bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Prevalence of Clostridium perfringens alpha toxin and enterotoxin in the faeces of dogs with acute haemorrhagic diarrhoea syndrome
Authors: Allen‐Deal A. , Lewis D.
Published: March 2021

Objectives

To investigate the prevalence of Clostridium perfringens alpha toxin encoding gene and C. perfringens enterotoxin encoding gene in dogs with acute haemorrhagic diarrhoea syndrome.

Materials and Methods

Retrospective study looking at the prevalence of C. perfringens alpha toxin and C. perfringens enterotoxin in the faeces of three groups of dogs – those with acute haemorrhagic diarrhoea syndrome (n = 16), those with haemorrhagic diarrhoea from another cause (n = 17) and those without haemorrhagic diarrhoea (n = 10). Correlation between the presence of C. perfringens alpha toxin and/or C. perfringens enterotoxin and Acute Patient Physiological and Laboratory Evaluationfast scores, acute haemorrhagic diarrhoea index scores and length of hospitalisation in dogs with acute haemorrhagic diarrhoea syndrome was assessed.

Results

Prevalence of C. perfringens alpha toxin was not higher in dogs with acute haemorrhagic diarrhoea syndrome (43.75%) than dogs with haemorrhagic diarrhoea from another cause (58.82%) (difference in prevalence 15.07%; 95% CI −37% to 32%) or in dogs without haemorrhagic diarrhoea (60%) (difference in prevalence 16.25%; 95% CI −4% to 36%). Dogs with acute haemorrhagic diarrhoea syndrome did not have a significantly higher prevalence of C. perfringens enterotoxin (18.75%) compared to dogs without haemorrhagic diarrhoea (11.76%) (difference in prevalence 6.99%; 95% CI −18% to 32%). Prevalence of C. perfringens enterotoxin was similar in dogs with acute haemorrhagic diarrhoea syndrome and dogs without haemorrhagic diarrhoea (20%) (difference in prevalence 1.25% 95% CI −33% to 30%).

The presence of C. perfringens alpha toxin did not correlate with increased Acute Patient Physiological and Laboratory Evaluationfast scores, acute haemorrhagic diarrhoea index scores or length of hospitalisation in dogs with acute haemorrhagic diarrhoea syndrome.

Clinical Significance

This study does not demonstrate increased prevalence of C. perfringens alpha toxin or C. perfringens enterotoxin in dogs with acute haemorrhagic diarrhoea syndrome compared to dogs with haemorrhagic diarrhoea from another cause or dogs without haemorrhagic diarrhoea.
Normal values for respiratory sleep polygraphy in children aged 4 to 9 years at 2,560 m above sea level
Authors: Ucros Santiago , Granados Claudia , Hill Catherine , Castro‐Rodriguez Jose Antonio , Ospina Juan Camilo
Published: March 2021

Obstructive sleep apnea syndrome affects 1%–4% of all children worldwide. Currently, diagnosis of obstructive sleep apnea is based on sea‐level guidelines, without taking into account the altitude at which the populations live. It has been shown that at 3,200 m of altitude there is an increase in obstructive events in healthy children aged 7 to 16 years; on the other hand, it is known that SpO2 dispersion between individuals becomes wider as altitude increases, a phenomenon that is more marked during sleep. About 17 million Colombians live in regions between 2,500 m and 2,700 m, as do significant populations in other Latin American countries. This research aimed to characterize respiratory polygraphy sleep parameters in healthy, non‐snoring children aged 4–9 years living at 2,560 m. We carried out home respiratory polygraphy in 32 children with a mean age of 6.2 years (range 4–9 years). The average recorded sleep time was 7.8 h, the median apnea–hypopnea index was 9.2/h, the obstructive apnea–hypopnea index had a median of 8.8/h (p5 4.2 to p95 17.9) and central apnea a median of 0.4/h. The median SpO2 was 93% (p5 90.5 to p95 94) and transcutaneous CO2 had a median of 39.4 mmHg (p531.7 to p95 42.3). The median oxygen desaturation index ≥ 3% was 11.2 and median oxygen desaturation index ≥ 4% was 3.9. Normal measurements for respiratory polygraphy obtained at sea level do not apply to children at altitude. If such guidelines are used, obstructive sleep apnea will be over‐diagnosed, resulting in unnecessary adenotonsillectomies, among other interventions.
Double continuation regions for American options under Poisson exercise opportunities
Authors: Palmowski Zbigniew , Pérez José Luis , Yamazaki Kazutoshi
Published: March 2021

We consider the Lévy model of the perpetual American call and put options with a negative discount rate under Poisson observations. Similar to the continuous observation case, the stopping region that characterizes the optimal stopping time is either a half‐line or an interval. The objective of this paper is to obtain explicit expressions of the stopping and continuation regions and the value function, focusing on spectrally positive and negative cases. To this end, we compute the identities related to the first Poisson arrival time to an interval via the scale function and then apply those identities to the computation of the optimal strategies. We also discuss the convergence of the optimal solutions to those in the continuous observation case as the rate of observation increases to infinity. Numerical experiments are also provided.
Modeling of microstructural effects on the creep of hardened cement paste using an experimentally informed lattice model
Authors: Gan Yidong , Romero Rodriguez Claudia , Zhang Hongzhi , Schlangen Erik , van Breugel Klaas , Šavija Branko
Published: March 2021

This paper presents a method to numerically investigate the microstructural effect on the creep behavior of cement paste at the microscale. The lattice fracture model is extended to consider local time‐dependent deformations of calcium‐silicate‐hydrate phases in the cement paste by imposing local forces. The term “experimentally informed model” is used herein as the heterogeneous microstructures of hardened cement pastes were obtained by using the X‐ray computed microtomography and directly implemented into the model. The mechanical and creep properties of different constituents at the resolution of 5 µm were inversely identified from the fracture and creep bending tests on cementitious microcantilever beams at the microscale. The model is then validated through the comparison with the testing results of cement pastes with different w/c ratios and microstructures. It is found that the developed model can successfully reproduce experimentally observed behaviors and be applied to explain the experimental results in detail. With the method presented in this paper, the relationship between the volume fractions of different components and the global creep behavior of cement paste can be established. The validation of the model performed at the microscale forms a basis for the multiscale analysis of concrete creep.
Experiments on causal exclusion
Authors: Blanchard Thomas , Murray Dylan , Lombrozo Tania
Published: March 2021

Intuitions play an important role in the debate on the causal status of high‐level properties. For instance, Kim has claimed that his “exclusion argument” relies on “a perfectly intuitive … understanding of the causal relation.” We report the results of three experiments examining whether laypeople really have the relevant intuitions. We find little support for Kim's view and the principles on which it relies. Instead, we find that laypeople are willing to count both a multiply realized property and its realizers as causes, and regard the systematic overdetermination implied by this view as unproblematic.
Percutaneous Endoscopic Interlaminar Discectomy via Laminoplasty Technique for L5–S1 Lumbar Disc Herniation with a Narrow Interlaminar Window
Authors: Wu Tian‐long , Yuan Jing‐hong , Jia Jing‐yu , He Ding‐wen , Miao Xin‐xin , Deng Jian‐jian , Cheng Xi‐gao
Published: March 2021

Objective

To improve the treatment effect of patients with L5S1 lumber disc herniation (LDH) with a narrow interlaminar window, we proposed an alternative approach to percutaneous endoscopic interlaminar discectomy (PEID) via the laminoplasty technique.

Methods

Fifteen L5S1 LDH patients (7 men and 8 women; age range, 22 to 56 years; median age, 34 years; 9 left, 6 right) were enrolled in the present study retrospectively. The interlaminar windows of all patients were narrow (the transverse diameter of the L5S1 interlaminar window is equal to or less than that of L4–5). Percutaneous laminoplasty and endoscopic interlaminar discectomy surgery were undergone by all patients from July 2018 to July 2019. All operations were completed under local anesthesia. The target laminoplasty area was the safety zone, use of which avoids both transverse and exit nerve roots. Under fluoroscopic guidance or clear endoscopic visualization, the trephines were used to enlarge the interlaminar window, which allowed the working cannula to enter the spinal canal but avoid nerve roots and the dural sac. The preoperative/postoperative visual analogue scale (VAS) scores and Oswestry disability index (ODI) were statistically analyzed. The modified MacNab criterion was used to assess the clinical effects. The radiological outcomes were evaluated by MRI and CT. SPSS 19.0 software was used for the statistical evaluation.

Results

The operative time ranged from 70 to 120 min, with a median time of 92 min, and the fluoroscopy times ranged from 8 to 12, with a median of 9.7 times. The body mass index (BMI) of patients ranged from 18.10 to 26.06, with a median of 22.04. All patients were followed up in the outpatient department for at least 12 months after surgery. At the last follow up, the average VAS‐Back score of the study patients was reduced from 5.33 ± 2.09 to 2.00 ± 1.20 (P < 0.001) and the average VAS‐Leg score was reduced from 7.53 ± 1.69 to 1.47 ± 0.92 (P < 0.001). The average ODI scores improved from 47.87 ± 11.41 to 12.93 ± 3.24 (P < 0.01). According to the modified MacNab criteria, 11 cases achieved excellent results and 4 cases achieved good results. All of the operations were successful. There wertr no nerve root injuries, dural tears, or other complications.

Conclusion

The laminoplasty approach for PEID provides a safe and useful alternative for the treatment of L5–S1 LDH patients with a narrow interlaminar window.
Human Beings Among the Beasts
Authors: Bailey Andrew M. , Pruss Alexander R.
Published: March 2021

In this article, we develop and defend a new argument for animalism – the thesis that we human persons are human animals. The argument takes this rough form: since our pets are animals, we are too. We'll begin with remarks on animalism and its rivals, develop our main argument, and then defend it against a few replies.
The use of respiratory pathogen panel nasal polymerase chain reaction testing in predicting cutaneous enteroviral infections in the pediatric population
Authors: Perez Victoria A. , Melnick Laura E. , Whittier Susan , Dayan Peter S. , Garzon Maria C. , Morel Kimberly D. , Levin Laura E , Lauren Christine T
Published: March 2021

Background/Objective

To characterize the relationship between the presence of enteroviral skin infection, defined as a positive skin polymerase chain reaction (PCR) test, and the nasopharyngeal (NP) respiratory pathogen panel (RPP) PCR test which includes enterovirus/rhinovirus as an analyte.

Methods

A retrospective chart review was performed on 543 subjects, age 18 years or younger, who had enterovirus (EV) skin swabs performed at an academic medical center in New York City between September 2014 and November 2019. Those patients with positive EV skin PCR were considered to have an enteroviral skin infection, and those with a negative EV skin PCR were considered not to have an enteroviral skin infection. Of those 543 children who had EV skin PCR, 170 also had an NP swab RPP performed. These NP swab RPP results were characterized as positive or negative, and if positive, it was noted if the patient was positive or negative for enterovirus/rhinovirus. The positive predictive value (PPV), negative predictive value (NPV), specificity, and sensitivity of a NP swab RPP for enteroviral skin infection were then calculated.

Results

An enterovirus/rhinovirus NP swab RPP had a NPV of 95%, PPV of 43%, sensitivity of 90%, and specificity of 62% for cutaneous enterovirus infection.

Conclusion

The enteroviral skin PCR test is an assay that was validated at this institution. In clinically suspicious cases of EV, a positive NP swab RPP for enterovirus/rhinovirus is a sensitive test. A negative test is highly predictive of not having EV on the skin. Although further data are needed, given that NP swab RPP is readily available, these data may suggest that an NP swab RPP, when appropriately utilized, can support or exclude a clinical diagnosis of cutaneous enterovirus in the pediatric population.
Molecular and biochemical characterization of Colletotrichum gloeosporioides isolates resistant to azoxystrobin from grape in China
Authors: Wei Lingling , Zheng Huanhuan , Zhang Pengcheng , Chen Wenchan , Zheng Jiaqiu , Chen Changjun , Cao Aibing
Published: March 2021

Anthracnose, caused by Colletotrichum gloeosporioides, is one of the most important diseases in grape‐growing regions worldwide. In Jiangsu Province of China, quinone‐outside inhibitor fungicides (QoIs) have been extensively sprayed as disease control for more than 10 years. A spore germination assay of 64 isolates obtained from 32 commercial vineyards was used to assess isolate sensitivity to azoxystrobin and 62 were found to be resistant to azoxystrobin. The biological fitness of QoI‐resistant (QoIR) isolates was significantly lower than the sensitive isolates (QoIS) in terms of mycelial growth and conidiation. Nucleotide sequence alignment of CgCytb genes from the QoIR and QoIS isolates revealed that two point mutations (F129L and G143A) are involved in the QoI resistance. Isolates with the G143A mutation expressed high resistance to azoxystrobin, whereas isolates carrying the F129L mutation exhibited moderate resistance. Positive cross‐resistance was observed between azoxystrobin and kersoxim‐methyl, pyraclostrobin, or benzothiostrobin, but not with fluazinam. This study provides important information for management of QoIR populations of C. gloeosporioides in the field.
Significance of solute specificity, expression, and gating mechanism of tonoplast intrinsic protein during development and stress response in plants
Authors: Sudhakaran Sreeja , Thakral Vandana , Padalkar Gunashri , Rajora Nitika , Dhiman Pallavi , Raturi Gaurav , Sharma Yogesh , Tripathi Durgesh K. , Deshmukh Rupesh , Sharma Tilak Raj , Sonah Humira
Published: March 2021

Tonoplast intrinsic proteins (TIPs), belonging to the aquaporin family, are transmembrane channels located mostly at the tonoplast of plant cells. The TIPs are known to transport water and many other small solutes such as ammonia, urea, hydrogen peroxide, and glycerol. In the present review, phylogenetic distribution, structure, transport dynamics, gating mechanism, sub‐cellular localization, tissue‐specific expression, and co‐expression of TIPs are discussed to define their versatile role in plants. Based on the phylogenetic distribution, TIPs are classified into five distinct groups with aromatic‐arginine (Ar/R) selectivity filters, typical pore‐morphology, and tissue‐specific gene expression patterns. The tissue‐specific expression of TIPs is conserved among diverse plant species, more particularly for TIP3s, which are expressed exclusively in seeds. Studying TIP3 evolution will help to understand seed development and germination. The solute specificity of TIPs plays an imperative role in physiological processes like stomatal movement and vacuolar sequestration as well as in alleviating environmental stress. TIPs also play an important role in growth and developmental processes like radicle protrusion, anther dehiscence, seed germination, cell elongation, and expansion. The gating mechanism of TIPs regulates the solute flow in response to external signals, which helps to maintain the physiological functions of the cell. The information provided in this review is a base to explore TIP's potential in crop improvement programs.
Cross‐modal predictive processing depends on context rather than local contingencies
Authors: Dercksen Tjerk T. , Stuckenberg Maria V. , Schröger Erich , Wetzel Nicole , Widmann Andreas
Published: March 2021

Visual symbols or events may provide predictive information on to‐be‐expected sound events. When the perceived sound does not confirm the visual prediction, the incongruency response (IR), a prediction error signal of the event‐related brain potentials, is elicited. It is unclear whether predictions are derived from lower‐level local contingencies (e.g., recent events or repetitions) or from higher‐level global rules applied top‐down. In a recent study, sound pitch was predicted by a preceding note symbol. IR elicitation was confined to the condition where one of two sounds was presented more frequently and was not present with equal probability of both sounds. These findings suggest that local repetitions support predictive cross‐modal processing. On the other hand, IR has also been observed with equal stimulus probabilities, where visual patterns predicted the upcoming sound sequence. This suggests the application of global rules. Here, we investigated the influence of stimulus repetition on the elicitation of the IR by presenting identical trial trains of a particular visual note symbol cueing a particular sound resulting either in a congruent or an incongruent pair. Trains of four different lengths: 1, 2, 4, or 7 were presented. The IR was observed already after a single presentation of a congruent visual‐cue‐sound combination and did not change in amplitude as trial train length increased. We conclude that higher‐level associations applied in a top‐down manner are involved in elicitation of the prediction error signal reflected by the IR, independent from local contingencies.
Influence of seminal plasma during different stages of bovine sperm cryopreservation
Authors: Zoca Gabriela Bertaiolli , Celeghini Eneiva Carla Carvalho , Pugliesi Guilherme , de Carvalho Carla Patricia Teodoro , Assumpção Mayra Elena Ortiz D'Avila , Siqueira Adriano Felipe Perez , Oliveira Leticia Zoccolaro , Lançoni Renata , de Arruda Rubens Paes
Published: March 2021

This study aimed to evaluate the effect of seminal plasma on bovine sperm cryopreservation and to assess the integrity of plasma and acrosomal membranes, mitochondrial potential, remodelling of F‐actin cytoskeleton and sperm chromatin fragmentation during the cooling, equilibrium and freezing/thawing stages. Six ejaculates collected from seven Nelore bulls (n = 42) were used in this study. Each ejaculate was divided into two aliquots (with seminal plasma = SP group; without seminal plasma = NSP group) and packed to a final concentration of 50 × 106 sperm per straw. Statistical analyses were performed using SAS software (version 9.3), and p ≤ .05 was considered significant. A time effect was observed for all sperm characteristics (p < .05), except for chromatin fragmentation (p > .05). The presence of seminal plasma better preserved the acrosomal integrity (SP = 75.2% and NSP = 71.7%; p < .05) and also provided lower F‐actin remodelling during cryopreservation process (SP = 29.9% and NSP = 32.4%; p < .05). Regarding to the cryopreservation stages, it was observed that cooling step induced higher remodelling of F‐actin than the equilibrium and freezing/thawing stages (56.3%, 32.2% and 23.9%, respectively; p < .05). The equilibrium step had minor influence on overall sperm characteristics while the freezing/thawing stage was responsible for the highest percentage of damage in plasma membrane (−65.2%), acrosomal membrane (−34.0%) and mitochondrial potential (−48.1%). On the other hand, none of the cryopreservation stages affected chromatin integrity. It was concluded that the presence of seminal plasma provides increased acrosomal integrity and reduced remodelling of F‐actin cytoskeleton. Higher F‐actin remodelling is observed after the cooling step while the freezing/thawing step is most damaging to sperm membranes and mitochondrial potential during bovine sperm cryopreservation.
Restoration benefits of soil nutrient manipulation and weeding in invaded dry and wet tropical ecosystems in Hawaiʻi
Authors: Cole Rebecca J. , Soper Fiona M. , Litton Creighton M. , Knauf Amanda E. , Sparks Kimberlee , Gerow Kenneth G. , Giardina Christian P. , Sparks Jed P.
Published: March 2021

Reducing soil nutrient availability has been proposed as a strategy to favor native vs. non‐native invasive plant species and represents a potential alternative to traditional manual removal or chemical control methods. We implemented a field experiment in invaded dry and wet montane Hawaiian ecosystems to test responses of soil and dominant plant species to three soil nutrient treatments (Control = no nutrient manipulation; Carbon = C substrate added to reduce nutrients; Fertilizer = fertilizer added to increase nutrients) and two non‐native plant treatments (Weeds removed; Weeds present) in a fully factorial experiment in each ecosystem over 18 months. Carbon amendments reduced soil inorganic nutrient availability by 60–70% in dry shrubland and 30–50% in wet forest. Fertilizer amendments increased soil inorganic nutrient availability by >20‐fold. Altered nutrient availability did not impact gross mineralization or nitrification rates in either ecosystem. In dry shrubland, neither C amendments nor weed removal altered growth or reproduction, but fertilizer increased woody growth and forb/grass reproduction in both natives and non‐natives. In wet forest, weed removal but not C amendments increased growth and survival of native woody seedlings, while fertilizer decreased native seedling survival and increased non‐native woody seedling growth. Overall, growth and reproduction of native and non‐natives responded similarly to altered nutrient availability, indicating that for the tropical ecosystems and species examined, manipulating nutrient availability does not favor native versus non‐native invasive plants in the first 18 months. In contrast, weed removal had positive effects on native plant growth, likely mediated through changes in other resources.
The Validity of Women's Reports of Family Planning Service Quality in Cambodia and Kenya
Authors: Blanc Ann K. , McCarthy Katharine J. , Warren Charlotte , Bajracharya Ashish , Bellows Benjamin
Published: March 2021

Population‐based indicators of the coverage of key elements of high‐quality family planning services are tracked via household surveys with female respondents, yet little work has been done to establish their validity. We take advantage of existing data sets from Cambodia and Kenya to compare women's responses at exit interviews following a health facility visit against the observations of a trained third‐party observer during the visit. The results, which treat the observations as the reference standard, show that indicators that measure contraceptive methods received are accurately reported while indicators of whether the woman received her preferred method and whether information was “discussed” or “explained” during counseling are less reliably reported. Studies designed explicitly to assess the validity of family planning questions in household surveys, especially questions in large survey programs critical for monitoring demographic trends and programmatic coverage, are needed.
The psychometric properties and norm data of the Norwegian military personality inventory (NMPI)
Authors: Nordmo Morten , Skoglund Tom H. , Lang‐ree Ole C. , Austad Sara K. , Martinussen Monica
Published: March 2021

The five‐factor structure is a well‐established model for personality. The five traits covary with job‐performance and work‐relevant outcomes. The practical administration of existing big‐five measurement scales is, however, somewhat limited, in a Norwegian setting, as existing scales are impractically large or have unknown psychometric properties. Because of this, a new brief Norwegian personality assessment tool has been developed by the Norwegian Armed Forces. This study aims to uncover the psychometric properties of the 50‐item Norwegian military personality inventory (NMPI‐50) and establish norm data for practical use. The inventory was administered to the 2002 cohort of Norwegian 17‐year olds (N = 54,355), and analyzed with factor analysis, graded response models and tests of gender invariance. The five scales of the NMPI‐50 showed satisfactory internal consistency, yielded high information across a broad range of the five traits, and conformed to a bi‐factor structure with one general factor and five specific factors. The general factor was positively associated with motivation for military service, indicating some measurement bias. The openness scale is less clearly psychometrically defined, compared to the other scales, and both extroversion and openness show some evidence of multidimensionality. The scales also showed scalar invariance between genders except for the openness scale. Overall, the results support the use of NMPI‐50 in personnel assessment and research.
The COVID‐19 crisis and policy responses by continental European welfare states
Authors: Cantillon Bea , Seeleib‐Kaiser Martin , van der Veen Romke
Published: March 2021

Social protection in Germany, Belgium and the Netherlands share Bismarckian roots. Over time, these welfare states were however in constant flux and incorporated to a greater or lesser extend elements of both the Anglo‐Saxon and Nordic models. While the Netherlands has from the beginning deviated from the Bismarckian model, in recent years this welfare state has undergone important reforms that have made it increasingly evolve into a “Bismarck cum Beveridge” model. Germany and Belgium also witnessed a dual transformation, with retrenched earnings‐related benefits for long‐term unemployed and an increasing number of atypically employed people on the one hand and expanded social security to the so‐called “new social risks” on the other. It is against this changing institutional background that we can understand the similarities and differences in the extent to which these three continental welfare states used traditional social insurance systems to buffer the social and economic consequences of confinement. First, all three countries strengthened to varying degrees social protection systems for the active age population. So conceived, the policy responses were a response to the dual transformation of social protection that took place in recent decades without, however, changing its course. Second, the extent to which continental welfare states made use of existing social insurance schemes seems to be related to the extent to which these welfare states have moved in the Anglo‐Saxon direction.
Social policy in the face of a global pandemic: Policy responses to the COVID‐19 crisis
Authors: Béland Daniel , Cantillon Bea , Hick Rod , Moreira Amílcar
Published: March 2021

How have welfare states responded to the coronavirus pandemic? In this introductory article, we provide a synopsis of papers that comprise this special issue on social policy responses to COVID‐19, an overview of some of the key questions they raise, and some provisional answers to these questions. Our conclusions are threefold: first, these social policy responses, while entailing new developments in many countries, nonetheless reflect, at least in part, existing national policy legacies. Second, these responses can be understood as a form of “emergency Keynesianism,” which is characterized by the massive use of deficit spending during economic crises, with the aim of to supporting rather than challenging core capitalist institutions. Third, there are clear differences in terms of the nature of the reforms enacted during the initial phase of the COVID‐19 crisis as compared to reforms enacted as a response to the 2008 financial crisis.
Plastidial acyl carrier protein Δ9‐desaturase modulates eicosapentaenoic acid biosynthesis and triacylglycerol accumulation in Phaeodactylum tricornutum
Authors: Smith Richard , Jouhet Juliette , Gandini Chiara , Nekrasov Vladimir , Marechal Eric , Napier Johnathan A. , Sayanova Olga
Published: March 2021

The unicellular marine diatom Phaeodactylum tricornutum accumulates up to 35% eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA, 20:5n3) and has been used as a model organism to study long chain polyunsaturated fatty acids (LC‐PUFA) biosynthesis due to an excellent annotated genome sequence and established transformation system. In P. tricornutum, the majority of EPA accumulates in polar lipids, particularly in galactolipids such as mono‐ and di‐galactosyldiacylglycerol. LC‐PUFA biosynthesis is considered to start from oleic acid (18:1n9). EPA can be synthesized via a series of desaturation and elongation steps occurring at the endoplasmic reticulum and newly synthesized EPA is then imported into the plastids for incorporation into galactolipids via an unknown route. The basis for the flux of EPA is fundamental to understanding LC‐PUFA biosynthesis in diatoms. We used P. tricornutum to study acyl modifying activities, upstream of 18:1n9, on subsequent LC‐PUFA biosynthesis. We identified the gene coding for the plastidial acyl carrier protein Δ9‐desaturase, a key enzyme in fatty acid modification and analyzed the impact of overexpression and knock out of this gene on glycerolipid metabolism. This revealed a previously unknown role of this soluble desaturase in EPA synthesis and production of triacylglycerol. This study provides further insight into the distinctive nature of lipid metabolism in the marine diatom P. tricornutum and suggests additional approaches for tailoring oil composition in microalgae.
Can non‐Mendelian inheritance of extrachromosomal circular DNA‐mediated EPSPS gene amplification provide an opportunity to reverse resistance to glyphosate?
Authors: Jugulam Mithila
Published: March 2021

Amplification of herbicide target genes conferring naturally evolved resistance in weed species is one of the novel and more recently known mechanisms of resistance. Numerous agriculturally important dicot and monocot weeds, including Palmer amaranth (Amaranthus palmeri), common waterhemp (Amaranthus tuberculatus) and Italian ryegrass (Lolium multiflorum), have evolved resistance to glyphosate via this mechanism. Specifically, the extrachromosomal amplification of the 5‐enopyruvlyshikimate‐3‐phosphate synthase (EPSPS) gene, the molecular target of glyphosate, was found to be the basis for glyphosate resistance in Amaranthus weeds, for example Palmer amaranth and common waterhemp. Nonetheless, the mechanism of extrachromosomal amplification of the EPSPS gene was different in these weeds. These extrachromosomal elements are newly identified genetic components and represent a paradigm shift in genetics to provide an adaptive advantage to organisms to withstand stress. Also, the extrachromosomal amplified copies are touted to be unstable in many organisms, due to their unpredictable behaviour during mitosis or meiosis, suggesting that they may have not integrated into the host genome. Therefore, it is reasonable to hypothesise that, in the absence of selection, the number of EPSPS copies may dissipate leading to the reversal of glyphosate resistance to susceptibility.
The Impact of Community Health Workers on HIV Therapy Outcome in Sub-Saharan Africa
Authors: Michielsen Lotte , Kiekens Anneleen , Vandamme Anne-Mieke
Published: March 2021

In sub-Saharan Africa, the burden on HIV care givers is high. This resulted in renewed interest in community health worker (CHW) programs. We conducted a review of the literature to summarize CHWs' effects on HIV therapy outcome. We also investigated which CHW tasks might favorably
impact treatment outcome.
 We conducted a comprehensive literature search in PubMed, Web of Science and Embase for papers published up to October 2018. The studies included were conducted on HIV-positive adults in sub-Saharan Africa and reported biological HIV outcomes. We systematically
collected data on HIV therapy outcome and CHW tasks. We used Bayesian network modelling for the analysis of CHW tasks.
 We included 19 studies in total: 4 randomized controlled trials, 8 comparative cohort studies and 7 single arm interventions. In all studies, CHW interventions
were beneficial or not inferior to standard of care (SOC). The more common tasks of CHWs involved an important human support component, with home visits being the most common task. Upon analysis we found indications that ART delivery, individual adherence support and frequent home visits were
predictive of a successful CHW intervention, defined as improved therapy outcome compared to SOC or reaching 90% of treated patients being virally suppressed.
 We found that CHW interventions are not inferior to SOC and might even be beneficial. We hypothesize that ART delivery,
individual adherence support and frequent home visits are predictive of a successful CHW intervention. Further research is needed to be able to judge whether any single task or a particular combination of tasks is significantly correlated with a successful CHW intervention, or whether such
tasks are context specific.
Towards a Resilient and Equitable Society: A Transdisciplinary Perspective
Authors: Bracho Montes de Oca Eduardo A. , Brand Iris , Malcoci Dumitru , Neyrinck Oscar , Zurel Kerim S. , Wu Ze Wen , Vandenbroeck Philippe , Vanwyngaerden Bart , Nguyen ToTran
Published: March 2021

Recurring crises have exposed time and again the inherent inequalities of our societies and their ill-equipped adjustment to an ever-changing environment. This paper attempts to address the challenge of creating a more resilient and equitable society by developing a feasible blueprint
for it through a bottom-up, transdisciplinary approach and the use of activity models methodology. The starting point of our analysis consisted of the identification of five cross-field societal issues, tack ling which would create a more equitable and resilient future for society: dangers
of private data extractions, carbon emission taxing, climate migration, public health affordability, and the crisis of representative democracy. By jointly engaging in transdisciplinary discussions and accommodating insights from diverse stakeholders we analyzed ways of dealing with each of
the issues, resulting in the creation of six activity models pertaining to them. The last step consisted in their integration into a single blueprint, achieved by devising a learning cycle running through the core of our societal model. The learning cycle organizes decision-making by identifying
the social needs of the citizens, prioritizing them, deciding on key investments, executing these and monitoring their results. It ensures, through the contribution of each activity model, an equitable and resilient development for society.
Le transfert singulier pour la formule des traces de Jacquet–Rallis
Authors: Chaudouard Pierre-Henri , Zydor Michał
Published: March 2021

La formule des traces relative de Jacquet–Rallis (pour les groupes unitaires ou les groupes linéaires généraux) est une identité entre des périodes des représentations automorphes et des distributions géométriques. Selon Jacquet et Rallis, une comparaison de ces deux formules des traces relatives devrait aboutir à une démonstration des conjectures de Gan–Gross–Prasad et Ichino–Ikeda pour les groupes unitaires. Les termes géométriques des groupes unitaires ou des groupes linéaires sont indexés par les points rationnels d'un espace quotient commun. Nous établissons que ces termes géométriques peuvent être vus comme des fonctionnelles sur des espaces d'intégrales orbitales semi-simples régulières locales. En outre, nous montrons que point par point ces distributions sont en fait égales, via l'identification des espaces d'intégrales orbitales locales donnée par le transfert et le lemme fondamental (essentiellement connus dans cette situation). Cela donne leur comparaison et cela clôt la partie géométrique du programme de Jacquet–Rallis. Notre résultat principal est donc un analogue de la stabilisation de la partie géométrique de la formule des traces due à Langlands, Kottwitz et Arthur.
Acute hypobaric hypoxia and cardiac energetic response in prepubertal rats: Role of nitric oxide
Authors: La Padula Pablo H. , Czerniczyniec Analia , Bonazzola Patricia , Piotrkowski Bárbara , Vanasco Virginia , Lores‐Arnaiz Silvia , Costa Lidia E.
Published: March 2021

New Findings

What is the central question of this study?

In adult rat hearts, exposure to hypobaric hypoxia increases tolerance to hypoxia–reoxygenation, termed endogenous cardioprotection. The mechanism involves the nitric oxide system and modulation of mitochondrial oxygen consumption. What is the cardiac energetic response in prepubertal rats exposed to hypobaric hypoxia?

What is the main finding and its importance?

Prepubertal rats, unlike adult rats, did not increase tolerance to hypoxia–reoxygenation in response acute exposure to hypobaric hypoxia, which impaired cardiac contractile economy. This finding could be related to a failure to increase nitric oxide synthase expression, hence modulation of mitochondrial oxygen consumption and ATP production.

Studies in our laboratory showed that exposure of rats to hypobaric hypoxia (HH) increased the tolerance of the heart to hypoxia–reoxygenation (H/R), involving mitochondrial and cytosolic nitric oxide synthase (NOS) systems. The objective of the present study was to evaluate how the degree of somatic maturation could alter this healthy response. Prepubertal male rats were exposed for 48 h to a simulated altitude of 4400 m in a hypobaric chamber. The mechanical energetic activity in perfused hearts and the contractile functional capacity of NOS in isolated left ventricular papillary muscles were evaluated during H/R. Cytosolic nitric oxide (NO), production of nitrites/nitrates (Nx), expression of NOS isoforms, mitochondrial O2 consumption and ATP production were also evaluated. The left ventricular pressure during H/R was not improved by HH. However, the energetic activity was increased. Thus, the contractile economy (left ventricular pressure/energetic activity) decreased in HH. Nitric oxide did not modify papillary muscle contractility after H/R. Cytosolic p‐eNOS‐Ser1177 and inducible NOS expression were decreased by HH, but no changes were observed in NO production. Interestingly, HH increased Nx levels, but O2 consumption and ATP production in mitochondria were not affected by HH. Prepubertal rats exposed to HH preserved cardiac contractile function, but with a high energetic cost, modifying contractile economy. Although this could be related to the decreased NOS expression detected, cytosolic NO production was preserved, maybe through the Nx metabolic pathway, without modification of mitochondrial ATP production and O2 consumption. In this scenario, the treatment was unable to increase tolerance to H/R as observed in adult animals.
Jeremy Bentham y los lectores neogranadinos
Authors: Jaramillo Escalante Marta Lucía
Published: March 2021

Este libro rastrea los diferentes escritos de Jeremy Bentham que llegaron a Colombia después de la Independencia, con el ánimo de establecer el pensamiento benthamista que fue leído por los neogranadinos. Así, se sigue la pista de Bentham a lo largo de la década de 1820, para definir hasta qué punto su filosofía moral influyó la sociedad colombiana. Para ubicar su producción literaria e intelectual y sus motivaciones, se interpreta la relación de los textos de Bentham con los lectores neogranadinos, mediante un examen de las diferentes versiones que surgieron antes de llegar a Colombia y las que efectivamente circularon en el territorio. En particular, se examina Tratados de legislación civil y penal, libro que se consideró obligatorio para la enseñanza de legislación universal y legislación civil y penal en el plan educativo de Francisco de Paula Santander entre 1820 y 1828. Finalmente, el estudio de la recepción de la obra benthamista suscita una reflexión sobre las maneras en las que se han entendido los comienzos de la república de Colombia.
A Mobile Mathieu Oscillator Model for Vibrational Locomotion of a Bristlebot
Authors: Tallapragada Phanindra , Gandra Chandravamsi
Published: March 2021

Terrestrial locomotion that is produced by creating and exploiting frictional anisotropy is common amongst animals such as snakes, gastropods, and limbless lizards. In this paper we present a model of a bristlebot that locomotes by generating frictional anisotropy due to the oscillatory motion of an internal mass and show that this is equivalent to a stick–slip Mathieu oscillator. Such vibrational robots have been available as toys and theoretical curiosities and have seen some applications such as the well-known kilobot and in pipe line inspection, but much remains unknown about this type of terrestrial locomotion. In this paper, motivated by a toy model of a bristlebot made from a toothbrush, we derive a theoretical model for its dynamics and show that its dynamics can be classified into four modes of motion: purely stick (no locomotion), slip, stick–slip, and hopping. In the stick mode, the dynamics of the system are those of a nonlinear Mathieu oscillator and large amplitude resonance oscillations lead to the slip mode of motion. The mode of motion depends on the amplitude and frequency of the periodic forcing. We compute a phase diagram that captures this behavior, which is reminiscent of the tongues of instability seen in a Mathieu oscillator. The broader result that emerges in this paper is that mobile limbless continuum or soft robots can exploit high-frequency parametric oscillations to generate fast and efficient terrestrial motion.
Increasing Life Span by Cooling the Laminated Core Segment of Motors to Reduce Material and Energy Costs Over the Lifecycle of Motors
Authors: Lucas Stephen , Bari Saiful
Published: March 2021

Internal losses in motor windings and cores result in unwanted heat. According to International Energy Agency, majority of motors in service today are AC induction motors between 0.75 and 375 kW. For these motors, internal losses (heat) are conducted to the surrounding environment by internal conduction to the casing and then to the surrounding environment by convection. For small motors of up to 5 kW, the cores are mounted in a simple round housing and as they get larger the housings are ribbed and external fans are installed. Motors are designed assuming an environmental maximum temperature of 40 °C and with a hot spot allowance of 10 °C can withstand up to 155 °C (class F) at the winding position. However, due to changes in environmental temperatures, system voltage variations and harmonics, winding temperatures often exceed this limit. Consequently, this range of motors last only approximately 3 years. This paper investigates the possible application of thermoelectric cooler (TEC) to increase the heat flow from the core to reduce the temperature at the winding position, potentially providing longer insulation and motor life. For small motors, they can be simply attached to the outer surface. For larger motors with frames incorporating cooling ribs, they could be installed between the cores and the frames. The experimental results found that the application of TEC reduces the winding temperatures by 25.4%. Ability to incorporate this technology allows the opportunity to add a controlled device that can reduce temperatures at the windings when the temperatures exceed normal ratings.
New species of oribatid mites of the subfamily Brachioppiinae (Acari, Oribatida, Oppiidae) from Hogsback, South Africa

Authors: Ermilov Sergey G. , Hugo-Coetzee Elizabeth A. , Khaustov Alexander A. , Khaustov Vladimir A.
Published: March 2021

Three new species of the oribatid mite family Oppiidae are described from soil and coniferous litter of Hogsback State Forest, Eastern Cape Province, South Africa. Brachioppia bituberculata sp. nov. differs from its related species, Brachioppia excrescens and B. louwi, by the localization of cilia on the bothridial head and length and placement of dorsal notogastral setae. Kokoppia macrotuberculata sp. nov. differs from its related species, Kokoppia longisetosa, by the body length, the length of notogastral setae, the localization of notogastral setae la and lm, and the presence of interbothridial macrotubercle. Pletzenoppia ethiopica sp. nov. differs from its related species, Pletzenoppia pletzenae, by the body length, different number of cilia on bothridial seta, the relative length of prodorsal setae, the localization of notogastral setae la and lm, and the absence of interbothridial tubercle. An identification key to known species of Pletzenoppia is presented.
Effects of short-term heat stress on the development and reproduction of predatory mite Neoseiulus barkeri (Acari, Phytoseiidae)

Authors: Li Wei Zhen , Li Hao Long , Guo Zi Kun , Shang Su Qin
Published: March 2021

The predatory mite Neoseiulus barkeri (Acari: Phytoseiidae), which is one of the best natural enemies, has been used as a biological control agent against multiple insect pests, such as spider mite, Tetranychus urticae and thrips. Its growth and development were affected by the environmental temperature changes. This study was conducted to evaluate the hatching rate of the eggs and the immature developmental times of N. barkeri after incubation of the eggs under heat stress at 38, 40 and 42℃, 85% ± 5% RH and a 16h:8h light: dark (L:D) photoperiod for 2, 4 and 6h. After adult females emerged, they were treated under the same conditions again, and the parameters such as oviposition period, fecundity and female longevity were observed. The results showed that with the increase of the temperature and the extension of the duration of the heat stress, the hatching rate was lower. The eggs treated at 42℃ for 2h or more could not hatch, and the developmental duration of each immature stage showed a trend of decreasing at first and then increasing. The fastest development was observed after incubation of eggs at 40℃ for 2h, and the shortest developmental duration was 4.60d. Under the condition of 38℃, the oviposition period and life span of adult females were shortened with the extension of treatment time, and the fecundity decreased at first and then increased. At 40℃, the fecundity, oviposition period and longevity of adult females showed a trend of gradual increase with the extension of treatment time. The shortest oviposition period, the lowest fecundity and the shortest life span of adult females were 12.14d, 18.92 eggs and 16.65d, respectively after incubation of eggs at 40℃, for 2h. Therefore, the short-term heat stress had a significant effect on the hatching rate and the duration of the immature stage, and also had a negative effect on the fecundity, oviposition period and longevity of adult females. In rearing and field release, heat stress should be avoided as much as possible to achieve the best predation and control effect of N. barkeri.