bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Optimism and mental health in college students: the mediating role of sleep quality and stress
Authors: Lai Yun-Ju , Tsai En-Yun , Jarustanaput Ploypapus , Wu Yi-Syuan , Chen Yi-Hau , O’Leary Samantha E. , Manachevakul Sumatchara , Zhang Yuan , Shen Jiabin , Wang Yan
Published: July 2024

Objective

College students showed a high prevalence of stress, anxiety, and depression, with medical and nursing students experiencing particularly elevated levels of mental health challenges.

Optimism significantly influences overall well-being by promoting a healthy lifestyle and cognitive responses. However, the association of optimism with sleep quality, stress, and mental health in college students remains unexplored. This study aimed to (1) explore the associations of optimism with sleep quality, stress, and mental health and (2) ascertain whether sleep quality and stress mediate the association between optimism and mental health among college students.

Methods

A cross-sectional study was conducted using online surveys with students from health science majors at a public university in the northeast United States from September to December 2022. A total of 222 students participated in the study, providing data on sociodemographics, optimism, sleep quality, stress, anxiety, and depression. Parallel and serial mediation models were utilized to examine the potential mediating roles of sleep quality and stress in the association between optimism and mental health.

Results

The study found that optimism influences anxiety and depression through both direct and indirect pathways. In line with predictions, the parallel mediation analysis revealed that the impact of optimism on anxiety (βtotal = −0.598, 95% confident interval [CI]: −0.778 to −0.392) and depression (βtotal = −0.724, 95% CI: −0.919 to −0.519) was mediated by stress and sleep quality. Furthermore, the serial mediation models revealed that stress and sleep quality co-mediated the relationship betweenoptimism and anxiety (indirect effect [IE] = −0.074, 95% CI: −0.135 to −0.029) or depression (IE = −0.084, 95% CI: −0.142 to −0.036) in a sequential manner.

Conclusion

Optimism was negatively correlated with poor sleep quality, stress, anxiety, and depression. Enhanced optimism was linked to high sleep quality and less stress, anxiety, and depression. These insights emphasize the potential for school-based optimism interventions to improve sleep quality, ameliorate stress-related concerns, and alleviate mental health challenges in college students.
Medical care for transgender individuals at a hospital in southern Brazil: why do they drop out from our service?
Authors: Guadagnin Fernanda , Schwarz Karine , Cardoso da Silva Dhiordan , Salati Leonardo Romeira , Kayser Vinicius , Lobato Maria Inês Rodrigues
Published: July 2024

Objective

The objective of the study was to investigate dropout rates and discern potential factors contributing to the discontinuation of treatment provided to transgender individuals by the Transdisciplinary Gender Identity Program at the Hospital de Clínicas de Porto Alegre (PROTIG).

Methodology

This study employs a descriptive, cross-sectional, retrospective design to analyze socio-demographic and clinical data obtained from medical records of patients treated at PROTIG between 2000 and 2018. A structured form, devised by PROTIG’s professional team, was utilized to extract and evaluate several variables including: age, gender, education level, diagnosis of F64 according to the International Classification of Diseases (ICD-10: Version: 2010), clinical comorbidities (coded by ICD-10), laboratory diagnosis of sexually transmitted infections, distance between patients’ residence and the hospital, and year of entry into PROTIG. The patient cohort was stratified into two categories based on their duration of attendance: dropout (defined as attendance for up to 365 days) and non-dropout (attendance exceeding 365 days). Categorical variables between dropout and non-dropout groups were compared using Pearson’s chi-square test. Additionally, Poisson regression analysis was utilized, employing a 95% confidence interval (CI) and setting the significance level at 0.05.

Results

The study included a total of 888 patients accessing PROTIG, with 275 (31%) classified in the dropout group. Of the patient population, 65.5% (n = 582) self-identified as transgender women, while 34.5% (n = 306) identified as transgender men. Significant differences were noted between the dropout and non-dropout groups. Specifically, differences were noted among transgender women (p < 0.001), individuals with lower levels of education (p < 0.001), those with fewer diagnoses classified under ICD-10 as F64 (p < 0.001), individuals exhibiting fewer clinical comorbidities recorded in ICD-10 (p < 0.001), and those who commenced inclusion in PROTIG after 2010 (p < 0.001).

Conclusion

There exists a notable rate of treatment discontinuation among individuals receiving care at PROTIG, with statistically significant variances observed between groups. We posit potential rationales for this discontinuation, informed by care experiences and feedback from group attendees: Increased accessibility to outpatient services in our jurisdiction for Transgender Care, along with heightened societal awareness of gender identity fostering diverse gender expression avenues devoid of reliance on gender-affirming surgical interventions.
The association between physical fitness and mental health among college students: a cross-sectional study
Authors: Hong Yu , Shen Jiaqi , Hu Yue , Gu Yuxuan , Bai Zhongjiang , Chen Yu , Huang Siyi
Published: July 2024

Introduction

Physical inactivity and mental health disorders are emerging threats to public health in China. Previous research on links between exercise and mental wellbeing have focused on clinical populations, with little evidence from the general population, particularly younger adults. We aimed to investigate associations between physical fitness and mental health in Chinese college students.

Methods

In this series, of cross-sectional observational studies, we enrolled 7,468 Chinese college students aged 16–24 years in 199 classes at Changzhou Vocational Institute of Engineering between Sept 1, 2017, and Jun 30, 2018. Exposures of interest were the students’ physical fitness level, measured by the Chinese University Students Physique Test. The primary outcomes were mental health situations, measured by the University Personality Inventory (UPI). The multivariable linear regression models were used to assess the relationship between the levels of physical fitness and mental disorders symptoms.

Results

Completed mental health and physical fitness data were available for 6,724 participants aged 16–24 years. Compared with the failed group, the corresponding levels of difference in overall UPI scores were − 1.45 scores (95% CI: −2.45, −0.46; p < 0.01) for the passed group and − 2.95 scores (95% CI: −4.13, −1.77; p < 0.01) for the good group. Similar results were observed in the four different aspects of psychotic disorder symptoms.

Discussion

There was a significantly negative correlation between the level of physical fitness and phycological situations among Chinese college students. Our findings highlight the psychological situations of students with low physical fitness levels should be concerned.
Transtheoretical model to predict the stages of changes in smoking cessation behavior among adolescents
Authors: Park Min Hee , Song Hye-Young
Published: July 2024

Introduction

Previous studies on adolescent smoking cessation behavior based on the transtheoretical model have primarily focused on the development of cessation programs. Attempting to quit smoking is a prerequisite for executing smoking cessation. Appropriate methods must be selected based on the characteristics and intentions of individuals to increase smokers’ satisfaction and success rates in quitting. Therefore, this study aimed to identify changing processes influencing the stages of change associated with successful smoking cessation among adolescents and examined the related factors. This descriptive study explored a transtheoretical model of different stages of changes in smoking cessation behavior among adolescent smokers.

Methods

The participants included 237 middle and high school students in South Korea. We examined the differences in stages of changes in smoking cessation behaviors based on general characteristics, smoking-related characteristics, smoking cessation change processes (cognitive and behavioral), smoking decisional balance (pros and cons of smoking), and self-efficacy.

Results

The probability of reaching the preparation stage of smoking cessation was significantly lower among participants who did not know their father’s educational level than among those who knew their father’s educational level. Conversely, this probability was significantly higher among participants whose mothers had a college or higher education level and those who did not know their mother’s educational level than in those whose mothers had a high school or lower education level.

Conclusion

These findings indicated that parental education is a significant predictor of the preparation stage of smoking cessation, highlighting the importance of the family environment in facilitating smoking cessation among adolescents. Accordingly, communication and support at home could help reinforce adolescents’ determination to quit smoking and make relevant plans. Thus, smoking cessation support should stress the need to enhance communication at home.
HYPSTAR: a hyperspectral pointable system for terrestrial and aquatic radiometry
Authors: Kuusk Joel , Corizzi Alexandre , Doxaran David , Duong Kim , Flight Kenneth , Kivastik Joosep , Laizans Kaspars , Leymarie Edouard , Muru Silvar , Penkerc’h Christophe , Ruddick Kevin
Published: July 2024

Optical Earth observation satellites provide vast amounts of data on a daily basis. The top-of-atmosphere radiance measured by these satellites is usually converted to bottom-of-atmosphere radiance or reflectance which is then used for deriving numerous higher level products used for monitoring environmental conditions, climate change, stock of natural resources, etc. The increase of available remote sensing data impacts decision-making on both regional and global scales, and demands appropriate quality control and validation procedures. A HYperspectral Pointable System for Terrestrial and Aquatic Radiometry (HYPSTAR®) has been designed to provide automated, in-situ multiangular reflectance measurements of land and water targets. HYPSTAR-SR covers 380–1020 nm spectral range at 3 nm spectral resolution and is used at water sites. For land sites the HYPSTAR-XR variant is used with the spectral range extended to 1680 nm at 10 nm spectral resolution. The spectroradiometer has multiplexed radiance and irradiance entrances, an internal mechanical shutter, and an integrated imaging camera for capturing snapshots of the targets. The spectroradiometer is mounted on a two-axis pointing system with 360° range of free movement in both axes. The system also incorporates a stable light emitting diode as a light source, used for monitoring the stability of the radiometric calibration during the long-term unattended field deployment. Autonomous operation is managed by a host system which handles data acquisition, storage, and transmission to a central WATERHYPERNET or LANDHYPERNET server according to a pre-programmed schedule. The system is remotely accessible over the internet for configuration changes and software updates. The HYPSTAR systems have been deployed at 10 water and 11 land sites for different periods ranging from a few days to a few years. The data are automatically processed at the central servers by the HYPERNETS processor and the derived radiance, irradiance, and reflectance products with associated measurement uncertainties are distributed at the WATERHYPERNET and LANDHYPERNET data portals.
What factors explain extreme sport participation? A systematic review
Authors: Hornby Odette , Roderique-Davies Gareth , Heirene Robert , Thorkildsen Elin , Bradbury Sophie , Rowlands Iwan , Goodison Egan , Gill Jodie , Shearer David
Published: July 2024

Objective

Extreme sport participation is growing, yet it is still not clear exactly what motivates individuals to participate in sports where accidents can lead to serious injury or death. The purpose of this systematic review was to review and assess current research and identify the factors that explain engagement in extreme sport participation.

Methods

A systematic review of PsycInfo, ProQuest, PsychArticles, SportDiscus and Google Scholar was performed according to PRISMA guidelines. Eligibility criteria were defined to identify studies exploring the factors that explain or are associated with taking part in extreme sports. Articles published in English in peer-reviewed journals were retrieved.

Results

A total of 35 studies met the eligibility criteria. The sample comprised 17 qualitative studies, 12 quantitative studies, 5 case studies and 1 mixed method study. Findings were categorised into five key themes; “existential and external” (external reasons for participation, e.g., being in nature), “personality” (i.e., stable traits that predicted participation e.g., sensation seeking), “motivation characteristics” (i.e., one's capability and confidence whilst participating, e.g., self-determination theory), “managing risk” (i.e., explanation centred around the desire to take risks e.g., experiential vs. analytical) and “analogies with addiction and withdrawal” (i.e., the behavioural response experienced whilst abstaining from/unable to take part in the sport e.g., craving).

Conclusion

There are multiple reasons why individuals participate in extreme sports despite their inherent danger. This review highlights how individuals differing perceptions of risk can impact motivations and therefore the complexity in this area. Potential links between themes and suggestions for future research are also discussed.

Systematic Review Registration

https://osf.io/mvk2j.
Research on the Impact of Digital Green Finance on Agricultural Green Total Factor Productivity: Evidence from China
Authors: Qin Lingui , Zhang Yan , Wang Yige , Pan Xinning , Xu Zhe
Published: July 2024

Green development has become one of the important concepts leading China’s economic developments, and it is extremely meaningful to boost the continuous growth of agricultural green total factor productivity (AGTFP) to achieve the construction of a powerful agricultural country. Using China’s provincial data from 2011 to 2020, this manuscript calculates AGTFP through the SBM–GML model, and the digital green finance (DGF) through a comprehensive indicator system. The double fixed-effect model, quantile model and spatial Durbin model are used for in-depth study of the benchmark influence, the nonlinear effect and spatial spillover effect of DGF on AGTFP. The main research conclusions of the article are as follows: (1) DGF is significantly conducive to the improvement of AGTFP. Along with the continuous growth of AGTFP, the promoting effect of DGF has gradually increased. (2) In terms of impact path, green finance can properly promote the growth of AGTFP, while the role of the degree of digitization is not very significant. Meanwhile, the main channel for DGF to promote AGTFP is through green technology efficiency. (3) The impact of DGF on AGTFP varies spatially, while the role is more effective in regions with a higher degree of economic development and well-developed modernization. (4) There is a spatial spillover effect of DGF’s impact on AGTFP, which means that DGF can simultaneously promote the growth of AGTFP in local regions and neighboring regions.
Evolutionary Trends and Hotspot Analysis of Livelihood Strategy for Agricultural Residents Based on Bibliometrics
Authors: Zhai Jiancheng , Sun Xiao , Hu Xueqin , Tian Jun , Huang Zhiqiang
Published: July 2024

Livelihood strategies are an effective response to survival risks and stress shocks. Agricultural residents engaged in agriculture, forestry, animal husbandry, and fishery, who are extremely dependent on natural resources, are vulnerable to various livelihood risks. Therefore, the livelihood strategies of agricultural residents are increasingly receiving attention from researchers around the world. However, research on the livelihood strategies of agricultural residents has not yet been systematically analyzed through bibliometrics. Our study was based on 1424 publications in the Web of Science Core Collection database (WoSCC) from 2014 to 2023 to analyze the development history, research hotspots, and trends in the field. Bibliometric analysis was conducted on publications, countries, institutions, authors, journals, and keywords, as well as cited journals and cited references using Excel and CiteSpace software. The number of publications has steadily increased and showed an upward trend. The United States and China were the countries with the most contributions, and Chinese institutions were more active. Cooperation between authors was relatively weak. Sustainability was one of the most productive and highly cited journals. The research hotspots mainly included the relationship between climate change and the livelihood strategies of agricultural residents, the relationship between the land and the livelihood strategies of agricultural residents, the sustainable development of livelihood strategies of agricultural residents, and the characteristics of livelihood strategies of agricultural residents. This is the first time that bibliometric and visual analyses have been conducted on the livelihood strategies of agricultural residents, which may further promote development of the field and lay a foundation for future research.
Tracking Free-Ranging Pantaneiro Sheep during Extreme Drought in the Pantanal through Precision Technologies
Authors: da Silva Gianni Aguiar , Santos Sandra Aparecida , Meirelles Paulo Roberto de Lima , Pinheiro Rafael Silvio Bonilha , Gôlo Marcos Paulo Silva , Franco Jorge Luiz , Péres Igor Alexandre Hany Fuzeta Schabib , Moura Laysa Fontes , Costa Ciniro
Published: July 2024

The Pantanal has been facing consecutive years of extreme drought, with an impact on the quantity and quality of available pasture. However, little is known about how locally adapted breeds respond to the distribution of forage resources in this extreme drought scenario. This study aimed to evaluate the movement of free-grazing Pantaneiro sheep using a low-cost GPS to assess the main grazing sites, measure the daily distance traveled, and determine the energy requirements for walking with body weight monitoring. In a herd of 100 animals, 31 were selected for weighing, and six ewes were outfitted with GPS collars. GPS data collected on these animals every 10 m from August 2020 to May 2021 was analyzed using the Python programming language. The traveled distance and activity energy requirements (ACT) for horizontal walking (Mcal/d of NEm) were determined. The 31 ewes were weighed at the beginning and end of each season. The available dry matter (DM) and floristic composition of the grazing sites were estimated at the peak of the drought. DM was predicted using power regression with NDVI (normalized difference vegetation index) (R2 = 0.94). DM estimates averaged 450 kg/ha, ranging from traces to 3830 kg/ha, indicating overall very low values. Individual variation in the frequency of use of grazing sites was observed (p < 0.05), reflecting the distances traveled and the energetic cost of the activity. The range of distances traveled by the animals varied from 3.3 to 17.7 km/d, with an average of 5.9 km/d, indicating low energy for walking. However, the traveled distance and ACT remained consistent over time; there were no significant differences observed between seasons (p > 0.05). On average, the ewes’ initial weight did not differ from the weight at the drought peak (p > 0.05), indicating that they maintained their initial weight, which is important for locally adapted breeds as it confers robustness and resilience. This study also highlighted the importance of the breed’s biodiverse diet during extreme drought, which enabled the selection of forage for energy and nutrient supplementation. The results demonstrated that precision tools such as GPS and satellite imagery enabled the study of animals in extensive systems, thereby contributing to decision-making within the production system.
RpTrack: Robust Pig Tracking with Irregular Movement Processing and Behavioral Statistics
Authors: Tu Shuqin , Lei Hua , Liang Yun , Lyu Enli , Liu Hongxing
Published: July 2024

Pig behavioral analysis based on multi-object tracking (MOT) technology of surveillance videos is vital for precision livestock farming. To address the challenges posed by uneven lighting scenes and irregular pig movements in the MOT task, we proposed a pig MOT method named RpTrack. Firstly, RpTrack addresses the issue of lost tracking caused by irregular pig movements by using an appropriate Kalman Filter and improved trajectory management. Then, RpTrack utilizes BIoU for the second matching strategy to alleviate the influence of missed detections on the tracking performance. Finally, the method utilizes post-processing on the tracking results to generate behavioral statistics and activity trajectories for each pig. The experimental results under conditions of uneven lighting and irregular pig movements show that RpTrack significantly outperforms four other state-of-the-art MOT methods, including SORT, OC-SORT, ByteTrack, and Bot-SORT, on both public and private datasets. The experimental results demonstrate that RpTrack not only has the best tracking performance but also has high-speed processing capabilities. In conclusion, RpTrack effectively addresses the challenges of uneven scene lighting and irregular pig movements, enabling accurate pig tracking and monitoring of different behaviors, such as eating, standing, and lying. This research supports the advancement and application of intelligent pig farming.
Applying Spectroscopies, Imaging Analyses, and Other Non-Destructive Techniques to Olives and Extra Virgin Olive Oil: A Systematic Review of Current Knowledge and Future Applications
Authors: Cappelli Alessio , Cividino Sirio , Redaelli Veronica , Tripodi Gianluca , Aiello Gilda , Velotto Salvatore , Zaninelli Mauro
Published: July 2024

Given its huge economic, nutritional, and social value, extra virgin olive oil (EVOO) is an essential food. This flagship product of the countries bordering the Mediterranean basin is one of the most frauded products worldwide. Although traditional chemical analyses have demonstrated to be reliable tools for olive drupes and EVOO quality assessment, they present several drawbacks; the urgent need for fast and non-destructive techniques thus motivated this review. Given the lack of comprehensive reviews in the literature, our first aim was to summarize the current knowledge regarding applying spectroscopies, imaging analyses, and other non-destructive techniques to olives and EVOO. The second aim was to highlight the most innovative and futuristic applications and outline the future research prospects within this strategic production chain. With respect to olive drupes, the most interesting results were obtained using RGB imaging and NIR spectroscopy, particularly using portable NIR devices and specific digital cameras for in-field or in-mill monitoring. Nevertheless, it is important to highlight that RGB imaging and NIR spectroscopy need to be integrated with flesh hardness measurements, given the higher reliability of this parameter compared to olive skin color. Finally, with respect to EVOO, although several useful applications of visible imagining, UV–Visible, NIR, and Mid-Infrared spectroscopies have been found, the online monitoring of EVOO quality using NIR spectroscopy strikes us as being the most interesting technique for improving the EVOO production chain in the near future.
Design and Experimental Study of Banana Bunch Transportation Device with Lifting Mechanism and Automatic Bottom-Fixing Fruit Shaft
Authors: Li Weiqin , Yang Zhou , Xu Xing , Li Weixi , Mo Xingkang , Yu Jiaxiang , Duan Jieli
Published: July 2024

In addressing the challenges of high labor intensity, cost, and potential mechanical damage to banana fruit in orchards, this study presents the design of a banana bunch transport device featuring a lifting mechanism and an automatic fruit shaft bottom-fixing system. The device is tailored to the planting and morphological characteristics of banana bunches, aiming for efficient, low-loss, and labor-saving mechanized transport. Key design considerations included the anti-overturning mechanism and the lifting system based on transportation conditions and the physical dimensions of banana bunches. A dynamic simulation was conducted to analyze the angular velocity and acceleration during the initial conveying stages, forming the basis for the fruit shaft bottom-fixation mechanism. A novel horizontal multi-point scanning method was developed to accurately identify and secure the fruit shaft bottom, complemented by an automated control system. Experimental results showed a 95.83% success rate in identification and fixation, validated by field trials that confirmed the necessity and stability of the fixation mechanism. To enhance the durability of the fruit shaft bottom-fixation mechanism, a multi-factor test was conducted, optimizing the device’s maximum travel speed and minimizing the banana bunch’s oscillation angle. Field tests showed an oscillation angle of 8.961°, closely matching the simulated result of 9.526°, demonstrating the reliability of the response surface analysis model. This study offers a practical and efficient solution for banana bunch transport in orchards, showcasing significant practical value and potential for wider adoption.
Multi-Omics Analysis Reveals the Transcriptional Regulatory Network of Maize Roots in Response to Nitrogen Availability
Authors: Fang Shuai , Ji Minggang , Zhu Tianze , Wang Yunyun , Tang Xiao , Zhu Xinjie , Yang Zefeng , Xu Chenwu , Wang Houmiao , Li Pengcheng
Published: July 2024

Nitrogen (N) availability determines higher plant productivity and yield. However, the molecular mechanisms governing N acquisition and utilization remain largely unknown in maize. In this study, ATAC-seq, RNA-seq, and Ribo-seq analyses were conducted in maize roots under different N supply conditions. A set of differentially expressed genes enriched in N and phenylpropanoid metabolisms at both the transcription and translation levels were highlighted. Interestingly, less than half of low-N responsive genes were shared between transcription and translation. The alteration of translational efficiency (TE) is also an important mechanism by which maize responds to LN. In addition, we identified low-N-induced open chromatin regions (OCRs) and observed an enrichment of transcription factor (TF) binding motifs. Furthermore, we constructed a transcriptional regulatory network for maize roots subjected to low-N. These findings extend our understanding of N availability response and provide new insights for improving N use efficiency (NUE).
Assessing the Knowledge of Anaphylaxis Management and Adrenaline Auto-Injector Administration among Parents of Children with Food Allergies: A Cross-Sectional Study
Authors: Cronin Caoimhe , Keohane Hannah , O’Rourke Eimear , O’Kelly Ciobha , Ramesh Yukta , Flores Laura , Gallagher Aoife , Dumitrescu Anda , Velasco Roberto , Trujillo Juan
Published: July 2024

Background: Despite the importance of caregivers being trained in anaphylaxis management and the use of adrenaline auto-injectors (AAIs), studies have revealed inadequate caregiver knowledge. The caregiver anaphylaxis knowledge in an Irish population has not been previously assessed. This study aims to evaluate the anaphylaxis management knowledge and AAI administration proficiency among parents of children with food allergies. Methods: The parents of children with food allergies who were prescribed an AAI were invited to take part in a study involving online education. The participants completed an online questionnaire assessing anaphylaxis knowledge. They then took part in an online educational intervention where their AAI administration ability was assessed. Results: Out of a total score of 12, the mean anaphylaxis knowledge score was 9.76/12, SD 1.577, or 81.33%. Of the 152 participants, 26.7% (n = 40) performed all three critical AAI administration steps correctly. A household income under EUR 40,000 per annum reduced the likelihood of successful AAI administration (OR 0.33 95% CI 0.125–0.87, p = 0.025). Regarding the AAI devices, 46.4% claimed to have switched between devices at least once before. Conclusions: The parents demonstrated good knowledge of anaphylaxis management, but the prevalence of device switching underscores the importance of comprehensive AAI training. Future assessments should include evaluations of enhancements in knowledge, anxiety levels, and overall quality of life.
Soybean Oil, Linoleic Acid Source, in Lamb Diets: Intake, Digestibility, Performance, Ingestive Behaviour, and Blood Metabolites
Authors: Lima Victor G. O. , da Silva Liliane O. , de Freitas Júnior José E. , Alba Henry D. R. , Silva Willian P. , Pina Douglas dos S. , Leite Laudí C. , Rodrigues Carlindo S. , Santos Stefanie A. , Becker Carly A. , de Carvalho Gleidson G. P.
Published: July 2024

The objective of the current study was to evaluate the effects of soybean oil inclusion in diets on feeding behaviour, digestibility, performance, and blood metabolites of feedlot lambs. Forty non-castrated Santa Inês lambs with a mean age of 5 months and initial body weight of 34.88 ± 3.19 kg were used in a 40-day feeding trial. The lambs were distributed in five experimental diets with the inclusion of increasing soybean oil (SO) levels: 0, 30, 60, 90, and 120 g/kg DM. The SO inclusion promoted a linear reduction in DM intake (p < 0.001), crude protein (CP, p < 0.001), non-fibrous carbohydrates (NFC, p < 0.001), and total digestible nutrients (TDN, p = 0.004). There was an increasing quadratic effect on the intake of ether extract (EE; p = 0.002) and decreasing for neutral detergent fiber (p = 0.005). The soybean oil inclusion promoted the greater apparent digestibility of CP (p = 0.016), EE (p = 0.005), NDFom (p < 0.001), and TDN (p < 0.001); on the other hand, the apparent digestibility of NFC (p = 0.005) was decreased. The average daily gain decreased (p < 0.001) with SO inclusion. The SO inclusion increased feeding time (p = 0.004), reduced the efficiency of DM rumination (p = 0.001), and reduced the concentration of blood N-ureic (p < 0.001). Considering the productive parameters, SO can be included in diets and it is recommended that we include SO of up to 41 g/kg DM in diets for fattening lambs as the ideal maximum level. The strategy implemented to adapt lambs to increasing levels of high-fat diet mitigated the detrimental effects of lipids on the rumen, with high-density energy intake being the constraining factor on performance.
The Adaptive Alternation of Intestinal Microbiota and Regulation of Host Genes Jointly Promote Pigs to Digest Appropriate High-Fiber Diets
Authors: Zhang Yunchao , Li Hui , Li Bengao , He Jiayi , Peng Chen , Xie Yanshe , Huang Guiqing , Zhao Pengju , Wang Zhengguang
Published: July 2024

Although studies have revealed the significant impact of dietary fiber on growth performance and nutrient digestibility, the specific characteristics of the intestinal microbiota and gene regulation in pigs capable of digesting high-fiber diets remained unclear. To investigate the traits associated with roughage tolerance in the Chinese indigenous pig breed, we conducted comparative analysis of growth performance, apparent fiber digestibility, intestinal microbiota, SCFA concentrations and intestinal transcriptome in Tunchang pigs, feeding them diets with different wheat bran levels. The results indicated that the growth performance of Tunchang pigs was not significantly impacted, and the apparent total tract digestibility of crude fiber was significantly improved with increasing dietary fiber content. High-fiber diets altered the diversity of intestinal microbiota, and increased the relative abundance of Prevotella, CF231, as well as the concentrations of isobutyrate, valerate and isovalerate. The LDA analysis identified potential microbial biomarkers that could be associated with roughage tolerance, such as Prevotella stercorea, and Eubacterium biforme. In addition, appropriate high-fiber diets containing 4.34% crude fiber upregulated the mRNA expressions of PYY, AQP8, and SLC5A8, while downregulating the mRNA expressions of CKM and CNN1.This indicated that appropriate high-fiber diets may inhibit intestine motility and increase the absorption of water and SCFAs.
MicroBERT: Distilling MoE-Based Knowledge from BERT into a Lighter Model
Authors: Zheng Dashun , Li Jiaxuan , Yang Yunchu , Wang Yapeng , Pang Patrick Cheong-Iao
Published: July 2024

Natural language-processing tasks have been improved greatly by large language models (LLMs). However, numerous parameters make their execution computationally expensive and difficult on resource-constrained devices. For this problem, as well as maintaining accuracy, some techniques such as distillation and quantization have been proposed. Unfortunately, current methods fail to integrate model pruning with downstream tasks and overlook sentence-level semantic modeling, resulting in reduced efficiency of distillation. To alleviate these limitations, we propose a novel distilled lightweight model for BERT named MicroBERT. This method can transfer the knowledge contained in the “teacher” BERT model to a “student” BERT model. The sentence-level feature alignment loss (FAL) distillation mechanism, guided by Mixture-of-Experts (MoE), captures comprehensive contextual semantic knowledge from the “teacher” model to enhance the “student” model’s performance while reducing its parameters. To make the outputs of “teacher” and “student” models comparable, we introduce the idea of a generative adversarial network (GAN) to train a discriminator. Our experimental results based on four datasets show that all steps of our distillation mechanism are effective, and the MicroBERT (101.14%) model outperforms TinyBERT (99%) by 2.24% in terms of average distillation reductions in various tasks on the GLUE dataset.
Real-Time Analysis of Facial Expressions for Mood Estimation
Authors: Filippini Juan Sebastián , Varona Javier , Manresa-Yee Cristina
Published: July 2024

This paper proposes a model-based method for real-time automatic mood estimation in video sequences. The approach is customized by learning the person’s specific facial parameters, which are transformed into facial Action Units (AUs). A model mapping for mood representation is used to describe moods in terms of the PAD space: Pleasure, Arousal, and Dominance. From the intersection of these dimensions, eight octants represent fundamental mood categories. In the experimental evaluation, a stimulus video randomly selected from a set prepared to elicit different moods was played to participants, while the participant’s facial expressions were recorded. From the experiment, Dominance is the dimension least impacted by facial expression, and this dimension could be eliminated from mood categorization. Then, four categories corresponding to the quadrants of the Pleasure–Arousal (PA) plane, “Exalted”, “Calm”, “Anxious” and “Bored”, were defined, with two more categories for the “Positive” and “Negative” signs of the Pleasure (P) dimension. Results showed a 73% of coincidence in the PA categorization and a 94% in the P dimension, demonstrating that facial expressions can be used to estimate moods, within these defined categories, and provide cues for assessing users’ subjective states in real-world applications.
Evaluating the Efficacy of Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation in Symptom Relief and Cognitive Function in Obsessive–Compulsive Disorder, Substance Use Disorder, and Depression: An Insight from a Naturalistic Observational Study
Authors: Moro Andrea Stefano , Saccenti Daniele , Vergallito Alessandra , Gregori Grgič Regina , Grazioli Silvia , Pretti Novella , Crespi Sofia , Malgaroli Antonio , Scaini Simona , Ruggiero Giovanni Maria , Sassaroli Sandra , Ferro Mattia , Lamanna Jacopo
Published: July 2024

The utilization of non-invasive neurostimulation techniques, such as transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS), is increasingly prevalent in psychiatry due to their efficacy and safety. Although the precise therapeutic mechanisms remain partially unclear, repetitive TMS, particularly high-frequency stimulation, may enhance cognitive functions, contributing to therapeutic benefits. This within-subjects study examined the impact of TMS on cognitive and symptomatic outcomes in patients with obsessive–compulsive disorder (OCD), substance use disorder (SUD), and major depressive disorder (MDD). A total of 44 patients underwent cognitive tests and symptom assessments before and after an intensive four-week TMS treatment phase, followed by a four-week maintenance phase. Cognitive assessments included Raven’s matrices, verbal fluency, and digit span tests, while symptom severity was measured using the Italian version of the SCL-90-R. Decision-making performance was also evaluated by administering a delay discounting (DD) test. Principal component analysis was used to generate a dimensional characterization of subjects along cognitive and symptom-related axes before and after treatment. The results indicated that TMS significantly improved symptom scores, but no significant cognitive enhancement was observed. Statistical analysis based on linear mixed-effects models confirmed these findings, showing a significant fixed effect of TMS treatment on symptoms but not on cognitive performance. DD metrics remained unchanged. These findings suggest that while TMS effectively alleviates clinical symptoms, it does not produce consistent or appreciable enhancement of cognitive functions in these protocols. This study highlights the need for more personalized and combined therapeutic approaches to maximize the benefits of TMS, potentially incorporating cognitive enhancement strategies. Future studies will be useful to explore whether the results we obtained are valid for other pathologies, cognitive tests, and stimulation protocols.
Treatment of Orthognathic Surgical Class III Patient with Coffin–Siris Syndrome: A Case Report
Authors: Macrì Monica , Rotelli Chiara , Di Pace Claudia , Festa Mario , Galluccio Gabriella , Festa Felice
Published: July 2024

We present a case report of a 26-year-old female suffering from Coffin–Siris Syndrome, who underwent orthodontic treatment and surgery to solve her malocclusion and to improve her aesthetics and functional occlusion. Methods: The presurgical phase involved multibracket self-ligating attachments, namely a Damon prescription. The patient underwent maxillofacial surgery to correct the severe skeletal malocclusion and to relocate the bone bases to the right position. Post-surgical orthodontic treatment was performed to complete the alignment. Results: The patient’s aesthetics and functional abilities improved. Conclusions: Syndromic patients can undergo orthodontic treatment if comorbidities and collaboration allow it. The support and collaboration of families and psychotherapists must be considered, but clinical cases of syndromic patients can be faced and solved. Obviously, each syndromic patient is considered unique, and the risk–benefit ratio must be correctly assessed for each one.
Tilt-X: Development of a Pitch-Axis Tiltrotor Quadcopter for Maximizing Horizontal Pulling Force and Yaw Moment
Authors: Tao Xiaodi , Ko Seong Young
Published: July 2024

In recent years, there has been a significant amount of research on tiltrotor multicopter unmanned aerial vehicles (TM-UAVs) in aerial robotics. Despite the varying frame types of TM-UAVs, they all still aim to decouple the propeller from the body, which means that the propeller’s attitude control is independent of the body’s attitude control. On the one hand, this solves the issue of multicopter unmanned aerial vehicles (M-UAVs) being limited by small roll and pitch angles, thereby improving flight performance. On the other hand, it addresses the drawbacks of M-UAVs as typical underactuated systems. However, the fact still remains that it cannot significantly change thrust direction, thus providing the necessary wrench direction for aerial manipulation. This paper presents a pitch-axis tiltrotor quadcopter unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) design named Tilt-X, which can maximize horizontal pulling force and yaw moment when used as an aerial manipulator. This design contributes to tasks such as pushing, pulling, and twisting. The reliability of the design has been demonstrated through dynamic modeling and experimental validation.
A Novel Computational Paradigm for Reconstructing Solid CAD Features from a Segmented Manifold Triangular Mesh
Authors: Zhao Feiyu
Published: July 2024

We introduce a novel computational paradigm for reconstructing solid computer-aided design (CAD) features from the surface of a segmented manifold triangular mesh. This paradigm addresses the challenge of capturing high-level design semantics for manifold triangular meshes and facilitates parametric and variational design capabilities. We categorize four prevalent features, namely extrusion, rotation, sweep, and loft, as generalized swept bodies driven by cross-sectional sketches and feature paths, providing a unified mathematical representation for various feature types. The numerical optimization-based approach conducts geometric processing on the segmented manifold triangular mesh patch, extracting cross-sectional sketch curves and feature paths from its surface, and then reconstructing appropriate features using the Open CASCADE kernel. We employ the personalized three-dimensional (3D) printed model as a case study. Parametric and variant designs of the 3D-printed models are achieved through feature reconstruction of the manifold triangular mesh obtained via 3D scanning.
Acarological Risk of Infection with Borrelia burgdorferi, the Lyme Disease Agent, in Staten Island, New York City
Authors: Zhou Liyang , Tsynman Leonid , Kanapathipillai Kamesan , Shah Zahir , Bajwa Waheed
Published: July 2024

Lyme disease, the leading vector-borne ailment in the U.S., annually affects an estimated 476,000 individuals, predominantly in the Northeast and Upper Midwest. Despite its increasing incidence, the evaluation of risk within U.S. cities, including natural public lands, remains inadequate. This study focuses on blacklegged tick occurrences and Borrelia burgdorferi infection prevalence in 24 Staten Island parks, aiming to assess Lyme disease exposure risk. Monthly acarological risk index (ARI) calculations from 2019 to 2022 revealed elevated values (0.16–0.53) in specific parks, notably Wolfe’s Pond Park, High Rock Park, Clay Pit Pond Park, Clove Lake Park, and Fair View Park. June (0.36) and November (0.21) consistently exhibited heightened ARIs, aligning with peak tick collection months. Despite stable yearly infection rates at 28.97%, tick densities varied significantly between parks and years. Identifying a high transmission risk in specific parks in Staten Island, a highly urbanized part of New York City, emphasizes the continuous necessity for Lyme disease risk management, even within the greenspaces of large cities.
Exploring the Origin of the Two-Week Predictability Limit: A Revisit of Lorenz’s Predictability Studies in the 1960s
Authors: Shen Bo-Wen , Pielke Roger A. , Zeng Xubin , Zeng Xiping
Published: July 2024

The 1960s was an exciting era for atmospheric predictability research: a finite predictability of the atmosphere was uncovered using Lorenz’s models and the well-acknowledged predictability limit of two weeks was estimated using a general circulation model (GCM). Here, we delve into details regarding how a correlation between the two-week predictability limit and a doubling time of five days was established, recognize Lorenz’s pioneering work, and suggest non-impossibility for predictability beyond two weeks. We reevaluate the outcomes of three different approaches—dynamical, empirical, and dynamical-empirical—presented in Lorenz’s and Charney et al.’s papers from the 1960s. Using the intrinsic characteristics of the irregular solutions found in Lorenz’s studies and the dynamical approach, a doubling time of five days was estimated using the Mintz–Arakawa model and extrapolated to propose a predictability limit of approximately two weeks. This limit is now termed “Predictability Limit Hypothesis”, drawing a parallel to Moore’s Law, to recognize the combined direct and indirect influences of Lorenz, Mintz, and Arakawa under Charney’s leadership. The concept serves as a bridge between the hypothetical predictability limit and practical model capabilities, suggesting that long-range simulations are not entirely constrained by the two-week predictability hypothesis. These clarifications provide further support to the exploration of extended-range predictions using both partial differential equation (PDE)-physics-based and Artificial Intelligence (AI)—powered approaches.
The Impact of Serums Calcium 25-Hydroxy Vitamin D, Ferritin, Uric Acid, and Sleeping Disorders on Benign Paroxysmal Positional Vertigo Patients
Authors: Bener Abdulbari , Erdoğan Ahmet , Üstündağ Ünsal Veli
Published: July 2024

Objective: This study’s objective was to identify the factors and impact of serums calcium 25-Hydroxy vitamin D, ferritin, uric acid, and sleeping disorders on benign paroxysmal positional vertigo (BPPV) patients. Methods: This is a case and control design study. The consecutive patients’ visits (age, older than 25 years) with idiopathic BPPV were recruited in the present study. For each patient, 3:1 sex and age-matched healthy people were assigned as the control. The study comprised 177 patients with BPPV and 656 controls. The study included biochemical, clinical, physical examinations, PSQI sleep quality, supine roll test, and Dix–Hallpike test for the diagnosis of all patients, and pure-tone audiometry (PTA) was used to assess hearing. Univariate and multivariate stepwise regression analyses were used for statistical analysis. Results: The study comprised 833 patients with 295 males (35.4%) and 538 females (64.6%) who were between 25 and 70 years old. Of a total of 833 participants, 177 were BPPV patients, and 656 subject were normal. The results shown that there were significant differences between the BPPV and the normal group in terms of BMI (p = 0.039), physical activity (p = 0.003), cigarette smoking (p = 0.035), nargile-waterpipe use (p < 0.001), diabetes (p < 0.001), hypertension (p < 0.001), congestive heart failure (CHF) (p < 0.001), neurology (p < 0.001), tinnitus (p < 0.001), dizziness (p < 0.001), headache (p < 0.001), vitamin D (p = 0.004), calcium (p = 0.004), magnesium (p < 0.001), potassium (p = 0.019), phosphorus (p < 0.001), haemoglobin (p < 0.001), serum glucose (p < 0.001), HbA1c (p < 0.001), triglyceride (p < 0.001), systolic BP (p = 0.004), diastolic BP (p = 0.008), and microalbuminuria (p = 0.005); ATP III metabolic syndrome (p = 0.038), IDF metabolic syndrome (p = 0.034), and poor sleep (p = 0.033). In terms of the type of BPPV, the posterior canal was the most commonly affected (n = 126, 71.2%), followed by the horizontal (n = 43, 24.3%) and anterior canal (n = 8, 4.5%). The analysis indicated that serum ferritin (p < 0.001), uric acid (p < 0.001), blood pressure (p < 0.001), dizziness (p < 0.001), cigarette–water-pipe smokers (p = 0.004), headaches/migraines (p = 0.005), calcium (p = 0.007), vitamin D deficiency (p = 0.008), sleepiness (p = 0.016), physical activity (p = 0.022), CHF (p = 0.024), and tinnitus (p = 0.025) were considered as risk predictors for BPPV. Conclusions: The results revealed that the serum levels of vitamin D, ferritin, uric acid, and calcium are low among the study population and supplementation could be considered as prevention in BPPV patients.