bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Effect of 2002 FIFA World Cup: Point of Attachment That Promotes Mass Football Participation
Authors: Kang Taeahn , Hahm Jeongbeom , Matsuoka Hirotaka
Published: March 2022

The 2002 FIFA World Cup Korea/Japan significantly promoted football in the host countries. However, it remains unclear how the event has changed mass football (soccer in North America) participation. This study applies points of attachment (POA)—a well-developed concept in the field of sport management—to the 2002 FIFA World Cup and aims to examine which specific POA promoted football participation frequency immediately after the event and the present frequency of football participation in the host countries. An online questionnaire survey was conducted in South Korea (n = 405) and Japan (n = 398). The samples included adults aged > 19 as of the hosting date of the 2002 World Cup. Hierarchical regression analyses were performed to test all the datasets by employing four POAs (players, coaches, national teams, and football) as independent variables. Multiple control variables (e.g., nationality and age) and two dependent variables (football participation frequency immediately after the event and the present frequency of football participation) were included in the model. Correspondingly, those who had a higher attachment to each point during the event showed a higher frequency of football participation immediately after the event. In contrast, only two POAs (players and coaches) led to a higher frequency of present football participation. These findings provide the first empirical evidence highlighting the influence of the 2002 FIFA World Cup on mass football participation depending on the POA.
A Global Longitudinal Study Examining Social Restrictions Severity on Loneliness, Social Anxiety, and Depression
Authors: Lim Michelle H. , Qualter Pamela , Thurston Lily , Eres Robert , Hennessey Alexandra , Holt-Lunstad Julianne , Lambert Gavin W.
Published: March 2022

Purpose

Social restrictions and government-mandated lockdowns implemented worldwide to kerb the SARS-CoV-2 virus disrupted our social interactions, behaviours, and routines. While many studies have examined how the pandemic influenced loneliness and poor mental health, such as depression, almost none have focussed on social anxiety. Further, how the change in social restrictions affected change in mental-health and well-being has not yet been explored.

Methods

This is a longitudinal cohort study in community dwellers who were surveyed across three timepoints in the first six months of the pandemic. We measured loneliness, social anxiety, depression, and social restrictions severity that were objectively coded in a sample from Australia, United States, and United Kingdom (n = 1562) at each time point. Longitudinal data were analysed using a multivariate latent growth curve model.

Results

Loneliness reduced, depression marginally reduced, and social anxiety symptoms increased as social restrictions eased. Specific demographic factors (e.g., younger age, unemployment, lower wealth, and living alone) all influenced loneliness, depression, and social anxiety at baseline. No demographic factors influenced changes for loneliness; we found that those aged over 25 years reduced faster on depression, while those younger than 25 years and unemployed increased faster on social anxiety over time.

Conclusion

We found evidence that easing social restrictions brought about additional burden to people who experienced higher social anxiety symptoms. As country-mandated lockdown and social restrictions eased, people are more likely report higher social anxiety as they readjust into their social environment. Mental health practitioners are likely to see higher levels of social anxiety in vulnerable communities even as social restrictions ease.
Treatment-Resistant Depression in Portugal: Perspective From Psychiatry Experts
Authors: Bessa João M. , Carvalho Serafim , Cunha Inês B. , Fernandes Milene , Matos-Pires Ana , Neves Rui , Oliveira-Maia Albino J. , Santos Susana , Santos Vítor
Published: March 2022

Guidance about treatment-resistant depression (TRD) in Portugal is very limited, even though depression prevalence is among the highest in European countries. A questionnaire was conducted, followed by two advisory boards with seven Portuguese psychiatry experts, to characterize and discuss MDD and TRD epidemiology, diagnosis, patient journey, treatment options, and unmet clinical needs. Consensus was reached on the main issues. In daily practice, TRD can be defined as moderate to severe MDD episodes with insufficient clinical improvement after two antidepressant treatments, taken in adequate doses and duration. TRD diagnosis and treatment are mostly decided by psychiatrists at public hospitals. Treatment type and duration must be adjusted to characteristics of the patient and the depressive episode, including symptoms, number of previous episodes, comorbidities, and previous treatment response and side effects. The most relevant objectives of TRD treatment are reaching response and remission, prevention of suicide, and improvement of quality of life, functionality, and wellbeing. Regarding pharmacotherapy, antidepressant switch occurs more frequently with non-response, while optimization, combination, and augmentation are considered for patients with partial response. Psychotherapy should be considered in parallel to pharmacological treatment. Brain stimulation techniques are underused. Lifelong treatment is required for recurrent or more chronic TRD episodes, but patient adherence is also poorer in these cases. In Portugal, TRD management is limited by lack of access to specialist care and to many treatment options. These aspects highlight that conventional pharmacotherapy does not lead to remission in many patients and that optimization strategies are frequently necessary to achieve satisfactory treatment outcomes.
Patterns of Care for Adolescent With Schizophrenia: A Delphi-Based Consensus Study
Authors: Vita Antonio , Barlati Stefano , Bellomo Antonello , Poli Paolo Fusar , Masi Gabriele , Nobili Lino , Serafini Gianluca , Zuddas Alessandro , Vicari Stefano
Published: March 2022

Background

The current conceptualization of schizophrenia as neurodevelopmental disorder should lead to innovative public health policies in terms of a reorganization of the mental health care systems, particularly in the transition from adolescence to adulthood, to reduce personal, familiar, and social costs and burdens. The purpose of the project was to perform a survey among a panel of Italian schizophrenia experts, to share evidence-based information on adolescent schizophrenia and explore the degree of consensus among professionals in the following four macro-areas: early diagnosis; pharmacological treatment; health care system organization and transition process from adolescent to adulthood; and psychosocial interventions.

Methods

The consensus process consisted of a two-step web-based Delphi method, which took place between June and November 2021. The survey was developed by a panel of four psychiatrists and four child neuropsychiatrists, identified as key opinion leaders (KOLs). The KOLs identified 21 statements involving a total of 70 items with a major need of clarification on early-onset schizophrenia (EOS). The survey was distributed to 86 specialists in psychiatry and child neuropsychiatry.

Results

The results revealed a large agreement among the expert group on all the investigated areas of adolescent schizophrenia patterns of care and management. Consensus was ultimately reached for 67 items of the Delphi survey (95.7%), while negative consensus was reached for 2 items and no consensus was reached for 1 item.

Conclusions

Overall, results showed a significant gap between the acquired scientific knowledge and clinical practice. In this scenario, it should be necessary to plan specific initiatives at a multiple level, to edit recommendations on clinical decision-making, as well as to prompt changes at the political and organizational levels, also involving scientific societies, patients, and family associations, to overcome the barriers that delay the implementation process.
Health Behaviors and Health Literacy: Questing the Role of Weak Social Ties Among Older Persons in Rural and Urban Ghana
Authors: Amoah Padmore Adusei , Musalia John , Abrefa Busia Kwaku
Published: March 2022

Background

Older persons are one of the most vulnerable groups as regards low health literacy. However, little is known about the extent of limitations and multi-faceted nature of their health literacy, such as its characteristics and social and geographical dimensions. Additionally, most existing studies have predominantly treated health literacy as a risk factor of health and wellbeing of older persons as opposed to an outcome that must be pursued.

Objectives

This study investigated the moderating role of weak social ties (bridging social capital) in the relationship between health behaviors, such as smoking, alcohol intake, voluntary body check-up and physical exercise, and health literacy among older persons in rural and urban Ghana.

Methods

Data was drawn from a cross-sectional survey comprising 522 respondents across five administrative regions in Ghana. Ordinary Least Squares regression technique was used to analyse the data.

Results

Older persons in urban areas had higher health literacy [Mean/Standard deviation (SD) = 9.1/4.1 vs. 10.1/4.2] as well as higher bridging social capital (Mean/SD = 2.0/1.2 vs. 1.6/0.9) than their rural counterparts. Bridging social capital was negatively associated with the health literacy of urban residents (B = −0.997, p < 0.01). We found evidence that smoking (B = −0.787, p < 0.05) and undertaking physical activities (B = 0.812, p < 0.01) were associated with health literacy of older persons in rural areas. Having voluntary body check-ups (B = 0.155, p < 0.01) was associated with health literacy in urban areas. Bridging social capital negatively moderated the association of smoking with health literacy in rural areas (B = −5.032, p < 0.01), but it instead positively modified the relationship between alcohol intake and health literacy in urban areas (B = 0.185, p < 0.05).

Conclusion

For policymakers and practitioners aiming to promote older persons' health literacy as a public health asset at individual and community levels, an important starting point to achieving such goals is to understand the fundamental indicators (e.g., health behaviors) and the role that social and geographical factors play in shaping their health literacy.
The Inconsistency Between Women's Preference and Actual Mode of Delivery in China: Findings From a Prospective Cohort Study
Authors: Wu Jing , Feng Li , Zhang Hongwei , Guo Li , Pérez-Escamilla Rafael , Hu Yifei
Published: March 2022

Background

Previous studies have found that the rates of cesarean preference were much lower than the actual rates of cesarean births in China. We aimed to observe this inconsistency between preferred and actual modes of delivery and the factors associated with the inconsistency.

Methods

We conducted a prospective cohort study at the maternity hospital with the largest number of deliveries in Beijing. We collected data through a questionnaire applied in the outpatient department, and medical records from the hospital's information system. Unconditional logistic regression was used to identify factors influencing the inconsistency between preferred and actual delivery mode.

Results

The rates of actual cesarean section and of cesarean preference were 41 and 17%, respectively (χ2 = 82.9, P < 0.0001). The overall inconsistency rate was 31%, with 119 women preferred vaginal delivery but experienced cesarean section, accounting for 67% women undergoing cesarean section. Risk factors for this inconsistency between preferred vaginal delivery and actual cesarean section included: maternal obesity, receiving assisted reproduction, having an abnormal amniotic fluid volume, and fetal distress. Pre-labor rupture of membranes was a unique factor associated with such inconsistency between cesarean section preference and vaginal delivery at delivery.

Conclusions

The inconsistent rate between preferred delivery at late pregnancy and actual delivery is high in China. Further research is needed to understand how to lower cesarean rates in China, taking maternal preferences for vaginal deliveries into account.
Profiles of Stress and Coping Associated With Mental, Behavioral, and Internet Use Problems Among Adolescents During the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Stratified Random Sampling and Cluster Analysis
Authors: She Rui , Wong Keiman , Lin Jiaxi , Zhang Youmin , Leung Kinlong , Yang Xue
Published: March 2022

Background

Adolescents are vulnerable to behavioral and mental health problems, which might be further exacerbated during the COVID-19 pandemic. This study explored how participants with different profiles of stressful life events, coping resources (i.e., self-esteem and perceived social support) and coping strategies (i.e., maladaptive and adaptive coping) varied in the prevalence of mental, behavioral, and Internet use problems.

Methods

Data were collected from a large and representative sample of Chinese secondary school students in Hong Kong (n = 3,136) from September to November 2020 (48.1% males; mean age = 13.6 years old). Cluster analysis and logistic regression models were used for analysis.

Results

The prevalence of suicidal ideation and sleep disturbance was 29.8 and 55.4%, respectively. Behavioral problems were most frequently reported in excessive social media use (53.5%), followed by excessive Internet gaming (43.6%), obesity (34.1%), damaging properties (14.6%), and alcohol or substance abuse (5.1%). The results of cluster analysis yielded three distinctive stress and coping profiles: severe profile (High Risk/Low Protective; 17.0%), moderate profile (Moderate Risk/Moderate Protective; 35.8%), and mild profile (Low Risk/High Protective; 47.2%). Participants with severe and moderate profiles displayed significantly higher levels of mental (range for AOR: 2.08–15.06; all p < 0.001) and behavioral health problems (range for AOR: 1.22–11.22; all p < 0.05) compared to the mild profile cluster.

Conclusions

Adolescents' mental and behavioral health may be shaped by a combination of stressful life events and variations in coping resources as well as strategies. Transdiagnostic and multimodal interventions on these factors are warranted to reduce mental, behavioral, and Internet use problems among adolescents.
Eye Care Practitioners Are Key Influencer for the Use of Myopia Control Intervention
Authors: Yang Adeline , Pang Bao Y. , Vasudevan Pushpaja , Drobe Björn
Published: March 2022

Background

The study sought to investigate the self-reported practices of Singaporean eye care practitioners on myopia management and the interaction between eye care practitioners and parents.

Methods

Self-reported questionnaire (1) to eye care practitioners to understand their clinical practice behavior, their opinion in myopia management (2) to parents on their knowledge of myopia control products and interaction with eye care practitioners.

Results

80.0% of eye care practitioners prescribe myopia control in their practice but only 33.1% of eye care practitioners prescribed myopia control interventions during the first visit, and only 41.4% of parents were recommended myopia control interventions by eye care practitioners, of which 75.6% followed the recommendations of eye care practitioners. Eye care practitioners (53.1%) prefer atropine the most and parents prefer controlling the amount of time doing near work (54.5%) and outdoor activities (52.5%). Eye care practitioners had the highest influence on the choice of vision correction with 78.8% of parents choosing to follow them. 66.9% of eye care practitioners did not prescribe myopia control interventions during the first visit as they lack myopia progression data from the patient. Eye care practitioners felt that more education on myopia control products (57.7%), hands-on workshops (47.7%) and management of children (44.6%) would encourage them to use myopia control interventions more frequently. 40.0% of the eye care practitioners were concerned about the cost of myopia control products.

Conclusions

Eye care practitioners strongly influence parents to uptake myopia control interventions. More education and hands-on workshops on myopia and children management can help encourage the use of myopia control interventions by eye care practitioners.
A Resilience-Based Intervention to Mitigate the Effect of HIV-Related Stigma: Protocol for a Stepped Wedge Cluster Randomized Trial
Authors: Li Xiaoming , Qiao Shan , Yang Xueying , Harrison Sayward E. , Tam Cheuk Chi , Shen Zhiyong , Zhou Yuejiao
Published: March 2022

Background

Despite decades of global efforts to tackle HIV-related stigma, previous interventions designed to reduce stigma have had limited effects that were typically in the small- to-moderate range. The knowledge gaps and challenges for combating HIV-related stigma are rooted both in the complexity of the stigma and in the limitations of current conceptualizations of stigma reduction efforts. Recent research has shown the promise of resilience-based approaches that focus on the development of strengths, competencies, resources, and capacities of people living with HIV (PLWH) and their key supporting systems (e.g., family members and healthcare providers) to prevent, reduce, and mitigate the negative effects of stigma. However, the resilience-based approach, while hypothesized, has rarely been empirically tested in large intervention trials, especially in resource-limited settings.

Methods

In this study, we propose to develop, implement, and evaluate a theory-guided, multilevel, multimodal resilience-based intervention via a stepped wedge cluster randomized trial among 800 PLWH and their biological or surrogate family members, as well as 320 healthcare providers in Guangxi, China with a longitudinal follow-up period of 36 months at 6-month intervals. The primary outcome will be viral suppression and the intermediate outcomes will include perceived stress and medication adherence of PLWH as well as resilience measures at the level of the individual, the family, and the healthcare system.

Discussion

The proposed study will be one of the first large scale efforts to examine whether resilience among PLWH can be fostered and sustained through a multilevel and multi-component HIV-related stigma intervention and whether a resilience-based intervention can improve clinical outcomes and quality of HIV care among PLWH in a low-resource setting. If efficacious, the intervention components could be tailored to other groups of PLWH and adapted for other low- and middle-income countries.

Trial Registration

This trial is registered at ClinicalTrials.gov, registration number NCT05174936, registered 13 December 2021. https://register.clinicaltrials.gov/prs/app/action/LoginUser?ts=3&cx=-jg9qo2.
Tourism Development During the Pandemic of Coronavirus (COVID-19): Evidence From Iran
Authors: Hallaj Zeynab , Bijani Masoud , Abbasi Enayat , Valizadeh Naser , Mohammadi Maryam
Published: March 2022

The coronavirus (COVID-19) epidemic has created a great deal of fear and uncertainty about health, economy, and social life. Therefore, the health, social, and economic impacts of COVID-19 are of great importance. In prone rural communities, tourism industry can contribute to the sustainable economy and social development of the villagers, and as a dynamic economic sector, cause economic, social, cultural, and environmental changes. In this regard, the purpose of this inquiry was to develop tourism during the coronavirus pandemic using the social exchange theory (SET). The present study is a descriptive, correlational and causal inquiry that is conducted using survey technique. The statistical population included tourists visiting Sistan region around Hamoun Wetland in eastern Iran (N = 850). In the sampling process, 266 tourists were selected as a sample using random sampling strategy. The study instrument was a researcher-made questionnaire, whose validity was confirmed by a panel of subjectivists and its reliability was approved by a pilot study and Cronbach's alpha coefficients (0.87≥ α ≥ 0.71). Based on SET, the proposed causal model was able to explain about 56% (RAdj2 = 0.562) of the variance changes in tourism development during the COVID-19 epidemic.
Emotion Analysis of Arabic Tweets: Language Models and Available Resources
Authors: Alqahtani Ghadah , Alothaim Abdulrahman
Published: March 2022

One of the most popular social media platforms is Twitter. Emotion analysis and classification of tweets have become a significant research topic recently. The Arabic language faces challenges for emotion classification on Twitter, requiring more preprocessing than other languages. This article provides a practical overview and detailed description of a material that can help in developing an Arabic language model for emotion classification of Arabic tweets. An emotion classification of Arabic tweets using NLP, overall current practical practices, and available resources are highlighted to provide a guideline and overview sight to facilitate future studies. Finally, the article presents some challenges and issues that can be future research directions.
Incentive-Based Delay Minimization for 6G-Enabled Wireless Federated Learning
Authors: Bouzinis Pavlos S. , Diamantoulakis Panagiotis D. , Karagiannidis George K.
Published: March 2022

Federated Learning (FL) is a promising decentralized machine learning technique, which can be efficiently used to reduce the latency and deal with the data privacy in the next 6th generation (6G) of wireless networks. However, the finite computation and communication resources of the wireless devices, is a limiting factor for their very low latency requirements, while users need incentives for spending their constrained resources. In this direction, we propose an incentive mechanism for Wireless FL (WFL), which motivates users to utilize their available radio and computation resources, in order to achieve a fast global convergence of the WFL process. More specifically, we model the interaction among users and the server as a Stackelberg game, where users (followers) aim to maximize their utility/pay-off, while the server (leader) focuses on minimizing the global convergence time of the FL task. We analytically solve the Stackelberg game and derive the optimal strategies for both the server and the user set, corresponding to the Stackelberg equilibrium. Following that, we consider the presence of malicious users, who may attempt to mislead the server with false information throughout the game, aiming to further increase their utility. To alleviate this burden, we propose a deep learning-aided secure mechanism at the servers’ side, which detects malicious users and prevents them from participating into the WFL process. Simulations verify the effectiveness of the proposed method, which result in increased users’ utility and reduced global convergence time, compared with various baseline schemes. Finally, the proposed mechanism for detecting the users’ behavior seems to be very promising in increasing the security of WFL-based networks.
Still Not Solved: A Call for Renewed Focus on User-Centered Teleoperation Interfaces
Authors: Rea Daniel J. , Seo Stela H.
Published: March 2022

Teleoperation is one of the oldest applications of human-robot interaction, yet decades later, robots are still difficult to control in a variety of situations, especially when used by non-expert robot operators. That difficulty has relegated teleoperation to mostly expert-level use cases, though everyday jobs and lives could benefit from teleoperated robots by enabling people to get tasks done remotely. Research has made great progress by improving the capabilities of robots, and exploring a variety of interfaces to improve operator performance, but many non-expert applications of teleoperation are limited by the operator’s ability to understand and control the robot effectively. We discuss the state of the art of user-centered research for teleoperation interfaces along with challenges teleoperation researchers face and discuss how an increased focus on human-centered teleoperation research can help push teleoperation into more everyday situations.
Design and Prototyping of an Underactuated Hand Exoskeleton With Fingers Coupled by a Gear-Based Differential
Authors: Dragusanu Mihai , Troisi Danilo , Villani Alberto , Prattichizzo Domenico , Malvezzi Monica
Published: March 2022

Exoskeletons and more in general wearable mechatronic devices represent a promising opportunity for rehabilitation and assistance to people presenting with temporary and/or permanent diseases. However, there are still some limits in the diffusion of robotic technologies for neuro-rehabilitation, notwithstanding their technological developments and evidence of clinical effectiveness. One of the main bottlenecks that constrain the complexity, weight, and costs of exoskeletons is represented by the actuators. This problem is particularly evident in devices designed for the upper limb, and in particular for the hand, in which dimension limits and kinematics complexity are particularly challenging. This study presents the design and prototyping of a hand finger exoskeleton. In particular, we focus on the design of a gear-based differential mechanism aimed at coupling the motion of two adjacent fingers and limiting the complexity and costs of the system. The exoskeleton is able to actuate the flexion/extension motion of the fingers and apply bidirectional forces, that is, it is able to both open and close the fingers. The kinematic structure of the finger actuation system has the peculiarity to present three DoFs when the exoskeleton is not worn and one DoF when it is worn, allowing better adaptability and higher wearability. The design of the gear-based differential is inspired by the mechanism widely used in the automotive field; it allows actuating two fingers with one actuator only, keeping their movements independent.
Oral-Gut Microbiome Axis in the Pathogenesis of Cancer Treatment-Induced Oral Mucositis
Authors: Al-Qadami Ghanyah , Van Sebille Ysabella , Bowen Joanne , Wardill Hannah
Published: March 2022

Oral mucositis (OM) is one of the most common and debilitating oral complications of cancer treatments including chemotherapy, radiotherapy, and hematopoietic stem cell transplantation. It is associated with severe pain and difficulties in chewing, swallowing, and speech. This leads to impairment of basic oral functions and could result in unplanned treatment interruption or modification. As such, OM negatively impacts both patients' quality of life as well as tumor prognostic outcomes. Understanding pathways underlying OM pathogenesis help identify new targets for intervention or prevention. The pathophysiology of OM has been widely studied over past decades with several pathways related to oxidative stress, inflammation, and molecular and cellular signaling being implicated. In this mini-review, we will discuss the emerging role of the oral-gut microbiome axis in the development of OM. Particularly, we will elaborate on how the alterations in the oral and gut microbiota as well as intestinal dysfunction caused by cancer treatments could contribute to the pathogenesis of OM. Further, we will briefly discuss the potential methods for targeting the oral-gut microbiome axis to improve OM outcomes.
Monitoring Changes and Soil Characterization in Mangrove Forests of the United Arab Emirates Using the Canonical Correlation Forest Model by Multitemporal of Landsat Data
Authors: Elmahdy Samy I. , Ali Tarig A.
Published: March 2022

Mangrove forests are an important indicator of blue carbon storage and biodiversity and provide several benefits to the environment. This study showed the first attempt to apply the canonical correlation forest (CCF) model to classify mangroves and monitor changes in the mangrove forests of the entire region. The CCF model obtained a satisfactory accuracy with an F1 score of more than 0.90. Compared to Sentinel-2, Landsat 8 exhibited good temporal resolution with relatively little mangrove details. The resultant mangrove maps (1990–2020) were used to monitor changes in mangrove forests by applying a threshold value ranging from +1 to −1. The results showed a significant increase in the UAE mangroves over the period from 1990 to 2020. To characterize soil in mangrove forests, a set of interpolated maps for calcium carbonate, salinity concentration, nitrogen, and organic matter content was constructed. The results showed that there is a positive relationship between mangrove distribution and the calcium carbonate, nitrogen, salinity, and organic matter concentrations in the soil of the mangrove forests. Our results are of great importance to the ecological and research community. The new maps presented in this study will be a good reference and a useful source for the coastal management organization.
Extreme Climate and Weather Events in a Warmer World
Authors: Meyer Amelie , Bresson Hélène , Gorodetskaya Irina V. , Harris Rebecca M. B. , Perkins-Kirkpatrick Sarah E.
Published: March 2022

Extreme climate and weather events are unusual and rare events that often cause a lot of damage both to nature and to people. They take place in the air (storms, tornadoes, heavy rain, atmospheric rivers), in the ocean (storm surges, marine heatwaves), and on the land (wildfires, heatwaves, floods, droughts). Many weather and climate extremes happen naturally, even without climate change. But Earth’s changing climate does change where and how often some extreme events take place, and how strong those events are. What are extreme climate and weather events? Will new or stronger extreme events happen due to climate change? How is climate change impacting extreme events? These are the type of questions that our team of climate and earth scientists from around the world will answer in this article.
Immune Tolerance vs. Immune Resistance: The Interaction Between Host and Pathogens in Infectious Diseases
Authors: Ahmad Hafiz Ishfaq , Jabbar Abdul , Mushtaq Nadia , Javed Zainab , Hayyat Muhammad Umar , Bashir Javaria , Naseeb Iqra , Abideen Zain Ul , Ahmad Nisar , Chen Jinping
Published: March 2022

The immune system is most likely developed to reduce the harmful impact of infections on the host homeostasis. This defense approach is based on the coordinated activity of innate and adaptive immune system components, which detect and target infections for containment, killing, or expulsion by the body's defense mechanisms. These immunological processes are responsible for decreasing the pathogen burden of an infected host to maintain homeostasis that is considered to be infection resistance. Immune-driven resistance to infection is connected with a second, and probably more important, defensive mechanism: it helps to minimize the amount of dysfunction imposed on host parenchymal tissues during infection without having a direct adverse effect on pathogens. Disease tolerance is a defensive approach that relies on tissue damage control systems to prevent infections from causing harm to the host. It also uncouples immune-driven resistance mechanisms from immunopathology and disease, allowing the body to fight infection more effectively. This review discussed the cellular and molecular processes that build disease tolerance to infection and the implications of innate immunity on those systems. In addition, we discuss how symbiotic relationships with microbes and their control by particular components of innate and adaptive immunity alter disease tolerance to infection.
The Evolution of African Swine Fever in China: A Global Threat?
Authors: Ito Satoshi , Bosch Jaime , Martínez-Avilés Marta , Sánchez-Vizcaíno José Manuel
Published: March 2022

African swine fever (ASF) is one of the most critical diseases in the pig industry. In Asia, 15 countries have already reported an outbreak as of November 22, 2021. In 2021, China reported the genotype II lower virulent ASF virus (ASFV) and the emergence of genotype I ASFV. ASF is generally known as a contagious and lethal disease, but if chronic infection spreads, then disease control would be more difficult. In the current study, we highlighted the possibility of lower virulent virus distribution throughout China and the subsequent general risk of the virus being released from the country. The kernel density estimation showed that the two highest kernel density areas of ASF notification were located in Northeast and Midwest China. Four of the five provinces where lower virulent ASFV was isolated overlapped with areas of relatively high ASF notification density. In terms of the risk of ASFV spreading from China, eight of the 10 largest airports and three of the 10 largest seaports are located in areas of relatively high ASF notification density. There were flight flow from China to 67 countries and ship flow to 81 countries. Asia had the highest flight flow, followed by Europe, North America, Africa, and Oceania. The highest number of ship flows was also concentrated in Asia, but about 10% of ships head to Africa and South America. Chinese overseas residents were distributed in each continent in proportion to these results. Here, we highlight the potential risk of ASFV spread from China to the world.
Prevalence, Risk Factors, and Diagnostic Efficacy of Bovine Tuberculosis in Slaughtered Animals at the Chiang Mai Municipal Abattoir, Thailand
Authors: Singhla Tawatchai , Boonyayatra Sukolrat
Published: March 2022

This study aimed to (1) investigate the prevalence of bovine tuberculosis (bTB) in slaughtered animals at the Chiang Mai Municipal abattoir in Chiang Mai, Thailand; (2) identify animal-level risk factors for bTB at the abattoir; and (3) evaluate the performance of techniques for bTB detection at the abattoir. From April 2020 to March 2021, 161 animals registered for slaughter were randomly selected for the study. Animal data including age, sex, species, body condition scores, and origins of the animals were collected. Meat inspection was performed by a trained meat inspector. Tissue samples of the lung, liver, and lymph nodes were collected for histopathological diagnosis and polymerase chain reaction (PCR) detection of Mycobacteria and specifically Mycobacterium bovis. The prevalence of bTB during meat inspection and PCR was calculated separately. Animal-level factors affecting bTB were determined using multivariate logistic regression analysis. The performance of meat inspection and PCR was evaluated using a Bayesian approach. The prevalence of bTB was 12.4% (20/161) and 34.8% (56/161) when the disease was diagnosed using meat inspection and PCR, respectively. Buffaloes had a significantly higher risk of being identified as bTB-positive using PCR compared to beef cattle (odds ratio = 2.19; confidence interval = 1.11–4.30). The median of posterior estimates of sensitivity (Se) and specificity (Sp) to detect bTB using meat inspection were 20.8% [95% posterior probability interval (PPI) = 9.1–36.5%] and 87.8% (95% PPI = 79.6–95.4%), respectively. The medians of the posterior estimates of Se and Sp for PCR were 88.6% (95% PPI = 70.5–98.3%) and 94.4% (95% PPI = 84.7–98.8%), respectively. These findings demonstrate that bTB is highly prevalent among slaughtered animals. PCR can be used as an ancillary test for bTB surveillance at abattoirs in Thailand.
Impact of Feeding Postbiotics and Paraprobiotics Produced From Lactiplantibacillus plantarum on Colon Mucosa Microbiota in Broiler Chickens
Authors: Danladi Yohanna , Loh Teck Chwen , Foo Hooi Ling , Akit Henny , Md Tamrin Nur Aida , Mohammad Naeem Azizi
Published: March 2022

This study was conducted to evaluate the impact of feeding postbiotics and paraprobiotics produced from Lactiplantibacillus plantarum on colon mucosa microbiota in broiler chickens. In this study, 336 one-day-old COBB 500 chicks were randomly allotted to eight treatment groups and replicated six times with seven birds per replicate. The treatment included T1 (Negative control) = Basal diet, T2 (Positive control) = Basal diet + 0.01% oxytetracycline, T3 = Basal diet + 0.2% postbiotic TL1, T4 = Basal diet + 0.2% postbiotic RS5, T5 = Basal diet + 0.2% paraprobiotic RG11, T6 = Basal diet + 0.2% postbiotic RI11, T7 = Basal diet + 0.2% paraprobiotic RG14, and T8 = Basal diet + 0.2% paraprobiotic RI11. There were reported changes in the bacterial community using 16S rRNA sequencing of the colon mucosa. The results of the sequencing of 16S rRNA genes in the colon mucosa samples indicated that compared to birds fed the negative control diet, birds fed paraprobiotic RI11 diets were recorded to have a lower relative abundance of Proteobacteria, while those fed the positive control were recorded to have a higher proportion of Firmicutes. Also, lower Enterococcus was reported in paraprobiotic RI11, while the most abundant genus was Bacteroides in postbiotic TL1. This study revealed that supplementation of postbiotics and paraprobiotics in the diets of broilers demonstrated positive effects on the microbiota by supporting the increase of beneficial microbes like the Firmicutes while decreasing harmful microbes like the Proteobacteria. Therefore, this study has provided knowledge on the modification of chicken mucosa microbiota through the feeding of postbiotics and paraprobiotics.
Development of Air Bearing Stage Using Flexure for Yaw Motion Compensation
Authors: Lee Hak-Jun , Ahn Dahoon
Published: March 2022

This paper presents an air bearing stage that uses flexure for yaw motion compensation. The proposed stage realizes motion in three degrees of freedom (DOF), which are the X, Y, and Θz directions. To work with Θz as the rotational motion of the stage, we applied a flexure consisting of four bar linkages. The stage from a previous study in which flexure is applied to compensate for yaw motion error has the limitation of increasing the structural stiffness of the stage due to the rotational stiffness. In this study, we propose a combination of a new stage structure and flexure to ensure the high structural stiffness of the stage and the very low rotational stiffness of the flexure at the same time. Modeling and design optimization were performed to apply adequate flexure to the proposed stage. Experiments were carried out to verify yaw motion error compensation and the performance of the stage. The proposed stage has a maximum yaw motion error of 0.86 arcsec during the scanning motion and 48 ms settling time, while the stepping motion is improved by 34.2% compared to the previous study.
Design of a Semiactive TMD for Lightweight Pedestrian Structures Considering Human–Structure–Actuator Interaction
Authors: Barrera-Vargas Christian A. , Naranjo-Pérez Javier , Díaz Iván M. , García-Palacios Jaime H.
Published: March 2022

Lightweight pedestrian structures constructed with high strength-to-weight ratio materials, such as fiber-reinforced polymers (FRP), may experience large accelerations due to their lightness, thus overcoming the serviceability limit state. Additionally, uncertainties associated with human–structure interaction phenomena become relevant. Under these circumstances, variations in pedestrian actions could modify the modal properties of the coupled human–structure system and classical approaches based on passive Tuned Mass Dampers (TMD) do not offer an effective solution. An alternative solution is to use a Semiactive TMD (STMD), which includes a semiactive damper that, when properly designed, may be effective for a relatively broad frequency band, offering a robust solution when significant uncertainties are present. Thus, this paper presents a design methodology for the design of STMDs applied to lightweight pedestrian structures including human–structure and actuator–structure interaction. A multiobjective optimization procedure has been proposed to simultaneously minimize structure acceleration, inertial mass, and maximum damper force. The methodology has been applied to a lightweight FRP footbridge. Realistic simulations, including system uncertainties, interaction phenomena, nonlinear damper model, noise-contaminated signals, and the practical elements (in-line digital filters) needed for the successful implementation of the control law, validate the methodology. As a conclusion, the STMD is more effective than its passive counterpart in both, canceling the response or achieving similar performance with significant lower inertial mass.
Geostationary Station-Keeping of Electric-Propulsion Satellite Equipped with Robotic Arms
Authors: Li Chengzhang , Xu Bo , Zhou Wanmeng , Peng Qibo
Published: March 2022

We propose two approaches based on feedforward control and model-predictive control, respectively, to solve the station-keeping problem of an electric-propulsion geostationary Earth orbit (GEO) satellite, whose thrusters are mounted on two robotic arms on its anti-nadir face. This novel configuration enables a wider range of thrust direction, making it possible to regard the thrust direction as control variables. To solve this control problem, we present the quick feedforward controller (QFFC) and the fuel-optimal model predictive controller (FOMPC). The QFFC is developed based on the analysis of GEO dynamics and the thruster configuration. The FOMPC applies an optimization algorithm to solve the nonlinear model predictive control (NLMPC) problem with the initial value given by the QFFC. Numerical simulations suggest that both controllers could achieve stable station-keeping over multiple objective elements with fewer thrusters and fewer maneuvers. The QFFC has higher control accuracy and lower computational requirements than the FOMPC, whereas the FOMPC could significantly save fuel consumption. The robustness assessment and other discussions of the controllers are also presented.
Assessment of BMPs by Estimating Hydrologic and Water Quality Outputs Using SWAT in Yazoo River Watershed
Authors: Venishetty Vivek , Parajuli Prem B.
Published: March 2022

Water quality is a global concern; it is due to point and non-point source pollution. Non-point sources for pollution are mainly runoff from Agricultural and forest. To decrease nutrient inputs, management practices are implemented. Using Soil and Water Assessment Tool, water quality parameters can be quantified. Yazoo River Watershed is the largest watershed in Mississippi, which have impact on surface water quality due to large scale agriculture and forest lands. Model has been calibrated and validated for streamflow, sediment, Total Nitrogen (TN), Total Phosphorus (TP) for the USGS gauge stations in the watershed. Model efficiency was assessed with Coefficient of Determination (R2) and Nash-Sutcliffe Efficiency index (NSE). Best Management Practices (BMPs) were implemented throughout the watershed to simulate the impact of BMPs on streamflow, sediment, and nutrient yields. Vegetative Filter Strips (VFS), Riparian Buffer, combination of VFS and Riparian buffer and Cover Crops (CC) were tested for assessing the effective BMP in improving water quality. VFS, Riparian buffer and both (VFS + riparian) have no effect on streamflow, but they were able to decrease sediment, TN, and TP yields. Scenario with both VFS and Riparian buffer had the highest reduction capability as per varying width (5, 10, 15, and 20 m). For CC, Rye grass, Winter Barley and Winter Wheat (WW) were used, of which Rye grass had highest, 5.3% reduction in streamflow. WW has the highest Total Nitrogen reduction that is of 25.4%. CC also has significant reduction ranged between 10% to 11% for TP. This research would assist the Agricultural community to apply appropriate Management practices to improve water quality.
Requirement of Non-Phytate Phosphorus in 1- to 28-Day-Old Geese Based on Growth Performance, Serum Variables, and Bone Characteristics
Authors: Li Ning , Chen Yuanjing , Xu Lei , Su Guoqiang , Wang Zhiyue , Yang Haiming
Published: March 2022

The standard of dietary non-phytate phosphorus (NPP) requirement is important for geese production. However, limited reports remain an obstacle to the NPP requirement of geese. We aimed to evaluate the NPP requirement in geese based on the effects of NPP levels on growth performance, serum variables, and bone characteristics in 1–28-day-old geese. One-day-old male Jiangnan White Geese (n = 360) were randomly divided into five groups. Five corn-soybean diets were used in these groups, with NPP levels at 0.18%, 0.28%, 0.39%, 0.47%, 0.59% in the feed, respectively. The average body weight, serum phosphorus (P) content, tibia strength, tibia P content, and femoral skim weight were significantly reduced, by 0.18%, compared with 0.28–0.59%. These variables had significant linear fit (p < 0.001) between the levels of 0.18% and 0.58%. The estimated requirement of NPP for goslings is between 0.28% and 0.35%, based on the broken-line model, using the above indicators. In conclusion, the dietary NPP requirement for 1–28-day-old geese should be no less than 0.35% to ensure normal growth performance and bone development, based on body weight gain, serum P content, and skeletal variables.
Influence of Meso-Institutions on Milk Supply Chain Performance: A Case Study in Rio Grande Do Sul, Brazil
Authors: Cordeiro Marcio Pereira , Viana João Garibaldi Almeida , Silveira Vicente Celestino Pires
Published: March 2022

The objective of this study was to analyze meso-institutions, and their effect on the performance of the dairy farms in the regions along the western border of Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil. Exploratory and descriptive research was conducted using a mixed-methods approach. The data collection techniques included documentary research, interviews, self-reports, and questionnaires administered to a sample of 96 milk producers. Interpretive analysis was used to process the qualitative data, and the Mann–Whitney U test and multiple linear regression were used to analyze the quantitative data. The results of the analyses led to the identification of the meso-institutions and their role in interpreting, implementing, and monitoring rules in the milk supply chain. The findings indicated that the meso-institutions do not operate uniformly in the various milk-producing regions. The regression results indicated that effective monitoring by the meso-institutions positively influences the milk producer’s perception of performance. Therefore, to maintain the sector’s competitiveness, meso-institutions are necessary for interpreting, implementing, and monitoring the implementation of rules in the organizational arrangement in the dairy supply chain. The research brings advances in the field of knowledge of meso-institutions, a research frontier of the new institutional economics. Provide subsidies for public and private policies to consolidate the milk supply chain in emerging countries, especially highlighting the importance of meso-institutions as interlocutors between the macro level and the economic and social problems of producers.