bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
The Moderating Effects of Personal Resources on Caregiver Burden in Carers of Alzheimer's Patients
Authors: Sołtys Anna , Bidzan Mariola , Tyburski Ernest
Published: December 2021

Caring for persons with Alzheimer's disease can be an extremely difficult experience. To date, there has been a lack of research into the role of intermediary variables in the relationship between caregiver personality and psychosocial functioning. The growing numbers of dementia patients worldwide mean that more people are involved in their care, making research into this area a pressing concern. Both a caregiver's personality and personal resources play a key role in their capacity to cope with stressful situations. In order to determine how personal resources moderate the relationship between personality and burden of care, a total of 100 caregivers of Alzheimer's patients (78 women and 22 men) were asked to complete a set of questionnaires to assess personality, personal resources (sense of coherence, generalized self-efficacy, and perceived social support), as well as their levels of stress, depression, and commitment to care. Structural equation modeling and latent growth analysis suggest that personal resources explain the mechanisms underlying burden of care and moderate its relationship with personality. Our findings indicate that personal resources are a critical predictor of burden of care. Therefore, caregivers must be provided with appropriate support, taking into account their resources and personality profiles.
Duration Mismatch Negativity Predicts Remission in First-Episode Schizophrenia Patients
Authors: Nakajima Suguru , Higuchi Yuko , Tateno Takahiro , Sasabayashi Daiki , Mizukami Yuko , Nishiyama Shimako , Takahashi Tsutomu , Suzuki Michio
Published: December 2021

Objective: Remission in schizophrenia patients is associated with neurocognitive, social, and role functioning during both the early and chronic stages of schizophrenia. It is well-established that the amplitudes of duration mismatch negativity (dMMN) and frequency MMN (fMMN) are reduced in schizophrenia patients. However, the potential link between MMN and remission has not been established. In this study, we investigated the relationship between MMNs and remission in first-episode schizophrenia (FES) and their association with neurocognitive and social functioning.

Method: dMMN and fMMN were measured in 30 patients with FES and 22 healthy controls at baseline and after a mean of 3 years. Clinical symptoms and cognitive and social functioning in the patients were assessed at the time of MMN measurements by using the Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale (PANSS), modified Global Assessment of Functioning (mGAF), Schizophrenia Cognition Rating Scale (SCoRS), and the Brief Assessment of Cognition in Schizophrenia (BACS). Remission of the patients was defined using the criteria by the Remission in Schizophrenia Working Group; of the 30 patients with FES, 14 achieved remission and 16 did not.

Results: Baseline dMMN amplitude was reduced in FES compared to healthy controls. Further, baseline dMMN in the non-remitters had decreased amplitude and prolonged latency compared to the remitters. MMN did not change during follow-up period regardless of parameters, diagnosis, or remission status. Baseline dMMN amplitude in FES was correlated with future SCoRS and PANSS total scores. Logistic regression analysis revealed that dMMN amplitude at baseline was a significant predictor of remission.

Conclusions: Our findings suggest that dMMN amplitude may be a useful biomarker for predicting symptomatic remission and improvement of cognitive and social functions in FES.
Effects of Optimism on Work Satisfaction Among Nurses: A Mediation Model Through Work-Family Conflict
Authors: Zhang Weiyu , Zheng Zhen , Pylypchuk Romana , Zhao Jinfeng , Sznajder Kristin K. , Cui Can , Yang Xiaoshi
Published: December 2021

Background: Nurses are suffering from various stressors which adversely impact their work satisfaction and mental health. Research is scarce on optimism, one of the positive psychological resource which may reduce work-family conflict and improve work satisfaction.

Objectives: This study aims to assess work satisfaction among Chinese nurses and to observe and illustrate the relationships among optimism, work-family conflict, and work satisfaction.

Methods: This study was designed as a cross-sectional study with stratified sampling. From September 2019 to December 2020, a self-administered WeChat questionnaire was collected from 768 nurses online in China to evaluate the nurses' work satisfaction, optimism, and work-family conflict. Spearman correlation and hierarchical multiple regression analysis were applied to examine associated factors of work satisfaction. A structural equation model was employed to test the mediating effect of work-family conflict in the relationship between optimism and work satisfaction.

Results: Optimism were observed to have a positive correlation with work satisfaction while the correlation between work-family conflict and work satisfaction was observed to be negative. Optimism and work-family conflict explained 4.8 and 9.2% of the incremental variances of work satisfaction, respectively. Work-family conflict served as a mediator in the relationship between optimism and work satisfaction.

Conclusions: Nurses in China experienced high levels of work satisfaction. Optimism could increase the chance of higher work satisfaction while work-family conflict increased the risk of lower work satisfaction. Psychological interventions and improvement of working conditions are essential to relieve work-family conflicts and enhance work satisfaction.
A Narrative Evaluation of a Grief Support Camp for Families Affected by a Parent's Suicide
Authors: Silvén Hagström Anneli
Published: December 2021

Background:Children of parents who suffer mental ill-health and die by suicide are vulnerable to developing psychological and social problems themselves; they also have a severely elevated risk of dying at a young age – particularly through suicide. This highlights the need to design supportive measures that can counteract such negative developments after a parent's suicide.

Aim:This narrative evaluation of a grief support camp for families affected by a parent's suicide arranged by the non-profit organization Children's Rights in Society in Sweden investigateswhetherchildren [N= 11] and parents [N= 11] perceived their participation as meaningful and, if so,in what way, and thechangesto which the program was said to have contributed.

Methods:Family members were invited to reflect on their experiences in narratively structured interviews that took place 18 months after participation. Their narrated experiences were analyzed to examine how the program was integrated into their biographies and with what significance. Narratives of change were identified in particular in order to grasp the self-perceived effects of participation.

Results:Both children and parents attributed major significance to their encounters with other suicide bereaved. This led to support exchange and normalization, which countered a perceived “suicide stigma” in everyday life. Help to narratively construct destigmatizing understandings of suicide was also said to have relieved self-blame and shame. Overall, the participants described changes in the form of a better-informed position in grief, increased manageability and enhanced family communication. The parents also reported improved ability to support their children and a more hopeful view of life ahead.

Conclusion:The evaluation showcases how this psychoeducational intervention, at a relatively low cost compared to traditional approaches, has great potential to lessen the negative effects of a suicide in the family by assisting families with psychological processing and de-stigmatization. Parental resources are also strengthened, which can serve as continuing support for the children.
Online Learning-Related Visual Function Impairment During and After the COVID-19 Pandemic
Authors: Fan Qian , Wang Hongxia , Kong Wenjun , Zhang Wei , Li Zhouyue , Wang Yan
Published: December 2021

This study aimed to review the consequences of increased online learning, which was precipitated by the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), on visual function, as well as the methods for preventing the associated visual impairment. The recent finding implies that a higher incidence of myopia may be observed during the pandemic than that before. The myopia prevalence was 59.35% in COVID-19, which was higher than that in the normal period. COVID-19-related influence of developing myopia among students should be addressed and under control. Online learning precipitated by COVID-19 is likely to increase the global burden of visual function impairment. This review highlighted useful measures to prevent online learning-related visual function impairments, including the following: (1) desktop illumination of no >300 lx, online learning time for primary, and middle-school students of no more than 20–30 min per session; (2) daily video time for preschool children not exceeding 1 h, and for school-age children and adolescents not exceeding 2 h; (3) after every 30–40 min of online learning, moving eyes away from the screen or closed for 10 min; (4) engaging in outdoor activities for ≥ 2 h a day; (5) suitable screen and learning environment settings and correct postures for reading and writing; (6) sufficient sleep and proper nutrition. Preventing online learning-related visual impairment during and after this unprecedented pandemic will facilitate future ophthalmic practice.
Trust in Science, Perceived Media Exaggeration About COVID-19, and Social Distancing Behavior
Authors: Neureiter Ariadne , Stubenvoll Marlis , Kaskeleviciute Ruta , Matthes Jörg
Published: December 2021

For many individuals, the media function as a primary source of information about preventative measures to combat COVID-19. However, a considerable number of citizens believe that the media coverage about pandemics is exaggerated. Although the perception of media exaggeration may be highly consequential for individual health behaviors, we lack research on the drivers and consequences of this perception. In a two-wave panel study, we examined associations between trust in science, perceptions of media exaggeration about COVID-19, and social distancing behavior during the lockdown in Austria (NT2 = 416). Results showed that trust in science at T1 led to less perceptions of media exaggeration about COVID-19 at T2. Furthermore, consistent with the theory of psychological reactance, perceptions of media exaggeration about COVID-19 at T1 caused less social distancing behavior at T2. Thus, findings suggest that trust in science may positively affect individuals' social distancing behavior by decreasing perceived media exaggeration about COVID-19 over time. Implications for research on media effects in times of COVID-19 and conclusions for journalists are discussed.
A Multidisciplinary, Family-Oriented Approach to Caring for Parents After Miscarriage: The Integrated Behavioral Health Model of Care
Authors: Hiefner Angela R. , Villareal Astrud
Published: December 2021

Miscarriage is increasingly gaining recognition, both in scientific literature and media outlets, as a loss that has significant and lasting effects on parents, though often disenfranchised and overlooked by both personal support networks and healthcare providers. For both men and women, miscarriage can usher in intense grief, despair, and difficulty coping, and for women in particular, there is evidence of increased prevalence of depression, anxiety, and post-traumatic stress. Additionally, miscarriage can contribute to decreased relationship satisfaction and increased risk of separation, all while stigma and disenfranchisement create a sense of isolation. Despite this increased need for support, research indicates that many parents experience their healthcare providers as dismissive of the significance of the loss and as primarily focusing only on the physical elements of care. Research exploring the barriers to providers engaging in more biopsychosocial-oriented care has identified time constraints, lack of resources, lack of training in addressing loss, and compassion fatigue as key areas for intervention. This paper will review the biopsychosocial elements of miscarriage and discuss a multidisciplinary, family-oriented approach that can be implemented in healthcare settings to ensure a high quality and holistic level of care for individuals, couples, and families experiencing pregnancy loss.
Public and Commercial Medical Insurance Enrollment Rates of Rural-to-Urban Migrants in China
Authors: Wang Senhu , Liu Anran , Guo Wei
Published: December 2021

Objectives: Large-scale rural-to-urban migration of China has provoked heated discussion about the health of migrants and whether they have equal access to the health resources. This article aimed to compare the public and commercial medical insurance enrollment rates between temporary, permanent migrants and urban natives.

Methods: Average marginal effects (AME) of the weighted logistic regression models using 2017 China General Social Survey from 2,068 urban natives, 1,285 temporary migrants, and 1,295 permanent migrants.

Results: After controlling for the demographic and socio-economic characteristics, our results show that while the temporary and permanent migrants have a similar public insurance enrollment rate compared with the urban natives, both temporary and permanent migrants have significantly lower commercial insurance enrollment rates (7.5 and 5.3%, respectively) compared with the urban natives.

Conclusions: The results highlight significant institutional barriers preventing the temporary migrants from gaining access to public medical insurance and the adverse impact of disadvantaged socio-economic backgrounds on the access of temporary migrants to both public and commercial insurance.
Impact of Exposure to Natural and Built Environments on Positive and Negative Affect: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis
Authors: Yao Wenfei , Chen Fei , Wang San , Zhang Xiaofeng
Published: December 2021

There is increasing evidence that the natural environment provides substantial benefits to human emotional well-being. The current study synthesized this body of research using the meta-analysis and assessed the positive and negative effects of exposure to both the natural and built environments. We searched four databases and 20 studies were included in the review. The meta-analysis results showed the most convincing evidence that exposure to the natural environment could increase positive affect (standardized mean difference, SMD = 0.61, 95% CI 0.41, 0.81) and decreased negative affect (SMD = −0.47, 95% CI −0.71, −0.24). However, there was extreme heterogeneity between the studies, and the risk of bias was high. According to the subgroup analysis, study region, study design, mean age of the sample, sample size, and type of natural and built environment were found to be important factors during exposure to the natural environment. The implications of these findings for the existing theory and research are discussed. These findings will help convince the health professionals and policymakers to encourage the residents to increase their time spent in the natural environment. These findings of this systematic review also suggested that the creation, maintenance, and enhancement of accessible greenspaces or existing natural environments may form part of a multidimensional approach to increasing emotional well-being of the local populations.
Caregiver Engagement in Stroke Care: Opportunities and Challenges in Australia and Denmark
Authors: Lobo Elton H. , Abdelrazek Mohamed , Grundy John , Kensing Finn , Livingston Patricia M. , Rasmussen Lene J. , Islam Sheikh Mohammed Shariful , Frølich Anne
Published: December 2021

Globally, there is a rise in incident cases of stroke, particularly in low- and middle-income countries, due to obesity-related and lifestyle risk factors, including health issues such as high cholesterol, diabetes and hypertension. Since the early 20th century, stroke mortality has declined due to proper management of the risk factors and improved treatment practices. However, despite the decline in mortality, there is an increase in the levels of disability that requires long-term support. In countries such as Australia and Denmark, where most care is provided within the community; family members, generally spouses, assume the role of caregiver, with little to no preparation that affects the quality of care provided to the person living with stroke. While past research has highlighted aspects to improve caregiver preparedness of stroke and its impact on care; health planning, recovery, and public health policies rarely consider these factors, reducing engagement and increasing uncertainty. Hence, there is a need to focus on improving strategies during recovery to promote caregiver engagement. In this study, we, therefore, try to understand the needs of the caregiver in stroke that limit engagement, and processes employed in countries such as Australia and Denmark to provide care for the person with stroke. Based on our understanding of these factors, we highlight the potential opportunities and challenges to promote caregiving engagement in these countries.
Integration Is Correlated With Mental Health Help-Seeking From the General Practitioner: Syrian Refugees' Preferences and Perceived Barriers
Authors: Harris Samantha Marie , Sandal Gro M. , Bye Hege H. , Palinkas Lawrence A. , Binder Per-Einar
Published: December 2021

Despite a seemingly higher need, refugees in Europe tend to underuse mental health (MH) services. To better understand this underuse, it is important to understand refugees' willingness and ability to seek help from their general practitioner (GP) when experiencing MH problems. We employed a combined vignette and survey design to explore how the GP fits into the larger context of help-seeking preferences among a sample of Syrian refugees in Norway (n= 92), and what barriers they perceive in accessing help from the GP. We also examined how indicators of integration relate to seeking help from the GP. We take an exploratory approach. Participants were presented a vignette of an individual with symptoms in line with ICD-10 and DSM-5 criteria for depression. Participants were somewhat likely to seek help from the GP; however, seeking help from one's relationship with Allah/God and one's partner was preferred. Furthermore, while the GP was rated a somewhat likely help-seeking source, most participants indicated an average of two barriers to seeking help from the GP. Finally, social ties to the majority population in the form of social integration and feelings of connectedness with the host country (psychological integration) were positively correlated with likelihood of seeking help from the GP. Taken together, these findings suggest that the GP is considered a viable source of help among Syrians with a refugee background in the current sample, but that this may be influenced by perceived barriers and social as well as psychological integration. Addressing these barriers and promoting psychosocial integration with the host country are key to facilitating access and usage amongst refugees in need of MH services.
Artificial Neural Network-Based Uplink Power Prediction From Multi-Floor Indoor Measurement Campaigns in 4G Networks
Authors: Mazloum Taghrid , Wang Shanshan , Hamdi Maryem , Ashenafi Mulugeta Biruk , Wiart Joe
Published: December 2021

Paving the path toward the fifth generation (5G) of wireless networks with a huge increase in the number of user equipment has strengthened public concerns on human exposure to radio-frequency electromagnetic fields (RF EMFs). This requires an assessment and monitoring of RF EMF exposure, in an almost continuous way. Particular interest goes to the uplink (UL) exposure, assessed through the transmission power of the mobile phone, due to its close proximity to the human body. However, the UL transmit (TX) power is not provided by the off-the-shelf modem and RF devices. In this context, we first conduct measurement campaigns in a multi-floor indoor environment using a drive test solution to record both downlink (DL) and UL connection parameters for Long Term Evolution (LTE) networks. Several usage services (including WhatsApp voice calls, WhatsApp video calls, and file uploading) are investigated in the measurement campaigns. Then, we propose an artificial neural network (ANN) model to estimate the UL TX power, by exploiting easily available parameters such as the DL connection indicators and the information related to an indoor environment. With those easy-accessed input features, the proposed ANN model is able to obtain an accurate estimation of UL TX power with a mean absolute error (MAE) of 1.487 dB.
COVID-19 Contact Tracing Outcomes in Washington State, August and October 2020
Authors: Bonacci Robert A. , Manahan Lillian M. , Miller James S. , Moonan Patrick K. , Lipparelli Missy B. , DiFedele Lisa M. , Davis Lora B. , Lash R. Ryan , Oeltmann John E.
Published: December 2021

Introduction: Case investigation and contact tracing are important tools to limit the spread of SARS-CoV-2, particularly when implemented efficiently. Our objective was to evaluate participation in and timeliness of COVID-19 contact tracing and whether these measures changed over time.

Methods: We retrospectively assessed COVID-19 case investigation and contact tracing surveillance data from the Washington State centralized program for August 1–31, 2020 and October 1–31, 2020. We combined SARS-CoV-2 testing reports with contact tracing data to compare completeness, reporting of contacts, and program timeliness.

Results: For August and October respectively, 4,600 (of 12,521) and 2,166 (of 16,269) individuals with COVID-19 were referred to the state program for case investigation. Investigators called 100% of referred individuals; 65% (August) and 76% (October) were interviewed. Of individuals interviewed, 33% reported contacts in August and 45% in October, with only mild variation by age, sex, race/ethnicity, and urbanicity. In August, 992 individuals with COVID-19 reported a total of 2,584 contacts (mean, 2.6), and in October, 739 individuals reported 2,218 contacts (mean, 3.0). Among contacts, 86% and 78% participated in interviews for August and October. The median time elapsed from specimen collection to contact interview was 4 days in August and 3 days in October, and from symptom onset to contact interview was 7 days in August and 6 days in October.

Conclusions: While contact tracing improved with time, the proportion of individuals disclosing contacts remained below 50% and differed minimally by demographic characteristics. The longest time interval occurred between symptom onset and test result notification. Improving elicitation of contacts and timeliness of contact tracing may further decrease SARS-CoV-2 transmission.
A Pragmatic Theory of Occupants' Indoor-Environmental Control Behaviour
Authors: Mahdavi Ardeshir , Bochukova Veselina , Berger Christiane
Published: December 2021

Computational tools for building design and operation support entail fairly detailed representations of buildings' geometry, construction, and systems. Recent efforts aim at enhancing, in these tools, the relatively less developed models of building users. Thereby, one of the key challenges concerns the fit between the nature and level of needed support (e.g., performance queries) on the one hand and the required or appropriate resolution of the applied occupant model on the other hand. Some queries involving aggregate performance indicator may be sufficiently served by simple models of occupants' presence and actions in buildings. Detailed queries, however, may necessitate the implementation of high-resolution dynamic occupant representations. Methods to generate an occupant model may be fully data-driven, or they may be based on explicitly stated causal theories of human behaviour. However, there is not necessarily a sharp boundary between these approaches: Regularities harnessed by data-driven methods often reveal an implicit theoretical feature, as they are key to mapping processes from independent variables (model input) to dependent variables (manifest behaviour). Causal methods, on the other hand, need data to both develop and calibrate occupant methods. In this context, the present paper introduces the outline and main elements of a pragmatic theory of control-oriented human behaviour in buildings. The theory is suggested to inform the efforts towards construction of occupant models in computational applications related to building design, operation, and evaluation. Specifically, it can systematically guide the formulation of occupant-related ontologies and their instantiation in computational applications.
Marketing Up the Wrong Tree? Organisational Perspectives on Attracting and/or Retaining Older Adults in Sport
Authors: Jenkin Claire , van Uffelen Jannique G. Z. , O'Sullivan Grant , Harvey Jack , Eime Rochelle M. , Westerbeek Hans
Published: December 2021

Community sport is seen as a suitable setting for physical activity for different population groups. Older adults (aged 50+ years) are a rapidly growing population group. Physical activity is critical for healthy ageing, however sport participation rates for older adults are very low. The aim of this study was to investigate how sporting organisations perceive sport for older adults. This cross-sectional study surveyed 171 representatives from Australian National and State Sporting Organisations. Descriptive statistics were used to summarise the results and the three sporting organisation categories' (high, medium, and low participation) responses were compared using non-parametric statistics. Contextualised in the perspective of organisational change, a framework for marketing to the ageing consumer was used to interpret the results. Older adults are not a high priority group for most sporting organisations, however the benefits of engaging older adults were recognised, particularly in context of increasing participation numbers. A lack of age-appropriate programmes was perceived to be a major barrier of engaging older adults. This lack of programmes stems from older adults being deemed as a less attractive segment than other age groups for sporting organisations. Modifications that sports felt they could make to attract and/or retain older adults included specific marketing and age appropriate opportunities. There was widespread consensus across sporting organisations, suggesting that perceptions of older adult sport participation were comparable across the sector, such as increasing participation numbers and engaging their older fan base. In the context of attracting, and retaining, older adults in sport clubs, it was concluded that most sporting organisations are not (yet) ready to build “age friendly” sporting environments. There is very limited literature on the organisational perspective of older adults and sport, meaning this study is unique in the field. Although sport policy encourages organisations to grow their participation, most organisations do not actively and strategically engage older adults. This research provides an understanding of why this untapped market is not a priority target and provides comprehensive insights for policy makers to better engage with this population group.
How Cellular Agriculture Systems Can Promote Food Security
Authors: Soice Emily , Johnston Jeremiah
Published: December 2021

Cellular agriculture, the manufacturing of animal-sourced foods by cell cultures, may promote food security by providing a food source that is available, accessible, utilized, and stable. The extent to which cellular agriculture can promote food security, however, will depend in part on the supply system by which it produces food. Many cellular agriculture companies appear poised to follow a centralized supply system, in which production is concentrated within a small number of large plants and products are distributed over a wide area. This model benefits from economies of scale, but has several weaknesses to food security. By being built of a handful of plants with products distributed by a large transportation network, the centralized model is vulnerable to closures, as became clear for animal-sourced centralized system during the COVID-19 pandemic. Cellular agriculture systems are being built now; therefore, alternative supply system models of decentralized and distributed systems should be considered as the systems of cellular agriculture production are established. This paper defines both the requirements of food security and three possible supply system models that cellular agriculture could take and evaluates each model based on the requirements of food security.
Clinical Significance of Serum Albumin/Globulin Ratio in Patients With Pyogenic Liver Abscess
Authors: Zhang Jia , Wang Tao , Fang Yi , Wang Mengzhou , Liu Wuming , Zhao Junzhou , Wang Bo , Wu Zheng , Lv Yi , Wu Rongqian
Published: December 2021

Pyogenic liver abscess (PLA) remains a significant challenge for modern clinicians. Serum albumin/globulin ratio (AGR) can reflect the progress of many diseases. However, the clinical significance of AGR in PLA has not been evaluated. The aim of this study was to explore the effect of AGR on the clinical characteristic and prognosis in PLA patients. This retrospective study included 392 PLA patients who admitted to the First Affiliated Hospital of Xi'an Jiaotong University from January, 2007 to December, 2016. The medical records on admission were collected. Compared with the healthy controls and the patients with extraperitoneal infection or non-infectious liver disease, PLA patients had lower levels of AGR. The mean level of AGR in PLA patients was 1.02 ± 0.25. There were 179 (45.4%) patients with AGR > 1.02 and 213 (54.6%) patients with AGR ≤ 1.02. The baseline data and treatment plans of PLA patients with high or low AGR were comparative. However, PLA patients with a low AGR had higher body temperature, leukocytes and neutrophils, lower hemoglobin, poorer liver and coagulation function, larger abscess diameter, higher positive rate of pus culture and proportion of Escherichia coli, and were more susceptible to multiple bacteria. Moreover, PLA patients with a low AGR had more complications, including systemic inflammatory response syndrome (SIRS), peritoneal effusion and pleural effusion. And it also needs longer time for temperature normalization and hospital stay. In conclusion, PLA patients have lower AGR and lower AGR is associated with worse clinical manifestations, more complications and poorer prognosis. Thus, monitoring of AGR is of great clinical significance for evaluating the progress of PLA patients.
Palliative Gastrectomy vs. Gastrojejunostomy for Advanced Gastric Cancer: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis
Authors: Lin Chunfang , Fan Haibo , Chen Wenjun , Cui Lingzhi
Published: December 2021

Background: Advanced gastric cancer is the fifth leading cause of cancer-related deaths. Patients with metastatic advanced gastric cancer commonly develop a gastric outlet obstruction that considerably worsens their quality of life. Surgical interventions such as gastrojejunostomy and palliative gastrectomy are commonly administered to alleviate this obstruction. However, whether one intervention is better than another at improving morbidity- and mortality-related outcomes is unclear. Thus, in this meta-analysis, we compare outcomes of palliative gastrectomy and gastrojejunostomy (overall hospital stay length, time to oral intake, survival, and complication rates) in patients with metastatic advanced gastric cancer to identify the best procedure.

Objective: To compare morbidity and mortality outcomes of palliative gastrectomy and gastrojejunostomy in patients with metastatic advanced gastric cancer.

Methods: We followed the PRISMA guidelines to systematically search Web of Science, EMBASE, CENTRAL, Scopus, and MEDLINE for relevant studies. We conducted a random-effects meta-analysis to find differential outcomes between palliative gastrectomy and gastrojejunostomy among variables such as time to oral intake, overall hospital stay length, complication rates, and survival in patients with metastatic advanced gastric cancer.

Results: From 963 studies, we found 7 eligible studies with 642 patients (70.3 ± 4.7 years) who had undergone palliative gastrectomy or gastrojejunostomy. Our meta-analysis revealed an insignificant (p > 0.05) differences in terms of overall survival duration (Hedge's g, 1.22), complication risks (odds ratio, 1.35), and time to oral intake (g, 0.62) and hospital stay length (g, 0.12) between patients undergoing gastrojejunostomy and palliative gastrectomy.

Conclusion: In this present study we observed no statistically significant differences in terms of morbidity and mortality outcomes after palliative gastrectomy and gastrojejunostomy in patients with metastatic advanced gastric cancer. Therefore, no conclusions can be drawn for the variables evaluated. This study provides a preliminary overview of the risks associated with gastrojejunostomy and palliative gastrectomy to help gastroenterologists manage patients with metastatic advanced-stage gastric cancer.
The Destruction of the Anaerobic Environment Caused by Rumen Fistula Surgery Leads to Differences in the Rumen Microbial Diversity and Function of Sheep
Authors: Cao Yurong , Zhu Baozhen , Li Fei , Zhang Duihong , Guo Tongqing , Li Fadi , Yang Guo
Published: December 2021

This experiment was to study the impact of rumen fistula surgery on the rumen microbios in sheep. Six male adult Hu sheep (48.8 ± 0.23 kg, 0.5 years) were fed at 0700 and 1,800 with ad libitum access to water. The rumen fistula was installed in the same batch from 0600 to 0900. Monitoring the dry mater intake and the output of dry mater faces 1, 2, 4, 6, 8, 10, 12, 14 days after fistulated surgery. The collection of rumen fluid was arranged at 1d during rumen surgery (DRS1), 3d after rumen surgery (ARS3), and 14d after rumen surgery (ARS14) for volatile fatty acid (VFA) and DNA extraction for sequencing and bioinformatics analysis. There was no difference in DMI, the pH apparent digestibility of dry matter, organic matter, neutral detergent fiber, acid detergent fiber both before and 14 days after surgery. Increases were observed in the acetate and total VFA at ARS3. There was no difference in digestion of dry material, organic material, neutral detergent fiber, and acid detergent fiber before and after surgery. The relative abundance of Bacteroides decreased from 61.96% at DRS1 to 28.85% at ARS3. In comparison with the DRS1 and ARS3, the relative abundance of Firmicutes in the ARS14 increased to 44.58% (P < 0.01). Proteobacteria increased from 11.33% at DRS1 to 51.66% at ARS3 and then decreased to 11.39% at ARS14. Prevotella decreased form 61.06% at DRS1 to 28.04% in the ARS3. Succinivibrio increased from 8.32% at DRS1 to 48.58% at ARS3, but decreased to 10.43% in the ARS14. Compared with DRS1 and ARS3, the ARS14 was higher in the Simpson and Shannon index. As for the BugBase function prediction, rumen fistula surgery increased the microorganism abundance of aerobic and facultative anaerobic phenotype, and anaerobic phenotype was decreased in the ARS3. There was higher microorganism abundance of aerobic phenotype in the ARS14 than before fistula installation. In conclusion, the rumen fistula surgery destroys the anaerobic environment of rumen, leading to differences in rumen microbial diversity and function, but the apparent digestibility and total VFA were not affected.
Case Report: First Report and Phylogenetic Analysis of Porcine Astroviruses in Chile
Authors: Flores Carlos , Ariyama Naomi , Bennett Benjamín , Mena Juan , Verdugo Claudio , Mor Sunil , Brito Barbara , Ramírez-Toloza Galia , Neira Victor
Published: December 2021

Porcine Astrovirus (PoAstV) causes mild diarrhea in young pigs and is considered an emerging virus in the swine industry worldwide. PoAstV has high genetic diversity and has been classified into five genetic lineages, PoAstV1–5. In Chile, only human astroviruses have been reported. This study aimed to determine the presence and genetic diversity of PoAstV circulating in intensive pig farms in Chile. Seventeen Chilean intensive swine farms from Valparaíso, Metropolitana, O'Higgins, Ñuble and Araucanía regions were sampled. A selection of oral fluid and fecal material samples from 1–80 days-old pigs were collected and analyzed using next-generation sequencing. The circulation of PoAstV was confirmed in all studied farms. We obtained complete or partial sequences of PoAstV-2 (n = 3), PoAstV-4 (n = 2), and PoAstV-5 (n = 7). In 15 out of 17 farms, we detected more than one lineage co-circulating. Phylogenetic analyses grouped the seven PoAstV-5 strains in a monophyletic cluster, closely related to the United States PoAstV-5 strains. The three PoAstV-2 were located into two separate sub-clusters. PoAstV-4 sequences are also grouped in two different clusters, all related to Japanese strains. Thus, our results indicate that PoAstV circulates in Chile with high frequency and diversity. However, the lack of reference sequences impairs local evolution patterns establishment and regional comparisons. This is the first contribution of PoAstV genomes in Latin America; more studies are needed to understand the diversity and impact of PoAstV on swine health.
Estrogen Regulates Glucose Metabolism in Cattle Neutrophils Through Autophagy
Authors: Wang Xinbo , Zhang Yuming , Li Yansong , Tang Mingyu , Deng Qinghua , Mao Jingdong , Du Liyin
Published: December 2021

Hypoglycemia resulting from a negative energy balance (NEB) in periparturient cattle is the major reason for a reduced glycogen content in polymorphonuclear neutrophils (PMNs). The lack of glycogen induces PMNs dysfunction and is responsible for the high incidence of perinatal diseases. The perinatal period is accompanied by dramatic changes in sex hormones levels of which estrogen (17β-estradiol, E2) has been shown to be closely associated with PMNs function. However, the precise regulatory mechanism of E2 on glucose metabolism in cattle PMNs has not been elucidated. Cattle PMNs were cultured in RPMI 1640 with 2.5 (LG), 5.5 (NG) and 25 (HG) mM glucose and E2 at 20 (EL), 200 (EM) and 450 (EH) pg/mL. We found that E2 maintained PMNs viability in different glucose conditions, and promoted glycogen synthesis by inhibiting PFK1, G6PDH and GSK-3β activity in LG while enhancing PFK1 and G6PDH activity and inhibiting GSK-3β activity in HG. E2 increased the ATP content in LG but decreased it in HG. This indicated that the E2-induced increase/decrease of ATP content may be independent of glycolysis and the pentose phosphate pathway (PPP). Further analysis showed that E2 promoted the activity of hexokinase (HK) and GLUT1, GLUT4 and SGLT1 expression in LG, while inhibiting GLUT1, GLUT4 and SGLT1 expression in HG. Finally, we found that E2 increased LC3, ATG5 and Beclin1 expression, inhibited p62 expression, promoting AMPK-dependent autophagy in LG, but with the opposite effect in HG. Moreover, E2 increased the Bcl-2/Bax ratio and decreased the apoptosis rate of PMNs in LG but had the opposite effect in HG. These results showed that E2 could promote AMPK-dependent autophagy and inhibit apoptosis in response to glucose-deficient environments. This study elucidated the detailed mechanism by which E2 promotes glycogen storage through enhancing glucose uptake and retarding glycolysis and the PPP in LG. Autophagy is essential for providing ATP to maintain the survival and immune potential of PMNs. These results provided significant evidence for further understanding the effects of E2 on PMNs immune potential during the hypoglycemia accompanying perinatal NEB in cattle.
Real-Time Implementation of a Fully Automated Industrial System Based on IR 4.0 Concept
Authors: Salah Bashir
Published: December 2021

With the advent of modern communication and control strategies, existing industrial enterprises are now being transformed as per Industrial Revolution (IR) 4.0 standards to maximize production rates and monetary gains. To cope with the pace of the modern technological revolution, the Government of Saudi Arabia has launched “Vision 2030”. This research article presents the full automation process of an existing production line at the College of Engineering, King Saud University, as per “Vision 2030” guidelines. Initially, a production line was designed to produce flavored yogurt bottles from a user-defined flavor and plain yogurt mixture. The research project was completed in two phases. During phase I, smart sensing, control, and automation equipment were used to minimize human intervention, the so-called semi-automated mode of operation. A bottle-feeding mechanism and robotic arms were later integrated to eliminate human intervention during the second phase. Moreover, during phase II, Node-RED, Telegram Bots, and a Raspberry Pi 4 controller were used to achieve IoT-based monitoring and control as per Industry 4.0 requirements. A comparative performance analysis was conducted between semi-automated and fully automated modes of operation to demonstrate the benefits of the fully automated operational mode. The performance of the fully automated system was found to be superior in comparison with the semi-automated system.
R&D Innovation Adoption, Climatic Sensitivity, and Absorptive Ability Contribution for Agriculture TFP Growth in Pakistan
Authors: Usman Muhammad , Hameed Gulnaz , Saboor Abdul , Almas Lal K. , Hanif Muhammad
Published: December 2021

Innovation adoptions in agriculture sustain high total factor productivity (TFP) growth and overcome a potential production gap, which is beneficial for food security. Research and development (R&D) innovation adoption in agriculture sector is dependent on producers’ willingness to adopt, knowledge capital spillovers, and financial capacity. This research aims to investigate the impact of R&D innovation adoption and climate factors on agriculture TFP growth in Pakistan. The annual time series data were collected from different sources for the period of 1972–2020. For measuring the agriculture TFP, this study adopted the Cobb Douglas and Translog production functions. To analyze the impact of R&D innovation adoption and climate change on agricultural productivity, the dynamic autoregressive distributive lag (ARDL) and two-stage least square (TSLS) approaches were applied for regression analysis. The study outcomes highlight that the agricultural innovation adoption has a significantly positive impact on agriculture TFP growth in Pakistan with weak farmers’ absorptive ability. According to the results, agriculture tractors, innovative seed distribution, and fertilizer consumptions make a significantly positive contribution to agriculture TFP growth. Further, rainfall shows a positive and significant impact on agricultural productivity, where a moderate climate is beneficial for agricultural productivity. The estimation results contain policy suggestions for sustainable R&D adoption and agrarians’ absorptive ability. Based on the obtained results, it has been suggested that producers should focus on R&D innovation adoption to attain higher productivity. The government needs to emphasize innovative technology adoption, specifically to implement the extension services to increase farmers’ education, skills based training, and networking among the farmers to enhance their knowledge capital and absorptive ability. The farmers should also focus on the adoption of climate smart agriculture that can be achieved through the proper utilization of rainwater. For this purpose, the government needs to develop small community dams and large-scale dams for better use of rainwater harvesting.
Determination of the Variability of Bioactive Compounds and Minerals in Olive Leaf along an Agronomic Cycle
Authors: Martínez-Navarro María Esther , Cebrián-Tarancón Cristina , Alonso Gonzalo L. , Salinas María Rosario
Published: December 2021

Olive leaves are still considered waste in the oil industry; however, the leaves have a content of oleuropein and other bioactive compounds that gives them great potential to be transformed into by-products. The most appropriate moment along an agronomic cycle (November 2019 to October 2020) has been evaluated to take advantage of this potential of the olive leaves varieties of Picual, Cornicabra and Manzanilla. In addition, factors that affect the content of phenolic compounds such as absolute maximum and minimum temperatures, relative humidity, sunshine hours, rainfall, differential of temperatures and mineral nutrition have been studied. The results show that the pruning season was the best time to take advantage of the olive leaf due to its high oleuropein content, especially in Picual and Manzanilla. The variety was the factor that most affected all the phenolic compounds studied, while the absolute minimum temperature factor notably affected verbascoside. Particular mineral nutrients, such as Mg and Fe, turned out to be most useful for differentiating locations. The content of verbascoside and hydroxytyrosol was also affected by agronomic conditions (location/conventional or ecological).
Variation in Root System Architecture among the Founder Parents of Two 8-way MAGIC Wheat Populations for Selection in Breeding
Authors: Pariyar Shree R. , Nagel Kerstin A. , Lentz Jonas , Galinski Anna , Wilhelm Jens , Putz Alexander , Adels Sascha , Heinz Kathrin , Frohberg Claus , Watt Michelle
Published: December 2021

Root system architecture (RSA) is a target for breeding crops with effective nutrient and water use. Breeding can use populations designed to map quantitative trait loci (QTL). Here we non-invasively phenotype roots and leaves of the 16 foundation parents of two multi-parent advanced generation inter-cross (MAGIC) populations, covering diversity in spring (CSIRO MAGIC) and winter (NIAB MAGIC) wheats. RSA components varied after 16 days in the upgraded, paper-based imaging platform, GrowScreen-PaGe: lateral root length 2.2 fold; total root length, 1.9 fold; and seminal root angle 1.2 fold. RSA components total and lateral root length had the highest root heritabilities (H2) (H2 = 0.4 for CSIRO and NIAB parents) and good repeatability (r = 0.7) in the GrowScreen-PaGe. These can be combined with leaf length (H2 = 0.8 CSIRO; 0.7 NIAB) and number (H2 = 0.6 CSIRO; 0.7 NIAB) to identify root and shoot QTL to breed for wheats with vigorous RSA and shoot growth at establishment, a critical phase for crop productivity. Time resolved phenotyping of MAGIC wheats also revealed parents to cross in future for growth rate traits (fastest: Robigus–NIAB and AC Barrie–CSIRO; slowest Rialto–NIAB and G204 Xiaoyan54–CSIRO) and root: shoot allocation traits (fast growers grew roots, notably laterals, quicker than leaves, compared to slow growers).
Efficacy of Thai Plant Extracts for Antibacterial and Anti-Biofilm Activities against Pathogenic Bacteria
Authors: Saeloh Dennapa , Visutthi Monton
Published: December 2021

The emergence of drug-resistant bacteria has impacted the outcome of current therapeutics as a threat to global healthcare; novel medicines are urgently needed. Thirteen medicinal plants were collected in Northeastern Thailand, and their crude ethanolic extracts were evaluated for antibacterial activities against Staphylococcus aureus ATCC25923 and Escherichia coli ATCC25922 using the broth micro-dilution method. Piper betle leaf ethanolic extract showed optimal activity against both representative bacterial strains. Activity was also observed against clinical isolates of methicillin-resistant S. aureus (MRSA) and E. coli, with minimal inhibitory concentration (MIC) ranging from 0.31 mg/mL to 2.5 mg/mL and minimal bactericidal concentration (MBC) ranging from 0.62 mg/mL to 2.5 mg/mL. A time-kill study revealed that the extract activity was time- and dose-dependent, and also bactericidal on the tested bacteria. P. betle extract inhibited biofilm formation and promoted biofilm eradication in both S. aureus and E. coli. 4-Allyl-1,2-diacetoxybenzene and eugenol were identified as the most abundant compounds in the extract and may play major roles in the anti-bacterial and anti-biofilm activity. Results suggest that ethanolic P. betle leaf extract shows promise as an alternative method for the prevention of bacterial diseases.