bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Exploring stachydrine: from natural occurrence to biological activities and metabolic pathways
Authors: He Zekun , Li Peng , Liu Pan , Xu Ping
Published: August 2024

Stachydrine, also known as proline betaine, is a prominent constituent of traditional Chinese herb Leonurus japonicus, renowned for its significant pharmacological effects. Widely distributed in plants like Leonurus and Citrus aurantium, as well as various bacteria, stachydrine serves pivotal physiological functions across animal, plant, and bacterial kingdoms. This review aims to summarizes diverse roles and mechanisms of stachydrine in addressing cardiovascular and cerebrovascular diseases, neuroprotection, anticancer activity, uterine regulation, anti-inflammatory response, obesity management, and respiratory ailments. Notably, stachydrine exhibits cardioprotective effects via multiple pathways encompassing anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, anti-apoptotic, and modulation of calcium handling functions. Furthermore, its anti-cancer properties inhibit proliferation and migration of numerous cancer cell types. With a bi-directional regulatory effect on uterine function, stachydrine holds promise for obstetrics and gynecology-related disorders. In plants, stachydrine serves as a secondary metabolite, contributing to osmotic pressure regulation, nitrogen fixation, pest resistance, and stress response. Similarly, in bacteria, it plays a crucial osmoprotective role, facilitating adaptation to high osmotic pressure environments. This review also addresses ongoing research on the anabolic metabolism of stachydrine. While the biosynthetic pathway remains incompletely understood, the metabolic pathway is well-established. A deeper understanding of stachydrine biosynthesis holds significance for elucidating its mechanism of action, advancing the study of plant secondary metabolism, enhancing drug quality control, and fostering new drug development endeavors.
Addressing the links between and internal vs. external regulation factors, achievement emotions and gender in problematic use of ICT at university
Authors: de la Fuente Jesús , Lecuona-López Leyre , Pachón-Basallo Mónica , San Martín-Íñiguez Leyre , Blanco-Sarto Pablo
Published: August 2024

Context

The study of internal and external regulation in the use of Information and Communications Technology (ICT) and the analysis of academic emotions have become increasingly important due to their impact on academic life at university.

Objectives

This research aims to investigate the links between internal vs. external regulation factors, achievement emotions, and gender in the problematic use of ICT among university students.

Methodology

The study recruited 317 university students, predominantly female (72.51%), using an ex-post facto design. The SRT-ERT scale was used to assess technology-related behaviors, and the AEQ Scales measured academic emotions before, during, and after class. Correlation analysis, multiple regression analysis, and ANOVA were employed to identify significant relationships.

Results

Significant relationships were identified between regulatory behaviors, with male students exhibiting more dysregulated behavior and greater exposure to dysregulatory technology environments. Individual and contextual behavioral nonregulation and dysregulation in the use of ICT were significantly predictive of negative academic emotions.

Conclusion

The findings suggest that both personal and contextual factors of regulation significantly influence the emotional experiences of students in academic settings. The study highlights the need for psycho-educational interventions to promote better regulatory behaviors among university students, particularly males.
Exploring the genetic and socioeconomic interplay between ADHD and anxiety disorders using Mendelian randomization
Authors: Deng Xiaojuan , Ren Hongyan , Wu Shuang , Jie Huijin , Gu Chengyu
Published: August 2024

Background

ADHD and anxiety disorders often co-occur, sharing symptoms and dysfunctions, yet the underlying mechanisms remain elusive.

Methods

To explore the shared and distinct genetic variations between ADHD and anxiety disorders, we applied Mendelian randomization (MR) analysis to ADHD, anxiety disorders, and three socioeconomic factors: income, educational attainment (EA), and intelligence. MR analysis utilized genome-wide association study summary datasets (anxiety disorder: 7,016 cases and 14,745 controls; ADHD: 38,691 cases and 275,986 controls; EA: 766,345 participants; intelligence: 146,808 participants; household income: 392,422 participants), with inverse-variance weighting as the primary method.

Results

Our MR analysis revealed no discernible genetic-level causal effect between ADHD and anxiety disorders (p > 0.77). Additionally, the independent variables for ADHD (25 SNPs) and anxiety disorders (18 SNPs) did not overlap, highlighting the genetic distinction between the two conditions. Higher income (p < 0.002) and EA (p < 0.005) were found to serve as protective factors for both ADHD and anxiety disorders. Genetic predisposition to higher income (86 SNPs) and EA (457 SNPs) were identified as a potential common protective factors for both conditions. Lastly, genetic predisposition to higher intelligence was found to potentially guard against ADHD (p < 0.001) but not against anxiety disorders (p > 0.55).

Conclusion

Our findings indicate that the shared symptoms observed between ADHD and anxiety disorders are more likely influenced by genetic predispositions related to socioeconomic factors rather than by the genetic predispositions specific to the disorders themselves.
Willingness toward voluntary counseling and testing and associated factors among tuberculosis infected patients at public hospitals in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia
Authors: Sifer Samuel Dessu , Getachew Milkiyas Solomon
Published: August 2024

Background

Voluntary counseling and testing for HIV has proven to be a highly effective and cost-efficient approach in many locations, yielding excellent results. It serves as a gateway to a range of HIV-related services, including the provision of antiretroviral drugs. Therefore, this study was aimed to assess the willingness toward VCT and associated factors among TB infected patients at Public Hospitals in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia; 2023.

Methods

A facility-based cross-sectional study was undertaken at public hospitals in Addis Ababa from 1st to 30th of March 2023 with 235 participants using systematic random sampling. Trained data collectors employed a pretested data extraction tool for information gathering. Variables with p-value less than 0.05 in the multivariable logistic regression were considered statistically significant.

Results

The prevalence of willingness toward VCT among TB infected patients was (78.3, 95%CI: 72.8, 83.4). Individuals with a primary education level (AOR: 6.32; 95%CI: 1.65, 24.25), government employees (AOR: 5.85; 95%CI: 1.78, 19.22) and private employees (AOR: 3.35; 95%CI: 1.12, 10.01), good knowledge of VCT (AOR: 3.12; 95%CI: 1.36, 7.16), perceived a higher risk (AOR: 6.58; 95%CI: 2.44, 17.73) and perceived stigma (AOR: 14.95; 95%CI: 4.98, 44.91) were factors associated with willingness toward VCT.

Conclusion

The proportion of Tuberculosis infected patients expressing willingness toward Voluntary Counseling and Testing in this study was higher than in previous studies, it falls below the UNAIDS target of 90% of people knowing their HIV status. Notably, factors such as level of education, occupation, knowledge, perceived risk, and perceived stigma emerged as independent factors significantly associated with the willingness of TB-infected patients to undergo VCT. These findings underscore the importance of considering socio-demographic characteristics, knowledge levels, and psychosocial factors in designing strategies to enhance VCT acceptance among TB-infected individuals.
Prevalence of pre-eclampsia in women in the Middle East: a scoping review
Authors: Hegazy Ayatullah , Eid Farida Abdelrehim , Ennab Farah , Sverrisdóttir Yrsa Bergmann , Atiomo William , Azar Aida Joseph
Published: August 2024

Hypertensive disorders of pregnancy are the second most common cause of maternal deaths worldwide. Metabolic syndrome is recognized as one of the risk factors for pre-eclampsia. A recent study revealed a high prevalence of metabolic syndrome in the United Arab Emirates (UAE), particularly amongst Emirati women compared with global estimates. This finding raises the possibility that the prevalence of pre-eclampsia in the region may also be higher as research is increasingly demonstrating an association between pre-eclampsia and metabolic syndrome. We therefore conducted this scoping review of the literature to investigate the nature and extent of studies evaluating the prevalence of pre-eclampsia within the Middle East region to enable subsequent comparison of these findings with the global burden of pre-eclampsia, objectively identify gaps in the literature and inform the design of future studies to address these gaps. PubMed and Scopus were used to extract studies published over the last 20 years (2003–2023). The search terms used included (“Pre-eclampsia” AND “Prevalence”) OR (“Hypertension in pregnancy” AND “Prevalence”) OR (“Pregnancy” AND “Pre-eclampsia”) OR (“Pre-eclampsia” AND “Epidemiology”). We limited our studies to those from the Middle East (ME). A total of 556 relevant articles were identified following which 11 were shortlisted for review. There were four studies from Iran, two from Saudi Arabia, two from Qatar, one from Jordan, and one from Bahrain. The remaining study included 29 countries from Africa, Asia, Latin America, and the Middle East of which data from Jordan, Lebanon, the Occupied Palestinian Territory, and Qatar were included. There were four retrospective, two cross-sectional, and two cohort studies, one prospective study, one meta-analysis, and one descriptive-analytical study. The prevalence of pre-eclampsia in the studies ranged from 0.17 to 5%. We did not find any study investigating the prevalence of pre-eclampsia in the United Arab Emirates. Based on our findings, we conclude that there is a significant scarcity of research in this area, especially within the Middle East, and notably an absence of studies specifically pertaining to the UAE. Consequently, we assert that there is a pressing requirement for additional research to evaluate the prevalence of pre-eclampsia in the region.
“Establishing healthy habits and lifestyles early is very important”: parental views of brain health literacy on dementia prevention in preschool and primary school children
Authors: Chalhoub Tayla M. , Mackenzie Erin , Siette Joyce
Published: August 2024

Introduction

Parents have the potential to drive healthy lifestyle behaviors through educational initiatives. This study aims to understand the prevalent thoughts and perceptions parents have toward brain health educational programs for preschool and primary school settings, whilst also contributing to a comprehensive understanding of the role parents can play in the broader context of dementia reduction strategies and the cultivation of brain health awareness among children.

Methods

Parents with children aged between 2 and 11 years old were interviewed about their current knowledge of dementia, prior beliefs, current lifestyle factors and opinions on educating their children from a young age on the topic of dementia literacy. Thematic deductive analysis was employed to systematically categorize and interpret the qualitative data obtained from these interviews.

Results

Thirty parents (Mage = 38.6, SD = 4.9, Range = 32–48) identified three core themes on nurturing bodies and minds (e.g., conceptualizing the link between intellectual engagement, continuous learning, and the prevention of cognitive decline), brain health literacy (e.g., current knowledge and awareness of brain health, dementia and associated stigma, and provision of age-appropriate health literacy) and parental concerns (i.e., barriers to initiating conversations about dementia with children and strategies to address and alleviate parental concerns). Parents possessing prior knowledge of dementia and its modifiable risk factors exhibited greater propensity to educate their children on the associated risk factors.

Conclusion

Our study highlights the vital influence of parents’ experiences, health literacy, and education on the acceptance of brain health education for children. Future interventions should target stigma reduction, enhance awareness, and offer accessible information on modifiable dementia risk factors, enabling a conducive environment for active parental involvement in educating children about brain health and contributing to future well-being.
Individual and relational dynamics perceived to influence the sexual behaviour of adolescents in Ethiopia: a qualitative study
Authors: Baraki Semere Gebremariam , Thupayagale-tshweneagae Gloria
Published: August 2024

Background

There are 1.2 billion adolescents in the world today, more than ever before, making up 16% of the world's population and nearly one-fourth of the total population in Sub-Saharan Africa. Adolescents are facing life-threatening health challenges attributed to sexual and reproductive health issues such as unwanted pregnancies, unsafe abortions, and sexually transmitted infections, including the human immunodeficiency virus, and acquired immunodeficiency syndrome. The aim of this research is to explore the individual and relational levels of factors that drive adolescents to engage in risky sexual behaviour.

Methods

A qualitative phenomenological study design was used from February to June 2020. Adolescents and health professionals were selected purposefully. A total of 12 individual in-depth interviews, five focus group discussions with adolescents, and eight key informant interviews with health professionals were conducted using a semi-structured guide. Data analysis was performed using thematic analysis with ATLAS Ti version 7 software. Credibility, dependability, transferability, and confirmability were used to ensure the trustworthiness of the data.

Results

In this study, two themes were identified; individual level factors such as sexual desire and emotion driven sex, limited knowledge of sexual and reproductive health, and a permissive attitude towards sexual activities drive adolescents to engage in risky sexual behaviour; and relational level factors such as, limited family support and involvement, negative peer pressure and influence, male partner dominance during the partnership, and pressuring females to engage in sexual intercourse were perceived factors influencing adolescents to engage in risky sexual behaviour.

Conclusion

Various individual-level and relational-level factors are influencing adolescents to engage in risky sexual behaviour. Socially and culturally acceptable, comprehensive sexual education should be provided for in-school and out-school adolescents to enhance their knowledge, attitude, and skill about sexual and reproductive health. Interventions at the peer and partner level should be considered to enhance the life skills that enable them to resist pressure from peers and their partners. Child-parent communication on sexual and reproductive health matters should be promoted.
The cat is out of the bag: the effect of virtual characters and scale cues on physics coherence
Authors: Pouke Matti , Pouke Sakaria , Center Evan G. , Chambers Alexis P. , Ojala Timo , LaValle Steven M.
Published: August 2024

According to previous research, humans are exceptionally skilled at distinguishing earth-congruent object trajectories from earth-discrepant ones. Inconsistent scale cues in Virtual Reality (VR), however, are shown to easily confuse VR users’ scale, size, and distance estimations. This paper describes the results of two studies, with 40 participants each, which tested the effects of self-scaling, and size cues from active virtual characters, on perceived physics coherence (i.e., subjective realism). In the first study (Study A), a humanoid robot the size of a doll manipulated household objects to demonstrate their rigid body dynamics. The demonstration sequence was performed twice, once using a correct approximation of physics, and once using an incorrect one in which gravity was simulated similarly to as if the doll-sized robot was human-sized and the surrounding room was enlarged. The participants observed both demonstrations, once while standing at the normal scale and once at a reduced scale, similar to that of the humanoid robot. The second study (Study B) was similar, except that the virtual character demonstrating the physics was a regular-sized cat. Our preregistered hypotheses predicted that participants would consider the correct approximation of physics as better matching their expectations at normal scale, and the incorrect one as better matching their expectations at the reduced scale. However, only the second of these hypotheses was supported. According to our exploratory analyses, the participant’s own scale was a poor predictor of physics preference, and instead there was a significant effect regarding the virtual character’s identity. Participants observing the virtual cat were about eight times more likely to select the realistic physics model compared to those observing the humanoid robot. The results indicate that familiar cues tied to virtual character identity overrode any potential effects related to changes in the participants’ own scale.
Connections on the Reef: Clownfish, Anemones, and Climate Change
Authors: Goulet Tamar L. , Goulet Denis
Published: August 2024

From their adorable name to their leading role in the movie Finding Nemo, many people find clownfish, also called anemonefish, cute and lovable. Clownfish must live in animals called sea anemones to survive on a coral reef. For 19 years, we followed two-banded anemonefish off the coast of Israel in the Gulf of Eilat (Aqaba), Red Sea. Based on their size, we divided the fish into adults, teens, and babies. In 1997, 195 fish of all ages lived at the site. By 2015, 52 fish—mostly adults—remained, a 74% drop. From 1997 to 2015, the number of sea anemones also fell from 199 to only 27, and each one was more crowded with anemonefish. Climate change may affect sea anemone survival. Without their sea anemone homes, clownfish cannot exist, raising concerns about their future.
The impact of labor force aging on agricultural total factor productivity of farmers in China: implications for food sustainability
Authors: Tong Ting , Ye Feng , Zhang Qing , Liao Wenmei , Ding Yifei , Liu Yi , Li Gucheng
Published: August 2024

Introduction

The rapid aging of the labor force has serious implications for socioeconomic development and poses challenges to food sustainability. Existing studies have focused on the impact of labor force aging on land productivity, but little attention has been paid to the comprehensive capacity of agricultural production, namely the total factor productivity of agriculture.

Methods

We estimate the impact of labor force aging on total factor productivity in agriculture using data from 170,506 sample farm households from the National Fixed Point Survey data from 2003 to 2020. We estimate the results using a panel fixed effects approach and mitigate the endogeneity problem using an instrumental variables approach to ensure the robustness of the estimates.

Results and discussion

The results show that labor force aging has an adverse effect on the agricultural total factor productivity of farm households and remains robust after addressing endogeneity and substituting explanatory variables. The aging effect shows significant heterogeneity across different food functional areas with different types of farm households. The negative impact of labor force aging on total factor productivity in agriculture is mainly concentrated in the main grain-production and grain-producing and marketing-balanced areas. We also find that the negative impact of labor force aging is more significant among large-scale farmers. The mechanism analysis finds that the aging of the labor force adversely affects the agricultural total factor productivity by inhibiting technological progress and reducing the efficiency of agricultural resource allocation. These insights, when considered in the light of global trends towards agricultural labor aging, suggest that policy interventions aimed at promoting technological adoption, enhancing resource allocation efficiency, and supporting the transitioning of older farmers may hold promise for maintaining food sustainability and addressing the challenges posed by an aging agricultural workforce in numerous developing nations.
Modeling uncertainty: the impact of noise in T cell differentiation
Authors: Martínez-Méndez David , Villarreal Carlos , Huerta Leonor
Published: August 2024

Background

The regulatory mechanisms guiding CD4 T cell differentiation are complex and are further influenced by intrinsic cell variability along with that of microenvironmental cues, such as cytokine and nutrient availability.

Objective

This study aims to expand our understanding of CD4 T cell differentiation by examining the influence of intrinsic noise on cell fate.

Methodology

A model based on a complex regulatory network of early signaling events involved in CD4 T cell activation and differentiation was described in terms of a set of stochastic differential equation to assess the effect of noise intensity on differentiation efficiency to the Th1, Th2, Th17, Treg, and TFH effector phenotypes under defined cytokine and nutrient conditions.

Results

The increase of noise intensity decreases differentiation efficiencies. In a microenvironment of Th1-inducing cytokines and optimal nutrient conditions, noise levels of 3%, 5% and 10% render Th1 differentiation efficiencies of 0.87, 0.76 and 0.62, respectively, underscoring the sensitivity of the network to random variations. Further increments of noise reveal that the network is relatively stable until noise levels of 20%, where the resulting cell phenotypes becomes heterogeneous. Notably, Treg differentiation showed the highest robustness to noise perturbations. A combined Th1-Th2 cytokine environment with optimal nutrient levels induces a dominant Th1 phenotype; however, removal of glutamine shifts the balance towards the Th2 phenotype at all noise levels, with an efficiency similar to that obtained under Th2-only cytokine conditions. Similarly, combinations of Th1/Treg and Treg/Th17-inducing cytokines along with the removal of either tryptophan or oxygen shift the dominant Th1 and Treg phenotypes towards Treg and Th17 respectively. Model results are consistent with differentiation efficiency patterns obtained under well-controlled experimental settings reported in the literature.

Conclusion

The stochastic CD4 T cell mathematical model presented here demonstrates a noise-dependent modulation of T cell differentiation induced by cytokines and nutrient availability. Modeling results can be explained by the network topology, which assures that the system will arrive at stable states of cell functionality despite variable levels of biological intrinsic noise. Moreover, the model provides insights into the robustness of the T cell differentiation process.
Decreased activity in zebrafish larvae exposed to glyphosate-based herbicides during development—potential mediation by glucocorticoid receptor
Authors: Spulber S. , Reis L. , Alexe P. , Ceccatelli S.
Published: August 2024

Glyphosate-based herbicides (GBH) are a widely used group of pesticides that have glyphosate (GLY) as main active compound and are used to control a wide range of weeds. Experimental and epidemiological studies point to neurotoxicity and endocrine disruption as main toxic effects. The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of developmental exposure to GLY and GBH on locomotor behavior, and the possible contribution of GR-mediated signaling. We used zebrafish (Danio rerio) larvae in a continuous exposure regimen to GLY or GBH in the rearing medium. Alongside TL wildtype, we used a mutant line carrying a mutation in the GR which prevents the GR from binding to DNA (grs357), as well as a transgenic strain expressing a variant of enhanced green fluorescent protein (d4eGFP) controlled by a promoter carrying multiple GR response elements (SR4G). We found that acute exposure to GBH, but not GLY, activates GR-mediated signaling. Using a continuous developmental exposure regime, we show that wildtype larvae exposed to GBH display decreased spontaneous activity and attenuated response to environmental stimuli, a pattern of alteration similar to the one observed in grs357 mutant larvae. In addition, developmental exposure to GBH has virtually no effects on the behavior of grs357 mutant larvae. Taken together, our data indicate that developmental exposure to GBH has more pronounced effects than GLY on behavior at 5 dpf, and that interference with GR-mediated signaling may have a relevant contribution.
Identification of two novel linear epitopes on the E165R protein of African swine fever virus recognized by monoclonal antibodies
Authors: He Jian , Li Jieqiong , Luo Mingzhan , Liu Yangkun , Sun Jingchen , Yao Lunguang
Published: August 2024

African swine fever (ASF) is a highly fatal infectious disease in pigs, caused by the African swine fever virus (ASFV). It is characterized by short disease duration and high morbidity and mortality. In August 2018, ASF was first reported in China and it subsequently spread rapidly throughout the country, causing serious economic losses for the Chinese pig industry. Early detection plays a critical role in preventing and controlling ASF because there is currently no effective vaccine or targeted therapeutic medication available. Additionally, identifying conserved protective antigenic epitopes of ASFV is essential for the development of diagnostic reagents. The E165R protein, which is highly expressed in the early stages of ASFV infection, can serve as an important indicator for early detection. In this study, we successfully obtained high purity soluble prokaryotic expression of the E165R protein. We then utilized the purified recombinant E165R protein for immunization in mice to prepare monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) using the hybridoma fusion technique. After three subclonal screens, we successfully obtained three mAbs against ASFV E165R protein in cells named 1B7, 1B8, and 10B8. Through immunofluorescence assay (IFA) and Western blot, we confirmed that the prepared mAbs specifically recognize the baculovirus-expressed E165R protein. By using overlapping truncated E165R protein and overlapping peptide scanning analysis, we tentatively identified two novel linear B cell epitopes (13EAEAYYPPSV22 and 55VACEHMGKKC64) that are highly conserved in genotype I and genotype II of ASFV. Thus, as a detection antibody, it has the capability to detect ASFV across a wide range of genotypes, providing valuable information for the development of related immunodiagnostic reagents.
Frequency-Dependent Bouc–Wen Modeling of Magnetorheological Damper Using Harmonic Balance Approach
Authors: Qian Ruijing , Wang Guoping , Jiang Min , Zhang Yanni , Zhai Rongjie , Wang Wenjie
Published: August 2024

Magnetorheological dampers (MRDs) are of great interest in engineering due to their continuously adjustable damping characteristics. Accurate models are essential for optimizing MRDs and analyzing system dynamics. However, conventional methods widely overlook the impact of excitation frequency and amplitude. To address this issue, this work proposes a modified Bouc–Wen model that can be adapted to various excitation conditions. The model’s parameters depend on the current, excitation frequency, and amplitude. The mechanical characteristics of the MRD were analyzed by the tests. The parameters in the Bouc–Wen model were identified by combining the harmonic balance method and the genetic algorithm. The modified Bouc–Wen model was established by analyzing the variation of each parameter with current, excitation frequency, and amplitude. Finally, the agreement between the modified prediction model and the test results was verified under sinusoidal excitation of 80 mm and 1 Hz. The average relative errors were 3.87%, 2.82%, 2.45%, 2.19%, and 3.27% for current excitations of 0 A, 0.5 A, 1 A, 1.5 A, and 2.0 A, respectively. Since the MRD in this paper operates from 0.5 Hz to 2 Hz, the modified model was validated in the same range. Experiments demonstrate that the modified Bouc–Wen model efficiently and accurately describes the mechanical properties of the MRD under various excitation conditions.
Nighttime Phone Use and Past Exposure to Cyberbullying and Their Impact on Sleep and Psychological Wellbeing in Australian Children Aged 7 to 19 Years
Authors: Centofanti Stephanie , Lushington Kurt , Wicking Andrew , Wicking Peter , Dorrian Jillian
Published: August 2024

Background: Cyberbullying and nighttime phone use are independently detrimental to sleep and psychological wellbeing, but whether in combination they might be more disruptive remains unknown. Methods: Students aged 7–19 years (N = 53,734) completed a survey measuring sleep duration, nighttime phone use, cyberbullying, and psychological distress. Results: Across stratification variables of gender (F/M) and age group (primary/secondary-school-aged children), bivariate ordered probit regression revealed that being cyberbullied and nighttime phone use were independent predictors of both increased psychological distress and obtaining <8 h sleep. Nighttime phone use was observed to moderate the relationship between cyberbullying and sleep in both primary- and secondary-school-aged girls and boys and, likewise, between cyberbullying and psychological distress, especially in secondary-school-aged boys. Notably, the moderation effect was such that the impact of nighttime phone use was lower in children who were compared with those who were not cyberbullied. This may be a ceiling effect due to the high number of cyberbullied children reporting shortened sleep and higher levels of psychological distress. Discussion: The present findings point to a possible role of nighttime phone use as a moderator of the effect of cyberbullying on sleep and psychological wellbeing. There is a need for future studies to better explore more directly the effects of cyberbullying during the nighttime.
The Allelopathy of the Invasive Plant Species Ludwigia decurrens against Rice and Paddy Weeds
Authors: Kato-Noguchi Hisashi , Kato Midori
Published: August 2024

Ludwigia decurrens Walter, belonging to the Onagraceae family, is native to southeastern and southcentral USA and has spread quickly, colonizing wetlands in South and Central America, East and South Asia and Africa. Ludwigia decurrens also infests rice paddy fields and causes serious damage to rice production. The phenomenon of allelopathy is often observed in invasive plant species and contributes to their invasive characteristics. However, no information has been made available on the allelopathy of L. decurrens against wetland species, including Oryza sativa (rice), or on its allelochemicals. Aqueous methanol extracts of whole L. decurrens plants showed allelopathic activity against O. sativa and paddy weeds, Echinochloa crus-galli and Monochoria vaginalis in an extract-concentration-dependent manner. Two allelochemicals, loliolide and dehydrololiolide, were isolated from the L. decurrens extracts through a bioassay-guided separation process using O. sativa as the test plant species. Loliolide and dehydrololiolide also suppressed the growth of O. sativa and E. crus-galli in a concentration-dependent manner. Thus, loliolide and dehydrololiolide may be involved in the allelopathy of L. decurrens and may provide a competitive advantage for L. decurrens due to their growth inhibitory activity. However, the inhibitory activity of loliolide was about 3-fold greater than that of dehydrololiolide. These investigations suggest the allelopathy of L. decurrens may play an important role in the invasion of the species into rice paddy fields and other wetlands. This is the first report on the allelopathy of L. decurrens against wetland species and the isolation and identification of the allelochemicals in L. decurrens.
Spatial Prediction of Organic Matter Quality in German Agricultural Topsoils
Authors: Sakhaee Ali , Scholten Thomas , Taghizadeh-Mehrjardi Ruhollah , Ließ Mareike , Don Axel
Published: August 2024

Soil organic matter (SOM) and the ratio of soil organic carbon to total nitrogen (C/N ratio) are fundamental to the ecosystem services provided by soils. Therefore, understanding the spatial distribution and relationships between the SOM components mineral-associated organic matter (MAOM), particulate organic matter (POM), and C/N ratio is crucial. Three ensemble machine learning models were trained to obtain spatial predictions of the C/N ratio, MAOM, and POM in German agricultural topsoil (0–10 cm). Parameter optimization and model evaluation were performed using nested cross-validation. Additionally, a modification to the regressor chain was applied to capture and interpret the interactions among the C/N ratio, MAOM, and POM. The ensemble models yielded mean absolute percent errors (MAPEs) of 8.2% for the C/N ratio, 14.8% for MAOM, and 28.6% for POM. Soil type, pedo-climatic region, hydrological unit, and soilscapes were found to explain 75% of the variance in MAOM and POM, and 50% in the C/N ratio. The modified regressor chain indicated a nonlinear relationship between the C/N ratio and SOM due to the different decomposition rates of SOM as a result of variety in its nutrient quality. These spatial predictions enhance the understanding of soil properties’ distribution in Germany.
Biomass of Eichhornia crassipes as an Alternative Substrate for the Formation of Lettuce Seedlings
Authors: Laguna-Estrada María Isabel , Ruiz-Nieto Jorge Eric , Lopez-Nuñez Adolfo R. , Ramírez-Pimentel Juan G. , Raya-Pérez Juan Carlos , Aguirre-Mancilla Cesar L.
Published: August 2024

The production of lettuce has increased significantly due to the use of hydroponic systems that rely on substrates. Disposal and acquisition costs present problems, necessitating the identification of sustainable alternatives. The present study aimed to evaluate the use of Eichhornia crassipes (water hyacinth) dry matter in a substrate for the formation of lettuce seedlings. Water plants were collected to obtain their dry matter, and twelve mixtures were formed with Sphagnum and perlite. Mixtures with more water hyacinth dry matter exhibited greater water retention. However, these mixtures also lost water at a faster rate than those containing primarily Sphagnum dry matter did. Higher percentages of germination were detected in the mixtures with water hyacinth dry matter, but these seedlings also presented higher concentrations of proline, such as 16.0 µg mL−1. The mixtures with water hyacinth dry matter presented the highest ion concentrations, mainly at high levels of humidity. Mixtures with a high proportion of water hyacinth dry matter had a greater water retention capacity and a high percentage of lettuce seed that germinated. The mixtures with a higher proportion of Sphagnum led to greater root length, greater concentrations of chlorophyll in cotyledonary leaves, and better morphological development of the seedlings.
GamaNNet: A Novel Plant Pathologist-Level CNN Architecture for Intelligent Diagnosis
Authors: Oliveira Marcio , Teixeira Adunias , Barreto Guilherme , Lima Cristiano
Published: August 2024

Plant pathologies significantly jeopardise global food security, necessitating the development of prompt and precise diagnostic methods. This study employs advanced deep learning techniques to evaluate the performance of nine convolutional neural networks (CNNs) in identifying a spectrum of phytosanitary issues affecting the foliage of Solanum lycopersicum (tomato). Ten thousand RGB images of leaf tissue were subsampled in training (64%), validation (16%), and test (20%) sets to rank the most suitable CNNs in expediting the diagnosis of plant disease. The study assessed the performance of eight well-known networks under identical hyperparameter conditions. Additionally, it introduced the GamaNNet architecture, a custom-designed model optimised for superior performance on this specific type of dataset. The investigational results were most promising for the innovative GamaNNet and ResNet-152, which both exhibited a 91% accuracy rate, as evidenced by their confusion matrices, ROC curves, and AUC metrics. In comparison, LeNet-5 and ResNet-50 demonstrated lower assertiveness, attaining accuracies of 74% and 69%, respectively. GoogLeNet and Inception-v3 emerged as the frontrunners, displaying diagnostic preeminence, achieving an average F1-score of 97%. Identifying such pathologies as Early Blight, Late Blight, Corynespora Leaf Spot, and Septoria Leaf Spot posed the most significant challenge for this class of problem.
Studying the Relationship between Satellite-Derived Evapotranspiration and Crop Yield: A Case Study of the Cauvery River Basin
Authors: Anand Anish , Keesara Venkata Reddy , Sridhar Venkataramana
Published: August 2024

Satellite-derived evapotranspiration (ETa) products serve global applications, including drought monitoring and food security assessment. This study examines the applicability of ETa data from two distinct sources, aiming to analyze its correlation with crop yield (rice, maize, barley, soybean). Given the critical role of crop yield in economic and food security contexts, monthly and yearly satellite-derived ETa data were assessed for decision-makers, particularly in drought-prone and food-insecure regions. Utilizing QGIS, zonal statistics operations and time series graphs were employed to compare ETa with crop yield and ET anomaly. Data processing involved converting NRSC daily data to monthly and extracting single-pixel ET data using R Studio. Results reveal USGSFEWS as a more reliable ETa source, offering better accuracy and data continuity, especially during monsoon seasons. However, the correlation between crop yield and ETa ranged from 12% to 35%, while with ET anomaly, it ranged from 35% to 55%. Enhanced collection of satellite-based ETa and crop-yield data is imperative for informed decision-making in these regions. Despite limitations, ETa can moderately guide decisions regarding crop-yield management.
Effects of Phosphorus and Potassium Supply on Photosynthetic Nitrogen Metabolism, Nitrogen Absorption, and Nitrogen Utilization of Hydroponic Rice
Authors: Liu Ya , Gao Jiping , Zhong Min , Chen Liqiang , Zhang Wenzhong
Published: August 2024

Phosphorus (P) and potassium (K) stress significantly affect the growth, physiological characteristics, and nutrient uptake of rice plants. This study investigated the photosynthetic nitrogen (N) metabolism, N uptake, and N utilization of plants under varied P and K supplies. Two local conventional high-yield rice varieties (Shennong 265 and Liaojing 294) were used. These varieties were subjected to the following hydroponic experimental treatments: HPHK (normal P and K concentrations), HPLK (normal P and 1/20 normal K concentration), LPHK (normal K and 1/20 normal P concentration), and LPLK (1/20 normal P and K concentrations). The results showed that the mesophyll cells had a relatively complete nuclear and chloroplast structures, and the antioxidant enzymes of the plants were significantly reduced under the HPHK treatment. Compared to the LP treatments (LPHK and LPLK), the HPHK treatment was found to have the following potential effects: effectively optimize plant configuration; promote leaf development (Pn, E, Ci, and Tr, chlorophyll, and leaf area index); significantly increase the N-metabolism-related enzyme activity of leaves and roots and the accumulation of N in the plant in the main growth stages; and significantly increase the rice yield and N-related efficiency. In conclusion, the HPHK treatment was found to be beneficial in improving the plant configuration, promoting photosynthetic N metabolism, and increasing grain yield and N-related utilization efficiency.
Inducing Aquilaria sinensis (Lour.) Spreng “Qinan” Agarwood Formation with Chemical Reagents
Authors: Zhang Qilei , Liu Xiaojin , Li Xiaofei , Fang Xiaoying , Xiong Yongmei , Xu Daping
Published: August 2024

Agarwood is a highly sought-after resinous wood for use in medicine, incense, and perfume production. However, the process of agarwood formation is slow. In this study, the induction of agarwood formation in three-year-old Aquilaria sinensis “Qinan” trees through treatment with ethephon, hydrogen peroxide, sodium chloride, distilled water, and wounding was investigated. The results showed that the starch content significantly decreased and that the soluble sugar content significantly increased during the process of agarwood formation, with no significant difference between the different treatment groups. The net photosynthetic rate significantly decreased. Except for the sodium chloride treatment, the total antioxidant capacity and the contents of flavonoids and phenols significantly increased during the process of agarwood formation. The essential oil yield of the ethephon and hydrogen peroxide treatment groups was significantly higher than that of the other treatment groups, with the highest essential oil yield in the ethephon treatment group. Compared to the control group, salt treatment produced the lowest essential oil yield of agarwood. The results indicate that appropriate concentrations of ethephon and hydrogen peroxide can promote the formation of agarwood in A. sinensis “Qinan”.
The Analytical Theory of Water Activity in the Paddy Rice Drying Process
Authors: Wang Han , Li Shengtao , Zhang Ye , Ali Khaled Abdeen Mousa , Wu Weihui , Li Changyou
Published: August 2024

Drying involves the evaporation of moisture, accompanied by simultaneous heat transfer, mass transfer, and momentum transfer. While the diffusion law is considered an applicable model for explaining the drying phenomenon, the actual drying process cannot be accurately predicted using an analytical solution with a constant diffusion coefficient. Energy efficiency in the drying process is low due to an insufficient understanding of the mechanisms governing moisture migration from solids to air. The development of drying theory has stalled due to an unsolvable discrepancy between experimental results and analytical results. This study analyzes the effect of the binding energy of moisture in paddy rice on the diffusion coefficient. The theoretical relationship between water activity and drying rate in paddy rice was investigated, and the drying process was successfully explained by analyzing free energy transfer and transition theory. The mechanism of rice grain drying was described using a new theoretical solution for the drying process. These results provide new insights into the development of a scientific evaluation standard for assessing the efficiency of actual drying processes.
PMLPNet: Classifying Multi-Class Pests in Wild Environment via a Novel Convolutional Neural Network
Authors: Liu Liangliang , Chang Jing , Qiao Shixin , Xie Jinpu , Xu Xin , Qiao Hongbo
Published: August 2024

Pest damage is a major factor in reducing crop yield and has negative impacts on the economy. However, the complex background, diversity of pests, and individual differences pose challenges for classification algorithms. In this study, we propose a patch-based neural network (PMLPNet) for multi-class pest classification. PMLPNet leverages spatial and channel contextual semantic features through meticulously designed token- and channel-mixing MLPs, respectively. This innovative structure enhances the model’s ability to accurately classify complex multi-class pests by providing high-quality local and global pixel semantic features for the fully connected layer and activation function. We constructed a database of 4510 images spanning 40 types of plant pests across 4 crops. Experimental results demonstrate that PMLPNet outperforms existing CNN models, achieving an accuracy of 92.73%. Additionally, heat maps reveal distinctions among different pest images, while patch probability-based visualizations highlight heterogeneity within pest images. Validation on external datasets (IP102 and PlantDoc) confirms the robust generalization performance of PMLPNet. In summary, our research advances intelligent pest classification techniques, effectively identifying various pest types in diverse crop images.
AYA22A Aptamers Mitigate Peanut Allergenicity: Insights from Degranulation Assays and Modulating Immune Responses
Authors: Ayass Mohamad Ammar , Tripathi Trivendra , Griko Natalya , Ramankutty Nair Ramya , Okyay Tutku , Zhang Jin , Zhu Kevin , Melendez Kristen , Pashkov Victor , Abi-Mosleh Lina
Published: August 2024

Food allergy, particularly peanut allergy (PA), is a growing health concern affecting millions globally. PA can lead to severe reactions, including fatal anaphylaxis. Despite the availability of FDA-approved therapies like Palforzia, a cure remains elusive. Current immunotherapies show promise but lack a definitive cure. This study applies an established computational biology tool to design aptamers targeting Ara h1 and Ara h2. The in silico design aims to streamline the selection process, enabling cost-effective and rapid identification of aptamer candidates. The developed aptamers (AYA22A, including AYA22AR321, AYA22AR211, and AYA22AR524), demonstrated efficacy in inhibiting degranulation of RBL-2H3 cells (rat basophilic leukemia cell line) in vitro. They showed promise in neutralizing peanut allergen-induced immune responses. The selected aptamers inhibited degranulation in RBL-2H3 cells, addressing concerns in raw peanuts. Moreover, these aptamers demonstrated stability and effectiveness in peanut plant seeds and commercial products. Our aptamers exhibited potential in modulating immune responses associated with peanut allergy. They influenced Th1/Th2 balance, indicating a role in cytokine regulation. In vitro studies also showed the aptamers’ impact on immune cell expression and cytokine production, resembling responses observed with established immunotherapies. The findings suggest AYA22A aptamers as a potential therapeutic option for peanut allergy, providing a basis for further in vivo investigations.
SIMEX-Based and Analytical Bias Corrections in Stocking–Lord Linking
Authors: Robitzsch Alexander
Published: August 2024

Stocking–Lord (SL) linking is a popular linking method for group comparisons based on dichotomous item responses. This article proposes a bias correction technique based on the simulation extrapolation (SIMEX) method for SL linking in the 2PL model in the presence of uniform differential item functioning (DIF). The SIMEX-based method is compared to the analytical bias correction methods of SL linking. It turned out in a simulation study that SIMEX-based SL linking performed best, is easy to implement, and can be adapted to other linking methods straightforwardly.