bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Fidelity Assessment Checklist Development for Community Nursing Research in Early Childhood
Authors: Anis Lubna , Benzies Karen M. , Ewashen Carol , Hart Martha J. , Letourneau Nicole
Published: May 2021

Nurses play an important role in promoting positive childhood development via early interventions intended to support parenting. Despite recognizing the need to deliver vital parenting programs, monitoring fidelity has largely been ignored. Fidelity refers to the degree to which healthcare programs follow a well-defined set of criteria specifically designed for a particular program model. With increasing demands for early intervention programs to be delivered by non-specialists, rigorous yet pragmatic strategies for maintaining fidelity are needed. This paper describes the step-by-step development and evaluation of a program fidelity measure, using the Attachment and Child Health (ATTACH™) parenting program as an exemplar. The overall quality index for program delivery varied between “very good” to “excellent,” with a mean of 4.3/5. Development of checklists like the ATTACH™ fidelity assessment checklist enables the systematic evaluation of program delivery and identification of therapeutic components that enable targeted efforts at improvement. In future, research should examine links between program fidelity and targeted outcomes to ascertain if increased fidelity scores yield more favorable effects of parenting programs.
The Impact of the COVID-19 Pandemic on China's Manufacturing Sector: A Global Value Chain Perspective
Authors: Song Yuegang , Hao Xiazhen , Hu Yilin , Lu Zhou
Published: May 2021

This paper, based on the notion of Trade in Value Added (TiVA), combines the global trade analysis project (GTAP) model with the value-added model in seeking to simulate and assess the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on China's manufacturing sector in global value chain (GVC) reconfiguration. The empirical study provides three major results. First, at the macroeconomic level, the pandemic wreaks a negative impact on all the economies, including the U.S., in regard to import & export trade, GDP and social welfare policy. Second, nation-level simulation shows that there's a remarkable disparity across different pandemic scenarios in the level of division of labor and of GVC participation for China and its trade partners. Third, sector-level analysis shows that the impacts of the pandemic include promoting the level of GVC participation and of labor division in China's manufacturing sector (electromechanical equipment and computer goods). This paper also provides policy advice for Chinese government: participation in higher-end GVCs, introduction of further structural reforms and retention of foreign investors, and active responses to GVC reconfiguration and cross-border capital flow.
The Promise of AI in Detection, Diagnosis, and Epidemiology for Combating COVID-19: Beyond the Hype
Authors: Abdulkareem Musa , Petersen Steffen E.
Published: May 2021

COVID-19 has created enormous suffering, affecting lives, and causing deaths. The ease with which this type of coronavirus can spread has exposed weaknesses of many healthcare systems around the world. Since its emergence, many governments, research communities, commercial enterprises, and other institutions and stakeholders around the world have been fighting in various ways to curb the spread of the disease. Science and technology have helped in the implementation of policies of many governments that are directed toward mitigating the impacts of the pandemic and in diagnosing and providing care for the disease. Recent technological tools, artificial intelligence (AI) tools in particular, have also been explored to track the spread of the coronavirus, identify patients with high mortality risk and diagnose patients for the disease. In this paper, areas where AI techniques are being used in the detection, diagnosis and epidemiological predictions, forecasting and social control for combating COVID-19 are discussed, highlighting areas of successful applications and underscoring issues that need to be addressed to achieve significant progress in battling COVID-19 and future pandemics. Several AI systems have been developed for diagnosing COVID-19 using medical imaging modalities such as chest CT and X-ray images. These AI systems mainly differ in their choices of the algorithms for image segmentation, classification and disease diagnosis. Other AI-based systems have focused on predicting mortality rate, long-term patient hospitalization and patient outcomes for COVID-19. AI has huge potential in the battle against the COVID-19 pandemic but successful practical deployments of these AI-based tools have so far been limited due to challenges such as limited data accessibility, the need for external evaluation of AI models, the lack of awareness of AI experts of the regulatory landscape governing the deployment of AI tools in healthcare, the need for clinicians and other experts to work with AI experts in a multidisciplinary context and the need to address public concerns over data collection, privacy, and protection. Having a dedicated team with expertise in medical data collection, privacy, access and sharing, using federated learning whereby AI scientists hand over training algorithms to the healthcare institutions to train models locally, and taking full advantage of biomedical data stored in biobanks can alleviate some of problems posed by these challenges. Addressing these challenges will ultimately accelerate the translation of AI research into practical and useful solutions for combating pandemics.
Topology Applied to Machine Learning: From Global to Local
Authors: Adams Henry , Moy Michael
Published: May 2021

Through the use of examples, we explain one way in which applied topology has evolved since the birth of persistent homology in the early 2000s. The first applications of topology to data emphasized the global shape of a dataset, such as the three-circle model for 3 × 3 pixel patches from natural images, or the configuration space of the cyclo-octane molecule, which is a sphere with a Klein bottle attached via two circles of singularity. In these studies of global shape, short persistent homology bars are disregarded as sampling noise. More recently, however, persistent homology has been used to address questions about the local geometry of data. For instance, how can local geometry be vectorized for use in machine learning problems? Persistent homology and its vectorization methods, including persistence landscapes and persistence images, provide popular techniques for incorporating both local geometry and global topology into machine learning. Our meta-hypothesis is that the short bars are as important as the long bars for many machine learning tasks. In defense of this claim, we survey applications of persistent homology to shape recognition, agent-based modeling, materials science, archaeology, and biology. Additionally, we survey work connecting persistent homology to geometric features of spaces, including curvature and fractal dimension, and various methods that have been used to incorporate persistent homology into machine learning.
Convection Theory and Relevant Problems in Stellar Structure, Evolution, and Pulsational Stability I Convection Theory and Structure of Convection Zone and Stellar Evolution
Authors: Xiong Da-run
Published: May 2021

A non-local and time-dependent theory of convection was briefly described. This theory was used to calculate the structure of solar convection zones, the evolution of massive stars, lithium depletion in the atmosphere of the Sun and late-type dwarfs, and stellar oscillations (in Part Ⅱ). The results show that: 1) the theoretical turbulent velocity and temperature fields in the atmosphere and the thermal structure of the convective envelope of the Sun agree with the observations and inferences from helioseismic inversion very well. 2) The so-called semi-convection contradiction in the evolutionary calculations of massive stars was removed automatically, as predicted by us. The theoretical evolution tracks of massive stars run at higher luminosity and the main sequence band becomes noticeably wider in comparison with those calculated using the local mixing-length theory (MLT). This means that the evolutionary mass for a given luminosity was overestimated and the width of the main sequence band was underestimated by the local MLT, which may be part of the reason for the contradiction between the evolutionary and pulsational masses of Cepheid variables and the contradiction between theoretical and observed distributions of luminous stars in the H-R diagram. 3) The predicted lithium depletion, in general, agrees well with the observation of the Sun and Galactic open clusters of different ages. 4) Our theoretical results for non-adiabatic oscillations are in good agreement with the observed mode instability from classic variables of high-luminosity red giants. Almost all the instability strips of the classical pulsating variables (including the Cepheid, δ Scuti, γ Doradus, βCephei, and SPB strips) were reproduced (Part Ⅱ).
Tratamiento de exposición en un caso de fobia sexual.
Authors: Alario Bataller Salvado
Published: May 2021

En este artículo se describe el tratamiento de una fobia sexual con exposición. El paciente, una mujer de 30 años, informó un problema grave debido a su fobia sexual. El tratamiento consistió en una terapia de exposición in vivo. Al final de los 3 años de seguimiento, el paciente mejoró mucho, con una reducción importante de los problemas diana y de la adaptación general.
Perspectivas de la teoría de constructos personales en terapia sexual: reconstrucción de la erección y elaboración de la eyaculación.
Authors: Winter David A.
Published: May 2021

La psicoterapia de los constructos personales se ha aplicado muy poco a los trastornos sexuales. En el presente artículo se contrasta el enfoque constructivista con otros métodos alternativos de aproximarse a dichos trastornos, a partir de tres dimensiones relacionadas, y que hacen referencia tanto a (1) si se trata de un trastorno introspectivo o extrospectivo, (2) si la queja se concibe como una construcción personal o como un mecanismo defectuoso, y (3) si la finalidad de la terapia va dirigida a conseguir objetivos personales o bien normativos. Se incluyen a modo ilustrativo los informes de tratamiento de dos pacientes masculinos que presentaban demandas a nivel sexual, y se compara el uso del eclecticismo técnico con la tendencia a la integración en terapia sexual.
El individuo, el cuerpo y el transgénero.
Authors: Nieto José Antonio
Published: May 2021

En el artículo se muestra, partiendo de los fundamentos de los sexual scripts, particularmente del significado de la lectura de la expresión corporal, como los individuos, en el caso de los transgeneristas, construyen sus experiencias, sus vidas. Se enfatiza la autonomía individual/corporal del transgénero, en relación a la presentación médica, de contenido uniforme e indiferenciado de la transexualidad. Se realza la visión emic que caracteriza al relato autobiográfico.
Algunas reflexiones sobre la posición del terapeuta en la terapia de pareja.
Authors: Rebés Montserrat
Published: May 2021

Hablar de terapia de pareja supone el gran esfuerzo de ir recorriendo círculos concéntricos, integrar y separar a la vez distintos niveles sistémicos. Para mí ha supuesto y sigue suponiendo la parte más difícil de una terapia. Y digo lo de parte de una terapia, porque no me es fácil trazar una distinción clara sobre lo que es propiamente terapia de pareja. Algunos han dicho, «la pareja no existe», haciendo referencia a la dificultad de aislar y delimitar el campo.
El análisis transaccional como teoría psicosocial.
Authors: Casado Esquius Lluís
Published: May 2021

Este artículo plantea la necesidad de superar el reduccionismo que supone excluir los procesos psicosociales de las teorías explicativas del desarrollo y dinámica adulta. Se efectúa una revisión de la teoría del Análisis Transaccional desde la perspectiva psicosocial, teoría que aunque, en su modelo clásico, solo considera los aspectos intrapsíquicos y relacionales, presenta un gran potencial de integración psicosocial.
Tratamiento integral del paciente con esquizofrenia.
Authors: Hernández Monsalve Mariano
Published: May 2021

Tras un breve repaso a algunos hitos que han marcado la evolución desde la tradicional perspectiva dualista hasta la más recientes integradoras, se exponen sus fundamentos teóricos y empíricos, tanto para la comprensión etiopatogénica de la(s) esquizofrenia(s) como para decidir estrategias de tratamiento. Se aborda especialmente la integración entre el nivel biológico/tratamientos farmacológicos y el psicosocial/psicoterapia-rehabilitación, y se revisan algunas posibilidades de integración de distintos modelos de psicoterapia. Finalmente, se señala la importancia de llevar a la práctica una integración efectiva en los servicios de salud mental comunitarios, y las nuevas posibilidades abiertas a las intervenciones de carácter preventivo.
Assessment of Conjugate Complexes of Chitosan and Urtica dioica or Equisetum arvense Extracts for the Control of Grapevine Trunk Pathogens
Authors: Langa-Lomba Natalia , Buzón-Durán Laura , Martín-Ramos Pablo , Casanova-Gascón José , Martín-Gil Jesús , Sánchez-Hernández Eva , González-García Vicente
Published: May 2021

In the work presented herein, we analyze the efficacy of three basic substances that comply with European Regulation (EC) No 1107/2009, namely chitosan, horsetail (Equisetum arvense L.) and nettle (Urtica dioica L.), for the control of grapevine trunk diseases (GTDs) in organic farming. The E. arvense and U. dioica aqueous extracts, prepared according to SANCO/12386/2013 and SANTE/11809/2016, have been studied by gas chromatography–mass spectrometry (GC-MS), identifying their main active constituents. The three basic substances, either alone or in combination (forming conjugate complexes), have been tested in vitro against eight Botryosphaeriaceae species, and in vivo, in grafted plants artificially inoculated with Neofusicoccum parvum and Diplodia seriata. A clear synergistic behavior between chitosan and the two plant extracts has been observed in the mycelial growth inhibition tests (resulting in EC90 values as low as 208 μg·mL−1 for some of the isolates), and statistically significant differences have been found in terms of vascular necroses lengths between treated and non-treated plants, providing further evidence of aforementioned synergism in the case of D. seriata. The reported data supports the possibility of extending the applications of these three basic substances in Viticulture beyond the treatment of mildew.
Seed Yam Production Using High-Quality Minitubers Derived from Plants Established with Vine Cuttings
Authors: Aighewi Beatrice , Maroya Norbert , Kumar P. Lava , Balogun Morufat , Aihebhoria Daniel , Mignouna Djana , Asiedu Robert
Published: May 2021

Yam (Dioscorea spp.) is a valuable food security crop in West Africa, where 92% of the world production occurs. The availability of quality seed tubers for increased productivity is a major challenge. In this study, minitubers weighing 1, 3, and 5 g produced from virus-free single-node vine cuttings of two improved yam varieties (Asiedu and Kpamyo) growing in an aeroponics system were assessed for suitability in seed production at a population of 100,000 plants ha−1. A 3 × 2 factorial experiment with randomized complete block design and three replications was set up during the cropping seasons of 2017 to 2019 at the International Institute of Tropical Agriculture Research Station in Kubwa, Abuja, Nigeria. Results showed field establishments of 87%–97.8%. Yields differed with minituber size, variety, and cropping season; the highest was 31.2 t ha−1 in 2019 and the lowest, 10 t ha−1 in 2018 from 5 and 1 g Kpamyo minitubers, respectively. The estimated number of tubers produced per hectare by 1, 3, and 5 g minitubers was 101,296, 112,592, and 130,555, with mean weights per stand of 159.2, 187.3, and 249.4 g, respectively. We recommend using less than 6 g minitubers for seed yam production due to their high multiplication rates.
Two User-Friendly Molecular Markers Developed for the Identification of Hybrid Lethality Genes in Brassica oleracea
Authors: Xiao Zhiliang , Kong Congcong , Han Fengqing , Yang Limei , Zhuang Mu , Zhang Yangyong , Wang Yong , Ji Jialei , Li Zhansheng , Fang Zhiyuan , Lv Honghao
Published: May 2021

Cabbage (Brassica oleracea) is an important vegetable crop that is cultivated worldwide. Previously, we reported the identification of two dominant complementary hybrid lethality (HL) genes in cabbage that could result in the death of hybrids. To avoid such losses in the breeding process, we attempted to develop molecular markers to identify HL lines. Among 54 previous mapping markers closely linked to BoHL1 or BoHL2, only six markers for BoHL2 were available in eight cabbage lines (two BoHL1 lines; three BoHL2 lines; three lines without BoHL); however, they were neither universal nor user-friendly in more inbred lines. To develop more accurate markers, these cabbage lines were resequenced at an ~20× depth to obtain more nucleotide variations in the mapping regions. Then, an InDel in BoHL1 and a single-nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) in BoHL2 were identified, and the corresponding InDel marker MBoHL1 and the competitive allele-specific PCR (KASP) marker KBoHL2 were developed and showed 100% accuracy in eight inbred lines. Moreover, we identified 138 cabbage lines using the two markers, among which one inbred line carried BoHL1 and 11 inbred lines carried BoHL2. All of the lethal line genotypes obtained with the two markers matched the phenotype. Two markers were highly reliable for the rapid identification of HL genes in cabbage.
Seasonal Variation in Gut Microbiota Related to Diet in Fejervarya limnocharis
Authors: Huang Chunhua , Liao Wenbo
Published: May 2021

Organisms adapt to environmental fluctuations by varying their morphology and structural, physiological, and biochemical characteristics. Gut microbiome, varying rapidly in response to environmental shifts, has been proposed as a strategy for adapting to the fluctuating environment (e.g., new dietary niches). Here, we explored the adaptive mechanism of frog intestinal microbes in response to environmental changes. We collected 170 Fejervarya limnocharis during different seasons (spring, summer, autumn, and pre-hibernation) to study the compositional and functional divergence of gut microbiota and analysed the effects of seasonal feeding habits and body condition on intestinal microorganisms using 16S rRNA high-throughput sequencing, Tax4Fun function prediction analysis, and bioinformatics analysis. The results showed no significant dietary difference in various seasons and between males and females. However, a significantly positive correlation was detected between dietary diversity and food niche width. Host condition (body size, body mass, and body condition) also revealed seasonal changes. The frogs were colonised by 71 bacterial phyla and dominated by Proteobacteria, Firmicutes, and Bacteroidetes. Stenotrophomonas was the most abundant genus in the Proteobacteria. The composition, diversity, and function of intestinal microorganisms in different seasons were significantly different. Significant differences were observed in composition and function but not in the microbial diversity between sexes. Furthermore, seasonal foods and body mass were significantly correlated with gut microbial composition. Our results suggest that gut microbiomes of F. limnocharis vary seasonally in response to diet under fluctuating environments.
Effects of Dietary Supplementation of gEGF on the Growth Performance and Immunity of Broilers
Authors: Zhou Jianyong , Yao Jingyi , Bai Luhong , Sun Chuansong , Lu Jianjun
Published: May 2021

EGF has been shown to stimulate the growth of animals. In this study, the content of EGF in chicken embryos (gallus EGF, gEGF) aged from 1 to 20 days of incubation were determined by ELISA kit, and the 5-day-old chicken embryos with the highest content of 5593 pg/g were selected to make gEGF crude extracts. A total of 1500 1-day-old Xianju chickens were randomly divided into five groups with six replicates of 50 chickens each. The control group was fed a basal diet, and other treatment diets were supplemented with 4, 8, 16 and 32 ng/kg gEGF crude extract, respectively. The experiment lasted for 30 days. Chicks were harvested at the end of the experiment, and liver, spleen, thymus, bursa and serum samples were collected. Results showed that average daily gain (ADG) and average daily feed intake (ADFI) of 16 ng/kg group were higher than those in the control group (p < 0.05). The serum uric acid (UA) of the 16 ng/kg group was reduced (p < 0.01), and the serum alkaline phosphatase (AKP) of the 16 ng/kg group increased (p < 0.01). The gEGF extract also increased chick’s antioxidant capacity, decreased malondialdehyde (MDA) and increased catalase (CAT) in the liver and serum of 16 ng/kg groups in compared to the control group (p < 0.01). Furthermore, immunity was improved by the addition of gEGF to broiler diets. The serum immunoglobin A (IgA) content of 8 and 16 ng/kg groups and the serum immunoglobin M (IgM) content of 4 and 8 ng/kg groups were increased (p < 0.05) compared to the control group. The bursa index of each experimental group was higher than the control group (p < 0.01). These findings demonstrate that the crude extract of gEGF prepared in this experiment could improve the growth performance, antioxidant capacity and immunity of broilers.
Dietary Natural Plant Extracts Can Promote Growth and Modulate Oxidative Status of Senegalese Sole Postlarvae under Standard/Challenge Conditions
Authors: Xavier Maria J. , Conceição Luís E. C. , Valente Luisa M. P. , Colen Rita , Rodrigues Andreia C. M. , Rocha Rui J. M. , Custódio Luísa , Carballo Carlos , Manchado Manuel , Engrola Sofia
Published: May 2021

Plant extracts are known for their high content and diversity of polyphenols, which can improve fish oxidative status. A growth trial with Senegalese sole postlarvae (45 days after hatching) fed with one of four experimental diets—control (CTRL), and supplemented with curcumin (CC), green tea (GT), and grape seed (GS) extracts—was performed to assess if supplementation could improve growth performance and oxidative status. At the end of the growth trial, postlarvae were submitted to a thermal stress to assess their robustness. Sole growth was improved by CC and GS diets when compared to those fed the CTRL. CC and CTRL postlarvae presented the lowest oxidative damage (lipid peroxidation and protein carbonylation values). Stress-related biomarkers (heat shock protein 70 and glutathione-S-transferase) decreased in CC fish compared to those fed the CTRL diet, which might be due to a direct antioxidant capacity. In contrast, oxidative damage increased in GT and GS sole reared in standard conditions. However, after a thermal stress, GT and GS diets prevented the increase of protein carbonylation content and the decrease of antioxidant glutathione, depending on exposure time. Overall, dietary supplementation with natural extracts modulated oxidative status and stress response after a short/long-term exposure to temperature.
Reference Intervals in Combined Veterinary Clinical Examinations of Male Black-Spotted Pond Frogs (Pelophylax nigromaculatus)
Authors: Park Jun-Kyu , Kim Jeong-Bae , Do Yuno
Published: May 2021

In conservation physiology, analyzing the physiological response of an organism to understand its ability to adapt to environmental changes is a key technique in establishing a successful conservation strategy. Veterinary clinical examinations determine the physiological condition of animals accurately and safely, and this examination is synergistic when combined. The accuracy and safety of a clinical examination makes it advantageous for use in amphibians with high species diversity and numerous endangered species. However, it is necessary to establish a reference interval (RI) for precise interpretations and identification of animals with abnormalities through individual unit testing. We have established RIs for the immunity, serum components, bone mineral density (BMD), and body composition of black-spotted pond frogs (Pelophylax nigromaculatus). Black-spotted pond frogs are a common species and are widely distributed in East Asia, with suitable characteristics for environmental monitoring. Serum was extracted from 151 male frogs to establish the RI for bacterial killing ability in order to represent immunity. We also used the serum to establish an RI of ten additional serum components to determine the nutritional status, organ function status, body osmotic pressure, and homeostasis conditions. The BMD and three body composition measures for diagnosing food intake status and nutritional condition were measured using dual energy X-ray absorptiometry. The RI was recorded as the mean ± standard deviation, median, first (25%) to third (75%) quantile range, 95% confidence interval of the mean and median, and the 95% percentile (2.5%–97.5% range) of all components. The use of combined clinical veterinary examinations aids our understanding of the physiological conditions of an individual according to biotic and abiotic factors on a complex spatiotemporal scale in an ecosystem.
Stages of Gut Development as a Useful Tool to Prevent Gut Alterations in Piglets
Authors: Modina Silvia Clotilde , Aidos Lucia , Rossi Raffaella , Pocar Paola , Corino Carlo , Di Giancamillo Alessia
Published: May 2021

During the prenatal, neonatal, and weaning periods, the porcine gastrointestinal tract undergoes several morpho-functional, changes together with substantial modification of the microbial ecosystem. Modifications of the overall structure of the small intestine also occur, as well as a rapid increase of the volume, mainly in the last period of gestation: intestinal villi, starting from jejunum, appears shortly before the sixth week of gestation, and towards the end of the third month, epithelial cells diversify into enterocytes, goblet cells, endocrine, and Paneth cells. Moreover, in the neonatal period, colostrum induces an increase in intestinal weight, absorptive area, and brush border enzyme activities: intestine doubles its weight and increases the length by 30% within three days of birth. During weaning, intestinal environment modifies drastically due to a replacement of highly digestible sow milk by solid feed: profound changes in histological parameters and enzymatic activity are associated with the weaning period, such as the atrophy of the villi and consequent restorative hypertrophy of the crypts. All these modifications are the result of a delicate and precise balance between the proliferation and the death of the cells that form the intestinal mucosa (i.e., mitosis and apoptosis) and the health conditions of the piglet. An in-depth knowledge of these phenomena and of how they can interfere with the correct intestinal function can represent a valid support to predict strategies to improve gut health in the long-term and to prevent weaning gut alterations; thus, reducing antimicrobial use.
Transcriptional Profiling of Porcine Blastocysts Produced In Vitro in a Chemically Defined Culture Medium
Authors: Cambra Josep M. , Martinez Emilio A. , Rodriguez-Martinez Heriberto , Gil Maria A. , Cuello Cristina
Published: May 2021

The development of chemically defined media is a growing trend in in vitro embryo production (IVP). Recently, traditional undefined culture medium with bovine serum albumin (BSA) has been successfully replaced by a chemically defined medium using substances with embryotrophic properties such as platelet factor 4 (PF4). Although the use of this medium sustains IVP, the impact of defined media on the embryonic transcriptome has not been fully elucidated. This study analyzed the transcriptome of porcine IVP blastocysts, cultured in defined (PF4 group) and undefined media (BSA group) by microarrays. In vivo-derived blastocysts (IVV group) were used as a standard of maximum embryo quality. The results showed no differentially expressed genes (DEG) between the PF4 and BSA groups. However, a total of 2780 and 2577 DEGs were detected when comparing the PF4 or the BSA group with the IVV group, respectively. Most of these genes were common in both in vitro groups (2132) and present in some enriched pathways, such as cell cycle, lysosome and/or metabolic pathways. These results show that IVP conditions strongly affect embryo transcriptome and that the defined culture medium with PF4 is a guaranteed replacement for traditional culture with BSA.
Risk Factors for Amoxicillin-Clavulanate Resistance in Community-Onset Urinary Tract Infections Caused by Escherichia coli or Klebsiella pneumoniae: The Role of Prior Exposure to Fluoroquinolones
Authors: Martínez-Casanova Javier , Gómez-Zorrilla Silvia , Prim Nuria , Dal Molin Agustina , Echeverría-Esnal Daniel , Gracia-Arnillas María , Sendra Elena , Güerri-Fernández Robert , Durán-Jordà Xavier , Padilla Eduardo , Horcajada Juan , Grau Santiago ,   on behalf of the PROA-PSMAR Group
Published: May 2021

Background: High rates of amoxicillin-clavulanate (AMC) resistance among Enterobacterales isolated from urinary tract infections (UTIs) were observed in our area. The aim of this study was to identify risk factors associated with AMC resistance in patients with community-onset UTI in emergency departments (EDs). Methods: A retrospective study was performed of all ED patients with positive urine cultures for Escherichia coli or Klebsiella pneumoniae in a Spanish tertiary-care hospital. Results: 330 urine cultures in all were included: 261 (79.1%) for E. coli and 69 (20.90%) for K. pneumonia. Rates of AMC resistance were 14.94% and 34.78%, respectively. UTI was clinically confirmed in 212 (64.24%) cases. Previous antimicrobial exposure was independently associated with AMC resistance development in E. coli and K. pneumoniae urinary isolates (OR = 2.94, 95% CI = 1.55–5.58). Analyses of infected patients revealed that previous exposure to fluoroquinolones (OR = 3.33, 95% CI = 1.10–10.12, p = 0.034) and to AMC (OR = 5.68, 95% CI = 1.97–16.44, p = 0.001) was significantly associated with isolation of AMC-resistant strains. Conclusions: Prior antibiotic exposure, particularly to AMC or fluoroquinolones, was the only independent risk factor associated with development of AMC resistance in E. coli and K. pneumoniae urinary isolates from patients attending the ED.
Apt (Adenine Phosphoribosyltransferase) Mutation in Laboratory-Selected Vancomycin-Intermediate Staphylococcus aureus
Authors: Lamichhane-Khadka Reena , Dulal Santosh , Cuaron Jesus , Pfeltz Richard , Gupta Sushim , Wilkinson Brian , Gustafson John
Published: May 2021

Comparative genomic sequencing of laboratory-derived vancomycin-intermediate Staphylococcusaureus (VISA) (MM66-3 and MM66-4) revealed unique mutations in both MM66-3 (in apt and ssaA6), and MM66-4 (in apt and walK), compared to hetero-VISA parent strain MM66. Transcriptional profiling revealed that both MM66 VISA shared 79 upregulated genes and eight downregulated genes. Of these, 30.4% of the upregulated genes were associated with the cell envelope, whereas 75% of the downregulated genes were associated with virulence. In concordance with mutations and transcriptome alterations, both VISA strains demonstrated reduced autolysis, reduced growth in the presence of salt and reduced virulence factor activity. In addition to mutations in genes linked to cell wall metabolism (ssaA6 and walK), the same mutation in apt which encodes adenine phosphoribosyltransferase, was confirmed in both MM66 VISA. Apt plays a role in both adenine metabolism and accumulation and both MM66 VISA grew better than MM66 in the presence of adenine or 2-fluoroadenine indicating a reduction in the accumulation of these growth inhibiting compounds in the VISA strains. MM66 apt mutants isolated via 2-fluoroadenine selection also demonstrated reduced susceptibility to the cell wall lytic dye Congo red and vancomycin. Finding that apt mutations contribute to reduced vancomycin susceptibility once again suggests a role for altered purine metabolism in a VISA mechanism.
Plant Feed Additives as Natural Alternatives to the Use of Synthetic Antioxidant Vitamins in Livestock Animal Products Yield, Quality, and Oxidative Status: A Review
Authors: Tsiplakou Eleni , Pitino Rosario , Manuelian Carmen L. , Simoni Marica , Mitsiopoulou Christina , De Marchi Massimo , Righi Federico
Published: May 2021

The interest for safe and natural foods of animal origin is currently increasing the use of plant feed additives (PFA) as antioxidants in animal nutrition. However, studies with livestock animals dealing with PFA as antioxidants are scarce. The aim of the present review was to evaluate the antioxidant impact of PFA compared with synthetic vitamins on animal food product yield and quality. For this purpose, peer-reviewed studies published between 2000 and 2020 were collected. Most papers were carried out on ruminants (n = 13), but PFA were also tested in swine (n = 6) and rabbits (n = 2). The inclusion of PFA in the diets of pigs, rabbits, and ruminants improved the products’ quality (including organoleptic characteristics and fatty acids profile), oxidative stability, and shelf life, with some impacts also on their yields. The effects of PFA are diverse but often comparable to those of the synthetic antioxidant vitamin E, suggesting their potential as an alternative to this vitamin within the diet.
Herbal Additives Substantially Modify Antioxidant Properties and Tocopherol Content of Cold-Pressed Oils
Authors: Laskoś Kamila , Pisulewska Elżbieta , Waligórski Piotr , Janowiak Franciszek , Janeczko Anna , Sadura Iwona , Polaszczyk Szymon , Czyczyło-Mysza Ilona Mieczysława
Published: May 2021

The aim of the study was to examine combinations of base oils and herbal additives with a view to obtaining macerates with improved health benefits. Base oils were cold-pressed from the seeds of black cumin, borage, evening primrose, safflower, walnut, common hazel, and oilseed rape, as well as the flesh of sea-buckthorn fruits. They were then supplemented with herbs, including basil, thyme, and sage, in order to create macerates. Total antioxidant activity and tocopherol level were analyzed in oils, macerates, and oil cakes. Additionally, chemical properties of oil cakes—such as the level of fibre, vitamin C, β-carotene, and lutein—were also examined. Supplementation with herbs caused diversified effects on antioxidant activity and tocopherol level in macerates depending on the base oil, herb, and supplementation method. The obtained results indicate that tocopherol level does not play a decisive role in determining the antioxidant properties of oils, macerates, and oil cakes, suggesting significant involvement of other antioxidants. Among the tested macerates, the most promising one seems to be oilseed rape oil enriched with sage or basil to maximize its health benefits. The study can serve as a starting point for the development and implementation of functional macerates and oil cakes in healthy nutrition.
Ambient Particulate Matter Induces Vascular Smooth Muscle Cell Phenotypic Changes via NOX1/ROS/NF-κB Dependent and Independent Pathways: Protective Effects of Polyphenols
Authors: Ho Chia-Chi , Chen Yu-Cheng , Tsai Ming-Hsien , Tsai Hui-Ti , Weng Chen-Yi , Yet Shaw-Fang , Lin Pinpin
Published: May 2021

Epidemiological studies have demonstrated an association between ambient particulate matter (PM) exposure and vascular diseases. Here, we observed that treatment with ambient PM increased cell migration ability in vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMCs) and pulmonary arterial SMCs (PASMCs). These results suggest that VSMCs and PASMCs transitioned from a differentiated to a synthetic phenotype after PM exposure. Furthermore, treatment with PM increased intracellular reactive oxygen species (ROS), activated the NF-κB signaling pathway, and increased the expression of proinflammatory cytokines in VSMCs. Using specific inhibitors, we demonstrated that PM increased the migration ability of VSMCs via the nicotinamide–adenine dinucleotide phosphate (NADPH) oxidase 1 (NOX1)/ROS-dependent NF-κB signaling pathway, which also partially involved in the induction of proinflammatory cytokines. Finally, we investigated whether nature polyphenolic compounds prevent PM-induced migration and proinflammatory cytokines secretion in VSMCs. Curcumin, resveratrol, and gallic acid prevented PM2.5-induced migration via the ROS-dependent NF-κB signaling pathway. However, honokiol did not prevent PM2.5-induced migration or activation of the ROS-dependent NF-κB signaling pathway. On the other hand, all polyphenols prevented PM2.5-induced cytokines secretion. These data indicated that polyphenols prevented PM-induced migration and cytokine secretion via blocking the ROS-dependent NF-κB signaling pathway in VSMCs. However, other mechanisms may also contribute to PM-induced cytokine secretion.
Acupressure for Managing Osteoarthritis: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis
Authors: Ang Lin , Song Eunhye , Lee Hyewon , Lee Myeongsoo
Published: May 2021

This review aims to evaluate the effectiveness of acupressure as a treatment method for osteoarthritis. Fourteen electronic databases were searched from the date of inception until 16 March 2021, for eligible studies. Studies comparing acupressure with sham acupuncture, no intervention or conventional intervention were eligible for inclusion. The risk of bias of the included studies was assessed using the Cochrane Collaboration’s Risk of Bias Assessment tool Version 2.0. A total of eight trials were included in this review, focusing on the seven trials investigating knee osteoarthritis. The risk of bias is judged as low in only two trials and concerning in the remaining six trials. The meta-analysis showed that acupressure has equivalent effects in reducing pain (p = 0.12), relieving stiffness (p = 0.38), and improving physical function (p = 0.12), as compared to sham acupressure. Pooled results also showed similar results where acupressure has an equivalent effect in reducing pain (p = 0.09), and relieving stiffness (p = 0.68), but showed a favorable effect in improving physical function of joints (MD –6.30, CI 95%: −11.69 to −0.92, p = 0.02), as compared to no intervention. For acupressure complementing conventional intervention, pooled results showed superior effects for easing pain compared to conventional intervention alone (MD −3.72, 95% CI: −4.84 to −2.61, p < 0.00001). Overall, the studies included in this review have concerning quality and suffer from small sample sizes, and the findings of this review should be interpreted with caution. More clinical trials with proper methodology are needed to confirm the effectiveness of acupressure for osteoarthritis.
Evaluation of Two Commonly Used Field Tests to Assess Varroa destructor Infestation on Honey Bee (Apis mellifera) Colonies
Authors: Pietropaoli Marco , Tlak Gajger Ivana , Costa Cecilia , Gerula Dariusz , Wilde Jerzy , Adjlane Noureddine , Aldea-Sánchez Patricia , Smodiš Škerl Maja Ivana , Bubnič Jernej , Formato Giovanni
Published: May 2021

Assessment of colony infestation by Varroa destructor is a crucial part of the Integrated Pest Management (IPM) applied to beekeeping. Natural mite fall, quantified by counting the mites on sticky sheets, is considered a reference method to estimate varroa infestation level in honey bee colonies. However, in recent years, alternative methods that can be used in field conditions have been investigated. In this paper, we report the results of the evaluation of two different methods to estimate the levels of varroa infestation. The experiment involved 151 honey bee colonies in nine apiaries of four countries (Algeria, Croatia, Italy, Poland). After the main honey flow, we compared the 10-day natural mite fall and the powdered sugar roll methods with the varroa population in each colony. According to our results, the powdered sugar roll method could be suggested to beekeepers as a suitable IPM tool for varroa control, while natural mite fall represents a more accurate method that could be adopted for selection/research purposes.
A Distributed Terahertz Metasurface with Cold-Electron Bolometers for Cosmology Missions
Authors: Beiranvand Behrokh , Sobolev Alexander S. , Larionov Michael Yu. , Kuzmin Leonid S.
Published: May 2021

We developed and tested a 2D periodic array of cold-electron bolometers arranged into a wideband frequency selective metasurface that absorbs more than 70% of the incident power in the frequency range 100–800 GHz. The array had 10 × 10 unit cells, each containing four bolometers incorporated into a ring. The chip with bolometers was mounted on the back side of the silicon lens without a back-reflector. Preliminary experiments demonstrated voltage responsivity as high as 109 V/W for the current-biased series array. Simulation of the noise performance shows realization of background noise-limited performance with NEPtot < NEPphot for the optical power load P0 > 15 pW. Results of numerical simulation made for the unit cell of the array are presented together with the equivalent diagram based on lumped network elements. The unit cell also was developed numerically to operate in two radiation modes.
Comparison of Analytical Methods for Determining Methylesterification and Acetylation of Pectin
Authors: Yu Yang , Wang Yuwen , Liu Xianbin , Liu Ying , Ji Li , Zhou Yifa , Sun Lin
Published: May 2021

The esterification of galacturonic acid with methanol and/or acetic acid is important for the structural analysis of pectin. Although several methods have been reported for determining the degree of methylesterification (DM) and acetylation (DAc), the present study compares and optimizes three methods (titration, FT-IR and HPLC) using commercial citrus pectin (CP). Our results showed that the DM of CP was 47.0%, 47.6% and 48.0% as determined by titration, FT-IR and HPLC, respectively, suggesting that DM determination is nearly identical using any of these methods. However, the titration approach requires more sample than the other two. HPLC showed that the DAc of CP was 1.6%, an approach that can be used to determine the DM and DAc of pectin simultaneously. Here, we simplified and optimized sample treatment for HPLC analysis and compared it with the reported literature. Our results provide useful information for choosing appropriate methods for determining the DM and DAc of pectin based on various sample properties and experimental conditions.
Scattering Reduction and Resonant Trapping of Flexural Waves: Two Rings to Rule Them
Authors: Movchan Alexander B. , McPhedran Ross C. , Carta Giorgio
Published: May 2021

In this paper, we discuss two problems concerning scattering and localisation of flexural waves in structured elastic plates. Firstly, we compare the scattering amplitudes of waves in a thin plate, generated by a point source, due to a single mass and to a large number of smaller masses, having the same equivalent mass and located around a circle. We show that in the second case, the scattering can be reduced, in particular in the medium- and high-frequency regimes. Secondly, we develop a homogenised model for a double-ring cluster of spring-mass resonators, connected to an elastic thin plate. We determine the conditions for which the plate exhibits vibration modes trapped between the two rings. Further, we show that the frequencies of the localised modes can be tuned by varying the geometry of the two rings and the characteristics of the resonators. The analytical results are corroborated by numerical simulations performed with independent finite element models.
Torsional Behavior Evaluation of Reinforced Concrete Beams Using Artificial Neural Network
Authors: Haroon Muhammad , Koo Seungbum , Shin DongIk , Kim Changhyuk
Published: May 2021

Artificial neural networks (ANNs) are an emerging field of research and have proven to have significant potential for use in structural engineering. In previous literature, many studies successfully utilized ANNs to analyze the structures under different loading conditions and verified the accuracy of the approach. Several studies investigated the use of ANNs to analyze the shear behavior of reinforced concrete (RC) members. However, few studies have focused on the potential use of an ANN for analysis of the torsional behavior of an RC member. Torsion is a complex problem and modeling the torsional fracture mechanism using the traditional analytical approach is problematic. Recent studies show that the nonlinear behavior of RC members under torsion can be modeled using ANNs. This paper presents a comprehensive analytical and parametric study of the torsional response of RC beams using ANNs. The ANN model was trained and validated against an experimental database of 159 RC beams reported in the literature. The results were compared with the predictions of design codes. The results show that ANNs can effectively model the torsional behavior of RC beams. The parametric study presented in this paper provides greater insight into the torsional resistance mechanism of RC beams and its characteristic parameters.
A Simulated Annealing Algorithm for Intermodal Transportation on Incomplete Networks
Authors: Oudani Mustapha
Published: May 2021

Growing competition in the world enforces the need for an efficient design of transportation networks. Furthermore, a competitive transportation network should also be eco-friendly. As road transportation is responsible for the largest quantities of CO2 emissions, Intermodal Transportation (IT) might be a potential alternative. From this perspective, intermodal terminals location is a cornerstone for building a sustainable transportation network. The purpose of this paper is to study and efficiently solve the Intermodal Terminal Location Problem on incomplete networks. We model this problem as a mixed integer linear program and develop a simulated annealing algorithm to tackle medium and large instances. The computational results show that the obtained solutions using simulated annealing are competitive and close to the exact solutions found by CPLEX solver for small and medium instances. The same developed algorithm outperforms the best found solutions from the literature using heuristics for larger instances.
Convergency and Stability of Explicit and Implicit Schemes in the Simulation of the Heat Equation
Authors: Suárez-Carreño Franyelit , Rosales-Romero Luis
Published: May 2021

Some strategies for solving differential equations based on the finite difference method are presented: forward time centered space (FTSC), backward time centered space (BTSC), and the Crank-Nicolson scheme (CN). These are developed and applied to a simple problem involving the one-dimensional (1D) (one spatial and one temporal dimension) heat equation in a thin bar. The numerical implementation in this work can be used as a preamble to introduce a method of solving the heat equation that can be implemented in problems in the area of finances. The results of implementing the software on very fine meshes (unidimensional), and with relatively small-time steps, are shown. Through mesh refinement, it was possible to obtain a better temperature distribution in the thin bar between a range of points. The heat equation was solved numerically by testing both implicit (CN) and explicit (FTSC and BTSC) methods. The examples show that the implemented schemes conform to theoretical predictions and that truncation errors depend on mesh, spacing, and time step.