bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Emotion regulation moderates the association between COVID-19 stress and mental distress: findings on buffering, exacerbation, and gender differences in a cross-sectional study from Norway
Authors: Haver Annie , Krampe Henning , Danbolt Lars Johan , Stålsett Gry , Schnell Tatjana
Published: June 2023

Background

Maintaining good mental health is important during a crisis. However, little attention has been given to how people achieve this, or how they evaluate emotions associated with stressors, such as the COVID-19 pandemic. This study aims to (1) investigate whether emotion regulation, in particular cognitive reappraisal and suppression, moderates the relationship between COVID-19 stress and general mental distress and (2) examine gender differences in the interrelations between COVID-19 stress, emotion regulation, and mental distress.

Methods

Data from a population in Norway (n = 1.225) were collected using a cross-sectional survey during the early months of the COVID-19 pandemic. Emotion regulation was measured using the Emotion Regulation Questionnaire Scale (ERQ), COVID-19 stress with the COVID-19 Stress Scale, and mental distress with the Patient Health Questionnaire 4 (PHQ-4). Moderation analyses were conducted using the PROCESS macro for SPSS.

Results

There was a strong association between COVID-19 stress and general mental distress (r = 0.61). The moderation analyses showed substantial moderation effects of cognitive reappraisal and suppression on the relationship between COVID-19 stress and mental distress. Cognitive reappraisal served as a buffer (p = 0.001) and suppression (p = 0.002) exacerbated the relation between COVID-19 stress and mental distress. Men had higher scores of suppression (p < 0.001), and women had higher scores of cognitive reappraisal (p = 0.025). The buffering effect of cognitive reappraisal presented itself only in women (p < 0.001), while the exacerbation effect of suppression appeared only in men (p < 0.001).

Conclusion

The current study suggests that COVID-19 pandemic-related stress is easier to deal with for those who have the tendency to cognitively reappraise. In contrast, suppression is associated with symptoms of depression and anxiety. The prevention of mental distress can be supported by guiding people about the importance of using healthy emotion regulation strategies, as well as helping them to become more aware of the way they interpret and regulate their emotions. Gender differences in emotion regulation suggest gender awareness, e.g., tailored programs for men and women.
The nonlinearity of pupil diameter fluctuations in an insight task as criteria for detecting children who solve the problem from those who do not
Authors: Vásquez-Pinto Sebastián , Morales-Bader Diego , Cox Ralf F. A. , Munoz-Rubke Felipe , Castillo Ramón D.
Published: June 2023

Insights, characterized by sudden discoveries following unsuccessful problem-solving attempts, are fascinating phenomena. Dynamic systems perspectives argue that insight arises from self-organizing perceptual and motor processes. Entropy and fractal scaling are potential markers for emerging new and effective solutions. This study investigated whether specific features associated with self-organization in dynamical systems can distinguish between individuals who succeed and those who fail in solving insight tasks. To achieve this, we analyzed pupillary diameter fluctuations of children aged 6 to 12 during the 8-coin task, a well-established insight task. The participants were divided into two groups: successful (n = 24) and unsuccessful (n = 43) task completion. Entropy, determinism, recurrence ratio, and the β scaling exponent were estimated using Recurrence Quantification and Power Spectrum Density analyses. The results indicated that the solver group exhibited more significant uncertainty and lower predictability in pupillary diameter fluctuations before finding the solution. Recurrence Quantification Analysis revealed changes that went unnoticed by mean and standard deviation measures. However, the β scaling exponent did not differentiate between the two groups. These findings suggest that entropy and determinism in pupillary diameter fluctuations can identify early differences in problem-solving success. Further research is needed to determine the exclusive role of perceptual and motor activity in generating insights and investigate these results’ generalizability to other tasks and populations.
Spatial updating in virtual reality for reproducing object locations in vista space—Boundaries, landmarks, and idiothetic cues
Authors: Borodaeva Zhanna , Winkler Sven , Brade Jennifer , Klimant Philipp , Jahn Georg
Published: June 2023

Keeping track of locations across self-motion is possible by continuously updating spatial representations or by encoding and later instantaneously retrieving spatial representations. In virtual reality (VR), sensory cues to self-motion used in continuous updating are typically reduced. In passive translation compared to real walking in VR, optic flow is available but body-based (idiothetic) cues are missing. With both kinds of translation, boundaries and landmarks as static visual cues can be used for instantaneous updating. In two experiments, we let participants encode two target locations, one of which had to be reproduced by pointing after forward translation in immersive VR (HMD). We increased sensory cues to self-motion in comparison to passive translation either by strengthening optic flow or by real walking. Furthermore, we varied static visual cues in the form of boundaries and landmarks inside boundaries. Increased optic flow and real walking did not reliably increase performance suggesting that optic flow even in a sparse environment was sufficient for continuous updating or that merely instantaneous updating took place. Boundaries and landmarks, however, did support performance as quantified by decreased bias and increased precision, particularly if they were close to or even enclosed target locations. Thus, enriched spatial context is a viable method to support spatial updating in VR and synthetic environments (teleoperation). Spatial context does not only provide a static visual reference in offline updating and continuous allocentric self-location updating but also, according to recent neuroscientific evidence on egocentric bearing cells, contributes to continuous egocentric location updating as well.
Attained body mass index among children attending rural outdoor or urban conventional kindergartens
Authors: Larsen Sofus C. , Rohde Jeanett F. , Olsen Nanna J. , Østergaard Jane N. , Heitmann Berit L. , Specht Ina O.
Published: June 2023

Objective

This study aimed to examine whether children in rural outdoor kindergartens had attained a lower body mass index z-score (BMIz) and were at lower risk of overweight after school entrance compared to children in urban conventional kindergartens.

Methods

This is a longitudinal observational study of 1,544 children from outdoor kindergartens and 1,640 from conventional kindergartens. The mean age at kindergarten enrolment was 3.5 years (SD: 0.9) in the outdoor kindergartens and 3.6 years (SD: 1.0) in the conventional kindergartens. Anthropometry was measured after school entry by school health nurses when the children were 6 to 8 years old. Attained BMIz was included as the primary outcome. The risk of attaining overweight (including obesity) was included as a secondary outcome. Register-based information was available on potential confounding factors. Linear and logistic regression models were used to assess group differences in outcome measures.

Results

Our basic models, with information on outcome, kindergarten type, and birth weight showed a borderline statistically significantly lower attained BMIz (−0.07 [95% CI: −0.14, 0.00], P = 0.060) and a lower risk of overweight (adjusted risk ratio: 0.83 [95% CI: 0.72, 0.97], P = 0.016) among children attending outdoor kindergartens. However, when adjusting for sociodemographic factors and parental BMI, there was no evidence of differences in attained BMIz (P = 0.153) or overweight (P = 0.967).

Conclusion

When considering confounding factors, our findings indicate no differences in attained BMIz or risk of overweight after school entry among children attending rural outdoor kindergartens compared to those attending urban conventional kindergartens.
Validating the dual evolutionary foundations of political values in a US sample
Authors: Lavender Forsyth Guy A. , Chaudhuri Ananish , Atkinson Quentin Douglas
Published: June 2023

Psychological research repeatedly identifies two dimensions of political values. Recent work argues that these dimensions reflect the dual evolutionary foundations of human social and political life: a trade-off between cooperation and competition that generates differences in values about social inequality, and a trade-off in managing group coordination that generates differences in values about social control. Existing scales used to measure political values, however, were created prior to this framework. Here, we introduce the Dual Foundations Scale, designed to capture values about the two trade-offs. We validate the scale across two studies, showing it accurately and reliably measures both dimensions. Our results support key predictions of the dual foundations framework and pave the way for future work on the foundations of political ideology.
High-risk children and social isolation: the importance of family functioning
Authors: Vieira Maria Fernanda , Méio Maria Dalva Barbosa Baker , Reis Ana Beatriz Rodrigues , Villela Letícia Duarte , de Rodrigues Maura Calixto Cecherelli , de Almeida Di Maio Ferreira Fátima Cristiane Pinho , de Paula Barros Letícia Baptista , Costa Roozeméria Pereira , Menezes Elaine Rego , Campos Camila Oliveira , Moreira Maria Elisabeth Lopes , Gomes-Junior Saint Clair S.
Published: June 2023

High-risk newborns are exposed to neonatal conditions such as prematurity, very low birth weight, and congenital malformations that can affect development and behavior. Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) restraint and control measures have been identified as important stressor events and cumulative risk factors for behavioral changes in these children. This study examined social isolation-related factors that contribute to internalizing and externalizing behavior problems in children already at risk for neurodevelopmental disorders. This cross-sectional, multicenter study included 113 children (18 months to 9 years) who were followed in reference services for neonatal follow-up in tertiary units of the public health system in the city of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Behavior was assessed using the child behavior checklist, and a structured questionnaire was used to assess sociodemographic aspects. In the bivariate analysis, prematurity was associated with externalizing problems and change in eating habits with internalizing problems. The logistic model indicated that both parents having completed high school and both sharing care of the child were protective factors for behavioral problems; however, reports of sleep problems and living with another child were risk factors. In conclusion, the study identified internalizing and externalizing behavior problems related to prematurity and aspects of family structure and routine in children at risk. The findings confirm the importance of family functioning for child health and family-centered interventions.
Differences among fathers, mothers, and teachers in symptom assessment of ADHD patients
Authors: Huang Xia , Li Hui-Qin , Simpson Alan , Xu Jia-Jun , Tang Wan-Jie , Li Yuan-Yuan
Published: June 2023

Background

The Swanson Nolan, and Pelham scale version IV (SNAP-IV) is the most critical tool for ADHD screening and diagnosis, which has two scoring methods. ADHD requires symptom assessment in multiple scenarios, and parent and teacher reports are indispensable for diagnosing ADHD. But the differences of assessment results from fathers, mothers and teachers, and the consistency of results from different scoring methods are unknown. Therefore, we carried out this study to understand the differences in the scores of fathers, mothers and teachers using SNAP-IV for children with ADHD and to explore the differences in scoring results under different scoring methods.

Methods

The SNAP-IV scale and Demographics Questionnaire and Familiarity Index were used to survey fathers, mothers and head teachers. Measurement data are expressed as the mean ± standard deviation (x ± s). The enumeration data were described by frequency and percentage. ANOVA was used to compare group differences in mothers’, fathers’, and teachers’ mean SNAP-IV scores. The Bonferroni method was used for post hoc multiple comparison tests. Cochran’s Q test was used to compare the differences in the abnormal rate of SNAP-IV score results of mothers, fathers and teachers. Dunn’s test was used for post hoc multiple comparison tests.

Results

There were differences in scores among the three groups, and the differences showed inconsistent trends across the different subscales. Differences between groups were calculated again with familiarity as a control variable. The results showed the familiarity of parents and teachers with the patients did not affect the differences in their scores. The evaluation results were different under two assessment methods.

Conclusion

Results concluded that fathers did not appear to be an appropriate candidate for evaluation. When using the SNAP-V for assessment, it should be comprehensively considered from both the scorer and symptom dimensions.
Association between bone mineral density and cardiovascular disease in older adults
Authors: Yang Yulu , Huang Yun
Published: June 2023

Background and aims

Cardiovascular disease and osteoporosis are common diseases in older adults with high morbidity. The study on the interaction between the two in pathogenic mechanisms has been paid much attention by the majority of researchers. This study aimed to explore the relationship between bone mineral density and cardiovascular disease in older adults.

Methods

The primary data was downloaded from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey database of the United States. Multivariate logistic regression model, generalized additive model, and smooth curve fitting were used to explore the relationship between bone mineral density and cardiovascular events risk. When a curve relationship was found, a two-piecewise linear model was used to calculate the inflection point. In addition, subgroup analysis was also performed.

Results

A total of 2097 subjects were included in this study. After adjusting for potential confounders, no significant association was found between lumbar bone mineral density and cardiovascular disease, while femur bone mineral density had a non-linear relationship with cardiovascular disease, with an inflection point of 0.741 gm/cm2. When bone mineral density was <0.741 gm/cm2, the risk of cardiovascular disease decreased speedily. Once bone mineral density exceeded this value, the risk of cardiovascular disease continued to decrease, but the trend became significantly slower. Compared with patients with normal bone mass, osteoporosis was associated with a 2.05-fold increased risk of cardiovascular disease (95% CI 1.68–5.52). There were no significant differences in interaction tests of all subgroups (p for interaction >0.05) except race.

Conclusion

Our results indicated that bone mineral density was closely associated with the prevalence of cardiovascular disease in older adults over 60 years old, especially the femur bone mineral density was negatively non-linear associated with cardiovascular disease risk, with an inflection point of 0.741 gm/cm2.
Impact of the teach-back method on caregiver outcomes using the “Timing it Right” framework for hemodialysis patients
Authors: Huang Jing , Lin Xiutian , Xiong Dailan , Huang Kaiwei , Luo Xiaofei , Lin Qinwen , Li Min , Zhang Ping
Published: June 2023

Background

The caregivers play vital roles in the health care of hemodialysis patients. Ineffective education strategy for the caregivers negatively affects the care ability of caregivers. This study aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of the teach-back method based on the “Timing it Right” framework on the caregivers’ care ability, emotions and health-related quality of life for hemodialysis patients.

Methods

The study involved 78 caregivers of 78 hemodialysis patients. Participants in the control group received routine nursing care and traditional oral health education, while those in the intervention group received health education through the teach-back method based on the “Timing it Right” framework. All participants were followed for 6 months. The degree of anxiety and depression of caregivers was evaluated through the Self-rating Anxiety Scale (SAS) and Self-Rating Depression Scale (SDS), respectively. The care ability of caregivers was assessed by the Family Caregiver Task Inventory (FCTI). The health-related quality of life of hemodialysis patients was evaluated using the 36-item Short Form Health Survey (SF-36).

Results

Compared to baseline (T0), the SAS, SDS and FCTI scores of the intervention group were significantly reduced at the time of discharge (T1), three (T2) and 6 months (T3) (all p < 0.001). Besides, at T1, T2, and T3, the FCTI scores of the intervention group were significantly lower than that in control group (all p < 0.001). The SAS and SDS scores were also significantly lower in the intervention group at T1, T2, and T3 compared to the control group (all p < 0.001). For SF-36 scores, all domains of the intervention group were significantly higher than those of the control group at T1, T2 and T3, including physical functioning (p < 0.001), role physical (p = 0.007), bodily pain (p < 0.001), general health (p = 0.002), vitality (p = 0.043), social functioning (p = 0.016), role emotional (p = 0.002), and mental health(p = 0.025).

Conclusion

The application of teach-back method based on the “Timing it Right” framework could obviously alleviate the anxiety and depression of caregivers for hemodialysis patients. Furthermore, it could significantly improve the care ability of caregivers and the quality of life of patients.
Major depressive disorder in post-secondary students attending foodbanks in France
Authors: Rambliere Lison , Leservoisier Clémentine , Bedo Ysé , Macalli Melissa , Lebugle Amandine , Douay Caroline , Guénée Lorraine
Published: June 2023

Introduction

Poor mental health among youth is a major public health issue that has risen to the forefront since the COVID-19 crisis, especially among post-secondary students and precarious populations. The objectives of this work were to evaluate the rate of major depressive disorder (MDD) among precarious post-secondary students in the greater Paris region, to describe its risk factors, and to identify determinants for not seeking care.

Methods

We conducted a multi-site, cross-sectional survey of post-secondary students attending a selection of 13 student foodbanks in the greater Paris region (France) between 30 November 2021 and 27 January 2022. This study had two complementary epidemiological and sociological components: a quantitative description of MDD through completion of a questionnaire performed through face-to-face or telephone interviews, and a qualitative assessment of the factors underlying MDD through in-depth follow-up interviews conducted among a sub-selection of students who participated in the first phase.

Results

Among 456 students who participated in our survey, 35.7% presented with MDD. The risk of suffering from MDD was higher among women, students housed by third-parties, students reporting moderately to severely hungry and/or poor physical health. Students receiving material and/or social support were less likely to present with MDD. Among students who reported needing health care in the last year or since their arrival in France, 51.4% did not seek care.

Conclusion

To address poor mental health among precarious students, policy action must jointly consider financial precarity, administrative barriers, housing, food security, physical health, and access to health services, especially mental health.
Effects of social confinement during the first wave of COVID-19 in Mexico City
Authors: Segura-García Stephany , Barrera-Ramírez Ameyalli , Gutiérrez-Esparza Guadalupe O. , Groves-Miralrio Elizabeth , Martínez-García Mireya , Hernández-Lemus Enrique
Published: June 2023

Background

The COVID-19 pandemic led to global social confinement that had a significant impact on people's lives. This includes changes such as increased loneliness and isolation, changes in sleep patterns and social habits, increased substance use and domestic violence, and decreased physical activities. In some cases, it has increased mental health problems, such as anxiety, depression, and post-traumatic stress disorder.

Objective

The objective of this study is to analyze the living conditions that arose during social confinement in the first wave of COVID-19 within a group of volunteers in Mexico City.

Methods

This is a descriptive and cross-sectional analysis of the experiences of volunteers during social confinement from 20 March 2020 to 20 December 2020. The study analyzes the impact of confinement on family life, work, mental health, physical activity, social life, and domestic violence. A maximum likelihood generalized linear model is used to determine the association between domestic violence and demographic and health-related factors.

Results

The findings indicate that social confinement had a significant impact on the participants, resulting in difficulties within families and vulnerable conditions for individuals. Gender and social level differences were observed in work and mental health. Physical activity and social life were also modified. We found that suffering from domestic violence was significantly associated with being unmarried (OR = 1.4454, p-value = 0.0479), lack of self-care in feeding habits (OR = 2.3159, p-value = 0.0084), and most notably, having suffered from a symptomatic COVID-19 infection (OR = 4.0099, p-value = 0.0009). Despite public policy to support vulnerable populations during confinement, only a small proportion of the studied population reported benefiting from it, suggesting areas for improvement in policy.

Conclusion

The findings of this study suggest that social confinement during the COVID-19 pandemic had a significant impact on the living conditions of people in Mexico City. Modified circumstances on families and individuals, included increased domestic violence. The results can inform policy decisions to improve the living conditions of vulnerable populations during times of social confinement.
Development of a portable device to quantify hepatic steatosis in potential donor livers
Authors: Klinkachorn Mac , Tsoi-A-Sue Christian , Narayan Raja R. , Kadri Haaris , Tam Taylor , Melcher Marc L.
Published: June 2023

An accurate estimation of liver fat content is necessary to predict how a donated liver will function after transplantation. Currently, a pathologist needs to be available at all hours of the day, even at remote hospitals, when an organ donor is procured. Even among expert pathologists, the estimation of liver fat content is operator-dependent. Here we describe the development of a low-cost, end-to-end artificial intelligence platform to evaluate liver fat content on a donor liver biopsy slide in real-time. The hardware includes a high-resolution camera, display, and GPU to acquire and process donor liver biopsy slides. A deep learning model was trained to label and quantify fat globules in liver tissue. The algorithm was deployed on the device to enable real-time quantification and characterization of fat content for transplant decision-making. This information is displayed on the device and can also be sent to a cloud platform for further analysis.
Evaluating deep learning architecture and data assimilation for improving water temperature forecasts at unmonitored locations
Authors: Zwart Jacob A. , Diaz Jeremy , Hamshaw Scott , Oliver Samantha , Ross Jesse C. , Sleckman Margaux , Appling Alison P. , Corson-Dosch Hayley , Jia Xiaowei , Read Jordan , Sadler Jeffrey , Thompson Theodore , Watkins David , White Elaheh
Published: June 2023

Deep learning (DL) models are increasingly used to forecast water quality variables for use in decision making. Ingesting recent observations of the forecasted variable has been shown to greatly increase model performance at monitored locations; however, observations are not collected at all locations, and methods are not yet well developed for DL models for optimally ingesting recent observations from other sites to inform focal sites. In this paper, we evaluate two different DL model structures, a long short-term memory neural network (LSTM) and a recurrent graph convolutional neural network (RGCN), both with and without data assimilation for forecasting daily maximum stream temperature 7 days into the future at monitored and unmonitored locations in a 70-segment stream network. All our DL models performed well when forecasting stream temperature as the root mean squared error (RMSE) across all models ranged from 2.03 to 2.11°C for 1-day lead times in the validation period, with substantially better performance at gaged locations (RMSE = 1.45–1.52°C) compared to ungaged locations (RMSE = 3.18–3.27°C). Forecast uncertainty characterization was near-perfect for gaged locations but all DL models were overconfident (i.e., uncertainty bounds too narrow) for ungaged locations. Our results show that the RGCN with data assimilation performed best for ungaged locations and especially at higher temperatures (>18°C) which is important for management decisions in our study location. This indicates that the networked model structure and data assimilation techniques may help borrow information from nearby monitored sites to improve forecasts at unmonitored locations. Results from this study can help guide DL modeling decisions when forecasting other important environmental variables.
How Long Is a Note? Simple Experiments to Understand Sound
Authors: Curati Naomi , Hart Caryl , Memoli Gianluca
Published: June 2023

What is sound? How does it move? What exactly are the characteristics of sound, like amplitude and pitch? In this introduction to the World of Sound, we present several simple experiments you can do at home, that can help young readers like yourself to find the answers. Find a coat hanger, a slinky, a flowerpot, and your favorite grown-up assistant...and get started!
Simulated effects of climate change on green gram production in Kitui County, Kenya
Authors: Mugo Jane Wangui , Opijah Franklin J. , Ngaina Joshua , Karanja Faith , Mburu Mary
Published: June 2023

This study purposed to evaluate the impact of climate change on green gram yield, biomass and days to maturity under the baseline and future climate scenarios in Kitui County, Kenya. A field experiment was conducted during the March–April–May (MAM) and October–November–December (OND) planting seasons of 2018 and 2019 in the South Eastern Kenya University (SEKU) farm. Data on soil physical and chemical properties, daily climate data on rainfall, maximum and minimum temperature, and solar radiation, and green gram phenology dates were collected from the site and used in the calibration and validation of the APSIM model for four varieties of green gram, namely Biashara, Tosha, N26, and KS20 varieties. The calibrated green gram model captured the observed yield, biomass and days to maturity of the four varieties of green gram well. The calibrated green gram model was used to simulate the effects of climate change using daily climate data from an equal-weight ensemble of the nine CORDEX RCA4 models under the baseline scenario (1971 to 2000), and the future RCP 4.5 and 8.5 scenarios (2021 to 2050). During the MAM and OND seasons, a statistically significant decline in yield, biomass, and days to maturity is expected under both the RCP 4.5 and RCP 8.5 scenarios. The high variability in rainfall amount under both the RCP 4.5 and RCP 8.5 scenarios will translate to a lower yield and biomass. The increase in temperature under both the RCP 4.5 and RCP 8.5 scenarios will reduce the days to maturity for green grams in Kitui County. A decline in green gram yield is expected under future climate scenarios in one of the highly suitable zones for Kitui County, Kenya. Given that the government aims to revive farming in the ASALs by promoting climate-smart agriculture through planting drought-resistance crops, there is a need to develop green gram varieties which are more tolerant to the expected change in climate.
The relevance of livestock husbandry in the context of food security: a bibliometric outlook of research studies from 1938 to 2020
Authors: Idamokoro Emrobowansan Monday
Published: June 2023

The present study aimed to report knowledge-based outcomes on global studies of livestock farming as a tool to address food security, while considering the recurring problems caused by malnutrition and hunger among vulnerable persons, especially in developing countries. A total of 2,012 scientific peer-reviewed studies were retrieved in BibTeX design for analysis using bibliometric collections in R studio software. The results obtained from the software included among others, authors, keywords plus, citations, collaborations, affiliations, journals, countries impact and key words. Published peer-reviewed discoveries on livestock husbandry as related to food security gathered from Scopus and the Web of Science (WOS) databanks were used, with a yearly rise in knowledge-based research of 15.04% during the timespan of the investigation. The results of the investigation revealed that the United States was ranked first with an aggregate of 236 publications [including Single Country Publications (SCP) = 225 and Multiple Country Publications (MCP) = 11] and had a huge international scientific effect with the highest article citations (n = 9,138). The most frequently used authors’ keywords in the present research niche area were food security (n = 475), livestock (n = 123), agriculture (n = 100), climate change (n = 99), sustainability (n = 55), cattle (n = 40), and nutrition (n = 37), which gave a clear direction for the related research studies regarding how livestock production can be used to enhance food security. The study in consideration presented an international picture that addresses the pool of knowledge-based, peer-reviewed findings of livestock production research and its significance to food security, while providing a clue regarding further investigations in this research niche area. It is of high essence to emphasise that the current findings solely focused on prime areas of livestock production as related to food security research; thus, it is anticipated that novel empirical research work and potential scientific findings will provide novel understanding and precision to livestock husbandry as a possible instrument to tackle the challenges of food security as new discoveries emerges.
Retrograde mesenteric perfusion from the deep femoral artery in a patient with a recurrent anastomotic aneurysm in the groin: a case report
Authors: Geng Benoit , Menth Markus , Widmer Lucien , Egger Bernhard , Psathas Emmanouil
Published: June 2023

In patients with atherosclerotic disease in two of the three main vessels in the splanchnic circulation, symptoms of chronic mesenteric ischemia may arise, depending on the disease chronicity and the presence of mesenteric collateral pathways. The most commonly described collateral pathways are between the celiac artery (CA), superior mesenteric artery (SMA), and inferior mesenteric artery (IMA); and between the IMA and the internal iliac artery (IIA). Another collateral network between the deep femoral artery and the IIA can also become important, especially in patients with aorto-iliac occlusion. Here we report a patient with a symptomatic anastomotic aneurysm of the right femoral artery after a previous aorto-bi-femoral bypass. This patient’s bowel viability relied on a well-developed collateral network from the ipsilateral deep femoral artery. This unusual anatomy required special surgical considerations and planning, to minimize the risk of perioperative mesenteric ischemia. During open repair, distal femoral debranching with a distal-to-proximal anastomotic sequence allowed minimizing of the ischemic time, and avoidance of potential ischemic complications from the visceral circulation. This case emphasizes the importance and benefit of the deep femoral artery and its collaterals as a reserve network of the splanchnic circulation. Favorable outcomes can be achieved with careful analysis of the preoperative imaging and proper planning, with adaptation of the surgical strategy.
Peripheral Blood Immune Cell Composition After Autologous MSC Infusion in Kidney Transplantation Recipients
Authors: Hendriks Sanne H. , Heidt Sebastiaan , Schulz Axel R. , de Fijter Johan W. , Reinders Marlies E. J. , Koning Frits , van Kooten Cees
Published: June 2023

Tacrolimus is the backbone of immunosuppressive agents to prevent transplant rejection. Paradoxically, tacrolimus is nephrotoxic, causing irreversible tubulointerstitial damage. Therefore, infusion of mesenchymal stromal cells (MSC) 6 and 7 weeks post-transplantation was assessed to facilitate withdrawal of tacrolimus in the randomized phase II TRITON trial. Here, we performed detailed analysis of the peripheral blood immune composition using mass cytometry to assess potential effects of MSC therapy on the immune system. We developed two metal-conjugated antibody panels containing 40 antibodies each. PBMC samples from 21 MSC-treated patients and 13 controls, obtained pre-transplant and at 24 and 52 weeks post-transplantation, were analyzed. In the MSC group at 24 weeks, 17 CD4+ T cell clusters were increased of which 14 Th2-like clusters and three Th1/Th2-like clusters, as well as CD4+FoxP3+ Tregs. Additionally, five B cell clusters were increased, representing either class switched memory B cells or proliferating B cells. At 52 weeks, CCR7+CD38+ mature B cells were decreased. Finally, eight Tc1 (effector) memory cytotoxic T cell clusters were increased. Our work provides a comprehensive account of the peripheral blood immune cell composition in kidney transplant recipients after MSC therapy and tacrolimus withdrawal. These results may help improving therapeutic strategies using MSCs with the aim to reduce the use of calcineurin inhibitors.

Clinical Trial Registration: ClinicalTrials.gov, identifier NCT02057965.
Closing the Science Comprehension Achievement Gap Through the Use of an Extension Youth Development Science Comprehension Model
Authors: Skelton Peter , Dormody Tom , Lewis Margaret
Published: June 2023

Improving youth science comprehension is critical to youth development, yet this intended outcome is often overlooked in terms of how Extension programs are delivered. The purpose of the study reported in this article was to determine through the assessment of potential student growth whether applying features of a youth science comprehension model to an Extension youth development program targeting underserved middle-school youths led to improved student academic achievement. Program delivery incorporating key features of the model resulted in improved scores for youths performing at or below grade level. These results suggest that the model offers a promising tool for improving youth science comprehension through Extension programming.
Southern Foresters' Perceptions of Climate Change: Implications for Educational Program Development
Authors: Boby Leslie , Hubbard William , Megalos Mark , Morris Hilary , Brody Barbara , Hosty Maureen , Northway Shanna
Published: June 2023

An understanding of foresters' perceptions of climate change is important for developing effective educational programs on adaptive forest management. We surveyed 1,398 foresters in the southern United States regarding their perceptions of climate change, observations and concerns about climatic and forest conditions, and knowledge of and interest in resilient forest management techniques and climate science. A majority (61%) agreed that climate change is occurring, and 14% agreed that it is caused by humans. Most respondents were interested in learning more about forest resilience and related concepts. Development of programming focused on managing for forest resilience in a changing climate is a prudent educational approach that builds on familiar risk-management strategies.
Web-Based Geographic Information Systems: Experience and Perspectives of Planners and the Implications for Extension
Authors: Göçmen Asligül
Published: June 2023

Web-based geographic information system (GIS) technology, or web-based GIS, offers many opportunities for public planners and Extension educators who have limited GIS backgrounds or resources. However, investigation of its use in planning has been limited. The study described here examined the use of web-based GIS by public planning agencies. A 2013 web-based survey of 274 public planning agency staff throughout Wisconsin revealed that use of web-based GIS for planning tasks lags behind use of software-based GIS and that agency use is hampered by a number of barriers. The findings suggest that Extension professionals can help practitioners become more familiar and proficient with web-based GIS applications.
Development of a Health Survey Instrument for 5- to 8-Year-Old Youths
Authors: Neelon Marisa , Brian Kelley , Iaccopucci Anne , Lewis Kendra , Worker Steven
Published: June 2023

Measuring program outcomes is required for documenting effectiveness of interventions with youths participating in programs funded through the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Children, Youth, and Families at Risk (CYFAR) initiative. The California CYFAR program provided programming for youths aged 5–8, which necessitated the development of an age-appropriate survey measure. Evaluating younger youths to assess healthful living outcomes is challenging, especially with youths in kindergarten through second grade. This article addresses development and testing of the measure and resultant lessons learned. Recommendations for developing an evaluation survey for younger youths are provided.
Increasing the Capacity of Social Media to Extend Your Outreach
Authors: Brinkman Patricia , Kinsey Joanne , Henneman Alice
Published: June 2023

To increase audience size and maximize use of Extension materials and information, Extension professionals can capitalize on the potential of social media. They can broaden their use of social media beyond what is familiar to sites they have not used previously. They can expand the functionality of social media sites they use by adding share and follow buttons, inserting widgets, and embedding videos and slides. And they can increase traffic to sources of Extension information by linking from wherever possible to Extension materials on social media sites and elsewhere online. Use of the tips provided in this article can result in thousands of additional exposures to Extension materials.
Organizational Capacity Survey: Capturing an Extension System's Current State and Pinpointing Areas for Improvement
Authors: Peterson Donna , Downey Laura
Published: June 2023

An organizational capacity survey (OCS) can reveal gaps in what an organization is doing and what an organization's employees feel the organization should be doing. Mississippi State University (MSU) Extension conducted an OCS to assess perceptions of MSU Extension's vision and commitment, plan of work, working relationships, diversity and pluralism, public value, personnel knowledge and expertise, and training needs. Questions were designed to measure perceptions of how MSU Extension is currently and how it should be ideally. This design allowed discrepancy scores to be calculated to identify areas in which capacity development was needed or desired that could then be addressed through state-based professional development.
What Influences Farmers to Use Farm Safety and Health Information?
Authors: Burgus Shari , Duysen Ellen , Wendl Mary
Published: June 2023

Farm safety and health outreach professionals can more effectively develop, design, package, and deliver pertinent educational messages if they understand farmers' preferences regarding how such messages are presented. Farmers were surveyed about what influences their use of safety and health educational resources. Responses indicated farmers' preferences and perceptions related to wording, images, elements that encourage or discourage use of materials, and lengths of resources. Among the significant results were findings that images reflective of farm operations similar to their own and nontechnical terminology would increase farmers' use of resources. Results provide Extension educators with research-based data that can guide their preparation of impactful farm safety and health materials.
Baby Animal Days: An Innovative Approach to Funding and Marketing Urban Extension Programs
Authors: Smith Justen , Goodspeed Jerry , Gunnell JayDee , Olsen Shawn
Published: June 2023

Extension in urban areas can suffer from a lack of exposure in addition to a lack of funding for programs. Baby Animal Days is a 2-day event created to educate the public about agriculture while generating much-needed revenue and providing powerful marketing for Extension. Attendance at the event continues to grow, with more than 8,000 people attending annually in recent years. Results from a formal survey completed in 2015 show a high positive response to all aspects of the event.
Capitalizing on Multidimensionality in Survey Instruments to Ensure Delivery of Relevant Extension Programming
Authors: Romich Eric
Published: June 2023

At a time when resources are dwindling, Extension must capitalize on the potential of multidimensionality in survey instruments. A research project on wind energy development in Ohio involved a survey instrument that assessed the attitudes and opinions of community members, thereby meeting the needs of local stakeholders. However, responses to a set of peripheral questions on the survey also revealed gaps in community members' knowledge related to wind energy development. This article addresses data resulting from the three peripheral survey questions, the data analysis methods that yielded background for future Extension programming, and the importance of using a survey instrument to achieve multiple goals.
Assessing Public Issues Knowledge and Needs of Extension Agents in Florida
Authors: Gay Keegan , Owens Courtney , Lamm Alexa , Rumble Joy
Published: June 2023

It has been argued that to remain relevant in today's society, Extension must expand its role to provide public issues education. We conducted a web-based survey to determine whether Extension agents in Florida were prepared to deal with contentious issues. Survey respondents identified issues affecting their clientele, levels of frequency with which they addressed the issues, and self-perceived levels of knowledge related to the issues. Results were analyzed by agent type (i.e., programmatic area). Results revealed that the issues of immigration, crop diseases, and food security held particular potential for improvement.
Climate-Related Risks and Management Issues Facing Agriculture in the Southeast: Interviews with Extension Professionals
Authors: Diehl David , Sloan Nicole , Garcia Elder , Gonzalez Sebastian , Dourte Daniel , Fraisse Clyde
Published: June 2023

To explore Extension professionals' perceptions of the potential impact of climate variability and climate change on agriculture and to identify the top climate-related issues facing farmers, we conducted interviews with agricultural Extension personnel from Alabama, Florida, Georgia, and South Carolina. Of those interviewed, 92% believed climate change will affect agriculture a moderate amount or a great deal. Qualitative analyses revealed that the Extension professionals considered scarcity of water resources, temperature fluctuations, pest and disease pressures, forecast challenges, seasonal variability, and adaptation strategies as among the most important climate-related issues affecting agriculture in the Southeast.
Tools for Using Citizen Science in Environmental, Agricultural, and Natural Resources Extension Programs
Authors: Snyder Kathryn
Published: June 2023

Citizen science is quickly becoming a valuable tool in the Extension professional's tool kit. This is the case whether you are a 4-H agent looking to involve youth in agriscience and agriculture-related science, technology, engineering, and math experiential learning activities or an agriculture and natural resources agent seeking to help stakeholders in your county or scientific community connect to address issues. This article outlines a number of existing resources within and outside Extension to support agents, professional researchers, and communities in coming together to understand, and ultimately improve, the state of their environment.
Twitter Chats: Connect, Foster, and Engage Internal Extension Networks
Authors: Seger Jamie , Hill Paul , Stafne Eric , Swadley Emy
Published: June 2023

The eXtension Educational Technology Learning Network (EdTechLN) has found Twitter to be an effective form of informal communication for routinely engaging network members. Twitter chats provide Extension professionals an opportunity to reach and engage one other. As the EdTechLN's experimentation with Twitter chats has demonstrated, the use of this technology can be a worthwhile method of engagement if suitable for the intended audience.
Shark Bite Meetings for Creative Program Planning
Authors: Pellien Tamara , Yergeau Steven
Published: June 2023

The strength of Cooperative Extension lies in the breadth of knowledge and experience of its faculty and staff. Yet those working in Extension can get so bogged down by the weight of this knowledge and become so focused on details, ownership, and process that it can be hard to respond to emerging needs or work effectively as a group. "Shark bite" meetings limit the time demands typically associated with face-to-face, agenda-based meetings while maximizing the creativity and involvement of collaborating participants. Adding structure to fast-paced, collaborative, program-centered meetings allows participants to efficiently brainstorm, consider workload and program fit, and assign roles and outcomes, working toward the ultimate goal of building innovative programs that address emergent issues.
Show Me the Money: Impact of County Funding on Retention Rates for Extension Educators
Authors: Feldhues Katherine , Tanner Timothy
Published: June 2023

Extension administrators contemplating the challenge of employee turnover should consider potential motivation factors. Through the lens of Herzberg's motivation-hygiene theory, we explored the relationship between financial uncertainty and employee turnover in Ohio State University Extension. The Human Resources department and Business Office of the university's College of Food, Agricultural, and Environmental Sciences provided raw data sets for the 2005–2014 study period. Through regression analyses and the use of descriptive statistics, we clarified aspects of the relationship between county funding challenges and employee turnover. Extension administration needs to proactively strengthen county funding streams and reduce the impact of funding disruptions to lessen the potential of employee turnover.
Extension Wellness Ambassadors: Individual Effects of Participation in a Health-Focused Master Volunteer Program
Authors: Washburn Lisa , Traywick LaVona , Copeland Lauren , Vincent Jessica
Published: June 2023

We present findings from a pilot implementation of the Extension Wellness Ambassador Program, a health-focused master volunteer program, and briefly describe the program approach and purpose. Program participants received 40 hr of training and completed assessments of self-efficacy, physical activity, and functional fitness at baseline and 3-month follow-up. Paired-samples t-tests showed significant positive changes in mean for general self-efficacy, self-efficacy for practicing health behaviors, physical activity, and nearly all functional fitness measures. Our findings demonstrate that participation in a health-focused master volunteer program can positively influence participants' lifestyle behaviors as they work to improve health and quality of life in their communities.