bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Exploring the role of the Recovery College model as a transformative tool for recovery-oriented practice: perceived benefits and perspectives from health practitioners in Quebec, Canada
Authors: Bellemare Julie , Vallée Catherine , Briand Catherine , Sauvageau Anick , Drolet Marie-Josée
Published: September 2024

Introduction

Mental health practitioners (MHPs), including occupational therapists (OTs), need support to adopt a truly recovery-oriented practice. Like other practitioners, if OTs often embrace the principles of recovery as a philosophical foundation for their practice, these principles may not always reflect in their attitudes, behaviors or in their interventions. While further research is needed to demonstrate the positive effects of recovery-oriented training programs on MHPs’ attitudes and practice, there is a need to explore novel training programs. The Recovery College (RC) model is one of the interventions that are designed to facilitate these changes in practice, through co-production and co-delivery of recovery-focused courses curriculum. Although the perceived benefits and outcomes of RC courses are widely documented, very few studies focus specifically on what MHPs gain from them or on their global experience. The aim of this article is to describe the experience of MHPs learners in RC courses and the perceived benefits on their practice.

Methods

An exploratory descriptive qualitative study was conducted. Data were collected through semi-structured interviews and analyzed using Miles and Huberman’s stepwise qualitative analysis method.

Results

Participants were 13 MHPs working in community organizations or healthcare institutions and who participated as learners in a RC, in the province of Quebec, Canada. Ten themes emerged from the qualitative analysis. Participants expressed their perspectives on the format of the courses, their initial expectations and their recommendations. They also identified the types of knowledge they shared during the courses. Participants reported changes in their practice, raised awareness on their clinical and personal issues, improved well-being and recovery. Group composition, interactions within the group, complementarity of the different types of knowledge, and pedagogical design and learning activities were identified as key ingredients of RC.

Conclusions

This study highlighted RCs’ role in enriching MHPs clinically and personally. RC curriculum and courses drive changes in practice and attitudes towards service users. RCs may assist MHPs reflect on practice and improve their clinical reasoning. This study advances understanding of a promising, accessible training program for adopting a recovery-oriented practice amid a paradigm shift among MHPs and OTs.
Depression, anxiety and coping strategies among Palestinian university students during political violence: a cross sectional study
Authors: Ahmead Muna , El Sharif Nuha , Abuiram Issa , Alshawish Eman , Dweib Mohammad
Published: September 2024

Background

There are numerous wars and ongoing political violence in Palestine and little is known about how they have affected Palestinian undergraduate students’ mental health and coping strategies. This study aimed to assess the prevalence of depression, and anxiety symptoms and coping mechanisms among Palestinian university students during the times of current political violence in Palestine after October 7, 2023.

Methods

A cross-sectional descriptive study design was utilized for a sample of students from 3 universities in Palestine (Al Quds University, Hebron University, and An-Najah University) and 1815 participants responded. Data were collected using self-reported questionnaires, including Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS) and Brief COPE scale. Person correlation test, chi-square test, and bivariate analysis were performed to examine the associations between research variables.

Results

The estimated prevalence of depression was 65.9, and 60.9% for anxiety. The logistic regression showed that students from the Arts Faculty, females, and those with working parents were significantly more likely to experience depression and anxiety symptoms. Also, active coping, emotional support, and humor reduced the likelihood of experiencing depression symptoms, while active coping, positive reframing, humor, and acceptance decreased the likelihood of developing anxiety symptoms. Further, the study found that using religion, self-blame, denial, and behavioral disengagement increased the likelihood of depression symptoms while planning, venting, religion, self-blame, denial, and behavioral disengagement increased the likelihood of anxiety symptoms.

Conclusion

The study found that political violence often leads to symptoms of depression and anxiety among undergraduates. Furthermore, the use of maladaptive coping mechanisms increases the likelihood that these symptoms will occur. Providing immediate assistance to university students affected by political violence and conflicts is crucial for their emotional and mental recovery and coping with difficulties.
Specific persistent symptoms of COVID-19 and associations with reinfection: a community-based survey study in southern China
Authors: Liu Dongjing , Chen Binglin , Liao Xuejiao , Zhang Zheng , Wei Sen , Han Xinxin , Xu Yong
Published: September 2024

Background

Surveillance remains fundamental to understanding the changes in epidemiological patterns regarding post-COVID conditions and reinfections. Persistent symptoms and reinfection in previously infected individuals are increasing being reported in many countries, but their associations among general populations were seldomly reported. Understanding the association with persistent symptoms of COVID-19 reinfection is essential to develop strategies to mitigate the long-term health and socio-economic impacts of the post-COVID conditions. This study aimed to investigate the incidence of COVID-19 persistent symptoms among previously infected Chinese community residents and explore associations of specific COVID-19 persistent symptoms with reinfection and other factors.

Methods

A community-based survey was conducted in a southern city of China with about 20 million residents from August 3 to 24, 2023. Face-to-face questionnaires were distributed to a total of 1,485 residents to collect their information about COVID-19 infection, reinfection, specific ongoing persistent symptoms, and other COVID-19 related information. Multivariable logistic regression analysis was used to examine the association between specific persistent symptoms and reinfection of COVID-19, along with age, gender, and educational level.

Results

Of the 1,485 participants, 1,089 (73.3%) reported they had been infected with COVID-19. Among them, 89.1% reported having ongoing persistent symptoms and 14.2% reported had two or more times of infection. About 20% participants were infected 1 year or more since their initial infection. Fatigue, cough, and headaches were the top 3 symptoms being reported. Participants with reinfection were associated with a higher probability of reporting headaches (OR: 1.54, 95% CI: 1.06–2.25), loss of or change in smell and/or taste (OR: 1.90, 95% CI: 1.27–2.83), impaired sleep (OR: 1.55, 95% CI: 1.02–2.35), and brain fog (OR: 1.76, 95% CI: 1.12–2.76). Participants aged 45 and above and who had a bachelor’s or higher degree were more likely to report chest tightness or shortness of breath, impaired sleep, and brain fog.

Discussion

During the post-emergency period of COVID-19 pandemic, the incidence of ongoing persistent symptoms among Chinese residents remains high. Individuals whose initial infection was longer than 1 year have the highest probability of reporting having multiple symptoms. Reinfection may increase the risk of reporting headaches, loss of or change in smell and/or taste, impaired sleep, and brain fog. It is important to maintain routine syndromic surveillance among previously infected people and provide recommendations for clinical management of individuals with multiple ongoing symptoms.
Artificial intelligence in respiratory care: knowledge, perceptions, and practices—a cross-sectional study
Authors: Sreedharan Jithin K. , Alharbi Asma , Alsomali Amal , Gopalakrishnan Gokul Krishna , Almojaibel Abdullah , Alajmi Rawan , Albalawi Ibrahim , Alnasser Musallam , Alenezi Meshal , Alqahtani Abdullah , Alahmari Mohammed , Alzahrani Eidan , Karthika Manjush
Published: September 2024

Background

Artificial intelligence (AI) is reforming healthcare, particularly in respiratory medicine and critical care, by utilizing big and synthetic data to improve diagnostic accuracy and therapeutic benefits. This survey aimed to evaluate the knowledge, perceptions, and practices of respiratory therapists (RTs) regarding AI to effectively incorporate these technologies into the clinical practice.

Methods

The study approved by the institutional review board, aimed at the RTs working in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. The validated questionnaire collected reflective insights from 448 RTs in Saudi Arabia. Descriptive statistics, thematic analysis, Fisher’s exact test, and chi-square test were used to evaluate the significance of the data.

Results

The survey revealed a nearly equal distribution of genders (51% female, 49% male). Most respondents were in the 20–25 age group (54%), held bachelor’s degrees (69%), and had 0–5 years of experience (73%). While 28% had some knowledge of AI, only 8.5% had practical experience. Significant gender disparities in AI knowledge were noted (p < 0.001). Key findings included 59% advocating for basics of AI in the curriculum, 51% believing AI would play a vital role in respiratory care, and 41% calling for specialized AI personnel. Major challenges identified included knowledge deficiencies (23%), skill enhancement (23%), and limited access to training (17%).

Conclusion

In conclusion, this study highlights differences in the levels of knowledge and perceptions regarding AI among respiratory care professionals, underlining its recognized significance and futuristic awareness in the field. Tailored education and strategic planning are crucial for enhancing the quality of respiratory care, with the integration of AI. Addressing these gaps is essential for utilizing the full potential of AI in advancing respiratory care practices.
The role of C4d and donor specific antibodies in face and hand transplantation—a systematic review
Authors: Huelsboemer Lioba , Moscarelli Jake , Dony Alna , Boroumand Sam , Kochen Alejandro , Knoedler Leonard , Yu Catherine T. , Hauc Sacha C. , Stögner Viola A. , Formica Richard N. , Lian Christiane G. , Murphy Georg F. , Pomahac Bohdan , Kauke-Navarro Martin
Published: September 2024

To date, little is known about the mechanisms of rejection in vascularized composite allotransplantation, particularly for antibody mediated rejection. Additionally, no clear guidelines exist for the diagnosis and management of antibody-mediated rejection in vascularized composite allotransplantation. A systematic review of electronic databases (Embase and PubMed) was conducted to evaluate the relationship of donor specific antibodies and C4d deposition in correlation with cellular rejection following hand and face transplantation reported by centers between 1998 and July 2023. We extracted data on serum donor specific antibodies at the time of biopsy proven rejection according to Banff classification and C4d staining of target tissues. Mann-Whitney U tests were performed to compare rejection grade between groups divided by status of C4d deposition and serum donor specific antibodies, and Fisher's Exact test was used to assess association between the two markers. This review adhered to PRISMA guidelines. A total of 26 patients (5 face, 21 hand) were identified and data on 90 acute rejection episodes with information on Banff grade, donor specific antibody status, and C4d deposition were available. Donor specific antibodies were found to be associated with higher rejection grade (p = 0.005). C4d was not found to be associated with higher rejection grade (p = 0.33). Finally, no significant association was found between concurrent status of the two markers (p = 0.23). These findings suggest that the presence of donor specifc antibodies may be associated with higher grades of acute cellular rejection following hand and face transplantation. More consistent reporting on rejection episodes is needed in order to better understand antibody-mediated rejection in vascularized composite allotransplantation.
A Direct Contour Control Method for Free-Form Surface Machining Trajectories Based on Coordinate Transformation
Authors: Liu Zhe , Cui Tao , Zhang Jiqing , Qi Chunyu , Zhang Peng , Wang Wanjin , Dong Jingchuan
Published: September 2024

The requirement for high-speed and high-precision contouring with free-form surfaces in the CNC machining process is increasing. The contour error is an essential criterion for the quality of CNC machining. For the problem of contour error control, the present research is mainly based on position tracking, and the control method directly aiming at contour control has not been well studied. This paper proposed a new type of coordinate transformation-based direct contour control method (CT-DCC) for free-form surface machining trajectories. By real-time monitoring of the contour error and the foot point of the free-form parametric trajectory, the contouring task is decomposed into the contour error control task in the normal direction and the velocity control problem in the feed direction. Using coordinate transformation, the output commands of the two tasks are converted to the axial motion command. CT-DCC completely eliminates position tracking in the traditional control to achieve direct control of the contour error, which provides a new solution for the contour control problem of free-form surface machining. Both the axial velocity control and the axial torque control-based CT-DCC scheme were studied, and the two-axis and three-axis direct contour controllers were tested. The simulation and experiment results show the feasibility of the proposed method.
Coupling Analysis between the Transonic Buffeting Flow and a Heaving Supercritical Airfoil Based on Dynamic Mode Decomposition
Authors: Kang Wei , Chen Bingzhou , Hu Shilin
Published: September 2024

The coupling between a transonic buffeting flow and a supercritical airfoil with harmonic heave motion was studied. A parametric space of the heave frequency and amplitude was investigated using a verified fluid–structural interaction framework. The spatial-temporal flow pattern around the transonic airfoil was studied using dynamic mode decomposition (DMD) to unveil the physical coupling mechanism. The results show three types of flow responses under the heave motion: (I) A buffet frequency response with a λ-shape shock wave structure and recirculation zone at the shock foot. The aerodynamic performance was alike the scenario in the flow past the stationary airfoil. (II) A transitional response with a weakened shock and enhanced boundary layer. The aerodynamic performance deteriorated sharply at f=fbuffet and recovered after the frequency was past the buffet frequency. The flow pattern was characterized by a double-shock structure that interacted with the enhanced boundary layer. (III) A heave frequency response with the dominant heave motion. The variance in the aerodynamic loading increased significantly at f>fbuffet and there were higher heave amplitudes in this stage. The driving motion of the airfoil transferred the energy of the buffet mode to the boundary layer with a more even energy balance according to the energy contribution analysis of the DMD modes.
Heterogeneous Porter Effect or Crowded-Out Effect: Nonlinear Impact of Environmental Regulation on County-Level Green Total Factor Productivity of Pigs in the Yangtze River Basin of China
Authors: Zhang Yue , Zhang Hui , Liao Haozhaoxing , Sun Xiang , Jiang Lisi , Wang Yufeng , Wang Yue
Published: September 2024

Green total factor productivity (GTFP) is critical to both the economic and ecological objectives of pig breeding. This research utilizes the SBM-ML model to calculate the GTFP of pig breeding in 381 counties within the Yangtze River Basin from 2014 to 2021. Then the GTFP is further decomposed into technical efficiency (MLEC) and technical progress (MLTC) to conduct in-depth exploration. The regression results reveal that: (1) Environmental regulation (ER) has significant double-threshold effects on GTFP, MLEC, and MLTC. (2) MLTC is the main force of GTFP growth, and stronger ER does not always lead to better GTFP growth. (3) GTFP is boosted by mechanization enhancement and industrial agglomeration limitation. (4) Counties in non-provincial capital cities and those closer to the river exhibit greater ER threshold effects. (5) Both pig price and transportation efficiency play a moderating role. (6) Further analysis demonstrates that ER simultaneously reduces pig production capacity and carbon emissions, as well as improves the water quality. And the reduction of ER, although beneficial for capacity, has a significant negative impact on GTFP. Finally, this study concludes with policy recommendations to boost the new quality productivity in the pig industry.
Spatial and Temporal Variations of Climate Resources during the Growing Season of Early-Season Rice in Hunan Province
Authors: He Aibin , Li Jiebing , Long Jirui , Ai Zhiyong , Zhang Peiguang , Guo Xiayu
Published: September 2024

The rising temperatures and changes in precipitation due to climate change have significantly impacted agricultural production. Evaluating the effects of climate change on rice production is crucial for improving rice cultivation techniques and ensuring food security. It is essential to comprehensively examine the climatic, spatial, and temporal variations during the duration of crop production. Previous research has mainly focused on different rice planting areas, rice types, and various growth stages of rice. However, more research is needed on the climatic changes during the crop-growing season in specific regions. Therefore, this study compiled complete daily meteorological data from 37 meteorological stations in Hunan Province from 1961 to 2020. The period from 1961 to 2020 was divided into three segments: 1961–1980 (a), 1981–2000 (b), and 2001–2020 (c), to analyze the characteristics of agricultural climate resource changes during different growth stages of early-season rice in Hunan Province. Results show that the heat resources were significantly increased (accumulated temperature growth rate of 43.36 °C/10a), the sunshine resources were decreased by −14.60 h/10a, and the precipitation resources were slightly increased by 6.85 mm/10a. The increase in heat resources mainly occurs during the vegetative growth stage of early-season rice. Additionally, the high-value regions of heat resources and precipitation in period c are 97.8% and 34.2% higher than the average values of periods a and b, respectively. In contrast, the regions with high sunshine hours significantly decreased in period c compared to periods a and b. In summary, the heat, sunshine, and water resources in the central and eastern regions of Hunan Province increase simultaneously, and appropriate cultivation measures should be adopted in the future to improve the yield and resource utilization efficiency of early-season rice in a double-cropping system.
Estimation of Soil Moisture during Different Growth Stages of Summer Maize under Various Water Conditions Using UAV Multispectral Data and Machine Learning
Authors: Chen Ziqiang , Chen Hong , Dai Qin , Wang Yakun , Hu Xiaotao
Published: September 2024

Accurate estimation of soil moisture content (SMC) is vital for effective farmland water management and informed irrigation decision-making. The utilization of unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV)-based remote sensing technology to monitor SMC offers advantages such as mobility, high timeliness, and high spatial resolution, thereby compensating for the limitations of in-situ observations and satellite remote sensing. However, previous research has primarily focused on SMC diagnostics for the entire crop growth period, often neglecting the development of targeted soil moisture modeling paradigms that account for the specific characteristics of the canopy and root zone at different growth stages. Furthermore, the variations in soil moisture status between fields, resulting from the hysteresis of water flow in irrigation channels at different levels, may influence the development of soil moisture modeling schemes, an area that has been seldom explored. In this study, SMC models based on UAV spectral information were constructed using Random Forest (RF) and Particle Swarm Optimization-Support Vector Machine (PSO-SVM) algorithms. The soil moisture modeling paradigms (i.e., input–output mapping) under different growth stages and soil moisture conditions of summer maize were systematically compared and discussed, along with the corresponding physical interpretability. Our results showed that (1) the SMC modeling schemes differ significantly across the various growth stages, with distinct input–output mappings recommended for the early (i.e., jointing, tasselling, and silking stages), middle (i.e., blister and milk stages), and late (i.e., maturing stage) periods. (2) these machine learning-based models performed best at the jointing stage, while subsequently, their accuracy generally exhibited a downward trend as the maize grew. (3) the RF model demonstrates superior robustness in estimating soil moisture status across different fields (moisture conditions), achieving optimal estimation accuracy in fields with overall higher SMC in line with the PSO-SVM model. (4) unlike the RF model’s robustness in spatial SMC diagnostics, the PSO-SVM model more reliably captured the temporal dynamics of SMC across different growth stages of summer maize. This study offers technical references for future modelers in UAV-based SMC modeling across various spatial and temporal conditions, addressing both the types of models as well as their input features.
Effects of Different Straw Return Methods on the Soil Structure, Organic Carbon Content and Maize Yield of Black Soil Farmland
Authors: Xu Jingwen , Song Fang , Wang Ziwen , Qi Zhijuan , Liu Ming , Guan Sheng , Sun Jialu , Li Sirui , Zhao Jianbao
Published: September 2024

Straw return is an effective measure to increase soil sustainability. However, few studies have examined the effects of different straw return methods on soil structure, soil organic carbon content and maize yield or the potential relationships between those variables. Therefore, we developed a field orientation experiment to study the effects of different straw return methods on soil porosity, soil aggregate stability, the soil organic carbon content and maize yield. Four treatments were established: flat no-tillage with full straw mulching (FM), ridge no-tillage with full straw mulching (LM), rotary tillage with full straw incorporation (LX), and conventional tillage without straw (CK) as the control treatment. Compared with those of the CK treatment, the soil porosities (f) in the FM, LM and LX treatments significantly increased by 6.7%, 8.8% and 7.9%, respectively; the soil aggregate destruction rates (PAD) decreased by 17.3%, 34.3% and 16.9%, respectively. In addition, the FM, LM and LX treatments effectively increased the mean mass diameters (MWDs) of the soil aggregates and the soil organic carbon content. Compared with those in the CK treatment, the three-year average yields in the FM, LM and LX treatments significantly increased by 5.2%, 7.2% and 4.1%, respectively. Moreover, the f, MWD, soil organic carbon content and corn yield were positively correlated. Our study indicates that the LM treatment was most effective in improving soil structure and increasing soil organic carbon content with corn yield.
Effect of β-Alanine Metabolite on Gut Integrity and Immunity in Commercial Broiler Chickens Infected with Eimeria maxima
Authors: Park Inkyung , Nam Hyoyoun , Lee Youngsub , Smith Alexandra , Rehberger Thomas , Lillehoj Hyun
Published: September 2024

(1) Background: In a metabolomics analysis conducted to investigate the mechanisms behind the growth-promoting effects of probiotics in broilers, β-alanine was found to be significantly elevated. This led to the hypothesis that β-alanine could also contribute to growth-promoting effects in infected broilers. (2) Methods: An in vitro culture system was developed to assess β-alanine’s impact on proinflammatory cytokine response in chicken macrophage cells, gut integrity in chicken intestinal epithelial cells, and muscle differentiation in quail muscle cells and primary chicken embryonic muscle cells. In vivo animal feeding studies were then conducted to investigate the effects of dietary β-alanine on various disease parameters in Eimeria maxima-infected broiler chickens. (3) Results: In vitro, β-alanine treatment significantly decreased the gene expression of cytokines in chicken macrophage cells and increased occuldin expression in chicken intestinal epithelial cells. Dietary β-alanine increased the body weight of chickens following Eimeria maxima infection in the H-ALA group. Dietary β-alanine also suppressed cytokines and increased JAM-2 and occludin expression in the H-ALA group compared to the infected group without β-alanine supplementation. (4) Conclusions: These results strongly support the positive effects of dietary β-alanine on intestinal immune responses and gut barrier function in broiler chickens infected with Eimeria maxima.
Dietary Shift in a Barn Owl (Tyto alba) Population Following Partial Abandonment of Cultivated Fields (Central Apennine Hills, Italy)
Authors: Achille Gabriele , Gafta Dan , Szabó Csaba , Canzian Fadia , Polini Nazzareno
Published: September 2024

While most studies focused on the impact of intensive agriculture on the barn owl’s diet, little is known about the effect of cropland abandonment. We compared the taxon composition/evenness and feeding guild structure of small mammal prey identified in pellets collected before (2004) and after (2012) the abandonment of 9% of cultivated fields within a cultural landscape. Data on prey abundance per pellet were analysed through non-metric multidimensional scaling and permutational, paired tests. Prey taxon evenness in 2012 was significantly lower than in 2004. That induced a shift in prey taxon composition as indicated by the significantly lower dietary similarity compared with the random expectation. The increasing and declining abundance of Murinae and Crocidurinae, respectively, had the largest contribution to the differentiation of the diet spectrum. Insectivorous prey was significantly more abundant in 2004 compared to 2012, while the opposite was true for omnivorous prey. Our results suggest that even a small fraction of abandoned crops in the landscape might induce a detectable shift in the barn owl’s food niche. The dietary effects are similar to those observed after agricultural intensification, that is, an increase in the abundance of generalists to the detriment of specialist mammal prey.
Effects of Vitamin C on the Gonad Growth, Texture Traits, Collagen Content and Synthesis Related Gene Expression of Sea Urchin (Mesocentrotus nudus)
Authors: Liu Haijing , Gong Panke , Gou Dan , Cao Jiahao , Di Weixiao , Ding Jun , Chang Yaqing , Zuo Rantao
Published: September 2024

The market value of sea urchin gonads is determined by the specific characteristics associated with gonad size and texture. Formulated feeds can effectively promote the gonad growth of sea urchins but cannot assure essential gonad texture traits. The objective of this study was to investigate the impact of vitamin C (VC) on the gonad growth, texture, collagen content, and the expression of genes involved in the collagen synthesis of sea urchins (Mesocentrotus nudus). Graded amounts of VC (0, 3000 and 6000 mg/kg) were supplemented to make three formulated feeds. Fresh kelp (Saccharina japonica) was used as the control diet. Each diet was randomly distributed to three tanks of M. nudus. The results indicated that the gonadosomatic index (GSI) and texture traits of M. nudus fed C3000 were significantly greater than those fed C0 and C6000. Collagen type I (Col I) in the gonads of M. nudus fed C3000 showed significantly greater areas than those fed C0 and C6000. Consistently, the expression levels of collagen alpha-1 (colp1α) of M. nudus fed C3000 were significantly higher than those fed C0 and C6000. As for the transforming growth factor beta (tgf-β)/Smads pathway, the expression levels of collagen synthesis genes (tgf-β receptor 1 and 2, smad nuclear-interacting protein 1 (snip1) and prolyl 4-hydroxylase subunit beta (p4hβ)) in the C3000 group were significantly greater than those in the C0, C6000 and kelp groups. On the contrary, the expression levels of collagen degradation genes (lysyl oxidase-like 2 (loxl2) and matrix metalloproteinase 14 (mmp14)) in the C3000 group were significantly lower than those in the C0, C6000 and kelp groups. In conclusion, VC at an addition level of 3000 mg/kg significantly increased the gonad texture and collagen contents of M. nudus, which could be accomplished by increasing collagen synthesis and inhibiting collagen degradation through the tgf-β/Smads pathway. These results could contribute to better understanding the beneficial effects of VC addition on the gonad texture quality of M. nudus.
Relationship between Plasma and Saliva Urea Nitrogen Concentrations in New Zealand Red Deer Calves (Cervus elaphus)
Authors: Wilson E. , Fleming A. , Vollebregt M. , Gregorini P.
Published: September 2024

Red deer (Cervus elaphus), like other ruminants, excrete approximately 70% of the nitrogen they ingest. Developing ways in which to reduce the rate of loss, such as manipulating the diet or selecting for efficiency of growth, requires close monitoring of the plasma urea N (PUN) concentration which, in turn, requires a simple, safe, and reliable method for collecting samples. Saliva is easier to collect than blood, but the relationship between the salivary urea N (SUN) and the PUN is not known for red deer. This was therefore evaluated in two strains of mixed-sex red deer calves (Cervus elaphus): a phenotype with a high seasonality of growth (H, n = 10) and a phenotype with a low seasonality of growth (L, n = 13). Both phenotypes were divided into two groups, which were each offered one of two forage-based diets ad libitum: a medium-quality diverse treatment and a low-quality perennial ryegrass–white clover treatment. Blood and saliva samples for the determination of the PUN and SUN were collected at dawn every four weeks for five months (April to September 2022). There was a strong linear relationship between the PUN and SUN in the pooled sample (R2 = 0.65, p < 0.001). The estimations of the PUN were significantly improved by adding diet and the date of sampling into the model (p < 0.001), but not phenotype (p > 0.75). SUN represents a reliable index of the PUN, and collecting saliva therefore represents a simple and inexpensive alternative to collecting blood samples in studies of nitrogen metabolism in red deer.
Growth of Oncorhynchus mykiss (Rainbow Trout) through a Recirculation System in the Foothills of the Extreme North of Chile
Authors: Pepe-Victoriano Renzo , Pepe-Vargas Piera , Yañez-Valenzuela Moira , Aravena-Ambrosetti Héctor , Olivares-Cantillano Germán , Méndez-Abarca Felipe , Huanacuni Jordan I. , Méndez Sheda , Espinoza-Ramos Luis
Published: September 2024

Given the overexploitation of fisheries and the growing consumption of sea products, aquaculture is emerging as an alternative to meet the demand for protein at regional, national, and global levels. In northern Chile, the foothills of the Andes offer an opportunity for sustainable economic diversification. In this study, results of a rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss) culture in a recirculation system are presented, analyzing its growth and performance under altitude conditions. The research was carried out in Copaquilla, a small area in the foothills of northern Chile, 3000 m above sea level. Five thousand 15 g juvenile trout were acquired and transported by land from the Rio Blanco fish farm, successfully traveling more than 2100 km. During the 20-month-long culture, several growth parameters were evaluated, including specific growth rate, percentage of weight growth, feed conversion factor, survival, and Fulton’s condition factor. All these parameters were within the normal growth range for trout, evidencing good-quality growth of the organisms. The results offer evidence that rainbow trout farming at 3000 m above sea level is viable and presents a viable performance, opening new opportunities for aquaculture in northern Chile.
Real-World Clinical Characteristics and Outcomes with Daptomycin Use in Pediatric Patients: A Retrospective Case Series
Authors: Persha Hanna , Thacker Stephen A. , Hornback Krutika Mediwala , Alvira-Arill Gustavo R. , Lueking Richard , Morrisette Taylor
Published: September 2024

Introduction: Daptomycin (DAP) is a cyclic lipopeptide that exhibits potent in vitro activity against many drug-resistant gram-positive organisms, including methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) and vancomycin-resistant enterococci (VRE). Despite substantial reports evaluating the clinical outcomes of DAP within the adult population, real-world data are lacking in children. The primary goal of this evaluation was to describe the clinical characteristics and outcomes of DAP use in pediatric patients across a wide range of infections. Methods: This retrospective evaluation included patients < 18 years of age who were treated with DAP from January 2014 to May 2023. The primary objective was to evaluate the composite clinical success, which was defined as a 30-day survival, the lack of a 30-day microbiological recurrence, and the resolution of signs and symptoms of an acute infection without therapy modifications based on clinical failures. Secondary objectives included adverse effects potentially attributable to DAP and reasons for DAP utilization. Results: Forty patients were included, which were predominately male (62.5%) and white (52.5%), with a median age of 8.7 [IQR, 4.4–16.0] years. DAP was used for a wide range of infections, including central line-associated bloodstream infections (CLABSIs; 32.5%), infective endocarditis (15.0%), surgical-site infections (12.5%), and osteomyelitis (12.5%). The most common pathogen isolated was MRSA (37.5%), and most patients were bacteremic (60.0%). The median DAP dose was 8 [IQR, 6–10] mg/kg, and the median duration of the DAP therapy was 11.5 [IQR, 4.8–18.8] days. Most patients achieved composite clinical success (75.0%). An adverse effect occurred in 5.0% of the patients. DAP was prescribed the most for its ease of use/ability to facilitate discharge (40.0%) and/or for issues with alternative therapies (37.5%). Conclusion: Most pediatric patients that received DAP demonstrated clinical success with a low incidence of adverse effects. Larger, real-world studies of DAP use are necessary to further assess clinical outcomes.
Impact of the COVID-19 Pandemic on Inpatient Antibiotic and Antifungal Drug Prescribing Volumes in Germany
Authors: Kern Winfried V. , Steib-Bauert Michaela , Baumann Jürgen , Kramme Evelyn , Först Gesche , de With Katja
Published: September 2024

Background: Previous studies found that the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic had a variable impact on the consumption of antimicrobial drugs in human medicine, with trends in several European countries differing between community and inpatient prescribing. Aim: This study analysed changes in the volumes and use density of antibacterial and antifungal drugs dispensed in acute care hospitals in Germany between 2019 and 2022. Methods: Surveillance data for the four years available from 279 hospitals were expressed as the total volumes of daily doses or as use density (daily doses per 100 patient/occupied bed days) per year and analysed descriptively, using recommended hospital-adapted daily dose definitions (RDDs) and (as sensitivity analysis) WHO/ATC-defined daily dose definitions (DDD). Hospitals were stratified according to size (number of beds), university affiliation, and location (East, West, South). Results: There were significant decreases in both the total number of patient days and antibacterial drug volumes in 2020 through 2022 compared with 2019. The relative changes between 2019 and 2020, 2021, and 2022 were −12.8%, −13.5%, and −13.3% for patient days, and −9.7%, −11.0%, and −10.1% for antibacterial RDDs, respectively. Broad-spectrum betalactams, notably piperacillin–tazobactam and carbapenems, increased in volume, unlike most other drug classes. The resulting antibacterial drug use density was slightly but significantly increased, with pooled means (and medians) of 43.3 (40.0) RDD/100 in 2019 compared to 44.8 (41.7), 44.5 (40.80), and 44.9 (41.7) RDD/100 in the years 2020 through 2022, respectively. Antifungal drug volumes and use density increased after 2019 and peaked in 2021 (the difference between 2019 and 2021 for total volumes was +6.4%, and that for pooled mean use density values was +22.9%, respectively). These trends were similar in the different hospital strata and comparable when DDDs instead of RDDs were used. Conclusions: Similar to what has been observed in a majority of European countries, the total volume of antibacterial drug use in German acute care hospitals decreased with the pandemic, without a rebound phenomenon in 2022. In association with restricted hospital capacities and presumably more immunocompromised general medicine patients, however, inpatient prescribing of (primarily broad-spectrum) antibacterials and of antifungal drugs increased.
Caffeine: The Story beyond Oxygen-Induced Lung and Brain Injury in Neonatal Animal Models—A Narrative Review
Authors: Endesfelder Stefanie
Published: September 2024

Caffeine is one of the most commonly used drugs in intensive care to stimulate the respiratory control mechanisms of very preterm infants. Respiratory instability, due to the degree of immaturity at birth, results in apnea of prematurity (AOP), hyperoxic, hypoxic, and intermittent hypoxic episodes. Oxidative stress cannot be avoided as a direct reaction and leads to neurological developmental deficits and even a higher prevalence of respiratory diseases in the further development of premature infants. Due to the proven antioxidant effect of caffeine in early use, largely protective effects on clinical outcomes can be observed. This is also impressively observed in experimental studies of caffeine application in oxidative stress-adapted rodent models of damage to the developing brain and lungs. However, caffeine shows undesirable effects outside these oxygen toxicity injury models. This review shows the effects of caffeine in hyperoxic, hypoxic/hypoxic-ischemic, and intermittent hypoxic rodent injury models, but also the negative effects on the rodent organism when caffeine is administered without exogenous oxidative stress. The narrative analysis of caffeine benefits in cerebral and pulmonary preterm infant models supports protective caffeine use but should be given critical consideration when considering caffeine treatment beyond the recommended corrected gestational age.
Jaw Morphology and Factors Associated with Upper Impacted Canines: Case-Controlled Trial
Authors: Golez Aljaz , Vrcon Chris , Ovsenik Maja
Published: September 2024

Introduction and aim: Orthodontic treatment of impacted maxillary canines is challenging and expensive. This study investigated factors associated with impaction risk and the need for surgical exposure. Methods: Seventy-five participants of similar age, skeletal maturity, and gender (32 impacted canines, 43 controls) were included in the case-controlled trial. Three-dimensional study models were created (Trios 3, 3Shape), and panoramic radiographs were taken. The 3D digital models were measured using software to obtain morphological characteristics of the maxilla, such as maxillary surface area (mm2) and volume (mm3). Results: The impacted canine group displayed a significantly higher prevalence of deep bite (OR = 5.01), hypoplastic lateral incisors (OR = 5.47), and rotated adjacent teeth (OR = 3.56) compared to the control group. The impacted canine group exhibited a smaller maxillary surface area and volume. Within the impacted canine group, factors associated with a greater need for surgical exposure included the presence of a persistent deciduous canine (OR = 10.15), a palatal canine position (OR = 7.50), and a steeper canine angulation (p < 0.001). Conclusions: These findings suggest that several signs can serve as potential predictors of increased risk for maxillary canine impaction and the need for surgical intervention. Identifying these factors can aid in early diagnosis and treatment planning for improved patient outcomes.
Determination of Diffusion Coefficients of Bisphenol A (BPA) in Polyethylene Terephthalate (PET) to Estimate Migration of BPA from Recycled PET into Foods
Authors: Juric Mladen , Franz Roland , Welle Frank
Published: September 2024

Bisphenol A (BPA) is a known substance that is found in food contact materials as an intentionally added as well as a non-intentionally added substance. Traces of BPA were found as a non-intentionally added substance in recycled PET (rPET). In 2023, the EFSA proposed a new TDI of 0.0002 µg/kg bw/d, which is lower than the previous (temporary) TDI of 4 µg/kg bw/d by a factor of 20,000. The TDI of 0.0002 µg/kg bw/d would translate for a default 60 kg person eating one kilogram of food into a migration limit of 0.012 µg/kg in the food. This very low migration limit is a challenge to measuring BPA levels in food. A solution is to use migration modeling to establish maximum concentrations in rPET for different food contact applications. Precise diffusion coefficients for BPA in PET were determined within this study by use of migration kinetics. In June 2024, the European Commission proposed a new migration threshold limit for BPA of 1 µg/kg, which should be understood as a detection limit. From the results of this study, it can be concluded that a BPA concentration in the PET bottle wall of 297 mg/kg (3% acetic acid), 255 mg/kg (10% ethanol), and 192 mg/kg (20% ethanol) after storage for 365 d at 25 °C is in compliance with the migration threshold limit of 1 µg/kg. These maximum concentrations are far above the measured BPA concentrations on rPET bottles in Europe between 2019 and 2023. Therefore, the new proposed migration threshold limit for BPA cannot be exceeded.
The Effectiveness of Physical Activity Intervention at School on BMI and Body Composition in Overweight Children: A Pilot Study
Authors: Kolanowski Wojciech , Ługowska Katarzyna
Published: September 2024

(1) Background: Overweight children usually have lower levels of physical activity (PA) than their normal-weight peers. Low PA predisposes to an increase in body fat mass. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness of school-based PA intervention on the anthropometric indicators and body composition of overweight and obese children during a two-year observation period, from the age of 10 to 12. (2) Materials and methods: The research included 148 children with overweight or obesity who were born in 2007. There were two groups of children with standard and elevated PA at school (SPA and EPA; 4 and 10 h of physical education lessons a week, respectively). Anthropometric and body composition measurements were carried out. Body mass index (BMI), fat mass (FM), fat-free mass (FFM), skeletal muscle mass (SMM), and total body water (TBW) were estimated. In total, five measurements were conducted at intervals of 5–6 months. (3) Results: In EPA group, the percentage of obese children decreased from 46% to 35.25%, and in SPA group, this percentage increased from 42.75% to 46%. Only 3.33% of children in the standard PA group (one child) and 17.2% in the elevated PA group (six children) changed their BMI and FM categories from overweight to normal body mass. In EPA children, FM decreased from 28.65% to 26.41%, and in SPA children, it increased from 30.31% to 31.75%. The highest increase in FFM was in EPA boys, while SPA boys recorded the highest decrease. In SPA children, SMM increased by 0.43% from 38.85% to 39.28%, and in EPA children, it increased by 2.51% from 40.27% to 42.78%. In EPA children, TBW slightly increased from 53.26% to 53.59%, and in SPA children, it decreased from 50.70% to 49.93%. (4) Conclusions: Elevated PA at school has a positive effect on the BMI and body composition of children who are overweight or obese. Increasing the mandatory number of physical education lessons in school curricula is an efficient strategy for reducing obesity in school-aged children.
Skin Cancer Classification Using Fine-Tuned Transfer Learning of DENSENET-121
Authors: Bello Abayomi , Ng Sin-Chun , Leung Man-Fai
Published: September 2024

Skin cancer diagnosis greatly benefits from advanced machine learning techniques, particularly fine-tuned deep learning models. In our research, we explored the impact of traditional machine learning and fine-tuned deep learning approaches on prediction accuracy. Our findings reveal significant improvements in predictability and accuracy with fine-tuning, particularly evident in deep learning models. The CNN, SVM, and Random Forest Classifier achieved high accuracy. However, fine-tuned deep learning models such as EfficientNetB0, ResNet34, VGG16, Inception _v3, and DenseNet121 demonstrated superior performance. To ensure comparability, we fine-tuned these models by incorporating additional layers, including one flatten layer and three densely interconnected layers. These layers play a crucial role in enhancing model efficiency and performance. The flatten layer preprocesses multidimensional feature maps, facilitating efficient information flow, while subsequent dense layers refine feature representations, capturing intricate patterns and relationships within the data. Leveraging LeakyReLU activation functions in the dense layers mitigates the vanishing gradient problem and promotes stable training. Finally, the output dense layer with a sigmoid activation function simplifies decision making for healthcare professionals by providing binary classification output. Our study underscores the significance of incorporating additional layers in fine-tuned neural network models for skin cancer classification, offering improved accuracy and reliability in diagnosis.
Double-Exposure Algorithm: A Powerful Approach to Address the Accuracy Issues of Fractional Vegetation Extraction under Shadow Conditions
Authors: Li Jiajia , Chen Wei , Ying Tai , Yang Lan
Published: September 2024

When recording the vegetation distribution with a camera, shadows can form due to factors like camera angle and direct sunlight. These shadows result in the loss of pixel information and texture details, significantly reducing the accuracy of fractional vegetation coverage (FVC) extraction. To address this issue, this study proposes an efficient double-exposure algorithm. The method reconstructs the pixel information in shadow areas by fusing normal-exposure and overexposed images. This approach overcomes the limitations of the camera’s dynamic range in capturing pixel information in shadowed regions. The study evaluates images with five levels of overexposure combined with five vegetation extraction indices. The aim is to determine the best-performing double-exposure combination under shadow conditions and the most suitable vegetation index. Experimental results reveal that the R² value between the best vegetation index and the FVC calculated from the fused double-exposure images and the ground truth FVC increases from 0.750 to 0.969. The root mean square error (RMSE) reduces from 0.146 to 0.046, and the intersection over union (IOU) increases from 0.856 to 0.943. These results demonstrate the excellent vegetation extraction capability of the double-exposure algorithm under shadow conditions, offering a straightforward and effective solution to low accuracy of FVC in shadowed areas.