bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Inequality in Social Support Associated With Mild Cognitive Impairment: A Cross-Sectional Study of Older (≥60 Years) Residents in Shanghai, China
Authors: Lu Yuan , Liu Chaojie , Fawkes Sally , Ma Jia , Liu Yalin , Yu Dehua
Published: November 2021

Objective: Social support plays a critical role in the detection and management of mild cognitive impairment (MCI). However, socioeconomic inequalities exist in both social support and health care services. Our study aimed to compare the level of social support received by MCI patients in comparison with those without MCI and to determine its link with income.

Methods: Secondary data analyses were performed. Social support was measured using the Duke Social Support Index (DSSI) and satisfaction ratings. Multivariate logistic regression models were constructed to determine the associations of personal income and MCI with social support after adjustment for variations in the sociodemographic and health characteristics of the respondents. The multiplicative and additive interaction effects of income and MCI were further examined through introducing the MCI*Income variable to the regression models and using the relative excess risk due to interaction (RERI) analysis, respectively.

Results: The logistic regression models showed that the respondents with MCI had significantly lower social support as measured by the DSSI scores (AOR = 33.03, p < 0.001) and satisfaction ratings (AOR = 7.48, p < 0.001) compared with those without MCI. Similarly, social support decreased with lower personal income (p < 0.001). There existed a significant multiplicative interaction effect between personal income and MCI on social support (AOR = 0.30–0.32, p < 0.01). The gap in social support between those with and without MCI was higher in the higher income group compared with the lower income group (p < 0.001). No significant additive interaction effects on social support were found between MCI and income.

Conclusions: There are significant disparities in social support between people living with and without MCI. Such a gap is more profound in people with higher income. The inequality in social support associated with MCI may present a significant challenge to the successful implementation of community MCI detection and management.
How to Effectively Identify Patients With Rifampin-Resistant Tuberculosis in China: Perspectives of Stakeholders Among Service Providers
Authors: Hua Qianhui , Xu Hong , Chen Xinyi , Pan Junhang , Peng Ying , Wang Wei , Chen Bin , Jiang Jianmin
Published: November 2021

To evaluate China's current rifampin-resistant tuberculosis (RR-TB) screening strategy from stakeholders' perspectives, the perceptions, attitudes, and interests of 245 stakeholders from three eastern, central, and western China provinces on RR-TB screening strategies, were investigated through stakeholder survey and interview. The attitudes toward three RR-TB screening strategies were statistically different: inclination to choose who to screen (Z = 98.477; P < 0.001), funding for rapid diagnostic technology screening either by reimbursed health insurance or directly subsidized financial assistance (Z = 4.142, P < 0.001), and respondents' attitude during RR-TB screening implementation levels (Z = 2.380, P = 0.017). In conclusion, RR-TB screening scope could be expanded by applying rapid diagnostic technologies. Provinces with different economic status could adjust their screening policies accordingly.
What Types of Networks Do Professionals Build, and How Are They Affected by the Results of Network Evaluation?
Authors: Haruta Junji , Tsugawa Sho
Published: November 2021

Background: We aimed to explore what kind of social networks characterizable as “consult/be consulted” are built among healthcare professionals in a community and the impact of providing the professionals with these findings.

Methods: We adopted mixed methods exploratory study using social network analysis (SNA) and content analysis. SNA can visualize social network structures such as relationships between individuals. The healthcare professionals were asked about the key persons they consulted and were consulted by concerning these healthcare issues: (1) daily work; (2) a person with acute back pain; (3) a garbage-filled house reported by a neighbor; (4) a person with dementia; and (5) a study meeting. We identified the key roles depending on the issues using SNA. After analysis, the analytical findings were shared with the participants. To explore their cognitive responses, an open-ended questionnaire was delivered and a content analysis was implemented.

Results: Of 54 healthcare professional participants, the data of 52 were available for analysis. The findings (in the respective order of the five topics above) were as follows: the number of nodes was 165, 95, 85, 82, and 68; clustering coefficient was 0.19, 0.03, 0.02, 0.11, and 0.23; assortativity was −0.043, −0.11, −0.23, −0.17, and −0.23; reciprocity was 0.35, 0.31, 0.39, 0.29, and 0.48. The top three centralities included nurses. Eighty-seven free comments were received, of which 39 were categorized as descriptive, 10 as analytical, and 38 as critical.

Discussion: The structure of “consult/be consulted” networks differed by topic. SNA is available to detect the healthcare resources network and it may have helped them to reflect on their own networks.
A Research on the Crisis Spillover Effect of Food Safety Incidents on Competitive Firms: The Influence of Political Connections and Charitable Donations
Authors: Xiang Rong , Wang Mengqi , Lin Li , Wu Dongxia
Published: November 2021

Taking the perspective of corporate social responsibility and institutional theory, this research establishes an innovative relationship between variables such as charitable donation, political connection and crisis spillover effect of firms through quantitative analysis using the event study method, regression analysis and the Heckman two-stage model. Taking 8 food safety incidents from 2011 to 2016 as research samples, this paper studies the impact of food safety incidents on the market value of both firms under crisis and their competitive firms, as well as the influence of political connection and charitable donation. Based on the current situation that the product crisis or reputation crisis of a firm will, inevitably, affect the market performance and value of its competitive firms in the same industry, this paper attempts to answer questions such as “what kind of firms are capable of minimizing this negative influence?” “will the political connection of competitive firms exert a positive or negative impact?” and “can actions taken before the crisis, such as charitable donation of competitive firms, help these firms in reducing the harm?” The conclusions are as follows: first, the occurrence of food safety incidents not only has a negative impact on the market value of the crisis firm, but also has a negative spillover effect on the competitive firm; second, charitable donations made by the competitive firm before the crisis demonstrates a positive competitive effect on the competitive firm, and the intensity of such charitable donations is positively correlated with this positive competitive effect; third, the political connection of the competitive firm has no significant impact on the crisis spillover effect. These findings provide enlightenment for the operation and management of firms in the food industry.
Attitudes and Willingness to Accept Long-Acting Injections for Patients With Schizophrenia in Beijing: A Cross-Sectional Investigation Based on Samples From the Communities
Authors: Zhu Junli , Chen Yun , Lu Wei , Huang Qingzhi , Li Bin , Xu Ying , Xi Rui , Jin Lefan
Published: November 2021

Background: Schizophrenia has brought a serious disease burden to China. Under the background that community rehabilitation has become the mainstream treatment model, the long-acting injection (LAI) can better prevent recurrence. Some districts in Beijing have also issued policies. This article aims to find out patient's current attitudes toward LAI and provide policy suggestions.

Methods: Some patients with schizophrenia in the communities are selected, while the survey format is face-to-face conversation. The content of the self-made questionnaire includes patients' willingness and reasons for accepting LAI treatment. Descriptive statistics, t-test and F-test are used to process the data from questionnaire surveys.

Results: About 10% of respondents have had experience using LAI and the current utilization rate is 2.4%. Respondents' willingness to accept LAI is generally low (only 18.1% are willing). The main reason for willingness is no need to take medication every day, while the main reasons for unwillingness are high cost, fear of injection and lack of understanding.

Conclusion: Beijing community patients are not very optimistic about LAI's cognition and willingness. Medication habits play an important role in their medication selection decisions. Intervention such as educate clinicians and patients about LAI and provide free injections to patients can be imposed. The promotion of LAI still has a long way to go.
Influence of Neighborhood Characteristics on Physical Activity, Health, and Quality of Life of Older Adults: A Path Analysis
Authors: Liu Zhengying , Kemperman Astrid , Timmermans Harry
Published: November 2021

Background: As life expectancy and health expenditure consumed by older people increase, maintaining a better health and quality of life for older adults has become an important social issue. Research indicates that physical activity may help address this challenge. Moreover, it is believed that improved quality of life and health benefits from physical activity can be achieved through interventions in the neighborhood environments. However, existing knowledge has often been based on bivariate relationships between these factors, and few studies have formally examined the extent to which any association between neighborhood environments, health, and quality of life may be mediated by the level of physical activity. This paper aims to investigate the direct and indirect influence of neighborhood characteristics on the health and quality of life of older adults, taking into account physical activity behavior and socio-demographic characteristics in a more comprehensive framework.

Methods: Data were collected using a survey among 363 older adults aged 60 years and over in China. A path analysis was used that derives all direct and indirect relationships between the variables.

Results: Leisure-time physical activity levels played a mediating role in the relation between social capital and health as well as quality of life. Moreover, the study confirmed direct relationships between neighborhood characteristics such as neighborhood aesthetics and traffic safety and health as well as quality of life. However, the effect of neighborhood characteristics on health and quality of life through transport-related physical activity levels was not found.

Conclusions: Leisure-time physical activity instead of transport-related physical activity should be considered a priority when developing interventions aiming to promote healthy aging. Additionally, neighborhood characteristics are important in promoting healthy aging, even though they have no or less impacts on older adults' health and quality of life through physical activity.
Work-Related Mental Health Under COVID-19 Restrictions: A Mini Literature Review
Authors: Liu Wei , Xu Yingbo , Ma Danni
Published: November 2021

Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) restrictions, including national lockdown, social distancing, compulsory quarantine, and organizational measures of remote working, are imposed in many countries and organizations to combat the coronavirus. The various restrictions have caused different impacts on the employees' mental health worldwide. The purpose of this mini-review is to investigate the impact of COVID-19 restrictions on employees' mental health across the world. We searched articles in Web of Science and Google Scholar, selecting literature focusing on employees' mental health conditions under COVID-19 restrictions. The findings reveal that the psychological impacts of teleworking are associated with employees' various perceptions of its pros and cons. The national lockdown, quarantine, and resuming to work can cause mild to severe mental health issues, whereas the capability to practice social distancing is positively related to employees' mental health. Generally, employees in developed countries have experienced the same negative and positive impacts on mental health, whereas, in developing countries, employees have reported a more negative effect of the restrictions. One explanation is that the unevenly distributed mental health resources and assistances in developed and developing countries.
Longitudinal Smartphone-Based Post-hospitalisation Symptom Monitoring in SARS-CoV-2 Associated Respiratory Failure: A Multi-Centre Observational Study
Authors: Kohlbrenner Dario , Kuhn Manuel , Stüssi-Helbling Melina , Nordmann Yves , Spielmanns Marc , Clarenbach Christian F.
Published: November 2021

Background: We aimed to longitudinally monitor the recovery in breathlessness, symptom burden, health-related quality-of-life, and mental health status in individuals hospitalised due to SARS-CoV-2 associated respiratory failure.

Methods: Individuals hospitalised due to SARS-CoV-2 associated respiratory failure were recruited at hospital discharge in three participating centres. During the 90 day follow-up, European Quality of Life−5 Dimensions−5 Levels Instrument (EQ-5D-5L), modified Medical Research Council (mMRC) Dyspnoea Scale, COPD Assessment Test (CAT), and weekly Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS) questionnaires were assessed using a smartphone application. The results were presented using descriptive statistics and graphics. Linear mixed models with random intercept were fitted to analyse differences of intensive-care unit status on the recovery course in each outcome.

Results: We included 58 participants, 40 completed the study. From hospital discharge until 90 days post-discharge, EQ-5D-5L index changed from 0.83 (0.66, 0.92) to 0.96 (0.82, 1.0), VAS rating on general health status changed from 62 (50, 75) % to 80 (74, 94) %, CAT changed from 13 (10, 21) to 7 (3, 11) points, mMRC changed from 1 (0, 2) to 0 (0, 1) points, HADS depression subscale changed from 6 (4, 9) to 5 (1, 6) points, HADS anxiety subscale changed from 7 (3, 9) to 2 (1, 8) points. Differences in the recovery courses were observed between intensive-care and ward participants. Participants that were admitted to an intensive-care unit during their hospitalisation (n = 16) showed increases in CAT, mMRC, HADS scores, and decreases in EQ-5D-5L 30 days after hospital discharge.

Conclusion: Being admitted to an ICU led to statistically significant reductions in recovery in the EQ-5D-5L and the CAT. Furthermore, the flare-up in symptom burden and depression scores, accompanied by an attenuated recovery in HrQoL and general health status in the ICU-group suggests that a clinical follow-up 1 month after hospital discharge can be recommended, evaluating further treatments.

Clinical Trial Registration: [www.ClinicalTrials.gov], identifier [NCT04365595].
Engaging Healthcare Staff and Stakeholders in Healthcare Simulation Modeling to Better Translate Research Into Health Impact: A Systematic Review
Authors: Zabell Thea , Long Katrina M. , Scott Debbie , Hope Judy , McLoughlin Ian , Enticott Joanne
Published: November 2021

Objective: To identify processes to engage stakeholders in healthcare Simulation Modeling (SM), and the impacts of this engagement on model design, model implementation, and stakeholder participants. To investigate how engagement process may lead to specific impacts.

Data Sources: English-language articles on health SM engaging stakeholders in the MEDLINE, EMBASE, Scopus, Web of Science and Business Source Complete databases published from inception to February 2020.

Study Design: A systematic review of the literature based on a priori protocol and reported according to PRISMA guidelines.

Extraction Methods: Eligible articles were SM studies with a health outcome which engaged stakeholders in model design. Data were extracted using a data extraction form adapted to be specific for stakeholder engagement in SM studies. Data were analyzed using summary statistics, deductive and inductive content analysis, and narrative synthesis.

Principal Findings: Thirty-two articles met inclusion criteria. Processes used to engage stakeholders in healthcare SM are heterogenous and often based on intuition rather than clear methodological frameworks. These processes most commonly involve stakeholders across multiple SM stages via discussion/dialogue, interviews, workshops and meetings. Key reported impacts of stakeholder engagement included improved model quality/accuracy, implementation, and stakeholder decision-making. However, for all but four studies, these reports represented author perceptions rather than formal evaluations incorporating stakeholder perspectives. Possible process enablers of impact included the use of models as “boundary objects” and structured facilitation via storytelling to promote effective communication and mutual understanding between stakeholders and modelers.

Conclusions: There is a large gap in the current literature of formal evaluation of SM stakeholder engagement, and a lack of consensus about the processes required for effective SM stakeholder engagement. The adoption and clear reporting of structured engagement and process evaluation methodologies/frameworks are required to advance the field and produce evidence of impact.
Monolithic Stacked Dielectric Elastomer Actuators
Authors: Shintake Jun , Ichige Daiki , Kanno Ryo , Nagai Toshiaki , Shimizu Keita
Published: November 2021

Dielectric elastomer actuators (DEAs) are a promising actuator technology for soft robotics. As a configuration of this technology, stacked DEAs afford a muscle-like contraction that is useful to build soft robotic systems. In stacked DEAs, dielectric and electrode layers are alternately stacked. Thus, often a dedicated setup with complicated processes or sometimes laborious manual stacking of the layers is required to fabricate stacked actuators. In this study, we propose a method to monolithically fabricate stacked DEAs without alternately stacking the dielectric and electrode layers. In this method, the actuators are fabricated mainly through two steps: 1) molding of an elastomeric matrix containing free-form microfluidic channels and 2) injection of a liquid conductive material that acts as an electrode. The feasibility of our method is investigated via the fabrication and characterization of simple monolithic DEAs with multiple electrodes (2, 4, and 10). The fabricated actuators are characterized in terms of actuation stroke, output force, and frequency response. In the actuators, polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) and eutectic gallium–indium (EGaIn) are used for the elastomeric matrix and electrode material, respectively. Microfluidic channels are realized by dissolving a three-dimensional printed part suspended in the elastomeric structure. The experimental results show the successful implementation of the proposed method and the good agreement between the measured data and theoretical predication, validating the feasibility of the proposed method.
Encouraging Volitional Pedaling in Functional Electrical Stimulation-Assisted Cycling Using Barrier Functions
Authors: Isaly Axton , Allen Brendon C. , Sanfelice Ricardo G. , Dixon Warren E.
Published: November 2021

Stationary motorized cycling assisted by functional electrical stimulation (FES) is a popular therapy for people with movement impairments. Maximizing volitional contributions from the rider of the cycle can lead to long-term benefits like increased muscular strength and cardiovascular endurance. This paper develops a combined motor and FES control system that tasks the rider with maintaining their cadence near a target point using their own volition, while assistance or resistance is applied gradually as their cadence approaches the lower or upper boundary, respectively, of a user-defined safe range. Safety-ensuring barrier functions are used to guarantee that the rider’s cadence is constrained to the safe range, while minimal assistance is provided within the range to maximize effort by the rider. FES stimulation is applied before electric motor assistance to further increase power output from the rider. To account for uncertain dynamics, barrier function methods are combined with robust control tools from Lyapunov theory to develop controllers that guarantee safety in the worst-case. Because of the intermittent nature of FES stimulation, the closed-loop system is modeled as a hybrid system to certify that the set of states for which the cadence is in the safe range is asymptotically stable. The performance of the developed control method is demonstrated experimentally on five participants. The barrier function controller constrained the riders’ cadence in a range of 50 ± 5 RPM with an average cadence standard deviation of 1.4 RPM for a protocol where cadence with minimal variance was prioritized and used minimal assistance from the motor (4.1% of trial duration) in a separate protocol where power output from the rider was prioritized.
Assessing Livelihood Adaptation Indices and the Sustainability of Rice Farmers in Bangladesh's Northwestern Region
Authors: Eyasmin Farjana , Ghosh Bikash Chandra , Adeleye Bosede Ngozi
Published: November 2021

Climate change alters the impact of the environment on economies, and sustainable adaptation which may improve food security is embedded in the actualization of the 2030 United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) 2, 13, and 14. Hence, this study contributes to the debate by measuring how farmers in the Northwestern region of Bangladesh adapt to climate change. A cross-sectional multistage random sampling is used to collect 500 data points by the face-to-face interview method. For robustness, the study demonstrates climate change adaptations, adaptation indices, and the sustainability indicators in social, economic, and environmental concepts using the composite indicator method. Also, Rasch analysis and marginal contribution were used to explain the adaptation indices. Finally, a trivariate Tobit regression is used to examine sustainability analyses of climate change adaptation strategies and explain how the climate change adaptations affect different dimensions of sustainability. The results showed that dominant male households, extended family, skilled farmers and food security influenced adaptation index as well as adaptation strategies like organic manure, changing planting dates, diseases tolerant varieties and irrigation. Though, most dominant strategies like irrigation and applying fertilizer are not sustainable. The study also found that farm size, credit access, and extension contact significantly affects sustainability. Moreover, off-farm activities, crop diversification, and using high-yield varieties are more sustainable adaptation strategies. Policy should be implemented on the basis of region and sustainable manner.
Evapotranspiration and Runoff Patterns Across California's Sierra Nevada
Authors: Rungee Joseph , Ma Qin , Goulden Michael L. , Bales Roger
Published: November 2021

Spatially resolved annual evapotranspiration was calculated across the 14 main river basins draining into California's Central Valley, USA, using a statistical model that combined satellite greenness, gridded precipitation, and flux-tower measurements. Annual evapotranspiration across the study area averaged 529 mm. Average basin-scale annual precipitation minus evapotranspiration was in good agreement with annual runoff, with deviations in wet and dry years suggesting withdrawal or recharge of subsurface water storage. Evapotranspiration peaked at lower elevations in the colder, northern basins, and at higher elevations in the southern high-Sierra basins, closely tracking the 12.3°C mean temperature isocline. Precipitation and evapotranspiration are closely balanced across much of the study region, and small shifts in either will cause disproportionate changes in water storage and runoff. The majority of runoff was generated below the rain-snow transition in northern basins, and originated in snow-dominated elevations in the southern basins. Climate warming that increases growing season length will increase evapotranspiration and reduce runoff across all elevations in the north, but only at higher elevations in the south. Feedback mechanisms in these steep mountain basins, plus over-year subsurface storage, with their steep precipitation and temperature gradients, provide important buffering of the water balance to change. Leave-one-out cross validation revealed that the statistical model for annual evapotranspiration is sensitive to the number and distribution of measurement sites, implying that additional strategically located flux towers would improve evapotranspiration predictions. Leave-one-out with individual years was less sensitive, implying that longer records are less important. This statistical top-down modeling of evapotranspiration provides an important complement to constraining water-balance measurements with gridded precipitation and unimpaired runoff, with applications such as quantifying water balance following forest die-off, management or wildfire.
The Octopus: A Unique Animal for Studying the Brain
Authors: Shomrat Tal , Nesher Nir
Published: November 2021

What are the structures and functions of the brain that are important for complex learning, such as the ability to quickly figure out how to activate a new application in your smartphone? What are the brain mechanisms that allow memories, like the name of your first-grade teacher, to be stored and quickly recalled, even many years later? Which part of the brain generates the creativity and flexibility of thought necessary for learning a new smartphone interface, for example? These questions are some of the most studied in neuroscience, which is the science that studies the brain and nervous system. In this article, we will tell you how research on the octopus’s brain could help us find answers to these questions. By comparing the structure and function of the octopus brain to the brains of other animals, we might even obtain clues about the workings of the human brain.
Risk Factors for Early Recurrence of Gallstones in Patients Undergoing Laparoscopy Combined With Choledochoscopic Lithotomy: A Single-Center Prospective Study
Authors: Wang Bo , Huang Anhua , Jiang Min , Li Haidong , Bao Wenqing , Ding Kan , Jiang Zhaoyan , Zhao Gang , Hu Hai
Published: November 2021

Objective: For patients with gallstones, laparoscopy combined with choledochoscopic lithotomy is a therapeutic surgical option for preservation rather than the removal of the gallbladder. However, postoperative recurrence of gallstones is a key concern for both patients and surgeons. This prospective study was performed to investigate the risk factors for early postoperative recurrence of gallstones.

Methods: The clinical data of 466 patients were collected. Each patient was followed up for up to 2 years. The first follow-up visit occurred 4 months after the operation, and a follow-up visit was carried out every 6 months thereafter. The main goal of each visit was to confirm the presence or absence of gallbladder stones. The factors associated with gallstone recurrence were analyzed by univariate analysis and Cox regression.

Results: In total, 466 eligible patients were included in the study, and 438 patients (180 men and 258 women) completed the 2-year postoperative follow-up. The follow-up rate was 94.0%. Recurrence of gallstones was detected in 5.71% (25/438) of the patients. Univariate analysis revealed five risk factors for the recurrence of gallstones. Multivariate Cox regression analysis showed that multiple gallstones, a gallbladder wall thickness of ≥4 mm, and a family history of gallbladder stones were the three predictive factors for postoperative recurrence of gallstones (P < 0.05).

Conclusion: The overall 2-year recurrence rate of gallstones after the operation was 5.71%. Multiple gallstones, a gallbladder wall thickness of ≥4 mm, and a family history of gallstones were the three risk factors associated with early postoperative recurrence of gallstones.
Image-Based Planning of Minimally Traumatic Inner Ear Access for Robotic Cochlear Implantation
Authors: Mueller Fabian , Hermann Jan , Weber Stefan , O'Toole Bom Braga Gabriela , Topsakal Vedat
Published: November 2021

Objective: During robotic cochlear implantation, an image-guided robotic system provides keyhole access to the scala tympani of the cochlea to allow insertion of the cochlear implant array. To standardize minimally traumatic robotic access to the cochlea, additional hard and soft constraints for inner ear access were proposed during trajectory planning. This extension of the planning strategy aims to provide a trajectory that preserves the anatomical and functional integrity of critical intra-cochlear structures during robotic execution and allows implantation with minimal insertion angles and risk of scala deviation.

Methods: The OpenEar dataset consists of a library with eight three-dimensional models of the human temporal bone based on computed tomography and micro-slicing. Soft constraints for inner ear access planning were introduced that aim to minimize the angle of cochlear approach, minimize the risk of scala deviation and maximize the distance to critical intra-cochlear structures such as the osseous spiral lamina. For all cases, a solution space of Pareto-optimal trajectories to the round window was generated. The trajectories satisfy the hard constraints, specifically the anatomical safety margins, and optimize the aforementioned soft constraints. With user-defined priorities, a trajectory was parameterized and analyzed in a virtual surgical procedure.

Results: In seven out of eight cases, a solution space was found with the trajectories safely passing through the facial recess. The solution space was Pareto-optimal with respect to the soft constraints of the inner ear access. In one case, the facial recess was too narrow to plan a trajectory that would pass the nerves at a sufficient distance with the intended drill diameter. With the soft constraints introduced, the optimal target region was determined to be in the antero-inferior region of the round window membrane.

Conclusion: A trend could be identified that a position between the antero-inferior border and the center of the round window membrane appears to be a favorable target position for cochlear tunnel-based access through the facial recess. The planning concept presented and the results obtained therewith have implications for planning strategies for robotic surgical procedures to the inner ear that aim for minimally traumatic cochlear access and electrode array implantation.
Assessing Intestinal Health. In Vitro and Ex vivo Gut Barrier Models of Farm Animals: Benefits and Limitations
Authors: Ghiselli Federico , Rossi Barbara , Piva Andrea , Grilli Ester
Published: November 2021

Animal performance is determined by the functionality and health of the gastrointestinal tract (GIT). Complex mechanisms and interactions are involved in the regulation of GIT functionality and health. The understanding of these relationships could be crucial for developing strategies to improve animal production yields. The concept of “gut health" is not well defined, but this concept has begun to play a very important role in the field of animal science. However, a clear definition of GIT health and the means by which to measure it are lacking. In vitro and ex vivo models can facilitate these studies, creating well-controlled and repeatable conditions to understand how to improve animal gut health. Over the years, several models have been developed and used to study the beneficial or pathogenic relationships between the GIT and the external environment. This review aims to describe the most commonly used animals' in vitro or ex vivo models and techniques that are useful for better understanding the intestinal health of production animals, elucidating their benefits and limitations.
Dietary Phosphorus and Calcium Utilization in Growing Pigs: Requirements and Improvements
Authors: Lautrou Marion , Narcy Agnès , Dourmad Jean-Yves , Pomar Candido , Schmidely Philippe , Létourneau Montminy Marie-Pierre
Published: November 2021

The sustainability of animal production relies on the judicious use of phosphorus (P). Phosphate, the mined source of agricultural phosphorus supplements, is a non-renewable resource, but phosphorus is essential for animal growth, health, and well-being. P must be provided by efficient and sustainable means that minimize the phosphorus footprint of livestock production by developing precise assessment of the bioavailability of dietary P using robust models. About 60% of the phosphorus in an animal's body occurs in bone at a fixed ratio with calcium (Ca) and the rest is found in muscle. The P and Ca requirements must be estimated together; they cannot be dissociated. While precise assessment of P and Ca requirements is important for animal well-being, it can also help to mitigate the environmental effects of pig farming. These strategies refer to multicriteria approaches of modeling, efficient use of the new generations of phytase, depletion and repletion strategies to prime the animal to be more efficient, and finally combining these strategies into a precision feeding model that provides daily tailored diets for individuals. The industry will need to use strategies such as these to ensure a sustainable plant–animal–soil system and an efficient P cycle.
A Method for the Analysis of African Swine Fever by Viral Metagenomic Sequencing
Authors: Ji ChiHai , Jiang JingZhe , Wei YingFang , Wang ZhiYuan , Chen YongJie , Mai ZhanZhuo , Cai MengKai , Qin ChenXiao , Cai Yu , Yi HeYou , Liang Guan , Lu Gang , Gong Lang , Zhang GuiHong , Wang Heng
Published: November 2021

In 2018, there was an outbreak of African swine fever (ASF) in China, which spread to other provinces in the following 3 years and severely damaged China's pig industry. ASF is caused by the African swine fever virus (ASFV). Given that the genome of the African swine fever virus is very complex and whole genome information is currently inadequate, it is important to efficiently obtain virus genome sequences for genomic and epidemiological studies. The prevalent ASFV strains have low genetic variability; therefore, whole genome sequencing analysis provides a basis for the study of ASFV. We provide a method for the efficient sequencing of whole genomes, which requires only a small number of tissues. The database construction method was selected according to the genomic types of ASFV, and the whole ASFV genome was obtained through data filtering, host sequence removal, virus classification, data assembly, virus sequence identification, statistical analysis, gene prediction, and functional analysis. Our proposed method will facilitate ASFV genome sequencing and novel virus discovery.
GW-DC: A Deep Clustering Model Leveraging Two-Dimensional Image Transformation and Enhancement
Authors: Li Xutong , Li Taoying , Wang Yan
Published: November 2021

Traditional time-series clustering methods usually perform poorly on high-dimensional data. However, image clustering using deep learning methods can complete image annotation and searches in large image databases well. Therefore, this study aimed to propose a deep clustering model named GW_DC to convert one-dimensional time-series into two-dimensional images and improve cluster performance for algorithm users. The proposed GW_DC consisted of three processing stages: the image conversion stage, image enhancement stage, and image clustering stage. In the image conversion stage, the time series were converted into four kinds of two-dimensional images by different algorithms, including grayscale images, recurrence plot images, Markov transition field images, and Gramian Angular Difference Field images; this last one was considered to be the best by comparison. In the image enhancement stage, the signal components of two-dimensional images were extracted and processed by wavelet transform to denoise and enhance texture features. Meanwhile, a deep clustering network, combining convolutional neural networks with K-Means, was designed for well-learning characteristics and clustering according to the aforementioned enhanced images. Finally, six UCR datasets were adopted to assess the performance of models. The results showed that the proposed GW_DC model provided better results.
Access, Uptake, Use and Impacts of Agrometeorological Services in Sahelian Rural Areas: The Case of Burkina Faso
Authors: Tarchiani Vieri , Coulibaly Hamidou , Baki Grégoire , Sia Cyriaque , Burrone Sara , Nikiema Pinghouinde Michel , Migraine Jean-Baptiste , Camacho Jose
Published: November 2021

Agrometeorological services, as part of weather and climate services, are expected to play a key role in supporting sub-Saharan agriculture facing climate change and variability. In the Sahel, smallholder farmers relying on rainfed crop production systems are particularly vulnerable to climate change and variability because of low resilience and coping capacity. The provision of agrometeorological services is growing across Africa, but they often remain inaccessible for the majority of smallholder farmers or are not very relevant to support on-the-ground decision-making. Our work aims to demonstrate the hypothesis that agrometeorological services can effectively improve agricultural productivity and sustainability provided that appropriate mechanisms are put in place to ensure access, uptake and action. The paper illustrates the case study of Burkina Faso, where the National Meteorological Service, with the support of the World Meteorological Organization, engaged in the provision of accessible, reliable and relevant agrometeorological services for farmers. The study demonstrates that farmers, even in remote rural areas, are willing to profit from weather and climate services for strategic and tactical decisions in agricultural management because of relevant economic benefit. These benefits can be summarized as a 40% reduction in production costs and a 41% increase in income. Results also highlight environmental positive impacts such as the reduction by 50% in the use of fertilizers. Nevertheless, the study concludes that in order to scale-up weather and climate services in West Africa, a new business model released from the development projects approach should be explored.
Impact of the Legume Catch Crop Serradella on Subsequent Growth and P Mobilization under Barley in Different Fertilization Treatments
Authors: Vitow Nora , Zicker Theresa , Chiba Akane , Zacher Anika , Eichler-Löbermann Bettina , Schulz Stefanie , Schloter Michael , Baum Christel , Leinweber Peter
Published: November 2021

Legume catch crops can enhance soil fertility and promote the N and P supply of the subsequent main crop, especially with low mineral fertilizer use. However, the specific impact of catch crops on arbuscular mycorrhiza formation of the following main crop is unknown. Therefore, the impact of serradella (Ornithopus sativus) vs. bare fallow was tested on mycorrhiza formation, potential soil enzyme activities and plant-available P under subsequently grown barley (Hordeum vulgare) and different fertilization treatments (P-unfertilized—P0; triple superphosphate—TSP; compost—COM; combined—COM + TSP) in a long-term field experiment in northeastern Germany. Catch cropping significantly increased mycorrhiza formation of barley up to 14% compared to bare fallow. The impact of serradella on mycorrhiza formation exceeded that of the fertilization treatment. Serradella led to increased phosphodiesterase activities and decreased ß-glucosidase activities in soil. Plant availability of P was not significantly affected by serradella. These findings provide initial evidence that even serradella as a non-host crop of mycorrhizal fungi can promote the mycorrhiza formation of the subsequent crop and P mobilization in soil. We conclude that the prolonged vegetation cover of arable soils by the use of catch crops can promote P mobilization and transfer from P pools to the following main crops.
Grain Yield Estimation in Rice Breeding Using Phenological Data and Vegetation Indices Derived from UAV Images
Authors: Ge Haixiao , Ma Fei , Li Zhenwang , Du Changwen
Published: November 2021

The accurate estimation of grain yield in rice breeding is crucial for breeders to screen and select qualified cultivars. In this study, a low-cost unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) platform mounted with an RGB camera was carried out to capture high-spatial resolution images of rice canopy in rice breeding. The random forest (RF) regression techniques were used to establish yield models by using (1) only color vegetation indices (VIs), (2) only phenological data, and (3) fusion of VIs and phenological data as inputs, respectively. Then, the performances of RF models were compared with the manual observation and CERES-Rice model. The results indicated that the RF model using VIs only performed poorly for estimating yield; the optimized RF model that combined the use of phenological data and color VIs performed much better, which demonstrated that the phenological data significantly improved the model performance. Furthermore, the yield estimation accuracy of 21 rice cultivars that were continuously planted over three years in the optimal RF model had no significant difference (p > 0.05) with that of the CERES-Rice model. These findings demonstrate that the RF model, by combining phenological data and color Vis, is a potential and cost-effective way to estimate yield in rice breeding.
Response of Plant Root Growth to Biochar Amendment: A Meta-Analysis
Authors: Zou Zhenhao , Fan Lichao , Li Xin , Dong Chunwang , Zhang Liping , Zhang Lan , Fu Jianyu , Han Wenyan , Yan Peng
Published: November 2021

Biochar is widely used in agriculture to improve soil fertility and plant growth. However, a comprehensive assessment of how biochar amendment affects plant root growth is lacking. This study investigated the change in plant root biomass in response to biochar application, including impact factors such as the biochar feedstock and application rate, plant type, and soil pH. The Science Direct, Web Of Science, and Scopus databases were employed to search for literature published before 2021. The published papers with at least three replicates of biochar-amended treatments and a control at the same site were selected for meta-analysis. Our results showed that 165 (81.3%) of 203 datasets from 47 published studies indicated positive effects of biochar amendment on root growth with a mean relative increase of 32%. The feedstocks of biochar and its rate of application were the main factors that determined its effects on plant root growth. The increment of root biomass following biochar amendment was the greatest for trees (+101.6%), followed by grasses (+66.0%), vegetables (+26.9%), and cereals (+12.7%). The positive effects mainly depended on feedstock sources, with the highest positive effect (+46.2%) for gramineous, followed by woody plants (+25.8%) and green wastes (+21.1%). Linear regression analysis and SEM (Structural equation modeling) analysis showed that total nitrogen (TN) and available phosphorus (AK) are one of the most important factors affecting the increase of root biomass. These results suggest that biochar can be considered an effective amendment to improve root growth and soil fertility. Biochar feedstock sources, application rates, and plant types should be considered to assess the potential benefits of biochar for root growth and soil quality.
Effects of Heat Stress on Follicular Physiology in Dairy Cows
Authors: De Rensis Fabio , Saleri Roberta , Garcia-Ispierto Irina , Scaramuzzi Rex , López-Gatius Fernando
Published: November 2021

Follicular organization starts during mid-to-late fetal life with the formation of primordial follicles. The bilateral interplay between the oocyte and adjoining somatic cells during follicular growth and ovulation may be sensitive to heat stress (HS). Mechanisms giving rise to pre-ovulatory temperature gradients across reproductive tissues are mostly regulated by the pre-ovulatory follicle, and because the cooling of the gonads and genital tract depends on a counter-current transfer system of heat, HS may be considered a major factor impairing ovulation, fertilization and early embryo development. There is evidence of a long-lasting influence of HS on oogenesis and final follicular maturation. Follicular stages that are susceptible to HS have not been precisely determined. Therefore, the aim of this review was to describe the influence of HS during the staged follicular development in dairy cattle, from the activation of primordial follicles to ovulation. Some clinical prospects are also considered.
Oxidative Stress in ICU Patients: ROS as Mortality Long-Term Predictor
Authors: Ayala Juan Carlos , Grismaldo Adriana , Sequeda-Castañeda Luis Gonzalo , Aristizábal-Pachón Andrés Felipe , Morales Ludis
Published: November 2021

Lipid peroxidation, protein oxidation, and mutations in mitochondrial DNA generate reactive oxygen species (ROS) that are involved in cell death and inflammatory response syndrome. ROS can also act as a signal in the intracellular pathways involved in normal cell growth and homeostasis, as well as in response to metabolic adaptations, autophagy, immunity, differentiation and cell aging, the latter of which is an important characteristic in acute and chronic pathologies. Thus, the measurement of ROS levels of critically ill patients, upon admission, enables a prediction not only of the severity of the inflammatory response, but also of its subsequent potential outcome. The aim of this study was to measure the levels of mitochondrial ROS (superoxide anion) in the peripheral blood lymphocytes within 24 h of admission and correlate them with survival at one year after ICU and hospital discharge. We designed an observational prospective study in 51 critical care patients, in which clinical variables and ROS production were identified and correlated with mortality at 12 months post-ICU hospitalization. Oxidative stress levels, measured as DHE fluorescence, show a positive correlation with increased long-term mortality. In ICU patients the major determinant of survival is oxidative stress, which determines inflammation and outlines the cellular response to inflammatory stimuli.
Camphorquinone Promotes the Antisenescence Effect via Activating AMPK/SIRT1 in Stem Cells and D-Galactose-Induced Aging Mice
Authors: Maharajan Nagarajan , Cho Gwang-Won
Published: November 2021

Terpenoids are a wide class of secondary metabolites with geroprotective properties that can alter the mechanism of aging and aging-related diseases. Camphorquinone (CQ) is a bicyclic monoterpenoid compound that can be efficiently synthesized through the continuous bromination and oxidation reaction of camphor. The purpose of this study is to investigate the effects of CQ on oxidative-stress-induced senescence and its underlying mechanisms. To generate oxidative stress in human bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells (hBM-MSCs) and mice, we used hydrogen peroxide (200 μM twice) and D-galactose (D-Gal) (150 mg/kg for 10 weeks), respectively. Our findings suggest that CQ potentially reduces senescence in hBM-MSCs and mouse heart tissue. In addition, we found that CQ boosted AMPK/SIRT1 activation and autophagy in both models. These results were subsequently verified in hBM-MSCs using compound C (an AMPK inhibitor) but AMPK inhibition by CC did not significantly reduce the SIRT1 and the autophagy markers. CQ treatment also reduced the gene expression of inflammation markers in D-Gal-induced aging mouse heart tissue. Furthermore, we determined that CQ fits all of the pharmacological parameters using the freely available SwissADME Web tool. Collectively, our findings demonstrate that CQ possesses antisenescence and cardioprotective properties, and that oxidative-stress-induced senescence could be suppressed by AMPK/SIRT1 and autophagy mechanisms.