bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Identification ofAustwickia chelonaeas cause of cutaneous granuloma in endangered crocodile lizards using metataxonomics
Authors: Jiang Haiying , Zhang Xiujuan , Li Linmiao , Ma Jinge , He Nan , Liu Haiyang , Han Richou , Li Huiming , Wu Zhengjun , Chen Jinping 
Published: March 2019

The crocodile lizard (Shinisaurus crocodilurusAhl, 1930) is an endangered reptile species, and in recent years many have died from diseases, especially the rescued and breeding individuals. However, pathogens underlying these diseases are unclear. In this study, we report our effort in rapidly identifying and isolating the pathogen that causes high mortality in crocodile lizards from Guangdong LuokengShinisaurus crocodilurusNational Nature Reserve. The typical symptom is cutaneous granuloma in the infected crocodile lizards. Metagenomic next-generation sequencing (mNGS) is a comprehensive approach for sequence-based identification of pathogenic microbes. In this study, 16S rDNA based mNGS was used for rapid identification of pathogens, and microscopy and microbe isolation were used to confirm the results.Austwickia chelonaewas identified to be the dominant pathogen in the granuloma using 16S rDNA based mNGS. Chinese skinks were used as an animal model to verify the pathogenicity ofA. chelonaeto fulfill Koch’s postulates. As expected, subcutaneous inoculation ofA. chelonaeinduced granulomas in the healthy Chinese skinks and theA. chelonaewas re-isolated from the induced granulomas. Therefore,A. chelonaewas the primary pathogen that caused this high mortality disease, cutaneous granuloma, in crocodile lizards from Guangdong LuokengShinisaurus crocodilurusNational Nature Reserve. Antibiotics analysis demonstrated thatA. chelonaewas sensitive to cephalothin, minocycline and ampicillin, but not to kanamycin, gentamicin, streptomycin and clarithromycin, suggesting a possible treatment for the infected crocodile lizards. However, surgical resection of the nodules as early as possible was recommended. This study is the first report of pathogenic analysis in crocodile lizards and provides a reference for disease control and conservations of the endangered crocodile lizards and other reptiles. In addition, this study indicated that mNGS of lesions could be used to detect the pathogens in animals with benefits in speed and convenient.
Just a small bunch of flowers: the botanical knowledge of students and the positive effects of courses in plant identification at German universities
Authors: Buck Thorsten , Bruchmann Ines , Zumstein Pascale , Drees Claudia 
Published: March 2019

BackgroundIn the light of the ongoing loss of species the knowledge about and the ability to identify species becomes increasingly important for effective monitoring and conservation measures. Learning about identifying biodiversity is a central task for future biologists and biology teachers and universities play an important role in educating future experts and multipliers. It builds one basis for conservation literacy.MethodsWe analyzed undergraduate students’ prior knowledge on plant species, identification and their knowledge gain from introductory plant identification courses at eight German universities. Using the Visual Classification Method—a combination of a presentation and standardized questionnaires—we evaluated the learning success of more than 500 students regarding (a) ‘declarative species knowledge’ of plant species names and (b) ‘taxonomic concept knowledge’, which is seen as knowledge on a higher level of complexity. From comparison of paired pre- and post-tests we calculated the individual knowledge gain. Using Linear Mixed Effects Models (LMMs) we analyzed effects of knowledge levels, learner-specific resources and learning environment on the knowledge gain.ResultsWe found that university course instructors have to start teaching at an almost zero level with respect to undergraduates’ prior knowledge: on average 2.6 of 32 common plant species were known. Overall, the introductory courses resulted in a significant but weak knowledge gain. We detected a higher knowledge gain in ‘taxonomic concept knowledge’ than in ‘declarative species knowledge’. We showed that the learning success was influenced by learner-specific resources, such as prior knowledge or aspects of motivation towards the subject matter, and by learning environment such as teaching methodology.DiscussionWe discuss didactical demands and aspects of teaching methodologies that could facilitate learning the complex task of plant identification in university courses. Plant identification should be taught and supervised by experienced, highly motivated course instructors with profound expertise and outstanding didactical skills. In order to qualify future generations of biologists, biology teachers, or conservationists universities should aim at and encourage high-quality teaching.
Seroprevalence and risk factors of Toxoplasma gondii infection in children with leukemia in Shandong Province, Eastern China: a case—control prospective study
Authors: Zhou Na , Fu Haiyang , Wang Zhongjun , Shi Hailei , Yu Yang , Qu Tingting , Wang Longlong , Zhang Xiangyan , Wang Lin 
Published: March 2019

Limited information is available concerning the epidemiology of Toxoplasma gondii infection in children with leukemia in Eastern China. Therefore, a case-control study was conducted to estimate the seroprevalence of toxoplasmosis in this patient group and to identify risk factors and possible routes of infection. Serum samples were collected from 339 children with leukemia and 339 age matched health control subjects in Qingdao from September 2014 to March 2018. Enzyme linked immunoassays were used to screen anti- T. gondii IgG and anti- T. gondii IgM antibodies. Forty-eight (14.2%) children with leukemia and 31 (9.1%) control subjects were positive for anti-T. gondii IgG antibodies (P < 0.05), while 13 (3.8%) patients and 14 (4.1%) controls were positive for anti-T. gondii IgM antibodies (P = 0.84). Multivariate analysis showed exposure to soil and a history of blood transfusion were risk factors for T. gondii infection. Compared with IgG, patients with a history of blood transfusion were more likely to present anti- T. gondii IgM (P = 0.003). Moreover, patients with chronic lymphocytic leukemia and acute lymphocytic leukemia had higher T. gondii seroprevalence in comparison to control subjects (P = 0.002 and P = 0.016, respectively). The results indicated that the seroprevalence of T. gondii infection in children with leukemia is higher than that of healthy children in Eastern China. This information may be used to guide future research and clinical management, and further studies are necessary to elucidate the role of T. gondii in children with leukemia.
Classroom Size as a Predictor of Bullying Behaviour among Secondary School Adolescents in Nigeria
Authors: Akpunne Bede C. , Lanre-Babalola F. , S. Alo Folake 
Published: March 2019

Aim: This study was carried out to investigate the patterns of bullying behaviour among Nigerian secondary school adolescents and to ascertain the link between classroom size and bullying in selected Senior Secondary Schools in Ogun State, Southwestern Nigeria.
Study Design: Cross-sectional survey design.
Place of Study: Redeemer’s University Osun State, South Western Nigeria.
Methodology: Multistage sampling technique was adopted in this study. Random sampling technique was used to select Obafemi / Owode Local Government Area (LGA) from Ogun central senatorial district, four Senior Secondary Schools (SSS) from the LGA and 397 students. Participants responded to School Congestion Questionnaire (SCQ) and Adolescent Peer Relation Instrument: Bully/Target (APRI-BT). Descriptive and inferential statistics were used in data analysis
Results: Observed prevalence rates included verbal bullying (42.5%), social bullying (42.3%), physical bullying (37.9%) and overall bullying behaviour (44.8%). Class Size (CS) independently and significantly predicted the severities of verbal bullying (R² = .029, p = .001); social bullying (R² = .055, p = .000); physical bullying (R² = .042, p = .000) and overall bullying behaviour (R² = .042, p = .000) among the sample.
Conclusion: There is a high prevalence of bullying behaviour among Nigerian secondary school adolescents. Classroom size is a significant predictor of the individual factors of bullying behaviour (verbal bullying, social bullying, and physical bullying) as well as the composite of bullying behaviour among Senior Secondary School students in Nigeria.
Physicochemical Characteristics of Snail as Affected by Processing Methods, Temperatures and Storage Days
Authors: Iwanegbe I. , Emelue G. U. , Obaroakpo J. U. 
Published: March 2019

This study investigated the effect of processing methods, temperature and storage days on the physico-chemical characteristics of snail meat products. Four different treatments were carried out; unseasoned fried (USF), seasoned fried (SF), seasoned oven- dried (SOD) and seasoned smoke- dried (SSD) snail meat products and were stored under room, fridge and freezer storage conditions; physico-chemical determination and analysis of variance were carried out. The results showed that the highest crude protein was obtained in the seasoned smoke-dried product (76.87%), followed by seasoned oven-dried product (75.80%), next was seasoned fried (70.15%) and the least was unseasoned fried product (68.57%). The highest ash value was seen in seasoned smoke-dried product (4.84%), followed by seasoned oven-dried (4.313%) and the least was unseasoned-fried product (3.933%). The highest energy values were observed in the fried products (1497.67 KJ/100 g seasoned fried and 1490.53 KJ/100 g unseasoned-fried).The highest iron value (16.47 mg/100 g) obtained was from seasoned smoke-dried product. Seasoned smoke-dried product was significantly different from other products and it had the highest mineral content. Seasoned oven-dried snail meat product had the lowest pH values 6.0, 7.17 and 6.29 for 0-5 days, 10-20 days and 25- 30 days storage respectively. This was followed by seasoned smoke-dried product having 6.68, 7.81 and 6.56 at 0-5 days, 10-20 days and 25-30 days respectively. The observed low pH in seasoned products could be ascribed to the effect of the seasonings; this is an indication of better shelf stability. It was observed that the combine effect of seasonings, smoke-drying and cold storage help to extend the shelf life of snail meat.
Seminal Cell-Free DNA Test for the Management of Male Infertility
Authors: Mbaye Modou Mamoune , Khalfi Bouchra El , Louanjli Noureddine , Saadani Brahim , Kaarouch Ismail , Madkour Aicha , Soukri Abdelaziz 
Published: March 2019

The use of extracellular or circulating nucleic acids (Cfs), as a diagnostic or prognostic tool in oncology, has been broadly documented. However, their use in gynecology-obstetrics as non-invasive biomarkers in the management of infertility has become a recurring fact. The circulating nucleic acids are constituted by: free DNA which can be long or short DNA strands resulting from the apoptotic or necrotic processes, the free RNA containing: micro-RNAs (miRNAs) which are short single-stranded ribonucleic acids (RNA) that are able to deter the production of protein from a gene, Piwi-interacting RNAs (PiRNAs) that are small RNAs expressed in germ cells or even early embryos and small interfering RNAs (siRNAs) that are small RNAs that can bind specifically to a messenger RNA sequence and prevent gene expression by cleaving that RNA. The presence of circulating nucleic acids in many biological fluids such as: urine, seminal plasma and serum, the fact that they are easy to detect, the variation of their level according to the physiopathological conditions of the body and their implication in many biological processes such as folliculogenesis, steroidogenesis and spermatogenesis make nucleic acids circulating important biomarkers of interest in the management of male infertility. They compose a real complementary help for practitioners of medically assisted procreation. As a result, circulating nucleic acids are a promising avenue in the prevention of implantation failures. In this article, we will seek to affirm further, their importance in the management of male infertility, by highlighting their different uses.
Mothers’ Misconceptions about Hepatitis B Disease and Hepatitis B Vaccine
Authors: Giao Huynh , An Pham Le , Vinh Bui Quang , Thuan Tran Thien , Vinh Nguyen Quang , Jolly Pauline E. 
Published: March 2019

Introduction: Hepatitis B vaccination has resulted in dramatic reductions in the prevalence of Hepatitis B Virus (HBV) infection among children since its introduction into infant immunization schedules. However, 45% of Vietnamese mothers did not have their infants immunized at birth in 2013-2014.
Aim: To assess mothers’ misconceptions about HBV and HBV vaccinations, as well as barriers to mothers getting their children vaccinated.
Study Design: A qualitative cross-sectional study was conducted from April to October 2015 in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam among mothers of children under one year of age. This study consisted of one-on-one interviews and focus group discussions (FGDs) designed to collect information on the mothers’ perceptions about HBV and decisions to immunize their child.
Methodology: Thirty-five mothers of children under one year of age who were completely or incompletely immunized at the Pediatric Number 2 Hospital in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam participated in the study. Eligible mothers were identified and recruited by nurses in the Hospital’s vaccination clinic for 10 in-depth interviews and 5 FGDs comprised of 5 mothers each.
Results: With regards to HBV transmission, 25.7%, 22.9% and 34.3% of mothers believed that HBV could be transmitted genetically, through sharing food, or from an unclean environment, respectively. Over half of the mothers (51.4%) were unaware that HBV could be transmitted during childbirth and 34.3% of mothers believed that vaccines which were purchased were more effective than free vaccines from the Expanded Program on Immunization (EPI).
Conclusion: Public educational interventions should be conducted to clear up the misconceptions identified in this study and to reassure parents that the free vaccines offered through the EPI are of the same quality as the vaccines that are purchased in the private clinics at public hospitals.
Cardiovascular risk factors and Parkinson's disease in 500,000 Chinese adults
Authors: Kizza Jennifer , Lewington Sarah , Mappin‐Kasirer Benjamin , Turnbull Iain , Guo Yu , Bian Zheng , Chen Yiping , Yang Ling , Chen Zhengming , Clarke Robert ,   on behalf of the China Kadoorie Biobank
Published: March 2019

AbstractObjectiveThe objectives of this study were to compare the risks of Parkinson's disease among those with versus those without prior stroke or heart disease at baseline in a prospective study of 0.5 million adults in China, and to examine associations of cardiovascular disease risk factors (cigarette smoking, hypertension, diabetes, obesity) with risk of Parkinson's disease.MethodsDuring an average of 11.5 years of follow‐up of 503,497 middle‐aged participants in the China Kadoorie Biobank study, 603 incident cases were hospitalized with a diagnosis of Parkinson's disease. Cox proportional hazards models were used to assess associations of history of heart disease or stroke with Parkinson's disease in all participants, and of cardiovascular disease risk factors with Parkinson's disease in a subset without prior cardiovascular disease.ResultsIn this population the incidence rate of Parkinson's disease (mean [SD] age of cases, 61 [10] years) was 13.3 (95% confidence interval: 12.3–14.4) per 100,000 person‐years. Incidence increased with age, and was higher in men than in women, and in urban than in rural residents. Prior stroke was associated with about twofold higher risk of Parkinson's disease (hazard ratio 1.94; 1.39–2.69). After adjustment for confounders in those without prior cardiovascular disease, a 5 kg/m2 higher body mass index was associated with 17% (1.17; 1.03–1.34: P = 0.019) higher risk of Parkinson's disease, but neither hypertension, diabetes, nor current cigarette smoking was significantly associated with Parkinson's disease.InterpretationPrior stroke and adiposity were each associated with higher risks of Parkinson's disease, but none of the other cardiovascular disease risk factors were significantly associated with Parkinson's disease in this population.
The utility of visuospatial mnemonics is dependent on visuospatial aptitudes
Authors: Sanchez Christopher A. 
Published: March 2019

SummaryClassic studies in cognition have demonstrated that the use of appropriate memory mnemonics can reliably increase recall performance. However, is the facilitative effect of mnemonics consistent across all individuals? As some mnemonics explicitly contain a large visuospatial component, does normal variance in visuospatial aptitudes predict the effectiveness of such strategy usage? To explore this question, participants who varied in visuospatial ability were asked to recall several lists of words, and either did or did not use a visuospatial mnemonic. Results indicated that effective mnemonic usage was directly dependent on participants' visuospatial ability, and those lower in visuospatial aptitudes actually produced lower recall performance when asked to use such a mnemonic. Similarly, those lower in visuospatial aptitude also reported that mnemonic usage made the task significantly more difficult. These findings suggest that individual differences in relevant cognitive abilities can influence the effectiveness of memory strategies commonly used to enhance recall.
Conjugated Polymers for Assessing and Controlling Biological Functions
Authors: Zeglio Erica , Rutz Alexandra L. , Winkler Thomas E. , Malliaras George G. , Herland Anna 
Published: March 2019

AbstractThe field of organic bioelectronics is advancing rapidly in the development of materials and devices to precisely monitor and control biological signals. Electronics and biology can interact on multiple levels: organs, complex tissues, cells, cell membranes, proteins, and even small molecules. Compared to traditional electronic materials such as metals and inorganic semiconductors, conjugated polymers (CPs) have several key advantages for biological interactions: tunable physiochemical properties, adjustable form factors, and mixed conductivity (ionic and electronic). Herein, the use of CPs in five biologically oriented research topics, electrophysiology, tissue engineering, drug release, biosensing, and molecular bioelectronics, is discussed. In electrophysiology, implantable devices with CP coating or CP‐only electrodes are showing improvements in signal performance and tissue interfaces. CP‐based scaffolds supply highly favorable static or even dynamic interfaces for tissue engineering. CPs also enable delivery of drugs through a variety of mechanisms and form factors. For biosensing, CPs offer new possibilities to incorporate biological sensing elements in a conducting matrix. Molecular bioelectronics is today used to incorporate (opto)electronic functions in living tissue. Under each topic, the limits of the utility of CPs are discussed and, overall, the major challenges toward implementation of CPs and their devices to real‐world applications are highlighted.
Liquid fluidization with cylindrical particles: Highly resolved simulations
Authors: Derksen Jos J. 
Published: March 2019

AbstractWe perform three‐dimensional, time‐dependent simulations of dense, fluidized suspensions of solid cylindrical particles in a Newtonian liquid in fully periodic domains. The resolution of the flow field is an order of magnitude finer than the diameter of the cylindrical particles. At their surfaces no‐slip conditions are applied through an immersed boundary method (IBM), coupled to the lattice‐Boltzmann method that is used as the fluid flow solver. The marker points of the IBM are also used to detect and perform collisions between the cylinders. With these particle‐resolved simulations, we study the effects of the aspect ratio of the cylinders and the solids volume fraction on the superficial slip velocity between fluid and solids, on the solids velocity fluctuations, as well as on the orientation of the cylinders. The aspect ratio (length over diameter of the cylinders) ranges from 0.5 to 4, the solids volume fraction goes up to 0.48. Reynolds numbers based on average settling velocity are of the order of 1–10. At constant Archimedes number, we observe only minor sensitivities of the settling Reynolds number on the aspect ratio.
Potassium‐Sodium‐Niobate‐Based Thin Films: Lead Free for Micro‐Piezoelectrics
Authors: Zhang Su‐Wei , Zhou Zhen , Luo Jin , Li Jing‐Feng 
Published: March 2019

AbstractExtensive research and great progress of (K,Na)NbO3 (KNN)‐based lead‐free piezoelectric films have been driven by the current legislation and the requirement for sustainable development of society and environment in the applications of microelectromechanical systems. A comprehensive discussion of the recent achievement in KNN‐based films is presented herein. First, the available synthetic techniques, chemical modification, the ferroelectric and piezoelectric properties of KNN‐based films are reviewed, followed by an introduction of the crystal structures and electrical properties of KNN‐based epitaxial films in comparison with the bulk ceramics. Finally, the applications of KNN‐based films for the sensors, the energy harvesters, and energy storage devices are addressed, and current challenges and prospects for future work are discussed.
Isoselective Lactide Ring Opening Polymerisation using [2]Rotaxane Catalysts
Authors: Lim Jason Y. C. , Yuntawattana Nattawut , Beer Paul D. , Williams Charlotte K. 
Published: March 2019

AbstractPolylactide (PLA) is a fully biodegradable and recyclable plastic, produced from a bio‐derived monomer: it is a circular economy plastic. Its properties depend upon its stereochemistry and isotactic PLA shows superior thermal‐mechanical performances. Here, a new means to control tacticity by exploiting rotaxane conformational dynamism is described. Dynamic achiral [2]rotaxanes can show high isoselectivity (Pi=0.8, 298 K) without requiring any chiral additives and enchain by a chain end control mechanism. The organocatalytic dynamic stereoselectivity is likely applicable to other small‐molecule and polymerization catalyses.