bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Institutional protocols for the oral administration (gavage) of chemicals and microscopic microbial communities to mice: Analytical consensus
Authors: Rodriguez-Palacios Alexander , Khoretonenko Mikhail V , Ilic Sanja
Published: April 2019

Although there are numerous Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee (IACUC) protocols aimed at standardizing the oral administration (gavage) of liquid chemicals to laboratory rodents, there is ample variability across protocols, and there are no protocols intended for the gavage of microbial communities to mice or rats. The objective of this study was to conduct a scoping review of publically available IACUC protocols from institutions in the United States, identify protocol criteria and deficiencies, and generate an ‘analytical consensus’ to unify such criteria into two revised protocols: one for chemicals, and another for microbes in mice. Eighteen (n = 18) written institutional protocols from prominent universities, and 26 demonstrations videos from various sources (accounting for >155,000 views) were identified in the World Wide Web. Although written protocols listed up to five criteria for consideration (dosing/volume, pregnancy, animal weight), collectively there was major variability and poor statistical agreement across methods (0% Kappa, p = 0.98). Because protocols also lacked details relevant for the bypassing and survival of live microorganisms in the gastric (antimicrobial) environment, we compiled two ‘analytical (Kappa-based) consensus’ protocols from available and new criteria, for the ‘gavage of chemicals’ and for the ‘gavage of delicate microscopic microbial communities’ to mice. A major difference lies in the volume of administration, (i.e., 20 mL/kg, without restrictions, after 4-6 h of fasting, for microbes), which was graphically illustrated simulating the predicted impact of administering large and small volumes on microbial distribution of simple microscopic communities. In conclusion, publicly available IACUC gavage protocols are highly variable, and do not reflect the need to adjust the dose volumes to ensure the rapid bypassing of the gastric environment which would impact the survival of microbes, especially if composing delicate microscopic communities. An ‘analytical consensus’ of IACUC-approved protocols is herein presented as a unifying baseline protocol for consideration.

Impact statement

Institutional protocols designed for the oral administration of live microbial communities, either complex or microscopic (microcosmic), to mice do not exist. However, this approach is increasingly employed by investigators focusing on the gut microbiome in experimental research. Herein, we propose two analytically Kappa-based consensus protocols to promote reproducibility and standardization in research practices and describe biologically relevant factors in achieving optimal microbial engraftment of communities in germ-free mice.
Effect of random roundness error on the stability of a hydrodynamic journal bearing system part I: Theoretical study
Authors: Li Bing , Zhou Dejian , Xu Wubin , Zhang Yilei
Published: April 2019

From a manufacturing viewpoint, the profile of a journal out-of-roundness is random. In order to be closer to the engineering practice, the study presents a dynamic modelling, analysis and calculating method for the hydrodynamic journal bearing system considering random roundness error. The random character of manufacturing errors is presented by Monte Carlo method in the analysis to establish the relationship between the level of journal roundness error and the system stability characteristics. The results of theoretical analysis show that the effect on the stability of the hydrodynamic journal bearing system is minimal when the grade of journal roundness error P is below 9; when P > 9, the journal out-of-roundness promotes the system stability. However, the increase in the random roundness error will generate high-frequency vibrations and aggravate the system vibration. Besides, the journal random out-of-roundness has a minimal effect on the system stability when the eccentricity is between 0.5 and 0.6 or the Sommerfeld number is between 0.05 and 0.1, which suggests that the system should be operated within this region to minimise the effect of journal out-of-roundness.
Forward kinematics analysis and experiment of hybrid high-altitude board installation robot based on screw theory
Authors: Li Yongbin , Zhao Yipeng , Zhang Tian , Li Tiejun
Published: April 2019

In order to meet the requirements of mechanization and automatic installation of high-altitude boards, a hybrid high-altitude board installation robot is designed. At the same time, a method based on screw theory is proposed to avoid the defects of kinematics analysis of robots using the traditional Denavit–Hartenberg parameter method. It is to construct a kinematic equation for the hybrid robot. According to the kinematics equation of the robot, the forward solution of the end-effector position is obtained. Besides, the workspace cloud image of the robot end-effector is worked out by MATLAB. By means of the equation to test the kinematics of the robot, the absolute error is 0.5 mm between the theoretical value and the actual value of the end-effector coordinate system position. It meets the national standard for board gaps. This study provides reference for subsequent research works on control technique and trajectory planning of the hybrid robot of high-altitude board installation.
The effect of Russia’s economic crisis and import ban on its agricultural and food sector
Authors: Liefert William M , Liefert Olga , Seeley Ralph , Lee Tani
Published: April 2019

This article examines how Russia’s economic crisis and ban on agricultural imports from the United States and other Western countries that began in 2014 have impacted its agricultural and food sector. The import ban was a Russian response to geopolitical tension with the West stemming from the country’s conflict with Ukraine, while the main cause of the economic crisis was a plunge in world oil prices. Given that the bulk of Russia’s export earnings come from oil and other energy products, the oil price decline triggered a major depreciation of the ruble against the US dollar and other major currencies. Ruble depreciation and the import ban have affected Russian consumers by reducing Russia’s imports of agricultural and food products, substantially raising food prices, and lowering consumption. However, the country’s basic food availability has not been threatened. By increasing domestic prices, the depreciation and import ban have stimulated agricultural production. The added output has reduced meat imports and raised grain exports. Russian meat imports in 2014–2016 (average annual) were about 40% lower compared to 2011–2013, while grain exports in 2014–2016 were 50% higher than in 2011–2013 (though production-enhancing favorable weather was also a cause).
Adolescents’ participation in their healthcare: A sociomaterial investigation of a diabetes app
Authors: Ledderer Loni , Møller Anne , Fage-Butler Antoinette
Published: April 2019

Objective

This article explores how a diabetes app called Diapplo affected adolescents’ participation in their healthcare by investigating adolescents’ meaning-making in relation to their use of the app.

Methods

Using a qualitative single case-study design, we adopted a multimethod responsive approach to data generation that included written data from the app development process, individual and group interviews and observations of the adolescents in the clinical situation. This article presents the results from a qualitative content analysis of group and individual semi-structured interviews conducted with five adolescents diagnosed with type 1 diabetes during and after the four-week test phase of a prototype of the app.

Results

The adolescents appreciated the diabetes app’s design and interface and having an overview of their blood glucose values. However, they stated that the app’s content only partly met their needs and they considered several of its features unnecessary. They would have liked the app to have a social platform and emphasized that the app should be compatible with their blood glucose monitors and pumps for them to continue using it.

Conclusions

The participants in our study highlighted the value of social platforms integrated in health apps for patient participation, as well as their preference for health app features that reduced the effort of managing their chronic condition and facilitate greater knowledge. Theories of sociomateriality and material participation helped to account for the challenges of integrating users’ perspectives, suggesting the value of early, comprehensive identification and prioritization of users’ values when developing mobile health technologies.
The nature of the political system in the Kurdistan Region of Iraq
Authors: Abdullah Farhad Hassan , Hama Hawre Hasan
Published: April 2019

The Kurdistan region of Iraq has a substantial number of the customary signs of political system, including the various main branches of the state institutions such as executive, courts, and assembly. Since 1991, the Region has established as certain political system that adheres to a commonly acknowledged type of system of government. Some contend that the political system in the region is a presidential system, however with parliament having had the ability to vote the President in or out for quite a while. Political division, explicitly between the political parties, has ended up being a veritable obstruction to the political advancement and strength of the Region and to concocting a bound together type of political system. The region has suffered from lack of constitution; this has caused political conflicts over the law of the presidency of the region and the ways of electing the President. Therefore, when Barzani's presidency term ended in August 2015, the political parties except the KDP attempted to amend the presidential law and make another law to elect the president inside the parliament until writing the constitution for the Region in which the political parties can agree on the form of the political system and the way of electing the President. This article contends that there is a connection between the nature and structure of the political parties and the political systems that have been proposed as a ruling model for the region. The article also concludes by identifying potential systems of government available to the KRI and the potential consequences of each.
Hemiarthroplasty or Total Hip Arthroplasty: Is There a Racial Bias in Treatment Selection for Femoral Neck Fractures?
Authors: Rudasill Sarah E. , Dattilo Jonathan R. , Liu Jiabin , Kamath Atul F.
Published: April 2019

Introduction:

Hip fractures in the elderly individuals are associated with significant morbidity and mortality, and outcomes are directly related to prompt surgical intervention with either total hip arthroplasty (THA) or hemiarthroplasty. Minority hip fracture patients have increased delays to surgical intervention and poorer functional outcomes. This study explored racial biases in the surgical treatment decision between THA and hemiarthroplasty for displaced femoral neck fractures as well as racial disparities in postoperative complications, readmission rates, and 30-day mortality.

Methods:

We retrospectively reviewed the American College of Surgeons National Surgical Quality Improvement Program (NSQIP) from 2006 to 2014. Patients were identified using diagnosis code for transcervical femoral neck fractures and Current Procedural Terminology codes for THA or hemiarthroplasty. A multivariable regression analysis was conducted including race, demographic information, and medical comorbidities.

Results:

Of 11 408 patients, race was recorded in 8538 individuals. Most patients were white (88.3%), followed by Hispanic (4.7%), African American (4.1%), and Asian/Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander/American Indian/Alaska Native (2.9%). No differences were observed in the likelihood of receiving a THA versus hemiarthroplasty among racial groups. Only younger age and steroid use were independent risk factors for receiving a THA. Race was significantly associated with postoperative mortality ( P = .014) and major postoperative complications for the Asian cohort ( P = .013).

Discussion:

The NSQIP data do not support a racial bias in the selection of patients for THA versus hemiarthroplasty. However, this study found racial disparities in postoperative mortality and complications. The reasons underlying the differences in postoperative outcomes are uncertain but may be the result of specific challenges to accessing care.

Conclusion:

There was no racial bias in the treatment of femoral neck fractures. However, there were racial disparities in postoperative mortality and complication rates. Further research is warranted to elucidate the true causes of these observed disparities.
Audiovisual Interactions in Stereo Sound Localization for Individuals With Unilateral Hearing Loss
Authors: Venskytis Emily J. , Clayton Colton , Montagne Christopher , Zhou Yi
Published: April 2019

This study investigated the effects of unilateral hearing loss (UHL), of either conductive or sensorineural origin, on stereo sound localization and related visual bias in listeners with normal hearing, short-term (acute) UHL, and chronic UHL. Time-delay-based stereophony was used to isolate interaural-time-difference cues for sound source localization in free field. Listeners with acute moderate (<40 dB for tens of minutes) and chronic severe (>50 dB for more than 10 years) UHL showed poor localization and compressed auditory space that favored the intact ear. Listeners with chronic moderate (<50 dB for more than 12 years) UHL performed near normal. These results show that the auditory spatial mechanisms that allow stereo localization become less sensitive to moderate UHL in the long term. Presenting LED flashes at either the same or a different location as the sound source elicited visual bias in all groups but to different degrees. Hearing loss led to increased visual bias, especially on the impaired side, for the severe and acute UHL listeners, suggesting that vision plays a compensatory role in restoring perceptual spatial symmetry.
Patients’ Perspectives on the Quality and Safety of Intravenous Infusions: A Qualitative Study
Authors: Wheeler Carly , Furniss Dominic , Galal-Edeen Galal H , Blandford Ann , Franklin Bryony Dean
Published: April 2019

Background:

The administration of medication or fluids via the intravenous route is a common intervention for many hospital inpatients. However, little research has explored the safety and quality of intravenous therapy from the patient’s perspective, despite the role of the patient in patient safety receiving increased attention in recent years.

Objective:

To explore patients’ perspectives on the perceived quality and safety of intravenous infusions and identify implications for practice.

Method:

Qualitative semistructured interviews were conducted with 35 hospital patients receiving intravenous infusions in critical care, oncology day care, general medicine, and general surgery areas within 4 National Health Service hospitals in England. Data were analyzed thematically.

Results:

Four underlying and interlinked themes were identified: knowledge about intravenous infusions, challenges associated with receiving intravenous infusions, the role of health-care professionals, and patients’ attitudes toward receiving infusions.

Conclusions:

Patients were generally satisfied with receiving infusions; however, factors that contributed to decreased feelings of quality and safety were identified, suggesting areas for intervention. Issues to do with infusion pump alarms, reduced mobility, cannulation, and personal preferences for information, if given more attention, may improve patients’ experiences of receiving intravenous infusions.
Indicators of Risk for Dental Caries in Children: A Holistic Approach
Authors: Fernando S. , Tadakamadla S.K. , Bakr M. , Scuffham P.A. , Johnson N.W.
Published: April 2019

Background

Dental caries in children is a major public health problem worldwide, with a multitude of determinants acting upon children to different degrees in different communities. The objective of this study was to determine maternal, environmental, and intraoral indicators of dental caries experience in a sample of 6- to 7-y-old children in South East Queensland, Australia.

Methods:

A total of 174 mother-child dyads were recruited for this cross-sectional study from the Griffith University Environments for Healthy Living birth cohort study. Maternal education, employment status, and prepregnancy body mass index were maternal indicators, and annual household income was taken as a proxy for environmental indicators. These were collected as baseline data of the study. Clinical data on children’s dental caries experience, saliva characteristics of buffering capacity, stimulated flow rate, and colony-forming units per milliliter of salivary mutans streptococci were collected for the oral health substudy. Univariate analysis was performed with 1-way analysis of variance and chi-square tests. Caries experience was the outcome, which was classified into 4 categories based on the number of carious tooth surfaces. Ordinal logistic regression was used to explore the association of risk indicators with caries experience.

Results:

Age ( P = 0.021), low salivary buffering capacity ( P = 0.001), reduced levels of salivary flow rate ( P = 0.011), past caries experience ( P = 0.001), low annual household income; <$30,000 (P = 0.050) and <$60,000 (P = 0.033) and maternal employment status ( P = 0.043) were associated with high levels of dental caries.

Conclusion

These data support the evidence of associations between maternal, environmental, and children’s intraoral characteristics and caries experience among children in a typical Western industrialized country. All of these need to be considered in preventative strategies within families and communities.

Knowledge Transfer Statement:

The results of this study can be used by clinicians, epidemiologists, and policy makers to identify children who are at risk of developing dental caries. With consideration of costs for treatment for the disease, this information could be used to plan cost-effective and patient-centered preventive care.
Interactive Impact of Demographic Variables and Personality Type on Risk Tolerance
Authors: Thanki Heena , Baser Narayan
Published: April 2019

Investors’ investment decision is much dependent on his/her risk-taking capability, which in turn depends on a variety of factors. Majority of the studies carried out on this topic associate the financial risk tolerance (FRT) with demographics (gender, marital status, age, education income, etc.) of the investor. A handful of the studies on this topic establish a link between FRT and personality type. FRT refers to the investors’ ability to allow the uncertainty of returns while taking their investment decision. Most of the past studies on the related topics have taken Myers-Briggs Type Indicators (MBTI) or big five personality types, whereas the present study has taken Personality type A and B for finding its association with risk tolerance level. Identifying Personality type A and B is much easier and less time-consuming as compared to other models. Hence, in real life, financial planners also can use the outcome of this study in preparing the investment strategy for their clients. Past studies have focused either on demographics or on personality type, while the current study combines the effect of both the variables and adds to the existing literature. The present study adopts a single cross-sectional descriptive research design. To satisfy the objective, required data were gathered through a structured questionnaire with a “Financial Risk Tolerance Scale,” “Personality Scale,” and basic demographic questions using a convenience sampling methodology. An analysis of data indicates that personality type and demographic variables such as gender, marital status, occupation, and income are found significant in determining FRT of investor, while age and education are found insignificant.
Interpretation and dating of the variant characters in the Houma Covenant
Authors: Kang Youn Ok
Published: April 2019

The Houma Covenant texts are complete and systematic oaths of alliance with clear writing and a neat structure. What is more striking is the amount of polymorphic characters contained in the Covenant. The most distinctive feature of the characters is their diversity, which is mainly reflected in the different writing styles and systems in various states. This paper probes the characteristics and laws of the internal structure of characters in the Spring and Autumn period and seeks to understand the characteristics of the polymorphic characters at that time. Through characters used in the Covenant, the paper aims to explore the dating signs of characters between the Spring and Autumn period and the Warring States. In this regard, the Houma Covenant undoubtedly provides us with hard-won data, giving us a definitive answer to the interpretation of the dating signs, and the phenomenon of polygraphs in the Houma Covenant can be roughly presented as a new and old form of the side of a Chinese character. In addition, the frequency of different forms of a character in variants for names is in accordance with the old and new order of glyphs. That is, the newer the glyph is, the more frequently it is used, and vice versa, which is also a notable trend in the glyphs of the Houma Covenant.
Executive Education: BHEL’s Perspective
Authors: Purswani Kishore , Bharadwaj Rekha
Published: April 2019

Bharat Heavy Electricals Limited (BHEL) is one of the most preferred employers. Good HR practices, favourable individual development opportunities, an employee-friendly work environment and development opportunities makes it so. In fact, training and development has been at the core in the glorious journey of BHEL. Way back in the 1960s even before the factories came up, training schools (later known as Human Resource Development Centres–HRDCs) were the first to come up at BHEL plants in Bhopal, Hardwar and Hyderabad. BHEL takes pride in the fact that it was the first among the pioneers in Indian PSUs to establish an exclusive set-up for training people, when terms like OD/HRD were still new to HR professionals and academicians in India.

In the present times of VUCAD2 (volatile, uncertain, complex, ambiguous and digitally disruptive) business environment, this quest for learning–unlearning and relearning has become all the more important. Thus, BHEL has created Corporate Learning and Development (CLD) function with the underlying theme ‘Learn-Share-Develop for Tomorrow’ for ‘Creating BHEL of Tomorrow’. Through various interventions at various levels, we ensure that the prime resource of the organization–the human capital– is always in a state of readiness to meet the dynamic challenges posed by the fast changing environment.
Phenomenological understanding of poroelasticity via the micromechanics of a simple digital-rock model
Authors: Couples Gary D.
Published: April 2019

Poroelasticity is a material concept that expresses the reversible, macroscale process interactions that occur in a porous material, such as rocks. These process interactions take place between the pore fluids and the rock framework (or “skeleton”) that contains the pores. The phenomenological basis of poro-elasticity is examined via a micromechanics analysis, using a simplified digital-rock model that consists of solid elements in a lattice arrangement, and which hosts a well-connected, lattice-like network of simply shaped pore elements. The quasistatic poromechanical bulk response of this model is defined fully by closed-form equations that provide a clear understanding of the process interactions and that allow key effects to be identified. Several external boundary conditions (nonisotropic strain and stress) are analyzed, with drained and undrained pore-fluid conditions, along with arbitrary pore pressure states. The calculated responses of the pore-scale model, when translated into continuum-scale equivalent behaviors, indicate significant problems with the existing theories of poroelasticity that are rooted in an enriched-continuum perspective. Specifically, the results indicate that the principle of effective stress (and the Biot coefficient alpha) is wrongly attributed to a deficiency in the role of pore pressure. Instead, the micromechanics-based phenomenological understanding identifies the change of effective stress, in a characteristically confined setting, as being the result of changes in the stress components, with a key dependency on the specifics of the far-field constraints. Thus, poroelasticity is not a material characteristic; instead, it is a description of a nonlinear system operating at the pore scale. The analysis reveals a discrepancy between the stress states within the model domain and the external stress state. This yet remains to be addressed, to translate the microscale behavior into an equivalent material law.
Rudimentary causes and impacts of supply chain risks in Sub-Saharan Africa
Authors: Moradeyo Adenike Aderonke
Published: April 2019

Identification of the causes of supply chain risks is a logical step towards its effective management. The purpose of this study is to explore the causes of supply chain risks, their impacts, and the mitigating strategies used among the manufacturing firms in Nigeria. An exploratory qualitative multiple case research methodology combined with  the quantitative content analysis is used for this study. A sample of ten manufacturing firms cutting across three different sub-sectors (Pharmaceutical & Health, Food & Beverage, and Conglomerate) was chosen for the study. Partial and complete open-ended questions in the interview guide were used for the interviews conducted among the respondents. The study revealed the common causes of supply chain risks in manufacturing firms in Nigeria which include; transportation delays, variation in raw material prices and quantities, unexpected customer demands, and constant power outages.
Genetic investigation of childhood vascular tumor biology reveals pathways for therapeutic intervention
Authors: Cheraghlou Shayan , Lim Young , Choate Keith
Published: April 2019

Vascular tumors are neoplasms of endothelial cells, a significant number of which present in childhood. Recent studies have examined the mutational landscape of many subtypes of vascular tumors, identifying mutations primarily within the Ras–mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) pathway and providing a unique opportunity to consider targeted therapeutics. This review will summarize the current understanding of childhood vascular tumor pathobiology.
Recent advances in understanding breast cancer and emerging therapies with a focus on luminal and triple-negative breast cancer
Authors: El Hachem Georges , Gombos Andrea , Awada Ahmad
Published: April 2019

Breast cancer is a global health issue. For decades, breast cancer was classified into many histological subtypes on the basis of microscopic and immunohistochemical evaluation. The discovery of many key genomic driver events involved in breast cancer carcinogenesis resulted in a better understanding of the tumor biology, the disease heterogeneity and the prognosis leading to the discovery of new modalities of targeted therapies and opening horizons toward a more personalized medicine. In recent years, many therapeutic options emerged in the field of metastatic breast carcinoma, especially for the luminal subtypes. They were able to transform the course of the disease while maintaining quality of life. However, the options are still limited for triple-negative breast cancer, but the better knowledge of its complex biology and the discovery of molecular targets are promising for more efficient novel therapies.
Pollen tube contents from failed fertilization contribute to seed coat initiation in Arabidopsis
Authors: Liu Xiaoyan , Adhikari Parakash Babu , Kasahara Ryushiro D.
Published: April 2019

Plant seeds are essential for human beings, constituting 70% of carbohydrate resources worldwide; examples include rice, wheat, and corn. In angiosperms, fertilization of the egg by a sperm cell is required for seed formation; therefore, fertilization failure results in no seed formation, except in the special case of apomixis. Initially, plants produce many pollen grains inside the anthers; once the pollen grain is deposited onto the top of the pistil, the pollen tube elongates until it reaches the ovule. Generally, only one pollen tube is inserted into the ovule; however, we previously found that if fertilization by the first pollen tube fails, a second pollen tube could rescue fertilization via the so-called fertilization recovery system (FRS). Our previous reports also demonstrated that failed fertilization results in pollen tube-dependent ovule enlargement morphology (POEM), enlarged seeds, and partial seed coat formation if the pollen tube releases the pollen tube contents into the ovule. However, we have not determined whether all the ovules enlarge or produce seed coats if an ovule accepts the pollen tube contents. Therefore, we conducted a partial seed coat formation experiment taking into account both the FRS and POEM phenomena. Notably, the ratios of failed fertilization and the ovules with partial seed coats matched, indicating that all ovules initiate seed coat formation if the fertilization fails but the pollen tube contents enter the ovule. In addition, we confirmed that the agl62 mutant , defective in early endosperm formation, showed seed coat initiation with and without fertilization, indicating that for a normal seed coat initiation, fertilization is not required; however, for the completion of normal seed coat formation, both normal fertilization and endosperm formation are required. Further molecular evidence is required to understand these phenomena because very few factors related to FRS and POEM have been identified.
Cognitive dysfunctions in depression – significance, description and treatment prospects
Authors: Czerwińska Agnieszka , Pawłowski Tomasz
Published: April 2019

Zaburzenia funkcji poznawczych są częścią symptomatologii zaburzeń depresyjnych, ale mogą się również utrzymywać po osiągnięciu remisji objawowej. Dysfunkcje poznawcze jako przetrwały objaw depresji, prowadzą do upośledzenia funkcjonowania pacjenta na wielu płaszczyznach życia oraz istotnie pogarszają jego jakość. Dodatkowo zwiększają ryzyko wystąpienia chorób somatycznych oraz przyczyniają się do wzrostu świadczeń wydatkowanych ze środków pomocy publicznej. Ponadto, jest to czynnik negatywnie wpływający na rokowanie zaburzeń depresyjnych gdyż zwiększa ryzyko nawrotu depresji oraz zmniejsza podatność na farmakoterapię. Za przetrwanie deficytów poznawczych po leczeniu MDD odpowiedzialne są dysfunkcje sieci neuronowych oraz zmiany morfometrii w poszczególnych obszarach mózgu. Większość obecnie stosowanych tymoleptyków ma wpływ na remisję objawów depresyjnych, ale nie powoduje wycofania się deficytów kognitywnych. Obecnie jest coraz więcej dowodów, że stosowane w praktyce klinicznej leki przeciwdepresyjne mogą poprawiać funkcje poznawcze niezależnie od ich wpływu na komponentę afektywną. Celem niniejszej pracy jest omówienie neurobiologicznych mechanizmów zaburzeń czynności poznawczych w powiązaniu z objawami klinicznymi oraz przedstawienie możliwości terapeutycznych u pacjentów z przetrwałymi dysfunkcjami poznawczymi w przebiegu zaburzeń depresyjnych.
Occurrence of legume caterpillar moth in soybeans in northern Brazil
Authors: Silva Anderson Gonçalves da , Grigolli José Fernando Jurca , Souza Bruno Henrique Sardinha de , Farias Paulo Roberto Silva , Ribeiro Rafael Coelho , Alencar João Rafael De Conte Carvalho de , El-Husny Jamil Chaar
Published: April 2019

Abstract: This study reports the first occurrence of legume caterpillar moth Selenisa sueroides (Guenée) (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae) attacking soybeans in northern Brazil, being the second record in this crop in the country. This report resulted from periodic monitoring of soybean pests and natural enemies using the beat cloth in the region of Paragominas, state of Pará, during the 2015-2017 seasons. The presence of S. sueroides larvae was recorded in all crop seasons, and in the latter higher infestations were observed and required chemical control in some areas. Population surveys of S. sueroides in soybeans will be continued in the following seasons for monitoring its occurrence and expansion in the region. Basic research on the insect biology and host preference is highly encouraged since this information is still lacking for the Brazilian conditions.Ocorrência de lagarta das leguminosas em soja no norte do BrasilResumo: Este estudo reporta a primeira ocorrência da lagarta-pinça Selenisa sueroides (Guenée) (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae) atacando plantas de soja no norte do Brasil, sendo seu segundo registro de ocorrência na cultura no país. O relato de sua ocorrência é proveniente de monitoramentos periódicos de pragas e inimigos naturais de soja por meio de batida de pano na região de Paragominas, estado do Pará, durante as safras 2015-2017. A presença de lagartas de S. sueroides foi registrada em todas as safras, sendo que na última safra altas infestações foram observadas, necessitando controle químico em algumas áreas. Levantamentos populacionais de S. sueroides em soja serão continuados nas safras seguintes para monitorar sua ocorrência e expansão na região. Pesquisa básica sobre a biologia e preferência hospedeira do inseto é altamente recomendada, uma vez que essas informações ainda estão faltando para as condições brasileiras.
Ocorrência da cochonilha Phenacoccus solenopsis Tinsley (Hemiptera: Pseudococcidae) em mudas de mogno (Swietenia macrophylla King)
Authors: De Castro Marcelo Tavares , Montalvão Sandro Coelho Linhares , Peronti Ana Lúcia Benfatti Gonzalez , Monnerat Rose Gomes
Published: April 2019

Resumo. Phenacoccus solenopsis Tinsley (Hemiptera: Pseudococcidae) é relatada pela primeira vez associada ao mogno brasileiro, Swietenia macrophylla King (Meliaceae). Infestações deste pseudococcídeo foram observadas sobre folhas e ramos de mudas do mogno cultivadas em casa de vegetação, em Brasília, Distrito Federal, Brasil. O controle da cochonilha foi realizado manualmente e/ou com aplicação de solução de água com detergente neutro a 10%.Occurrence of the mealybug Phenacoccus solenopsis Tinsley (Hemiptera: Pseudococcidae) on mahogany seedlings (Swietenia macrophylla King)Abstract. Phenacoccus solenopsis Tinsley (Hemiptera: Pseudococcidae) is reported for the first time on brazilian mahogany, Swietenia macrophylla King (Meliaceae). Infestations of this Pseudococcidae were observed on leafs and branches of mahogany seedlings cultivated in a greenhouse, in Brasilia, Federal District, Brazil. The control of the mealybug was realized manually and/or with application of water solution with 10% of neutral detergent.
Flight dispersion in field and reproductive status of Scaptocoris castanea Perty (Hemiptera: Cydnidae)
Authors: Souza Camila Patrícia Ribeiro , Turchen Leonardo Morais , Cossolin Jamile Fernanda Silva , Pereira Mônica Josene Barbosa
Published: April 2019

Abstract. Flight dispersion is an adaptive trait to insects, since that make possible found new habitat with resources adequate to survive and reproduction. This behavior is reported in Scaptocoris castanea Perty (Hemiptera: Cydnidae), however few is known on this issue. Herein, we propose to characterize the flight dispersion of S. castanea in field and assess your reproductive status. For this, we conducted samples in soybean and cotton crop by two years (i.e. crop station), where the insects were collected with aerial insect net and sample in soil. We assess presence and/or absence of insect at flight dispersion, sexual rate and reproductive status of females (flight and soil), which was defined as presence of sperm in the spermatheca (i.e. couple female) and number of ovules in ovaries (i.e., full eggs). Our results exhibit that dispersion by flight occurred between March and April (2014) and, February and March (2015), which indicate strong association among flight dispersion and rain period. Besides, we verified that the insects collected during flight exhibit a high proportion of female (> 0.85), and high reproductive potential from insect at flight and in soil. Therefore, the flight dispersion in S. castanea is characterized by occur after mating behavior (presence of sperm in spermatid) and with insect able to colonize new fields (presence of ovules in ovaries).Dispersão por voo em campo e status reprodutivo de Scaptocoris castanea Perty (Hemiptera: Cydnidae) Resumo. Dispersão por voo é uma característica adaptativa em insetos, pois permitem a localização de habitat favoráveis para sobrevivência e reprodução. Tal comportamento é realizado pelo percevejo-castanho, Scaptocoris castanea Perty (Hemiptera: Cydnidae), mas pouca atenção tem sido dada a esta questão. Assim, propõe-se nesta pesquisa caracterizar a dispersão por revoada e status reprodutivo de S. castanea em campo. Para isso, realizou-se coletas em áreas de soja e algodão em dois anos (safras). Estas consistiam em captura de insetos em revoadas com rede entomológica e coletas em solo. Avaliou-se a razão sexual dos adultos e o status reprodutivo das fêmeas (revoada e solo), considerando a presença de espermatozoides na espermateca e fêmeas com óvulos nos ovaríolos (óvulos formados). Nossos resultados mostraram que a dispersão por voo ocorreu entre março e abril (2014) e fevereiro e março (2015), o que indica forte associação da dispersão com período da chuva. Além disso, verificou-se que os insetos coletados durante o voo exibiam alta proporção de fêmeas (> 0,85) e alto potencial reprodutivo de fêmeas em voo e no solo. Portanto, pode-se concluir que a dispersão de S. castanea é caracterizada por ocorrer após comportamento de cópula (presença de esperma na espermateca) e com insetos aptos para colonizar novas áreas (presença de óvulos nos ovaríolos).
Supply Chain Analysis of Contract Farming
Authors: Federgruen Awi , Lall Upmanu , Şimşek A. Serdar
Published: April 2019

Contract farming is a growing practice in developing countries and first-world economies alike. It generates necessary guarantees to sustain the continued operations of vulnerable farmers while enabling the manufacturers to manage the aggregate supply and price risk. We consider a single manufacturer who owns several manufacturing plants, each with a random demand for the crop. The manufacturer selects a set of farmers to offer a menu of contracts, which is exogenously specified or endogenously determined. Each “selected” farmer chooses a contract from this menu in advance of the growing season. After the growing season, under known demands and supplies, the manufacturer minimizes the distribution costs from the selected farmers to the production facilities. We formulate this problem as a Stackelberg game with asymmetric information, where the manufacturer is the leader and the farmers are the followers. The manufacturer’s problem is a two-stage stochastic planning program for which we develop two solution approaches. We have applied our model to problem instances anchored on data from a large manufacturer of potato chips contracting with thousands of small farmers in India. We report on the performance of the solution methods compared with a lower bound based on the Lagrangean dual of the problem and show that the optimality gap is below 1%, for problem instances with 1,000 potential farmers. We also show how our model can be used to gain various managerial insights. As an example, when constructing the contract menu endogenously, often a small number of contract options suffices, depending on the degree of heterogeneity among the farmer pool. Thus, relatively simple menus often suffice.

The online appendices are available at https://doi.org/10.1287/msom.2018.0735 .

This paper has been accepted for the Manufacturing & Service Operations Management Special Issue on Value Chain Innovations in Developing Economies.
Relationship between Clinical Indicators of Periodontal Disease and Serum Level of Vitamin D
Authors: LEE DONG-EUN , WON SUNG-YOON
Published: April 2019

Background: Vitamin D is obtained through food and nutritional supplements, or is synthesized in the skin by sunshine. It is then transferred to the liver and kidney through the bloodstream and hydroxylated by a specific enzyme (cytochrome P450 family 27 subfamilies A member 1, cytochrome P450 family 27 subfamily B member 1) to form 25-hydroxyvitamin D and 1,25-dihydroxy vitamin D. The vitamin D synthesis facilitates calcium and phosphorus absorption from the intestines. The parathyroid hormone helps to synthesize 1,25-dihydroxy vitamin D to aid calcium absorption. Objectives: Many researchers have investigated the relationship between serum vitamin D levels and periodontal disease. And periodontal disease indicators such as bleeding on probing, pocket depth, clinical attachment level, gingival index, and cementoenamel junction-alveolar cresthave been used to identify the effects of vitamin D on periodontal disease. The effects of vitamin D on bacteria or cytokines have also been investigated. In this review article, vitamin D levels according to the status of periodontal disease were summarized. Data sources: PubMed was searched electronically, and randomized clinical trials, cross-sectional studies, and case-control studies were included in the review. Study appraisal and synthesis methods: Articles that the classification of periodontitis was accurately described, indicators for identifying periodontitis was clearly marked, and the form of vitamin D measured in the study was accurately described were selected. Only highly relevant journals were selected and summarized. Results: Most of the research has found positive associations between the serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D level and periodontal health, and the clinical parameters of periodontal disease were reduced by vitamin D. Limitations: Detailed categorization of the characteristics associated with the 25-hydroxyvitamin D level should be needed in future studies. Conclusions: This review article can be used as a guide by clinicians and as a reference book for patients’ education.
α-Glucosidase Inhibitory Effect of Fermented Fruit Juice of Morinda Citrifolia L and Combination Effect with Acarbose
Authors: SIMAMORA ADELINA , SANTOSO ADIT WIDODO , TIMOTIUS KRIS HERAWAN
Published: April 2019

Fermented fruit juice of M.citrifoliais supposed to be the future nutraceutical beverage due to its antidiabetic and antioxidant activities. The purposes of this study were to characterize the fermented juice microbiologically and chemically and to evaluate itsα-glucosidase inhibition and radical scavenging activities in vitro. The fruit of M.citrifolia was fermented and the fruit juice was obtained and evaluated for its radical scavenging activity based on a DPPH assay. It's in vitroanti diabetic activity on α-glucosidase inhibition was investigated, including its combined effect with acarbose by a Chou-Talalay method. The inhibition mode was evaluated by Line weaver-Burk plots. The juice was identified for its microbiome with 16S sequencing method and pictured with SEM. The bioactive compounds were analysed with LC-MS. The main microbiome was yeast and tentatively identified as Candida. The yeast was not able to grow in the normal growth medium for yeast, such as sabouroud agar. The TPC of the juice was 1,193 μg GAE/ml. The main compounds identified by an LC-MS were short-chain fatty acids (α-ketoglutaric acid and malic acid). The fermented fruit juice showed good α-glucosidase inhibitory and antioxidant activities with IC50 of 28.99 and 14.09μgGAE/ml, respectively. The kinetic study showed a non-competitive inhibition on α-glucosidase. The combination of the juice with acarbose at higher concentrations produced an additive effect on α-glucosidase. However, at lower concentrations, an antagonistic effect was observed. The fermented fruit juice of M.citrifoliais a good beverage with strong antidiabetic and antioxidant effects.
Energy and Nutrient intake and Dietary Diversity among Female Residential Students of Bangladesh
Authors: SULTANA MARJIA , HASAN TOWHID , SHAHEEN NAZMA
Published: April 2019

The efficacy of nisin (25-75 ppm) and effect of storage time on quality attributes of micro-filtered coconut water during refrigerated storage (4°C) for 8 days was investigated in terms of total viable counts, colour, turbidity and overall sensory acceptance. All treatments significantly retarded the bacterial growth in coconut water during storage when compared to the control sample (p < 0.05). The samples treated with 50 and 75 ppm nisin had significantly lower aerobic microbial counts than the control (p < 0.05) without affecting colour, turbidity and sensory acceptability. The treated samples also had the significantly higher scores in overall acceptance than the control sample after 7 days of storage.50 ppm Nisin was suggested to be applied in micro-filtered coconut water without effects on colour, turbidity, and sensory acceptability by a reduction in changes of the microbial growth during the refrigerated storage.
Diálogos com o Feminino: pelas ondas do rádio mulheres que fazem psicologia para mulheres
Authors: Silva Juliana Ferreira da , Albuquerque Letícia Dias , Santos Marcela Matias , Oliveira Milena Almeida da Costa de
Published: April 2019

A pesquisa Diálogos com o Feminino aborda a trajetória de mulheres na psicologia brasileira, buscando evidenciar as especificidades do saber psi que se dedicou às questões do feminino e produziu uma intervenção específica de psicologia feita por mulheres e para mulheres. Esta comunicação apresenta dados da primeira fase da pesquisa, constituindo uma análise de abordagem qualitativa, natureza aplicada, com objetivo exploratório e procedimento de análise documental sobre a contribuição da jornalista e mestre em psicologia social Irede Cardoso para a psicologia articulada ao movimento feminista brasileiro. O estudo parte da experiência do programa de rádio Elas por Elas, compreendendo-o como uma original intervenção sobre a questão da mulher, tanto pelo diálogo que propunha com a psicologia, quanto pela utilização de instrumentos de comunicação via rádio e telefone, assim como pela colocação de questões específicas da mulher de forma coletivizada. Em seguida, são discutidos elementos da biografia de Irede Cardoso, abordando sua trajetória e produção acadêmica. Os resultados demonstram que o saber psi estudado na pesquisa formou esforços para a coletivização da pauta feminista.
Synthesis and Processing Techniques of Tungsten Copper Composite Powders for Electrical Contact Materials A Review
Authors: Lungu Magdalena Valentina
Published: April 2019

This review presents a general survey on synthesis and processing techniques of tungsten copper (W-Cu) composite powders for achieving electrical contact materials for power engineering applications. Several chemical and mechano-chemical synthesis methods for obtaining W-Cu composite powders in nano or micro scales from various W and Cu metal salt precursors combined with hydrogen reduction or nitridation-denitridation processes are reported along with powder metallurgy (PM) techniques employed in manufacturing W-Cu electrical contact materials. The main advantages and disadvantages of synthesis and processing techniques are summarized, too. The interdepencies among the properties of starting materials and final products in relation with synthesis and processing parameters are highlighted. The review reveals that the development of W-Cu advanced materials with improved properties and scale-up potential is of a great interest in practical applications related to materials science and engineering field.