bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Making tacit knowledge explicit through objects: a qualitative study of the translation of resilience into practice
Authors: Lyng Hilda Bø , Haraldseid-Driftland Cecilie , Guise Veslemøy , Ree Eline , Dombestein Heidi , Fagerdal Birte , Wæhle Hilde Valen , Wiig Siri
Published: June 2023

Introduction

It is common practice to use objects to bridge disciplines and develop shared understanding across knowledge boundaries. Objects for knowledge mediation provide a point of reference which allows for the translation of abstract concepts into more externalized representations. This study reports from an intervention that introduced an unfamiliar resilience perspective in healthcare, through the use of a resilience in healthcare (RiH) learning tool. The aim of this paper is to explore how a RiH learning tool may be used as an object for introduction and translation of a new perspective across different healthcare settings.

Methods

This study is based on empirical observational data, collected throughout an intervention to test a RiH learning tool, developed as part of the Resilience in Healthcare (RiH) program. The intervention took place between September 2022 and January 2023. The intervention was tested in 20 different healthcare units, including hospitals, nursing homes and home care services. A total of 15 workshops were carried out, including 39-41 participants in each workshop round. Throughout the intervention, data was gathered in all 15 workshops at the different organizational sites. Observation notes from each workshop make up the data set for this study. The data was analyzed using an inductive thematic analysis approach.

Results and conclusion

The RiH learning tool served as different forms of objects during the introduction of the unfamiliar resilience perspective for healthcare professionals. It provided a means to develop shared reflection, understanding, focus, and language for the different disciplines and settings involved. The resilience tool acted as a boundary object for the development of shared understanding and language, as an epistemic object for the development of shared focus and as an activity object within the shared reflection sessions. Enabling factors for the internalization of the unfamiliar resilience perspective were to provide active facilitation of the workshops, repeated explanation of unfamiliar concepts, provide relatedness to own context, and promote psychological safety in the workshops. Overall, observations from the testing of the RiH learning tool showed how these different objects were crucial in making tacit knowledge explicit, which is key to improve service quality and promote learning processes in healthcare.
Soybean crop intensification for sustainable aboveground-underground plant–soil interactions
Authors: Singh Ramesh Kumar , Upadhyay Pravin Kumar , Dhar Shiva , Rajanna G. A. , Singh Vinod Kumar , Kumar Rakesh , Singh Rajiv Kumar , Babu Subhash , Rathore Sanjay Singh , Shekhawat Kapila , Dass Anchal , Kumar Amit , Gupta Gaurendra , Shukla Gaurav , Rajpoot Sudhir , Prakash Ved , Kumar Bipin , Sharma Vinod Kumar , Barthakur Sharmistha
Published: June 2023

The major challenge of growing soybean, other than unfavorable weather and small farm size, is the non-availability of quality inputs at the right time. Furthermore, in soybean growing regions, crop productivity and soil environment have deteriorated due to the use of traditional varieties and conventional methods of production. Soybean crop intensification or system of crop intensification in soybean (SCI) is an agricultural production system that boosts soybean yields, improves the soil environment, and maximizes the efficiency of input utilization, although the contribution of SCI to crop productivity is not well understood as different genotypes of soybean exhibit different physiological responses. Therefore, a field study was conducted in 2014–2015 and 2015–2016 using three crop establishment methods (SCI at a 45 cm × 45 cm row spacing, SCI at 30 cm × 30 cm, and a conventional method at 45 cm × 10 cm) assisted in vertical strips with four genotypes (Pusa 9,712, PS 1347, DS 12–13, and DS 12–5) using a strip-plot design with three replications. Compared with standard methods of cultivation, the adoption of SCI at 45 cm × 45 cm resulted in a significantly higher stomatal conductance (0.211 mol H2O m−2s−1), transpiration rate (7.8 mmol H2O m−2s−1), and net photosynthetic rate (398 mol CO2m−2s−1). The implementation of an SCI at 30 cm × 30 cm had significantly greater intercepted photosynthetic active radiation (PAR) (1,249 mol m−2s−1) than the conventional method system, increasing crop yield from 9.6 to 13.3% and biomass yield from 8.2 to 10.7%. In addition, under an SCI at 30 cm × 30 cm, there were more nodules, significantly larger root volume and surface density, and increased NPK uptake compared with the other methods. Significantly greater soil dehydrogenase activity, alkaline phosphatase activity, acetylene-reducing assay, total polysaccharides, microbial biomass carbon, and soil chlorophyll were found with SCI at 45 cm × 45 cm (13.63 g TPF g−1soil hr.−1, 93.2 g p-nitro phenol g−1soil hr.−1, 25.5 n moles ethylene g−1soil hr.−1, 443.7 mg kg−1soil, 216.5 mg kg−1soil, and 0.43 mg g−1soil, respectively). Therefore, the adoption of an SCI at 30 cm × 30 cm and/or 45 cm × 45 cm could provide the best environment for microbial activities and overall soil health, as well as the sustainable productivity of soybean aboveground.
Comparative toxicity assessment of glyphosate and two commercial formulations in the planarian Dugesia japonica
Authors: Fuselier S. Grace , Ireland Danielle , Fu Nicholas , Rabeler Christina , Collins Eva-Maria S.
Published: June 2023

Introduction: Glyphosate is a widely used, non-selective herbicide. Glyphosate and glyphosate-based herbicides (GBHs) are considered safe for non-target organisms and environmentally benign at currently allowed environmental exposure levels. However, their increased use in recent years has triggered questions about possible adverse outcomes due to low dose chronic exposure in animals and humans. While the toxicity of GBHs has primarily been attributed to glyphosate, other largely unstudied components of GBHs may be inherently toxic or could act synergistically with glyphosate. Thus, comparative studies of glyphosate and GBHs are needed to parse out their respective toxicity.

Methods: We performed such a comparative screen using pure glyphosate and two popular GBHs at the same glyphosate acid equivalent concentrations in the freshwater planarian Dugesia japonica. This planarian has been shown to be a useful model for both ecotoxicology and neurotoxicity/developmental neurotoxicity studies. Effects on morphology and various behavioral readouts were obtained using an automated screening platform, with assessments on day 7 and day 12 of exposure. Adult and regenerating planarians were screened to allow for detection of developmentally selective effects.

Results: Both GBHs were more toxic than pure glyphosate. While pure glyphosate induced lethality at 1 mM and no other effects, both GBHs induced lethality at 316 μM and sublethal behavioral effects starting at 31.6 μM in adult planarians. These data suggest that glyphosate alone is not responsible for the observed toxicity of the GBHs. Because these two GBHs also include other active ingredients, namely diquat dibromide and pelargonic acid, respectively, we tested whether these compounds were responsible for the observed effects. Screening of the equivalent concentrations of pure diquat dibromide and pure pelargonic acid revealed that the toxicity of either GBH could not be explained by the active ingredients alone.

Discussion: Because all compounds induced toxicity at concentrations above allowed exposure levels, our data indicates that glyphosate/GBH exposure is not an ecotoxicological concern for D. japonica planarians. Developmentally selective effects were not observed for all compounds. Together, these data demonstrate the usefulness of high throughput screening in D. japonica planarians for assessing various types of toxicity, especially for comparative studies of several chemicals across different developmental stages.
Biobeds, a Microbial-Based Remediation System for the Effective Treatment of Pesticide Residues in Agriculture
Authors: Mussali-Galante Patricia , Castrejón-Godínez María Luisa , Díaz-Soto José Antonio , Vargas-Orozco Ángela Patricia , Quiroz-Medina Héctor Miguel , Tovar-Sánchez Efraín , Rodríguez Alexis
Published: June 2023

Pesticides are chemical molecules employed to protect crops from pests in agriculture. The use of pesticides significantly enhances crop yields and helps to guarantee the quality of farm products; due to this, each year, millions of tons of pesticides are employed in crop fields worldwide. However, the extensive use of pesticides has been related to environmental pollution, mainly in soils and water bodies. The presence of pesticides in the environment constitutes a menace to biodiversity, soil fertility, food supply, and human health. Activities related to pesticide use in crops, such as the handling and pesticide dissolution before application, the filling and cleaning of aspersion equipment and machinery, accidental spills in crop fields, and the inadequate disposal of pesticide residues have been identified as important punctual pesticide pollution sources. Therefore, avoiding releasing pesticide residues into the soil and water is crucial to mitigating the environmental pollution associated with agricultural practices. Biobeds are biological systems that have been proposed as feasible, low-cost, and efficient alternatives for punctual pesticide pollution mitigation. Biobeds were first described as trenches packed with a mixture of 50% wheat straw, 25% soil, and 25% peat, covered with a grass layer; this composition is known as a “biomixture”. In biobeds, the biomixture absorbs the pesticide residues and supports the development of different microorganisms, such as bacteria and fungi, needed for pesticide degradation in the system. The effectiveness of a biobed systems lies in the high pesticide retention in the biomixture and the degradation potential of the microorganisms growing in the system. In this review, 24 studies published in the last five years (2018–2022) related to pesticide biodegradation in biobed systems are analyzed, emphasizing alternative biomixture composition usage, microbiological strategies, and the key physicochemical parameters for efficient pesticide degradation in the biobed systems. The availability of robust scientific evidence about the simple applicability, low cost, and effectiveness of biobeds for pesticide residue treatment is crucial to increasing the use of biobeds by farmers in different agricultural regions around the world.
Water Consumption by Livestock Systems from 2002–2020 and Predictions for 2030–2050 under Climate Changes in the Czech Republic
Authors: Potopová Vera , Musiolková Marie , Gaviria Juliana Arbelaez , Trnka Miroslav , Havlík Petr , Boere Esther , Trifan Tudor , Muntean Nina , Chawdhery Md Rafique Ahasan
Published: June 2023

The livestock system in Europe relies on a complex holistic equilibrium that is the outcome of an interplay of demand, market, crop production, livestock production, land use, water availability, and other factors. When modeling future scenarios of water consumption by livestock systems, the most suitable tools result from the interconnectivity of growth models, economic models, and climate models. We integrated the Environmental Policy Integrated Climate growth model (EPIC), animal-level model (RUMINANT), economic model (Global Biosphere Management Model, GLOBIOM), EURO-CORDEX climate models, and regression models. This study developed novel livestock production scenarios for individual regions of the Czech Republic with estimations of the categories of livestock that have been bred during the last 20 years and will be bred in the future and what their water consumption will be, both throughout the year and in particular seasons. First, the numbers of farm animals, namely, cattle, pigs, sheep, horses, goats, and poultry in 2002–2020 were evaluated, and their numbers were predicted for the following years until 2050. Second, livestock water consumption per region was determined based on the number of livestock individuals. Third, changes in the amount of water consumed by livestock per year in individual regions in 2050 compared to 2005 were estimated.
Essential Oils as a Dietary Additive for Laying Hens: Performance, Egg Quality, Antioxidant Status, and Intestinal Morphology: A Meta-Analysis
Authors: Orzuna-Orzuna José Felipe , Lara-Bueno Alejandro
Published: June 2023

This meta-analysis aimed to evaluate the effects of dietary supplementation with essential oils (EOs) on egg production and quality, antioxidant status in blood serum, and the intestinal morphology of laying hens. The data used were obtained from 38 peer-reviewed publications. The effect size was evaluated by weighted mean differences (WMD) between the experimental treatments (diets added with EOs) and the control treatments (diets without EOs). EO supplementation increased (p < 0.001) egg production (WMD = 2.171%), egg weight (WMD = 0.636 g), egg mass (WMD = 1.679 g/d), and decreased the feed conversion ratio (WMD = −0.074 g/g; p < 0.001). In addition, greater (p < 0.05) eggshell thickness (WMD = 14.262 mm), eggshell strength (0.080 kg/cm2), albumen height (WMD = 0.201 mm), Haugh unit (WMD = 1.102), and yolk color (WMD = 0.071) were observed in response to EO supplementation. In blood serum, the dietary inclusion of EOs increased (p < 0.05) the levels of superoxide dismutase (WMD = 1.147 U/mL), glutathione peroxidase (WMD = 879.553 U/mL), and total antioxidant capacity (WMD = 1.163 U/mL). In the duodenum, jejunum, and ileum, a higher (p < 0.05) villus height (VH), crypt depth (CD), villus width, and VH/CD ratio was observed in response to EO supplementation. In conclusion, the dietary inclusion of essential oils can be used as a nutritional strategy to improve egg production and quality, the antioxidant status of blood serum, and intestinal morphology in laying hens.
Knowledge Discovery and Diagnosis Using Temporal-Association-Rule-Mining-Based Approach for Threshing Cylinder Blockage
Authors: Liu Yehong , Wang Xin , Dai Dong , Tang Can , Mao Xu , Chen Du , Zhang Yawei , Wang Shumao
Published: June 2023

Accurately diagnosing blockages in a threshing cylinder is crucial for ensuring efficiency and quality in combine harvester operations. However, in terms of blockage diagnostic methods, the current state of affairs is characterized by model-based approaches that can be highly time-consuming and difficult to implement, while data-driven approaches lack interpretability. To address this situation, we propose a temporal association rule mining (TARM)-based fault diagnosis method for identifying threshing cylinder blockages and discovering knowledge. This study performs field trials by varying the actual feed rate and obtains datasets for three blockage classes (slight, moderate, and severe). Firstly, a symbolic aggregate approximation (SAX) method is employed to reduce the data dimensionality and to construct the transaction set with a sliding window. Next, a cSpade method is used to mine and extract strong association rules by applying improved support, confidence, and lift indicators. With the established strong association rules, this study can comprehensively elucidate the variation pattern of each characteristic under several blockage failure conditions and can effectively identify blockage faults. The results demonstrate that the proposed method effectively distinguishes between three levels of blockage faults, achieving an overall diagnostic accuracy of 0.94. And the method yields precisions of 0.90, 0.92, and 0.99 and corresponding recalls of 0.90, 0.93, and 0.98 for slight, medium, and severe levels of blockage faults, respectively. Specifically, the knowledge acquired from the extracted strong association rules can effectively explain the operational characteristics of a combine harvester when its threshing cylinders are blocked. Furthermore, the proposed approach in this study can provide a reasonable and reliable reference for future research on threshing cylinder blockages.
Improvement of Straw Changed Soil Microbial Flora Composition and Suppressed Chinese Cabbage (Brassica rapa L. ssp. pekinensis) Clubroot Disease
Authors: Di Chengqian , Han Zhe , Chai Chang , Sun Jian , Wu Fengzhi , Pan Kai
Published: June 2023

Straw incorporation is known as an environmentally friendly agricultural practice that can effectively enhance soil nutrient contents and crop yields; its potential to suppress soil-borne disease has also been reported in recent years. Here, we perform a field experiment for two consecutive years (2017–2018) to evaluate the effectiveness of maize (Zea mays), rice (Oryzae sativa L.) and wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) straws incorporation in alleviating Chinese cabbage (Brassica rapa L. ssp. pekinensis) clubroot disease caused by Plasmodiophora brassicae Woronin. Microbial composition in Chinese cabbage rhizosphere and soil P. brassicae abundance were estimated by high-throughput amplicon sequencing and quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR). Results showed that, during the two-year field experimental cycle, all three straw amendments promoted Chinese cabbage plant growth, inhibited clubroot disease and increased the alpha diversity of the bacterial community in Chinese cabbage rhizosphere. Rice and wheat straws also increased the alpha diversity of the fungal community. These straws diversified the composition of the Chinese cabbage rhizosphere microbial community. All three straws promoted Cryptococcus carnescens; both rice and wheat straws stimulated Lysobacter sp.; maize straw boosted Sphingomonas sp. and wheat straw increased Talaromyces sp. These microbial taxa are either considered to have positive influences on plant growth or potential biocontrol effects. In addition, straw amendments also increased soil pH, electrical conductivity, available nitrogen and available potassium contents in both years of the field experiment. Taken together, we concluded that these three gramineous straw amendments ameliorated Chinese cabbage rhizosphere microorganisms, inhibited clubroot disease and promoted the growth of Chinese cabbage, and that rice straw worked best amongst the three. This study could potentially provide a new tactic of massive grain crop straw utilization and a direction in dealing with clubroot disease.
Postharvest Application of Sodium Selenite Maintains Fruit Quality and Improves the Gray Mold Resistance of Strawberry
Authors: Lin Yuanxiu , Liang Wenhao , Cao Shuaipeng , Tang Rui , Mao Zhi , Lan Gongchun , Zhou Song , Zhang Yunting , Li Mengyao , Wang Yan , Chen Qing , Zhang Yong , Wang Xiaorong , Luo Ya , Tang Haoru
Published: June 2023

Strawberry is a worldwide demanded edible fruit with high economic and nutritional value; however, a very short storage life largely limits its supply and marketing. In this study, strawberries were treated using sodium selenite with different concentrations (6, 12, 18, and 24 mg/L), and the postharvest fruit quality and resistance to Botrytis cinerea were substantially assessed. Among all concentrations, 12 mg/L Se was the most effective treatment, which maintained fruit skin brightness, reduced natural decay incidence, severity, and weight loss, increased the Se content in fruit, and thus maintained the postharvest fruit quality of the strawberry. Furthermore, strawberries treated with 12 mg/L Se had lower flavonoid, phenolic, anthocyanins, proanthocyanidins, H2O2, and O2− contents compared to the control and, correspondingly, lower antioxidant capacity; moreover, 12 mg/L Se treatment decreased the decay incidence and severity caused by the infection of B. cinerea. Collectively, our findings may provide a reference for developing safe and environmentally friendly alternative methods to sustain quality and manage gray mold in postharvest strawberries as well as other horticultural crops.
Understanding Soil Carbon and Phosphorus Dynamics under Grass-Legume Intercropping in a Semi-Arid Region
Authors: Singh Amit Kumar , Singh Jai Bahadur , Singh Ramesh , Kantwa Sita Ram , Jha Prakash Kumar , Ahamad Safik , Singh Anand , Ghosh Avijit , Prasad Mahendra , Singh Shikha , Singh Surendra , Prasad P. V. Vara
Published: June 2023

An integrated forage-legume cropping system has immense potential to address the issue of land degradability. It provides a critical understanding of the capacity of diversified species mixes vs. monocultures to boost forage production and the dynamics of soil organic carbon (SOC) and phosphorus (P). In this study, we assessed the performance of Napier Bajra Hybrid (NBH) (Pennisetum glaucum × P. purpureum) + cowpea (Vigna unguiculata) and tri-specific hybrid (TSH) (P. glaucum × P. purpureum × P. squamulatum) + cluster bean (Cyamopsis tetragonoloba) as compared to monocultures of NBH and TSH. The legume equivalent yield of NBH + cowpea and TSH + cluster bean intercropping systems were found −31% and −23% higher than monoculture systems. The SOC increased by −5% in the NBH + cowpea system as compared to NBH monoculture. The carbon mineralization rates under NBH + cowpea and TSH + cluster bean were −32% and −38% lower than the NBH and TSH monoculture cropping systems, respectively. It was found that the legume intensification with the forage significantly improved the soil’s P status. The research suggested that coalescing diverse crops (e.g., grass and legume) poses enormous potential for sustaining soil health and productivity in semi-arid regions of India. This study advances the research on characterizing the crucial factors of grass-legume-based cropping systems and helps in assessing the impact of these factors on long-term sustainability.
MIKC-Type MADS-Box Gene Family Discovery and Evolutionary Investigation in Rosaceae Plants
Authors: Qin Yue , Zhu Gaopu , Li Fangdong , Wang Lin , Chen Chen , Zhao Han
Published: June 2023

MADS-box is an important transcriptional regulatory element in plant growth. The MIKC-type MADS-box genes play important roles. However, the identification and evolutionary investigation of MIKC-type MADS-box family members in Rosaceae have been inadequate. Therefore, based on whole-genome data from Prunus dulcis, Prunus salicina, Prunus armeniaca, Prunus persica, Prunus mira, and Amygdalus nana, we depicted the evolution and divergence patterns of MIKC-type MADS-box family genes. In this study, we found 222 MIKC-type MADS-box genes from six Rosaceae species. These genes were classified into five clades, and only motif 1 was identified across all MIKC-type MADS-box proteins, except PdMADS42 and PmiMADS16. The structural properties of these genes significantly varied in sequence lengths between species, despite the high levels of similarity in exon lengths and numbers. MIKC-type MADS-box genes were found to have mostly been limited through purifying selection processes. Remarkably divergent regions were found inside the MIKC-type MADS-box genes’ domains, where clade III displayed more conserved activities and may have retained more original functions over the evolutionary process; clade I, on the other hand, may have undergone substantial functional limitations in a specific functional role. These findings provide the groundwork for future research into the molecular evolutionary processes of the plant MIKC-type MADS-box gene family.
Transposon Polymorphism and Its Potential Impacts on Brown Planthopper (Nilaparvata lugens Stål) Resistance in Rice (Oryza sativa L.)
Authors: Wang Huanhuan , Liao Zhenyang , Gao Yingying , Zhang Lingge , Lei Wenlong , Huang Hantang , Lei Siru , Jiang Mengwei , Chen Shuai , Shi Longqing
Published: June 2023

The brown planthopper (BPH) is a major pest in rice cultivation, significantly affecting both yield and quality; accordingly, exploring and utilizing anti-herbivory genes to enhance rice’s inherent resistance to BPH can be an effective strategy for mitigating infestation. The effects of transposon insertion polymorphisms (TIPs) on rice’s resistance to insect pests have not been reported. In this study, through the identification of transposon insertion sites in susceptible and resistant rice varieties, a total of six possible candidate insect resistance genes were potentially located. Among them, a segment of the LTR/Copia transposon insertion was verified in the promoter of LOC_Os04g02720, which carries a cis-acting element binding site in rice involved in the abscisic acid reaction. Quantitative analysis showed a significant difference of the gene expression between insect-resistant and insect-susceptible varieties (p < 0.05). This study provides insights into the functional analysis of transposons and population transposon polymorphisms, whereas the identification of candidate insect resistance genes offers a theoretical foundation for the development of insect-resistant rice varieties.
Veg-DenseCap: Dense Captioning Model for Vegetable Leaf Disease Images
Authors: Sun Wei , Wang Chunshan , Gu Jingqiu , Sun Xiang , Li Jiuxi , Liang Fangfang
Published: June 2023

The plant disease recognition model based on deep learning has shown good performance potential. However, high complexity and nonlinearity lead to the low transparency and poor interpretability of such models. These limitations greatly limit the deployment and application of such models in field scenarios. To solve the above problems, we propose a dense caption generative model, Veg DenseCap. This model takes vegetable leaf images as input and uses object detection technology to locate abnormal parts of the leaf and identify the disease results. More importantly, it can describe the disease features it sees in natural language, and users can judge whether the relevant features are semantically consistent with human cognition based on these descriptions. First of all, a dataset containing Chinese feature description statements for images of 10 leaf diseases involving two vegetables (cucumber and tomato) was established. Secondly, Faster R-CNN was used as a disease detector to extract visual features of diseases, and LSTM was used as a language generator to generate description statements for disease features. Finally, the Convolutional Block Attention Module (CBAM) and the Focal Loss function were employed to overcome the imbalance between positive and negative samples and the weak performance of Faster R-CNN in obtaining key features. According to the test results, the Intersection-over-Union (IoU) and Meteor joint evaluation index of Veg-DenseCap achieved a mean Average Precision (mAP) of 88.0% on the dense captioning dataset of vegetable leaf disease images, which is 9.1% higher than that of the classical FCLN model. The automatically generated description statements are characterized by advantages of accurate feature description, correct grammar, and high diversity.
Transcriptome Revealed the Effect of Shading on the Photosynthetic Pigment and Photosynthesis of Overwintering Tea Leaves
Authors: Han Xiao , Shen Yaozong , Wang Yu , Shen Jiazhi , Wang Hui , Ding Shibo , Xu Yang , Mao Yilin , Chen Hao , Song Yujie , Ding Zhaotang , Fan Kai
Published: June 2023

The physiological state of overwintering tea leaves is crucial for the growth and quality formation of spring tea shoots. Low temperatures in winter can easily cause damage to overwintering tea plants, leading to leaf chlorosis and abnormal physiological functions. Many pieces of research have shown that shading could promote chlorophyll (Chl) accumulation in tea leaves, but the impact on overwintering tea plants is not yet known. In this study, different shading rates (no-shading, S0%; 30% shading, S30%; 75% shading, S75%) were used to treat overwintering tea plants, which explored the effect of shading on the color and physiological functions of tea leaves. The results showed that Chl, carotenoid, and soluble sugar (SS) contents were S75% > S30% > S0%, and the net photosynthetic rate (Pn) was S75% > S30% > S0%. Transcriptome analysis showed that the genes involved in chlorophyll and carotenoid metabolism (such as protochlorophyllide reductase POR and zeaxanthin epoxidase ZEP) and photosynthesis (such as photosystem II P680 reaction center D2 protein PsbA and photosystem II CP47 chlorophyll apoprotein PsbB) were significantly up-regulated under shading. In addition, many differentially expressed genes (DEGs) were enriched in “starch and sucrose metabolism (ko00500)” and “anthocyanin biosynthesis (ko00942)” pathways. In summary, this study provided a theoretical basis and technical support for maintaining green leaves and normal physiological functions of overwintering tea plants.
Environmental Complexity and Reduced Stocking Density Promote Positive Behavioral Outcomes in Broiler Chickens
Authors: Evans Lauren , Brooks George C. , Anderson Mallory G. , Campbell Andrew M. , Jacobs Leonie
Published: June 2023

The objective was to evaluate the impacts of a complex environment and stocking density on Ross 708 broiler chicken behaviors. Eight pens contained either high complexity (HC) or low complexity (LC) environments, and high (HD) or low (LD) density. Through focal-animal sampling, the frequency and duration of behaviors were recorded continuously for 5 min at two timepoints for one day in weeks 2, 4, and 7. Birds were active for 30% of the observed time, with birds showing more activity in HC compared with LC. Birds in HC pens spent more time preening and foraging than birds in LC pens, which was interpreted as a positive outcome. Dustbathing and play were not impacted by complexity, possibly due to the observation method. Birds were more frequently active at HD compared with LD, but did not spend more time being active, suggesting disturbances. Birds foraged, drank, and ate less frequently in HD compared with LD, presumably because birds had more difficulty accessing resources. Activity and active behaviors reduced as birds aged, while preening frequency increased, possibly due to frustration, but this was not confirmed. Perching was unaffected by age, showing a persistent motivation to perform the behavior. Our results indicate that a complex environment provides positive stimulation for foraging, locomotion, preening, and overall activity. Despite reduced activity, many benefits of the tested environmental complexity and low density persisted as birds aged.
Analysis of Morphological Traits, Mineralization, and Mechanical Properties of Femoral Bones in Young and Adult European Hares (Lepus europaeus)
Authors: Osiak-Wicha Cezary , Tomaszewska Ewa , Muszyński Siemowit , Flis Marian , Arciszewski Marcin B.
Published: June 2023

Lagomorphs, which include hares, rabbits, and pikas, are herbivorous animals renowned for their exceptional running abilities. The femur, the largest and strongest bone in their bodies, plays a crucial role in supporting their weight and facilitating movement. This study aimed to investigate the structural and functional changes in the femora of hares during their development in a sex-dependent manner, and the influence of aging on femur structure and function. Various mechanical properties, including stiffness and strength, as well as densitometry and morphology, were evaluated. The study was conducted on n = 24 hares collected from a hunting district in the Lublin region of Poland and divided into four groups: young females, adult females, young males and adult males (n = 6 animals each). Dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA) was used to measure bone mineral content (BMC) and bone mineral density (BMD), and a three-point bending test was performed to assess mechanical properties. The findings revealed age-related differences in bone properties, with adult males exhibiting increased BMC, and BMD compared to young males. Geometrical properties of the femora mid-diaphysis, such as cortical index and cross-sectional area, remained relatively unchanged during maturation. Regarding mechanical properties, the femora of young males exhibited higher elastic work compared to those of young females, while the femora of adult males exhibited higher elastic and breaking work than those of adult females. The stiffness of femora was higher in adult females compared to young females. The results provide insights into the development and aging of hare femora and contribute to our understanding of the relationship between bone mechanical properties, musculoskeletal system, and aging in the wild. This knowledge can inform animal husbandry practices in captivity and enhance our broader understanding of the ecological functions of lagomorphs.
Efficient Aggressive Behavior Recognition of Pigs Based on Temporal Shift Module
Authors: Ji Hengyi , Teng Guanghui , Yu Jionghua , Wen Yanbin , Deng Huixiang , Zhuang Yanrong
Published: June 2023

Aggressive behavior among pigs is a significant social issue that has severe repercussions on both the profitability and welfare of pig farms. Due to the complexity of aggression, recognizing it requires the consideration of both spatial and temporal features. To address this problem, we proposed an efficient method that utilizes the temporal shift module (TSM) for automatic recognition of pig aggression. In general, TSM is inserted into four 2D convolutional neural network models, including ResNet50, ResNeXt50, DenseNet201, and ConvNext-t, enabling the models to process both spatial and temporal features without increasing the model parameters and computational complexity. The proposed method was evaluated on the dataset established in this study, and the results indicate that the ResNeXt50-T (TSM inserted into ResNeXt50) model achieved the best balance between recognition accuracy and model parameters. On the test set, the ResNeXt50-T model achieved accuracy, recall, precision, F1 score, speed, and model parameters of 95.69%, 95.25%, 96.07%, 95.65%, 29 ms, and 22.98 M, respectively. These results show that the proposed method can effectively improve the accuracy of recognizing pig aggressive behavior and provide a reference for behavior recognition in actual scenarios of smart livestock farming.
Can Interacting with Animals Improve Executive Functions? A Systematic Review
Authors: Tepper Deanna , Shnookal Joanna , Howell Tiffani , Bennett Pauleen
Published: June 2023

There has been growing interest in the potential benefits of using human–animal interactions to improve executive functions: cognitive processes that allow individuals to plan, solve problems, and self-regulate behaviour. To date, no comprehensive review has been conducted. The purpose of this study was to evaluate existing literature, adopting broad inclusion criteria. Following Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) guidelines, 16 papers were identified from peer-reviewed literature. Additional papers were identified from grey literature, including 6 dissertations and 1 thesis. A review of these 23 studies found that human–animal interactions and executive functions are investigated in three main ways: (1) exploring the potential benefits of the human–pet relationship, (2) exploring the impact of an animal’s presence during administration of executive function tests, and (3) evaluating the efficacy of animal-assisted services (e.g., animal-assisted therapy) on executive functions. Five of the included studies reported a significant improvement across all measured domains of executive functions, but effect sizes were underreported. Comparatively, 9 studies reported mixed findings, d = 0.32–0.55, while 8 studies reported no significant results. The overall rigour of the research was limited, with great heterogeneity between the study methodologies and outcome measures used. It is recommended that future studies utilise high-quality research methodologies through the use of randomisation, pre- and postmeasures, and appropriate control conditions, where possible.
A Selection of 14 Tetrameric Microsatellite Markers for Genetic Investigations in Fallow Deer (Dama dama)
Authors: Zorkóczy Orsolya Krisztina , Turi Orsolya , Wagenhoffer Zsombor , Ózsvári László , Lehotzky Pál , Pádár Zsolt , Zenke Petra
Published: June 2023

The fallow deer (Dama dama) represents significant game management value globally, and human activities are significantly impacting the species. Besides the positive effects, these activities can threaten its existence, health, and value. The aim of the authors was to develop a tetranucleotide microsatellite panel that could be clearly interpreted and used for genetic testing of fallow deer. Such a panel did not exist until now and could be particularly useful in the field of conservation genetics and forensics. A total of 99 tetrameric microsatellites, originally designed for related deer species, were tested on 20 fallow deer individuals from five Hungarian sampling areas. Original and newly designed primers were used to amplify the microsatellite regions using previously published or optimized PCR protocols. The lengths and sequences of specific amplicons were detected using capillary electrophoresis, and the rate of polymorphism was determined. Altogether, 80 markers provided PCR products of adequate quality and quantity. Among them, 15 markers proved to be polymorphic (2–5 alleles/locus), and 14 tetrameric markers were selected for further analysis. Statistical calculations showed that the selected polymorphic microsatellites can potentially enable key individualization in many areas of wildlife and population genetics, thus protecting the species.
Effects of Autologous Microfragmented Adipose Tissue on Healing of Tibial Plateau Levelling Osteotomies in Dogs: A Prospective Clinical Trial
Authors: Pennasilico Luca , Di Bella Caterina , Sassaroli Sara , Salvaggio Alberto , Roggiolani Francesco , Piccionello Angela Palumbo
Published: June 2023

The aim of this study was to evaluate the effects of autologous microfragmented adipose tissue (MFAT) applied after mechanical fragmentation and assess these effects radiographically in bone healing in dogs subjected to tibial plateau levelling osteotomy (TPLO). Twenty dogs with unilateral cranial cruciate ligament disease were enrolled and randomly assigned to the treatment group (MFAT) or the control group (NT). The MFAT group underwent TPLO and autologous MFAT intra-articular administration, while the NT group underwent TPLO alone. Adipose tissue was collected from the thigh region, and MFAT was obtained by mechanical fragmentation at the end of the surgery. The patients were subjected to X-ray examination preoperatively, immediately postoperatively (T0), and at 4 (T1) and 8 (T2) weeks postoperatively. Two radiographic scores that had previously been described for the evaluation of bone healing after TPLO were used. A 12-point scoring system (from 0 = no healing to 12 = complete remodelling) was used at T0, T1, and T2, while a 5-point scoring system (from 0 = no healing to 4 = 76–100% of healing) was used at T1 and T2. The median healing scores were significantly higher at T1 and T2 for the MFAT group compared with the NT group for the 12-point (p < 0.05) and 5-point (p < 0.05) scoring systems. The intra-articular injection of autologous microfragmented adipose tissue can accelerate bone healing after TPLO without complications.
Automatically Identifying Sickness Behavior in Grazing Lambs with an Acceleration Sensor
Authors: Fan Bowen , Bryant Racheal H. , Greer Andrew W.
Published: June 2023

Acute disease of grazing animals can lead to alterations in behavioral patterns. Relatively recent advances in accelerometer technology have resulted in commercial products, which can be used to remotely detect changes in animals’ behavior, the pattern and extent of which may provide an indicator of disease challenge and animal health status. The objective of this study was to determine if changes in behavior during use of a lipopolysaccharide (LPS) challenge model can be detected using ear-mounted accelerometers in grazing lambs. LPS infusion elevated rectal temperatures from 39.31 °C to 39.95 °C, indicating successful establishment of an acute fever response for comparison with groups (p < 0.001). For each of the five recorded behaviors, time spent eating, ruminating, not active, active, and highly active, the accelerometers were able to detect an effect of LPS challenge. Compared with the control, there were significant effects of LPS infusion by hour interaction on durations of eating (−6.71 min/h, p < 0.001), inactive behavior (+16.00 min/h, p < 0.001), active behavior (−8.39 min/h, p < 0.001), and highly active behavior (−2.90 min/h, p < 0.001) with a trend for rumination time (−1.41 min/h, p = 0.075) in lambs after a single LPS infusion. Results suggest that current sensors have the capability to correctly identify behaviors of grazing lambs, raising the possibility of detecting changes in animals’ health status.
Shepherds View of Large Carnivore Recovery in the Pyrenees, Spain
Authors: Ballarín José , García-Serrano Alicia , Herrero Juan , Reiné Ramón
Published: June 2023

The studied farms are small family businesses, and so, in more than half of the cases, their continuity is not guaranteed. Livestock management is typical of a mountain system, in which the animals graze throughout the year in cultivated fields, sown meadows, forests near the farms, and mountain pastures during the three summer months. The herds always have the constant surveillance of a shepherd. Farmers consider the current infrastructure present in mountain grasslands insufficient to facilitate the management and care of their herd. Their activity conflicts with various species of wildlife, such as the wild boar, Sus scrofa, roe deer, Capreolus capreolus, or griffon vulture, Gyps fulvus, and large carnivores such as the brown bear, Ursus arctos, or the grey wolf Canis lupus, despite all of them taking preventive measures to defend their herds from predators. The most widely used prevention measures are the presence of mastiff dogs, Canis lupus familiaris, next to the herds and the use of electric fencing to lock up livestock at night. Farmers reject the presence of bears and wolves in their area, considering it a real threat to the continuity of their economic activity, which presents a high degree of vulnerability.
Pentalogy of Cantrell in Two Neonate Littermate Puppies: A Spontaneous Animal Model Suggesting Familial Inheritance
Authors: So Wilson , Donahoe Shannon L. , Podadera Juan M. , Mazrier Hamutal
Published: June 2023

Developmental anomalies are an important cause of stillbirth and early perinatal death in companion animals. Many of these disorders remain poorly understood and provide an opportunity as a spontaneous animal model for human disease. Pentalogy of Cantrell is a rare congenital syndrome described in human neonates. It is a ventral midline closure defect with a proposed familial inheritance in humans. This syndrome involves five defects, including the thoracoabdominal wall, sternal, diaphragmatic, pericardial and cardiac malformations. Diverse expressions of these defects have been described in humans and sporadically in domestic animals. This severe syndrome commonly harbors a poor prognosis, posing an ethical and surgical dilemma. To better understand this syndrome and its presentation in dogs, we describe two rare cases of Pentalogy of Cantrell in a litter of papillon dogs. The affected puppies had anomalies compatible with the Pentalogy of Cantrell, including thoracoabdominal schisis, ectopia cordis, sternal cleft, pericardial agenesis, and diaphragmatic defects. The diagnosis was confirmed by advanced imaging (computed tomography) and postmortem examinations. The family history of this litter was explored and other cases in domestic animals were reviewed. This is the first report of the complete Pentalogy of Cantrell with ectopia cordis in the dog and the only report on papillons. Similar to human cases, possible familial inheritance and suspected male gender bias were observed. Further research on this novel animal model, its pathogenesis and its hereditary basis, may be helpful in better understanding this rare developmental disorder.
Admission Causes, Morbidity, and Outcomes in Scavenger Birds in the North of Portugal (2005–2022)
Authors: Garcês Andreia , Pires Isabel , Sargo Roberto , Sousa Luís , Prada Justina , Silva Filipe
Published: June 2023

Portugal is the habitat of three species of vultures. According to the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species, Neophron percnopterus is an Endangered species, Aegypius monachus is nearly Threatened, and Gyps fulvus is of Least Concern. This study aims to investigate the admission causes, morbidity, and outcomes of vultures admitted to a wildlife rehabilitation centre and necropsy service in Northern Portugal. Over 17 years (2005–2022), 84 animals were admitted: 10 A. monachus, 69 G. fulvus, and 5 N. percnopterus. The main causes of admission to the centre were 80% (n = 63) unknown cause, 13% (n = 10) found debilitated, 6 % (n = 5) vehicle collision, 4% (n = 3) captivity, 1% (n = 1) gunshot, and 1% (n = 1) electrocution. Most animals were admitted during the summer (45.2%) and autumn (36.9%). Analysis of outcome data showed that 73% (n = 58) of the animals that arrived alive at the centre could be rehabilitated and released back into the wild. Thirteen animals died during treatment and five were found dead. This is the first time that such a lengthy study of results and mortality has been carried out for these species in Portugal. Although the data are limited, they can already provide some information about these populations, particularly for the endangered species that are so rare to observe.
Effect of Environmental Concentration of Carbamazepine on the Behaviour and Gene Expression of Laboratory Rats
Authors: Santariová Milena , Zadinová Kateřina , Vostrá-Vydrová Hana , Kolářová Martina Frühauf , Kurhan Sebnem , Chaloupková Helena
Published: June 2023

Carbamazepine (CBZ), an effective drug for epilepsy and other neurological diseases, and its metabolites are one of the most frequently detected substances in the aquatic environment. Although these are doses of very low concentrations, chronic exposure to them can affect the physiological processes of living organisms. This experiment may clarify if carbamazepine, under an environmental and a therapeutic concentration, can affect the behaviour of higher vertebrates, especially mammals, and gene expressions of Ugt1a6 and Ugt1a7 in the brain compared to the control group without exposure to CBZ. Three groups of thirteen rats were randomly formed, and each group was treated either with carbamazepine 12 mg/kg (therapeutic), carbamazepine 0.1 mg/kg (environmental), or by 10% DMSO solution (control). The memory, anxiety, and social behaviour of the rats were assessed by the test Elevated Plus Maze, the novel object recognition test, and the social chamber paradigm. After testing, they were euthanised and brain tissue samples were collected and analysed for mRNA expression of Ugt1a6 and Ugt1a7 genes. The tests did not show significant differences in the behaviour of the rats between the groups. However, there were significant changes at the gene expression level of Ugt1a7.