bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Explorando como enseñar inglés como lengua extranjera en el grado primero
Authors: Carvajal Téllez Angélica María , Sánchez Correa Nidia Adalia , Alarcón Cortés Sharith Yaretsi , Bautista Estupiñan Dherly Fernanda
Published: July 2023

Esta investigación es el resultado de un estudio cuyo propósito es comparar el proceso de la enseñanza y aprendizaje del inglés como lengua extranjera en grado primero de dos escuelas primarias localizadas en Chiquinquirá- Boyacá. Lo anterior se realiza mediante revisión documental, observación, entrevista semiestructurada a docentes, diarios de campo y artefactos producto de una estrategia pedagógica usando el aprendizaje basado en tareas (TBL). La observación e implementación de lecciones de aula permite comparar las estrategias de enseñanza y aprendizaje en el grado primero y así brindar recomendaciones pedagógicas para los docentes en ejercicio y los planes de aula de las dos instituciones objeto de estudio. Además, la configuración del caso permite establecer el rol que debe desempeñar el docente en formación en sus prácticas de aula. El currículo ofrecido para el programa de formación se nutre de las reflexiones que surgen del proceso. El análisis a través de la teoría de agrupamiento permitió establecer como categorías la formación del docente eje clave de la enseñanza del inglés, la adaptación de los materiales al aula de clase y las tareas como aprendizaje significativo. Finalmente, la participación activa de las docentes en formación y docentes en ejercicio del PFC el semillero de investigación del área de inglés les permite desarrollar su capacidad de síntesis, comparación y análisis y demás habilidades propias del pensamiento superior.
Connect the dots: sketching out microbiome interactions through networking approaches
Authors: Fabbrini Marco , Scicchitano Daniel , Candela Marco , Turroni Silvia , Rampelli Simone
Published: July 2023

Microbiome networking analysis has emerged as a powerful tool for studying the complex interactions among microorganisms in various ecological niches, including the human body and several environments. This analysis has been used extensively in both human and environmental studies, revealing key taxa and functional units peculiar to the ecosystem considered. In particular, it has been mainly used to investigate the effects of environmental stressors, such as pollution, climate change or therapies, on host-associated microbial communities and ecosystem function. In this review, we discuss the latest advances in microbiome networking analysis, including methods for constructing and analyzing microbiome networks, and provide a case study on how to use these tools. These analyses typically involve constructing a network that represents interactions among microbial taxa or functional units, such as genes or metabolic pathways. Such networks can be based on a variety of data sources, including 16S rRNA sequencing, metagenomic sequencing, and metabolomics data. Once constructed, these networks can be analyzed to identify key nodes or modules important for the stability and function of the microbiome. By providing insights into essential ecological features of microbial communities, microbiome networking analysis has the potential to transform our understanding of the microbial world and its impact on human health and the environment.
Finding an Extension of the Expected Value That Is Unique, Finite, and Natural for All Functions in Prevalent Subset of the Set of All Functions
Authors: Krishnan Bharath
Published: July 2023

Suppose for n∈ ℕ, set A⊆ℝⁿ and function f∶A→ ℝⁿ. If set A, using the Hausdorff outer measure, is measurable in the sense of Carathèodory; we want to find an extension of the expected value, w.r.t the Hausdorff measure, that's unique, finite and "natural" (defined on §2.3 & §2.4) for all f in a prevalent subset of ℝᴬ. The issue is current extensions of the expected value are finite for all functions in only a shy subset of ℝᴬ. The reason this issue wasn't resolved is mathematicians have not thought of the problem, focusing on application rather than generalization. Despite the lack of potential use, we'll attempt to solve the problem by defining a choice function---this shall choose a unique set of equivalent sequences of sets (Fₖ***) , where the set-theoretic limit of Fₖ*** is the graph of f; the measure Hʰ is the ℎ-Hausdorff measure, such for each k∈ℕ, 0 < Hʰ(Fₖ***) < +∞; and (fₖ*) is a sequence of functions where {(x,fₖ*(x))∶x∈ dom(Fₖ***)}=Fₖ***. Thus, the extended expected value of or E**[f,Fₖ***] is: ∀(ε>0)∃(N∈ℕ)∀(k∈N)(k≥N⇒1/Hʰ(dom(Fₖ***))∫dom(Fₖ*** )fₖ* dHʰ - E**[f,Fₖ***]<ε ) which should be unique, finite, and "natural" (defined on §2.3 & §2.4) for all f in a prevalent subset of ℝᴬ. Note we guessed the choice function using computer programming but we don’t use mathematical proofs due to the lack of expertise in the subject matter. Despite this, the biggest use of this research is the extension of the expected value is finite for "almost all" functions: this is easier to use in application when finding the "average" of functions covering an infinite expanse of space.
Addressing the Limitations of News Recommendation System: Incorporating User Demographic for Enhanced Personalization
Authors: Asefa Zerihun Olana , Abtew Admas
Published: July 2023

News recommendation schemes utilize features of the news itself and information about users to suggest and recommend relevant news items to the users towards the interest they have. However, the effectiveness of the existing news recommendation scheme is limited in the occurrence of new user cold start problems. Therefore, we designed a news recommender system using hybrid approaches to address new user cold start problems to ease and suggest more related news articles for new users. To achieve the objective mentioned above, user demographic data with a hybrid recommendation system that contains the scheme of both content-based and collaborative filtering approaches is proposed. To evaluate the effectiveness of the proposed model, an extensive experiment is conducted using a dataset of news articles with user rating value and user demographic data. The performance of the proposed model is done by two ways of experiment. So, the performance of the proposed model performs around 68.05% of Precision, 42.46% of Recall and 52.1% of the average F1 score for the experiment based on individual user similarity in the system. And also performs around 93.75% of precision, 40.25% of recall and 56.31% F1-score for the similarity of users based on the similarity of users within the same category which is better than the first experiment.
Bioinformatic Analysis of Secondary Metabolite Biosynthetic Potential in Pathogenic Fusarium
Authors: Lin Chao , Feng Xi-long , Liu Yu , Li Zhao-chen , Li Xiu-Zhang , Qi Jianzhao
Published: July 2023

Fusarium species are one of the filamentous fungal taxa with the most pronounced impact on agri-cultural production and human health. The mycotoxins produced by pathogenic Fusarium not on-ly attack various plants including crops, causing various plant diseases that lead to reduced yields and even death, but also penetrate into the food chain of humans and animals to cause food poi-soning and consequent health hazards. Although sporadic studies have revealed some of the bio-synthetic pathways of Fusarium toxins, they are insufficient to satisfy the need for a comprehen-sive understanding of Fusarium toxin production. In this study, we focused on 35 serious patho-genic Fusarium species with available genomes and systematically analyzed the ubiquity of the dis-tribution of identified Fusarium and non-Fusarium derived fungal toxin biosynthesis gene clusters (BGCs) in these species through the mining of core genes and comparative analysis of correspond-ing BGCs. Additionally, novel sesterterpene synthases and PKS_NRPS clusters were discovered and analysed. This work is the first to systematically analyze the distribution of related mycotoxin biosynthesis in pathogenic Fusarium species. These findings enhance the knowledge of mycotoxin production and provide a theoretical grounding for the prevention of fungal toxin production us-ing biotechnological approaches.
Oleuropein Promotes Neural Plasticity and Neuroprotection via PPARÎ±-Dependent and Independent Pathways
Authors: Malliou Foteini , Andriopoulou Christina E , Kofinas Aristeidis , Katsogridaki Allena , Leodaritis George , Gonzalez Frank J , Michaelidis Theologos M , Darsinou Marousa , Skaltsounis Leandros A , Konstandi Maria
Published: July 2023

Oleuropein (OLE), a main constituent of olive, displays a pleiotropic beneficial dynamic in health and disease, based mainly on its antioxidant and hypolipidemic properties, and its capacity to protect myocardium during ischemia. Furthermore, OLE activates peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor (PPARα) in neurons and astrocytes, providing neuroprotection against noxious biological reactions that are induced following cerebral ischemia. Current study investigated the effect of OLE in the regulation of various neural plasticity indices, emphasizing the role of PPARα. For this purpose, 129/Sv wild-type (WT) and Pparα-null mice were treated with OLE for three weeks. The present findings revealed that chronic treatment with OLE up-regulated the brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) and its receptor TrkB in the prefrontal cortex (PFC) of mice via activation of ERK1/2, AKT and PKA/CREB signaling pathways. No similar effects were observed in the hippocampus. The OLE-induced effects on BDNF and TrkB appear to be mediated by PPARα, because no similar alterations were observed in the PFC of Pparα-null mice. Notably, OLE did not affect the neurotrophic factors NT3 and NT4/5 in both brain tissues. Fenofibrate though, a selective PPARα agonist, up-regulated BDNF and NT3 in the PFC of mice, whereas the drug induced NT4/5 in both brain sites tested. Interestingly, OLE provided neuroprotection in differentiated human SH-SY5Y cells against β-amyloid and H2O2 toxicity independently from PPARα activation. In conclusion, OLE and similar drugs acting either as PPARα agonists or via PPARα independent mechanisms could improve synaptic function/plasticity mainly in the PFC and to a lesser extent in the hippocampus, thus beneficially affecting cognitive functions.
The Oral Health Needs Assessment in People with Disabilities
Authors: Shelke Girish , Nasirian Aida Nasirian , Wijesundara Muthu
Published: July 2023

Abstract: Background: This research aims to investigate the oral health status and needs of individuals with disabilities, a vulnerable population that is facing barriers in accessing and maintaining oral care. Methods: Data for this study were obtained through self-administered questionnaires distributed to individuals with disabilities who were receiving assistance from Helping Restore Ability and Neuro Assistance Foundation. The data were analyzed using statistical methods using SPSS and Microsoft Excel to identify patterns and associations related to oral health maintenance among individuals with disabilities. Results: The findings of this research indicate a high prevalence of poor oral hygiene, periodontal diseases, and untreated dental caries, risk factors of oral cancer among individuals with disabilities. Social determinants were found to have a significant influence on the oral health status of this population. The study also highlights the crucial role of caregivers in ensuring oral health maintenance. Conclusion: The results of this study underscore the urgent need for targeted interventions and improved caregiver awareness to address the oral health needs of individuals with disabilities. By addressing the disparities and barriers faced by people with disabilities in accessing dental care, we can mitigate the health, social, and economic burdens associated with poor oral health in this vulnerable population.
Technical Effiency in Ecuador’ Farms: Evidences of the Pandemic Impact
Authors: Torres-Inga Carlos S. , Juana A. Javier Aguirre-de , Guevara-Viera Guillermo E. , Guevara-Viera Raul V.
Published: July 2023

The main point in the present article was the comparison of the Technical Efficiency (TE) in four years for milk production in Ecuador by the period 2018 – 2021, before and after the pandemic, and the determination of the factors related to the TE for the last year. The information from the official public database in the country were analyzed by the nonparametric technique called DEA including a bootstrap simulation. Once different variables were selected including aspects as livestock and labor, the TE with Variable Returns to Scale (VRS) with “output” orientation was calculated by each year and province. Among the provinces, statistically significant differences were found (P<0.1) for the TE means, and most of the efficient units were found throughout the Andean zone, in each year. Between the most important findings, it was important that the TE average after the beginning of the pandemic was statistically lower than the last 3 consecutive years under study (P<0.1) with 3% approximately of decrease, and the main factors related to this were multiple including labor characteristics, the field composition, and the supplies access during the pandemic. Finally, some implications for public policy were found around the gender in agriculture activities, the social security, and the difficulties in supplies access.
Response of Severe Thunderstorm Environments in Belgium to Climate Change
Authors: Duti Bushra Monowar , Gysegem Joren Van , Khosravi Marzieh , Yazdan Munshi Md Shafwat
Published: July 2023

Strong convective storms can be a serious threat to modern society, influencing both the economy and human life. Thunderstorms can bring much-needed rain after a dry spell, but the nature of thunderstorm mostly causes damage due to high wind associated with it and heavy intensity rain that mostly causes quick overlandflow and flashfloods. The paper focused on the 2011 Pukkelpop event in Belgium where due to heavy thunderstorm a lot of financial damage occurred, and five casualties. In this paper we look into the basic elements that enforces the creation of a thunderstorm like CAPE and windshear. A representative grid has been taken from the Alaro-0 model of 12.5 km resolution for the analysis of the thunderstorm over Belgium which is detailed out in the methodology. The model runs of Alaro-0 from Royal Meteorological Institute of Belgium (RMI) is used for historical and future years for CAPE and Shear. We look into STEnv which is a composite number that can provide some insight on occurrence of thunderstorm, and STEnv is when CAPE*Shear exceeds certain threshold. In this study the threshold has been chosen as 97%. Only summer months have been taken into account into this study as summer(s) has the most thunderstorm in Belgium. The analysis of CAPE and STEnv over historical period (1977-2005), near future (2041-2069) and far future (2071-2099) shows significant increase in occurrence of thunderstorm in the 2071-2099s, specially in extreme cases such as 97% and 99% quantile. CAPE (J/Kg) increases in all future scenarios compared to the historical period. In 2071-2099s, CAPE increases from 2100 J/Kg to 2300 J/Kg (90% quantile) and from 3500 J/Kg to 3900 J/Kg (99% quantile) compared to the historical period. The number of STEnv increases from 300 to 378 in top 10% storm case (90% quantile), 158 to 218 in top 5% storm (95% quantile), 97 to 153 in top 3% storm (97% quantile) and 33 to 66 in top 1% storm (99% quantile) with a 90% confidence interval overall. Shear mostly remains unchanged. The study also shows spatial variation of CAPE, shear and STEnv over Belgium for present and future scenarios in different extremities (90%, 95%, 97% and 99% quantiles). There is a good indication that increase in CAPE translates to increase in STEnv, which is an accepted measure to predict occurrence of thunderstorm. Future climate change also amplifies the occurrence of thunderstorm, which is coherent with relevant studies. The uncertainty related to the study can be reduced with more detailed dataset and involvement of numerical weather prediction models beyond data statistics.
The Anterolateral Ligament of the Knee in Paediatric Patients: What Do We Know? A Systematic Review
Authors: Lucenti Ludovico , Testa Gianluca , Montemagno Marco , Sapienza Marco , Russo Arcangelo , Di Maria Fabrizio , De Cristo Claudia , Pavone Vito
Published: July 2023

The knowledge on anatomy, function, biomechanics, and role on surgical procedures of the anterolateral ligament (ALL) of the knee is still controversial. Only a few papers have examined the ALL in children. The aim of this review is to analyse all the available literature about ALL in pediatric population. Following the PRISMA criteria, the literature was systematically reviewed, examining all the articles about ALL in pediatric patients. Eight articles were involved in the study. Five cadaveric studies, 2 diagnostic studies and 1 Cross-sectional study were found. The identification of the ALL is not always possible in diagnostic studies using the Magnetic Resonance (MRI) or in dissecting specimens. A high variability in the presence of the ligament, in its origin and insertion were found among the studies. In younger patients is more difficult to identify the ligament than in older children, suggesting that its presence may develop at some point during the growth. Further studies are needed for a detailed knowledge of the ALL.
A Behavioral Test Score Could Be Linked to the Protein Expression Value of p62 and GLAST in the Brain of Mice with Neuropsychiatric Disorders-Related Behaviors
Authors: Ikeda Yuka , Yoshikawa Sayuri , Taniguchi Kurumi , Suga Naoko , Matsuda Satoru
Published: July 2023

Neuropsychiatric disorders are globally public-health concern, in which diagnosis might be based on symptoms that often vary across individuals. Schizophrenia is one of the major neuropsychiatric disorders, which may affect millions worldwide. Detection of predictive biomarkers is the most intensively developing approach for the disease. However, the biochemical alterations have not been comprehensively distinguished up to the present time. In addition, there is less confidence of finding a specific biomarker for neuropsychiatric disorders including schizophrenia, but rather a specific characteristic behavioral pattern. Maternal immune activation has been considered to be one of the important factors for the development of neuropsychiatric disorders. Here, the mouse model of neuropsychiatric disorders has been built, in which poly-I:C, sodium dextran sulfate (DSS) and κ-carrageenan (CGN) were used for the maternal immune activation during the pregnancy of individuals. Subsequently, we challenged to link some of biochemical changes of p62 and GLAST in the offspring mice brain to the alteration of several pathological behaviors. Consequently, it has been shown that autophagy might be involved in the development of neuropsychiatric disorders including schizophrenia. To our knowledge, this is the first report of the significant correlation between pathological behavior and the biochemical alterations in neuropsychiatric disorder model animals. The relative ease of conducting these evaluation-tasks would make them useful for testing novel therapeutics designed to ameliorate the symptoms of several psychiatric disorders.
External Slot Relationship Memory for Multi-Domain Dialogue State Tracking
Authors: Xing Xinlai , Yang Changmeng , Lin DaFei , Teng Da , Chen Panpan , Zhang Xiaochuan
Published: July 2023

Dialogue State Tracking is an essential component in multi-domain dialogue systems, aiming to accurately determine the current dialogue state based on the dialogue history. Existing research has addressed the issue of multiple mappings in dialogues by employing slot self-attention as a data-driven approach. However, learning the relationships between slots from a single sample has limitations and introduces noise. In this paper, we propose an External Slot Relation Memory-based Dialogue State Tracking model (ER-DST). By utilizing an external memory storage, we learn the relationships between slots as a dictionary of multi-domain slot relations. Additionally, we employ a small filter to discard slot information irrelevant to the current dialogue state. Experimental results on the MultiWOZ2.0 and MultiWOZ2.1 benchmarks demonstrate significant improvements while reducing the time complexity to O(n).
ARG1 is a potential prognostic marker in metastatic and recurrent endometrial cancer
Authors: Tran Dinh Nam , Rozen Valery , Hunter Mark I. , Kim Tae Hoon , Jeong Jae-Wook
Published: July 2023

Endometrial cancer (EC) is the most common gynecologic malignancy. While the majority of patients present with early-stage and low-grade EC and have an excellent prognosis, a subset has metastatic disease at presentation, or develops distant recurrence after initial treatment of the primary. However, the lack of prognostic biomarkers for metastatic EC is a critical barrier. Arginase 1 (ARG1) regulates the last step of the urea cycle, and an increase in ARG1 has been correlated as a poor prognostic factor in a variety of cancers. In the present study, ARG1 expression was evaluated as a potential prognostic marker for metastatic EC in endometrial hyperplasia and cancer of mice with Pten mutation as well as Pten and Mig-6 double mutations. While Pten mutation in the uterus is not sufficient for distant metastasis, mice with concurrent ablation of Mig-6 and Pten develop distant metastasis. Our immunostaining and RT-qPCR analysis revealed that the expression of ARG1 in early stage of EC as well as endometrial hyperplasia from mice deficient in Mig-6 and Pten mutations significantly increased compared to Pten mutation in the uterus. The results suggest that a high level of ARG1 is associated with poor prognosis in association with EC of mouse.
Psk-1 virulence gene-induced pulmonary and systemic tuberculosis in a young female with normal immune function
Authors: wu fan , Yang Bin , Xiao Yan , Chen Hongyi , Hu Xinlan , Pan Yanyu , Ren Lili , Chen Yusheng , Li Hongru
Published: July 2023

Background
Tuberculosis is a chronic infectious disease and an important public health threat. Despite China’s achievements in controlling tuberculosis, the prevalence of this disease is still very high, with 895,000 new cases annually. This case report aimed to ascertain why a Mycobacterium tuberculosis strain caused such a severe infection in a young adult with normal immune function.
Case presentation:
We present the case of a young female with normal immune function without the history of receiving bacillus Calmette–Guérin vaccine, who suffered from severe pulmonary tuberculosis and secondary systemic disseminated tuberculosis. The M. tuberculosis was isolated from the bronchoalveolar lavage fluid of the patient. Further, we analysed the whole-genome sequence of the strain and designated it BLM-A21. Additional M. tuberculosis genomes were selected from the Virulence Factor Database (http://www.mgc.ac.cn/cgi-bin/VFs/genus.cgi?Genus=Mycobacterium), developed by the bioinformatics research team of the Institute of Pathogenic Biology, Chinese Academy of Medical Science. The evolutionary tree of disseminated tuberculosis was then built using the PhyML maximum likelihood software. Further gene analysis revealed that BLM-A21 has similar virulence genes to the strains CDC 1551 and H37Rv, which have lower dissemination, except for the pks-1 gene, which may be the key virulence gene responsible for the high dissemination ability of this M. tuberculosis strain.
Conclusions
We speculated that the pks-1 virulence gene of this strain induced severe pulmonary tuberculosis and secondary systemic disseminated tuberculosis in this adult female with normal immune function.
Mechanisms of rainfall-induced landslides and interception dynamic response: A Case Study of the Ni changgou Landslide in Shimian, China
Authors: Li Yu , Yang Xuezhi , Hu Xiao , Wan Liyan , Ma Erlong
Published: July 2023

Geological hazards, especially landslides and mudslides, are frequent in Caoke County, Sichuan Province, China. In September 2022, a large-scale mudslide occurred in Ni changgou with continuous rainfall, and it caused great damage to the surrounding roads and downstream village buildings. The mechanical parameters of the soil were obtained through a basic investigation of the landslide characteristics of Nichanggou. Upon that, the finite element-discrete element method was used to reconstruct the three-dimensional numerical model of the landslide on the right bank of Nichanggou, and the initiation mechanism of rainfall on landslide and the formation of debris flow impact dam process were simulated. Furthermore, the pore pressure, stability coefficient as well as displacement of the landslide body were analyzed, it turned out that under long-term continuous rainfall conditions, the slope safety factor decreases with the increase of rainfall time by analyzing the pore pressure, stability coefficient and displacement of the landslide body, which exist under different conditions of heavy and extreme rainstorms. Then the laws affecting landslide initiation and damage characteristics could be found out. The duration of landslide movement is about 200 s, the maximum average velocity of the landslide reaches 4.85 m/s, and the average movement distance is close to 500 m. These measured data matches well with that simulated landslide mound morphology.In addition, as the downstream debris flow washout is part of the initiating material source, the topography and debris flow are simplified accordingly, the whole process of impact, climbing height and back silting of the debris flow impact blocking structure is reproduced. The coupled method shows the whole process of debris flow from formation, to blocking, The results show desired effect on the mudflow prevention and management.
The design and implementation of intelligent ubiquitous learning Multi-Agent Context-Aware System
Authors: Guettala Manel , Bourekkache Samir , Kazar Okba , Harous Saad , Zouai Meftah
Published: July 2023

Advances in technology in education have had a profound impact on Human Computer Interaction. The ubiquity of computer technology means that ubiquitous learning (U-learning) has really arrived on the scene. In this article, we explore how emerging technologies can make learning more affordable and accessible. Our aim is to present a new approach to ubiquitous learning, which uses a multi-agent system in order to facilitate the learning process. To develop the multi-agent system, we used JADE-LEAP (Lightweight and Extensible Agent Platform). The application developed adapts several parameters according to the dynamic situation of the learner's contextual information. We used contextual technologies such as GPS sensors and 4G networks to obtain the dynamic situation. This application provides a set of functionalities that can be used by learners via devices anywhere and anytime, and supports formal learning. Finally, to verify the usefulness of this application, we conducted a case study with different scenarios. Computer science students from various Algerian universities took part in the study. .
Transfer of Chromium from Environment to Fish in East Kolkata Wetlands – Evaluation by Structural Equation Modeling
Authors: Ghosh Debkanta , Saha Samir Kumar , Kaviraj Anilava , Saha Subrata
Published: July 2023

Chromium (Cr) is a significant pollutant in the effluents from leather industries as well as in domestic city sewage. Cr was determined in water, sediment and different tissues (gill, muscle, intestine, liver, and kidney) of Nile tilapia, Oreochromis niloticus harvested from wastewater-fed aquaculture (WFA) ponds situated at Bamonghata, Bantala, Chowbaga and Chingrighata of East Kolkata Wetlands (EKW), a Ramsar site in West Bengal, India. The results showed that Cr concentration in surface water ranged between 0.05 to 0.15 mg/L, while Cr was detected at high concentration (100 – 300 mg/kg) in the sediment soil of the first three WFAs and in moderate concentration (50 – 110 mg/kg) in Chingrighata WFA. Average Cr concentrations in the tissues were ranked in the following sequence: kidney>liver>intestine>gill>muscle. However, the extent of accumulation of Cr in different tissues varied between the WFAs. We used Structural Equation Modelling (SEM) to determine the route of Cr transfer. The fitness of the model was evaluated by the performance measures. Cr accumulation pathways varied between the sites depending upon the level of Cr in water or sediment. Except for Bamonghata WFA, sediment was found as the principal source of accumulation of Cr in different tissues of O. niloticus. Cr refluxed from sediment into overlying water and accumulated in fish either through the food chain or through direct accumulation from water. In Bamonghata WFA, the role of sediment in the transfer of Cr could not be established due to the high depth of water or biological non-availability of Cr in the sediment. It is concluded from this study that fish reared in the WFAs of EKW are still not hazardous in respect of Cr, but require proper management to avoid the influx of Cr-containing effluents into the WFAs.
In vitro antibiofilm activity of tormentic acid against Pseudomonas aeruginosa
Authors: Dakwa Ruvarashe , Mozirandi Winnie , Mukanganyama Stanley
Published: July 2023

Background: Biofilm formation is the cause for the prevalence of nosocomial infections. Pseudomonas aeruginosa is one of the leading cause of nosocomial infections and affects more than 2 million patients. Infections caused by P. aeruginosa can be very serious and life-threatening. P. aeruginosa can adhere to biotic and abiotic surfaces through the organisation of bacterial biofilms known to confer drug resistance. Consequently, the logical and strategic intervention against bacterial biofilms is the use of multi-targeted combinational therapies. The present study reports the antibacterial and antibiofilm effect of tormentic acid and Callistemon citrinus extracts on P. aeruginosa.
Methods: Tormentic acid, hydroethanolic extract, and DCM: methanol extract from C. citrinus were studied for their inhibitory effects on the growth of P. aeruginosa using the microbroth dilution method. Their effect on biofilms was studied using a crystal violet.
Results: These compounds did not effectively inhibit growth because the minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) was greater than 100 µg/ml. The standard drug, ciprofloxacin inhibited growth with an MIC of 0.25 µg/ml. Ciprofloxacin had a minimum biofilm inhibitory concentration (MBIC) greater than 1 µg/ml. Tormentic acid and the two extracts were able to significantly inhibit the adhesion of P. aeruginosa cells, which led to an indirect reduction of biofilms formed at 100 µg/ml. The result of the biofilm detachment assay showed that tormentic acid and DCM: methanol extract had a significant effect on biofilm disruption while the hydroethanolic extract had no effect on biofilm detachment. Capsular polysaccharide analysis showed that the test samples tormentic acid, hydroethanolic, and DCM: methanol extracts significantly reduced the amount of capsular polysaccharide content at 100 µg/ml. Ciprofloxacin at 0.25 µg/ml (MIC) did not reduce the amount of extracellular polysaccharide formed.
Conclusions: Tormentic acid and extracts significantly reduced amount of extracellular polysaccharide content, which are an important requirement in cell adhesion process resulting in reduced amount of biofilms formed. Tormentic acid can be considered as a candidate compound for the development of antibiofilm drugs.
Integrated Effect of Bacillus pumilus and Mineral Fertilizers on Growth Parameters on Potato (Solanum tuberosum L. cv. Citlali)
Authors: Paz-Osorio Denisse Monserrat de la , Paz Laura Sanchez , Portilla-Lopez Nadia de la , Vaca-Paulín Rocío , Fuente Jorge Lugo-de la , Wong-Villarreal Arnoldo , Águila-Juárez Pedro del , Mora-Herrera Martha Elena , Ocampo Gustavo Yañez
Published: July 2023

Background and aims Plant Growth Promoting Rhizobacteria can make available phosphorus (P) for crops of economic and food importance such as Solanum tuberosum L. (potato), allowing the application of fertilizers to be reduced. The aim was evaluate the integral effect of Bacillus pumilus (phosphate solubilizer) alone and with 30 kg P/ha, as well as a conventional fertilization of 60 kg P/ha on growth, production and sprouting of potato under greenhouse conditions. Methods Five treatments were assayed: NPK 100% (T1), NK 100% (T2), B. pumilus, BP (T3), BP + NPK 50% (T4), BP + NK 50% (T5). To measure the efect of mixture bacteria and fertilizer on crop development, we recorded plant height, fresh and dry weights, number of internodes, SPAD values, fresh weight of tubers, total number of tubers, number of tubers with diameters greater than or equal to 15 mm, length and width of sprouts. Results Potato growth parameters indicated a similarity in: plant height (21.65 cm, 20.95 cm), number of internodes (12.42, 13.11), fresh (9.97 g, 5.53 g) and dry weights (1.87 g, 1.08 g) of the treatments T1 and T4, respectively. In mini-tuber production and sprouting, tuber fresh weight (g), number of total tubers, tuber diameter ≥ 15 mm, and sprout width were statistically significant at T4 respect to treatment with B. pumilus alone. Conclusion Compared to conventional mineral fertilization B. pumilus with 50% mineral fertilizer, have equal effect on plant growth values of potato, production and sprouting of mini tubers.
Flaxseed Derived Secoisolariciresinol diglucoside Enriched Fermented Milk Exhibits Antiosteopenic Effects in Ovariectomized Rats
Authors: Thomas Elizabeth , Panjagari Narender Raju , Ganguly Sangita , Deepika Sameni , Kapila Suman , Singh Ashish Kumar
Published: July 2023

The current research aims to validate the effect of flaxseed lignan (secoisolariciresinol diglucoside (SDG)) enriched dahi (analogues to yoghurt) in preventing menopausal osteoporosis in-vivo using an ovariectomized (OVX) rat model. Forty female Albino Wistar rats (3 months old, > 180 g) were divided into sham, OVX control, OVX + control dahi, OVX + SDG enriched dahi groups (n = 8). The results of the animal study indicated the serum calcium and estrogen levels and the bone ash calcium were decreased by 32.27%, 30.95% and 48.46% respectively after ovariectomy, compared to the sham group. The administration of the control dahi increased the serum calcium and estrogen levels as well as the bone ash calcium by 6.26%, 38.62% and 44.57%, while, the daily administration of the SDG enriched dahi (20 g, ~ 260 mg SDG) for eight weeks increased them by 37.37%, 85.52% and 82.34%, respectively, compared to OVX group. The micro-CT analysis of proximal tibial metaphysis region revealed that the ovariectomy decreased the bone mineral density (BMD) and trabecular thickness (Tb.Th) by 11.06% and 90.69%, while the trabecular separation (Tb.Sp.) was increased by 90.69% compared to the sham control group rats. The administration of the control dahi increased the BMD and Tb.Th by 8.85% and 10.04%, and decreased Tb.Sp by 22.13%, whereas the supplementation of SDG enriched dahi increased them by 13.84% and 26.10%, respectively and decreased the Tb.Sp by 88.82% compared to OVX rats. Similar results were obtained in the micro-CT analysis of distal femur epiphysis region. Hence, based on the above results, it could be concluded that the developed product could be useful in alleviating postmenopausal osteoporosis.
The emergence of clonally diverse carbapenem-resistant Enterobacter cloacae complex in West Bengal, India: A dockyard of β-lactamases periling nosocomial infections
Authors: Das Surojit , Mallick Abhi , Barik Mili , Sarkar Soma , Saha Puranjay
Published: July 2023

Carbapenem-resistant Enterobacter cloacae complex (CRECC) constitutes a global public health threat challenging clinical treatment and infection control, especially in low- and middle-income countries such as India. We analyzed the antimicrobial susceptibility, major β-lactamase genes, plasmid profiles, and genetic relatedness to understand the molecular epidemiology of CRECC clinical isolates (n=44) in West Bengal, India, during 2021-2022. The majority (>55%) of the isolates were resistant to fluoroquinolones, aminoglycosides, and co-trimoxazole, even >20% for tigecycline and >35% were extensively drug-resistant. Co-β-lactamase production was categorized into twenty-seven types, importantly NDM (84%), OXA-48 (40%), TEM (61%), CTX-M (46%), OXA-1 (55%), and MIR (27%). The NDM-1 and OXA-181 were major variants with the observations of two novel NDM-24 and -29 variants. Wide-range of plasmids (2 to >212kb) were harbored by the β-lactamase-producing isolates: small (91%), medium (27%), large (9%), and mega (71%). IncX3, ColE1, and HI2 were noted in about 30% of isolates, while IncF and R were carried by <20% of isolates. The clonally diverse CRECC isolates were noted to cause cross-infections, especially at superficial site, bloodstream, and urinary-tract. This is the first molecular surveillance on CRECC in India. The study isolates serve as the dockyard of NDM, TEM, and CTX-M harboring a wide range of plasmids. The outcomes of the study may strengthen local and national policies for infection prevention and control practices, clarifying the genetic diversity among CRECC. Extensive genomic study may further intersect the relationships between these different plasmids, especially with their sizes, types, and antibiotic resistance markers.
Cyr61 promotes inflammation in EtOH-induced RAW264.7 cell by regulating Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway
Authors: Shi Wanrong , Chen Bangjie , Yang Wenzhi , Yang Fan , Wang Xinyi , Li Jiajin , Yang Yipin , Sun Yuansong , Li He
Published: July 2023

Growth factors induce Cysteine-rich 61 (Cyr61), a member of the Cyr61/CTGF/Nov (CCN) family of proteins, which interacts with a number of integrins and with the proteoglycans heparan sulfate. Cyr61 participates in angiogenesis, cell differentiation, death, and the production of the extracellular matrix. Recent data have shown that Cyr61 is a key chemokine in controlling inflammation and fibrosis in liver injury, but until recently, uncertainty surrounds Cyr61's part in alcoholic liver disease (ALD). This work investigated Cyr61 expression in RAW264.7 cells induced by EtOH and its impact on pertinent cell function. The findings showed that Cyr61 was increased in EtOH-induced RAW264.7 cells and that it may have an adverse effect on cell survival, stimulate the release of inflammatory cytokines, boost cell growth, and block apoptosis. The signaling pathway for Wnt and β-catenin may be activated as part of the mechanism. The involvement of Cyr61 in EtOH-induced RAW264.7 cells was disclosed by our investigation, offering a fresh target for the prevention and treatment of ALD.
Artemisinin-naphthoquine plus lower-dose primaquine to treat and prevent recurrence of Plasmodium vivax malaria: an open-label randomized and non-inferiority trial
Authors: Liu Hui , Xu Jian-Wei , Deng Dao-Wei , Yaw Bi , Nbwi Hkawn Shawng , Wei Chun , Zhou Xing-Wu , Li Jian-Xiong
Published: July 2023

Background: Plasmodium vivax malaria with the widest geographic distribution is also capable of causing severe disease and death. Primaquine is the main licensed antimalarial drug that can kill hypnozoites. The dose-dependent acute haemolysis in individuals with glucose-6-phospate dehydrogenase (G6PD) deficiency is the main safety concern in use of primaquine. The recommended treatment regimen for P. vivax malaria is chloroquine plus primaquine over 14 days (CQPQ14) in Myanmar. The study aimed to evaluate the therapeutic efficacy, safety and adherence of the regimen of artemisinin-naphthoquine plus primaquine over 3 days (ANPQ3) in patients of P. vivax infections compared to those of CQPQ14.
Methods: A patient in group ANPQ3 was given fixed-dose artemisinin-naphthoquine (a total 24.5mg per kilogram) plus a lower total primaquine dose (0.9 mg per kilogram)over 3 days (group ANPQ3). The patient in group CQPQ14 were given a total chloroquine dose of 30 mg per kilogram of body weight over 3 days plus a total primaquine dose of 4.2 mg per kilogram over 14 days. All patients were followed up for 365 days.
Results: A total of 288 patients were completed follow up, 172 in group ANPQ3 and 116 in group CQPQ14. No recurrences were observed till day 57. By day 182, a total 31 recurrences were recorded: 12 (7.0%) in Group ANPQ3 and 4 (3.4%) patients in Group CQPQ14. The difference of recurrence-free patients was 3.5 (-8.6 – 1.5) percentage points between group ANPQ3 and group CQPQ14 (P=0.2946). By day 365, the percentage of recurrence-free patient was not significant between the two groups (P=0.2257). Mean fever and parasite clearance time of group ANPQ3 were shorter than those of group CQPQ14 (P≤0.001). No any severe adverse effect was observed in group ANPQ3, but 5 (3.9%) patients with acute haemolysis in group CQPQ14 (P=0.013).Medication percentage of group ANPQ3 was significantly higher than that of group CQPQ14 (P<0.0001).
Conclusions: The radial cue efficacy is no non-inferiority between the ANPQ3 and the CQPQ14. The ANPQ3 clears fever and parasites faster than the CQPQ14. The ANPQ3 is a safer and better adherence treatment regimen for P. vivax malaria along China-Myanmar border.
The epidemiology of hoof-related lameness in western Canadian feedlot cattle
Authors: Erickson Sarah , Booker Calvin , Jelinski Murray , Schwartkopf-Genswein Karen , Janzen Eugene
Published: July 2023

The objectives of this study were to describe the epidemiol­ogy of hoof-related lameness (HRL) and digital dermatitis (DD) in western Canadian feedlots and inform recommendations on control and prevention. Animal health data (n = 1,772,565 head of cattle) from 28 western Canadian feedlots (2014-2018) were accessed though a proprietary database and analyzed using commercially available software. Lameness accounted for 25.73% of treatments with 71.70% being HRL, representing 18.62% of all treatments.
Benefits of using LVTs/assistants in food animal medicine
Authors: Aiton Blake
Published: July 2023

The use of veterinary technicians or veterinary assistants in food animal medicine, especially cow-calf medicine, is highly underutilized, and is an area that should be more thoroughly explored. Often, bovine veterinarians bring no help for chute side activities such as bangs vaccinating, pregnancy diagnosis, ultrasound, breeding soundness exams, and routine vaccina­tion of cattle. A very obvious benefit to bringing a technician to the field is increased efficiency of work, as most procedures at the chute are often where activities take place that ultimately decrease pace. That being said, many other benefits of bring­ing trained help often go unrecognized, such as quality of chute side activities, increased client/clinic relationship, and most importantly, value-added services. With the rise in lay people diagnosing pregnancies and conducting breeding soundness exams, adding perceived value is crucial in maintaining high-value services in your clinic, as well as separating ourselves from the lay person.
Microbiology, MALDI-TOF, Microbiome and more: How to understand and use diagnostic tests to improve udder health
Authors: Ruegg Pamela L.
Published: July 2023

Determining an appropriate intervention after intramammary infection depends on an accurate diagnosis, but there are a bewildering variety of tests that can be used to detect mastitis and determine etiology. Traditional microbiological tests rely on phenotypic and/or biochemical methods to identify bacteria but more accurate identification is achieved using newer meth­ods such as Maldi-Tof which often results in a confusing array of unfamiliar bacterial names. Non-culture-based methods such as PCR are increasingly affordable but have both strengths and limitations that need to be acknowledged when making management decisions. Other technologies, such as determina­tion of the milk microbiome have unfamiliar terminology and methods that require explanation before used to make deci­sions about handling mastitis cases. In this presentation the methods and clinical implications of using traditional microbi­ology and farm based or laboratory based molecular methods to diagnose mastitis will be discussed with emphasis on practi­cal decision making.
Field rumen fistula surgery (indications and procedure)
Authors: Rademacher Ryan D.
Published: July 2023

Rumen fistulation (bloat surgery) is a valuable procedure to manage chronic bloat in cattle. Case selection and proper pre­operative assessment is imperative as this procedure should be reserved for animals that have chronic recurring free gas bloat and will remain in the production phase for a sufficient period to warrant the invasiveness of the procedure. Not all animals with chronic bloat are ideal candidates for a rumen fistula; however, in those that are, the procedure is relatively simple and quick to perform. Postoperative care includes analgesia and broad-spec­trum antimicrobials, and if the animal does not succumb to the underlying condition that may be contributing to chronic bloat, the prognosis for these animals is generally good.
Bandaging, casting and splinting
Authors: Schleining Jennifer A.
Published: July 2023

Trauma, including lacerations and fractures, are a common presentation to bovine practitioners. Additionally, the need for wound dressing following surgical procedures of the foot is a primary care necessity. Factors that can negatively affect wound healing include duration of time from injury to veteri­nary intervention, level of contamination, and involvement of pertinent anatomical structures including blood supply and synovial structures. Proper attention to wound management and fracture immobilization through the use of coaptation can positively influence the outcome of patients suffering from traumatic wounds.
Case selection and procedures to correct LDAs
Authors: Earnest Scott
Published: July 2023

Case selection is as important as surgical technique in the cor­rection of left displaced abomasum in dairy cattle. Important details to review prior to surgery will be outlined as well as the pros and cons of various methods of surgical treatment for left displaced abomasum.
Profitability of rural practice
Authors: Sellers Glen
Published: July 2023

There is a crisis in rural veterinary medicine as rural practitio­ners face challenges in different business environments. Rural veterinary practices are complex organizational systems with economic and demographic challenges directly associated with various causal conditions which affect practice profitability and efficiency. Supported by a grant from the U.S. Department of Agriculture, data was collected from 16 mixed rural veteri­nary practices in the southeastern United States over 4 years. A 3-year financial analysis found profits and owners’ compen­sation of 20.3% of gross revenues, cost of goods sold (COGS) of 37.8% of gross revenues, practice and doctor averages cli­ent transactions of $102 and $117, respectively. Population and income averages within 40 miles of the practice were 452,939 people with household incomes of $67,780. Compared to the averaged Well-Managed Practice Benchmarks 2019, American Animal Hospital Association 2019, and American Veterinary Medical Association 2017 data, potential causal conditions chal­lenges for rural practices limiting profitability are COGS, clini­cal revenue production, and clinical work efficiency.