bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Differential trajectories of tobacco smoking in people at ultra-high risk for psychosis: Associations with clinical outcomes
Authors: Schirmbeck Frederike , van der Ven Els , Boyette Lindy-Lou , McGuire Philip , Valmaggia Lucia R. , Kempton Matthew J. , van der Gaag Mark , Riecher-Rössler Anita , Barrantes-Vidal Neus , Nelson Barnaby , Krebs Marie-Odile , Ruhrmann Stephan , Sachs Gabriele , Rutten Bart P. F. , Nordentoft Merete ,   EU-GEI High Risk Study Group, de Haan Lieuwe , Vermeulen Jentien M.
Published: September 2022

Objective

People at ultra-high risk (UHR) for psychosis have a high prevalence of tobacco smoking, and rates are even higher among the subgroup that later develop a psychotic disorder. However, the longitudinal relationship between the course of tobacco smoking and clinical outcomes in UHR subjects is unknown.

Methods

We investigated associations between tobacco smoking and clinical outcomes in a prospective study of UHR individuals (n = 324). Latent class mixed model analyses were used to identify trajectories of smoking severity. Mixed effects models were applied to investigate associations between smoking trajectory class and the course of attenuated psychotic symptoms (APS) and affective symptoms, as assessed using the CAARMS.

Results

We identified four different classes of smoking trajectory: (i) Persistently High (n = 110), (ii) Decreasing (n = 29), (iii) Persistently Low (n = 165) and (iv) Increasing (n = 20). At two-year follow-up, there had been a greater increase in APS in the Persistently High class than for both the Persistently Low (ES = 9.77, SE = 4.87, p = 0.046) and Decreasing (ES = 18.18, SE = 7.61, p = 0.018) classes. There were no differences between smoking classes in the incidence of psychosis. There was a greater reduction in the severity of emotional disturbance and general symptoms in the Decreasing class than in the High (ES = −10.40, SE = 3.41, p = 0.003; ES = −22.36, SE = 10.07, p = 0.027), Increasing (ES = −11.35, SE = 4.55, p = 0.014; ES = −25.58, SE = 13.17, p = 0.050) and Low (ES = −11.38, SE = 3.29, p = 0.001; ES = −27.55, SE = 9.78, p = 0.005) classes, respectively.

Conclusions

These findings suggests that in UHR subjects persistent tobacco smoking is associated with an unfavorable course of psychotic symptoms, whereas decrease in the number of cigarettes smoked is associated with improvement in affective symptoms. Future research into smoking cessation interventions in the early stages of psychoses is required to shine light on the potential of modifying smoking behavior and its relation to clinical outcomes.
Factors influencing resilience of parents with children with neurodevelopmental disorders: The role of structural language, social cognition, and social support
Authors: Flores-Buils Raquel , Andrés-Roqueta Clara
Published: September 2022

Background

Resilience allows a more positive coping and improves parents' wellbeing when they face a difficult situation like having a child with a neurodevelopmental disorder (NDD). We aim to analyze the development of resilience in parents of children with different NDD (ASD, DLD and ADHD) with different levels of structural language and social cognition, as well as the social support available for their families, and compare it to children with typical development (TD).

Method

We analyzed the level of resilience of 156 parents, 73 with children with TD and 73 with three different NDD, taking into account variables such as age, structural language (receptive grammar) and social cognition (emotional understanding) of the children, and also the type of social support available to them.

Results

Children with DLD and ASD showed lower receptive grammar and emotional comprehension skills, although only parents of children with ASD obtained better resilience scores. Moreover, age of children and formal support variables predicted the resilience of the parents according to the type of NDD.

Discussion

The severity of social cognition and structural language difficulties of children with NDD and the fact of having support from professionals and family associations have a significant influence on the development of parental resilience.
Bipolar disorders and retinal electrophysiological markers (BiMAR): Study protocol for a comparison of electroretinogram measurements between subjects with bipolar disorder and a healthy control group
Authors: Gross Grégory , Tursini Katelyne , Albuisson Eliane , Angioi-Duprez Karine , Conart Jean-Baptiste , Louis Dorr Valérie , Schwan Raymund , Schwitzer Thomas
Published: September 2022

Background

Bipolar disorders (BD) is a common, chronic and disabling psychiatric condition. In addition to being characterized by significant clinical heterogeneity, notable disturbances of sleep and cognitive function are frequently observed in all phases of the disease. Currently, there is no readily available biomarker in current clinical practice to help diagnose or predict the disease course. Thus, identification of biomarkers in BD is today a major challenge. In this context, the study of electrophysiological biomarkers based on electroretinogram (ERG) measurements in BD seems highly promising. The BiMAR study aims to compare electrophysiological data measured with ERG between a group of euthymic patients with BD and a group of healthy control subjects. Secondarily, we will also describe the existing potential relationship between clinical, sleep and neuropsychological phenotypes of patients and electrophysiological data.

Methods

The BiMAR study is a comparative and monocentric study carried out at the Expert Center for BD in Nancy, France. In total, 70 euthymic adult patients with BD and 70 healthy control subjects will be recruited. Electrophysiological recordings with ERG and electroencephalogram (EEG) will be performed with a virtual reality headset after a standardized clinical evaluation to all participants. Then, an actigraphic monitoring of 21 consecutive days will be carried out. At the end of this period a neuropsychological evaluation will be performed during a second visit. The primary outcome will be electrophysiological measurements with ERG flash and pattern. Secondary outcomes will be EEG data, sleep settings, clinical and neuropsychological assessments. For patients only, a complementary ancillary study, carried out at the University Hospital of Nancy, will be proposed to assess the retinal structure and microvascularization using Optical Coherence Tomography. Recruitment started in January 2022 and will continue until the end of July 2023.

Discussion

The BiMAR study will contribute to identifying candidate ERG electrophysiological markers for helping the diagnosis of BD and identify subgroups of patients with different clinical profiles. Eventually, this would allow earlier diagnosis and personalized therapeutic interventions.

Clinical trial registration

The study is registered at Clinicaltrials.gov, NCT05161546, on 17 December 2021 (https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT05161546).
The impact of anxiety on the cognitive function of informal Parkinson’s disease caregiver: Evidence from task-based and resting-state fNIRS
Authors: Wang Hai-Yang , Ren Lu , Li Tao , Pu Lanlan , Huang Xiaofeng , Wang Song , Song Chunli , Liang Zhanhua
Published: September 2022

Informal Parkinson’s disease (PD) caregivers are considered to experience high levels of caregiver burden, negatively affecting the health of caregivers. However, few studies explored the relationship between anxiety in caregiver burden and cognitive function in informal PD caregivers. Although, no study has even investigated the neural mechanisms underlying this connection. This study aimed to conduct comprehensive cognitive and clinical assessments and evaluate brain activity from task-based state and resting-state using functional near-infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS). A total of ten informal PD caregivers and 15 matched, healthy, non-caregivers were recruited. Comprehensive cognitive and clinical assessments were conducted to evaluate five cognitive domains and mental states. Neural activity induced by verbal fluency task (VFT) and brain connectivity during resting state were monitored, and their correlations with the neuropsychological and clinical tests were explored. Our results showed that compared to non-caregiver, an informal PD caregiver exhibited no difference in most cognitive domains of function but performed better in attentional function, along with higher levels of anxiety. Decreased activation over prefrontal regions during VFT and hypo-connectivity within the frontoparietal network (FPN) and between default mode network (DMN) and FPN in the resting state were confirmed in this study as a result of the negative effects of anxiety on the brain. Furthermore, Spearman’s correlation found that neural activity in FPN during task-based state and resting state was negatively correlated with the severity of anxiety. These findings indicate that despite normal or even better cognitive function, informal PD caregivers have impaired brain function, and this deficit in neural activity was related to anxiety.
Analysis of the research subjects and hot topics of occupational diseases through the Web of Science from 1975 to 2021
Authors: Saberi Hamid Reza , Rabiei Hadiseh , Zare Asma , Jazari Milad Derakhshan , Malakoutikhah Mahdi
Published: September 2022

A variety of studies have been conducted in Occupational diseases (ODs) and this makes it difficult for researchers to identify new areas of study. Therefore, the present study was conducted by examining Web of Science data to identify hot topics and research topics on ODs. This is a scientometric study performed using CiteSpace and Gephi software for statistical analysis. The published article in Web of Sciences was searched using the keywords “Occupational disease*” OR “Occupational illness*” OR “Industrial disease*” OR “Industrial illness*”. Finally, the countries and institutions and their cooperation, the most important and main topics discussed, and the path of future progress in ODs was analyzed. Preliminary results of the study show that out of 5,947 articles. The results of important journals showed that the American Journal of Industrial Medicine with 233 articles (6.02%), Oxford Occupational Medicine, and International Archives of Occupational and Environmental Health with 86 (2.22%), and 83 (2.15%), respectively. The two producing countries are the United States and Germany, which published 628 and 419 articles, respectively. The results of hot topics showed occupational exposures, epidemiology, mental health, and respiratory diseases were the most important keywords used in these 45 years. It can be concluded that Germany, with its current development trend in the coming years, will surpass the United States based on the number of articles and gain the first rank. Also, future studies can be conducted on respiratory diseases as the most important ODs and health care work as the most important job during the past years.
Awareness of occupational health hazards and occupational stress among dental care professionals: Evidence from the GCC region
Authors: AlDhaen Esra
Published: September 2022

A hazardous work environment creates critical concerns, and resultantly, workers may suffer from job-related stress. So, this study aimed at identifying the nature of hazards prevailing in dental hospitals and their role in increasing job-related stress. The study also assumes that awareness of the existence of health hazards and their possible risk will originate the stress. To conduct the study, close-ended questionnaires were administered to 300 workers having more than 1 year of experience in Oral and Dental Health Services provided by the Kingdom of Bahrain. In total, 222 responses with an acceptable level of accuracy were included for statistical treatment. Results confirmed the prevalence of ergonomic, biological, physical, and, to some extent, chemical hazards in the workplace. Results revealed that stress befalls the employees as they know their exposure to these hazards. Ergonomic hazards have the highest prevalence, chemical hazards are the least prevalent, while biological and physical hazards fall in between. This study enriches the related bank of literature by tapping the hazards specifically in the dental hospitals' environment with the degree of intensity of their prevalence within the context at hand. The study of the impact of these workplace health hazards on occupational stress with mediating effect of awareness is also an addition to the existing literature. The findings may help hospital administrators to take correct measures to manage job-related stress that is counterproductive and take remedial steps to mitigate these hazards.
The impact of mouth breathing on dentofacial development: A concise review
Authors: Lin Lizhuo , Zhao Tingting , Qin Danchen , Hua Fang , He Hong
Published: September 2022

Mouth breathing is one of the most common deleterious oral habits in children. It often results from upper airway obstruction, making the air enter completely or partially through oral cavity. In addition to nasal obstruction caused by various kinds of nasal diseases, the pathological hypertrophy of adenoids and/or tonsils is often the main etiologic factor of mouth breathing in children. Uncorrected mouth breathing can result in abnormal dental and maxillofacial development and affect the health of dentofacial system. Mouth breathers may present various types of growth patterns and malocclusion, depending on the exact etiology of mouth breathing. Furthermore, breathing through the oral cavity can negatively affect oral health, increasing the risk of caries and periodontal diseases. This review aims to provide a summary of recent publications with regard to the impact of mouth breathing on dentofacial development, describe their consistencies and differences, and briefly discuss potential reasons behind inconsistent findings.
Trends in anti-HER2 drugs consumption and influencing factors
Authors: Liu Jie , Zhang Xiaolei , Wang Biao , Dai Huizhen , Dou Dahai , Fang Wentong
Published: September 2022

Background

Human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2) inhibitors have been approved to treat various cancers with HER2 amplification. The Chinese government has made great efforts to improve the availability and affordability of these drugs. This study aimed to analyze the trends in anti-HER2 drug consumptions in Nanjing from 2012 to 2021, and explore influencing factors.

Methods

Data about use of anti-HER2 drugs in 2012–2021 were extracted from Jiangsu Medicine Information Institute. Six types of anti-HER2 drugs were included. Drug consumption was expressed as defined daily doses (DDDs) and expenditure. Time series analysis was adopted to find trends in consumption, while interrupted time series was used in analyzing the impact of policy on consumption. The correlation between DDDs and defined daily cost (DDC) was analyzed by Pearson's correlation test.

Results

The DDC, DDDs, and expenditure of anti-HER2 drugs changed little from 2012 to 2016. The DDC decreased intermittently, while the DDDs and expenditure of these drugs grew continuously from 2017 to 2021. The anti-HER2 monoclonal antibodies contributed to the majority of total consumption in 2012–2019. The DDDs of anti-HER2 tyrosine kinase inhibitors surpassed the DDDs of monoclonal antibodies in 2020–2021. Trastuzumab was the predominantly prescribed drug in 2012–2019, but the DDDs of pyrotinib surpassed the DDDs of trastuzumab in 2020–2021. The ln value of DDC or self-paid DDC of trastuzumab was negatively correlated with the ln value of its DDDs. The national health insurance coverage (NHIC) and national drug price negotiation policy about anti-HER2 drugs were initiated in 2017. Low-price generics and biosimilar of trastuzumab came into the market in 2020 and 2021, separately. Interrupted time series analysis showed that the DDDs increased significantly after the implementation of NHIC, price negotiation or generic drug replacement.

Conclusion

The consumption of anti-HER2 drugs has significantly increased and their DDC has decreased after the implementation of NHIC, price negotiation, or low-price generic drug replacement since 2017. Further efforts are needed to translate the high consumption into clinical benefits.
The use of metformin for type 2 diabetes prevention: Observational multicenter study from Saudi Arabia
Authors: Alfayez Osamah M. , Alsallum Alanoud A. , Aljabri Adnan F. , Almutairi Faisal S. , Al-Azzeh Ola , Almalki Ohoud S. , Al Yami Majed S. , Almohammed Omar A.
Published: September 2022

Background

Patients with prediabetes are at higher risk of developing type 2 diabetes. While intensive lifestyle modification is the primary approach to delaying diabetes, metformin has been shown to be effective, especially among patients younger than 60 years and obese (body mass index (BMI) > 35 kg/m2), patients with fasting blood glucose ≥ 6.1 mmol/L or HbA1c ≥ 6%, and women with history of gestational diabetes. Thus, metformin is now recommended as an option for diabetes prevention by the American Diabetes Association (ADA). The use of metformin among patients with prediabetes in Saudi Arabia and their adherence to the guideline's recommendation for the prevention of type 2 diabetes is unknown. This study aimed to identify the prevalence of metformin use among prediabetes patients overall and patients who are more likely to benefit from metformin use per the ADA guidelines.

Methods

A retrospective cohort study was conducted encompassing data from three tertiary care hospitals between January 2015 and June 2019. All patients aged 20 to 70 years with prediabetes (HbA1c of 5.7–6.4%) were included, while patients with an established diagnosis of diabetes, creatinine clearance <45 ml/min, using antihyperglycemic medications other than metformin, or on metformin for other indications were excluded. Prediabetes patients who are most likely to benefit from metformin for type 2 diabetes prevention are those younger than 60 years with a BMI ≥ 35 kg/m2, patients with fasting blood glucose ≥ 6.1 mmol/L or HbA1c ≥ 6%, and women with history of gestational diabetes. This study examined the prevalence of metformin use among all patients with prediabetes, as well as patients who would be more likely to benefit from metformin use per the ADA guidelines.

Results

A total of 251 patients were included in this study; 52.2% were female, with a mean age of 47.0 (11.9) years and BMI of 32.3 (6.5) kg/m2, and the median HbA1c at baseline was 5.8% (5.7–6.0). Among the overall sample, 18 patients (7.2%) received metformin for the prevention of type 2 diabetes, 14 of those were from the groups that are more likely to benefit from metformin use per the ADA guidelines (9.9%).

Conclusions

Among individuals with prediabetes in Saudi Arabia, metformin use was very low despite the evidence supporting its safety, convenience, and efficacy. Healthcare providers seemed hesitant to medicalize prediabetes; furthermore, the low use of metformin suggests the existence of several barriers that need to be identified and resolved. Increasing providers' knowledge and awareness regarding screening and management of prediabetes is highly encouraged.
Evaluating personnel evacuation risks under fire scenario of Airbus wide-body aircraft: A simulation study
Authors: Lv Wei , Xing Luliang , Li Jiawei , Zhao Caihong , Yang Yunpeng
Published: September 2022

Airliner accidents are often accompanied by incidental aircraft fires, causing huge casualties and incalculable economic losses. The research on airliner fire and its emergency evacuation is the focus and difficulty of aviation safety research, but it is difficult to carry out the research through experiments, and the use of computer simulation is an effective method. This paper comprehensively studies the dynamic development of the cabin fire and the corresponding cabin evacuation when the wide-body airliner Airbus A350-900 is forced to land in two states: horizontal and forward. The spatial distribution of the remaining evacuation time at each seat is used to analyze and judge the safety evacuation risk of the airliner cabin. Finally, two evacuation optimization design ideas based on partition guidance and seat layout are proposed to improve the spatial distribution of the overall evacuation risk of passengers in the cabin and provide some reference suggestions for strengthening fire prevention in the design, manufacture, and use of airliner. Some targeted countermeasures are put forward for the emergency evacuation of passengers in the cabin in a fire situation.
MPEG-5 LCEVC for 3.0 Next Generation Digital TV in Brazil
Authors: Ciccarelli Lorenzo , Ferrara Simone , Maurer Florian
Published: September 2022

TV 3.0 is the next generation digital broadcasting system developed in Brazil by the SBTVD Forum. The ambition of TV 3.0 is significantly higher than that of previous generations as it targets the delivery of IP based signals for applications, such as 8K, HDR, virtual and augmented reality, video enhancement and scalability. To deliver such services, more advanced and flexible compression technologies are required. MPEG-5 Part 2 Low Complexity Enhancement Video Coding (LCEVC) is a new video coding standard which works in combination with a separate video standard (e.g., H.264/AVC [H.264/AVC], H.265/HEVC [H.265/HEVC], H.266/VVC [H.266/VVC], AV1 [AV1]) to enhance the quality of a video. In the typical scenario, the enhanced quality is provided in terms of a higher resolution video obtained by adding details coded through an enhancement layer to a lower resolution version of the same video coded through a base layer. The LCEVC format also provides the ability to signal the bit-depth of the base layer independently from that of the enhancement layer and allowing up to 14-bit depth HDR. MPEG-5 LCEVC has been selected by the SBTVD committee as part of the TV 3.0 in December 2021. In this paper we describe the proposal submitted for LCEVC in response to the SBTVD Call for Proposals (CfP) for TV 3.0.
Clinical application of the “sellar barrier’s concept” for predicting intraoperative CSF leak in endoscopic endonasal surgery for pituitary adenomas with a machine learning analysis
Authors: Villalonga J. F. , Solari D. , Cuocolo R. , De Lucia V. , Ugga L. , Gragnaniello C. , Pailler J. I. , Cervio A. , Campero A. , Cavallo L. M. , Cappabianca P.
Published: September 2022

Background

Recently, it was defined that the sellar barrier entity could be identified as a predictor of cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) intraoperative leakage. The aim of this study is to validate the application of the sellar barrier concept for predicting intraoperative CSF leak in endoscopic endonasal surgery for pituitary adenomas with a machine learning approach.

Methods

We conducted a prospective cohort study, from June 2019 to September 2020: data from 155 patients with pituitary subdiaphragmatic adenoma operated through endoscopic approach at the Division of Neurosurgery, Università degli Studi di Napoli “Federico II,” were included. Preoperative magnetic resonance images (MRI) and intraoperative findings were analyzed. After processing patient data, the experiment was conducted as a novelty detection problem, splitting outliers (i.e., patients with intraoperative fistula, n = 11/155) and inliers into separate datasets, the latter further separated into training (n = 115/144) and inlier test (n = 29/144) datasets. The machine learning analysis was performed using different novelty detection algorithms [isolation forest, local outlier factor, one-class support vector machine (oSVM)], whose performance was assessed separately and as an ensemble on the inlier and outlier test sets.

Results

According to the type of sellar barrier, patients were classified into two groups, i.e., strong and weak barrier; a third category of mixed barrier was defined when a case was neither weak nor strong. Significant differences between the three datasets were found for Knosp classification score (p = 0.0015), MRI barrier: strong (p = 1.405 × 10−6), MRI barrier: weak (p = 4.487 × 10−8), intraoperative barrier: strong (p = 2.788 × 10−7), and intraoperative barrier: weak (p = 2.191 × 10−10). We recorded 11 cases of intraoperative leakage that occurred in the majority of patients presenting a weak sellar barrier (p = 4.487 × 10−8) at preoperative MRI. Accuracy, sensitivity, and specificity for outlier detection were 0.70, 0.64, and 0.72 for IF; 0.85, 0.45, and 1.00 for LOF; 0.83, 0.64, and 0.90 for oSVM; and 0.83, 0.55, and 0.93 for the ensemble, respectively.

Conclusions

There is a true correlation between the type of sellar barrier at MRI and its in vivo features as observed during endoscopic endonasal surgery. The novelty detection models highlighted differences between patients who developed an intraoperative CSF leak and those who did not.
PK/PD integration of florfenicol alone and in combination with doxycycline against Riemerella anatipestifer
Authors: Zhang Huilin , Huang Yingxin , Yu Jiao , Liu Xujing , Ding Huanzhong
Published: September 2022

Riemerella anatipestifer (RA) is an important pathogen found in poultry. RA infection can kill ducks and lead to significant economic losses. Seven RA strains with different susceptibility phenotypes were chosen to study the pharmacokinetic/pharmacodynamic (PK/PD) integration of florfenicol (FF) alone and in combination with doxycycline (DOX). The checkerboard assay indicated that synergy [fractional inhibitory concentration index (FICI) ≤ 0.5] was detected in the CVCC3952 strain of RA and that additivity (FICI >0.5 to ≤ 1) was observed in other strains. Static time–kill curves showed that the bactericidal effect of FF against RA was produced at a FF concentration ≥4 MIC, and the antibacterial activity of FF against RA was enhanced from the aspects of efficacy and efficacy in combination with DOX. Dynamic time–kill curves indicated that FF elicited bactericidal activity against the CVCC3857 strain with a reduction ≥4.88 log10CFU/ml when the dose was ≥8 mg/L. However, a bactericidal effect was not achieved at the maximum administered dose of FF monotherapy (20 mg/L) for isolates with a MIC ≥4 μg/ml. The effect of FF against RA was enhanced upon combination with DOX. The combination of FF with DOX reduced the bacterial burden ≥4.53 log10CFU/ml for all strains with a MIC ≥4 μg/ml. Data were fitted to a sigmoidal Emax model. The PK/PD parameters of AUC24h/MIC (the area under the concentration–time curve over 24 h divided by the MIC) and %T >MIC (the cumulative percentage of time over a 24-h period at which the concentration exceeded the MIC) of FF for eliciting a reduction of 3 log10CFU/ml was 40.10 h and 58.71, respectively. For strains with a MIC ≤ 16 μg/ml, the magnitude of the AUC24h/MIC and Cmax/MIC required for a 3 log10CFU/ml of bacterial killing was 34.84 h and 4.74 in the presence of DOX at 0.5 MIC, respectively. These data suggest that combination of FF with DOX enhanced the activity against RA strains with various susceptibilities to FF and DOX.
The Relationship Between Barriers and Drivers of COVID-19 Protective Behaviors in Germany and the UK
Authors: Mahdavian Farnaz , Warren George W. , Evensen Darrick , Bouder Frederic E.
Published: September 2022

Objectives:To explore and evaluate the impact of factors including public risk perceptions on COVID-19 protective behaviors across the UK and Germany.

Methods:We used survey data collected from a representative sample for Germany and the UK (total N = 1,663) between April and May 2021. Using a Structural Equation Model, we evaluate the role of personal health risk perceptions, official message quality, source of news, age and political orientation on COVID-19 protective behaviors in the context of German and UK risk communication strategies.

Results:Personal health risk perceptions had a significant positive influence on protective behaviors. Economic risk perceptions had a negative direct influence on protective behaviors, particularly in Germany, as well as a positive indirect influence. Official message quality, use of official news sources and age had positive impacts on risk perceptions and protective behaviors. Left-wing political orientation was linked to greater likelihood of undertaking protective behaviors.

Conclusion:For future pandemics, more attention should be paid to evaluating and conceptualizing different varieties of risk perceptions, risk communication strategies, and demographic variables alongside their impacts on undertaking protective behaviors.
Fast Terminal Sliding Mode Control Based on Finite-Time Observer and Improved Reaching Law for Aerial Robots
Authors: Yang Pu , Feng Kejia , Ding Yu , Shen Ziwei
Published: September 2022

In this paper, a non-singular fast terminal sliding mode control (NFTSMC) strategy based on a finite-time observer and improved reaching rate is proposed to solve the control problem of aerial robot systems subject to actuator faults and internal and external disturbances. Using the control strategy proposed in this paper, rapid convergence and high robustness of the system are guaranteed. In addition, the proposed finite-time observer can observe information related to the actuator fault or internal and external disturbance of the system in an accurate and timely fashion, and actively compensate the fault. The improved reaching law introduced in this paper can cause the system reach the sliding surface quickly, effectively improving the response speed of the system and increasing the tracking performance of the system. The stability of the whole system is proved using Lyapunov stability analysis. Finally, the effectiveness of the proposed control strategy is verified on the basis of a numerical simulation of a six-rotor UAV model with manipulator.
Impact of Work-Life Balance on Firm Innovativeness: The Different Strategies Used by Male and Female Bosses
Authors: Shouman Lina , Vidal-Suñé Antoni , Alarcón Alarcón Amado
Published: September 2022

The idea of work–family balance has generated considerable interest for researchers who tried to focus mainly on the increased female engagement in the labor market, the rise in dual-income households, as well as the changing nature of organizations, work and the workplace. While some individuals prefer work-life balance (WLB) strategies that set fair and realistic limits between their professional and personal lives, others prefer initiatives that provide harmony between the different aspects of their lives. By surveying both Lebanese male and female employees, this research explored work-life strategies that can be implemented by men and women leaders to balance their work and non-work activities and promote their roles as leaders. In addition, it aims to explore if those work-life strategies enhance organizational performance by means of increased innovativeness, and research and development. The results reveal that there is no significant relationship between employee WLB and organizational performance, indicating that satisfied employees do not necessarily deliver increased or weakened performance. Our results also reveal that supervisor support is positively related to employee WLB. In addition, the study examines the effects of individual coping WLB strategies and organizational provision of WLB policies on employee affective well-being. The results indicate that Lebanese individuals who have positive attitudes and life coping strategies are more capable of achieving overall well-being.
Susceptibility Is New Resistance: Wheat Susceptibility Genes and Exploitation in Resistance Breeding
Authors: Li Mengmeng , Yang Zige , Chang Cheng
Published: September 2022

Adapted pathogens and pests seriously threaten global wheat production. During pathogen and pest infections, wheat susceptibility (S) genes are exploited to support the compatibility of wheat with pathogens and pests. A plethora of wheat S genes were recently identified and revealed to regulate multiple processes, including pathogen (pre)penetration, plant immunity, pathogen sustenance, and pest feeding. The inactivation of some S genes via newly developed genome editing and TILLING techniques could reduce compatibility and confer broad-spectrum and durable resistance, which provide a new avenue for wheat resistance improvement. In this review, we summarized recent advances in the characterization of wheat S genes and highlighted their multifaceted roles in facilitating compatible interactions of wheat with adapted pathogens and pests. Current strategies, limitations, and future directions in exploiting S genes in wheat resistance breeding are discussed.
Sundry Bacteria Contamination Identification of Lentinula Edodes Logs Based on Deep Learning Model
Authors: Zu Dawei , Zhang Feng , Wu Qiulan , Lu Cuihong , Wang Weiqiang , Chen Xuefei
Published: September 2022

Lentinula edodes logs are susceptible to sundry bacteria contamination during the culture process, and the manual identification of contaminated logs is difficult, untimely, and inaccurate. Aiming to solve this problem, this paper proposes a method for the identification of contaminated Lentinula edodes logs based on the deep learning model Ghost–YOLOv4. Firstly, a data set of Lentinula edodes log sundry bacteria contamination was constructed. Secondly, in view of the problems that the YOLOv4 network parameters are too large and that the detection speeds of Lentinula edodes log videos are slow, the backbone feature extraction network was replaced with a lightweight network, GhostNet, and the YOLOv4 enhancement feature extraction network PANet and the Yolo Head modules were completed. The modification of the network reduced the number of parameters of the network and improved the detection speed of the network. Finally, the feature extraction network introduced the migration learning pre-training model, which reduced the computational pressure and overfitting problems of the model and further improved the performance of the Ghost–YOLOv4 network. Not only did the constructed Ghost–YOLOv4 ensure the accuracy of the identification and detection of Lentinula edodes log sundry bacteria contamination, but it also had better results in detection speed and real-time performance, and it provides an effective solution for the lightweight deployment of a target detection model on embedded equipment in culture sheds.
Prediction of the Effect of Nutrients on Plant Parameters of Rice by Artificial Neural Network
Authors: Shankar Tanmoy , Malik Ganesh Chandra , Banerjee Mahua , Dutta Sudarshan , Praharaj Subhashisa , Lalichetti Sagar , Mohanty Sahasransu , Bhattacharyay Dipankar , Maitra Sagar , Gaber Ahmed , Das Ashok K. , Sharma Ayushi , Hossain Akbar
Published: September 2022

Rice holds key importance in food and nutritional security across the globe. Nutrient management involving rice has been a matter of interest for a long time owing to the unique production environment of rice. In this research, an artificial neural network-based prediction model was developed to understand the role of individual nutrients (N, P, K, Zn, and S) on different plant parameters (plant height, tiller number, dry matter production, leaf area index, grain yield, and straw yield) of rice. A feed-forward neural network with back-propagation training was developed using the neural network (nnet) toolbox available in Matlab. For the training of the model, data obtained from two consecutive crop seasons over two years (a total of four crops of rice) were used. Nutrients interact with each other, and the resulting effect is an outcome of such interaction; hence, understanding the role of individual nutrients under field conditions becomes difficult. In the present study, an attempt was made to understand the role of individual nutrients in achieving crop growth and yield using an artificial neural network-based prediction model. The model predicts that growth parameters such as plant height, tiller number, and leaf area index often achieve their maximum performance at below the maximum applied dose, while the maximum yield in most cases is achieved at 100% N, P, K, Zn, and S dose. In addition, the present study attempted to understand the impact of individual nutrients on both plant growth and yield in order to optimize nutrient recommendation and nutrient management, thereby minimizing environmental pollution and wastage of nutrients.
Long-Term Traditional Fertilization Alters Tea Garden Soil Properties and Tea Leaf Quality in Bangladesh
Authors: Jahan Israt , Shopan Jannat , Rahman Md. Masudur , Sarkar Animesh , Baset Md. Abdul , Zhang Zheng , Li Xin , Ahammed Golam Jalal , Hasan Md. Kamrul
Published: September 2022

Soil acidity is one of the major soil-degradation events throughout the world, and the long-term application of nitrogenous fertilizers is thought to be a main cause of soil acidity. In the present experiment, we collected soil and tea (Camellia sinensis L.) leaf samples from five representative tea gardens in Bangladesh and evaluated soil nutrient pools and biochemical properties of tea leaves. The results showed that there was a negative relationship between soil pH and the amount of applied nitrogenous fertilizers. Moreover, continuous application of traditional fertilizers over twenty-five years promoted not only the deficiency of phosphorus (P) and mineral-based cations, such as potassium (K+), calcium (Ca2+), and magnesium (Mg2+), but also increased manganese (Mn2+) and aluminum (Al3+) toxicity in soils, which suppressed the yield and quality of tea. Crucially, tea leaf production remained almost similar (average 1079.77 kg ha−1) from 1995 to 2015, while the application doses of urea, TSP, and MoP increased by 24.69%, 18.92%, and 16.67%, respectively, in garden soils. However, the pH value of soil declined up to 24% from 1992 to 2020 in the tested gardens. Consequently, the availability of K+, P, Ca2+, and Mg2+ decreased by 56%, 25%, 55%, and 49%, respectively, in those tea garden soils. In addition, the quality of tea leaves was severely affected, as evident by the reduced levels of total flavonoids, polyphenols, soluble solids, vitamin C, vitamin B1, and vitamin B2. Moreover, free-radical scavenging activity (DPPH), caffeine, and tannin concentration were increased in tea leaves, which indicated that tea plants were potentially being stressed. Therefore, we study concluded that long-term application of traditional nitrogenous fertilizers can be an important regulator of lowering garden soil pH, which reduces native soil nutrient pools and thereby the yield and quality of tea leaves.
Influence of Different Heat-Stress-Reducing Systems on Physiological and Behavioral Responses and Social Dominance of Holstein and Jersey Cows and Heifers on Pasture
Authors: Guimarães-Yamada Karoline L. , dos Santos Geraldo T. , Osório Jesus A. C. , Sippert Micheli R. , Figueiredo-Paludo Monique , da Silva Bianca G. L. , Damasceno Júlio C. , Benchaar Chaouki
Published: September 2022

High ambient temperatures and relative humidity affect the behavior and physiology of the animal. This study investigated the influence of different heat-stress-reducing systems on the physiological, behavioral, and preferential responses of Holstein and Jersey cows and heifers on pasture. Experimental treatments were: (1) three heat-stress-reducing systems (sprinklers + artificial shade; showers + artificial shade; and artificial shade); (2) two breeds (Holstein and Jersey); and (3) two physiological stages (lactating cows and pubertal heifers). Physiological and behavioral responses to treatments were measured every 30 min on collection days. The frequency and duration of the use of the systems were recorded continuously 24 h/day for 3 days in each period. The air temperature and the relative humidity were 26 ± 4.1 °C and 74 ± 11.3%, respectively. The experimental treatments affected (p = 0.0354) standing idle, grazing behavior (p = 0.0435), and the frequency and duration of use of the systems by the animals (p < 0.0001). For all treatments, the respiratory rate and the coat surface temperature were highly and significantly correlated (p < 0.05) with the temperature and humidity index. In conclusion, under ambient conditions, dairy cows preferred using sprinklers or showers over artificial shade. These systems were more efficient at reducing the heat load and led to better behavioral and physiological responses.
Physiological, Immune Response, Antioxidant Capacity and Lipid Metabolism Changes in Grazing Sheep during the Cold Season
Authors: Zhang Yanmei , Zhao Yabo , Li Changqing , Wang Li , Tian Feng , Jin Hai
Published: September 2022

Mongolian sheep are characteristically cold-tolerant. However, their cold adaptive processes, such as the physiological feedback adjustments that occur during the cold season, remain unexplored. Therefore, the present study aimed to evaluate the physiological adaptations of Mongolian sheep in cold plateau environments. A comparative analysis of the serum biochemical parameters, immune response, antioxidant capacity, and glucose and lipid metabolism of grazing Mongolian sheep in the cold and warm seasons was conducted. The results showed that in the cold season, the glucose and lipid metabolism and thermogenesis of the grazing Mongolian sheep were notably enhanced. Moreover, the immune responses were stimulated by increased levels of cytokines, such as IL-2, IL-1β, and IL-6, during the cold season. However, the antioxidant defense system was damaged; this damage was mainly characterized by decreased activity of antioxidant enzymes and an increased level of MDA during the cold season. Overall, glucose metabolism, lipid metabolism, thermogenesis, and immune responses were stimulated to meet the requirements of organismal metabolic regulation to enable grazing Mongolian sheep to physiologically adapt to cold climatic conditions.
Wild Meets Domestic in the Near Eastern Neolithic
Authors: Russell Nerissa
Published: September 2022

The categories of wild and domestic are one of the classic ways the nature/culture dichotomy manifests itself in human interactions with the environment. Some argue that this distinction is not helpful and a projection of modern thought, and certainly the boundaries are complicated. However, we should try to determine in each case whether it was meaningful to particular people in the past. Here I explore whether wild and domestic were relevant concepts to the inhabitants of the Neolithic Near East in their relations with animals around the time when livestock herding began. Drawing on depictions of animals and the treatment of living animals and their remains, I examine three case studies (Cyprus, Upper Mesopotamia, and Çatalhöyük in central Anatolia) to evaluate whether emic distinctions between wild and domestic existed. I conclude that this was in fact a crucial distinction that shaped economic choices as well as ritual activities. Differential treatment of wild and domestic animals indicates that they were accorded different forms of personhood. The particular nature of human relations with wild animals helped shape the spread of both wild and domestic animals.
Clinical Evaluation of Exercise-Induced Physiological Changes in Military Working Dogs (MWDs) Resulting from the Use or Non-Use of Cooling Vests during Training in Moderately Hot Environments
Authors: Benito Mila , Lozano Diego , Miró Francisco
Published: September 2022

Nose work with military working dogs (MWDs) in warmer-than-usual areas has led us to look for new tools to reduce both heat stress and the risk of heat stroke. One of the different strategies to manage heat stress is the use of cooling vests, such as those used in humans. The aim was to assess three cooling conditions (using two different cooling vests during exercise and the non-use of such garments) by measuring core body temperature, systemic blood pressure and pulse rate before and after the exercise (moment: four measurement times) in military dogs of the I Military Police Battalion (in Valencia, Spain). All dogs were evaluated under all three conditions during the three days of the study. Significant differences were observed between condition, moment, and the interaction of these two factors, in relation to core body temperature and pulse rate. Therefore, the use of an evaporative cooling vest may further be useful as a routine thermal control and conditioning measure in MWDs.
Novel Megaplasmid Driving NDM-1-Mediated Carbapenem Resistance in Klebsiella pneumoniae ST1588 in South America
Authors: Quezada-Aguiluz Mario , Opazo-Capurro Andrés , Lincopan Nilton , Esposito Fernanda , Fuga Bruna , Mella-Montecino Sergio , Riedel Gisela , Lima Celia A. , Bello-Toledo Helia , Cifuentes Marcela , Silva-Ojeda Francisco , Barrera Boris , Hormazábal Juan C. , González-Rocha Gerardo
Published: September 2022

Carbapenem-resistant Enterobacterales (CRE) is a critical public health problem in South America, where the prevalence of NDM metallo-betalactamases has increased substantially in recent years. In this study, we used whole genome sequencing to characterize a multidrug-resistant (MDR) Klebsiella pneumoniae (UCO-361 strain) clinical isolate from a teaching hospital in Chile. Using long-read (Nanopore) and short-read (Illumina) sequence data, we identified a novel un-typeable megaplasmid (314,976 kb, pNDM-1_UCO-361) carrying the blaNDM-1 carbapenem resistance gene within a Tn3000 transposon. Strikingly, conjugal transfer of pNDM-1_UCO-361 plasmid only occurs at low temperatures with a high frequency of 4.3 × 10−6 transconjugants/receptors at 27 °C. UCO-361 belonged to the ST1588 clone, previously identified in Latin America, and harbored aminoglycoside, extended-spectrum β-lactamases (ESBLs), carbapenem, and quinolone-resistance determinants. These findings suggest that blaNDM-1-bearing megaplasmids can be adapted to carriage by some K. pneumoniae lineages, whereas its conjugation at low temperatures could contribute to rapid dissemination at the human–environmental interface.
The Role of Bezlotoxumab for the Prevention of Recurrent Clostridioides difficile Infections: A Review of the Current Literature and Paradigm Shift after 2021
Authors: Hyte Melanie L. , Arphai Lee J. , Vaughn Charles J. , Durham Spencer H.
Published: September 2022

Clostridioides difficile infections (CDIs), and particularly recurrent infections, cause a significant burden on the health-care system. Bezlotoxumab is a new agent for the prevention of recurrent CDIs that has shown strong efficacy and high tolerability in clinical trials. The purpose of this review is to evaluate the published literature for bezlotoxumab, with a focus on literature published since the release of the 2021 focused update to the CDI treatment guidelines. A Medline/PubMed search for “bezlotoxumab” was conducted, resulting in 152 articles. Seventeen studies are included in this review, after excluding non-English-language papers, phase I and II trials, and review articles. Studies published since the 2021 focused update support the recommendations in those guidelines. Furthermore, real-world studies have shown similar results to larger clinical trials. Those with more risk factors for recurrent CDI appear to benefit most from bezlotoxumab. Currently, there are no data to support the use of bezlotoxumab outside current guideline recommendations, but future trials may build on the data seen in real-world studies to further elucidate the place in therapy for bezlotoxumab.