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Abstract Aim To examine the psychometric properties of the ‘Jefferson Scale of Empathy’. Design A methodological study was conducted. Methods A sample of 230 nursing students was used to analyse the psychometric properties of the ‘Jefferson Scale of Empathy’. Exploratory and confirmatory factor analysis was used to test construct validity. Cronbach's alpha and item‐total correlations were carried out to test internal consistency reliability. Results The mean score of the empathy SUM was 112.0 (SD: 12.6). A three‐factor model was explored. This factor structure does not replicate the original ‘Jefferson Scale of Empathy’ when it was validated with medical students, but it is in line with later research with nursing students. The Cronbach's alpha coefficient was 0.80 for the SUM and 0.80–0.84 for individual items. Item‐total correlation coefficients were 0.01–0.63. No Patient or Public Contribution Because this study focused on nursing students. No patients or the public were involved.

Mobiles are becoming a part of our daily life and the usages of mobile phones are increasing day by day to simplify our lifestyle. The charging in the battery is very important to operate the mobile. However, the availability of charging points is very difficult to find in public places including bus stands, railway stations, most populated areas etc. Hence installing a charging device to charge various mobiles effectively is needed at many places in the society. Moreover, unlimited power supply is required to such a device for an effective operation. Further the utilizing of renewable energy sources to provide sufficient power supply to the charging device will be more effective. Renewable energy sources such as Photovoltaic (PV) and wind based hybrid power supply systemsare incorporated into the charging device to supply required reliable power. However, different voltage levels are required to charge batteries of various mobiles. Hence, a multi-output dc to dc converter along with a master control unit is implemented in this paper. OPAL RT modules are utilized to create a Hardware-in-the-Loop (HIL) system, which showcases outcomes across different operational modes.

Energy storage and utilization-based systems are playing a vital role in power systems. Hydrogen energy based electrical power generation systems are most popular nowadays due to their ability to meet the load demand without any noise, or pollution. Usually, Fuel Cell Stacks (FCSs) are used to produce electricity from hydrogen and oxygen. Utility grid connected FCs can able to meet load demand quickly as well as improve the power quality at local load bus. Since the FC output is DC, an inverter with an efferent control technique is required to interface the FCs into the AC utility grid. The loads connected at the point of common coupling (PCC) of the FCs to the grid are varying randomly and in terms of their nonlinear and reactive power characteristics. These kinds of loads will affect the power system significantly and result in poor power quality at PCC. Proportional-integral (PI) controllers often cannot operate at their maximal efficiency when the system experiences random fluctuations in addition to the nonlinearities caused by the loads and the power electronic switches used to connect the FC to the grid. This is because these controllers have fixed gains.. One of the most effective solutions to get around these problems associated with using the fixed gain PI controller parameters is to use some adaptive controllers, such as Takagi-Sugeno (TS) Fuzzy controllers. Consequently, a novel control strategy for the inverter is suggested in this paper with the aid of TS-Fuzzy controllers in order to improve the power quality at PCC. Therefore, a novel control strategy for the inverter is suggested in this paper with the aid of TS-Fuzzy controllers in order to improve the power quality at PCC.. Hardware – in the – Loop (HIL) is established with the help of OPAL-RT technologies to enhance the significance of the proposed method. In this study, extensive results are provided and analyzed using HIL under different operating conditions to highlight the effectiveness of the proposed algorithm in mitigating power quality problems.

Grid integrated renewable energy sources are greatly benefiting from the use of multilevel inverters, as they inject less total harmonic distortion (THD) and improve the quality of inverter voltage. However, these inverters face challenges due to their high number of switches and complex control. Therefore, it is necessary to explore new configurations with simpler and more effective control methods. In addition, Photovoltaic (PV) systems are being installed in numerous apartments and houses, typically connected to a single phase utility grid. It is crucial to ensure power quality through the use of an inverter connected between the PV system and the utility grid, controlled by the inverter itself. Since PV systems exhibit non-linear behavior, a DC to DC converter is required, along with an appropriate algorithm to maximize power output. However, the inclusion of an additional DC to DC converter can increase the size, cost, and complexity of the system. As a result, single stage grid connected systems have gained popularity for low power applications. Furthermore, the use of a Fuzzy controller has shown superior performance compared to PI controllers, thanks to its ability to adjust gains based on changes in solar irradiance and load. Therefore, this paper introduces a new configuration of a 7 level inverter for single phase single stage grid connected PV systems, incorporating a Fuzzy controller for control. This new configuration only consists of seven switches, making it more streamlined. The paper includes extensive results to validate the effectiveness of the proposed methodology.

Abstract Aim To evaluate the effects of a novel, immersive digital story intervention on empathy. Design A randomized trial with three phases. Results A total of 238 2nd year nursing students were recruited between May 2018 and December 2019. At baseline, no significant differences in empathy between the groups were found (p = .760). However, at post‐test, empathy was significantly higher in the intervention group (M: 118.76, SD: 10.65) than it was in the control group (M: 114.60, SD: 15.40) (p = .012). At follow‐up, there were no significant differences in empathy between the groups (p = .364). Conclusion The intervention resulted in an immediate increase in empathy in nursing students. However, further development of effective intervention delivery modes and fundamental redesign of the intervention itself would be needed to sustain this improvement over the long term.

A saturated health care system with a lack of evidence-based antiviral medicine and ignorance of antimicrobial stewardship during pandemics has prompted clinicians to prescribe a broad-spectrum antibiotic more often. A prospective, cross-sectional study of COVID-infected patients was conducted to gain insight into antibiotic prescribing practices and their impact on antimicrobial resistance. The antibiotic susceptibility test was performed using the disc diffusion method. 318 patients met the study's inclusion criteria, with a mean age of 46 years and 55% (175) of them being males. Antibiotics were prescribed for 93.72% (209) of mild cases, 92.45% (49) of moderate cases, 96.15% (25) of severe cases, and 100% (16) of critical cases of COVID-19. A total of 95 samples were sent in for culture and antibiotic sensitivity testing, with 58.95% (56) confirming growth. The majority of the growth was found to contain E. coli (14). In 54.9% of cases, antibiotics with less than 50% sensitivity to curing bacterial infection were detected. In the study, we found that antibiotics were being used unnecessarily in excessive quantities and that more than half of the antibiotics were less sensitive to isolated bacteria.

The objective of this study was to determine whether divergent feeding regimes during the first 41 weeks of the life of a calf are associated with long-term changes in the rumen microbiota and the associated fermentation end-products. Twenty-four calves (9 ± 5 days of age) were arranged in a 2 × 2 factorial design with two divergent treatments across three dietary phases. In phase 1 (P01), calves were offered a low-milk volume/concentrate starter diet with early weaning (CO) or high-milk volume/pasture diet and late weaning (FO). In phase 2 (P02), calves from both groups were randomly allocated to either high-quality (HQ) or low-quality (LQ) pasture grazing groups. In phase 3 (P03), calves were randomly allocated to one of two grazing groups and offered the same pasture-only diet. During each dietary phase, methane (CH4) and hydrogen (H2) emissions and dry matter intake (DMI) were measured in respiration chambers, and rumen samples for the evaluation of microbiota and short-chain fatty acid (SCFA) characterizations were collected. In P01, CO calves had a higher solid feed intake but a lower CH4 yield (yCH4) and acetate:propionate ratio (A:P) compared with FO calves. The ruminal bacterial community had lower proportions of cellulolytic bacteria in CO than FO calves. The archaeal community was dominated by Methanobrevibacter boviskoreani in CO calves and by Mbb. gottschalkii in FO calves. These differences, however, did not persist into P02. Calves offered HQ pastures had greater DMI and lower A:P ratio than calves offered LQ pastures, but yCH4 was similar between groups. The cellulolytic bacteria had lower proportions in HQ than LQ calves. In all groups, the archaeal community was dominated by Mbb. gottschalkii. No treatment interactions were observed in P02. In P03, all calves had similar DMI, CH4 and H2 emissions, SCFA proportions, and microbial compositions, and no interactions with previous treatments were observed. These results indicate that the rumen microbiota and associated fermentation end-products are driven by the diet consumed at the time of sampling and that previous dietary interventions do not lead to a detectable long-term microbial imprint or changes in rumen function.

The present study aimed to determine whether dietary supplementation with methanogen inhibitors during early life may lead to an imprint on the rumen microbial community and change the rumen function and performance of calves to 49-weeks of rearing. Twenty-four 4-day-old Friesian x Jersey cross calves were randomly assigned into a control and a treatment group. Treated calves were fed a combination of chloroform (CF) and 9,10-anthraquinone (AQ) in the solid diets during the first 12 weeks of rearing. Afterward, calves were grouped by treatments until week 14, and then managed as a single group on pasture. Solid diets and water were offered ad libitum. Methane measurements, and sample collections for rumen metabolite and microbial community composition were carried out at the end of weeks 2, 4, 6, 8, 10, 14, 24 and 49. Animal growth and dry matter intake (DMI) were regularly monitored over the duration of the experiment. Methane emissions decreased up to 90% whilst hydrogen emissions increased in treated compared to control calves, but only for up to 2 weeks after treatment cessation. The near complete methane inhibition did not affect calves’ DMI and growth. The acetate:propionate ratio decreased in treated compared to control calves during the first 14 weeks but was similar at weeks 24 and 49. The proportions of Methanobrevibacter and Methanosphaera decreased in treated compared to control calves during the first 14 weeks; however, at week 24 and 49 the archaea community was similar between groups. Bacterial proportions at the phylum level and the abundant bacterial genera were similar between treatment groups. In summary, methane inhibition increased hydrogen emissions, altered the methanogen community and changed the rumen metabolite profile without major effects on the bacterial community composition. This indicated that the main response of the bacterial community was not a change in composition but rather a change in metabolic pathways. Furthermore, once methane inhibition ceased the methanogen community, rumen metabolites and hydrogen emissions became similar between treatment groups, indicating that perhaps using the treatments tested in this study, it is not possible to imprint a low methane microbiota into the rumen in the solid feed of pre-weaned calves.

Abstract An efficient protecting-group-free synthesis of tumonoic acid A and its derivatives has been accomplished. The synthesis started from commercially available n-octanal and employs the magnesium chloride catalysed anti-aldol reaction under the Evans protocol as the key step. Ethyl tumonoate A is a new tumonoic acid derivative with anti-inflammatory activity and inhibitory activity towards calcium oscillations in neocortical neurons.

Abstract Background Ruminants are important contributors to global methane emissions via microbial fermentation in their reticulo-rumens. This study is part of a larger program, characterising the rumen microbiomes of sheep which vary naturally in methane yield (g CH4/kg DM/day) and aims to define differences in microbial communities, and in gene and transcript abundances that can explain the animal methane phenotype. Methods Rumen microbiome metagenomic and metatranscriptomic data were analysed by Gene Set Enrichment, sparse partial least squares regression and the Wilcoxon Rank Sum test to estimate correlations between specific KEGG bacterial pathways/genes and high methane yield in sheep. KEGG genes enriched in high methane yield sheep were reassembled from raw reads and existing contigs and analysed by MEGAN to predict their phylogenetic origin. Protein coding sequences from Succinivibrio dextrinosolvens strains were analysed using Effective DB to predict bacterial type III secreted proteins. The effect of S. dextrinosolvens strain H5 growth on methane formation by rumen methanogens was explored using co-cultures. Results Detailed analysis of the rumen microbiomes of high methane yield sheep shows that gene and transcript abundances of bacterial type III secretion system genes are positively correlated with methane yield in sheep. Most of the bacterial type III secretion system genes could not be assigned to a particular bacterial group, but several genes were affiliated with the genus Succinivibrio, and searches of bacterial genome sequences found that strains of S. dextrinosolvens were part of a small group of rumen bacteria that encode this type of secretion system. In co-culture experiments, S. dextrinosolvens strain H5 showed a growth-enhancing effect on a methanogen belonging to the order Methanomassiliicoccales, and inhibition of a representative of the Methanobrevibacter gottschalkii clade. Conclusions This is the first report of bacterial type III secretion system genes being associated with high methane emissions in ruminants, and identifies these secretions systems as potential new targets for methane mitigation research. The effects of S. dextrinosolvens on the growth of rumen methanogens in co-cultures indicate that bacteria-methanogen interactions are important modulators of methane production in ruminant animals.

Vertical transmission of symbiotic Epichloë endophytes from host grasses into progeny seed is the primary mechanism by which the next generation of plants is colonized. This process is often imperfect, resulting in endophyte-free seedlings which may have poor ecological fitness if the endophyte confers protective benefits to its host. In this study, we investigated the influence of host genetics and environment on the vertical transmission of Epichloë festucae var. lolii strain AR37 in the temperate forage grass Lolium perenne. The efficiency of AR37 transmission into the seed of over 500 plant genotypes from five genetically diverse breeding populations was determined. In Populations I–III, which had undergone previous selection for high seed infection by AR37, mean transmission was 88, 93, and 92%, respectively. However, in Populations IV and V, which had not undergone previous selection, mean transmission was 69 and 70%, respectively. The transmission values, together with single-nucleotide polymorphism data obtained using genotyping-by-sequencing for each host, was used to develop a genomic prediction model for AR37 seed transmission. The predictive ability of the model was estimated at r = 0.54. While host genotype contributed greatly to differences in AR37 seed transmission, undefined environmental variables also contributed significantly to seed transmission across different years and geographic locations. There was evidence for a small host genotype-by-environment effect; however this was less pronounced than genotype or environment alone. Analysis of endophyte infection levels in parent plants within Populations I and IV revealed a loss of endophyte infection over time in Population IV only. This population also had lower average tiller infection frequencies than Population I, suggesting that AR37 failed to colonize all the daughter tillers and therefore seeds. However, we also observed that infection of seed by AR37 may fail during or after initiation of floral development from plants where all tillers remained endophyte-infected over time. While the effects of environment and host genotype on fungal endophyte transmission have been evaluated previously, this is the first study that quantifies the relative impacts of host genetics and environment on endophyte vertical transmission.

The study investigates the implementation of novel Neuro-Fuzzy controllers to maintain the power quality for standalone Photovoltaic (PV)-Electrolyzer-Fuel Cell- Battery based power generation systems. Standalone solar based power generation systems are widely becoming popular particularly in the remote areas with no connectivity to a grid. There are challenges to maintain the power output to meet the demand in these standalone systems because of the random nature of solar irradiances, variation of load and no irradiance during night time. The battery bank is required to store the excess energy for use later when required. The battery bank is integrated into a standalone system through a bidirectional DC to DC converter. However, large batteries are costly and require maintenance. Hence, electrolyzer and fuel cell are also integrated with respective DC to DC converters to make a cost effective operation. Small size battery bank is used to stabilize dc-link voltage during transients due to slow dynamics of electrolyzer and fuel cells. The maximum power point tracking (MPPT) device and perturbed and observed algorithm is used for the PV system to operate at maximum utilization. In this paper Neuro-Fuzzy controller based novel controllers are implemented to inverter and DC to DC converters for supplying quality power to both three phase and single phase loads at AC load bus. The presented results are examined through hardware-in-loop on the platform of OPAL-RT to investigate the proposed controllers in all the possible scenarios of a 1 MW standalone system. Results show that the proposed controllers improve the power quality and eliminate the frequency oscillations from the system voltage. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]