bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Biological control agents in the integrated nematode management of potato in Egypt
Authors: Abd-Elgawad Mahfouz M. M.
Published: October 2020

Background

Potato represents Egypt’s largest vegetable export crop. Many plant-parasitic nematodes (PPNs) are globally inflicting damage to potato plants. In Egypt, their economic significance considerably varies according to PPN distribution, population levels, and pathogenicity.

Main body

This review article highlights the biology, ecology, and economic value of the PPN control viewpoint. The integration of biological control agents (BCAs), as sound and safe potato production practice, with other phytosanitary measures to manage PPNs is presented for sustainable agriculture. A few cases of BCA integration with such other options as synergistic/additive PPN management measures to upgrade crop yields are reviewed. Yet, various attributes of BCAs should better be grasped so that they can fit in at the emerging and/or existing integrated management strategies of potato pests.

Conclusion

A few inexpensive biocontrol products, for PPNs control on potato, versus their corresponding costly chemical nematicides are gathered and listed for consideration. Hence, raising awareness of farmers for making these biologicals familiar and easy to use will promote their wider application while offering safe and increased potato yield.
Cross-cultural adaption and validation of the German version of the Mini-BESTest in individuals after stroke: an observational study
Authors: Cramer Elena , Weber Franziska , Faro Gilian , Klein Michael , Willeke Dennis , Hering Thomas , Zietz Dörte
Published: October 2020

Background

Postural control is a very important function in everyday life. However, assessing postural control with commonly used measurement instruments (MIs) is limited due to deficits in their psychometric properties. The Mini-Balance Evaluation Systems Test (Mini-BESTest) is a comprehensive and multidimensional MI for assessing postural control in persons with limited balance function, such as individuals after stroke. Despite the increasing use of the Mini-BESTest worldwide, no German version is available.

Research question

Is the German version of the Mini-BESTest (GVMBT) comprehensible and valid for measuring postural control in individuals after stroke?

Methods

The Mini-BESTest was translated and cross-culturally adapted, following established guidelines. It was pilot-tested with ten participants. This observational measurement and validation study was conducted at one point and included 50 participants with subacute and chronic stroke (mean age: 64.58 ± 13.34 years/ 34 men/ 16 women). Convergent validity was investigated using 1) the Berg Balance Scale (BBS) and 2) the Timed “Up & Go” (TUG). The MIs were evaluated for normal distribution with the calculation of skewness, kurtosis and Q-Q-Plots. Spearman correlation coefficients and Bland Altman analysis were used to examine the relationship between the MIs. The internal consistency was assessed using Cronbach’s alpha.

Results

Comprehension of the GVMBT was confirmed. The GVMBT correlated significantly with the BBS (rs = 0.93) and the TUG (rs = − 0.85). Bland Altman analysis revealed low absolute differences. The GVMBT demonstrated no significant floor or ceiling effects and showed excellent internal consistency (Cronbach’s α = 0.90).

Significance

The GVMBT has excellent validity and internal consistency. Due to this and its specific subcategories, the GVMBT is recommended for the use in research and clinical practice. Further psychometric properties should be evaluated.
Effect of COD:N ratio on biological nitrogen removal using full-scale step-feed in municipal wastewater treatment plants
Authors: Phanwilai Supaporn , Noophan Pongsak , Li Chi-Wang , Choo Kwang-Ho
Published: October 2020

This study investigated the effect of low and high chemical oxygen demand (COD):N ratios on biological nitrogen removal and microbial distributions in full-scale step-feed (SF) municipal wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs) in Thailand (SF1) and Taiwan (SF2). The SF1 WWTP had a low COD:N (4:1) ratio, a long solids retention time (SRT) (> 60 d), and low dissolved oxygen (DO) conditions (0.2 mg L− 1 in anoxic tank and 0.9 mg L− 1 in aerobic tank). The total nitrogen (TN) removal efficiency was 48%. The SF2 WWTP had a high COD:N (10:1) ratio, a short SRT (7 d), and high DO (0.6 mg L− 1 in anoxic tank and 1.8 mg L− 1 in aerobic tank). The TN removal efficiency was 61%. The nitrification and denitrification rates from these two plants were inadequate. Using a quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR) technique, the populations of ammonium oxidizing bacteria (AOB) and ammonium oxidizing archaea were quantified. Measurement of ammonia monooxygenase (amoA) gene abundances identified these AOB: Nitrosomonas sp., Nitrosospira sp., Nitrosoccus sp. and Zoogloea sp. Higher amounts of the archaeal-amoA gene were found with long SRT, lower DO and COD:N ratios. Abundance of Nitrobacter sp. was slightly higher than Nitrospira sp. at the SF1, while abundance of Nitrobacter sp. was two orders of magnitude greater than Nitrospira sp. at the SF2. More denitrifying bacteria were of the nirS-type than the nirK-type, especially at higher COD:N ratio. Most bacteria belong to the phyla Acidobacteria, Actinobacteria Bacteroidetes, Chloroflexi, Proteobacteria. The results from this work showed that insufficient carbon sources at the SF1 and high DO concentration in anoxic tank of SF2 adversely affected nitrogen removal efficiencies. In further research work, advanced techniques on the next generation sequencing with different variable regions should be recommended in full-scale WWTPs.
Potential therapeutic target identification in the novel 2019 coronavirus: insight from homology modeling and blind docking study
Authors: Durojaye Olanrewaju Ayodeji , Mushiana Talifhani , Uzoeto Henrietta Onyinye , Cosmas Samuel , Udowo Victor Malachy , Osotuyi Abayomi Gaius , Ibiang Glory Omini , Gonlepa Miapeh Kous
Published: October 2020

Background

The 2019-nCoV which is regarded as a novel coronavirus is a positive-sense single-stranded RNA virus. It is infectious to humans and is the cause of the ongoing coronavirus outbreak which has elicited an emergency in public health and a call for immediate international concern has been linked to it. The coronavirus main proteinase which is also known as the 3C-like protease (3CLpro) is a very important protein in all coronaviruses for the role it plays in the replication of the virus and the proteolytic processing of the viral polyproteins. The resultant cytotoxic effect which is a product of consistent viral replication and proteolytic processing of polyproteins can be greatly reduced through the inhibition of the viral main proteinase activities. This makes the 3C-like protease of the coronavirus a potential and promising target for therapeutic agents against the viral infection.

Results

This study describes the detailed computational process by which the 2019-nCoV main proteinase coding sequence was mapped out from the viral full genome, translated and the resultant amino acid sequence used in modeling the protein 3D structure. Comparative physiochemical studies were carried out on the resultant target protein and its template while selected HIV protease inhibitors were docked against the protein binding sites which contained no co-crystallized ligand.

Conclusion

In line with results from this study which has shown great consistency with other scientific findings on coronaviruses, we recommend the administration of the selected HIV protease inhibitors as first-line therapeutic agents for the treatment of the current coronavirus epidemic.
Depression in adolescence: a review
Authors: Beirão Diogo , Monte Helena , Amaral Marta , Longras Alice , Matos Carla , Villas-Boas Francisca
Published: October 2020

Background

Depression is a common mental health disease, especially in mid to late adolescence that, due to its particularities, is a challenge and requires an effective diagnosis. Primary care providers are often the first line of contact for adolescents, being crucial in identifying and managing this pathology. Besides, several entities also recommend screening for depression on this period. Thus, the main purpose of this article is to review the scientific data regarding screening, diagnosis and management of depression in adolescence, mainly on primary care settings.

Main body

Comprehension of the pathogenesis of depression in adolescents is a challenging task, with both environmental and genetic factors being associated to its development. Although there are some screening tests and diagnostic criteria, its clinical manifestations are wide, making its diagnosis a huge challenge. Besides, it can be mistakenly diagnosed with other psychiatric disorders, making necessary to roll-out several differential diagnoses. Treatment options can include psychotherapy (cognitive behavioural therapy and interpersonal therapy) and/or pharmacotherapy (mainly fluoxetine), depending on severity, associated risk factors and available resources. In any case, treatment must include psychoeducation, supportive approach and family involvement. Preventive programs play an important role not only in reducing the prevalence of this condition but also in improving the health of populations.

Conclusion

Depression in adolescence is a relevant condition to the medical community, due to its uncertain clinical course and underdiagnosis worldwide. General practitioners can provide early identification, treatment initiation and referral to mental health specialists when necessary.
Demystifying the Meaning of Active Learning in Postsecondary Biology Education
Authors: Driessen Emily P. , Knight Jennifer K. , Smith Michelle K. , Ballen Cissy J.
Published: October 2020

Active learning is not well-defined in the context of undergraduate biology education. To clarify this term, this study explored how active learning is defined and what active learning strategies are used. This work highlights the importance of elaboration and specificity when using the term "active learning" to characterize teaching.
Seismic Soundoff
Authors: Geary Andrew
Published: October 2020

Patricia de Lugão provides a helpful analysis of the benefits and uses of magnetotellurics (MT) based on her upcoming 2020 Honorary Lecturer tour, “Environment-friendly exploration using magnetotellurics.” She highlights the role of MT in geophysics and mining, discusses the advantages of this method over seismic, and shares how MT is ready to play a major role in renewable energy. Listen to the full episode at https://seg.org/podcast/post/9102 .
Observational Study to Evaluate the Clinical Efficacy of Thermalytix for Detecting Breast Cancer in Symptomatic and Asymptomatic Women
Authors: Kakileti Siva Teja , Madhu Himanshu J. , Krishnan Lakshmi , Manjunath Geetha , Sampangi Sudhakar , Ramprakash H.V.
Published: October 2020

PURPOSE

To evaluate the sensitivity and specificity of Thermalytix, an artificial intelligence–based computer-aided diagnostics (CADx) engine, to detect breast malignancy by comparing the CADx output with the final diagnosis derived using standard screening modalities.

METHODS

This multisite observational study included 470 symptomatic and asymptomatic women who presented for a breast health checkup in two centers. Among them, 238 women had symptoms such as breast lump, nipple discharge, or breast pain, and the rest were asymptomatic. All participants underwent a Thermalytix test and one or more standard-of-care tests for breast cancer screening, as recommended by the radiologists. Results from Thermalytix and standard modalities were obtained independently in a blinded fashion for comparison. The ground truth used for analysis (normal or malignant) was the final impression of an expert clinician based on the symptoms and the available reports of standard modalities (mammography, ultrasonography, elastography, biopsy, fine-needle aspiration cytology, and so on).

RESULTS

For the 470 women, Thermalytix resulted in a sensitivity of 91.02% (symptomatic, 89.85%; asymptomatic, 100%) and specificity of 82.39% (symptomatic, 69.04%; asymptomatic, 92.41%) in detection of breast malignancy. Thermalytix showed an overall area under the curve (AUC) of 0.90, with an AUC of 0.82 for symptomatic and 0.98 for asymptomatic women.

CONCLUSION

High sensitivity and high AUC of Thermalytix in women of all age groups demonstrates the efficacy of the tool for breast cancer screening. Thermalytix, with its automated scoring and image annotations of potential malignancies and vascularity, can assist the clinician in better decision making and improve quality of care in an affordable and radiation-free manner. Thus, we believe Thermalytix is poised to be a promising modality for breast cancer screening.
Impact of Androgen Deprivation on Oxidative Stress and Antioxidant Status in Nigerian Patients With Prostate Cancer Undergoing Androgen Deprivation Therapy
Authors: Bassey Iya Eze , Emodi Bukola Abosede , Akpan Uwem Okon , Iyakndue Idorenyin Francesca Akpan , Anakebe Edim Azubuike , Icha Bassey Edward , Efobi Henry Afamuefuna , Ntinya Akan Joshua , Udoh Alphonsus Ekpe
Published: October 2020

PURPOSE

Prostate cancer (CaP) incidence and mortality rate are increasing in Africa. Some have linked oxidative stress with the pathogenesis of cancer. This study assessed the levels of malondialdehyde (MDA), nitric oxide (NO), total plasma peroxide (TPP), and total antioxidant capacity (TAC) in Nigerian patients with CaP.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

One hundred twenty patients with CaP and 100 apparently healthy controls were consecutively recruited into this case-control study. The patients with CaP were divided into treatment-naïve and androgen deprivation therapy (ADT)–treated groups. Anthropometric indices were measured, and MDA, NO, TAC, and TPP were assayed by colorimetric methods. The t test and analysis of variance were used in analysis of data; statistical significance was set at P < .05, and 95% CIs were reported.

RESULTS

The patients with CaP had significantly higher waist-hip ratios and NO ( P = .0001), TPP ( P = .001), oxidative stress index (OSI; P = .003), and MDA values ( P = .002) than controls. The treatment-naive patients with CaP had significantly higher waist-hip ratios ( P = .011) and TPP ( P = .013), MDA ( P = .011), and NO values ( P = .0001) and lower TAC values ( P = .013) compared with the controls. The ADT-treated patients had higher waist-hip ratios ( P = .0001) and TPP ( P = .005), OSI ( P = .005), MDA ( P = .011), and NO values ( P = .0001) than the controls. However, the treatment-naive patients had significantly higher NO values ( P = .05) only compared with the ADT-treated patients. There was a significantly positive correlation between MDA and duration of treatment ( r = 0.280, P = .018) in ADT-treated patients with CaP.

CONCLUSION

This study demonstrated that patients with CaP have higher levels of TPP, MDA, and NO and lower levels of TAC compared with men without CaP. In addition, even in patients with CaP undergoing treatment, TPP and MDA levels remained high.
Different tertiary interactions create the same important 3D features in a distinct flavivirus xrRNA
Authors: Jones Rachel A. , Steckelberg Anna-Lena , Vicens Quentin , Szucs Matthew J. , Akiyama Benjamin M. , Kieft Jeffrey S.
Published: October 2020

During infection by a flavivirus (FV), cells accumulate noncoding subgenomic flavivirus RNAs (sfRNAs) that interfere with several antiviral pathways. These sfRNAs are formed by structured RNA elements in the 3′ untranslated region (UTR) of the viral genomic RNA, which block the progression of host cell exoribonucleases that have targeted the viral RNA. Previous work on these exoribonuclease-resistant RNAs (xrRNAs) from mosquito-borne FVs revealed a specific three-dimensional fold with a unique topology in which a ring-like structure protectively encircles the 5′ end of the xrRNA. Conserved nucleotides make specific tertiary interactions that support this fold. Examination of more divergent FVs reveals differences in their 3′ UTR sequences, raising the question of whether they contain xrRNAs and if so, how they fold. To answer this, we demonstrated the presence of an authentic xrRNA in the 3′ UTR of the Tamana bat virus (TABV) and solved its structure by X-ray crystallography. The structure reveals conserved features from previously characterized xrRNAs, but in the TABV version these features are created through a novel set of tertiary interactions not previously seen in xrRNAs. This includes two important A–C interactions, four distinct backbone kinks, several ordered Mg2+ ions, and a C+–G–C base triple. The discovery that the same overall architecture can be achieved by very different sequences and interactions in distantly related flaviviruses provides insight into the diversity of this type of RNA and will inform searches for undiscovered xrRNAs in viruses and beyond.
Cardiovascular risk assessment in South and Middle-East Asians living in the Western countries
Authors: Saeed Sahrai , Kanaya Alka M , Bennet Louise , Nilsson Peter M
Published: October 2020

Nearly a quarter of the world population lives in the South Asian region (India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Nepal, Bhutan, and the Maldives). Due to rapid demographic and epidemiological transition in these countries, the burden of non-communicable diseases is growing, which is a serious public health concern. Particularly, the prevalence of pre-diabetes, diabetes and atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease (CVD) is increasing. South Asians living in the West have also substantially higher risk of CVD and mortality compared with white Europeans and Americans. Further, as a result of global displacement over the past three decades, Middle-Eastern immigrants now represent the largest group of non-European immigrants in Northern Europe. This vulnerable population has been less studied. Hence, the aim of the present review was to address cardiovascular risk assessment in South Asians (primarily people from India, Pakistan and Bangladesh), and Middle-East Asians living in Western countries compared with whites (Caucasians) and present results from some major intervention studies. A systematic search was conducted in PubMed to identify major cardiovascular health studies of South Asian and Middle-Eastern populations living in the West, relevant for this review. Results indicated an increased risk of CVD. In conclusion, both South Asian and Middle-Eastern populations living in the West carry significantly higher risk of diabetes and CVD compared with native white Europeans. Lifestyle interventions have been shown to have beneficial effects in terms of reduction in the risk of diabetes by increasing insulin sensitivity, weight loss as well as better glycemic and lipid control.

doi: https://doi.org/10.12669/pjms.36.7.3292

How to cite this:Saeed S, Kanaya AM, Bennet L, Nilsson PM. Cardiovascular risk assessment in South and Middle-East Asians living in the Western countries. Pak J Med Sci. 2020;36(7):1719-1725. doi: https://doi.org/10.12669/pjms.36.7.3292

This is an Open Access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0), which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.
A cross-sectional observational study investigating the association between sedges (swamp grasses, Cyperaceae) and the prevalence of immature malaria vectors in aquatic habitats along the shore of Lake Victoria, western Kenya
Authors: Bokore Getachew E. , Ouma Paul , Onyango Patrick O. , Bukhari Tullu , Fillinger Ulrike
Published: October 2020

Background: Strategies that involve manipulations of the odour-orientation of gravid malaria vectors could lead to novel attract-and-kill interventions. Recent work has highlighted the potential involvement of graminoid plants in luring vectors to oviposition sites. This study aimed to analyse the association between water-indicating graminoid plants (Cyperaceae, sedges), other abiotic and biotic factors and the presence and abundance of early instar Anopheles larvae in aquatic habitats as a proxy indicator for oviposition.

Methods: A cross-sectional survey of 110 aquatic habitats along the shores of Lake Victoria was done during the rainy season. Habitats were sampled for mosquito larvae using the sweep-net method and habitat characteristics recorded.

Results: Anopheles arabiensis was the dominant species identified from aquatic habitats. Larvae of the secondary malaria vectors such as Anopheles coustani, An. rufipes and An. maculipalpis were found only in habitats covered with graminoids, whereas An. arabiensis, An. ziemanni and An. pharoensis were found in both habitats with and without graminoid plants. The hypothesis that sedges might be positively associated with the presence and abundance of early instar Anopheles larvae could not be confirmed. The dominant graminoid plants in the habitats were Panicum repens, Cynodon dactylon in the Poaceae family and Cyperus rotundus in the Cyperaceae family. All of these habitats supported abundant immature vector populations. The presence of early instar larvae was significantly and positively associated with swamp habitat types (OR=22, 95% CI=6-86, P<0.001) and abundance of late Anopheles larvae (OR=359, CI=33-3941, P<0.001), and negatively associated with the presence of tadpoles (OR=0.1, CI=0.0.01-0.5, P=0.008).

Conclusions: Early instar malaria vectors were abundant in habitats densely vegetated with graminoid plants in the study area but no specific preference could be detected for any species or family. In search for oviposition cues, it might be useful to screen for chemical volatiles released from all dominant plant species.
Improving the design of an online course with virtual focus group feedback
Authors: Young Celine , Chesniak Olivia M. , Drane Denise , Campa III Henry , Green Noah , Greenler Robin , Middlemis Maher Jessica , McGee Richard , Nunez Antonio , Goldberg Bennett B. , Chobot Hokanson Sarah
Published: October 2020

Virtual focus groups played a significant role in guiding the design and development of an innovative professional development program for postdoctoral scholars, called The Postdoc Academy. The primary goal of obtaining feedback from postdocs was to ensure the program content is relevant, approachable, and inclusive for participants of all backgrounds, career stages, professional aspirations, and disciplines. The data collected in 13 focus groups shaped the final content and structure for the Massive Open Online Course (MOOC), ‘The Postdoc Academy: Succeeding as a Postdoc’. Evaluation of participant experience in a post-focus group survey suggests that engaging a target audience is an effective approach to obtain participant feedback and engage learners in the material. Content and activities modified by this feedback were highly rated by course participants in self-reported post-module evaluations. This article describes a method on how structured virtual focus groups of diverse future course participants can provide valuable feedback on developing the content and structure of professional development programming.
A framework for building and maintain trust in remote and virtual teams
Authors: Soomar Zaheera
Published: October 2020

Trust is an important concept in assessing and measuring business behaviour from an organisational performance and culture lens, and has become a source of competitive advantage for organisations especially within the knowledge economy. Studies show that organizations with a high level of trust have increased employee morale, more productive workers, and lower staff turnover. Most organisations factor and measure trust as part of keeping a pulse on their organisational culture and design their initiatives around building and maintaining trust. While it is not impossible to build trust virtually, it certainly is harder and requires a different set of considerations. There has been a big shift by organizations catering for more remote and flexible work conditions over the past decade with the “virtual team” becoming the norm. The recent impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic have forced most, if not all, organizations to move in that direction faster than planned. With this movement to more remote working conditions, that are likely to have longer-term impacts, companies will be faced with challenges that virtual teams typically face in establishing and maintaining trust. This paper sought to highlight a framework that organisations, with remote and virtual teams, can use as a guideline to build and maintain trust. The framework suggests that trust is reliant on components from three key areas, namely 1) Foundational, 2) Organisational and 3) Individual. Components related to external aspects that contribute to trust, such as laws, reputation and society, have not been factored in. It is acknowledged that this will play a role in organisational and team trust but has been excluded from the scope of this research.
El romance periodístico de Jaime Campmany como modelo de periodismo literario en la España de finales del siglo XX
Authors: Fernández Jiménez Antonio
Published: October 2020

En este trabajo se da a conocer a grandes rasgos la última etapa profesional del periodista Jaime Campmany (1925-2005), que ocupa las tres últimas décadas de la pasada centuria, y donde destacamos la que consideramos una de las aportaciones más originales al periodismo literario de aquellos momentos: los romances periodísticos. Columnas de opinión construidas en endecasílabos. Se trata de una creativa forma de contar, opinar y versificar la actualidad en un periodo de la Historia de España y del Periodismo en que se está cultivando con especial ahínco la columna de opinión, pues con el advenimiento de la Democracia y las libertades logradas este género goza de una supremacía tal, que algunos autores han considerado que es un tiempo, que arranca aproximadamente a partir de 1975, cuando comienza a gestarse un nuevo periodismo donde la columna proliferará como nunca antes. Este artículo analiza las características de los romances de Campmany que se han reducido básicamente a tres puntos: estirpe clásica (una vasta cultura), virtuosismo léxico (despliegue de vocablos cultos y populares) y humorismo (socarronería e ironía en los argumentos). Con estas premisas teóricas, aportamos además una muestra de cinco romances para ejemplificar y comprobar lo expuesto, además de destacar que Campmany rescata y actualiza la tradición de periodistas versificadores.
Linking Social Relatedness with Motivational Goals and Bachelor Degree Aspirations of Vocational Students
Authors: Nownaisin Pattanun , Koul Ravinder , Chomsuwan Komkrit , Poondej Chanut , Lerdpornkulrat Thanita
Published: October 2020

This study conducted in Thailand examined the relationship between measures of social relatedness and motivational goal orientation as well as bachelor degree aspirations of vocational school students.  Data were collected from students enrolled in a vocational school near Bangkok (n = 386).  The analysis found that teacher support for students was the best predictor of students’ adoption of mastery goals, school identification was the best predictor of students’ adoption of performance approach goals, and peer involvement was the best predictor of students’ adoption of performance avoidance goals.  There was a significant interaction between school identification and peer involvement on the intention to pursue a bachelor degree.  The researchers interpreted the results in terms of self-determination theory and discussed the implications of students’ sense of relatedness to vocational school environment.
Development of E-Learning Oriented Inquiry Learning Based on Character Education in Multimedia Course
Authors: Suartama I Kadek , Triwahyuni Eges , Abbas Sukardi , Hastuti Wiwik Dwi , M Usman , Subiyantoro Singgih , Umar Umar , Salehudin Mohammad
Published: October 2020

The study aimed to: 1) determine the e-learning design oriented inquiry learning based on character education in multimedia courses, 2) find out the feasibility of e-learning oriented inquiry learning based on character education in multimedia courses, 3) identify the effectiveness of e-learning oriented inquiry learning based on character education in multimedia courses. This study employed the research and development design. The research and development model used is the Borg & Gall model. The subjects involved in the feasibility test were 8th semester and 2015-2016 academic year students, while the subjects included in the effectiveness test were the 7th semester and 2016-2017 academic year students of Educational Technology Department Universitas Pendidikan Ganesha. The instruments used to collect data in this study were questionnaires, learning outcome tests, and character behavior observation sheets. Descriptive statistical analysis and inferential statistics (t-test) were used to analyze the data. The results indicated significant differences in learning outcomes of the 7th semester and 2016-2017 academic year students learning multimedia courses, before and after using Edutech Smart e-learning. The study concluded that that the learning media developed are effective to enhance the quality of learning in multimedia learning. Efforts should be made to develop e-learning by optimizing more varied presentation methods.
Development of New Boric Acid Gel Baits for Use on Invasive Ants (Hymenoptera: Formicidae)
Authors: Kafle Lekhnath , Neupane Anil Chandra , Wang Yu-Min , Gangai Samantha Rose
Published: October 2020

The current control measures used against common household ants in urban and agricultural settings include perimeter insecticide applications. These often have the potential to cause problems of poisoning non-target organisms, due to the insecticidal runoff and environmental contamination. A gel-baiting technique is the most effective tool to control ants with less insecticides released into the environment. In this study two commercial gel baits; the Boric acid (2.5% boric acid) and the Fipronil (0.01% fipronil) baits, were evaluated against laboratory made baits (lab baits). The lab baits, consisted of: 1.5% boric + fructose (F1.5), 1.5% boric acid + fructose + molasses (M1.5), 3% boric acid + fructose (F3), and 3% boric + fructose + molasses (M3) were evaluated based on preference and mortality rates of the common household ant species: the Asian needle ant, Monomorium chinensis, Santschi, and the Yellow crazy ant, Anoplolepis gracilipes, Smith, under laboratory conditions. An inconsistent preference was observed between species and different baits; however, the fipronil bait and the lab bait M3, were preferred more by both ant species compared to the other baits tested. Lab bait M3 also had a faster killing speed than the boric acid bait and the lab bait F3.Based on the results it was concluded that lab bait M3 was a more efficient ant bait and is a potential alternative control measure to the current commercial baits.
I Can See You: Temporal Variation in Ant Aggressiveness Towards Herbivores under Continuous Provision of High- or Low-quality Food Sources
Authors: Pena João Carlos De Castro , Luna Pedro , Aoki-Gonçalves Felipe , Jacobo María Fernanda Chávez , PATIÑO TAMARA MARTÍNEZ , MORALES KASSANDRA SÁNCHEZ , VÁZQUEZ MIGUELINA VIVER , GARCÍA-CHÁVEZ JUAN HECTOR , DÁTTILO WESLEY
Published: October 2020

To reduce herbivory, plants bearing extrafloral nectaries interact with ants and attract them by providing food. As plant bodyguards, ants respond to the resource provision and, using their antennae, detect chemical messages from the host plants that help them to locate herbivores. Ants can also use their vision to explore the environment; however, information is lacking on how interactions between visual signs and the availability of extrafloral nectar affect ant aggressiveness near resources. We addressed the following question in this study: does the ants’ ability to visualize potential herbivores enhance their aggression under a constant provision of a high-quality food source? Using an experimental approach within the semiarid intertropical region of Tehuacan-Cuicatlán (Mexico), we manipulated the availability of food sources by constantly offering artificial nectaries on the shrub Prosopis laevigata (Fabaceae). Over two time periods (day and night), we tested how the presence of a high-quality food source affected ant aggressiveness to herbivores. Therefore, we offered dummy caterpillars and counted the number of marks left by enemy attacks. Overall the attack rate was extremely high: 84.25% of the dummy caterpillars were injured. Ants were responsible for 86.22% of the marks left by enemies, and their aggression increased during the day, especially towards caterpillars in trees with high-quality food sources. During the night, ants probably rely mostly on their antennae to detect potential herbivores; therefore, their ability to detect dummy caterpillars was greater during the day. We show that, besides nectar quality and availability, visualizing herbivores may enhance ant aggressiveness.
Nosema ceranae (Microsporidia: Nosematidae) Does Not Cause Collapse of Colonies of Africanized Apis mellifera (Hymenoptera: Apidae) in Tropical Climate
Authors: Guimarães-Cestaro Lubiane , Maia T. S. , Martins Renata , Alves Maria Luísa Teles M. F. , Otsuk Ivani Pozar , Message Dejair , Teixeira Erika Weinstein
Published: October 2020

Nosemosis is an important disease that affects honey bees (Apis mellifera Lineu), caused by obligate intracellular parasites, Nosema  apis  and/or  Nosema  ceranae. Since the initial detection of N. ceranae in A. mellifera coincided with recent large-scale losses of bee colonies worldwide, the impacts of this parasite under field conditions are of great interest. Here we test two hypotheses, the first one, whether the climatic variables (temperature, air humidity and precipitation) influence the intensity of infection of the microsporidium Nosema spp. in Africanized honey bees (Apis mellifera), and the second, whether the local of hive installation (outdoor or roofed) influences the intensity of infection of these spores in Africanized honey bees. Between August 2013 and August 2016, samples of Africanized bees were collected weekly from 20 colonies, of which ten were located in an open area (outdoor apiary) and ten under a roof on a concrete floor (roofed apiary). N.  ceranae was the only species present. The type of apiary did not influence (p > 0.05) the number of spores of N. ceranae in Africanized bees. However, the infection intensities of the roofed apiary colonies were lower in the autumn. Regarding the meteorological parameters, there was a negative correlation between the winter infection intensities and the minimum temperature in the roofed apiary and the humidity in the outdoor apiary. The highest infection intensities occurred in both apiaries in the spring and summer, which may be related to higher pollen production. On average, the infection intensity was 16.19 ± 15.81 x 105, ranging from zero to 100.5 x105, and there were no records of collapse during the three years.
First North American Records of the Old-World Tramp Ant Syllophopsis sechellensis(Hymenoptera: Formicidae)
Authors: Wetterer James
Published: October 2020

Syllophopsis  sechellensis  (Emery)  (formerly  Monomorium  sechellense) (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) is a small, inconspicuous ant species native to the Old-World tropics. Syllophopsis sechellensis is widespread in Asia and Australia, and on islands the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic Oceans. In the New  World,  all  published  records  come  from  West  Indian  islands.  Here,  I report the first records of S. sechellensis from North America: from four sites in Miami-Dade and Broward counties, Florida, more than 1500 km from the closest records in the West Indies. The ants of Florida have been well-studied in the past, so S. sechellensis appears to be a recent arrival.
Diversity of the Ant Genus Neoponera Emery, 1901 (Formicidae: Ponerinae) in the north of the Brazilian Atlantic Forest, with new Records of Occurrence
Authors: Silva Priscila Santos , Koch Elmo Borges de Azevedo , Arnhold Alexandre , Araujo Erica Dos Santos , Delabie Jacques Hubert Charles , Mariano Cléa Dos Santos Ferreira
Published: October 2020

Composed of two main forest formations, Ombrophilous Forest and Seasonal Forest, the Brazilian Atlantic Forest biome is constituted currently by a mosaic of forest remnants and secondary vegetation. Representatives of the Ponerinae ant genus Neoponera are observed mainly in both wet and seasonally dry forests. The aim of this study was to approach the diversity of the genus Neoponera in the north of the Atlantic Forest of Brazil (from the extreme north of its distribution to the Doce River hydrographic basin in the south), associating the occurrence of ant species with the types of vegetation. We have compiled occurrence data from the collection of the Myrmecology Laboratory of the Cocoa Research Center, on internet, or available in literature. We found information on 23 species of Neoponera, including a new record for the Atlantic Forest, Neoponera globularia (Mackay & Mackay, 2010), and a new record for Brazil, Neoponera fiebrigi Forel, 1912. The relative composition of the Neoponera assemblages was evaluated according to the types of vegetation. We found that the occurrence of the genus Neoponera is mainly related to the types of vegetation of the focus region, principally dense forests where a higher diversity was observed.
Survival of Coptotermes testaceus (Isoptera: Rhinotermitidae) to Environmental Conditions (Relative Humidity and Temperature) and Preference to Different Substrates
Authors: Pozo-Santiago Cesar Orlando , Pérez-De La Cruz Manuel , Torres-De la Cruz Magdiel , De La Cruz-Pérez Aracely , Capello-García Silvia , Hernández-Gallegos Minerva Aurora , Velázquez-Martínez José Rodolfo
Published: October 2020

Coptotermes  testaceus (L.) (Rhinotermitidae) is a subterranean termite species that causes damage in urban and agricultural areas in the neotropics. Despite its economic importance,  there  are  no  studies  on  its  basic  biological  aspects  for  laboratory management and the development of strategies for its control. The objective of the present study was to evaluate the relative humidity, temperature, substrate moisture and preference to different wood substrates for the best C.  testaceus survival under laboratory conditions. For this, a range of eight relative humidity (from 9 to 100%), three temperatures (20, 25 and 30 °C), six substrates (Pinus sp, Cedrela  odorata  (L.), Cocos nucifera (L.), Eucalyptus urophylla (S. T. Blake), Haematoxylum campechianum (L.) and Tabebuia rosea [Bertol.] DC) and four substrate moistures, (0 to 60%) were tested. The results of this study indicated a significant effect of all factors on termite survival or termite preference. When tested independently, the highest survival percentage of C.testaceus was obtained with humidity of 100%, temperature of 20 °C, substrate moisture of 60% and the Eucalyptus  urophylla substrate, reaching 83.33% survival at 21 days of observation. With these preliminary assays on small termite groups, it is concluded that with the appropriate percentages of humidity, temperature and substrate and the interaction of these three factors, further research can be conducted using larger termite groups in biologically relevant conditions, in order to study various aspects of C. testaceus biology.
Can Baited Pitfall Traps for Sampling Dung Beetles Replace Conventional Traps for Sampling Ants?
Authors: Przybyszewski Kelley Rita , Silva Ricardo José , Vicente Ricardo Eduardo , Garcia Freitas João Victor , Pereira Mônica Josene Barbosa , Izzo Thiago Junqueira , Tonon Danielle Storck
Published: October 2020

Ants  and  dung  beetles  are  widely  used  in  monitoring  biodiversity  and  are  considered  excellent  environmental  indicators.  Although  the pitfall trap is the most commonly used method to sample dung beetles and ants in ecological studies, beetles are usually sampled using dung‐baited pitfall traps while ants are sampled using un‐baited pitfalls. In the protocol for collecting the beetles it is necessary to have attractive baits in pitfalls. In order to minimize collection effort and costs and to facilitate logistics, it is necessary to determine if there is an effect of the baits on the biodiversity of ants collected in the same traps. Therefore, the objective of this work was to find out whether baited pitfalls could replace conventional pitfalls for the capture of ants. In a total of 42 areas of native habitat, three baited pitfall traps and three without bait were installed, all in the same transect, equidistant ten meters and in activity for 48 hours. In total, 150 species were collected, of which 131 were recorded in non‐baited pitfalls and 107 in baited pitfalls. Traps without bait contributed to 28% of the total number of species captured in this study, whereas pitfalls with bait contributed only to 12% of the total species caught. However, 60% of the total species were captured regardless of the method. In addition to the loss of species among the types of traps, the effect of the method modifies the species composition. We concluded that depending on the type of study, a small decrease in the number of species and change in the composition can influence the results. Thus, we recommend that baited pitfalls should not replace conventional pitfalls.Palavras-chave: Método de coleta; Protocolo de coleta; Desenho da amostra; Esforço de amostragem.
Implementing selective edge enhancement in nonlinear optics
Authors: Xu Diefei , Ma Tianlong , Qiu Xiaodong , Zhang Wuhong , Chen Lixiang
Published: October 2020

Recently, it has been demonstrated that a nonlinear spatial filter using second harmonic generation can implement a visible edge enhancement under invisible illumination, and it provides a promising application in biological imaging with light-sensitive specimens. But with this nonlinear spatial filter, all phase or intensity edges of a sample are highlighted isotropically, independent of their local directions. Here we propose a vectorial one to cover this shortage. Our vectorial nonlinear spatial filter uses two cascaded nonlinear crystals with orthogonal optical axes to produce superposed nonlinear vortex filtering. We show that with the control of the polarization of the invisible illumination, one can highlight the features of the samples in special directions visually. Moreover, we find the intensity of the sample arm can be weaker by two orders of magnitude than the filter arm. This striking feature may offer a practical application in biological imaging or microscopy, since the light field reflected from the sample is always weak. Our work offers an interesting way to see and emphasize the different directions of edges or contours of phase and intensity objects with the polarization control of the invisible illumination.
Control and enhancement of photo-induced refractive index modifications in fused silica
Authors: Lapointe Jerome , Bérubé Jean-Philippe , Pouliot Samuel , Vallée Réal
Published: October 2020

A thorough study of the femtosecond photo-inscription of optical waveguides in fused silica is presented. Quantitative phase microscopy was used to study the variation of the index contrast of the waveguides as a function of the writing conditions. It is revealed that waveguides based exclusively on Type I refractive index modifications are difficult to form for pulses longer than 300 fs. We show that this limitation can be circumvented by scanning the laser beam multiple times at low pulse energy. We also demonstrate that by equally multiplying the scan speed and the number of passes, the index contrast can be increased, which was not expected for the low-repetition-rate regime. Based on the nonlinear ionization memory, we propose an explanation for this phenomenon. For shorter pulses, multiple passes of the beam allowed for the formation of waveguides with an enhanced index contrast while preserving the morphology and uniformity of Type I modifications. Index contrasts up to 9 × 10−3 in Heraeus F300 fused silica are reported. Using this method, waveguides that exhibits single mode operation at wavelengths of 405, 633, 980 and 1550 nm were successfully inscribed.
Nuevos mundos, nuevas mentes. Aportaciones innovadoras a la educación del intelecto
Authors: Roig-Vila Rosabel , Flores Lueg Carolina , Rico Gómez María Luisa
Published: October 2020

Nuevos mundos, nuevas mentes. Aportaciones innovadoras a la educación del intelecto.
Valoración de las TIC en el proceso educativo: una mirada desde los párvulos y sus familias
Authors: Carreño Olave Alejandra , Mena Bastías Carmen , Lastra Urra María José
Published: October 2020

Este trabajo tiene como propósito central diagnosticar los intereses de los párvulos y sus familias respecto al uso de las TIC, tanto dentro como fuera del aula. Se empleó un diseño metodológico mixto, donde se complementaron técnicas de obtención de información de naturaleza cualitativa (entrevista semiestructurada) y cuantitativa (encuesta), se llevó a cabo en un colegio subvencionado ubicado en la zona centro sur de Chile, participaron 32 párvulos y 26 apoderados, seleccionados intencionalmente a partir de criterios internos a la investigación. Entre los principales resultados se destaca la valoración positiva de los niños y niñas respecto a estas herramientas, aludiendo fundamentalmente a las posibilidades de entretención que les ofrecen, siendo la Tablet y el celular los dispositivos de su preferencia. Por su parte, los padres y madres valoran también positivamente la interacción de los sus hijos e hijas con las TIC, visualizándose disposición para apoyarlos, resguardando los tiempos de utilización y la seguridad de los párvulos al momento en que acceden fundamentalmente a Internet.
Cambios de la enseñanza en educación superior en El Salvador: de lo presencial a lo no presencial
Authors: Ramírez Cruz Yanira Mesalina
Published: October 2020

La versatilidad en la educación debe de ser una constante, para efecto de ampliar no solamente la cobertura en las modalidades de aprendizaje, sino en generar pensamientos críticos, de autonomía y autogestores. Lo anterior provocará que el rol de los actores en la educación –institución, docentes y estudiantes— cambie significativamente y se considere que en la modalidad virtual la tecnología ha permitido que los aprendizajes se den en ambientes virtuales muy diversos, como los entornos en aulas virtuales, MOOC, Blogs, etc. Aprovechar las nuevas formas de comunicación es un reto, ya que está implícita en la educación no presencial. La inclusión de las redes sociales, de los grupos colaborativos y de la variedad de sistemas de videoconferencias han hecho más estrechas las distancias, logrando de esa forma comunicaciones en tiempo real independientemente del lugar de origen. Esto supone generar competencias profesionales diferentes a las que se han adquirido en las enseñanzas con formato tradicional, ya que, por ejemplo, la búsqueda de información es constante al cambiar día a día. Quedarse al margen de ese avance en educación, es negarse a un crecimiento profesional, lo que implica no aceptar la transformación digital en esos contextos. Por ello, los centros de estudios universitarios tienen el reto, no solo de la aceptación de estos entornos, sino de la adopción de ellos y del involucramiento del profesorado, con el fin de generar competencias docentes virtuales diferentes a las presenciales.