bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Hastane Çalışma Birimleri Ayrımında İş Kazalarının İncelenmesi: Ameliyathane Hemşireleri için İş Sağlığı ve Güvenliği Riskleri
Authors: TATLI YÖNDEM Mehpare
Published: December 2021

Sağlık kurumları tehlikeli kabul edilen diğer sektörlerden farklılaşan iş sağlığı ve güvenliği risklerine açıktır. Çalışanların gelişmiş uzmanlık düzeyi, yapılan işlerin ve çalışma alanlarının çeşitliliği, sağlık kurumlarında yürütülecek güvenlik programlarının alana özgü niteliklere sahip olmasını gerekli kılmaktadır. Bu çalışmada Türkiye'de bir üniversite hastanesinde anket uygulanarak kolayda örnekleme yöntemi kullanılmıştır. Araştırma kapsamında hemşirelerden oluşan 149 kişilik örneklem grubundan elde edilen verilerle, iş yerlerinde yaralanma ve enfeksiyon riski taşıyan kaza deneyimleri, çalışma ortamının yapısal unsurları açısından incelenmiştir. İncelenen kazalar arasında; iğne ile yaralanma, göze ya da ağıza sıçrama, kesici aletlerle yaralanma, açık yaraya temas ve diğer yaralanma türleri yer almaktadır. Diğer grup kazalar dışında tüm kaza türleri için ameliyathane hemşireleri en yüksek deneyim oranına sahiptir. Bununla birlikte kesici aletlerle yaralanma vakasında ameliyathane hemşireleri diğer gruptaki hemşirelere göre istatistiksel açıdan anlamlı düzeyde daha fazla kaza deneyimlemektedir (p<0,05). Araştırma sonuçları, çalışma birimleri ayrımında, ameliyathane hemşirelerinin yüksek riskli bir ortamda çalışmakta olduğunu işaret etmektedir.
Analysis of Learning Motivation and Burnout of Malaysian and Chinese College Students Majoring in Sports in an Educational Psychology Perspective
Authors: Xu Ruilin , Wang Qinglei , Chin Ngien Siong , Teo Eng Wah
Published: December 2021

The purposes are to deepen the understanding of the correlation between learning motivation and learning burnout and thereby stimulate the learning motivation of college students. According to the theory of educational psychology, mechanism of learning motivation, and causes of learning burnout are analyzed. The learning motivation and learning burnout of college students majoring in sports are taken as the breakthrough point. The learning motivation and learning burnout situation of Chinese and Malaysian students majoring in sports are surveyed and compared through questionnaires. In addition, Chinese students majoring in sports are taken as examples to analyze the impact of learning motivation on learning burnout. The correlations between various dimensions are analyzed to determine the impact of learning motivation on learning burnout. The total learning motivation scores of students from the Sport School of Zhengzhou University and the University of Malaya Centre for Sport and Exercise Sciences are 122.3 ± 22.4 and 140.2 ± 23.6, respectively, and their average scores for each question are 3.60 and 4.07, respectively. The total learning burnout scores of students from the Sport School of Zhengzhou University and the University of Malaya Centre for Sport and Exercise Sciences are 58.2 ± 8.95 and 53.6 ± 7.34, respectively. The learning motivation of Malaysian college students majoring in sports is slightly stronger than Chinese students. Compared with Malaysia, the learning burnout of college students majoring in sports in China is extra apparent, mainly exhibited in the two dimensions of depression and a low sense of achievement. The learning motivation and learning burnout of college students majoring in sports are negatively correlated; that is, the stronger the learning motivation, the weaker the learning burnout; on the contrary, the weaker the learning motivation, the more severe the learning burnout. In conclusion, learning burnout of college students can be reduced by correcting and stimulating their learning motivation and improving their learning self-efficacy.
Promoting Executive Function Skills in Preschoolers Using a Play-Based Program
Authors: Gibb Robbin , Coelho Lara , Van Rootselaar Nicole Anna , Halliwell Celeste , MacKinnon Michelle , Plomp Isabelle , Gonzalez Claudia L. R.
Published: December 2021

In recent years, play has been shown to be a powerful means to enhance learning and brain development. It is also known that through play children enhance their executive function (EF) skills. Furthermore, well-developed EF in preschoolers has been shown to be an important predictor for later academic and life success. Armed with this information a program, Building Brains and Futures (BBF), for developing EF through play was designed for 3–5-year-old. The program consisted of 10 simple, fun, and interactive games selected to enhance various facets of EF. The 10 games included were: dimensional change card sort, lips and ears, block building, musical freeze, opposites, pretend play, red light/green light, shared project, Simon says, and wait for it. The program was implemented with a group of children shown to have challenges with respect to kindergarten readiness. The approach was first, to build adult capability by sharing knowledge of brain development, EF, and the importance of play with educators, caregivers, and parents. Second, to build skills in delivering the program in the school setting. Children engaged with the program of games for a minimum of 6 weeks. Their performance on a battery of direct measures of EF, language, and motor skills, were recorded before and after the program. The results showed improvement in all three domains. In addition, adopters of the BBF program reported it was easily and successfully integrated into their existing preschool curricula. The importance of intentional adult directed play in building developmental learning, including EF, is discussed.
An IDA-PBC Design with Integral Action for Output Voltage Regulation in an Interleaved Boost Converter for DC Microgrid Applications
Authors: Montoya Oscar Danilo , Serra Federico Martin , Gil-González Walter , Asensio Eduardo Maximiliano , Bosso Jonathan Emmanuel
Published: December 2021

This paper describes the output voltage regulation control for an interleaved connected to a direct current (DC) microgrid considering bidirectional current flows. The proposed controller is based on an interconnection and damping passivity-based control (IDA-PBC) approach with integral action that regulates the output voltage profile at its assigned reference. This approach designs a control law via nonlinear feedback that ensures asymptotic stability in a closed-loop in the sense of Lyapunov. Moreover, the IDA-PBC design adds an integral gain to eliminate the possible tracking errors in steady-state conditions. Numerical simulations in the Piecewise Linear Electrical Circuit Simulation (PLECS) package for MATLAB/Simulink demonstrate that the effectiveness of the proposed controller is assessed and compared with a conventional proportional-integral controller under different scenarios considering strong variations in the current injected/absorbed by the DC microgrid.
Stress Intensity Factors for a Non-Circular Hole with Inclusion Layer Embedded in a Cracked Matrix
Authors: Chiu Chenchun , Tseng Shaochen , Chao Chingkong , Guo Jheyuan
Published: December 2021

The failure analysis of a non-circular hole with an inclusion layer embedded in an infinite cracked matrix under a remote in-plane uniform load is presented. In this study, a series solution of stress functions for both the matrix and inclusion layer is obtained using the complex variable theory in conjunction with the method of conformal mapping. The stress intensity factor (SIF) can then be determined numerically by solving the singular integral equation (SIE) for the interaction among different crack sites, material properties, and geometries of irregular holes with an inclusion layer. In particular, the failure behavior of composite structures associated with an approximately triangular hole and an approximately square hole with inclusion layers, such as those of oxides, nitrides, and sulfides, is examined in detail. The results demonstrate that a softer layer would enhance the SIF and a stiffer layer would restrain the SIF when a crack is near the inclusion layer. It can be concluded that crack propagation would be suppressed by a stiffer layer even when a micro-defect such as a hole resides in the inclusion layer.
The Detection of Wolbachia in Tea Green Leafhopper (Empoasca onukii Matsuda) and Its Influence on the Host
Authors: Zhang Qiuqiu , Lan Rongmeng , Ji Dezhong , Tan Yanni , Zhou Xia , Tan Xiaofeng , Wu Qiong , Jin Linhong
Published: December 2021

Tea green leafhopper (Empoasca onukii Matsuda) is a critical pest in tea production. Wolbachia has attracted much attention as a new direction of pest biological control for its ability of manipulating the hosts’ reproductive biology. In this work, we focused on the detection of Wolbachia in tea green leafhopper and its effect on host reproduction and development. Polymerase chain reaction (PCR), real-time PCR, and fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) techniques were used to detect the distribution of Wolbachia in tea green leafhopper. Wolbachia infection levels were different in different organs of hosts in different insect stages. In addition, comparison between the infected populations and cured population (treated by tetracyclines) revealed that presence of Wolbachia apparently influenced the growth, life cycle, and other reproductive factors of tea green leafhopper, caused, for example, by cytoplasmic incompatibility (CI), thereby reducing number of offspring, shortening lifespan, and causing female-biased sex ratio. This research confirmed that the bacteria Wolbachia was of high incidence in tea leafhoppers and could significantly affect the hosts’ reproductive development and evolution.
Agroforestry in the Czech Republic: What Hampers the Comeback of a Once Traditional Land Use System?
Authors: Lojka Bohdan , Teutscherová Nikola , Chládová Anna , Kala Lukáš , Szabó Péter , Martiník Antonín , Weger Jan , Houška Jakub , Červenka Jakub , Kotrba Radim , Jobbiková Jana , Doležalová Helena , Snášelová Martina , Krčmářová Jana , Vávrová Kamila , Králík Tomáš , Zavadil Tomáš , Lawson Gerry
Published: December 2021

The interest in re-implementing agroforestry (AF) in European agriculture due to its environmental benefits has been growing exponentially. We reviewed the historical background and the current state (extent, farmers’ perception, legislative support, and barriers) to evaluate the future perspectives of AF in Czechia by identifying the key factors hampering further extension. Our results confirmed that AF almost disappeared after the middle of the 19th century due to agricultural intensification and collectivization. Currently, AF is not defined in the Czech legislation and no modern AF has been encountered by this study. Areas falling into AF definition recently comprise only traditional AF (less than 1% of agricultural area remaining) represented only by silvopastoral AF. The results of a farmers’ survey indicated that despite relatively high interest in AF, excessive bureaucratization, high costs of establishment and uncertain profitability are severe concerns among farmers. We therefore conclude that there is a lack of legal recognition and marginalization of AF as the key obstacles of low adoption rates. We suggest that systematic support beyond subsidies should include raising awareness, research, policy, legislation changes, training, and advisory service, as a cornerstone for progressive development of AF and thus conservation and creation of economically and environmentally sound landscapes throughout Czechia.
Biostimulant Effects of Micro Carbon Technology (MCT®)-Based Fertilizers on Soil and Capsicum annuum Culture in Growth Chamber and Field
Authors: Antón-Herrero Rafael , García-Delgado Carlos , Mayans Begoña , Camacho-Arévalo Raquel , Delgado-Moreno Laura , Eymar Enrique
Published: December 2021

Due to the environmental issues that conventional fertilization is causing, biostimulants are proposed as environmentally friendly alternative for crop nutrition in agriculture. The aim of this study was to determine the effects of new Micro Carbon Technology (MCT®) fertilizers with biostimulant activity based on humic acids biologically digested from leonardite on pepper plant growth in three different soils with different textures. The assays were performed under controlled conditions in a growth chamber and in commercial greenhouses in Spain. The effects on soil were analyzed after the addition of the fertilizers by microbial respiration and enzymatic activities (hydrolase, dehydrogenase and urease). For the plant assays, biometric parameters (fresh weight and fruit hardness) and foliar analysis (chlorophyll indices and nutrients) were evaluated. Under controlled conditions, the use of these biostimulants resulted in a greater soil microbial activity in a 24 h interval with increased soil enzymatic activity. In plants, a positive correlation was found between fertilizers with biostimulant activity and Dualex indices of leaves and content of macronutrients Ca and Mg. In commercial greenhouses, the fertilizers with biostimulant activity strongly depended on the soil texture. In conclusion, these products have real potential to replace conventional fertilizers in commercial production fields.
The Lack of Knowledge on the Microbiome of Golf Turfgrasses Impedes the Development of Successful Microbial Products
Authors: Stingl Uli , Choi Chang Jae , Dhillon Braham , Schiavon Marco
Published: December 2021

Golf courses have a significant environmental impact. High water demands and the intensive use of agricultural chemicals have been a concern for decades and are therefore in the focus of efforts to make golf courses more environmentally sustainable. Products based on modifying or using plant-associated microbiota are one of the fastest-growing sectors in agriculture, but their application on turfgrasses on golf courses is so far negligible. In this review, we summarize the limited knowledge on microbiomes of golf turf ecosystems and show that the lack of holistic studies addressing the structure and function of golf turf microbiomes, including their responses to intense turf management procedures, is currently the main bottleneck for development and improvement of reliable, well-functioning microbial products. We further highlight the endosphere of turfgrasses, which is easily accessible for microbial cultivation through constant mowing, as the most stable and protected micro-environment. Many grass species do possess endophytic bacteria and fungi that have been shown to improve the plants’ resistance towards microbial pathogens and insect pests, and several products using endophyte-enhanced grass varieties are commercially successful. We anticipated that this trend would tee-off on golf courses, too, once a more comprehensive understanding of golf turf microbiomes is available.
Fractionation of Soil Organic Matter into Labile and Stable Fractions
Authors: Kopecký Marek , Kolář Ladislav , Perná Kristýna , Váchalová Radka , Mráz Petr , Konvalina Petr , Murindangabo Yves Theoneste , Ghorbani Mohammad , Menšík Ladislav , Dumbrovský Miroslav
Published: December 2021

The present study aims to test and evaluate the efficiency of a new modified method of organic matter evaluation. It allows the assessment of the quality and quantity of the primary soil organic matter and the stable organic fractions separately. The new method was tested in six soil samples of different localities in the Czech Republic. This method is based on observing reaction kinetics during the oxidation of soil organic matter and measuring the cation-exchange capacity of stable organic fractions. The results were compared with classical methods, which rely on the isolation of humic substances, determination of the content of humic acids and fulvic acids and their ratio CHA:CFA, quotient E4/6, and fractionation of soil organic matter according to resistance to oxidation. It turned out that the results of the new modified method are more sensitive in comparison with the results obtained by classical procedures. The linear regression demonstrated the dependence between the amounts of soil organic matter determined by the classical method compared with the modified method. Moreover, the new modified method was found to be faster and not demanding on laboratory equipment. The new method has been improved to be easily repeatable, and some shortcomings of the previous method were eliminated. Based on our results and other recent studies, the modified method may be recommended for the practical evaluation of soil organic matter conditions.
Plant Breeding and Management Strategies to Minimize the Impact of Water Scarcity and Biotic Stress in Cereal Crops under Mediterranean Conditions
Authors: Pérez-Méndez Néstor , Miguel-Rojas Cristina , Jimenez-Berni Jose Antonio , Gomez-Candon David , Pérez-de-Luque Alejandro , Fereres Elias , Catala-Forner Mar , Villegas Dolors , Sillero Josefina C.
Published: December 2021

Wheat and rice are two main staple food crops that may suffer from yield losses due to drought episodes that are increasingly impacted by climate change, in addition to new epidemic outbreaks. Sustainable intensification of production will rely on several strategies, such as efficient use of water and variety improvement. This review updates the latest findings regarding complementary approaches in agronomy, genetics, and phenomics to cope with climate change challenges. The agronomic approach focuses on a case study examining alternative rice water management practices, with their impact on greenhouse gas emissions and biodiversity for ecosystem services. The genetic approach reviews in depth the latest technologies to achieve fungal disease resistance, as well as the use of landraces to increase the genetic diversity of new varieties. The phenomics approach explores recent advances in high-throughput remote sensing technologies useful in detecting both biotic and abiotic stress effects on breeding programs. The complementary nature of all these technologies indicates that only interdisciplinary work will ensure significant steps towards a more sustainable agriculture under future climate change scenarios.
Pathological Findings in Eurasian Otters (Lutra lutra) Found Dead between 2015−2020 in Schleswig-Holstein, Germany
Authors: Rohner Simon , Wohlsein Peter , Prenger-Berninghoff Ellen , Ewers Christa , Waindok Patrick , Strube Christina , Baechlein Christine , Becher Paul , Wilmes Dunja , Rickerts Volker , Siebert Ursula
Published: December 2021

In times of massive biodiversity loss and ongoing environmental crises, it is extremely important to ensure long-term conservation efforts of threatened species like Eurasian otters (Lutra lutra). To gain insights into the status of Northern Germany’s otter population, 92 otters found dead in Schleswig-Holstein between 2015−2020 were collected and underwent detailed dissection with the aim to establish a monitoring program for this population. Examinations followed a protocol especially designed for otters, including various biological data assessments and extended sampling. The finding sites showed a clear concentration in the Continental region. Seasonal concentration differed among the years, yet peaks were seen from fall to winter. Overall, more males than females were found, although this differed among the years. The majority of otters that could be aged were between 1–3 years. Placental scars and pregnancy were recorded in only few females. Nutritional status was good in most cases. Infectious diseases found included Vagococcus lutrae, Toxoplasma gondii, and Emmonsia spp. A major cause of death was roadkill. Known sample bias in studies focusing on roadkill was considered in the finding interpretation. Continuation of the population health investigations is mandatory to analyze potential trends and to establish an actual monitoring program for Eurasian otters in Schleswig-Holstein.
Genomic Analysis of Purebred and Crossbred Angus Cows Quantifies Heterozygosity, Breed, and Additive Effects on Components of Reproduction
Authors: Pitchford Wayne S. , Pitchford Judith M. , Alexopoulos Jena G. , Hebart Michelle L.
Published: December 2021

Multiple studies have quantified the production differences of Hereford Angus crossbreds compared to purebred Angus for a range of traits including growth, carcass, and reproductive traits. This study aims to quantify breed and heterosis effects on maternal performance using genomics. Thirty Hereford and thirty Angus sires were mated to 1100 Angus heifers and cows in a large commercial herd run on pasture at Musselroe Bay, Tasmania, Australia. Approximately 1650 calves were born. Heifers were weaned, scanned for attainment of puberty prior to joining at approximately 15 months of age, joined, and then recorded for status of pregnancy, calving, lactating, 2nd pregnancy, and weaning of second calf. Heterozygosity effects were significant for heifer pre-joining weight and height as well as proportion pubertal. Breed differences were significant for the same traits plus pregnancy rate at second joining and proportion rearing two calves. Genetic parameters were reported for 13 traits. On average, higher genetic merit (Estimated Breeding Value, EBV percentile) Hereford bulls were used than Angus for growth and puberty, but they were similar for fat and reproduction. Days to calving BREEDPLAN EBVs of the sires were related to puberty and reproduction. Scrotal size BREEDPLAN EBVs of the sires were related to attainment of puberty genomic EBVs calculated. In summary, breed differences in growth and puberty were due to heterosis, but there was an advantage of Hereford genes for reproductive performance. Ongoing emphasis on selection for reduced days to calving and estimation of multi-breed EBVs is important.
Occurrence of Chicken Infectious Anemia Virus in Industrial and Backyard Tunisian Broilers: Preliminary Results
Authors: Di Francesco Antonietta , Quaglia Giulia , Salvatore Daniela , Sakhria Sonia , Catelli Elena , Bessoussa Ghaith , Kaboudi Khaled , Ben Chehida Noureddine , Lupini Caterina
Published: December 2021

Chicken infectious anemia virus (CIAV) is an economically important and widely distributed immunosuppressive agent in chickens. This study performed an epidemiological investigation on CIAV circulation in 195 Tunisian broilers, belonging to 13 lots from five industrial farms and in one rural farm. Fifteen animals were detected positive by a VP1 nested PCR. The amplicons were molecularly characterised by complete genome sequencing. All positive samples obtained in this study were from the rural farm, whereas the industrial farms sampled were negative. Nucleotide and amino acid sequence analyses showed a high degree of similarity among the sequences obtained, suggesting the circulation of a single CIAV strain in the positive lot. Phylogenetic analysis based on the CIAV VP1 nucleotide sequence and/or the complete genome showed that the sequences obtained in this study clustered with CIAV strains previously detected in Tunisia, Italy and Egypt, belonging to genogroup II. Our results highlight the need for constant CIAV surveillance in backyard chicken production.
Biosecurity Concept: Origins, Evolution and Perspectives
Authors: Renault Véronique , Humblet Marie-France , Saegerman Claude
Published: December 2021

Originally used in reference to the management of biological weapons and bio-terrorism, the term biosecurity was first used in the agricultural sector in the 1980s as “the sum of risk management practices in the defence against biological threats”. This term was then taken up in different strategic documents of different organisations, so multiple definitions and understandings co-exist. This short communication reviews the origins and evolution of the biosecurity concept and discusses the future perspectives of biosecurity in regard to the One Health Approach and the changing environment.
The Effect of the Preoperative Fasting Regimen on the Incidence of Gastro-Oesophageal Reflux in 90 Dogs
Authors: Tsompanidou Paraskevi , Robben Joris H. , Savvas Ioannis , Anagnostou Tilemahos , Prassinos Nikitas N. , Kazakos George M.
Published: December 2021

This study aimed to investigate the effect of three different preoperative fasting regimens on the incidence of gastro-oesophageal reflux (GOR) in dogs under general anaesthesia. Ninety dogs undergoing non-abdominal and non-thoracic elective surgery were included in the study and equally allocated to three groups. Dogs received canned food providing half the daily resting energy requirements (RER) 3 h prior to premedication (group 3H), a quarter of the daily RER 3 h before premedication (group 3Q), and half the daily RER 12 h before premedication (group 12H). The animals were premedicated with acepromazine and pethidine, anaesthesia was induced with propofol and maintained with isoflurane vaporised in oxygen. Oesophageal pH was monitored throughout anaesthesia. Demographic and surgery-related parameters were not different among groups. The incidence of GOR was 11/30 in group 3H (36.7%), 9/30 in group 3Q (30.0%) and 5/30 in group 12H (16.7%), which was not statistically different (p = 0.262). Reduction of the amount of the preoperative meal from half to a quarter of the daily RER did not reduce the incidence of GOR but resulted in a lower oesophageal pH (p = 0.003). The results of this study suggest that the administration of a meal 3 h before anaesthesia does not have any beneficial effect in the reduction of GOR incidence in dogs compared to the administration of a meal 12 h before anaesthesia.
Association of Aberrant DNA Methylation Level in the CD4 and JAK-STAT-Pathway-Related Genes with Mastitis Indicator Traits in Chinese Holstein Dairy Cattle
Authors: Usman Tahir , Ali Nawab , Wang Yachun , Yu Ying
Published: December 2021

The present study was designed to evaluate the gene expression and DNA methylation level in the promoter region of the CD4 and the JAK-STAT-pathway-related genes. A total of 24 samples were deployed in the gene expression and 118 samples were used in the DNA methylation study. Student’s t-tests were used to analyze the gene expression and DNA methylation. The evaluation of DNA methylation in promoter regions of JAK2 and STAT5A revealed hypo-methylation levels of CpG sites and higher gene expression in cows diagnosed with mastitis as compared to the healthy control, and vice versa in those with CD4. DNA methylation was negatively correlated with gene expression in JAK2, STAT5A, and CD4 genes. Six, two, and four active transcription factors were identified on the CpG sites in the promoter regions of JAK2, STAT5A, and CD4 genes, respectively. Regarding correlation analysis, the DNA methylation levels of CD4 showed significantly higher positive correlations with somatic cell counts (p < 0.05). Findings of the current study inferred that aberrant DNA methylation in the CpG sites at the 1 kb promoter region in JAK2, STAT5A, and CD4 genes due to mastitis in cows can be used as potential epigenetic markers to estimate bovine mastitis susceptibility in dairy cattle.
Growth Rate and Bone Hydroxyproline Concentration in Turkeys Fed with a Silage-Composed Diet Modified with Different Diet Cation–Anion Differences (DCADs)
Authors: Wójcik Marta , Stachal Klaudia , Burzec Mateusz , Gruszczyński Kamil , Korga-Plewko Agnieszka
Published: December 2021

Our goal was to determine the responses of body weight (BW) and bone hydroxyproline (Hyp) concentration in turkeys fed a corn silage (CS) diet with different values of dietary cation–anion differences (DCADs). The turkeys (n = 90) were divided into five groups and fed as follows: group A (control)—standard diet (SD) (60%) plus CS (40%); group B—SD (60%), CS (40%) plus 240 g of CaCl2 per 100 kg of diet; group C—SD (60%), CS (40%) plus 480 g of CaCl2 per 100 kg of diet; group D—SD (60%), CS (40%) plus 240 g of NaHCO3 per 100 kg of diet; group E—SD (60%), CS (40%) plus 480 g NaHCO3 per 100 kg of diet. The addition of a lesser amount of CaCl2 lowered the DCAD, which ranged between 52.5 ± 4.19 and 91.14 ± 3.14 mEq/kg DM. An increased content of CaCl2 led to high negative values of DCAD. NaHCO3 supplemented in both doses resulted in a significant elevation of DCAD. Compared to each experimental group, feeding birds with a diet supplemented only with CS resulted in a lower BW. Addition of CaCl2 or NaHCO3 to the diet improved BW, but only CaCl2 addition enhanced the bone Hyp amount. In conclusion, we suggest that an anionic diet with low DCAD can prevent bone abnormalities in large turkeys, especially in the final course of production.
The Usage of Antibiotics by COVID-19 Patients with Comorbidities: The Risk of Increased Antimicrobial Resistance
Authors: Zeshan Basit , Karobari Mohmed Isaqali , Afzal Nadia , Siddiq Amer , Basha Sakeenabi , Basheer Syed Nahid , Peeran Syed Wali , Mustafa Mohammed , Daud Nur Hardy A. , Ahmed Naveed , Yean Chan Yean , Noorani Tahir Yusuf
Published: December 2021

Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) is a global health issue that plays a significant role in morbidity and mortality, especially in immunocompromised patients. It also becomes a serious threat to the successful treatment of many bacterial infections. The widespread and irrelevant use of antibiotics in hospitals and local clinics is the leading cause of AMR. Under this scenario, the study was conducted in a tertiary care hospital in Lahore, Pakistan, from 2 August 2021 to 31 October 2021 to discover the prevalence of bacterial infections and AMR rates in COVID-19 patients admitted in surgical intensive care units (SICUs). Clinical samples were collected from the patients and we proceeded to identify bacterial isolates, followed by antibiotic susceptibility testing (AST) using the Kirby Bauer disk diffusion method and minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC). The data of other comorbidities were also collected from the patient’s medical record. The current study showed that the most common pathogens were E. coli (32%) and Klebsiella pneumoniae (17%). Most E. coli were resistant to ciprofloxacin (16.8%) and ampicillin (19.8%). Klebsiella pneumoniae were more resistant to ampicillin (13.3%) and amoxycillin (12.0%). The most common comorbidity was chronic kidney disease (CKD) and urinary tract infections (UTIs). Around 17 different types of antibiotic, the carbapenem, fluoroquinolones, aminoglycoside, and quinolones, were highly prevalent in ICU patients. The current study provides valuable data on the clinical implication of antibiotics consumed by COVID-19 patients in SICUs and the AMR rates, especially with different comorbidities.
Adaptative Up-Regulation of PRX2 and PRX5 Expression Characterizes Brain from a Mouse Model of Chorea-Acanthocytosis
Authors: Federti Enrica , Matte Alessandro , Riccardi Veronica , Peikert Kevin , Alper Seth L. , Danek Adrian , Walker Ruth H. , Siciliano Angela , Iatcenko Iana , Hermann Andreas , De Franceschi Lucia
Published: December 2021

The peroxiredoxins (PRXs) constitute a ubiquitous antioxidant. Growing evidence in neurodegenerative disorders such as Parkinson’s disease (PD) or Alzheimer’s disease (AD) has highlighted a crucial role for PRXs against neuro-oxidation. Chorea-acanthocytosis/Vps13A disease (ChAc) is a devastating, life-shortening disorder characterized by acanthocytosis, neurodegeneration and abnormal proteostasis. We recently developed a Vps13a−/− ChAc-mouse model, showing acanthocytosis, neurodegeneration and neuroinflammation which could be restored by LYN inactivation. Here, we show in our Vps13a−/− mice protein oxidation, NRF2 activation and upregulation of downstream cytoprotective systems NQO1, SRXN1 and TRXR in basal ganglia. This was associated with upregulation of PRX2/5 expression compared to wild-type mice. PRX2 expression was age-dependent in both mouse strains, whereas only Vps13a−/− PRX5 expression was increased independent of age. LYN deficiency or nilotinib-mediated LYN inhibition improved autophagy in Vps13a−/− mice. In Vps13a−/−; Lyn−/− basal ganglia, absence of LYN resulted in reduced NRF2 activation and down-regulated expression of PRX2/5, SRXN1 and TRXR. Nilotinib treatment of Vps13a−/− mice reduced basal ganglia oxidation, and plasma PRX5 levels, suggesting plasma PRX5 as a possible ChAc biomarker. Our data support initiation of therapeutic Lyn inhibition as promptly as possible after ChAc diagnosis to minimize development of irreversible neuronal damage during otherwise inevitable ChAc progression.
New Discoveries and Ambiguities of Nrf2 and ATF3 Signaling in Environmental Arsenic-Induced Carcinogenesis
Authors: Bi Zhuoyue , Fu Yao , Wadgaonkar Priya , Qiu Yiran , Almutairy Bandar , Zhang Wenxuan , Seno Akimasa , Thakur Chitra , Chen Fei
Published: December 2021

Environment exposure to arsenic had been linked to increased incidents of human cancers. In cellular and animal experimental systems, arsenic has been shown to be highly capable of activating several signaling pathways that play critical roles in cell growth regulation, malignant transformation and the stemness of cancer stem-like cells. Emerging evidence indicates certain oncogenic properties of the Nrf2 transcription factor that can be activated by arsenic and many other environmental hazards. In human bronchial epithelial cells, our most recent data suggested that arsenic-activated Nrf2 signaling fosters metabolic reprogramming of the cells through shifting mitochondrial TCA cycle to cytosolic glycolysis, and some of the metabolites in glycolysis shunt the hexosamine biosynthesis and serine-glycine pathways important for the energy metabolism of the cancer cells. In the current report, we further demonstrated direct regulation of oncogenic signals by arsenic-activated Nrf2 and connection of Nrf2 with ATF3 stress transcription factor. Meanwhile, we also highlighted some unanswered questions on the molecular characteristics of the Nrf2 protein, which warrants further collaborative efforts among scientists for understanding the important role of Nrf2 in human cancers either associated or not to environmental arsenic exposure.
Exploring New Kingdoms: The Role of Extracellular Vesicles in Oxi-Inflamm-Aging Related to Cardiorenal Syndrome
Authors: Mas-Bargues Cristina , Alique Matilde , Barrús-Ortiz María Teresa , Borrás Consuelo , Rodrigues-Díez Raquel
Published: December 2021

The incidence of age associated chronic diseases has increased in recent years. Although several diverse causes produce these phenomena, abundant evidence shows that oxidative stress plays a central role. In recent years, numerous studies have focused on elucidating the role of oxidative stress in the development and progression of both aging and chronic diseases, opening the door to the discovery of new underlying mechanisms and signaling pathways. Among them, senolytics and senomorphics, and extracellular vesicles offer new therapeutic strategies to slow the development of aging and its associated chronic diseases by decreasing oxidative stress. In this review, we aim to discuss the role of extracellular vesicles in human cardiorenal syndrome development and their possible role as biomarkers, targets, or vehicles of drugs to treat this syndrome.
Air Cleaning Performance of Two Species of Potted Plants and Different Substrates
Authors: Armijos-Moya Tatiana , de Visser Pieter , Ottelé Marc , van den Dobbelsteen Andy , Bluyssen Philomena M.
Published: December 2021

Potted plants have been reported to uptake VOCs and help “cleaning” the air. This paper presents the results of a laboratory study in which two species of plants (peace lily and Boston fern) and three kinds of substrates (expanded clay, soil, and activated carbon) were tested and monitored on their capacity to deplete formaldehyde and CO2 in a glass chamber. Formaldehyde and CO2 were selected as indicators to evaluate the biofiltration efficacy of 28 different test conditions; relative humidity (RH) and temperature (T) were monitored during the experiments. To evaluate the efficacy of every test, the clean air delivery rate (CADR) was calculated. Overall, soil had the best performance in removing formaldehyde (~0.07–0.16 m3/h), while plants, in particular, were more effective in reducing CO2 concentrations (peace lily 0.01m3/h) (Boston fern 0.02–0.03 m3/h). On average, plants (~0.03 m3/h) were as effective as dry expanded clay (0.02–0.04 m3/h) in depleting formaldehyde from the chamber. Regarding air-cleaning performance, Boston ferns presented the best performance among the plant species, and the best performing substrate was the soil.
Quasi-CW Pumping of a Single-Frequency Fiber Amplifier for Efficient SHG in PPLN Crystals with Reduced Thermal Load
Authors: Balliu Enkeleda , Engholm Magnus , Digonnet Michel , Nilsson Hans-Erik
Published: December 2021

Single-frequency lasers are essential for high-resolution spectroscopy and sensing applications as they combine high-frequency stability with low noise and high output power stability. For many of these applications, there is increasing interest in power-scaling single-frequency sources, both in the near-infrared and visible spectral range. We report the second-harmonic generation of 670 µJ at 532 nm of a single-frequency fiber amplifier signal operating in the quasi-continuous-wave mode in a 10-mm periodically poled Mg-doped lithium niobate (MgO:PPLN) crystal, while increasing compactness. To the best of our knowledge, this is the highest pulse energy generated in this crystal, which may find applications in the visible and UV such as remote Raman spectroscopy.
Center of Gravity Coordinates Estimation Based on an Overall Brightness Average Determined from the 3D Vision System
Authors: Holubek Radovan , Vagaš Marek
Published: December 2021

In advanced manufacturing technologies (including complex automated processes) and their branches of industry, perception and evaluation of the object parameters are the most critical factors. Many production machines and workplaces are currently equipped as standard with high-quality special sensing devices based on vision systems to detect these parameters. This article focuses on designing a reachable and fully functional vision system based on two standard CCD cameras usage, while the emphasis is on the RS 232C communication interface between two sites (vision and robotic systems). To this, we combine principles of the 1D photogrammetric calibration method from two known points at a stable point field and the available packages inside the processing unit of the vision system (as filtering, enhancing and extracting edges, weak and robust smoothing, etc.). A correlation factor at camera system (for reliable recognition of the sensed object) was set from 84 to 100%. Then, the pilot communication between both systems was proposed and then tested through CREAD/CWRITE commands according to protocol 3964R (used for the data transfer). Moreover, the system was proven by successful transition of the data into the robotic system. Since research gaps in this field still exist and many vision systems are based on PC processing or intelligent cameras, our potential research topic tries to provide the price–performance ratio solution for those who cannot regularly invest in the newest vision technology; however, they could still do so to stay competitive.
Ontology-Driven Cultural Heritage Conservation: A Case of The Analects of Confucius
Authors: Wang Fengxiang , Wei Tong , Wang Jun
Published: December 2021

Confucianism, recognized as the belief system of Chinese, is one of the most important intangible cultural heritages of China. The main ideas of its founder, Confucius, are written in The Analects of Confucius. However, its scattered chapters and the obscurity of ancient Chinese have prevented many people from understanding it. In order to overcome this difficulty, it needs some modern ways to reveal the vague connotation of Confucianism. This paper aims to describe how to construct the Lunyu ontology in which all concepts are abstract within the core scope, i.e., morality of Confucianism. The key task of this project lies in identifying essential characteristics, a notion that is compliant with the ISO principles on Terminology (ISO 1087 and 704), according to which a concept is defined as a combination of essential characteristics. This paper proposed an approach in the practice of identifying essential characteristics of abstract concepts from different meanings of its Chinese terms in The Analects of Confucius. With this work, Lunyu ontology established a semantic, formal, and explicit representation system for concepts of Confucianism, and the new proposed approach provides a useful reference for other researchers.
SA-GAN: Stain Acclimation Generative Adversarial Network for Histopathology Image Analysis
Authors: Kausar Tasleem , Kausar Adeeba , Ashraf Muhammad Adnan , Siddique Muhammad Farhan , Wang Mingjiang , Sajid Muhammad , Siddique Muhammad Zeeshan , Haq Anwar Ul , Riaz Imran
Published: December 2021

Histopathological image analysis is an examination of tissue under a light microscope for cancerous disease diagnosis. Computer-assisted diagnosis (CAD) systems work well by diagnosing cancer from histopathology images. However, stain variability in histopathology images is inevitable due to the use of different staining processes, operator ability, and scanner specifications. These stain variations present in histopathology images affect the accuracy of the CAD systems. Various stain normalization techniques have been developed to cope with inter-variability issues, allowing standardizing the appearance of images. However, in stain normalization, these methods rely on the single reference image rather than incorporate color distributions of the entire dataset. In this paper, we design a novel machine learning-based model that takes advantage of whole dataset distributions as well as color statistics of a single target image instead of relying only on a single target image. The proposed deep model, called stain acclimation generative adversarial network (SA-GAN), consists of one generator and two discriminators. The generator maps the input images from the source domain to the target domain. Among discriminators, the first discriminator forces the generated images to maintain the color patterns as of target domain. While second discriminator forces the generated images to preserve the structure contents as of source domain. The proposed model is trained using a color attribute metric, extracted from a selected template image. Therefore, the designed model not only learns dataset-specific staining properties but also image-specific textural contents. Evaluated results on four different histopathology datasets show the efficacy of SA-GAN to acclimate stain contents and enhance the quality of normalization by obtaining the highest values of performance metrics. Additionally, the proposed method is also evaluated for multiclass cancer type classification task, showing a 6.9% improvement in accuracy on ICIAR 2018 hidden test data.
SHAT: A Novel Asynchronous Training Algorithm That Provides Fast Model Convergence in Distributed Deep Learning
Authors: Ko Yunyong , Kim Sang-Wook
Published: December 2021

The recent unprecedented success of deep learning (DL) in various fields is underlied by its use of large-scale data and models. Training a large-scale deep neural network (DNN) model with large-scale data, however, is time-consuming. To speed up the training of massive DNN models, data-parallel distributed training based on the parameter server (PS) has been widely applied. In general, a synchronous PS-based training suffers from the synchronization overhead, especially in heterogeneous environments. To reduce the synchronization overhead, asynchronous PS-based training employs the asynchronous communication between PS and workers so that PS processes the request of each worker independently without waiting. Despite the performance improvement of asynchronous training, however, it inevitably incurs the difference among the local models of workers, where such a difference among workers may cause slower model convergence. Fro addressing this problem, in this work, we propose a novel asynchronous PS-based training algorithm, SHAT that considers (1) the scale of distributed training and (2) the heterogeneity among workers for successfully reducing the difference among the local models of workers. The extensive empirical evaluation demonstrates that (1) the model trained by SHAT converges to the higher accuracy up to 5.22% than state-of-the-art algorithms, and (2) the model convergence of SHAT is robust under various heterogeneous environments.
Fast 3D Content Update for Wide-Angle Holographic Near-Eye Display
Authors: Kukołowicz Rafał , Chlipala Maksymilian , Martinez-Carranza Juan , Idicula Moncy Sajeev , Kozacki Tomasz
Published: December 2021

Near-eye holographic displays are the holy grail of wear-on 3D display devices because they are intended to project realistic wide-angle virtual scenes with parameters matching human vision. One of the key features of a realistic perspective is the ability to move freely around the virtual scene. This can be achieved by addressing the display with wide-angle computer-generated holograms (CGHs) that enable continuous viewpoint change. However, to the best of our knowledge there is no technique able to generate these types of content. Thus, in this work we propose an accurate and non-paraxial hologram update method for wide-angle CGHs that supports continuous viewpoint change around the scene. This method is based on the assumption that with a small change in perspective, two consecutive holograms share overlapping data. This enables reusing the corresponding part of the information from the previous view, eliminating the need to generate an entirely new hologram. Holographic information for the next viewpoint is calculated in two steps: first, a tool approximating the Angular Spectrum Propagation is proposed to generate the hologram data from previous viewpoint; and second, the efficient Phase Added Stereogram algorithm is utilized for generating the missing hologram content. This methodology offers fast and accurate calculations at the same time. Numerical and optical experiments are carried out to support the results of the proposed method.
Evaluating Human versus Machine Learning Performance in a LegalTech Problem
Authors: Orosz Tamás , Vági Renátó , Csányi Gergely Márk , Nagy Dániel , Üveges István , Vadász János Pál , Megyeri Andrea
Published: December 2021

Many machine learning-based document processing applications have been published in recent years. Applying these methodologies can reduce the cost of labor-intensive tasks and induce changes in the company’s structure. The artificial intelligence-based application can replace the application of trainees and free up the time of experts, which can increase innovation inside the company by letting them be involved in tasks with greater added value. However, the development cost of these methodologies can be high, and usually, it is not a straightforward task. This paper presents a survey result, where a machine learning-based legal text labeler competed with multiple people with different legal domain knowledge. The machine learning-based application used binary SVM-based classifiers to resolve the multi-label classification problem. The used methods were encapsulated and deployed as a digital twin into a production environment. The results show that machine learning algorithms can be effectively utilized for monotonous but domain knowledge- and attention-demanding tasks. The results also suggest that embracing the machine learning-based solution can increase discoverability and enrich the value of data. The test confirmed that the accuracy of a machine learning-based system matches up with the long-term accuracy of legal experts, which makes it applicable to automatize the working process.