bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Main social vulnerability indicators in the COVID-19 pandemic in Iran
Authors: Moslehi Shandiz , Dehdashti Alireza , Pourmohammdi Behrad , Fatemi Farin
Published: March 2023

Background

Social factors play the main role in the vulnerability of exposed countries to disasters. The COVID-19 pandemic as a disaster is not an exception to this fact. This study aimed to determine the main social vulnerability indicators in the COVID-19 pandemic in Iran.

Methods

This study was conducted during the period of 2021–2022 in three phases, including a systematic review, a virtual panel expert, and the Analytical Hierarchy Process. First, the draft of social vulnerability indicators in COVID-19 was extracted through a systematic review. Then, the extracted indicators were finalized and prioritized by the expert panel and the AHP, respectively.

Results

Initially, the literature review found five domains and 38 indicators of social vulnerability in COVID-19. The outcome of the expert panel increased the related domains to six but decreased the indicators to 31. The three prioritized social vulnerability indicators that were determined by the AHP were population density, accessibility to healthcare facilities, and relevant services and vulnerable groups.

Conclusion

Measuring social vulnerability with the identified indicators is valuable for addressing high COVID-19 incidence among socially vulnerable hotspot areas. Regarding the result of this study, further research should be conducted to validate the identified indicators.
Past incarceration and chlamydia infection among young Black men in New Orleans
Authors: Stapleton Jenisha L. , Ratnayake Aneeka , Gomes Gérard , He Hua , Kissinger Patricia J.
Published: March 2023

Background

Young Black men are disproportionately and adversely affected by incarceration and sexually transmitted infections (STIs), both of which share common social and structural determinants. It is well documented that incarcerated individuals, including youth, are more likely to acquire STIs in the carceral setting compared to the general population. However, the effects of imprisonment on sexual health outcomes after imprisonment are not well-understood. The relationship between incarceration history (having ever spent time in a correctional institution such as prison, jail, or juvenile detention) and chlamydia positivity was examined in this study.

Methods

A secondary analysis of the Check it Program, a Chlamydia trachomatis (Ct) community-based seek, test, and treat screening program for Black men aged 15–24 who have sex with women in New Orleans was conducted. Participants completed a computer-assisted self-administered questionnaire on relevant sexual and social histories and provided a urine specimen for a Ct urine nucleic acid amplification test. Bivariate and multivariable regressions were used to estimate the association between incarceration history and chlamydia positivity.

Results

Participants (N = 1,907) were enrolled from May 2017 to March 2020. Of those, 351/1,816 (19.3%) reported past incarceration and 203/1,888 (10.8%) tested positive for Ct. When adjusted for age, insurance status, and condom use, having a history of incarceration was positively associated with a positive Ct test (adjusted odds ratio (95% confidence interval):1.61 (1.12, 2.31), p = 0.0095).

Conclusions

Interacting with the carceral system is associated with a positive Ct test post-incarceration. Incarceration may be an important marker for Ct acquisition in young Black men who have sex with women and those with a history of incarceration should be prioritized for Ct screening after release.
Association between screen time and suspected developmental coordination disorder in preschoolers: A national population-based study in China
Authors: Geng Shanshan , Wang Weijie , Huang Liping , Xie Jinhong , Williams Gareth J. , Baker Charlie , Du Wenchong , Hua Jing
Published: March 2023

Introduction

Excessive screen exposure (ESE) is a growing global public health concern. This study aims to investigate the potential association between ESE and suspected developmental coordination disorder (DCD) in Chinese pre-schoolers, with or without siblings.

Method

A retrospective cohort study was conducted, involving 126,433 children from 551 cities in China. The Little Developmental Coordination Disorder Questionnaire (LDCDQ) was employed to evaluate motor impairment in children, while parents provided information on their children’s screen time in the past year. A mixed and multi-level logistic regression model was used to analyze the associations of all screen exposure measurements from the past year with LDCDQ scores and the risk of suspected DCD.

Results

The prevalence of excessive screen exposure was 67.6% (>1 h per day) and 28.9% (>2 h per day) in Chinese pre-schoolers. One hour’s increase in weekday daily screen time, weekend daily screen time, and screen time before sleep in the past year was associated with a decreased total score of the LDCDQ (β were −0.690, −0.398, and −1.587, p < 0.001) and an increased risk of suspected DCD by 15.3%, 9.1%, and 46.8% when adjusting for the child, family and maternal health characteristics. Excessive screen exposure decreased the total LDCDQ scores by 1.335 (>1 vs. ≤1 h) and 1.162 (>2 vs. ≤2 h) and increased risks of suspected DCD by 44.0% (>1 vs. ≤1 h) and 31.1% (>2 vs. ≤2 h) with statistical significance (each p < 0.05). The stratified analysis showed that the association between screen time and LDCDQ score was stronger in children without siblings than in those with siblings.

Conclusion

The risk of suspected DCD was highest for screen time exposure before bed compared with average weekday and weekend exposures. Parents should be advised to prevent their children from using electronic screens unsupervised, especially in one-child families.
TelereHUB-CHILD: An online integrated knowledge translation tool to optimize telerehabilitation evidence-based practices for children with disabilities and their families
Authors: Ogourtsova Tatiana
Published: March 2023

Background

Pediatric telerehabilitation has been quickly adopted by clinicians during the pandemic. This precipitated shift in the model of healthcare delivery is significant and compounded by clinicians' training and knowledge needs related to evidence-based practices. This instigated a knowledge translation initiative TelereHUB-CHILD—an online platform designed for clinicians, patients, and families. The aim of this brief report is to describe its development, including the roles of key stakeholders in these processes.

Methods

Following a systematic review on telerehabilitation, a series of co-creation activities with clinical (n = 24 rehabilitation professionals) and parent-partners (n = 4 parents of children with disabilities) were undertaken. Clinical partners were engaged in five web-activities. These were designed to gather their feedback regarding training and knowledge needs, present preliminary findings of the systematic review and explore their perceived importance and usefulness with respect to different sections of TelereHUB-CHILD, including Tele-treatments, Tele-Assessments, and Resources. Parent-partners were engaged asynchronously to provide feedback on the content and presentation of the Patient/Family Information section.

Results

Clinical partners reported moderate-high usefulness and importance with each section of the tool and the presented features. As per partners' feedback, the Tele-treatments section provides standardized summaries outlining the effectiveness of the tele-treatment approach and the level of the evidence for each outcome of interest, according to the different diagnosis groups and professional discipline. For patients/family, common questions and answers can be explored in three user-friendly formats, including printable learning briefs, onsite accordions, and animation videos. The Tele-assessments section outlines existing measures by professional discipline. Resources offer preparatory forms for families and clinicians, questionnaires, and other learning material.

Conclusion

TelereHUB-CHILD was co-developed with key stakeholders. It can guide telerehabilitation evidence-based practices, empower patients and families, and pinpoint research and practice gaps.
The evolving paradigm of the subauroral geospace
Authors: Mishin Evgeny V.
Published: March 2023

An assessment of the status quo of fast subauroral flows—subauroral ion drifts (SAID) and subauroral polarization streams (SAPS), is presented. For a few decades, their development has been interpreted in terms of the voltage and current magnetospheric generators based largely on the drift motion of test particles. Recent multispacecraft observations revealed serious flaws in the generator paradigm and called for a new generation mechanism of fast-time subauroral flows and ring current (RC) injections. A novel model includes them in the overarching problem of the penetration of magnetotail plasma flow bursts (MPFs) into the plasmasphere and the substorm current wedge (SCW) development. SAID are created near the plasmapause, where inbound MPFs are short-circuited by the cold plasma. This stops the MPF’s electrons and forms the “dispersionless” plasma sheet (PS) boundary. The SAID electric field—the inherent part of the short-circuiting loop—stops the inward-moving MPF’s ions. In turn, SAPS are an integral part of the two-loop SCW system, or SCW2L, where the downward (R2) current emerges in response to the upward (R1) current in the SCW’s “head.” The meridional Pedersen current, which connects the R1 and R2 currents, leads to SAPS that ultimately drive the fast-time RC injections on the duskside.
Nanocoating-konjac application as postharvest handling to extend the shelf life of Siamese oranges
Authors: Suriati Luh
Published: March 2023

Siamese orange fruit is very popular today, driven by the increasing public demand or healthy food. Siamese oranges contain bioactive phenolic compounds, carotenoids, vitamins, minerals, and fiber which are good for health. The weakness of Siamese oranges is their quality declines quickly and their short shelf life. Postharvest handling with the application of coatings from natural ingredients to extend the shelf life of orange fruits is currently needed to reduce the use of synthetic materials. Natural ingredients that have the potential to be used as base materials for coatings are konjac tubers because they contain glucomannan polysaccharides and bioactive compounds that can form coatings. The purpose of this study was to determine the effect of nanocoating-konjacon the shelf life of Siamese oranges. The research began with the preparation of the nanocoating-konjac formula as the main ingredient of the nanocoating and the application of the nano coating-konjac on the surface of Siamese oranges. This study used a completely randomized two-factor design, namely nanocoating-konjac application (without coating, coating, and nanocoating) and storage time (0, 5, 10, and 15 days), three replications. Variables observed: Weight loss, number of damaged fruits, color, texture, acidity, total soluble solids, water content, vitamin C, and total plate count. The data obtained was tested for diversity with SPSS, if it shows differences the test is continued with Duncan's Multiple Range Test. The conclusion of this research is the application of nanocoating-konjac, coating-konjac and without coating on Siamese oranges to determine the effect of weight loss, number of damaged fruits, color, texture, acidity, total dissolved solids, water content, vitamin C, and total plate count during storage. This research recommends that the application of nanocoating-konjac as postharvest handling can extend the shelf life of Siamese oranges until the 10th days.
Antimicrobial use in 20 U.S. beef feedyards: 2018–2019
Authors: Apley Michael D. , Schrag Nora F. D. , Amrine David E. , Lubbers Brian V. , Singer Randall S.
Published: March 2023

The objective of this study was to report antimicrobial use in a convenience sample of U.S. beef feedyards for the years 2018 and 2019. In addition to antimicrobial use metrics, also reported are the indications for antimicrobial use and outcomes related to these indications. Antimicrobial use is characterized at the study and feedyard levels for a total of 1,141,846 head of cattle in 20 U.S. feedyards. Antimicrobial use is reported as milligrams of active antimicrobial ingredient per kilogram of liveweight sold (mg/kg-LW) and regimens of antimicrobials per animal year (Reg/AY). Regimens are described by antimicrobial class within use category as characterized by mg of active antimicrobial product per regimen (mg/Reg) and calendar days of administration per regimen (CDoA/Reg). A total of 1,128,515 regimens of medically important antimicrobials were captured from records. The number of regimens/100 head-in (Reg/100 head-in) are described in a subset of 10 feedyards with adequate data granularity to directly determine indications for antimicrobial administration. For the indications of bovine respiratory disease (BRD), Lameness (Lame), Liver Abscess Control (LAC), and Other (e.g., central nervous system disease, cellulitis) the Reg/100 head-in study-level values are 37.1, 0.8, 98.4, and 0.7, respectively, for 2018, with similar values for 2019. The regimens for BRD are further categorized in these 10 feedyards by the use categories in-feed, control of BRD, and individual animal therapy, yielding study level values of 4.6, 19.6, and 12.9 Reg/100 head-in, respectively, for 2018, with similar values for 2019. Outcomes of therapy for individual animal treatment of BRD, Lame, and Other are reported as treatment success, retreatment, or mortality by 30 days after the initial therapy of an animal for a disease. Treatment success rates (no treatment or mortality in the next 30 days) for 2018 in the 10 feedyards with sufficient data granularity are 76.5, 86.5, and 83.0% for BRD, Lame, and Other, respectively. The comparison of these results with other reports of antimicrobial use in North American feedyards highlights how differing approaches in calculating metric values may result in substantially different conclusions regarding antimicrobial use, especially in relation to long-duration uses.
Why can't we be friends? Exploring factors associated with cat owners' perceptions of the cat-cat relationship in two-cat households
Authors: Khoddami Sherry , Kiser Makayla C. , Moody Carly M.
Published: March 2023

Most research examining cat behavior in multi-cat households lacks focus on one group size. This gap in knowledge reduces generalizability of research findings to specific compositions of cats in multi-cat households. Given that many cat-owning households in Canada and the US are comprised of two cats, the following study used a cross-sectional survey to explore cat owners' perceptions of the cat-cat relationship in two-cat households in Canada and the US. A total of 6,529 owners of two cats completed the online questionnaire. Descriptive statistics were used to summarize the data and a logistic regression model used to assess various explanatory variables (i.e., household, management, and cat-specific factors) associated with participants perceiving their cats' relationship as negative. The logistic regression model showed that owners of two-cat households are more likely to perceive their cats' relationship as negative if both cats are spayed females, adult or mature, have a large gap in age, not related, one or both have access to the outdoors, or show aggression toward people or other animals in the home. Having multiple litterbox and feeding areas were also associated with a more negative cat-cat relationship. Overall, the complex interplay, directionality, and temporality of these factors requires further investigation for a full understanding of how to improve the cat-cat relationship in two-cat households. More research is needed to provide evidence-based recommendations for managing and supporting a positive cat-cat relationship in the home.
Delivering Safe Surgical Care While Simultaneously Caring for Patients With COVID-19; Assessment of Patient Selection, Volume and Outcomes in a Tertiary Care Hospital
Authors: Domenghino Anja , Staiger Roxane Diane , Abbassi Fariba , Serra-Burriel Miquel , Leutwyler Kim , Aeby Guillaume , Turina Matthias , Gutschow Christian Alexander , Clavien Pierre-Alain , Puhan Milo Alan
Published: March 2023

Objectives: Compare patient selection and postoperative outcomes after surgical treatment for gastrointestinal disorders before and during the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic.

Methods: We assessed gastrointestinal surgeries conducted at a tertiary center from 2017–2021 for differences in patient populations and procedures before (up to February 2020) and during the pandemic (March 2020 to December 2021). We analyzed mortality, Intensive Care Unit (ICU) length of stay, admission to ICU and postoperative complications for complex procedures using descriptive statistics and regression models.

Results: 7309 procedures were analyzed, showing a caseload reduction in March and October 2020, but no statistical evidence for fewer overall procedures overall. Population characteristics differed with lower Body Mass Indices in 2020 and 2021, more patients smoking and with diabetes treated in 2020. There was no increased mortality, ICU length of stay and in 1,144 complex procedures assessed low overall morbidity at 90 days postoperative.

Conclusion: Delivering surgical care while treating patients for COVID-19 in the same hospital was safe. Healthcare officials should consider continuing surgical care during future health crises as consequences of limiting surgical treatment for gastrointestinal disorders may be fatal for patients.
Dielectric Elastomer Cooperative Microactuator Systems—DECMAS
Authors: Seelecke Stefan , Neu Julian , Croce Sipontina , Hubertus Jonas , Schultes Günter , Rizzello Gianluca
Published: March 2023

This paper presents results of the first phase of “Dielectric Elastomer Cooperative Microactuator Systems” (DECMAS), a project within the German Research Foundation Priority Program 2206, “Cooperative Multistable Multistage Microactuator Systems” (KOMMMA). The goal is the development of a soft cooperative microactuator system combining high flexibility with large-stroke/high-frequency actuation and self-sensing capabilities. The softness is due to a completely polymer-based approach using dielectric elastomer membrane structures and a specific silicone bias system designed to achieve large strokes. The approach thus avoids fluidic or pneumatic compo-nents, enabling, e.g., future smart textile applications with cooperative sensing, haptics, and even acoustic features. The paper introduces design concepts and a first soft, single-actuator demonstrator along with experimental characterization, before expanding it to a 3 × 1 system. This system is used to experimentally study coupling effects, supported by finite element and lumped parameter simulations, which represent the basis for future cooperative control methods. Finally, the paper also introduces a new methodology to fabricate metal-based electrodes of sub-micrometer thickness with high membrane-straining capability and extremely low resistance. These electrodes will enable further miniaturization towards future microscale applications.
Design and Analysis of Electromagnetic Linear Actuation-Energy-Reclaiming Device Applied to a New-Type Energy-Reclaiming Suspension
Authors: Dai Jianguo , Chang Lv , Qin Youning , Wang Cheng , Zhu Jianhui , Zhu Jun , Zhu Jingxuan
Published: March 2023

In order to meet the increasing demand for high-performance and high-efficiency vehicles, this paper proposes a novel electromagnetic linear energy-reclaiming suspension technology based on the McPherson independent suspension, and analyzes its core component—ELA-ERD (Electromagnetic Linear Actuation Energy-Reclaiming Device). ELA-ERD, taking a shock absorber piston rod as the inner yoke, has a compact structure and reasonable layout by integrating the structural features of the suspension. In this paper, the design process of ELA-ERD is elaborated in detail. Aiming at the problem of over-saturation of the inner yoke magnetic density, this paper proposes a method to optimize the magnetic circuit by increasing the size of the inner yoke within the effective working area of the moving coil, thus effectively improving the electromagnetic characteristics of ELA-ERD. Moreover, the effect and potential of energy reclaiming on ELA-ERD were studied by using finite element software. The study on the energy-reclaiming law of ELA-ERD was carried out from the perspective of the changes in vibration frequency and amplitude. In addition, the internal relationship between the energy-reclaiming voltage and the vibration velocity was revealed in this work, and the energy-reclaiming voltage coefficient Ke was defined. Through calculation of a large amount of model data, the Ke value applicable to the designed ELA-ERD in this paper was approximately set to 4.5. This study lays an important theoretical foundation for the follow-up studies.
‘Now, She’s a Child and She Has a Child’—Experiences of Syrian Child Brides in Lebanon after Early Marriage
Authors: Collier Amanda , House Emily , Helal Shaimaa , Michael Saja , Davison Colleen M. , Bartels Susan A.
Published: March 2023

This study examined the lived experiences of Syrian refugee child brides to understand their needs as they navigate new social roles after marriage. A cross-sectional study was conducted in Lebanon using SenseMaker® to collect narratives from married Syrian girls age 13 and older and from their parents. Thematic analysis using inductive coding was performed. Identified themes were organized according to an adaptation of Bronfenbrenner’s socioecological theory of human development to present experiences across all levels of the girls’ interactions and potential influences. Themes at the microsystem level included overwhelming domestic expectations and worry about their own children in the girls’ roles as young mothers. Experiences of intimate partner violence and family conflict were common. At the exosystem level, participants described safety concerns and financial and legal system challenges. The macrosystem level highlighted social expectations around married girls discontinuing education and around separation or divorce. As efforts continue to prevent child marriage within the Syrian crisis and globally, understanding experiences of already married girls is critical to providing support for mitigating harm to child brides. Programs might consider safety planning, parenting supports, access to skills training and education, peer-to-peer social networking, and engaging husbands or families of child brides.
Analysis of Influence of Stratospheric Airship’s Key Parameter Perturbation on Motion Mode
Authors: Tang Jiwei , Bai Shilong , Xie Weicheng , Wu Junjie , Jiang Hanjie , Sun Yuxuan
Published: March 2023

The stratospheric airship is taken as the research object, and the motion mode analysis of the stratospheric airship is carried out. The influence of key parameters such as the center of mass, the center of buoyance, and the aerodynamic stability moment on the motion mode of stratospheric airship are analyzed and summarized in detail. According to the simulation and analysis results, unlike high-speed and high-dynamic aircrafts such as airplanes, the motion modes of the stratospheric airship are hardly affected by the perturbation of aerodynamic stability moment; the perturbations of the vertical center of mass and the vertical center of buoyancy have a great influence on the pitch pendulum motion modes, and their parameter perturbations affect the frequency of the pitch pendulum motion and also the stability of the pitch pendulum motion; the axial mass center location perturbation not only changes the damping of pitch pendulum motion but also affects the frequency of the yaw motion attitude motion mode to a certain extent.
Adjoint-Based Aerodynamic Design Optimization and Drag Reduction Analysis of a Military Transport Aircraft Afterbody
Authors: Rao Hanyue , Chen Yifu , Shi Yayun , Yang Tihao , Liu Hongyang
Published: March 2023

Based on the adjoint method, the afterbody of a military transport aircraft was optimized and designed to meet engineering constraints under real flight conditions. Guidance for the key design parameters of the afterbody of the military transport aircraft is given. The vortex dynamics and boundary layer extraction methods were used to analyze the optimization results of military transport aircraft. It was found that, upstream of the vortex shedding point, the circumferential accumulation process of the vorticity is weakened. The position of the vortex shedding and the appearance of the saddle line are delayed by reducing the circumferential inverse pressure gradient and the intensity of the crossflow. The afterbody vortex system of the optimized configuration is further away from the surface. Meanwhile, the distance between the counter-rotated vortex decreases, and the upwashing speed of the vortex core is smaller. Therefore, vortex-induced drag is reduced. Finally, compared with the initial configuration, the optimized configuration has a relative drag reduction of 23.2%.
Neural Modelling from the Perspective of Selected Statistical Methods on Examples of Agricultural Applications
Authors: Boniecki Piotr , Sujak Agnieszka , Niedbała Gniewko , Piekarska-Boniecka Hanna , Wawrzyniak Agnieszka , Przybylak Andrzej
Published: March 2023

Modelling plays an important role in identifying and solving problems that arise in a number of scientific issues including agriculture. Research in the natural environment is often costly, labour demanding, and, in some cases, impossible to carry out. Hence, there is a need to create and use specific “substitutes” for originals, known in a broad sense as models. Owing to the dynamic development of computer techniques, simulation models, in the form of information technology (IT) systems that support cognitive processes (of various types), are acquiring significant importance. Models primarily serve to provide a better understanding of studied empirical systems, and for efficient design of new systems as well as their rapid (and also inexpensive) improvement. Empirical mathematical models that are based on artificial neural networks and mathematical statistical methods have many similarities. In practice, scientific methodologies all use different terminology, which is mainly due to historical factors. Unfortunately, this distorts an overview of their mutual correlations, and therefore, fundamentally hinders an adequate comparative analysis of the methods. Using neural modelling terminology, statisticians are primarily concerned with the process of generalisation that involves analysing previously acquired noisy empirical data. Indeed, the objects of analyses, whether statistical or neural, are generally the results of experiments that, by their nature, are subject to various types of errors, including measurement errors. In this overview, we identify and highlight areas of correlation and interfacing between several selected neural network models and relevant, commonly used statistical methods that are frequently applied in agriculture. Examples are provided on the assessment of the quality of plant and animal production, pest risks, and the quality of agricultural environments.
Changes in Fatty Acid Levels during In Vitro Ruminal Fluid Incubation with Different Proportions of Maize Distillers Dried Grains (DDGS)
Authors: Pecka-Kiełb Ewa , Tumanowicz Joanna , Zachwieja Andrzej , Miśta Dorota , Kupczyński Robert , Króliczewska Bożena , Kaszuba Jowita , Zigo František , Suchocki Tomasz
Published: March 2023

This study aimed to analyse changes in the profile of long-chain fatty acids in the ruminal fluid of cows during in vitro fermentation, using different proportions of maize DDGS (distillers dried grains with solubles) as a substrate. The serum bottles were filled with 1 g of concentrate feed (C), which consisted of cereal middlings, postextraction rapeseed meal, and soybean meal. Substrates I, II, and III contained the same ingredients as substrate C, but also included DDGS at increasing proportions, while substrate IV contained only DDGS. Ruminal fluid with a buffer was then added to the bottles and incubated for 4, 8, and 24 h. After incubation, the fatty acid profile was analysed using a gas chromatograph. The use of DDGS as a substrate resulted in a decrease in SFA, and an increase in the proportion of UFA, including oleic acid (C18:1n9c) and linoleic acid (C18:2n6c). The fermentation profile with 15% and 20% DDGS in TMR proved to be the most beneficial. These findings suggest that the byproduct of bioethanol production could potentially improve the fatty acid profile in the ruminal fluid, resulting in higher-quality animal products.
Does Farmers’ Lottery Participation Affect Technical Efficiency of Banana Production in Rural China?
Authors: Wu Mingze , Zhu Yueji
Published: March 2023

Increasing the agricultural technical efficiency is crucial to poverty reduction for smallholder farmers in developing countries. This study attempts to examine the impact of farmers’ lottery participation on technical efficiency from the perspective of the farmers’ revealed risk preferences, and to explore the influence mechanism between lottery participation and technical efficiency, based on the primary data collected from banana farmers in rural China. We used data envelopment analysis (DEA) to measure the combined technical efficiency of the farmers and constructed an endogenous switching regressions (ESR) model to analyse the impact of lottery participation on the technical efficiency of banana farms. A quantile regression model was used to analyse the heterogeneous effects under the different levels of the farmers’ technical efficiency. Then, a mediation model was employed to clarify the influence mechanism of lottery participation on technical efficiency in terms of two pathways: the adoption of biopesticide and the soil improvement technique. The empirical results show that farmers’ lottery participation revealed their risk preferences and several factors affected banana farmers’ participation in the lottery. Specifically, male farmers are more likely to participated in the lottery than female; farmers’ working hours negatively affected their lottery participation; and the use of a smartphone significantly increased the likelihood of farmers buying lottery tickets. We also found that farmers who participate in the lottery have higher technical efficiency in banana production, and the average treatment effect of lottery participation on the technical efficiency was 21.5%, indicating that the farmers with revealed risk preferences can significantly promote technical efficiency. The effect of risk preferences on economic performance is more significant for farmers at the middle technical efficiency level. The explanation is that the adoption of new technologies (e.g., biopesticides) played a mediating effect between farmers’ lottery participation and their technical efficiency. New technologies are more likely to be adopted by farmers who participate in the lottery, resulting in higher technical efficiency. Therefore, policymakers and stakeholders can better design technology extension programs according to the different attitudes of the target farmers towards risks in developing regions.
Insights into Cottonseed Cultivar Identification Using Raman Spectroscopy and Explainable Machine Learning
Authors: Chi Jianan , Bu Xiangxin , Zhang Xiao , Wang Lijun , Zhang Nannan
Published: March 2023

Securing authentic cottonseed identity information is crucial for preserving the livelihoods of farmers. Traditional seed identification methods are generally time-consuming, and have a high degree of difficulty. Raman spectroscopy, in combination with machine learning (ML), has opened up new avenues for seed identification. In this study, we explored the feasibility of using Raman spectroscopy combined with ML for cottonseed identification. Using Raman confocal microscopy, we constructed fingerprints of cottonseeds and analyzed their important Raman peaks. We integrated two feature exploration methods (Principal Component Analysis and Harris Hawk optimization) and three ML algorithms (Support Vector Machine, eXtreme Gradient Boosting, and Multi-Layer Perceptron) into a Raman spectroscopy analysis framework to accurately identify cottonseed cultivars. Through the utilization of SHapley Additive exPlanations (SHAP), we provide an in-depth explanation of the model’s decision-making process. Our results demonstrate that XGBoost, a tree-based model, exhibits outstanding accuracy (overall accuracy of 0.94–0.88) in cottonseed identification. Notably, lignin emerged as a pivotal factor that strongly influenced the model’s prediction of cottonseed cultivars, as revealed by the XGBoost interpretation. Overall, our study illustrates the effectiveness of combining Raman spectroscopy with ML to precisely identify cottonseed cultivars. The SHAP framework used in our study enables seed-related personnel to better comprehend the model’s prediction mechanism. These valuable insights are expected to enhance seed planting and management practices in the future.
An Insight into Cuscuta campestris as a Medicinal Plant: Phytochemical Variation of Cuscuta campestris with Various Host Plants
Authors: Ramezan Dariush , Farrokhzad Yusuf , Zargar Meisam , Stybayev Gani , Kipshakbayeva Gulden , Baitelenova Aliya
Published: March 2023

Cuscuta campestris is a holoparasitic plant that depends on the host for water, nutrients, and photosynthetic substances. The purpose of this research was to evaluate the effects of the host species on the content of bioactive and health-promoting substances in the Cuscuta seeds to test the following hypothesis: these substances are more induced if the hosts are herbs. The studied hosts were herbs (thyme, basil, and onion) and non-herbs (alfalfa and tomato). The results showed that the carotenoid accumulation in seeds developed on basil and thyme was the maximum. The extracts of seeds grown on thyme and onion had significantly more galactitol, total polysaccharide, and antioxidant activity than other hosts. Quercetin, kaempferol, and total flavonoids were higher in the seeds set on onion. The highest content of bergenin was recorded on thyme with no significant difference with onion. The extract of seeds grown on thyme had more total phenolics, followed by tomato and basil. Analysis of the phytosterol content of the seeds showed that campesterol was the minimum in seeds grown on alfalfa and stigmasterol was lowest in seeds grown on tomato than other hosts. Additionally, β-sitosterol increased in seeds developed on basil, onion, and thyme, and Δ7-avenasterol increased in seeds set on thyme and basil. Overall, the content of total phytosterols was higher in seeds developed on basil, onion, and thyme. The results were suggestive of the proper health-promoting levels of dodder seeds developed on medicinal plants such as onion and thyme for pharmaceutical and food applications.
The Influence of Aerated Irrigation on the Evolution of Dissolved Organic Matter Based on Three-Dimensional Fluorescence Spectrum
Authors: Xiao Rang , Lei Hongjun , Zhang Yongling , Xiao Zheyuan , Yang Guang , Pan Hongwei , Hou Yiran , Yu Jie , Sun Keping , Dong Yecheng
Published: March 2023

In order to unravel the effect of aerated irrigation on soil dissolved organic matter (DOM) fluorescence characteristics, and humification degree, a randomized block experiment was conducted with three factors and a two-level design, i.e., two irrigation rates (0.6 and 1.0 times of crop evaporation pan coefficient, W1 and W2), two nitrogen application rates (225 and 300 kg hm−2, N1 and N2), and two aeration rates (15% and 0% in control treatment, A1 and A0). Fluorescence regional integration (FRI) and correlation analysis methods were used to investigate the evolution characteristics of the soil DOM fluorescence spectrum. Under aerated and conventional subsurface irrigation, soil DOM components were dominated by humic acid-like substances, fulvic acid-like substances, tryptophan-like proteins, and supplemented by tyrosine-like proteins and dissolved microbial metabolites. Soil aeration could promote the consumption of soil DOM components under low irrigation rates and accelerate the consumption of soil DOM components under high irrigation rates. The humification index of AI treatments varied from 8.47 to 9.94 during the maturity growth stage of pepper, averagely increased by 31.59% compared with the non-aeration treatment. To sum up, aerated irrigation can promote the depletion of small molecular proteins and accelerate nutrient turnover and the accumulation of big molecular proteins.
Estimation of Drought Tolerance Indices in Upland Cotton under Water Deficit Conditions
Authors: Aslam Sidra , Hussain Syed Bilal , Baber Muhammad , Shaheen Sabahat , Aslam Seema , Waheed Raheela , Seo Hyojin , Azhar Muhammad Tehseen
Published: March 2023

Cotton is a precious commodity that offers raw material to the textile industry. This crop is grown in tropical and sub-tropical regions of the world. Abiotic stresses exerts negative impact on cotton production, but water scarcity has the worst impact. It is rising due to current situation, in which global warming is producing a decrease in precipitation while an increase in evapo-transpiration is causing an agricultural drought. Thus, it is a difficult task for cotton breeders to identify cotton lines that can respond to areas with limited water supplies without lowering yields and might be utilized as suitable parents in a breeding program to produce drought-tolerant indices. The primary objective of this research was the estimation of drought tolerance indices in upland cotton under water deficit conditions. For this purpose, fifty accessions of upland cotton were assessed for their ability to tolerate the water stress under three conditions, namely control, 50% FC, and 75% FC. These genotypes showed significant variations based on morpho-physiological and biochemical characteristics. At control conditions, these genotypes exhibited enhanced growth and better performance. Whereas, the behavior of some indices under 75% FC showed less growth as compared to control, while under the 50% FC highly significant reductions were observed among genotypes. The genotypes that are resistant to drought and those that are susceptible were found using the K-means cluster and biplot analysis. In terms of performance, the genotypes namely Cyto-515, CIM-595, FH-142, and IR-3701 exhibited relatively better in all the treatments and low excised leaf water loss, high relative water contents, chlorophyll contents, free proline contents, and peroxidase activity were observed to be useful selection criteria for drought resistance. These identified genotypes namely, Cyto-515, CIM-595, FH-142, and IR-3701 may be grown in water deficit areas of the country to assess their potential, could be used in breeding programs for development of germplasm suitable for water stress conditions.
Morphological, Anatomical and Chemical Characterization of Ricinus communis L. (Euphorbiaceae)
Authors: Nour Iman H. , Alhadead Khadiga , Ellmouni Faten Y. , Badr Reem , Saad Tamannouha I. , EL-Banhawy Ahmed , Abdel Rahman Salwa M.
Published: March 2023

Ricinus communis L. (Euphorbiaceae, Acalyphoideae) is a highly variable species known as the castor oil plant. This study aimed to describe R. communis using several methodologies, such as vegetative morphometry, leaf surface ultrastructure, soil analysis, and gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) analysis, to understand the diversity of this species. The morphological analysis revealed that some samples had purple stems while others were grayish-green. The purple-stemmed R. communis phenotype reflects the intra-specific diversity of the species. The multivariate analysis of 25 R. communis samples based on 34 vegetative morphometric characteristics revealed that they belonged to three main groups (morphotypes). Each group attained some specific characteristics discriminating it from the other groups. Selected samples from each group were investigated using SEM, soil analysis, and GC-MS. The performed GC-MS technique revealed that six major compounds were detected in the chromatograms of the studied samples. The highest percentages of n-Hexadecanoic acid and 9,12,15-Octadecatrienoic acid were recorded. Ricinus communis demonstrated adaptive growth capability, where plants inhabiting coastal sites are salt-sensitive, while inland plants are relatively drought-tolerant species. The intra-specific variation between R. communis morphotypes indicated the possibility of the direct and indirect use of these varieties in genetic improvement programs of the species.
Pen Surface Temperature as a Predictor of Daily Water Intake and Tympanic Temperature in Steers Finished in Feedlots
Authors: Arias Rodrigo A. , Mader Terry L.
Published: March 2023

Adequate estimation of water demand in cattle production feed yards is of high importance, especially due to reduced water availability because of changes in rain precipitation patterns and amounts. The pen surface in feed yards receives and reflects solar radiation, affecting along with other factors the microclimate to which cattle are exposed. This study aimed to describe the relationship between the pen surface temperature with the daily water intake and the tympanic temperature of finishing steers. Climate variables, including solar radiation, air temperature, relative humidity, and wind speed plus pen surface temperature and soil temperature at 10.2 cm depth were recorded. Data were collected from a weather station located in the feedlot in Concord NE, whereas daily water intake was estimated from a set of experimental pens sharing a waterer in two adjacent pens. Simple and polynomial linear regressions were assessed from data collected in different experiments conducted from 2003 to 2006. Two models to predict daily water intake were developed for finishing steers using the pen surface temperature as the predictor variable. The first one included data for the period May-October (overall model) and the second one for the summer period (June-August). The best fit for the overall model was a quadratic fit (r2 = 0.86), whereas the best-fit model for the summer model was the cubic (r2 = 0.72). Subsequently, both models were validated with data from an independent experiment conducted in the summer of 2007 in the same facilities. Both models tended to slightly overestimate daily water intake when they were validated (14.6% and 12.6%, respectively). For tympanic temperature, the best-fit model was linear, explaining 76% of the observed variability. When the dataset was split into night-time and daytime the best-fit model for the night period was a quadratic one and a linear one for the daytime, both improving the explanation of the variability observed. In conclusion, pen surface temperature can be used to predict both daily water intake and tympanic temperature in feedlot steers without access to shade.
Comparative Genetic Characterization of Pathogenic Escherichia coli Isolated from Patients and Swine Suffering from Diarrhea in Korea
Authors: Do Kyung-Hyo , Seo Kwangwon , Jung Myunghwan , Lee Woo-Kon , Lee Wan-Kyu
Published: March 2023

The aim of this study was to compare the virulence factors and antimicrobial resistance of the most common pathogenic Escherichia coli strains in swine and patients with diarrhea in Korea. We examined virulence genes and antimicrobial susceptibility in 85 and 61 E. coli strains isolated from swine and patients with diarrhea, respectively. The most prevalent pathogen in swine was enterotoxigenic E. coli (ETEC) (47.1%), followed by Shiga toxin-producing E. coli (STEC) (32.9%). Similarly, the majority of the patient isolates (50.8%) were proven to be STEC, the most common pathotype, followed by ETEC (23.0%). We found that swine isolates had significantly higher resistance than patient isolates, especially to fluoroquinolones (ciprofloxacin: 37.5% and 16.1%; norfloxacin: 29.7% and 16.1%, respectively). Additionally, sequence type (ST) 100 (swine: 21; patients: 4), ST 1 (swine: 21, patients: 2), ST 10 (swine: 8; patients: 6), ST 641 (swine: 3, patients: 2), and ST 88 (swine: 2, patients: 11) were detected in both swine and humans. In addition, we confirmed that isolates from swine and patients had similar virulence traits and were phylogenetically similar. According to these findings, swine and humans are susceptible to cross infection and the transfer of antimicrobial resistance.
Clinical Occurrences in the Neurorehabilitation of Dogs with Severe Spinal Cord Injury
Authors: Gouveia Débora , Fonseca Sara , Carvalho Carla , Cardoso Ana , Almeida António , Gamboa Óscar , Canejo-Teixeira Rute , Ferreira António , Martins Ângela
Published: March 2023

This prospective observational clinical study in a population of tetraplegic and paraplegic dogs (n = 488) with or without deep pain sensation, similar to humans ASIA A and B, investigated the prevalence of clinical occurrences in a rehabilitation center with a hospitalization regime between 15 days and 9 months. A checklist of occurrences was used for easy identification and monitoring, resulting in a total of 79.5% occurrences. There were 58% of dogs with neurogenic bladder, 35.5% with diarrhea, 21.3% with urinary incontinence, and 20.5% with fecal incontinence. A low incidence of respiratory problems (e.g., pneumonia) and urinary tract infections may suggest the efficacy of some applied measures in this study, such as thoracic and abdominal POCUS evaluation, positioning strategies, physical exercises, respiratory kinesiotherapy, and early implementation of a functional neurorehabilitation protocol. These can be essential measures to prevent clinical occurrences, mainly in breeds such as the French Bulldog and the Dachshund.