Zoonoses and Wildlife: One Health Approach

EditorialN

Preparing for generation Z:how can technology enhanced learning be firmly embedded in our students' learning experience? A case study from Abertay University

Abertay is a relatively small, modern university (undergraduate population of around 4000) with a wide portfolio and a diverse student population. Around 35% of our students are direct entry from local partner colleges to years 2 and 3 of our programmes and a significant number are first generation higher education within their families. As such, partnership working with colleges and support to aid student transitions are key aspects of Abertay’s provision. Since 2013/14, the university has developed and implemented a new Teaching and Learning Enhancement strategy that has catalysed wholescale transformation across the institution. This paper provides an overview of technology enhanced learning at the university with the drivers for change being to the quality of our students' learning experience, improve student retention and progression and enhance learners’ engagement

Plataforma hardware universal para prácticas sobre sistemas electrónicos analógico-digitales avanzados en régimen de semipresencialidad

Aquest projecte tracta d’implementar una metodologia per fer pràctiques d’Electrònica Analògica amb circuits avançats que es puguin configurar fàcilment dins d’una placa hardware universal. Aquesta metodologia es basa en el procés habitual que segueixen els dissenyadors electrònics i consta de tres fases: 1- disseny i càlcul teòric del circuit 2- simulació del circuit 3- mesures sobre un prototip 4- validació del disseny Aquest procés s’ha de fer seqüencialment i estaria controlat per un programa web que donaria als estudiants el timing correcte de les tasques a realitzar i els ajudaria amb els continguts teòrics necessaris. El fet de que el programa sigui web facilita la semipresencialitat de les sessions de laboratori i permet una gran millora a l’autoaprenentatge dels estudiants. Tant el software que controla la metodologia com el material de pràctiques es transferible a qualsevol assignatura que faci pràctiques de circuits analògics

Interleaving and switching pattern modulation to conducted EMI reduction

This paper explores new techniques to reduce the conducted EMI generated by switched power converters operating in multiconverter arrangement. These techniques are based in the combined application of interleaving and the modulation of some characteristics of the switching patterns. The effectiveness of such methods in terms of EMI reduction is theoreticaly developed and experimentally validated in a four channel parallel buck converter operating in closed loop. The technique that provides the best attenuation results is identified. Finally, undesired sideeffects produced by these techniques, such as an increase in the output voltage ripple, are evaluated.Peer ReviewedPostprint (published version

Effects of repeated comparative intradermal tuberculin testing on test results: a longitudinal study in TB-free red deer

[Background]: Diagnosing tuberculosis (TB) in farmed red deer (Cervus elaphus) is challenging and might require combining cellular and humoral diagnostic tests. Repeated skin-testing with mycobacterial purified protein derivatives (PPDs) might sensitize or desensitize the subjects to both kinds of diagnostic tools. We evaluated the effect of repeated (every 6 months) comparative tuberculin skin testing on skin test and ELISA responsiveness in farmed red deer hinds from a TB-free herd. Eighteen 8-month old hinds were inoculated with bovine and avian PPDs and the mitogen phytohaemagglutinin (PHA), as positive control and concurrently tested by ELISA for antibodies against avian (avian PPD, aPPD and protoplasmatic antigen 3, PPA3) and bovine antigens (bPPD and MPB70). Blood serum was also sampled three weeks after each skin testing round and tested for antibodies against aPPD and bPPD, in order to detect eventual antibody level boosts. Testing took place every six months from winter 2012 until winter 2015. [Results]: The skin test response to both PPDs peaked during the second and third test round, returning to standard values thereafter. Individual variability was particularly high at the first year and early second year testing rounds (first intradermal test and blood sampling; first winter). The antibody response to avian antigens increased through time, while no such increase was recorded for bovine antigens. The antibody boost three weeks after skin testing was more marked for avian PPD. However, there was no consistent trend in the boosting response through time. [Conclusion]: Repeated comparative skin testing at six month intervals did not cause progressive increments in skin test responsiveness or antibody production. Specifically, we observed no loss of the skin test response to bPPD and also no progressive loss of the boosting effect in the ELISA responses. However, we recorded increases through time in the antibody levels against avian mycobacterial antigens, possibly due to the progressive exposure to MAP or to other cross-reacting environmental mycobacteria. These findings should be taken into account in designing and interpreting TB testing schemes in farmed deer.Research funding is acknowledged to Plan Nacional grant AGL2014-56305 (MINECO, Spain and FEDER). ACA was supported by a grant from University Putra Malaysia, Malaysia, and MAR had a research contract from Junta de Comunidades de Castilla-La Mancha (JCCM), Spain.Peer Reviewe

A new switching frequency modulation scheme for EMI reduction in multiconverter topology

This paper presents a modulation scheme in order to reduce conducted Electromagnetic Interference (EMI) generated by modular power converters with parallel topology. The proposed scheme is based on a combination of interleaving and Switching Frequency Modulation (SFM) techniques. The objective of this modulation scheme is to cancel certain harmonics of EMI and to reduce the amplitude of the remaining harmonics. The proposed scheme has been implemented in a field programmable gate array and a four channel parallel buck converter has been used in order to verify it. A significant EMI reduction has been obtained in comparison to use the interleaving and Switching Frequency Modulation separately.Peer ReviewedPostprint (published version

Contribution to conducted EMI reduction in multiconverter topology

This paper contributes to the conducted EMI reduction generated by switched power converters operating in multiconverter arrangement. The EMI reduction is achieved by means of the combination of two techniques: interleaving and switching frequency modulation. The effectiveness of such methods in terms of EMI reduction is experimentally validated in a four channel parallel buck converter. The technique that provides the best attenuation results is identified. Finally, special attention has been paid to possible undesired side-effects produced by these techniques. For this reason the converter efficiency and output voltage ripple are evaluated.Peer ReviewedPreprin

Evaluation of a Novel Commercial Real-Time PCR Assay for the Simultaneous Detection of Cryptosporidium spp., Giardia duodenalis, and Entamoeba histolytica

Thorough independent assessment of the diagnostic performance of novel diagnostic assays is essential to ascertain their true usefulness and applicability in routine clinical practice. This is particularly true for commercially available kits based on multiplex real-time PCR aimed to detect and differentiate multiple pathogens in a single biological sample. Cryptosporidium spp., Giardia duodenalis, and Entamoeba histolytica are the most common diarrhea-causing protozoan species globally. Misdiagnosis is a concern for asymptomatic and chronic infections. Multiplexing, i.e., the detection of more than one parasite in a single test by real-time PCR, allows high diagnostic performance with favorable cost-effectiveness. We conducted a clinical evaluation of the VIASURE Cryptosporidium, Giardia, & E. histolytica real-time PCR assay (CerTest Biotec, San Mateo de Gallego, Spain) against a large panel (n = 358) of well-characterized DNA samples positive for Cryptosporidium spp. (n = 96), G. duodenalis (n = 115), E. histolytica (n = 25), and other parasitic species of the phyla Amoebozoa (n = 11), Apicomplexa (n = 14), Euglenozoa (n = 8), Heterokonta (n = 42), Metamonada (n = 37), Microsporidia (n = 4), and Nematoda (n = 6). DNA samples were obtained from clinical stool specimens or cultured isolates in a national reference center. Estimated sensitivity and specificity were 0.96 and 0.99 for Cryptosporidium spp., 0.94 and 1 for G. duodenalis, and 0.96 and 1 for E. histolytica, respectively. Positive and negative predictive values were calculated as 1 and 0.98 for Cryptosporidium spp., 0.99 and 0.98 for G. duodenalis, and 1 and 0.99 for E. histolytica, respectively. The assay identified six Cryptosporidium species (Cryptosporidium hominis, Cryptosporidium parvum, Cryptosporidium canis, Cryptosporidium felis, Cryptosporidium scrofarum, and Cryptosporidium ryanae) and four G. duodenalis assemblages (A, B, C, and F). The VIASURE assay provides rapid and accurate simultaneous detection and identification of the most commonly occurring species and genetic variants of diarrhea-causing parasitic protozoa in humans. IMPORTANCE Thorough independent assessment of the diagnostic performance of novel diagnostic assays is essential to ascertain their true usefulness and applicability in routine clinical practice. This is particularly true for commercially available kits based on multiplex real-time PCR aimed to detect and differentiate multiple pathogens in a single biological sample. In this study, we conducted a clinical evaluation of the VIASURE Cryptosporidium, Giardia, & E. histolytica real-time PCR assay (CerTest Biotec) for the detection and identification of the diarrhea-causing enteric protozoan parasites Cryptosporidium spp., G. duodenalis, and E. histolytica. A large panel of well-characterized DNA samples from clinical stool specimens or cultured isolates from a reference center was used for this purpose. The VIASURE assay demonstrated good performance for the routine testing of these pathogens in clinical microbiological laboratories

Efecto de la temperatura y humedad en piel y vías respiratorias de trabajadores de un rastro

Los riesgos para la salud relacionados con la exposición a condiciones de baja temperatura y humedad son frecuentes en los trabajadores de los rastros, donde se manejan ambientes fríos y condiciones de humedad que representan una exigencia adicional para su labor. Afecciones respiratorias, daños al tracto respiratorio superior y pulmones son frecuentes en los trabajadores de esta industria, además de la dermatitis y una variedad de infecciones. El objetivo fue determinar la relación entre la temperatura y humedad en el ambiente de trabajo con afecciones en diferentes áreas de la piel y afecciones respiratorias en trabajadores de un rastro de sacrificio de ganado. Se efectuaron mediciones de temperatura y humedad en los diferentes departamentos del rastro, y estos datos se relacionaron con el resultado de la valoración de lesiones en piel y afecciones en vías aéreas en 44 trabajadores de los departamentos de: Matanza, Deshuese, Procesos, Embarques, Ventas y Mantenimiento. El instrumento utilizado fue el NOSQ-2002: Nordic Occupational Skin Questionnaire, adaptado al castellano. Los trabajadores del departamento de Deshuese, donde se trabaja a temperaturas bajas, tuvieron mayor incidencia de alergias y eccema (62%) con relación al resto de las áreas, donde las condiciones son más favorables. La exposición a bajas temperaturas es un factor para la aparición de eccema en piel, así como una tendencia al desarrollo de daños en el aparato respiratorio en forma de alergias en los trabajadores de los rastros. Abstract Health risks related to exposure to low temperature and humidity are frequent in the workers of slaughterhouses, where prevail cold environments and humidity conditions, which represent an additional effort for their work. Respiratory disorders, damage to the upper respiratory tract and lungs are common among workers in this industry, in addition to dermatitis and a variety of infections. The objective was to determine the relationship between temperature and humidity in the work environment, with affections in different areas of the skin and respiratory conditions in workers of a cattle slaughter. Temperature and humidity measurements were made in the different departments of the slaughterhouse, and these values were related to the result of the assessment of skin lesions and airway conditions in 44 workers from the following departments: Slaughter, Beef boning, Processes, Shipments, Sales and Maintenance. The instrument used was the NOSQ-2002: Nordic Occupational Skin Questionnaire, adapted to Spanish languaje. The workers of the beef boning department, where they work at low temperatures, had a greater incidence of allergies and eczema (62%) in relation to the rest of the areas, where the conditions are more favorable. Exposure to low temperatures is a factor for the appearance of skin eczema, as well as a tendency to develop damage to the respiratory system as allergies in the workers