Ramli Nurlaili , Lajuna Lia
Published: October 2019

Anemia is a nutritional problem that is relatively difficult to overcome. The purpose of this study was to analyze the relationship between the events of Anemia and students achievement index in the Banda Aceh Midwifery program. The research design was a cross-sectional study, involving 163 participants, selected using simple random sampling. To get the data needed, this quantitative study used questionnaires, in-depth interviews and a hemoglobin device Quick-Check Set (Easy Touch) Testing System. Data were analyzed using Chi-square test.
The results showed that there was a relationship between the incidence of anemia and the achievement index (p-value = 0.006). The incidence of anemia directly affects the students learning achievement indicating with the decreased immune system so it is susceptible to disease, decreases physical ability, learning activities thereby reducing their learning performance.

Keywords: Anemia, Student achievement index, Midwifery students
RETRACTED: Inhibition of HDAC4 Attenuated JNK/c-Jun-Dependent Neuronal Apoptosis and Early Brain Injury Following Subarachnoid Hemorrhage by Transcriptionally Suppressing MKK7
Authors: Wu Liqiang , Zeng Shulian , Cao Yali , Huang Ziyan , Liu Sisi , Peng Huaidong , Zhi Cheng , Ma Shanshan , Hu Kunhua , Yuan Zhongmin
Published: October 2019

The c-Jun N-terminal kinase (JNK)/c-Jun cascade-dependent neuronal apoptosis has been identified as a central element for early brain injury (EBI) following subarachnoid hemorrhage (SAH), but the molecular mechanisms underlying this process are still thoroughly undefined to date. In this study, we found that pan-histone deacetylase (HDAC) inhibition by TSA, SAHA, VPA, and M344 led to a remarkable decrease in the phosphorylation of JNK and c-Jun, concomitant with a significant abrogation of apoptosis caused by potassium deprivation in cultured cerebellar granule neurons (CGNs). Further investigation showed that these effects resulted from HDAC inhibition-induced transcriptional suppression of MKK7, a well-known upstream kinase of JNK. Using small interference RNAs (siRNAs) to silence the respective HDAC members, HDAC4 was screened to be required for MKK7 transcription and JNK/c-Jun activation. LMK235, a specific HDAC4 inhibitor, dose-dependently suppressed MKK7 transcription and JNK/c-Jun activity. Functionally, HDAC4 inhibition via knockdown or LMK235 significantly rescued CGN apoptosis induced by potassium deprivation. Moreover, administration of LMK235 remarkably ameliorated the EBI process in SAH rats, associated with an obvious reduction in MKK7 transcription, JNK/c-Jun activity, and neuronal apoptosis. Collectively, the findings provide new insights into the molecular mechanism of neuronal apoptosis regarding HDAC4 in the selective regulation of MKK7 transcription and JNK/c-Jun activity. HDAC4 inhibition could be a potential alternative to prevent MKK7/JNK/c-Jun axis-mediated nervous disorders, including SAH-caused EBI.
Evaluation of a Combustion-Based Mesoscale Thermal Actuator in Open and Closed Operating Cycles
Authors: Burugupally Sindhu Preetham
Published: October 2019

A combustion-based mesoscale thermal actuator is proposed and its performance is studied in both open and closed cycle operations using a physics-based lumped-parameter model. The actuator design is unique as it implements a free-piston complaint architecture where the piston is free to move in a linear direction. Our objective is to study the actuator behavior in both the cycles to help identify the benefits and highlight the differences between the two cycles. The actuator is modeled as a spring-mass-damper system by taking an air standard cycle approach. Three observations are reported: (1) for nominal heat inputs (140 J/cycle), the actuator can produce large displacement strokes (16 cm) that is suitable for driving mesoscale robots; (2) the efficiency of the actuator depends on the heat input; and (3) for a specific heat input, both the open and closed cycles operate differently—with different stroke lengths, peak pressures, and thermal efficiencies. Our study reveals that the performance metrics of the actuator make it an ideal candidate for high speed, large force, and large displacement stroke related applications.
Exogenous DCPTA Increases the Tolerance of Maize Seedlings to PEG-Simulated Drought by Regulating Nitrogen Metabolism-Related Enzymes
Authors: Xie Tenglong , Gu Wanrong , Li Congfeng , Li Jing , Wei Shi
Published: October 2019

2-(3,4-Dichlorophenoxy) triethylamine (DCPTA) regulates plant development; however, the molecular basis of this regulation is poorly understood. In this study, RNA sequencing (RNA-seq) analysis and physiological indexes of maize seedlings (three-leaf stage) treated with 15% polyethylene glycol (PEG) with/without DCPTA were investigated to explore the possible mechanism of exogenous DCPTA-improved drought tolerance. In the library pair comparisons of DCPTA vs. the control, PEG vs. the control, and PEG + DCPTA vs. PEG, totals of 19, 38 and 20 differentially expressed genes (DEGs) were classified as being involved in metabolic processes, respectively; totals of 5, 11, and 6 DEGs were enriched in the nitrogen (N) metabolic pathway, respectively. The genes encoding nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide-nitrate reductase (NADH-NR), ferredoxin-nitrite reductase (Fd-NiR), reduced ferredoxin- glutamate synthase (Fd-GOGAT), and chloroplastic glutamine synthetase (GS 2) were common in response to PEG-simulated drought stress with/without DCPTA treatment. Moreover, DCPTA maintained stable gene relative expression levels and protein abundances of NADH-NR, Fd-NiR, GS2, and Fd-GOGAT. Moreover, exogenous DCPTA partially mitigated PEG-simulated drought-induced reductions in the enzymatic activities of NR, nitrite reductase (NiR), glutamine synthase (GS), glutamine oxoglutarate aminotransferase (GOGAT), and transaminase, as well as in the contents of nitrate (NO3−), nitrite (NO2−) and soluble proteins and increases in the contents of ammonium (NH4+) and free amino acids. Together, our results indicate that exogenous DCPTA improved plant growth and drought tolerance by regulating N-mechanism enzymatic activities involved in transcription and enzymatic protein synthesis.
Trends in Antimicrobial Resistance Patterns in Neisseria Gonorrhoeae in Australia and New Zealand: A Meta-analysis and Systematic Review
Authors: Fletcher-Lartey Stephanie , Dronavalli Mithilesh , Alexander Kate , Ghosh Sayontonee , Boonwaat Leng , Thomas Jane , Robinson Amanda , Patel Zeel , Forssman Bradley , Pal Naru
Published: October 2019

(1) Background: The widespread development of resistance among Neisseria gonorrhoeae (NG) clinical isolates has been reported by surveillance systems around the world. This meta-analysis estimated the changes in susceptibility patterns among antibiotics under surveillance in Australia and New Zealand. (2) Methods: Articles published in English from 1980–2018, from Australia or New Zealand, that met the selection criteria were included. The meta-analysis was carried out using the R statistical software. (3) Results: In Australia, there has been decreasing susceptibility of gonococcal isolates to selected antimicrobials over time. Azithromycin (Odds Ratio (OR): 0.73; 95% Confidence Interval (CI) 0.64–0.82) and ceftriaxone (OR: 0.69; 95% CI 0.59–0.80) showed decreasing levels of susceptibility each year. Western Australia (OR: 0.76; 95% CI 0.60–0.96) and Victoria (OR: 0.74; 95% CI 0.60–0.90) also had decreasing levels of susceptibility to ceftriaxone over time compared with other states and territories. (4) Conclusions: The results highlight the need for the development of new approaches for managing cases of gonorrhoea. Improved antimicrobial stewardship, enhanced surveillance and contact tracing are needed to identify and respond to changes in antibiotic resistance in a timely manner. Increasing awareness and public health follow-up of cases can help to interrupt the cycle of infection and limit transmission.
The Fate of Bacteriophages in Recirculating Aquaculture Systems (RAS)—Towards Developing Phage Therapy for RAS
Authors: Almeida Gabriel M.F. , Mäkelä Kati , Laanto Elina , Pulkkinen Jani , Vielma Jouni , Sundberg Lotta-Riina
Published: October 2019

Aquaculture production has increased tremendously during the last decades, and new techniques have been developed, e.g., recirculating aquaculture systems (RAS). In RAS, the majority of water volume is circulated via mechanical and biological filters and reused in the tanks. However, the prevention and treatment of diseases in these systems are challenging, as the pathogens spread throughout the system, and the addition of chemicals and antibiotics disrupts the microbiome of the biofilters. The increasing antibiotic resistance has made phage therapy a relevant alternative for antibiotics in food production. Indeed, as host-specific and self-replicating agent they might be optimal for targeted pathogen eradication in RAS. We tested the survival and spread of Flavobacterium columnare -infecting phage FCL-2 in recirculating aquaculture fish farm with rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss) in a fully controlled study. After a single addition, phage persisted in water samples collected from tank, fixed bed, moving bed, and aeration unit up to 14 days, and in the water of rearing tanks, rainbow trout mucus, and bioreactor carrier media from the fixed and moving bed biofilters for 21 days. Furthermore, phage adsorbed preferentially to moving bed carrier media, which contained biofilm attached and from which higher phage numbers were recovered. This study shows phages as a potent strategy for maintaining biosecurity in RAS systems.
Antibacterial Activities, Phytochemical Screening and Metal Analysis of Medicinal Plants: Traditional Recipes Used against Diarrhea
Authors: Mahmood Nasir , Nazir Ruqia , Khan Muslim , Khaliq Abdul , Adnan Mohammad , Ullah Mohib , Yang Hongyi
Published: October 2019

The aim of this study was to explore the phytochemical composition, heavy metals analysis and the antibacterial activity of six medicinal plants i.e., Terminalia chebula Retz (fruits), Aegle marmelos L., (fruits), Curcuma longa L., (rhizomes), Syzygium aromaticum L., (flower buds), Piper nigrum L., (seeds), Cinnamomum cassia L., (barks) and its two remedial recipes (recipe 1 and 2) used against diarrhea obtained from the local herbal practitioners (Hakeems). A preliminary phytochemical screening of the above-mentioned plants extract in methanol, chloroform, n-hexane and distilled water revealed the presence of various constituents such as alkaloids, flavonoids, tannins and saponins by using standard procedures. The quantitative phytochemical studies shows that alkaloids, flavonoid and saponins were in maximum amount in Terminalia chebula. The concentration of Cd, Ni, Pb, Fe, Cr, Cu and Zn were investigated by using an atomic absorption spectrometer. The obtained analysis shows that Cr, Fe and Pb were present in the highest concentration in medicinal plants and their recipes. The antibacterial activities of the crude extract found in the recipes of methanol, chloroform, n-hexane and distilled water were analyzed by using agar well disc diffusion assay and minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) by broth dilution method against four bacterial strains, namely, E. coli, Salmonella, Shigella and Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA), respectively. The maximum zones of inhibition in methanol, water, chloroform and n-hexane extracts were seen in recipe 2 against Shigella (22.16 ± 0.47 mm), recipe 2 against Shigella (20.33 ± 0.24 mm), recipe 1 against Shigella (20.30 ± 0.29 mm) and recipe 2 against E. coli (30.23 ± 0.12 mm), respectively. Furthermore, the recipe extracts are more active against the tested bacterial strains than the extracts from individual plants. Therefore, it is concluded that the use of herbal plants and their recipes are the major source of drugs in a traditional medicinal system to cure different diseases.
Veterinary Drug Shops as Main Sources of Supply and Advice on Antimicrobials for Animal Use in the Mekong Delta of Vietnam
Authors: Phu Doan Hoang , Giao Vu Thi Quynh , Truong Dinh Bao , Cuong Nguyen Van , Kiet Bach Tuan , Hien Vo Be , Thwaites Guy , Rushton Jonathan , Carrique-Mas Juan
Published: October 2019

In the Mekong Delta of Vietnam, small-scale poultry farmers use large amounts of antimicrobials to raise their flocks, and veterinary drug shops owners and their staff are a key source of advice to farmers on antimicrobial use (AMU). We described the network of veterinary drug shops (n = 93) in two districts within Dong Thap province (Mekong Delta). We also interviewed a randomly selected sample of chicken farmers (n = 96) and described their linkages with veterinary drug shops. Antimicrobials represented 15.0% [inter quartile range (IQR) 6.0–25.0] of the shops’ income. Fifty-seven percent shop owners had been/were affiliated to the veterinary authority, 57% provided diagnostic services. The median number of drug shops supplying antimicrobials to each farm during one production cycle was 2 [IQR 1–2]. Visited shops were located within a median distance of 3.96 km [IQR 1.98–5.85] to farms. Drug shops owned by persons affiliated to the veterinary authority that did not provide diagnostic services had a higher fraction of their income consisting of antimicrobial sales (β = 1.913; p < 0.001). These results suggest that interventions targeting veterinary drug shop owners and their staff aiming at improving their knowledge base on livestock/poultry diseases and their diagnosis may contribute to reducing overall levels of AMU in the area.
Peroxiredoxin 6 Down-Regulation Induces Metabolic Remodeling and Cell Cycle Arrest in HepG2 Cells
Authors: Grueso María José , Valero Rosa María , Carmona Hidalgo B. , Ruiz Dniel José , Peinado José , McDonagh Brian , Aguilar Raquel , Ruiz José Antonio , Peña Carmen Alicia
Published: October 2019

Peroxiredoxin 6 (Prdx6) is the only member of 1-Cys subfamily of peroxiredoxins in human cells. It is the only Prdx acting on phospholipid hydroperoxides possessing two additional sites with phospholipase A2 (PLA2) and lysophosphatidylcholine-acyl transferase (LPCAT) activities. There are contrasting reports on the roles and mechanisms of multifunctional Prdx6 in several pathologies and on its sensitivity to, and influence on, the redox environment. We have down-regulated Prdx6 with specific siRNA in hepatoblastoma HepG2 cells to study its role in cell proliferation, redox homeostasis, and metabolic programming. Cell proliferation and cell number decreased while cell volume increased; import of glucose and nucleotide biosynthesis also diminished while polyamines, phospholipids, and most glycolipids increased. A proteomic quantitative analysis suggested changes in membrane arrangement and vesicle trafficking as well as redox changes in enzymes of carbon and glutathione metabolism, pentose-phosphate pathway, citrate cycle, fatty acid metabolism, biosynthesis of aminoacids, and Glycolysis/Gluconeogenesis. Specific redox changes in Hexokinase-2 (HK2), Prdx6, intracellular chloride ion channel-1 (CLIC1), PEP-carboxykinase-2 (PCK2), and 3-phosphoglycerate dehydrogenase (PHGDH) are compatible with the metabolic remodeling toward a predominant gluconeogenic flow from aminoacids with diversion at 3-phospohglycerate toward serine and other biosynthetic pathways thereon and with cell cycle arrest at G1/S transition.
Protein Carbonylation in Patients with Myelodysplastic Syndrome: An Opportunity for Deferasirox Therapy
Authors: Rodríguez-García Alba , Morales María Luz , Garrido-García Vanesa , García-Baquero Irene , Leivas Alejandra , Carreño-Tarragona Gonzalo , Sánchez Ricardo , Arenas Alicia , Cedena Teresa , Ayala Rosa María , Bautista José M. , Martínez-López Joaquín , Linares María
Published: October 2019

Control of oxidative stress in the bone marrow (BM) is key for maintaining the interplay between self-renewal, proliferation, and differentiation of hematopoietic cells. Breakdown of this regulation can lead to diseases characterized by BM failure such as the myelodysplastic syndromes (MDS). To better understand the role of oxidative stress in MDS development, we compared protein carbonylation as an indicator of oxidative stress in the BM of patients with MDS and control subjects, and also patients with MDS under treatment with the iron chelator deferasirox (DFX). As expected, differences in the pattern of protein carbonylation were observed in BM samples between MDS patients and controls, with an increase in protein carbonylation in the former. Strikingly, patients under DFX treatment had lower levels of protein carbonylation in BM with respect to untreated patients. Proteomic analysis identified four proteins with high carbonylation levels in MDS BM cells. Finally, as oxidative stress-related signaling pathways can modulate the cell cycle through p53, we analyzed the expression of the p53 target gene p21 in BM cells, finding that it was significantly upregulated in patients with MDS and was significantly downregulated after DFX treatment. Overall, our results suggest that the fine-tuning of oxidative stress levels in the BM of patients with MDS might control malignant progression.
Vitamin D and Gestational Diabetes Mellitus: Is There a Link?
Authors: Rizzo Gianluca , Garzon Simone , Fichera Michele , Panella Marco Marzio , Catena Ursula , Schiattarella Antonio , de Franciscis Pasquale , Vilos George , Tesarik Jan , Török Péter , Grosso Giuseppe
Published: October 2019

Gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) is a very common condition among pregnant women worldwide with important metabolic implications on the mother and the offspring. Vitamin D status has been suggested to potentially play a role in GDM risk with no documented consequences for the offspring. The purpose of this article was to review currently available evidence on the relationship between vitamin D and GDM. Current evidence shows an association between vitamin D blood levels and risk of GDM, despite heterogeneity of results across studies limit the conclusions. Moreover, data from randomized controlled trials is scarce and resulting in null findings. Among the limitations to be noted, improving the standardization of dosages, the characteristics of individuals in the sample, and the appropriate outcome measurement could provide a more effective approach in understanding the relationship between vitamin D and GDM. In conclusions, despite observational studies may suggest that adequate vitamin D levels may decrease the risk of GDM compared to deficiency status, evidence from clinical trials is inadequate to draft any definitive conclusion regarding its supplementation. Future better designed randomized clinical trials taking into account a more integrated approach could provide clearer and definitive data on the outcomes of such a multifactorial condition.
Energy-Efficient Hybrid Beamforming with Variable and Constant Phase Shifters
Authors: Gadiel Godwin Mruma , Lee Kyungchun
Published: October 2019

In this paper, the authors propose a novel partially connected hybrid beamforming (PC-HBF) architecture, which employs variable phase shifters (VPSs) and constant phase shifters (CPSs) for analog beamforming to harness the potential of these two types of phase shifters. In the proposed architecture, the system sum rate optimization to determine the analog precoders can be formulated as a combinatorial problem. However, its exact solution is intractable, and in massive multiple-input multiple-output systems, exhaustive search to solve the corresponding combinatorial problem is practically infeasible. To resolve this problem, we employ a greedy algorithm that provides a near-optimal solution with reduced complexity. The simulation results obtained herein show that by optimally combining VPSs and CPSs, the proposed architecture achieves performance close to that of the VPS-based PC-HBF architecture. Furthermore, its energy efficiency is up to 27.3 % higher than that of the CPS-based fully connected HBF scheme.
Construction Hazard Investigation Leveraging Object Anatomization on an Augmented Photoreality Platform
Authors: Pham Hai Chien , Dao Nhu-Ngoc , Cho Sungrae , Nguyen Phong Thanh , Pham-Hang Anh-Tuan
Published: October 2019

Hazard investigation education plays a crucial role in equipping students with adequate knowledge and skills to avoid or eliminate construction hazards at workplaces. With the emergence of various visualization technologies, virtual photoreality as well as 3D virtual reality have been adopted and proved advantageous to various educational disciplines. Despite the significant benefits of providing an engaging and immersive learning environment to promote construction education, recent research has also pointed out that virtual photoreality lacks a 3D object anatomization tools to support learning, while 3D-virtual reality cannot provide a real-world environment. In recent years, research efforts have studied virtual reality applications separately, and there is a lack of research integrating these technologies to overcome limitations and maximize advantages for enhancing learning outcomes. In this regard, the paper develops a construction hazard investigation system leveraging object anatomization on an Interactive Augmented Photoreality platform (iAPR). The proposed iAPR system integrates virtual photoreality with 3D-virtual reality. The iAPR consists of three key learning modules, namely Hazard Understanding Module (HUM), Hazard Recognition Module (HRM), and Safety Performance Module (SPM), which adopt the revised Bloom’s taxonomy theory. A prototype is developed and evaluated objectively through interactive system trials with educators, construction professionals, and learners. The findings demonstrate that the iAPR platform has significant pedagogic methods to improve learner’s construction hazard investigation knowledge and skills, which improve safety performance.
Spatial Resolutions of On-Axis and Off-Axis Transmission Kikuchi Diffraction Methods
Authors: Shen Yitian , Xu Jingchao , Zhang Yongsheng , Wang Yongzhe , Zhang Jimei , Yu Baojun , Zeng Yi , Miao Hong
Published: October 2019

Spatial resolution is one of the key factors in orientation microscopy, as it determines the accuracy of grain size investigation and phase identification. We determined the spatial resolutions of on-axis and off-axis transmission Kikuchi diffraction (TKD) methods by calculating correlation coefficients using only the effective parts of on-axis and off-axis transmission Kikuchi patterns. During the calculation, we used average filtering to evaluate the spatial resolution more accurately. The spatial resolutions of both on-axis and off-axis TKD methods were determined in the same scanning electron microscope at different accelerating voltages and specimen thicknesses. The spatial resolution of the on-axis TKD was higher than that of the off-axis TKD at the same parameters. Furthermore, with an increase in accelerating voltage or a decrease in specimen thickness, the spatial resolutions of the two configurations could be significantly improved, from tens of nanometers to below 10 nm. At a voltage of 30 kV and sample thickness of 74 nm, both on-axis and off-axis TKD methods exhibited the highest resolutions of 6.2 and 9.7 nm, respectively.
Gridded Visibility Products over Marine Environments Based on Artificial Neural Network Analysis
Authors: Shan Yulong , Zhang Ren , Gultepe Ismail , Zhang Yaojia , Li Ming , Wang Yangjun
Published: October 2019

The reconstruction and monitoring of visibility over marine environments is critically important because of a lack of observations. To travel safely in marine environments, a high quality of visibility data is needed to evaluate navigation risk. Currently, although visibility is available through numerical weather prediction models as well as ground and spaceborne remote sensing platforms and ship measurements, issues still exist over the remote marine environments and northern latitudes. To improve visibility prediction and reduce navigational risks, gridded visibility data based on artificial neural network analysis can be used over marine environments, and the problem can be regarded as an air quality prediction problem based on machine learning algorithms. This new method based on artificial intelligence techniques developed here is tested over the Indian Ocean. The mean error of the inferred visibility from the artificial neural network analysis is found to be less than 8.0%. The results suggested that satellite-based optical thickness and numerical model-based reanalysis data can be used to infer gridded visibility values based on artificial neural network analysis, and that could help us reconstruct and monitor surface gridded visibility values over marine and remote environments.
Quintic Pythagorean-Hodograph Curves Based Trajectory Planning for Delta Robot with a Prescribed Geometrical Constraint
Authors: Liang Xu , Su Tingting
Published: October 2019

A new trajectory planning approach on the basis of the quintic Pythagorean–Hodograph (PH) curve is presented and applied to Delta robot for implementing pick-and-place operation (PPO). To satisfy a prescribed geometrical constraint, which indicates the distance between the transition segment curve and right angle of PPO trajectory is no greater than a prescribed value, the quintic PH curve is used to produce a connection segment path for collision avoidance. The relationship between the PH curve and constraint is analyzed, based on which PH curve is calculated simply. Afterwards, the trajectory is planned in different phases with different motion laws, i.e. polynomial motion laws and PH curve parameter-dependent motion laws, to obtain a smooth performance both in Cartesian and joint space. The relationship between the PH curve and constraint is also used to improve the efficiency of calculation, and the trajectory symmetry is used to reduce calculation time by direct symmetric transformation. Thus, real-time performance is improved. The results of simulations and experiments indicate that the approach in this paper can provide smooth motion and meet the real-time requirement under the prescribed geometrical constraint.
A Novel Bio-Inspired Method for Early Diagnosis of Breast Cancer through Mammographic Image Analysis
Authors: González-Patiño David , Villuendas-Rey Yenny , Argüelles-Cruz Amadeo-José , Karray Fakhri
Published: October 2019

Breast cancer is a current problem that causes the death of many women. In this work, we test meta-heuristics applied to the segmentation of mammographic images. Traditionally, the application of these algorithms has a direct relationship with optimization problems; however, in this study, its implementation is oriented to the segmentation of mammograms using the Dunn index as an optimization function, and the grey levels to represent each individual. The update of grey levels during the process results in the maximization of the Dunn’s index function; the higher the index, the better the segmentation will be. The results showed a lower error rate using these meta-heuristics for segmentation compared to a well-adopted classical approach known as the Otsu method.
Analyses of the Temperature Field of a Piezoelectric Micro Actuator in the Endoscopic Biopsy Channel
Authors: Zhu Pancheng , Peng Hanmin , Yang Jianzhi
Published: October 2019

Micro actuators have been used to realize the arrival of digestive tract lesions for the local targeted application of drugs in endoscopes. However, there still exists a key safety issue that casts a shadow over the practical and safe implementation of actuators in the human body, namely an overheated environment caused by actuators’ operation. Herein, with the aim of solving the temperature rising problem of a piezoelectric micro actuator operating in an endoscopic biopsy channel (OLYMPUS, Tokyo, Japan), a thermal finite element method (FEM) based on COMSOL Multiphysics software is proposed. The temperature distribution and its rising curves are obtained by the FEM method. Both the simulated and experimental maximum temperatures are larger than the safety value (e.g., 42 °C for human tissues) when the driving voltage of the actuator is 200 Vpp, which proves that the overheating problem really exists in the actuator. Furthermore, the results show that the calculated temperature rising curves correspond to the experimental results, proving the effectiveness of this FEM method. Therefore, we introduce a temperature control method through optimizing the duty ratio of the actuator. In comparison with a 100% duty ratio operation condition, it is found that a 60% duty ratio with a driving voltage of 200 Vpp can more effectively prevent the temperature rising issue in the first 3 min, as revealed by the corresponding temperatures of 44.4 and 41.4 °C, respectively. When the duty ratio is adjusted to 30% or less, the temperature rise of the actuator can be significantly reduced to only 36.6 °C, which is close to the initial temperature (36.4 °C). Meanwhile, the speed of the actuator can be well-maintained at a certain level, demonstrating its great applicability for safe operation in the human body.
Application and Evaluation of Energy Conservation Technologies in Wastewater Treatment Plants
Authors: Sun Yongteng , Lu Ming , Sun Yongjun , Chen Zuguo , Duan Hao , Liu Duan
Published: October 2019

High energy consumption is an important issue affecting the operation and development of wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs). This paper seeks energy-saving opportunities from three aspects: energy application, process optimization, and performance evaluation. Moreover, effective energy-saving can be achieved from the perspective of energy supply and recovery by using green energy technologies, including wastewater and sludge energy recovery technologies. System optimization and control is used to reduce unnecessary energy consumption in operation. Reasonable indexes and methods can help researchers evaluate the application value of energy-saving technology. Some demonstration WWTPs even can achieve energy self-sufficiency by using these energy conservation technologies. Besides, this paper introduces the challenges faced by the wastewater treatment industry and some emerging energy-saving technologies. The work can give engineers some suggestions about reducing energy consumption from comprehensive perspectives.
Special Issue on Nano-Biointerface for Biosensing
Authors: Satriano Cristina
Published: October 2019

Point-of-care nanobiosensors have tremendous potential to revolutionize the future of personalized nanomedicine, especially for the simultaneous diagnosis and therapy, which takes the name of theranostics [...]
Development of a Stationary 3D Photoacoustic Imaging System Using Sparse Single-Element Transducers: Phantom Study
Authors: Kratkiewicz Karl , Manwar Rayyan , Zafar Mohsin , Mohsen Ranjbaran Seyed , Mozaffarzadeh Moein , de Jong Nico , Ji Kailai , Avanaki Kamran
Published: October 2019

Photoacoustic imaging (PAI) is an emerging label-free and non-invasive modality for imaging biological tissues. PAI has been implemented in different configurations, one of which is photoacoustic computed tomography (PACT) with a potential wide range of applications, including brain and breast imaging. Hemispherical Array PACT (HA-PACT) is a variation of PACT that has solved the limited detection-view problem. Here, we designed an HA-PACT system consisting of 50 single element transducers. For implementation, we initially performed a simulation study, with parameters close to those in practice, to determine the relationship between the number of transducers and the quality of the reconstructed image. We then used the greatest number of transducers possible on the hemisphere and imaged copper wire phantoms coated with a light absorbing material to evaluate the performance of the system. Several practical issues such as light illumination, arrangement of the transducers, and an image reconstruction algorithm have been comprehensively studied.
Secure Transmission for Buffer-Aided Relay Networks in the Internet of Things
Authors: Wei Chen , Yang Wendong , Cai Yueming
Published: October 2019

This paper investigates the secure transmission for buffer-aided relay networks in the Internet of Things (IoT) in the presence of multiple passive eavesdroppers. For security enhancement, we adopt the max-link relay selection policy and propose three secure transmission schemes: (1) non-jamming (NJ); (2) source cooperative jamming (SCJ); and (3) source cooperative jamming with optimal power allocation (SCJ-OPA). Moreover, to analyze the secrecy performance comprehensively, two eavesdropping scenarios, i.e., non-colluding eavesdroppers (NCE) and colluding eavesdroppers (CE) are considered. Based on this, by modeling the dynamic buffer state transition as a Markov chain, we derive the exact closed-form expressions of the secrecy outage probability, the average secrecy throughput, and the end-to-end delay for each schemes. The analytical analysis and simulation shows that the SCJ-OPA scheme achieves similar performance as the NJ scheme when the total transmit power is small. On the other hand, when the transmit power is high, the performance achieved by SCJ-OPA is similar to that of SCJ. Thereby, the SCJ-OPA scheme can achieve better performance across the entire total transmit power, which makes up the defects of NJ and SCJ exactly.
The Potential Benefits of Therapeutic Treatment Using Gaseous Terpenes at Ambient Low Levels
Authors: Kim Jo-Chun , Dinh Trieu-Vuong , Oh Hong-Keun , Son Youn-Suk , Ahn Ji-Won , Song Kyu-Yong , Choi In-Young , Park Chan-Ryul , Szulejko JanJan , Kim Ki-Hyun
Published: October 2019

Biological volatile organic compounds (BVOCs) are emitted abundantly from the flora. Among BVOCs, monoterpenes (MTs) have been used for aromatherapy (e.g., forest bathing) to treat human physiological and psychological conditions. However, relatively little is known about the therapeutic effects of MTs at low part per billion by volume (ppbv) levels. The effects of artificial MTs on human subjects were assessed by both olfactory and therapeutic parameters (brain alpha waves and stress index). Gaseous standards of three monoterpenes (i.e., α-pinene, β-pinene, and d-limonene) prepared at low ppbv levels were used individually and as mixtures. Fifty-nine healthy and non-asthmatics volunteer university students were selected for the test. All human subjects inhaled low ppbv levels of monoterpene in the testing room. Brain alpha waves and stress index were investigated during the inhalation time. Questionnaires were also used after testing. It was found that the detection threshold of MTs was close to 5 ppbv. When the MT levels increased from 0 to 20 ppbv, the mean values of brain alpha waves derived from all participants increased from 9.8 to 15.1. In contrast, the stress index values declined from 46.2 to 34.7. The overall results suggest that MTs have great potential to positively affect the relaxation state of subjects in a manner similar to forest bathing in terms of short-term effect. They can thus be applied as potential therapeutic media for mental health care.