bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Epidemiological Study of Equine Piroplasmosis (Theileria equi and Babesia caballi) by Microscopic Examination and Competitive-ELISA in Erbil Province North-Iraq
Authors: Jabar AZIZ Khalid , Taib Omer AL-BARWARY Lokman 
Published: September 2019

Background: Equine piroplasmosis is a major tick-borne disease that can lead to serious health problems and economic losses in horse industry. The aim of the study is to determine the prevalence of Theileria equi and Babesia caballi in different species of Equus namely (Horse, mule, donkey and pony) by Giemsa stained blood films and competitive ELISA.
Methods: This study was conducted at various geographic areas of Erbil governorate. A total of 349 blood samples from equine (209 horses, 62 mule, 57 donkey and 21 ponies) were collected to estimate the prevalence rate of Theileria equi and Babesia caballi by using Giemsa stained blood smear and competitive ELISA.
Results: The overall prevalence rates were (10.6%) consisting of (8.3%), (1.7%) and (0.6) for T. equi, B. caballi and both infection respectively by Giemsa stained blood smears, and the rate was 38.97%, consisting of 20.9% for T. equi, 11.2% for B. caballi and 6.9% for both infection by cELISA. Seroprevalence rate of T. equi was significantly higher (P < 0.001) than that B. caballi in equids. There was also a significant difference associated between age (P < 0.01), activity (P < 0.01), management (P < 0.001) and tick infestation (P < 0.001), but neither the type of equids nor the gender was significant differences associated with prevalence rate.
Conclusion: The present study concluded that the equine piroplasmosis is a vital infection distributed among the equine in Erbil province North of Iraq. Thus a better control programme should be implemented to contain and control the prevalence of the disease within the area.
Esophageal-Crop Capillariasis and Proventriculus Ventriculus Hystrichisiasis in a Migratory Duck (Anas crecca)
Authors: GHARAGOZLOU Mohammad Javad , MOBEDI Iraj , AGHAEBRAHIMI  SAMANI Reza , TAGHIZADEH Fariba , MOWLAVI Gholamreza 
Published: September 2019

Background: The aim of the present study was to study pathological and parasitological characteristics of simultaneous capillariasis and hystrichiasis in a diseased Anas crecca captured in Mazandaran Province of Iran on Oct 2016.
Methods: Parasitology and histopathology techniques were used to detect the parasites of the carcass of the captive common teal.
Results: Macroscopically, severe chronic inflammatory reactions and nodular or granuloma formation and irregular thickening of the affected wall of the esophagus, crop, proventrculus and ventriculus were observed. Microscopically, apart from the chronic inflammatory reactions and granuloma formation, in the paraffin sections stained with Harris Hematoxyline and Eosin technique, the characteristics of the mature female and male Capillaria spp. and their barrel-shaped operculated embryonated eggs were found within the tunnels burrowed by the nematode in the hyperplastic stratified squamous epithelium of the inflamed crop and distal portion of the esophagus. The mature female Hystrichis spp. containing oval-shaped, embryonated non-operculated eggs and male parasite were found within the labyrinthus spaces formed in the submucosa granulomas of the ventriculus and proventriculus.
Conclusion: Based on the parasitological and pathological studies, the species of the nematode parasites were identified as Capillaria (Thominx) contorta and Hystrichis. tricolor.
Leishmaniasis Caused by Leishmania major on the Glans Pe-nis: A Case Report
Authors: MOSAYEBI Mahdi , MOHEBALI Mehdi , FARAZI Aliasghar , SHIRZADI Mohammad Reza , AKHLAGHI Davood , HAJHOSSEIN Reza , ELIKAEE Samira 
Published: September 2019

Cutaneous leishmaniasis (CL) is one of the prevalent parasitic diseases in Iran principally caused by two species, Leishmania major and L. tropica. Here, we present a rare case of a congenital form of CL around the glans penis from the central part of Iran in 2017. A 24-yr-old male patient from the central part of Iran presented with biennial ulceration of the glans penis. Diagnostic methods included physical and preclinical examination, microscopic observation, leishmanin skin test (LST), and serological tests including direct agglutination test (DAT). Nested PCR and sequencing analysis were used on the positive smears for confirmation of CL and Leishmania species identification. The preclinical results were normal, and no anti-Leishmania antibodies were detected in the peripheral blood of the patient using DAT. In abdominal ultrasonography, the spleen and liver size were normal. LST was positive (≥5 mm) after 72 h, and a few amastigote forms of Leishmania sp. were demonstrated under light microscopy. L. major was confirmed using nested PCR and sequencing analysis. The patient responded to oral administration of miltefosine (2.5 mg/kg/d) for 28 days. To the best of our knowledge, genital CL due to L. major has not been previously reported from Iran.
Exposure Assessment of Total Mercury: A Probabilistic-Approach Study Based on Consumption of Canned Fish
Authors: Ebrahimi Afshin , Karimpoor Elaheh , Godazandehha Zahra , Heidari Zahra , Zarean Maryam , Moazeni Malihe 
Published: September 2019

Introduction: Exposure to mercury (Hg) by consumption of fish is a recent health concern. So, it is important to evaluate the health risks related to canned fish consumption. The purpose of this study was to investigate the potential health risk based on Hg concentration in people who consumed canned fish with a probabilistic approach in Isfahan City, the central province in Iran.
Materials and Methods: In this study, 20 popular brands of canned fish prepared in Iran and other countries were selected and analyzed for Hg concentration with atomic absorption spectrometer. The results were compared with the European Communities and JECFA guidelines. Then, a probabilistic method with Monte-Carlo simulation was used to assessment the Provisional Tolerable Daily Intake (PTDI) and the Hazard Quotient (HQ) for consumers in Isfahan City.
Results: The average Hg concentrations in samples were 0.251 ± 0.204 and 0.189 ± 0.152 µg/g in canned fish of Iran and other countries, respectively. The Hg level was found below the guideline limit for European Communities and JECFA. The estimated PTDI was 0.037 µg person/day and HQ was 0.074.
Conclusion: The results indicated that canned fish available in the markets of Iran did not have a health risk for adults. Moreover, canned fish consumption has a possible influence on the risk estimate and its risk should be assessed for vulnerable groups.
Fungi Occurrence Assessment in Drinking Water Distribution Systems and Its Relationship with Fecal Indicator Bacteria
Authors: Mirshekar Zahra , Shahryari Ali , Gharekhan Alostani Mohamad , Aali Rahim 
Published: September 2019

Introduction: As recommended by World Health Organization, consumption of the fungal contaminated water does not cause to serious infection, but may lead to healthy or aesthetic problems. The aim of this research was to assess the occurrence of fungi in water and its relationship with fecal indicator bacteria.
Materials and Methods: 110 water samples were collected from different location of water distribution systems in Aliabad-e Katul City, North of Iran during April to November 2018. Enumeration of coliforms bacteria and fungi were performed by multiple tube fermentation and membrane filtration method, respectively; as described in Standard Methods.
Results: Our results showed that fungi and total coliform were detected in 31 (28.4%) and 26 (23.9%) samples, respectively. Among samples of fungi positive, 22 (20.2%), 7 (6.4%), and 5 (4.6%) water samples were positive for Aspergillus sp., Rhizopus sp., and Penicillium sp., respectively. However, none faecal coliform and E. coli were observed in all examined samples, proposing the absence of faecal pollution in water. The mean and SD residual chlorine and pH were 0.55 ± 0.23 (mg/l) and 7.30 ± 0.30, respectively. The statistical analysis showed a remarkable difference between the prevalence of total coliforms and fungal species (P < 0.001).
Conclusion: Presence of potential opportunistic pathogens fungi in potable water can be considered as a health risk, especially for immuno-suppressed individuals. Therefore, cleaning the processes such as biofilm removal and addition of the free chlorine concentration can be effective to decrease fungi contamination and total coliform from water distribution system.
The Multiple Sclerosis Self-Management Scale-2: Evaluation of an Updated Scale
Authors: Bishop Malachy L. , Frain Michael P. , Li Jian , Chiu Chung-Yi , McDaniels Bradley , Kim Byung-Jin 
Published: September 2019

ObjectiveThe Multiple Sclerosis Self-Management Scale (MSSM) was developed to provide a multidimensional and psychometrically sound assessment of self-management knowledge and behavior among adults with multiple sclerosis (MS). The scale was recently updated with new items to address advances in MS treatment and self-management interventions. We present results of an evaluation of these updates and the psychometric adequacy of the updated MSSM.MethodParticipants were 2,393 adults with MS recruited through the North American Research Committee on Multiple Sclerosis (NARCOMS) registry and selected chapters of the National Multiple Sclerosis Society. Participants completed the MSSM and several additional instruments of function and quality of life. A seven-factor structure of the revised MSSM (MSSM-2) was identified using exploratory and confirmatory factor analysis and the stability of the factor structure was evaluated using a cross-validation approach.ResultsFactor analysis of the updated MSSM-2 revealed seven factors. Construct validity was supported by factor analysis and correlation of the MSSM with constructs related to self-management.ConclusionThe MSSM-2 provides a brief, psychometrically sound multidimensional assessment of MS self-management for research and clinical applications.
Citizen Lawsuit in Environmental Cases
Authors: Fatah Abdul 
Published: September 2019

The citizen law suit is one of the effective alternatives for the environmental law enforcement. The citizen lawsuit in environmental disputes has been regulated in the PPLH Law specifically Article 91 paragraph (1) and the Chief Justice of the Indonesian Supreme Court Number 36/KMA/SK/II/2013 concerning the Implementation of Guidelines for Handling Environmental Cases. However, there are no specific rules governing citizen lawsuits in Indonesia because it’s not widely known in the Indonesian legal system. This paper argues that there are three main constraints to the practice of citizen lawsuits in environmental cases, namely: (1) the absence of legal rules that specifically regulate citizen lawsuits, especially the reading mechanism; (2) lack of understanding of law enforcement officials (especially judges) regarding citizen lawsuits; and (3) lack of environmental-certified judges in Indonesia, especially in regions.
Keywords: Citizen Lawsuit, Environment, Government
Studies of antagonistic effect between Lactobacillus sakei on Escherichia coli, Listeria monocytogenes and Staphylococcus aureus
Authors: Portella Augustus Caeser Franke , Aguiar Raimundo Wagner de Souza , Costa Jefferson da Luz , Da Silva André Luís Lopes , Scheidt Gessiel Newton 
Published: September 2019

A atividade antimicrobiana de uma cultura comercial probiótica deLactobacillus sakei (ATCC 1521) foi avaliada em termos de concentração celular (30, 42, 60, 78 e 90 mcg / ml, 105 - 107UFC/mL), temperatura de incubação (4, 10, 20, 30, 37 ° C) e pH inicial do meio de cultura (3.5, 4.0, 4.5, 5.0 e 5.5) contra três patógenos alimentares, Escherichia coli, Listeria monocytogenes e Staphylococcus aureus. O efeito antagônico da cultura probiótica in vitro foi realizada através da aplicação de método quantitativo espectrofotométrico. Os resultados indicaram que uma substância inibitória presente em caldo de cultura de 24 horas poderia ser vantajoso quando mantendo a cultura dominante durante fermentações mais prolongadas. Para a maior produção de ácido láctico (1,04%v/v), o período de incubação da bactéria em caldo MRS foi de 24 horas em condições aeróbicas e a 37 ºC, com um valor de pH mínimo do sobrenadante (3,5). Os dados sugerem que o sobrenadante pode ter atividade bacteriostática significativa contra E. coli,L. monocytogenes e S. aureus, e pode fornecer carnes curadas com um grau de protecção contra este microorganismo, particularmente se empregada com uma combinação de pH ácido, e de refrigeração adequada.
Perceptions and Experiences of Precarious Employment in Canadian Libraries: An Exploratory Study
Authors: Henninger Ean , Brons Adena , Riley Chloe , Yin Crystal 
Published: September 2019

Precarious employment is a labour practice characterized for employers by flexibility and economic efficiencies and for workers by vulnerability and uncertainty as to job duration, scheduling, and pay. It is increasingly common in Canada and can result in physical, mental, financial, and social strain for people who experience it. In libraries, it has the potential for negative effects on individual staff members, organizational health, and service quality. However, literature on precarious library work is scarce, and it is unclear how its effects on library staff compare to those described in the broader literature or how it affects the library field as a whole.
The purpose of this study was to gather information about library workers’ perceptions and experiences of precarious employment and to see how it played out in library contexts. Thirteen library workers both with and without experiences of precarious employment participated in qualitative, semi-structured interviews, which were synthesized into a narrative summarizing their thoughts and experiences. Results indicated that while there were some positive effects of precarious work, they mainly benefited library organizations from scheduling and financial standpoints, while negative outcomes were more numerous, more salient, and affected individuals as well as organizations. Awareness of such perceptions and experiences may help to spark conversations and support for those experiencing negative effects from precarious work, and it can serve to reduce or eliminate factors leading to those effects. However, failure to address them may result in negative outcomes for library workers and organizations, such as stress, turnover, marginalization, burnout, leaving the field, reduced service quality, and more. Accordingly, this paper provides some of the first qualitative information on precarious employment in libraries and may be used to support broader discussions about the topic.
A Gaussian Mixture Model as a Proposal Distribution for Efficient Markov-Chain Monte Carlo Characterization of Uncertainty in Reservoir Description and Forecasting
Authors: Li Xin , Reynolds Albert C. 
Published: September 2019

SummaryGenerating an estimate of uncertainty in production forecasts has become nearly standard in the oil industry, but is often performed with procedures that yield at best a highly approximate uncertainty quantification. Formally, the uncertainty quantification of a production forecast can be achieved by generating a correct characterization of the posterior probability-density function (PDF) of reservoir-model parameters conditional to dynamic data and then sampling this PDF correctly. Although Markov-chain Monte Carlo (MCMC) provides a theoretically rigorous method for sampling any target PDF that is known up to a normalizing constant, in reservoir-engineering applications, researchers have found that it might require extraordinarily long chains containing millions to hundreds of millions of states to obtain a correct characterization of the target PDF. When the target PDF has a single mode or has multiple modes concentrated in a small region, it might be possible to implement a proposal distribution dependent on a random walk so that the resulting MCMC algorithm derived from the Metropolis-Hastings acceptance probability can yield a good characterization of the posterior PDF with a computationally feasible chain length. However, for a high-dimensional multimodal PDF with modes separated by large regions of low or zero probability, characterizing the PDF with MCMC using a random walk is not computationally feasible. Although methods such as population MCMC exist for characterizing a multimodal PDF, their computational cost generally makes the application of these algorithms far too costly for field application. In this paper, we design a new proposal distribution using a Gaussian mixture PDF for use in MCMC where the posterior PDF can be multimodal with the modes spread far apart. Simply put, the method generates modes using a gradient-based optimization method and constructs a Gaussian mixture model (GMM) to use as the basic proposal distribution. Tests on three simple problems are presented to establish the validity of the method. The performance of the new MCMC algorithm is compared with that of random-walk MCMC and is also compared with that of population MCMC for a target PDF that is multimodal.
Coupled Numerical Simulation of Thermal-Reactive Flow and Geomechanics with Solid Mass Conversion
Authors: Alpak Faruk O. , Vink Jeroen C. 
Published: September 2019

Summary
An extension of the novel fully coupled thermal-hydromechanical (THM) open-system geomechanics (OSG) model is developed for the analysis of coupled flow and oil-shale geomechanics. The model is cast within the framework of Biot's elasticity and classical thermoelasticity. A new term in the equations accounting for the effects of pyrolysis is included in the present model to capture the removal of mass from the reactive solid phase because of the kerogen-conversion process modeled through a simplified chemical-reaction model. The proposed novel formulation approach and its numerical implementation differ from traditional methods and offer a step improvement in the geomechanical modeling of thermally reactive porous media, such as oil shales.
The numerical implementation of the OSG model, a first in the literature, is developed within the framework of a proprietary coupled thermal-reactive flow and geomechanics simulator, which was extensively validated in a previous publication. In this paper, we compare the thermal-reactive OSG model against experimental measurements. Numerical results from the validation test show that the model captures the fundamental physical behavior of oil-shale geomechanics realistically and correctly. Parametric analyses of the OSG model indicate that the chemical conversion term is the critical term that dictates the magnitude of compaction in the solid equation, and a further investigation illustrates the importance of the mobility term in the pore-pressure buildup. It is also noticed that the initiation and the rate of compaction of the oil-shale sample are governed by the chemical activation energy and the reaction-rate constant.
Psychiatric disorders in children and adolescents in a middle-income Latin American country
Authors: Caqueo-Urízar Alejandra , Flores Jerome , Escobar Carolang , Urzúa Alfonso , Irarrázaval Matías 
Published: September 2019

Abstract
Background Child and adolescent mental health has scarcely been studied in developing countries, though it is an important aspect of health. Mental health problems in youth often continue into adulthood if not diagnosed or treated in time.Methods The Sistema de Evaluación de Niños y Adolescentes (SENA) [Child and Adolescent Evaluation System] was used to evaluate mental health indicators in a sample of students in Northern Chile. Two age-appropriate versions of the assessment were applied to a total sample of 5,043 students, which included an elementary education sample of 1,953 schoolchildren from fourth grade through sixth grade (ages 8 to 13 years), and a secondary education sample of 3,090 schoolchildren from seventh grade (the last year of elementary school) through the last year of secondary school (senior high school) (ages 12 to 19 years). For each group, the version of the assessment used was determined by the students’ grade level. Both samples included municipal, government-subsidized, and private schools.Results In this student population, depression, anxiety, and behavioral disorders were the main mental health problems identified, and indicators revealed a progressive increase in cases over the years, coinciding with the global epidemiological scenario. Males showed a greater presence of externalizing behaviors related to mental health problems associated with aggression and defiant behavior. However, females showed the highest number of mental health issues overall, especially regarding problems related to internalization.Conclusions Our sample population analysis indicates that early intervention is necessary for the diagnosis and treatment of youth, with the goal of reducing the probability that psychiatric disorders will be prolonged, evolving, and worsening in adulthood.
Comparison of Atlantoaxial Functional and Radiographic Outcomes after Posterior Temporary Fixation Preserving with Detaching the Semispinalis Cervicis for Odontoid Fracture
Authors: Liu Jia , Jiang Enze , Bao XiaoGang , Zhu LingJun , Niu Dong Yang , Xu Guohua 
Published: September 2019

Abstract
Background: The semispinalis cervicis (SSC) is attached to the spinous process of the C2–C5 vertebra and distally to the transverse process of the T1–T6 vertebra, like a primary power source for extension of the cervical spine. This study was to compare the outcomes following temporary posterior fixation in two cohorts of patients who either underwent our technique of preserving SSC (P-SSC) or traditional technique of detaching the SSC (D-SSC). Methods : The conventional posterior temporary fixation was modified by preserving the SSC inserted into the C2 process. A total of 16 patients with odontoid fracture underwent the temporary posterior fixation preserving the SSC (P-SSC) or detaching the SSC (D-SSC). We measured the frequencies of postoperative axial symptom and cervical range of motion (ROM) in the rotation. The cross-sectional areas of posterior cervical muscles were also measured using axial CT. Results: At the final follow-up, in 16 cases from each group fracture healing was achieved. The total extension ROM of C1-C2 in the P-SSC was 56.8±3.5̊, while it was larger than 52.0±4.6̊ in the D-SSC. The frequency and severity of limitations of ADL accompanying each of three neck movements i.e. extension, flexion and rotation were 2.8±0.5, 1.9±0.6 and 2.0±0.5, respectively in the P-SSC; and 2.9±0.4, 2.3±0.5 and 2.6±0.5, respectively in the D-SSC. Regarding the average atrophy rate, it was 6.0±2.9% at the level C3 and 6.7±4.3% at the level C5 in the P-SSC; and 17.9±7.4% at the level C3 and 7.5±4.7% at the level C5 in the D-SSC. Conclusion: The frequencies of ADL limitations, the incidence of axial symptoms and loss of ROM accompanying neck extension, and atrophy rate of the posterior cervical muscles were lower for the atlantoaxial posterior temporary fixation preserving the SSC.