bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Adaptation of Temperate Seagrass to Arctic Light Relies on Seasonal Acclimatization of Carbon Capture and Metabolism
Authors: Jueterbock Alexander , Duarte Bernardo , Coyer James , Olsen Jeanine L. , Kopp Martina Elisabeth Luise , Smolina Irina , Arnaud-Haond Sophie , Hu Zi-Min , Hoarau Galice
Published: December 2021

Due to rising global surface temperatures, Arctic habitats are becoming thermally suitable for temperate species. Whether a temperate species can immigrate into an ice-free Arctic depends on its ability to tolerate extreme seasonal fluctuations in daylength. Thus, understanding adaptations to polar light conditions can improve the realism of models predicting poleward range expansions in response to climate change. Plant adaptations to polar light have rarely been studied and remain unknown in seagrasses. If these ecosystem engineers can migrate polewards, seagrasses will enrich biodiversity, and carbon capture potential in shallow coastal regions of the Arctic. Eelgrass (Zostera marina) is the most widely distributed seagrass in the northern hemisphere. As the only seagrass species growing as far north as 70°N, it is the most likely candidate to first immigrate into an ice-free Arctic. Here, we describe seasonal (and diurnal) changes in photosynthetic characteristics, and in genome-wide gene expression patterns under strong annual fluctuations of daylength. We compared PAM measurements and RNA-seq data between two populations at the longest and shortest day of the year: (1) a Mediterranean population exposed to moderate annual fluctuations of 10–14 h daylength and (2) an Arctic population exposed to high annual fluctuations of 0–24 h daylength. Most of the gene expression specificities of the Arctic population were found in functions of the organelles (chloroplast and mitochondrion). In winter, Arctic eelgrass conserves energy by repressing respiration and reducing photosynthetic energy fluxes. Although light-reactions, and genes involved in carbon capture and carbon storage were upregulated in summer, enzymes involved in CO2 fixation and chlorophyll-synthesis were upregulated in winter, suggesting that winter metabolism relies not only on stored energy resources but also on active use of dim light conditions. Eelgrass is unable to use excessive amounts of light during summer and demonstrates a significant reduction in photosynthetic performance under long daylengths, possibly to prevent photoinhibition constrains. Our study identified key mechanisms that allow eelgrass to survive under Arctic light conditions and paves the way for experimental research to predict whether and up to which latitude eelgrass can potentially migrate polewards in response to climate change.
Metabolic Profiling and Gene Expression Analysis Unveil Differences in Flavonoid and Lipid Metabolisms Between ‘Huapi’ Kumquat (Fortunella crassifolia Swingle) and Its Wild Type
Authors: Ma Qiaoli , Hu Yongwei , Dong Xinghua , Zhou Gaofeng , Liu Xiao , Gu Qingqing , Wei Qingjiang
Published: December 2021

To elucidate the mechanism underlying special characteristic differences between a spontaneous seedling mutant ‘Huapi’ kumquat (HP) and its wild-type ‘Rongan’ kumquat (RA), the fruit quality, metabolic profiles, and gene expressions of the peel and flesh were comprehensively analyzed. Compared with RA, HP fruit has distinctive phenotypes such as glossy peel, light color, and few amounts of oil glands. Interestingly, HP also accumulated higher flavonoid (approximately 4.1-fold changes) than RA. Based on metabolomics analysis, we identified 201 differential compounds, including 65 flavonoids and 37 lipids. Most of the differential flavonoids were glycosylated by hexoside and accumulated higher contents in the peel but lower in the flesh of HP than those of RA fruit. For differential lipids, most of them belonged to lysophosphatidycholines (LysoPCs) and lysophosphatidylethanolamines (LysoPEs) and exhibited low abundance in both peel and flesh of HP fruit. In addition, structural genes associated with the flavonoid and lipid pathways were differentially regulated between the two kumquat varieties. Gene expression analysis also revealed the significant roles of UDP-glycosyltransferase (UGT) and phospholipase genes in flavonoid and glycerophospholipid metabolisms, respectively. These findings provide valuable information for interpreting the mutation mechanism of HP kumquat.
What Influences the Financial Literacy of Young Adults? A Combined Analysis of Socio-Demographic Characteristics and Delay of Gratification
Authors: Siegfried Christin , Wuttke Eveline
Published: December 2021

The current economic landscape is complex and globalized, and it imposes on individuals the responsibility for their own financial security. This situation has been intensified by the COVID-19 crisis, since short-time work and layoffs significantly limit the availability of financial resources for individuals. Due to the long duration of the lockdown, these challenges will have a long-term impact and affect the financial well-being of many citizens. Moreover, it can be assumed that the consequences of this crisis will once again particularly affect groups of people who have already frequently been identified as having low financial literacy. Financial literacy is therefore an important target for educational measures and interventions. However, it cannot be considered in isolation but must take into account the many potential factors that influence financial literacy alone or in combination. These include personality traits and socio-demographic factors as well as the (in)ability to defer gratification. Against this background, individualized support offers can be made. With this in mind, in the first step of this study, we analyze the complex interaction of personality traits, socio-demographic factors, the (in-)ability to delay gratification, and financial literacy. In the second step, we differentiate the identified effects regarding different groups to identify moderating effects, which, in turn, allow conclusions to be drawn about the need for individualized interventions. The results show that gender and educational background moderate the effects occurring between self-reported financial literacy, financial learning opportunities, delay of gratification, and financial literacy.
The Trickle-Down Effect of Territorial Behavior: A Moderated Mediation Model
Authors: Li Yi , Weng Haolin , Zhu Ting , Li Na
Published: December 2021

The present research seeks to explore how and when leader territorial behavior trickles down to the follower. Relying on social information processing theory, we hypothesize that territorial behavior has a trickle-down effect from leader to follower, and perceived insider status mediates the relationship between leader territorial behavior and follower territorial behavior. Competition climate is supposed to strengthen the effect of leader territorial behavior on perceived insider status. Two hundred and fifty-two dyads data of supervisor–subordinate in Chinese enterprises provided support for our hypotheses. The results suggest that leader territorial behavior is positively related to follower territorial behavior and that follower perceived insider status significantly mediates the relationship. Moreover, competition climate strengthens the negative relationship between leader territorial behavior and perceived insider status as well as the indirect effect of leader territorial behavior on follower territorial behavior via perceived insider status. Theoretical and practical implications are further discussed.
Preference, Knowledge, and Attitudes of Parents Toward Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for Their Children in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
Authors: Alenezi Shuliweeh , Albawardi Ibrahim M. , Aldakhilallah Amirah , Alnufaei Ghaliah S. , Alshabri Rahaf , Alhamid Lama , Alotaiby Alanoud , Alharbi Norah
Published: December 2021

Introduction:Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) for children and adolescents has shown efficacy in treating different psychiatric disorders. It has been added to multiple clinical guidelines as the first-line treatment. However, despite more studies of its efficacy, CBT is underutilized in clinical settings due to a lack of rigorous training programs and qualified CBT therapists. The limited knowledge of parents in this intervention and their negative attitudes toward it have been considered as possible reasons.

Methods:This is a cross-sectional survey-based study among 464 Saudi parents living in Riyadh city. We aimed to evaluate the preference, knowledge, and attitudes of Saudi parents toward CBT for their children. We compared the difference in the level of knowledge and attitudes toward CBT in relation to the characteristics of parents. An online questionnaire that included 39 questions was carefully reconstructed from four validated scales, approved by an expert panel, and piloted. Participants were recruited to participate through online social media.

Results:Saudi parents had average knowledge about CBT; however, they had positive attitudes toward the therapy itself and its role in treating the behavioral issues of children. Male participants showed better knowledge than female participants. Participants with higher education and those with high income had more favorable attitudes toward CBT than others.

Conclusion:The knowledge of parents is considered inadequate and indicated the need for more awareness and perhaps mass education. In contrast, they maintained positive attitudes and were interested in evidence-based treatment, with more preference toward non-psychopharmacological interventions.
A Conceptual Framework for Understanding Variability in Student Perceptions
Authors: Gencoglu Bilge , Helms-Lorenz Michelle , Maulana Ridwan , Jansen Ellen P. W. A.
Published: December 2021

Student perceptions using surveys are frequently used to measure student perceptions of teachers’ teaching quality in secondary and higher education. Research shows that the variance in student perceptions exists within a class and between countries. However, the influence of individual- and cultural-level factors on the variance of student perceptions is less well studied. More insights are needed to understand the mechanisms underlying the variance in student perceptions in-depth. Insights into determinants of student perceptions of teaching quality could become valuable toward understanding school-related outcomes. A conceptual framework is put forward in this study to enhance our understanding of manifestations of student perceptions of teaching quality. It is suggested that value orientations at the individual- and cultural-level as well as social desirability may play a role in understanding student perceptions of teaching quality. Understanding students’ individual and collective perceptions of teaching quality can contribute to teachers’ sense-making of their student evaluations. It is argued that this understanding could contribute to enhancing the development of teaching quality and ultimately education quality.
Effects of Inequality on Trust and Reciprocity: An Experiment With Real Effort
Authors: Rodrigo-González Amalia , Caballer-Tarazona María , García-Gallego Aurora
Published: December 2021

The purpose of this paper is analyzing whether trust and reciprocity are affected by how rich the partner is or how well the partner performed several tasks with real effort. A trust game (TG) experiment is designed with three treatments. First, a baseline Treatment B in which subjects play a finitely repeated TG. Second, in a Treatment H with history, subjects know the partner’s wealth level reached in the past. Third, in a Treatment E with effort the individual endowment with which the TG is played is endogenous and results from the subject’s performance in three different real effort tasks (maths, cognitive and general knowledge related). The data analysis highlights the importance of past wealth levels (Treatment H) as well as endowment heterogeneity (Treatment E), on the actual levels of trust and reciprocity. Specifically, it is observed that the decision of trustors is positively affected by positive past experienced reciprocity. Moreover, trustors are sensitive to how much money the trustee accumulates each round in Treatment H, trusting more the ones that have accumulated less compared to themselves. In contrast with that, it is remarkable in Treatment E that trustors are sensitive to the endowment level of the trustees, trusting more the partners that have got a higher than own endowment, probably considering that a person that performed better in the tasks is a better partner to trust. As far as second players’ behavior, as the amount received from the trustor increases it is less likely that the trustee reciprocates with higher than or with the egalitarian amount. In Treatments H and E, the probability that the trustee reciprocates with higher amount that the one received increases when inequality in endowment/accumulated earnings favors the trustor. Additional results come from analysis of personality archetypes and socio-demographic variables.
Improving Healthcare Worker Resilience and Well-Being During COVID-19 Using a Self-Directed E-Learning Intervention
Authors: Kelly Frances , Uys Margot , Bezuidenhout Dana , Mullane Sarah L. , Bristol Caitlin
Published: December 2021

Introduction: High rates of burnout, depression, anxiety, and insomnia in healthcare workers responding to the COVID-19 pandemic have been reported globally.

Methods: Responding to the crisis, the Foundation for Professional Development (FPD) developed an e-learning course to support healthcare worker well-being and resilience. A self-paced, asynchronous learning model was used as the training intervention. Each module included practical, skill-building activities. An outcome evaluation was conducted to determine if completing the course improved healthcare worker knowledge of and confidence in the learning outcomes of the course, their use of resilience-building behaviours, their resilience, and their well-being. A secondary objective was to explore if there were any associations between behaviours, resilience, and well-being. Participants completed pre- and post-course questionnaires to measure knowledge of and confidence in the learning outcomes, y, frequency of self-reported resilience-building behaviours, and levels of resilience (CD-RISC) and well-being (WHO-5). Results were analysed in STATA using paired T-tests, univariate and multivariate linear regression models.

Results: Participants (n = 474; 77.6% female; 55.7% primary care) exhibited significant increases in knowledge, confidence, resilience-building behaviour, resilience, and well-being scores. Statistically significant improvements in the frequency of resilience-building behaviours led to significant improvements in resilience (0.25 points; 95% CI: 0.06, 0.43) and well-being (0.21 points; 95% CI: 0.05, 0.36). Increasing changes in well-being scores had a positive effect on change in resilience scores (β = 0.20; 95% CI: 0.11, 0.29), and vice versa (β = 0.28; 95% CI: 0.14, 0.41).

Conclusion: A healthcare worker e-learning course can build knowledge and skills that may prompt changes in resilience-building behaviours and improvements in well-being and resilience scores. The findings suggest that e-learning courses may improve more than competency-based outcomes alone but further research is warranted to further explore these relationships.
Stages of Grief Portrayed on the Internet: A Systematic Analysis and Critical Appraisal
Authors: Avis Kate Anne , Stroebe Margaret , Schut Henk
Published: December 2021

Kübler-Ross’s stage model of grief, while still extremely popular and frequently accepted, has also elicited significant criticisms against its adoption as a guideline for grieving. Inaccurate portrayal of the model may lead to bereaved individuals feeling that they are grieving incorrectly. This may also result in ineffectual support from loved ones and healthcare professionals. These harmful consequences make the presentation of the five stages model an important area of concern. The Internet provides ample resources for accessing information about grief, raising questions about portrayal of the stages model on digital resources. We therefore conducted a systematic narrative review using Google to examine how Kübler-Ross’s five stages model is presented on the internet. We specifically examined the prominence of the model, whether warnings, limitations and criticisms are provided, and how positively the model is endorsed. A total of 72 websites were eligible for inclusion in the sample. Our analyses showed that 44 of these (61.1%) addressed the model, indicating its continued popularity. Evaluation scores were calculated to provide quantitative assessments of the extent to which the websites criticized and/or endorsed the model. Results indicated low criticalness of the model, with sites often neglecting evaluative commentary and including definitive statements of endorsement. We conclude that such presentation is misleading; a definitive and uncritical portrayal of the model may give the impression that experiencing the stages is the only way to grieve. This may have harmful consequences for bereaved persons. It may alienate those who do not relate to the model. Presentation of the model should be limited to acknowledging its historical significance, should include critical appraisal, and present contemporary alternative models which better-represent processes of grief and grieving.
“Because I'm Bad at the Game!” A Microanalytic Study of Self Regulated Learning in League of Legends
Authors: Kleinman Erica , Gayle Christian , Seif El-Nasr Magy
Published: December 2021

Self-regulated learning (SRL) is a form of learning guided by the student's own meta-cognition, motivation, and strategic action, often in the absence of an educator. The use of SRL processes and skills has been demonstrated across numerous academic and non-academic contexts including athletics. However, manifestation of these processes within esports has not been studied. Similar to traditional athletes, esports players' performance is likely correlated with their ability to engage SRL skills as they train. Thus, the study of SRL in the context of esports would be valuable in supporting players' learning and mastery of play through specialized training and computational support. Further, an understanding of how SRL manifests in esports would highlight new opportunities to use esports in education. Existing work on SRL in games, however, predominantly focuses on educational games. In this work, we aim to take a first step in the study of SRL in esports by replicating Kitsantas and Zimmerman's (2002) volleyball study in the context of League of Legends. We compared the self-regulatory processes of expert, non-expert, and novice League of Legends players, and found that there were significant differences for processes in the forethought phase. We discuss three implications of these findings: what they mean for the development of future computational tools for esports players, implications that esports may be able to teach SRL skills that transfer to academics, and what educational technology can learn from esports to create more effective tools.
Effect of Online Reviews and Crowd Cues on Restaurant Choice of Customer: Moderating Role of Gender and Perceived Crowding
Authors: Ali Muhammad Asghar , Ting Ding Hooi , Ahmad-ur-Rahman Muhammad , Ali Shoukat , Shear Falik , Mazhar Muhammad
Published: December 2021

This study is aimed to identify the relative (direct) effect of online review ratings and perceived crowding on purchase intentions of a consumer. Our study also investigated the contingent effect of gender and perceived crowding between the relationship of exogenous and endogenous variables. This study was conducted in the Malaysian restaurant industry. We applied the purposive sampling technique to identify respondents, the mall intercept survey method was used for data collection. Smart PLS software was applied for data analysis (200 respondents). This study demonstrates through its results that online review ratings and perceived crowding have a positive effect on purchase intentions of a consumer. Moreover, if a consumer perceives crowding at a restaurant, this has a positive contingent effect on the relationship between review ratings and purchase intentions. This demonstrates that the consumer is more inclined to choose a restaurant with a high online review rating and has high perceived crowding at some unfamiliar place. Lastly, no evidence is found for the gender difference between review rating and purchase intentions; however, gender shows contingent effect and results confirmed that males preferred more crowded restaurants as compared to females. There are theoretical and practical implications for managers in the findings of this study.
“Whose Fault Is It?” How Rural Chinese Women Explain Intimate Partner Violence: A Qualitative Study
Authors: Hou Fengsu , Cerulli Catherine , Wittink Marsha N. , Caine Eric D. , Qiu Peiyuan
Published: December 2021

Women are often the victims of intimate partner violence (IPV). Though China has established its first statute against domestic violence, the service developments for victims fall behind. It is important to assess community members' perceptions of what causes IPV to create interventions to prevent and address IPV. This study completed the Short Explanatory Model Interview (SEMI) among a subset sample from a large epidemiology study in rural Sichuan China. The social ecological model was applied to analyze qualitative interviews. Among 339 participants, the average age was 46.01 ± 12.42 years old. There were 31.86% of them had been educated, 14.75% of them had migrant worker partners, and 49.26% of them had experienced violence from their partners in the last year. There were 252 participants attributed IPV to individual factors, and they primarily discussed the social characteristics, behaviors, personalities or even health problems of the husband or the wife in the vignette. Under this theme, there were 86 participants blaming the victim for being anxious, social disconnectedness or lazy; and there were 166 participants blaming to the perpetrator being abusive, irresponsibility, lack of understanding, and cheating. There were 44 women believed the cause was relational, in which there were 41 participants attributed the problem to the broken relationship between the couple and three participants attributed to the lack of support. There were 28 participants believed the cause was communal and societal, such as being poor, family problems, fate, and believed IPV was a common scene. There were 15 participants could not identify the cause of IPV. These participants usually provided very brief responses and barely had insight on violent behaviors or confidence in discussing the cause. Our findings offer a direction for understanding the rural Chinese women's beliefs about the etiology of IPV to better develop interventions which must consider raising a public awareness campaign about the risk factors of IPV and focus on reducing self-blame among victims.
Association of Cognitive Impairment With Anhedonia in Patients With Schizophrenia
Authors: Yu Lingfang , Ni Hua , Wu Zenan , Fang Xinyu , Chen Yan , Wang Dandan , Zhang Chen
Published: December 2021

Anhedonia is considered as one of the five dimensions of negative symptoms and mainly refers to the reduction of the capacity of feeling pleasure. Increasing evidence suggests that anhedonia in schizophrenia may be partly explained by cognitive impairment. However, the associations between specific cognitive impairment and anhedonia are not fully investigated. The purpose of this study was to examine anticipatory anhedonia, consummatory anhedonia, and their cognitive associations in schizophrenia. A total number of 100 patients with schizophrenia and 67 healthy volunteers were recruited. The clinical symptoms of schizophrenia were assessed. Anticipatory pleasure, consummatory pleasure, and cognitive functions of each participant were measured. Multiple linear regression analysis was performed to investigate the influencing factors of anhedonia in schizophrenia. The results showed no significant differences in sex, age, education year, body mass index (BMI), and marital status between the schizophrenia group and healthy control group (all P > 0.05). Both anticipatory and consummatory pleasure in the schizophrenia group were significantly lower than those in the healthy control group (all P < 0.05). Immediate memory, visual spanning, language, attention, and delayed memory were significantly poorer in the schizophrenia group (all P < 0.05). The results showed that language deficit is an independent risk factor for anticipatory anhedonia (B' = 0.265, P = 0.008, 95% CI: 0.038-0.244), while delayed memory deficit is an independent risk factor for consummatory anhedonia (B' = 0.391, P < 0.001, 95% CI:0.085-0.237). To the best of our knowledge, this is the first study that reported the specific cognitive associations of anhedonia in schizophrenia. The findings have added new evidence on the influencing factors of anhedonia and provided clues for the associations between clinical manifestations of schizophrenia.
The Influence of College Students' Empathy on Prosocial Behavior in the COVID-19 Pandemic: The Mediating Role of Social Responsibility
Authors: Jiang Yanfei , Yao Youjuan , Zhu Xiaoliang , Wang Shiling
Published: December 2021

Prosocial behavior has played an irreplaceable role during the COVID-19 pandemic, not only in infection prevention and control, but also in improving individual mental health. The current study was conducted after COVID-19 control was under the stage of Ongoing Prevention and Control in China. Using the Interpersonal Response Scale, Prosocial Tendencies Measure and Big Five Personality Questionnaire. In total, 898 college students participated in the current study (Mage = 19.50, SDage = 1.05, Age range = 16–24). The result showed that against the background of the COVID-19 pandemic, college students' social responsibility partially mediated the relationship between empathy and prosocial behavior. This study provides new insights and inspiration for improving college students' mental health in the context of the pandemic.
Case Report: Robotically Assisted Excision of Cystic Tumor Located in a Difficult to Access Area in the Liver
Authors: Solomonov Evgeny , Tzadok Itamar , Biswas Seema
Published: December 2021

Introduction: Cystic liver lesions may be benign cysts, parasitic infestations, or malignant tumors requiring surgical resection. Hilar location and relation to major vasculature present challenges in conventional surgical access and resection.

Materials and Methods: We describe totally robotic excision of a cystadenoma in a 55-year-old woman without complication. Time points in the accompanying video (https://youtu.be/Tn_QPgpSHA4) are embedded within the text.

Results: Advantages of the robotic technique lie in overcoming the natural restriction of conventional laparoscopic instruments, easier repair, and control of intraoperative vascular injuries using EndoWrist® instruments, ergonomic dissection close to major vasculature and reduced intraoperative blood loss as dissection is easier.

Discussion: Indications for robotic surgery included the large size of the cystic lesion, its intrahepatic location, and compression of the inferior vena cava (IVC) and right and middle hepatic veins. Had robotic removal of the lesion not been feasible, the entire lobe of the liver would have required resection.
Comparison of Clinical Efficacy and Safety Between da Vinci Robotic and Laparoscopic Intersphincteric Resection for Low Rectal Cancer: A Meta-Analysis
Authors: Zhang Jie , Qi Xingshun , Yi Fangfang , Cao Rongrong , Gao Guangrong , Zhang Cheng
Published: December 2021

Background and Aims: The intersphincteric resection (ISR) is beneficial for saving patients' anus to a large extent and restoring original bowel continuity. Laparoscopic ISR (L-ISR) has its drawbacks, such as two-dimensional images, low motion flexibility, and unstable lens. Recently, da Vinci robotic ISR (R-ISR) is increasingly used worldwide. The purpose of this article is to compare the feasibility, safety, oncological outcomes, and clinical efficacy of R-ISR vs. L-ISR for low rectal cancer.

Methods: PubMed, EMBASE, Cochrane Library, and Web of Science were searched to identify comparative studies of R-ISR vs. L-ISR. Demographic, clinical, and outcome data were extracted. Mean difference (MD) and risk ratio (RR) with their corresponding confidence intervals (CIs) were calculated.

Results: Five studies were included. In total, 510 patients were included, of whom 273 underwent R-ISR and 237 L-ISR. Compared with L-ISR, R-ISR has significantly lower estimated intraoperative blood loss (MD = −23.31, 95% CI [−41.98, −4.64], P = 0.01), longer operative time (MD = 51.77, 95% CI [25.68, 77.86], P = 0.0001), hospitalization days (MD = −1.52, 95% CI [−2.10, 0.94], P < 0.00001), and postoperative urinary complications (RR = 0.36, 95% CI [0.16, 0.82], P = 0.02).

Conclusions: The potential benefits of R-ISR are considered as a safe and feasible alternative choice for the treatment of low rectal tumors.
Trace Metal Accumulation and Phytoremediation Potential of Four Crop Plants Cultivated on Pure Sewage Sludge
Authors: Salinitro Mirko , Montanari Sofia , Simoni Andrea , Ciavatta Claudio , Tassoni Annalisa
Published: December 2021

Phytoremediation is a viable strategy to remove trace metal contaminants from sewage sludge but still is poorly investigated. The aim of this study was to quantify the trace metal removal of B. napus, B. juncea, H. annuus, Z. mays grown on pure sewage sludge. Each species was grown on six different sewage sludge for 8 weeks and sludge were analysed for trace metal content and physico-chemical characteristics. Our results confirmed that all the tested sludge supported plant growth. The tested sludge showed a plant vigorousness lower (46% of sludge) or similar/increased (54% of sludge) compared to control treatment. B. juncea and B. napus were the most efficient species in the bioaccumulation, of trace metals. The average percentage of metals removed by the selected species was 0.2% for As, 0.85% for Cd, 0.09% for Cr, 0.36% for Cu, 0.36% for Ni, 4.2% for Se, 1.2% for Zn. In conclusion, our results showed that phytoremediation can be applied to sewage sludge, despite the chosen species have low efficiency in trace element removal. Further studies using hyperaccumulator species are needed which may lead to a higher efficiency of the process opening up new possibilities for the management strategies of this waste.
Probiotics and Postbiotics as Substitutes of Antibiotics in Farm Animals: A Review
Authors: Zamojska Daria , Nowak Adriana , Nowak Ireneusz , Macierzyńska-Piotrowska Ewa
Published: December 2021

Since 2006, the use of growth-promoting antibiotics has been banned throughout the European Union. To meet the expectations of livestock farmers, various studies have been carried out with the use of lactic acid bacteria. Scientists are trying to obtain the antimicrobial effect against the most common pathogens in large-scale farms. Supplementing the diet of broilers with probiotics (live, nonpathogenic microorganisms) stabilized the intestinal microbiota, which improved the results of body weight gain (BWG) and feed intake (FI). The positive effect of probiotics based on lactic acid bacteria has been shown to prevent the occurrence of diarrhea during piglet weaning. The antagonistic activity of postbiotics (inanimate bacteria, cell components, or post-fermentation by-products) from post-culture media after lactobacilli cultures has been proven on Staphylococcus aureus—the pathogen most often responsible for causing mastitis among dairy cows. The article aims to present the latest research examining the antagonistic effect of lactic acid bacteria on the most common pathogens in broilers, piglets, pigs, and cow farms.
Anatomical Evaluation of Rat and Mouse Simulators for Laboratory Animal Science Courses
Authors: Corte Giuliano M. , Humpenöder Melanie , Pfützner Marcel , Merle Roswitha , Wiegard Mechthild , Hohlbaum Katharina , Richardson Ken , Thöne-Reineke Christa , Plendl Johanna
Published: December 2021

According to the European Directive 63/2010/EU, education and training involving living rats and mice are classified as an animal experiment and demands the implementation of the 3Rs. Therefore, as a method of refinement, rat and mouse simulators were developed to serve as an initial training device for various techniques, prior to working on living animals. Nevertheless, little is known about the implementation, anatomical correctness, learning efficiency and practical suitability of these simulators. With this in mind, a collaborative research project called “SimulRATor” was initiated to systematically evaluate the existing rat and mouse simulators in a multi-perspective approach. The objective of the study presented here was to identify the anatomical strengths and weaknesses of the available rat and mouse simulators and to determine anatomical requirements for a new anatomically correct rat simulator, specifically adapted to the needs of Laboratory Animal Science (LAS) training courses. Consequently, experts of Veterinary Anatomy and LAS evaluated the anatomy of all currently available rat and mouse simulators. The evaluation showed that compared to the anatomy of living rats and mice, the tails were perceived as the most anatomically realistic body part, followed by the general exterior and the limbs. The heads were rated as the least favored body part.
The Clinical Effect of Xylazine Premedication in Water Buffalo Calves (Bubalus bubalis) Undergoing Castration under General Anaesthesia
Authors: Guerri Giulia , Cerasoli Ilaria , Straticò Paola , De Amicis Ippolito , Giangaspero Brunella , Varasano Vincenzo , Paolini Andrea , Carluccio Augusto , Petrizzi Lucio
Published: December 2021

Castration is one of the most frequently performed surgical procedures in livestock. All methods of castration are associated with a significant degree of pain, affecting the patients’ welfare. Limited information on species-specific protocols in buffaloes is available. Considering the importance of this species and the scarcity of reports available, the objective of this study was to evaluate the effects of two different intramuscular doses of xylazine for premedication in water buffalo calves undergoing isoflurane maintenance anaesthesia for routine castration surgery. Twenty clinically healthy male water buffaloes undergoing bilateral orchiectomy were randomly assigned to two groups of 10 animals each: Group 1 was premedicated with xylazine 0.1 mg/kg bw i.m. and Group 2 was premedicated with xylazine 0.15 mg/kg bw i.m. Anaesthesia was induced by ketamine (2 mg/kg bw i.v.) and maintained with isoflurane-oxygen-air in both groups. The HR, RR, presence/absence of ataxia, sedation, depth of anaesthesia, muscle relaxation status, response to acoustic and tactile stimuli, eyelid reflex, extent of salivation and stimulus were evaluated every 5 min. Both protocols provided consistent sedation and were safe. Faster and more satisfactory sedation was recorded when xylazine was administered at 0.15 mg/kg bw i.m., leading us to recommend this dose for buffalo orchiectomy.
Kittens That Nurse 7 Weeks or Longer Are Less Likely to Become Overweight Adult Cats
Authors: van Lent Denise , Vernooij Johannes , Stolting Marcellina , Corbee Ronald
Published: December 2021

The aim of this study was to examine the effect of the suckling period length (SPL) on weight status among adult cats while taking into account putative risk factors. To this end, the body fat percentage of 69 client-owned cats was determined. A body fat percentage of >30% was used for overweight classification. Cat owners were interviewed using a standardised questionnaire to collect information about the SPL, age, breed, sex, feeding amount and frequency, daily playing and outdoor access. SPL was categorized into four groups (0–6, 7–11, 12–16, 17–24 weeks). Logistic regression was used to estimate the association between overweight and SPL after adjusting for identified risk factors. Of the 69 cats, 37 were overweight. The odds for overweight was three times lower in cats with a SPL > 6 weeks (OR = 0.33, 95% CI = 0.10−0.99). This study identified a possible novel, modifiable early life risk factor for overweight in cats; the SPL. The results of this study indicate that allowing cats to nurse longer than 12 weeks might be a simple intervention to improve cat health and welfare.
Discovery and Extraction of Cultural Traits in Intangible Cultural Heritages Based on Kansei Engineering: Taking Zhuang Brocade Weaving Techniques as an Example
Authors: Huang Yuedi , Pan Younghwan
Published: December 2021

Taking China’s national intangible cultural heritage (ICH) Zhuang brocade as the research object, its cultural traits were extracted through scientific methods from the perspective of Kansei Engineering. Samples were collected through desk research, expert interviews, and questionnaires for qualitative and quantitative research. The semantic differential method was adopted to analyze the vocabulary descriptions of different types of Zhuang brocade samples, and the Likert scale was used to measure the viewer’s visual perception. Eye tracker experiments were conducted to verify and further explore the cultural traits of Zhuang brocade so that the emotions in this ICH can be quantified more scientifically. Based on the heat map and data, scientific and reasonable descriptions and typical shapes best matching Zhuang brocade cultural traits were acquired. By using new technologies to interpret ICHs, this study proposed another way to extract cultural traits from ICH. The extracted Zhuang brocade cultural traits in this study could help improve the understanding of Zhuang brocade. This study could also provide certain references for the modern application and design of Zhuang brocade.
A Single Dose of Ginkgo biloba Extract Induces Gene Expression of Hypothalamic Anorexigenic Effectors in Male Rats
Authors: Machado Meira M. F. , Pereira Janilda P. , Hirata Bruna K. S. , Júlio Viviane S. , Banin Renata M. , Andrade Heider M. , Ribeiro Eliane B. , Cerutti Suzete M. , Telles Mônica M.
Published: December 2021

Previous studies have shown that Ginkgo biloba extract (GbE) reduces food intake and body mass gain and regulates proteins related to lipid metabolism in obese rats. In ovariectomized rats, GbE restored the hippocampal and hypothalamic serotonergic system activity, favoring the spontaneous feeding decrement. Considering the promising hypophagic effect of GbE, this study aimed to investigate the effect of a single acute dose on hypothalamic pathways that regulate feeding behavior in male rats. Four-month-old Wistar male rats received either a single acute oral GbE dose (500 mg/kg) or vehicle. Food intake and body mass were measured after 1, 4, 12, and 24 h. Rats were euthanized, and hypothalami were removed for mRNA quantification of anorexigenic (POMC/CART) and orexigenic (AgRP/NPY) neuropeptides, leptin/serotonin receptors (5HT1A, 5HT1B, 5HT2C), and serotonin transporters. We also investigated POMC, 5-HT1B, and 5-HT2C protein levels. A single acute GbE dose induced the hypothalamic POMC, CART, and 5-HT2C gene expression but failed to modify orexigenic effectors. No alterations in food intake, body mass, and hypothalamic protein levels were observed. In summary, the present findings demonstrate the rapid stimulation of pivotal hypothalamic anorexigenic pathways in response to a single GbE administration, reinforcing the GbE hypophagic activity. However, more studies are necessary to evaluate its potential as an appetite modulator.
Selective Aerobic Oxidation of P-Methoxytoluene by Co(II)-Promoted NHPI Incorporated into Cross-Linked Copolymer Structure
Authors: Berniak Tomasz , Łątka Piotr , Rokicińska Anna , Sidor Karol , Kuśtrowski Piotr
Published: December 2021

A wide series of copolymer materials with various contents of 4-vinyl-diisopropyl-phtalate ester (10–90 mol%), divinylbenzene (1–11 mol%) and styrene, as monomers, were obtained by radical copolymerization. In the last steps of the synthesis, diisopropyl ester functionalities were converted into the form of N-hydroxyphthalimide (NHPI) rings. The obtained materials with the NHPI groups immobilized in the copolymer structure were studied by various physicochemical techniques, including FT-IR, UV-Vis-DR, XPS, elemental analysis, and tested as catalysts in aerobic oxidation of p-methoxytoluene in the presence of Co(II) acetate co-catalyst. Conversion of the aromatic substrate was correlated with the NHPI content and cross-linking degree. The best catalytic performance (conversions higher than 23%) was achieved for the copolymer catalysts containing 60% and 30% of 4-vinyl-diisopropyl-phtalate ester. At too high concentrations of NHPI and DVB, some of the NHPI groups were transformed into inactive (C=O)-N=O species or not available due to embedding inside the copolymer structure. The mechanism of the process involving both NHPI centers, forming phthalimide N-oxyl (PINO) radicals, and Co(II) cations was discussed. Stability of the developed catalysts was also tested. The opening of imide rings took place during the catalytic process, resulting in the formation of carboxyl groups and the release of hydroxylamine molecules. The deactivated catalyst could be easily regenerated by repeating two last steps of closing imide ring.
Small Extracellular Vesicles and COVID19—Using the “Trojan Horse” to Tackle the Giant
Authors: Borowiec Blanka Maria , Angelova Volponi Ana , Mozdziak Paul , Kempisty Bartosz , Dyszkiewicz-Konwińska Marta
Published: December 2021

The COVID-19 pandemic is a global challenge, demanding researchers address different approaches in relation to prevention, diagnostics and therapeutics. Amongst the many tactics of tackling these therapeutic challenges, small extracellular vesicles (sEVs) or exosomes are emerging as a new frontier in the field of ameliorating viral infections. Exosomes are part of extracellular vesicles (EVs)—spherical biological structures with a lipid bilayer of a diameter of up to 5000 nm, which are released into the intercellular space by most types of eukaryotic cells, both in physiological and pathological states. EVs share structural similarities to viruses, such as small size, common mechanisms of biogenesis and mechanisms for cell entry. The role of EVs in promoting the viral spread by evading the immune response of the host, which is exhibited by retroviruses, indicates the potential for further investigation and possible manipulation of these processes when tackling the spread and treatment of COVID-19. The following paper introduces the topic of the use of exosomes in the treatment of viral infections, and presents the future prospects for the use of these EVs.
Association of FOXO3 Blood DNA Methylation with Cancer Risk, Cancer Survival, and Mortality
Authors: Yu Chenglong , Hodge Allison M. , Wong Ee Ming , Joo Jihoon Eric , Makalic Enes , Schmidt Daniel , Buchanan Daniel D. , Hopper John L. , Giles Graham G. , Southey Melissa C. , Dugué Pierre-Antoine
Published: December 2021

Genetic variants in FOXO3 are associated with longevity. Here, we assessed whether blood DNA methylation at FOXO3 was associated with cancer risk, survival, and mortality. We used data from eight prospective case–control studies of breast (n = 409 cases), colorectal (n = 835), gastric (n = 170), kidney (n = 143), lung (n = 332), prostate (n = 869), and urothelial (n = 428) cancer and B-cell lymphoma (n = 438). Case–control pairs were matched on age, sex, country of birth, and smoking (lung cancer study). Conditional logistic regression was used to assess associations between cancer risk and methylation at 45 CpGs of FOXO3 included on the HumanMethylation450 assay. Mixed-effects Cox models were used to estimate hazard ratios (HR) and 95% confidence intervals (CI) for associations with cancer survival (total n = 2286 deaths). Additionally, using data from 1088 older participants, we assessed associations of FOXO3 methylation with overall and cause-specific mortality (n = 354 deaths). Methylation at a CpG in the first exon region of FOXO3 (6:108882981) was associated with gastric cancer survival (HR = 2.39, 95% CI: 1.60–3.56, p = 1.9 × 10−5). Methylation at three CpGs in TSS1500 and gene body was associated with lung cancer survival (p < 6.1 × 10−5). We found no evidence of associations of FOXO3 methylation with cancer risk and mortality. Our findings may contribute to understanding the implication of FOXO3 in longevity.
Comparative Study on Effects of Thermal Gradient Direction on Heat Exchange between a Pure Fluid and a Nanofluid: Employing Finite Volume Method
Authors: Koulali Aimad , Abderrahmane Aissa , Jamshed Wasim , Hussain Syed M. , Nisar Kottakkaran Sooppy , Abdel-Aty Abdel-Haleem , Yahia I. S. , Eid Mohamed R.
Published: December 2021

This work aims to determine how the temperature gradient orientation affects the heat exchange between two superposed fluid layers separated by zero wall thickness. The finite volume method (FVM) has been developed to solve the governing equations of both fluid layers. To achieve the coupling between the two layers, the heat flow continuity with the no-slip condition at the interface was adopted. The lower part of the space is filled with a nanofluid while the upper part is filled with a pure fluid layer. We have explored two cases of temperature gradient orientation: parallel gradient to gravity forces of our system and perpendicular gradient to gravity forces. We took a set of parameters, Ri and ϕ, to see their influence on the thermal and hydrodynamic fields as well as the heat exchange rate between the two layers. The main applications of this study related to biological systems such as the cytoplasm and the nucleoplasm are phase-separated solutions, which can be useful as models for membranelles organelles and can serve as a cooling system application using heat exchange. The Richardson number and the volume of nanosolid particles have a big impact on the rate of change of heat transmission. When a thermal gradient is perpendicular to gravity forces, total heat transmission improves with increasing solid volume percentage, but when the thermal gradient is parallel to gravity forces, overall heat transfer decreases significantly.
Heat Transfer Impacts on Maxwell Nanofluid Flow over a Vertical Moving Surface with MHD Using Stochastic Numerical Technique via Artificial Neural Networks
Authors: Shoaib Muhammad , Khan Rafaqat Ali , Ullah Hakeem , Nisar Kottakkaran Sooppy , Raja Muhammad Asif Zahoor , Islam Saeed , Felemban Bassem F. , Yahia I. S.
Published: December 2021

The technique of Levenberg–Marquardt back propagation with neural networks (TLMB-NN) was used in this research article to investigate the heat transfer of Maxwell base fluid flow of nanomaterials (HTM-BFN) with MHD over vertical moving surfaces. In this study, the effects of thermal energy, concentration, and Brownian motion are also employed. Moreover, the impacts of a heat-absorbing fluid with viscous dissipation and radiation have been explored. To simplify the governing equations from a stiff to a simple system of non-linear ODEs, we exploited the efficacy of suitable similarity transformation mechanism. Through applicability of state-of-the-art Adams numerical technique, a set of data for suggested (TLMB-NN) is generated for several situations (scenarios) by changing parameters, such as the Thermophoresis factor Nt, Hartmann number M, Eckert number Ec, concentration Grashoff parameter Gc, Prandtl number Pr, Lewis number Le, thermal Grashof number GT, and Brownian motion factor Nb. The estimate solution of different instances has validated using the (TLMB-NN) training, testing, and validation method, and the recommended model was compared for excellence. Following that, regression analysis, mean square error, and histogram explorations are used to validate the suggested (TLMB-NN). The proposed technique is distinguished based on the proximity of the proposed and reference findings, with an accuracy level ranging from 10−9 to 10−10.