bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Social Anxiety and Subjective Quality of Life Among Chinese Left-Behind Children: The Mediating Role of Social Support
Authors: Yang Ying , Lu Xiaozhou
Published: March 2022

The issue of left-behind children has become a key focus in China. In this study, we investigate the mediating role of social support between social anxiety and the subjective quality of life among left-behind children in China (N = 379, Mage = 13.65). A total of 710 junior high school students were recruited using clustering random sampling from five middle schools in China and investigated using the Social Anxiety Scale for Children, Social Support Rating Scale for Adolescents, and Inventory of Subjective Life Quality. The results show that social anxiety is negatively associated with social support and subjective quality of life, and social support is positively correlated with subjective quality of life. In addition, social support partially mediates the relationship between social anxiety and subjective quality of life. In conclusion, these findings provide new insights to improve the subjective quality of life of left-behind children. The focus should be on alleviating social anxiety and increasing social support in order to help left-behind children improve their subjective quality of life.
A Qualitative Study on Coping Strategies of Chinese Women With Metastatic Breast Cancer Undergoing Chemotherapy
Authors: Guo Yi-Qiang , Ju Qing-Mei , You Miaoning , Yusuf Azlina , Wu Ying , Soon Lean Keng
Published: March 2022

Objectives

Women who underwent chemotherapy (CT) for metastatic breast cancer (MBC) used both adaptive and maladaptive coping strategies but had low implementation levels. The present study explores the qualitative experience of coping strategies for women with MBC undergoing CT in Beijing.

Methods

A hermeneutic phenomenological approach was employed on twenty Chinese MBC women undergoing CT. These interviews were transcribed verbatim, coded using thematic analysis, and analyzed using NVivo 11.

Results

Three themes are highlighted: Maintaining hope; Spiritual growth, and Self-perceived support resources.

Conclusion

The present study results have led to a greater understanding of the tremendous impact of CT on MBC women’s lives. This research provides insight into the scope of maintaining hope. Spiritual growth and self-perceived support resources were crucial factors to coping strategies among MBC women to improve their quality of life.

Clinical Relevance

By attaining the adaptive coping strategies and further understanding about Chinese MBC women, health care professionals are encouraged to appraise MBC women’s specific problems and adopt effective interventions to improve MBC women’s psychosocial wellbeing.
The Cognitive Profile of Math Difficulties: A Meta-Analysis Based on Clinical Criteria
Authors: Haberstroh Stefan , Schulte-Körne Gerd
Published: March 2022

Math difficulties (MD) manifest across various domain-specific and domain-general abilities. However, the existing cognitive profile of MD is incomplete and thus not applicable in typical settings such as schools or clinics. So far, no review has applied inclusion criteria according to DSM or ICD, summarized domain-specific abilities or examined the validity of response time scores for MD identification. Based upon stringent clinical criteria, the current meta-analysis included 34 studies which compared cognitive performances of a group with MD (n = 680) and a group without MD (n = 1565). Criteria according to DSM and ICD were applied to identify MD (percentile rank ≤ 16, age range 8–12 years, no comorbidities/low IQ). Effect sizes for 22 abilities were estimated and separated by their level and type of scoring (AC = accuracy, RT = response time). A cognitive profile of MD was identified, characterized by distinct weaknesses in: (a) computation (calculation [AC], fact retrieval [AC]), (b) number sense (quantity processing [AC], quantity-number linking [RT], numerical relations [AC]), and (c) visual-spatial short-term storage [AC]. No particular strength was found. Severity of MD, group differences in reading performance and IQ did not significantly moderate the results. Further analyses revealed that (a) effects are larger when dealing with numbers or number words than with quantities, (b) MD is not accompanied by any weakness in abilities typically assigned to reading, and (c) weaknesses in visual-spatial short-term storage emphasize the notion that number and space are interlinked. The need for high-quality studies investigating domain-general abilities is discussed.
The Impact of the COVID-19 Pandemic on Health, Quality of Life and Intrafamilial Relations – A Population-Based Survey in Germany
Authors: Klein Stephanie , Fegert Jörg M. , Geprägs Alina , Brähler Elmar , Clemens Vera
Published: March 2022

The occurrence of the novel severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus-2 (COVID-19) at the end of 2019 comes along with many challenges. Besides worry for one’s own health and the well-being of the family, all measures applied to limit the spread of the coronavirus affected daily life. School closures, economic shutdown and contact restrictions have led to high levels of stress. The impact on health and families has been widely discussed. However, population-based data are scarce. Here, we have assessed health, quality of life and intrafamilial relations depending on the COVID-19 pandemic. Using a three-step random-route approach, a population-based sample of 2,515 persons (52.6% female, average age of 50.3 years) was recruited during the second COVID-19 wave in Germany in winter 2020/21. While the majority of participants reported no change in their health status and the relationship with their partner and children, more than half of participants reported a decreased quality of life since the beginning of the pandemic. Female gender, age above 60 years, a low household income, not living with a partner and the experience of childhood adversity were associated with a higher risk for a worsening of health, quality of life and intrafamilial relations. These had already been well-established risk factors ahead of the pandemic. In order to avoid further increase of inequality in our society and more devastating impact of the pandemic on health and intrafamilial relations, low-level support and intervention programs are urgently needed.
Age-Related Performance in Using a Fully Immersive and Automated Virtual Reality System to Assess Cognitive Function
Authors: Tan Ngiap Chuan , Lim Jie En , Allen John Carson , Wong Wei Teen , Quah Joanne Hui Min , Muthulakshmi Paulpandi , Teh Tuan Ann , Lim Soon Huat , Malhotra Rahul
Published: March 2022

Introduction

Cognition generally declines gradually over time due to progressive degeneration of the brain, leading to dementia and eventual loss of independent functions. The rate of regression varies among the six cognitive domains (perceptual motor, executive function, complex attention, learning and memory, social cognition and language). Current modality of cognitive assessment using neuropsychological paper-and-pencil screening tools for cognitive impairment such as the Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA) has limitations and is influenced by age. Virtual reality (VR) is considered as a potential alternative tool to assess cognition. A novel, fully immersive automated VR system (Cognitive Assessment using Virtual Reality, CAVIRE) has been developed to assess the six cognitive domains. As cognition is associated with age, VR performance is postulated to vary with age using this system.

Aims

This is a feasibility study to evaluate the VR performance of cognitively healthy adults aged between 35 and 74 years old, based on the performance score and completion time using the CAVIRE system.

Methods

Conducted in a public primary care clinic in Singapore, 25 multi-ethnic Asian adults were recruited in each of the four age groups in years: (1) 35–44; (2) 45–54; (3) 55–64, and (4) 65–74. The eligibility criteria included a MoCA score of 26 or higher to reflect normal cognition and understanding English instructions. They completed common daily activities ranging from brushing teething to shopping, across 13 VR segments. Their performances scores and completion time were automatically computed by the CAVIRE system. These VR performance indices were compared across the four age groups using one-way ANOVA, F-test of the hypothesis, followed by pair-wise comparisons in the event of a significant F-test (p < 0.05).

Results

One participant dropped out from Group 1. The demographic characteristics of 99 participants were similar across the 4 age groups. Overall, younger participants in Groups 1 and 2 attained higher VR performance scores and shorter completion time, compared to those in Groups 3 and 4, in all six cognitive domains (all p < 0.05).

Conclusion

The CAVIRE VR performance scores and completion time significantly differ between the younger and older Asian participants with normal cognition. Enhancements to the system are needed to establish the age-group specific normal performance indices.
Resilience Among Language Learners: The Roles of Support, Self-Efficacy, and Buoyancy
Authors: Li Wenjiao
Published: March 2022

The growth of positive psychology has generated different perceptions and concepts on the authorization of learners, such as the construct of resilience and buoyancy. It has been argued that buoyancy has a central function in the educational process as buoyant pupils are more about to participate in activities presented in the classroom and also they are interested to cope with stress in challenging situations especially in English as a foreign language (EFL) learning context. Moreover, to protect against these adversities in reactions to unexpected situations, a related concept exists in positive psychology, labeled resilience that designates persistence and underlines people’s capabilities in face of adversities. The expansion of factors such as self-efficacy and social support seem to have great impacts on different aspects of learners. To this end, the present review attempts to highlight these two noteworthy elements in managing learners’ resilience and buoyancy. Consistent with this review, some recommendations for future inquiries are presented and instructional implications are offered.
The Prediction and Influential Factors of Violence in Male Schizophrenia Patients With Machine Learning Algorithms
Authors: Yu Tao , Zhang Xulai , Liu Xiuyan , Xu Chunyuan , Deng Chenchen
Published: March 2022

Background

Early to identify male schizophrenia patients with violence is important for the performance of targeted measures and closer monitoring, but it is difficult to use conventional risk factors. This study is aimed to employ machine learning (ML) algorithms combined with routine data to predict violent behavior among male schizophrenia patients. Moreover, the identified best model might be utilized to calculate the probability of an individual committing violence.

Method

We enrolled a total of 397 male schizophrenia patients and randomly stratified them into the training set and the testing set, in a 7:3 ratio. We used eight ML algorithms to develop the predictive models. The main variables as input features selected by the least absolute shrinkage and selection operator (LASSO) and logistic regression (LR) were integrated into prediction models for violence among male schizophrenia patients. In the training set, 10 × 10-fold cross-validation was conducted to adjust the parameters. In the testing set, we evaluated and compared the predictive performance of eight ML algorithms in terms of area under the curve (AUC) for the receiver operating characteristic curve.

Result

Our results showed the prevalence of violence among male schizophrenia patients was 36.8%. The LASSO and LR identified main risk factors for violent behavior in patients with schizophrenia integrated into the predictive models, including lower education level [0.556 (0.378–0.816)], having cigarette smoking [2.121 (1.191–3.779)], higher positive syndrome [1.016 (1.002–1.031)] and higher social disability screening schedule (SDSS) [1.081 (1.026–1.139)]. The Neural Net (nnet) with an AUC of 0.6673 (0.5599–0.7748) had better prediction ability than that of other algorithms.

Conclusion

ML algorithms are useful in early identifying male schizophrenia patients with violence and helping clinicians take preventive measures.
CAG Repeats Within the Non-pathological Range in the HTT Gene Influence Personality Traits in Patients With Subjective Cognitive Decline: A 13-Year Follow-Up Study
Authors: Moschini Valentina , Mazzeo Salvatore , Bagnoli Silvia , Padiglioni Sonia , Emiliani Filippo , Giacomucci Giulia , Morinelli Carmen , Ingannato Assunta , Freni Tommaso , Belloni Laura , Ferrari Camilla , Sorbi Sandro , Nacmias Benedetta , Bessi Valentina
Published: March 2022

Objective:

HTT is a gene containing a key region of CAG repeats. When expanded beyond 39 repeats, Huntington disease (HD) develops. HTT genes with <35 repeats are not associated with HD. The biological function of CAG repeat expansion below the non-pathological threshold is not well understood. In fact higher number of repeats in HTT confer advantageous changes in brain structure and general intelligence, but several studies focused on establishing the association between CAG expansions and susceptibility to psychiatric disturbances and to other neurodegenerative disease than HD. We hypothesized that HTT CAG repeat length below the pathological threshold might influence mood and personality traits in a longitudinal sample of individuals with Subjective Cognitive Decline.

Methods

We included 54 patients with SCD. All patients underwent an extensive neuropsychological battery at baseline, APOE genotyping and analysis of HTT alleles. We used the Big Five Factors Questionnaire (BFFQ) and Hamilton Depression Rating Scale (HDRS), respectively, to assess personality traits of patients and depression at baseline. Patients who did not progress to Mild Cognitive Impairment (MCI) had at least 5-year follow-up time.

Results

In the whole sample, CAG repeat number in the shorter HTT allele was inversely correlated with conscientiousness (Pearson = −0.364, p = 0.007). There was no correlation between HDRS and CAG repeats. During the follow-up, 14 patients [25.93% (95% C.I. = 14.24–37.61)] progressed to MCI (MCI+) and 40 [74.07% (95% C.I. = 62.39–85.76)] did not (MCI−). When we performed the same analysis in the MCI+ group we found that: CAG repeat length on the shorter allele was inversely correlated with energy (Pearson = 0.639, p = 0.014) and conscientiousness (Pearson = −0.695, p = 0.006). CAG repeat length on the longer allele was inversely correlated with conscientiousness (Pearson = −0.901, p < 0.001) and directly correlated with emotional stability (Pearson = 0.639, p = 0.014). These associations were confirmed also by multivariate analysis. We found no correlations between BFFQ parameters and CAG repeats in the MCI− group.

Discussion

Personality traits and CAG repeat length in the intermediate range have been associated with progression of cognitive decline and neuropathological findings consistent with AD. We showed that CAG repeat lengths in the HTT gene within the non-pathological range influence personality traits.
“Post-lockdown Depression”: Adaptation Difficulties, Depressive Symptoms, and the Role of Positive Solitude When Returning to Routine After the Lifting of Nation-Wide COVID-19 Social Restrictions
Authors: Keisari Shoshi , Palgi Yuval , Ring Lia , Folkman Adi , Ben-David Boaz M.
Published: March 2022

Objectives

The aim of the current study was to identify difficulties in adapting to normal life once COVID-19 lockdown has been lifted. Israel was used as a case study, as COVID-19 social restrictions, including a nation-wide lockdown, were lifted almost completely by mid-April 2021, following a large-scale vaccination operation.

Methods

A sample of 293 mid-age and older Israeli adults (M age = 61.6 ± 12.8, range 40–85 years old) reported on return-to-routine adaptation difficulties (on a novel index), depression, positive solitude, and several demographic factors.

Results

Of the participants, 40.4% met the criteria of (at least) mild depressive symptoms. Higher levels of adaptation difficulties were related to higher ratios of clinical depressive symptoms. This link was moderated by positive solitude. Namely, the association between return-to-routine adaptation difficulties and depression was mainly indicated for individuals with low positive solitude.

Conclusions

The current findings are of special interest to public welfare, as adaptation difficulties were associated with higher chance for clinical depressive symptoms, while positive solitude was found to be as an efficient moderator during this period. The large proportion of depressive symptoms that persist despite lifting of social restrictions should be taken into consideration by policy makers when designing return-to-routine plans.
Concrete Experiences and Support Needs Regarding the Euthanasia Practice in Adults With Psychiatric Conditions: A Qualitative Interview Study Among Healthcare Professionals and Volunteers in Belgium
Authors: Verhofstadt Monica , Audenaert Kurt , Mortier Freddy , Deliens Luc , Liégeois Axel , Pardon Koen , Chambaere Kenneth
Published: March 2022

Objective

Although euthanasia in the context of adult psychiatry is legalized in Belgium, it poses major ethical and clinical challenges for the health care professionals and volunteers involved. This study aimed to address these members' concrete experiences and support needs.

Methods

A qualitative semi-structured interview study was conducted with 16 physicians and 14 other health care professionals and volunteers, with at least one concrete experience with euthanasia requests and procedures concerning adults with psychiatric conditions.

Findings

Concrete experiences concerned the following 8 domains: (1) the impact of euthanasia on the clinical trajectory and (2) on the therapeutic relationship, (3) internal and (4) external collaborative partnerships, (5) patients' social inner circle (non-)involvement, (6) the use of recently published guidelines and, (7) the first criminal trials on this topic, and (8) the act of euthanasia. The following 8 main support needs emerged; (1) protocols addressing specific sub-populations and pathologies, (2) protocols specifically drawn up for non-medics, (3) guidance on how to adequately implement the two-track approach, (4) (after)care for patients, (5) (after)care for the health care team, (6) guidance on the patient's social inner circle involvement, (7) enhanced education measures, and (8) enhanced financial measures, including incentives for holistic, palliative care approaches.

Conclusion

The health care professionals and volunteers reported many positive and negative experiences in dealing with euthanasia requests in adult psychiatry. They reported several support needs across the extensive euthanasia trajectory, pertaining to concrete management of thorny issues that guidelines do not (yet) touch on. Important implications of our study relate to tackling these existing issues, and to paying sufficient attention to the impact of a euthanasia trajectory on all actors, including the patients and their social inner circle, involved.
It Takes a Village to Raise a Child: Understanding and Expanding the Concept of the “Village”
Authors: Reupert Andrea , Straussner Shulamith Lala , Weimand Bente , Maybery Darryl
Published: March 2022

This perspective article defines and discusses the concept of the “village” when working with families who are experiencing multiple adversities. The article starts with a discussion on what is meant generally by a village approach, followed by a historical overview of how families living in adversity have been defined and positioned. The need to move past a siloed, professional centric approach when working with families is then presented. Using a model of social connections, based on Bronfenbrenner's ecological theory, we then identify who the “villagers” might be. Some potential principles for how the village might work with families living with adversity are presented, along with two case studies, to demonstrate how these principles might be enacted. This perspective article provides an overview and discussion of “the village” concept, rather than present a definitive set of guidelines or recommendations.
Contextual Mixing Feature Unet for Multi-Organ Nuclei Segmentation
Authors: Xue Xi , Kamata Sei-Ichiro
Published: March 2022

Nuclei segmentation is fundamental and crucial for analyzing histopathological images. Generally, a pathological image contains tens of thousands of nuclei, and there exists clustered nuclei, so it is difficult to separate each nucleus accurately. Challenges against blur boundaries, inconsistent staining, and overlapping regions have adverse effects on segmentation performance. Besides, nuclei from various organs appear quite different in shape and size, which may lead to the problems of over-segmentation and under-segmentation. In order to capture each nucleus on different organs precisely, characteristics about both nuclei and boundaries are of equal importance. Thus, in this article, we propose a contextual mixing feature Unet (CMF-Unet), which utilizes two parallel branches, nuclei segmentation branch and boundary extraction branch, and mixes complementary feature maps from two branches to obtain rich and integrated contextual features. To ensure good segmentation performance, a multiscale kernel weighted module (MKWM) and a dense mixing feature module (DMFM) are designed. MKWM, used in both nuclei segmentation branch and boundary extraction branch, contains a multiscale kernel block to fully exploit characteristics of images and a weight block to assign more weights on important areas, so that the network can extract discriminative information efficiently. To fuse more beneficial information and get integrated feature maps, the DMFM mixes the feature maps produced by the MKWM from two branches to gather both nuclei information and boundary information and links the feature maps in a densely connected way. Because the feature maps produced by the MKWM and DMFM are both sent into the decoder part, segmentation performance can be enhanced effectively. We test the proposed method on the multi-organ nuclei segmentation (MoNuSeg) dataset. Experiments show that the proposed method not only performs well on nuclei segmentation but also has good generalization ability on different organs.
emteqPRO—Fully Integrated Biometric Sensing Array for Non-Invasive Biomedical Research in Virtual Reality
Authors: Gnacek Michal , Broulidakis John , Mavridou Ifigeneia , Fatoorechi Mohsen , Seiss Ellen , Kostoulas Theodoros , Balaguer-Ballester Emili , Kiprijanovska Ivana , Rosten Claire , Nduka Charles
Published: March 2022

Virtual Reality (VR) enables the simulation of ecologically validated scenarios, which are ideal for studying behaviour in controllable conditions. Physiological measures captured in these studies provide a deeper insight into how an individual responds to a given scenario. However, the combination of the various biosensing devices presents several challenges, such as efficient time synchronisation between multiple devices, replication between participants and settings, as well as managing cumbersome setups. Additionally, important salient facial information is typically covered by the VR headset, requiring a different approach to facial muscle measurement. These challenges can restrict the use of these devices in laboratory settings. This paper describes a solution to this problem. More specifically, we introduce the emteqPRO system which provides an all-in-one solution for the collection of physiological data through a multi-sensor array built into the VR headset. EmteqPRO is a ready to use, flexible sensor platform enabling convenient, heterogenous, and multimodal emotional research in VR. It enables the capture of facial muscle activations, heart rate features, skin impedance, and movement data—important factors for the study of emotion and behaviour. The platform provides researchers with the ability to monitor data from users in real-time, in co-located and remote set-ups, and to detect activations in physiology that are linked to arousal and valence changes. The SDK (Software Development Kit), developed specifically for the Unity game engine enables easy integration of the emteqPRO features into VR environments.

Code available at: (https://github.com/emteqlabs/emteqvr-unity/releases)
Moral Disengagement, Social Norms, and Motivational Profiles Influence Attitudes Toward Doping Among Spanish Athletics Coaches
Authors: García-Grimau Elena , De la Vega Ricardo , Casado Arturo
Published: March 2022

Coaches strongly influence athletes' attitudes toward doping and can shape athlete's beliefs, behaviors, and decisions to be for or against doping. Coached-centered studies examining multiple factors affecting coaches' doping attitudes and behavior are scarce. The aim of this study was to analyze for the first-time attitudes toward doping in athletics coaches using the Sport Drug Control Model (SDCM) as a theoretical framework. A secondary aim was to determine the factors in the model predicting attitude and susceptibility toward doping. A cross-sectional study was carried out using a sample consisting of 201 Spanish athletics competitive level coaches from whom 11.4% were female. Participants completed a cross-sectional online survey. Structural equation modeling showed a good fitness of the SDCM. Positive attitudes toward doping predicted high susceptibility to doping (β = 0.39, p < 0.001). Moral disengagement (β = 0.58, p < 0.001), descriptive norms (β = 0.42, p = 0.001), ego-oriented goals (β = 0.34, p < 0.05), and self-efficacy to refrain from doping (β = 0.26, p < 0.05) displayed a significant influence on attitudes toward doping. Self-reported doping prevalence in coaches was 4.5%. These variables should be considered when designing anti-doping research projects and educational programs aiming at modifying coaches' attitudes toward doping. It is recommended to focus more efforts on coaches, without putting aside the athletes, and therefore turn coaches into reliable doping prevention factors. To this end, it is necessary to enhance scientific research and then develop, implement, and promote more educational programs targeting coaches, on a mandatory basis while covering the specific needs of coaches so that they can perform their role as anti-doping educators in an effective, committed, and proactive manner.
Hybrid Broussonetia papyrifera Fermented Feed Can Play a Role Through Flavonoid Extracts to Increase Milk Production and Milk Fatty Acid Synthesis in Dairy Goats
Authors: Zhao Mengjie , Lv Dongliang , Hu Jingcao , He Yonglong , Wang Zhi , Liu Xinyu , Ran Benkang , Hu Jianhong
Published: March 2022

In order to explore the effect of hybrid Broussonetia papyrifera fermented feed on milk production and milk quality of dairy goats, and to compare with alfalfa hay, three dairy goat diets were designed based on the principle of equal energy and equal protein. The goats in the control group were fed a basic TMR diet (CG group), and the other two groups were supplemented with 10% alfalfa hay (AH group) and 10% hybrid B. papyrifera fermented feed (BP group). The results showed that the dry matter intake and milk production of BP group increased significantly. The total amount of amino acids and the content of each amino acid in the milk of AH group and BP group were lower than those of CG group. The content of saturated fatty acids in the milk of BP group decreased while the content of unsaturated fatty acids increased. The contents of prolactin, estrogen and progesterone in BP goat serum were generally higher than those of AH goat and CG goat. Subsequently, this study separated and cultured mammary epithelial cells from breast tissue, and added flavone extracted from the leaves of hybrid B. papyrifera and alfalfa to their culture medium for comparison, which is one of their important bioactive components. The results showed that low-dose alfalfa flavone (AH) and hybrid B. papyrifera flavone (BP) can increase cell viability. They also can increase the accumulation of intracellular triglyceride and the formation of lipid droplets. Both AH flavone and BP flavone significantly up-regulated the expression of genes related to milk fat synthesis, including genes related to fatty acid de novo synthesis (ACACA, FASN, and SCD1), long-chain fatty acid activation and transport related genes (ACSL1), and genes related to transcription regulation (SREBP1). The three genes related to triglyceride synthesis (DGAT1, DGAT2, and GPAM) were all significantly increased by BP flavone. Both AH flavone and BP flavone significantly increased the protein expression of progesterone receptor and estrogen receptor in mammary epithelial cells but had no effect on prolactin receptor.
Psychological Distress in the Galapagos Islands During the COVID-19 Pandemic
Authors: Paz Clara , Abiuso Trinidad , Adana-Díaz Lila , Rodríguez-Lorenzana Alberto , Jaramillo-Vivanco Tatiana , Ortiz-Prado Esteban , Páez Monge Ignacia , Mascialino Guido
Published: March 2022

Objectives: to explore the emotional impact of the COVID-19 pandemic in the Galapagos Islands.

Methods: an online survey of 369 participants, conducted on October of 2020, was used to assess levels of depression, anxiety, and stress, as well as specific behavioral and emotional reactions to the pandemic.

Results: the prevalence of anxiety was 4% and depression 3.65%. Perceived stress level was higher, with 52% of the sample reporting moderate amounts. Women had higher levels of depression and perceived stress. Financial distress, interpersonal conflicts, feelings of isolation and fear of contagion of COVID-19 were all associated with higher levels of anxiety, depression, and stress.

Conclusion: prevalence of anxiety and depression is lower in the Galápagos Islands during the pandemic compared to other regions, while stress levels are more significant and may warrant intervention. Despite being low, anxiety and depression were associated with potentially problematic behaviors and emotional reactions.
Transgenerational Effect of Drought Stress and Sub-Lethal Doses of Quizalofop-p-ethyl: Decreasing Sensitivity to Herbicide and Biochemical Adjustment in Eragrostis plana
Authors: Fipke Marcus Vinícius , da Rosa Feijó Anderson , Garcia Natália Silva , Heck Tamara , Viana Vívian Ebeling , Dayan Franck Emmanuel , Agostinetto Dirceu , Pinto Lamego Fabiane , Souza Gustavo Maia , Camargo Edinalvo Rabaioli , de Avila Luis Antonio
Published: March 2022

(1) Background: Eragrostis plana Ness is a invasive C4 perennial grass in South America and very adaptable to environmental stresses. Our hypothesis is that there is a transgenerational cross-talk between environmental stresses and weed response to herbicides. This study’s objectives were to: (1) evaluate if E. plana primed by drought stress (DRY), a sub-lethal dose of quizalofop-p-ethyl (QPE), or a combination of both drought and herbicide stresses (DRY × QPE), produce a progeny with decreased sensitivity to quizalofop and (2) investigate the potential mechanisms involved in this adaptation; (2) Methods: A population of E. plana was isolatedly submitted to treatments for drought, quizalofop or drought plus quizalofop for two generations. The progenies were analyzed for sensitivity to the herbicide quizalofop and performed biochemical, chromatographic and molecular analyses.; (3) Results: In the G2 generation, the quizalofop-treated CHK population had reduced stomatal conductance and increased hydrogen peroxide and lipid peroxidation. On the other hand, there was no change in stomatal conductance, hydrogen peroxide level, and lipid peroxidation in the quizalofop-treated DRY population. In addition, this population had increased antioxidant enzyme activity and upregulated CYP72A31 and CYP81A12 expression, which was accompanied by reduced quizalofop-p-ethyl concentrations; (4) Conclusions: E. plana demonstrated a capacity for transgenerational adaptation to abiotic stresses, with the population exposed to drought stress (DRY) becoming less sensitive to quizalofop-p-ethyl treatment.
The Effect of Slaughter Age on Meat Quality of Male Kids of the Polish Carpathian Native Goat Breed
Authors: Kawęcka Aldona , Pasternak Marta
Published: March 2022

The native breed of Carpathian goats, once abundant in the foothills of Poland, practically died out and was replaced by other, more efficient breeds. As a result of reintroduction activities and its inclusion in the genetic resources program, breeding was restored. The dynamically developing population of Carpathian goats is an extremely valuable element of biodiversity and a potential for the development of the market for its products, including goat meat. The study aimed to compare the carcass measurements and the quality and composition of meat from male kids of the Polish Carpathian native goat breed slaughtered at the ages of 9 and 12 months. Muscle samples were taken from the leg (m. biceps femoris) to determine the meat chemical composition and physicochemical and sensory parameters, as well as the fatty acid profile. The dressing percentage was higher in older kids (41.27%) than in younger ones (37.89%), as well as final weight and cold carcass weight. The weight of valuable cuts such as the loin and leg differed between groups, and it was significantly higher in 1-year-old kids. No differences were found in basic ingredients, such as moisture, protein, ash and vitamins A and E, depending on the kids’ slaughter age. The fat concentration was significantly higher in the group of younger kids. Significant differences occurred in relation to the physicochemical parameters, fatty acid profile and organoleptic properties. The findings demonstrated that the meat of older kids was characterised by darker colour and a slightly higher pH, and it contained a higher concentration of hypocholesterolemic fatty acids (DFA) and a more favourable DFA/OFA ratio. Roasted meat from the Carpathian kids scored high marks in the organoleptic assessment and the meat obtained from older animals was rated higher.
Efficacy Evaluation of a Combined Hemorrhagic Septicemia–Mastitis Vaccine in Dairy Cows and Buffaloes
Authors: Qudratullah  , Muhammad Ghulam , Jamil Tariq , Rashid Imaad , Ullah Qudrat , Saqib Muhammad
Published: March 2022

Hemorrhagic septicemia (HS) and mastitis caused by Pasteurella (P.) multocida, Staphylococcus (S.) aureus and Streptococcus (Str.) agalactiae are important ailments of the dairy industry especially in South Asia. The present study evaluates the efficacy of a locally prepared hemorrhagic septicemia (HS) and mastitis combined vaccine. To this end, a total of 70 HS, S. aureus and Str. agalactiae-free lactating (early stage of lactation) buffaloes (n = 45) and cows (n = 25), and 50 lactating (early stage of lactation) cows (n = 25) and buffaloes (n = 25) positive for S. aureus/Str. agalactiae were subjected to two doses of HS–mastitis combined vaccine with an interval of 21 days. Antibody response was monitored by ELISA up to six months (180 days). Antibody titers against HS and mastitis were significantly (p ˂ 0.05) higher in vaccinated groups as compared to the non-vaccinated groups. Cumulative mean somatic cell counts and mastitis severity scores in vaccinated groups were significantly lower (p < 0.05), and milk yield was significantly higher (p < 0.05) than those in the respective non-vaccinated controls. In conclusion, Montanide®-adjuvanted HS–mastitis combined vaccine showed significant immunogenic effects in dairy cows and buffaloes. However, challenge studies remain overdue.
Assessment of Chilling Injury in Boar Spermatozoa by Kinematic Patterns and Competitive Sperm-Oviduct Binding In Vitro
Authors: Henning Heiko , Franz Jennifer , Batz-Schott Julia , Le Thi Xuyen , Waberski Dagmar
Published: March 2022

Sensitive detection of chilling injury in boar spermatozoa is required to evaluate novel hypothermic preservation concepts. The study’s aim was to examine whether analyses of motility patterns and sperm binding in a competitive oviduct explant assay (cOEA) sensitively detect chilling-induced alterations in sperm function. Semen samples (n = seven boars) were split into four subsamples by dilution either in Beltsville Thawing Solution (BTS) or Androstar® Plus and stored at 5 °C or 17 °C. Storage temperature had a significant effect on the distribution of spermatozoa in seven major kinematic clusters. The effect size of chilling at 5 °C as estimated by Cramer’s V was higher (p < 0.05) in the BTS medium (0.21) compared to AndroStar® Plus (0.11). Spermatozoa extended in Androstar® Plus had higher relative binding capacity compared to sperm in BTS (p < 0.05). Binding indices correlated with the percentage of viable, acrosome-intact (r = 0.62) and motile spermatozoa (r = 0.72, both p < 0.001). The cluster size of sperm with slow, vigorous movement was negatively correlated with sperm-oviduct binding (r = −0.43, p < 0.05). In conclusion, the cluster analysis of sperm kinematics and competitive sperm oviduct binding in vitro present meaningful biological tests to assess novel concepts for hypothermic semen preservation.
Morphological Characteristics and Transcriptome Landscapes of Chicken Follicles during Selective Development
Authors: Nie Ruixue , Zheng Xiaotong , Zhang Wenhui , Zhang Bo , Ling Yao , Zhang Hao , Wu Changxin
Published: March 2022

Ovarian follicle selection largely depends on the transition of granulosa cells from an undifferentiated to a fully differentiated state, which is accompanied by morphological and functional changes in follicles. The processes and transcriptional regulation of follicles during follicle selection are unclear; we thus used follicles from the prehierarchal to the hierarchal stage to investigate histology, reproductive endocrinology, and transcription. The morphology of follicles changed markedly during follicle selection. The numbers of large white, small yellow, and large yellow follicles (LWF, SYF, and LYF, respectively) were 11.83 ± 2.79, 6.83 ± 2.23, and 1.00, respectively, per ovary. LYF showed thicker granulosa cell layers than those of other prehierarchal follicles. Progesterone concentrations were significantly higher in LYF than that in LWF and SYF. In total, 16,823 genes were positively expressed in LWF, SYF, and LYF. Among follicle types, 1290 differentially expressed genes were enriched regarding cell differentiation, blood vessel morphogenesis, and response to steroid hormones. Candidate genes associated with follicle selection participated in the Wnt signaling pathway, steroid hormone biosynthesis, and the TGF-β signaling pathway. We produced insights into crucial morphological characteristics of transcriptional regulation in follicle development. Our results provide an important basis for revealing the mechanism of follicle selection and potential impact on the poultry industry.
Cholesterol Induces Oxidative Stress, Mitochondrial Damage and Death in Hepatic Stellate Cells to Mitigate Liver Fibrosis in Mice Model of NASH
Authors: Rauchbach Einat , Zeigerman Haim , Abu-Halaka Diana , Tirosh Oren
Published: March 2022

Liver fibrosis and its end-stage disease cirrhosis are major world health problems arising from chronic injury of the liver. In recent years, the hypothesis that hepatic stellate cells’ (HSCs’) activation and fibrosis can be mitigated by HSC apoptosis and cell death has become of interest. In the current study, we evaluated the effect of cholesterol and bile acids on HSC apoptosis and liver fibrosis. Male C57BL/6J mice (wild type), aged four to five weeks, were fed an AIN-93G based diet (normal diet, ND), ND diet + 1% (w/w) cholesterol (CHOL group), ND diet + 0.5% (w/w) cholic acid (CA group) or ND diet + 1% (w/w) cholesterol + 0.5% (w/w) cholic acid (CHOL + CA group). Female Mdr2(-/-) mice were also treated with ND with and without 1% cholesterol. The effect of cholesterol on liver fibrosis and HSC clearance was evaluated. In addition, we studied the mechanism of cholesterol-induced apoptosis in HSC-T6 and AML-12 hepatocyte cell lines. In animals treated with cholic acids, increased lipid peroxidation and fibrosis were observed after six weeks of treatment. However, addition of cholesterol to the diet of C57BL/6J mice led to HSC-specific apoptosis and resolution of liver fibrosis, verified by double-staining with active caspase and α smooth muscle actin antibodies. In Mdr2 (-/-) mice, a diet supplemented with cholesterol corrected fibrosis and induced active hepatic stellate cells’ clearance. HSC-T6 were found to be much more sensitive to cholesterol-induced oxidative stress, mitochondrial damage and apoptosis compared to hepatocytes. These results indicate that cholesterol may be a trigger of HSC lipid peroxidation and death in the liver in a model of non-alcoholic steatohepatitis. A high cholesterol-to-bile acid ratio may determine the trajectory of the liver disease toward mitigation of fibrosis.
Joint Semantic Understanding with a Multilevel Branch for Driving Perception
Authors: Lee Dong-Gyu , Kim Yoon-Ki
Published: March 2022

Visual perception is a critical task for autonomous driving. Understanding the driving environment in real time can assist a vehicle in driving safely. In this study, we proposed a multi-task learning framework for simultaneous traffic object detection, drivable area segmentation, and lane line segmentation in an efficient way. Our network encoder extracts features from an input image and three decoders at multilevel branches handle specific tasks. The decoders share the feature maps with more similar tasks for joint semantic understanding. Multiple loss functions are automatically weighted summed to learn multiple objectives simultaneously. We demonstrate the effectiveness of this framework on a BerkeleyDeepDrive100K (BDD100K) dataset. In the experiment, the proposed method outperforms the competing multi-task and single-task methods in terms of accuracy and maintains a real-time inference at more than 37 frames per second.
A Predictive Reliability Model to Assess the Performance of Photovoltaic Systems
Authors: Solouma Nahed , El Berry Amal
Published: March 2022

Clean energy is extremely important not only because of economic purposes but also for health considerations. The use of photovoltaic (PV) systems is growing, with the increased needs for electricity. This requires more attention to research of PV systems. In this study, a method to predict the expected lifetime based on the reliability of system performance is proposed. Geographical data were collected near two different locations: Cairo, Egypt and Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. The PV system was simulated with inputs from collected data to obtain the device factors and system responses. To study the significance of inputs and device parameters on the system responses, the Taguchi OA method was used. The probability density function (pdf) of the time of acceptable performance was estimated from the simulation data. A reliability analysis method was applied to the obtained pdf to estimate the reliability function, lifetime or mean life, reliable life, and rate of failure of the used PV system as assessment factors. The results showed that the system efficiency is highly dependent on the ambient temperature, while the performance ratio depends on many variables. The reliability analysis revealed that the field orientation of 30° tilt and 20° azimuth and of 30° tilt and 30° azimuth are best for near Cairo and near Riyadh, respectively. These orientations lead to the longest mean life of 772.25 and 688.36 months for Cairo and Riyadh, respectively. It also resulted in the lowest failure rates of 0.001295 and 0.001228 per month for both regions.
Inventory of Historical and Recent Earthquake-Triggered Landslides and Assessment of Related Susceptibility by GIS-Based Analytic Hierarchy Process: The Case of Cephalonia (Ionian Islands, Western Greece)
Authors: Mavroulis Spyridon , Diakakis Michalis , Kranis Haralambos , Vassilakis Emmanuel , Kapetanidis Vasilis , Spingos Ioannis , Kaviris George , Skourtsos Emmanuel , Voulgaris Nicholas , Lekkas Efthymis
Published: March 2022

Cephalonia, located in the middle of the central Ionian Islands, has been affected by destructive earthquakes during both the instrumental and the historical period. Despite the fact that it is widely studied from several scientific viewpoints, limited research has been conducted so far regarding the earthquake-triggered landslides (ETL) and the related susceptibility. In the context of the present study, an inventory with 67 ETL from 11 earthquakes that occurred from 1636 to 2014 is presented. Given this record, the study further examines the ETL susceptibility exploiting 10 landslide causal factors in the frame of a GIS-based Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP). Four factors (i.e., slope, PGA, tectonic structures and lithology) were associated in a higher degree to the locations where ETL occurred on the island. Based on the comparison of the ETL inventory and the landslide susceptibility index (LSI) map, the distribution of ETL in Cephalonia is not random, as their majority (82%) were generated within high to critically high susceptible zones. This fact, along with the AUC values of 80.3%, reveals a fair-to-good accuracy of the landslide susceptibility assessment and indicate that the contribution of the studied variables to the generation of ETL was effectively determined.
A New Technique of Eliminating the Actual Plasma Background When Calibrating Emission Spectrometers with a CCD Recording System
Authors: Mustafaev Aleksandr S. , Popova Anna N. , Sukhomlinov Vladimir S.
Published: March 2022

This research focuses on the development of a new technique of emission spectral analysis designed to accurately account for the background radiation. The technique enables the evaluation of background radiation while being unaffected by its spectral shape. This is possible through the use of standard data obtained in an analytical-line-recording process performed by light-intensity-to-electric-signal converters such as CCDs, PMTs, photodiodes, etc. This technique, when applied at a set RMS deviation of the analytical-line-radiation intensity, reduces the random error of a determined low impure-element concentration due to the optimal calibration-line slope. In areas of high concentrations, an accurate accounting of the background does little to affect the emission spectrometer’s measurement accuracy. This technique also allows the replication of calibration curves in spectrometers of the same type by a linear-intensity conversion with only two standard samples required. The technique was tested on SPAS-02 and SPAS-05 commercial spark spectrometers. The testing fully confirmed the aforementioned advantages of the developed technique. The authors also determined the applicability conditions of the conventional emission-spectrometer-recalibration method by a linear conversion of the analytical-line intensity.
Stability of the Maxillary and Mandibular Total Arch Distalization Using Temporary Anchorage Devices (TADs) in Adults
Authors: Song Byung-Jae , Lee Kee-Joon , Cha Jung-Yul , Lee Jeong-Seob , Mo Sung-Seo , Yu Hyung-Seog
Published: March 2022

Distalization with temporary anchorage devices (TADs) is commonly used to resolve crowding and to correct molar relationships in non-extraction cases. The purpose of this study was to quantify the treatment effects and post-treatment stability of total arch distalization with TADs in adults and thereby elucidate the clinical effect of this treatment modality. The subjects of the study were 39 adult orthodontic patients treated with total arch distalization with TADs. Lateral cephalograms and dental casts were taken at pretreatment (T0), post-treatment (T1), and the retention period (T2, 29.3 ± 12.8 months) to evaluate the vertical and horizontal movement of teeth, changes of arch width and molar rotation. It was concluded that even though there was a little relapse in the anteroposterior position of the maxillary and mandibular teeth during retention, there was no obvious relapse in the facial profile. Therefore, the total arch distalization can be used in patients with a moderate amount of arch length discrepancy effectively with stable retention.