bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Delay-induced uncertainty in the glucose-insulin system: Pathogenicity for obesity and type-2 diabetes mellitus
Authors: Karamched Bhargav R. , Hripcsak George , Leibel Rudolph L. , Albers David , Ott William
Published: September 2022

We have recently shown that physiological delay can induce a novel form of sustained temporal chaos we call delay-induced uncertainty (DIU) (Karamched et al. (Chaos, 2021, 31, 023142)). This paper assesses the impact of DIU on the ability of the glucose-insulin system to maintain homeostasis when responding to the ingestion of meals. We address two questions. First, what is the nature of the DIU phenotype? That is, what physiological macrostates (as encoded by physiological parameters) allow for DIU onset? Second, how does DIU impact health? We find that the DIU phenotype is abundant in the space of intrinsic parameters for the Ultradian glucose-insulin model—a model that has been successfully used to predict glucose-insulin dynamics in humans. Configurations of intrinsic parameters that correspond to high characteristic glucose levels facilitate DIU onset. We argue that DIU is pathogenic for obesity and type-2 diabetes mellitus by linking the statistical profile of DIU to the glucostatic theory of hunger.
Characteristics and outcomes of referrals to CAMHS for children who are thinking about or attempted suicide: A retrospective cohort study in two Scottish CAMHS
Authors: Gilmour Lynne , Best Catherine , Duncan Edward , Maxwell Margaret
Published: September 2022

Suicide among children and young people (CYP) is a leading cause of death. In the UK children identified as suicidal are referred to Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services (CAMHS) for assessment and treatment. However, the number of children referred for suicidality, and their care journey is unknown. This retrospective cohort study conducted in two distinct CAMHS teams, in Scotland, UK, aimed to quantify the numbers of children referred for suicidality, describing this population and the outcomes of these referrals. All CAMHS referrals (n= 1159) over a 6-month period (Jan-June 2019) were screened to identify those referred primarily for suicidality. Data extracted included: age, gender, source of referral, reason for referral including underlying issues, whether offered an assessment, and referral outcome. Area based deprivation scores were attached to each referral. Associations between the referred CYP's characteristics (including source of referral and underlying issues) and referral outcomes were explored using Chi Square, Fishers Exact test, and one-way ANOVA. Referrals for 284 children were identified as being for suicidality across the two sites (Site An= 104; Site Bn= 180). These represented 25% of all referrals to these CAMHS over a six-month period. One third of these concerned children under 12. The underlying issues, referrals sources, and demographic indicators were similar in both sites. In site A 31% were offered an assessment, whilst in Site B which had a dedicated team for suicidal CYP, 82% were offered an assessment. Similarly, more children in Site B were offered treatment (47.8%), than Site A (7.7%). Referrals from A&E were prioritized in both areas, and those who had attempted suicide offered an assessment more often. Older children were more likely to be offered treatment, although they were more likely to present with a history of self-harming behavior and/or previous suicide attempt. There are high numbers of children being referred to CAMHS for suicidality, and many are young children (<12). There is variation within and between services in terms of assessment, referral outcomes and care pathways for these children. Having a dedicated team to respond to referrals for suicidality appears to support access to assessment and treatment.
An Assessment of Quality of Life in Patients With Asthma Through Physical, Emotional, Social, and Occupational Aspects. A Cross-Sectional Study
Authors: Kharaba Zelal , Feghali Emilie , El Husseini Farah , Sacre Hala , Abou Selwan Carla , Saadeh Sylvia , Hallit Souheil , Jirjees Feras , AlObaidi Hala , Salameh Pascale , Malaeb Diana
Published: September 2022

Background

Asthma is a prevalent hyperactive airway disease with physical and emotional impact. Severe asthma is associated with considerable health-related quality of life (HRQoL). The aim of this study is to assess the quality of life through physical, emotional, social and occupational aspects and evaluate the factors affecting HRQoL in patients with asthma.

Methods

This is a cross-sectional multicenter study conducted on adult asthmatic patients enrolled from community pharmacies across different Lebanese geographic areas.

Results

Having wheezing sometimes and most of the time (Beta = −0.144 and −0.552), experiencing anxiety sometimes and most of the time (Beta = −0.205 and −0.573), encountering sleep problems sometimes and most of the time (Beta = −0.270 and −0.553), having previous chest discomfort sometimes and most of the time (Beta = −0.421 and −0.713), and having depression most of the times (Beta = −0.415) were associated with higher lower quality of life scores. On the other side, holding a secondary level of education was associated with a higher quality of life score (Beta = 0.192).

Conclusion

This study highlights that asthma affects adults' quality of life through social, emotional, physical, and occupational impacts. Improved follow-up and patient education may be essential in the future to stop disease progression and achieve ideal therapeutic outcomes.
ICF-based prediction of return to work after trauma rehabilitation: Results of the icfPROreha study in patients with severe musculoskeletal injuries
Authors: Kus Sandra , Oberhauser Cornelia , Simmel Stefan , Coenen Michaela
Published: September 2022

Background

Physical aspects such as the type and severity of an injury are not the only factors contributing to whether or not a person can return to work (RTW) after a serious injury. A more comprehensive, biopsychosocial approach is needed to understand the complexity of RTW fully. The study aims to identify predictors of RTW 78 weeks after discharge from initial inpatient trauma rehabilitation in patients with severe musculoskeletal injuries using a biopsychosocial perspective.

Methods

This is a prospective multicenter longitudinal study with a follow-up of up to 78 weeks after discharge from trauma rehabilitation. Data on potential predictors were collected at admission to rehabilitation using a comprehensive assessment tool. The status of RTW (yes vs. no) was assessed 78 weeks after discharge from rehabilitation. The data were randomly divided into a training and a validation data set in a ratio of 9:1. On the training data, we performed bivariate and multiple logistic regression analyses on the association of RTW and potential predictors. The final logit model was selected via stepwise variable selection based on the Akaike information criterion. The final model was validated for the training and the validation data.

Results

Data from 761 patients (n = 561 male, 73.7%; mean age: 47.5 years, SD 12.3), primarily suffering from severe injuries to large joints and complex fractures of the large tubular bones, could be considered for analyses. At 78 weeks after discharge, 618 patients (81.2%) had returned to work. Eleven predictors remained in the final logit model: general health, current state of health, sensation of pain, limitations and restrictions in activities and participation (disability), professional sector, ongoing legal disputes, financial concerns (assets), personality traits, life satisfaction preaccident, attitude to life, and demand for pension claim. A predicted probability for RTW based on the multiple logistic regression model of 76.3% was revealed as the optimal cut-off score based on the ROC curve.

Conclusion

A holistic biopsychosocial approach is needed to address RTW and strengthen person-centered treatment and rehabilitation. Patients at risk for no RTW in the long term can already be identified at the onset of rehabilitation.
The Magic of Mindfulness in Sport
Authors: Henriksen Kristoffer
Published: September 2022

Top-level athletes are not only strong and fast, but they also look totally focused as if, in the moment of performance, the world around them does not exist. In the early days of sport psychology, this led to two misconceptions. First, we thought that when athletes looked calm and confident, their minds were quiet and positive. Second, we thought these people were born with extraordinary minds. Today, sport psychologists know better. We know the mind is busy and even the best athletes experience unpleasant thoughts and doubt at times. We also know that athletes can learn to refocus on the task at hand. They can do so by practicing mindfulness, which is training their attention to stay in the present moment, by bringing it back when it wanders. It is like taking the mind to the gym. In this article, I will explain how mindfulness training helps athletes perform at their best.
A “Dual Career”: Combining Sport and Studies
Authors: Stambulova Natalia B. , Harwood Chris
Published: September 2022

School-aged athletes face the need to balance competitive sports and their studies. In doing so they follow what is called a dual-career pathway. Both pursuits take time and effort, both are expected to lead to success, and either could lead to a life-long career. A dual-career pathway begins when children start to play sports and might continue throughout the school years and beyond. Research shows that it is beneficial to combine sport and studies, but it is also challenging. How can kids optimally juggle their sport, studies, social, and private lives? How do they gain the benefits of a dual career and avoid harming their prospects in sport or school? This article explains what a dual career is, why it is important, and why it is difficult. It also describes the skills and strategies for coping with dual-career challenges and presents tips from researchers to achieve success in dual-career pursuits.
Application of historic datasets to understanding open solar flux and the 20th-century grand solar maximum. 1. Geomagnetic, ionospheric, and sunspot observations
Authors: Lockwood Mike , Owens Mathew J. , Barnard Luke A. , Scott Chris J. , Frost Anna M. , Yu Bingkun , Chi Yutian
Published: September 2022

We updated annual mean reconstructions of near-Earth interplanetary conditions and (signed) open solar flux FS for the past 186 years. Furthermore, we added observations for solar cycle 24 to refine regressions and improved allowance for orthogardenhose and folded (a.k.a., switchback) heliospheric flux from studies using strahl electrons. We also improved the allowance made for the annual mean gardenhose angle of the interplanetary magnetic field. We used both multiple regression with interplanetary magnetic field B and solar wind speed VSW and linear regression with the function BVSWn and demonstrated that the latter gives correlations that are not significantly lower than those given by the former. We conducted a number of tests of the geomagnetic indices used, of which by far the most important is that all four usable pairings of indices produce almost identical results for B, VSW, and FS. All reconstructions were given full 2σ uncertainties using a Monte Carlo technique that generates an ensemble of 1 million members for each pairing of indices. The long-term variations of near-Earth interplanetary field B and open solar flux FS were found to closely match those of the international sunspot numbers but VSW show a significantly different variation. This result explains why of the two peaks of 20th-century grand solar maximum, the range geomagnetic indices give a larger second peak, whereas the diurnal variation indices give a first peak that is larger, as it is for sunspots. We found that the increase in solar cycle averages of FS was between 2.46 × 1014 Wb in 1906 and 4.10 × 1014 Wb in 1949, the peak of the grand maximum, and hence, the rise in open flux was by a factor of 67%.
Clinical outcome comparison of laparoscopic radical antegrade modular pancreatosplenectomy vs. laparoscopic distal pancreatosplenectomy for left-sided pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma surgical resection
Authors: Niu Nan , He Yuhui , Mou Yiping , Meng Sijia , Xu Peng , Zhou Yucheng , Jin Weiwei , Lu Chao , Xu Yunyun , Zhu Qicong , Xia Tao
Published: September 2022

Background

Laparoscopic radical antegrade modular pancreatosplenectomy (LRAMPS) is a validated surgical treatment for patients with left-sided pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC). In addition, laparoscopic distal pancreatectomy (LDPS) has purported benefits. However, there is a limited analysis comparing the results between LRAMPS and LDPS. Thus, this study aims to compare the short-term and long-term outcomes of patients who underwent LRAMPS and LDPS for PDAC treatment.

Methods

Patients with left-sided PDAC that underwent LRAMPS or LDPS from 2015 to 2021 were retrospectively identified. Demographic and clinic pathologic data were collected. Disease-free survival (DFS) and overall survival (OS) probabilities were obtained.

Results

The number of lymph nodes retrieved was significantly greater in the LRAMPS group than in the LDPS group. Several clinicopathological factors, including CA19-9 levels greater than 37 U/ml, positive lymph nodes, moderate to poor tumor differentiation, and peripancreas fat invasion, were associated with DFS. Moderate with poor tumor differentiation was associated with poor DFS (HR 0.568; 95% CI 0.373–0.921; P = 0.021). Levels of CA19-9 greater than 37 U/ml, CEA levels greater than 5 μg/ml, larger tumor size, positive lymph nodes, moderate with poor tumor differentiation, peripancreas fat invasion, and adjuvant chemotherapy were all associated with OS. LRAMPS nearly improved OS but did not reach statistical significance. Serum carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA) levels greater than 5 ug/ml (HR 1.693; 95% CI 1.200–1.132; P = 0.001), and positive lymph nodes (HR 2.410; 95% CI 1.453–3.995; P = 0.001) were independently associated with poor OS. Treatment with adjuvant chemotherapy was associated with improved OS (HR 0.491; 95% CI 0.248–0.708; P = 0.001).

Conclusions

The LRAMPS procedure achieved comparable results to standard LDPS in terms of postoperative outcomes. Treatment with chemotherapy is important for the prognosis of patients with left-sided pancreatic cancer.
Impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the severity and management of acute appendicitis
Authors: Poget Marion , Chautems Roland , Kohler Rémy , Diana Michele , Saadi Alend
Published: September 2022

Background

The literature seems to indicate that the number of appendectomies dropped at the beginning of the coronavirus disease in 2019 (COVID-19 pandemic), while the number of complicated appendicitis increased due to late presentation. In addition, a longer delay before surgical treatment resulted in a higher morbidity. This study aims to compare the number of appendectomies, the severity, and the management of acute appendicitis during the first two pandemic peaks of COVID-19 with those observed during the same seasonal periods in the previous 2 years in a regional hospital in Switzerland.

Methods

We retrospectively reviewed and compared the number of appendectomies, rate of complicated appendicitis, delay to consultation and to surgery, distribution of appendectomies over a 24-h schedule, postoperative outcomes, and rates of overall complications in 177 patients, that is, 66 during the COVID-19 pandemic and 111 before the pandemic.

Results

No statistical difference was found in the number of appendectomies, duration of symptoms before consultation, median time to surgery, number of appendectomies performed outside the usual scheduled time for non-urgent surgery, length of postoperative stay, or the rates of overall complications. However, there was a trend in the rate of complicated appendicitis (p = .05).

Conclusion

In spite of a high incidence rate of COVID-19 in our canton, the impact of COVID-19 on our population did not follow the pattern observed elsewhere. The reasons for this might be that people would still present to the emergency department due to less strict social distancing measures. Great availability of emergency operating room may also account for the unchanged delay preceding surgical treatment and complication rates.
Concomitant necrotizing encephalitis and granulomatous meningoencephalitis in four toy breed dogs
Authors: Nessler Jasmin Nicole , Oevermann Anna , Schawacht Marina , Gerhauser Ingo , Spitzbarth Ingo , Bittermann Sophie , Steffen Frank , Schmidt Martin Jürgen , Tipold Andrea
Published: September 2022

The term “meningoencephalitis of unknown origin” (MUO) describes a group of different encephalitides in dogs in which no infectious agent can be identified and a multifactorial etiology is suspected. Among others, genetic factors and unknown triggers seem to be involved. Included are necrotizing leukoencephalitis (NLE), necrotizing meningoencephalitis (NME), and granulomatous meningoencephalitis (GME). In this case series, we describe the histopathological findings of four toy breed dogs with focal or multifocal necrotizing encephalitis and mainly lymphocytic perivascular infiltrates on histopathological examination. At the same time, however, in all dogs, focal or multifocal high-grade angiocentric granulomatous inflammatory lesions were evident with focal histiocytic perivascular infiltrates in the brain. The former changes are typical for NLE and NME. In contrast, the latter changes are indicative of GME. This case series shows that the boundaries between the necrotizing and granulomatous variants of MUO might be smooth and suggests that NLE, NME, and GME are not as distinct as previously described. This finding could be a crucial piece of the puzzle in the study of the pathogenesis of MUO as individual susceptibility and specific triggers could be responsible for the manifestation of the different MUO subtypes.
A Soft Pneumatic Gripper with Endoskeletons Resisting Out-of-Plane Bending
Authors: Li Hongjun , Xie Dengyu , Xie Yeping
Published: September 2022

The established soft pneumatic grippers have the benefit of flexible and compliant gripping, but they cannot withstand lateral loads, due to the low stiffness of soft material. This paper proposes an endoskeleton gripper. The soft action of the finger is performed by air chambers, and the gripping force is transferred by the rigid endoskeleton within the finger. The endoskeleton in the finger is similar to a wristwatch chain; the hinge mechanism permits relative rotation in the working plane but restricts out-of-plane bending, greatly increasing the finger stiffness. The endoskeleton and gripper holder can be 3D-printed with CR-PLA material. The finger was fabricated by molding of silicone gel. The gripper can perform enveloping grasping and pinch grasping operations depending on the object size, weight, and surrounding environment. The finger bending and gripper grasping performance were investigated by experiments and finite element analysis. The fingertip force of the endoskeleton gripper was about 1.45 times higher than that of the gripper without endoskeleton. It was found that the gripper can grasp objects with a maximum diameter of 80.5 mm and a weight of 450 g, which were 80.5% of the finger length and six times the finger self-weight, respectively.
Toward the Trajectory Predictor for Automatic Train Operation System Using CNN–LSTM Network
Authors: He Yijuan , Lv Jidong , Liu Hongjie , Tang Tao
Published: September 2022

The accurate trajectory of the train ahead with more dynamic behaviour, such as train position, speed, acceleration, etc., is the critical issue of virtual coupling for future railways, which can drastically reduce their headways and increase line capacity. This paper presents an integrated convolutional neural network (CNN) and long short-term memory (LSTM) hybrid model for the task of trajectory prediction. A CNN–LSTM hybrid algorithm has been proposed. The model employs CNN and LSTM to extract the spatial dimension feature of the trajectory and the long-term dependencies of train trajectory data, respectively. The proposed CNN–LSTM model has superiority in achieving collaborative data mining on spatiotemporal measurement data to simultaneously learn spatial and temporal features from phasor measurement unit data. Therefore, the high-precision prediction of the train trajectory prediction is achieved based on the sufficient fusion of the above features. We use real automatic train operation (ATO) collected data for experiments and compare the proposed method with recurrent neural networks (RNN), recurrent neural networks (GRU), LSTM, and stateful-LSTM models on the same data sets. Experimental results show that the prediction performance of long-term trajectories is satisfyingly accurate. The root mean square error (RMSE) error can be reduced to less than 0.21 m, and the hit rate achieves 93% when the time horizon increases to 4S, respectively.
Nationality Diversity in Corporate Boards and Tax Avoidance: Evidence from Oman
Authors: Alshabibi Badar , Pria Shanmuga , Hussainey Khaled
Published: September 2022

We examine the impact of nationality diversity in corporate boards on tax avoidance by assessing whether foreign directors play monitoring or advisory roles. We use a sample of 1049 firm-year observations from companies listed on the Muscat Stock Exchange between 2009 and 2019. We find that board nationality and audit committee nationality are associated with lower effective tax rates, which equated to more tax avoidance (an advisory role). Our findings offer an important implication for policymakers who are interested in determinants of and mechanisms to prevent tax avoidance. The implication is that caution should be exercised when appointing foreign directors to the board of directors in Oman.
Analysis and Experiment of Dynamic Picking Process of Spindle of Cotton Picker
Authors: Li Haiyang , Fu Xiuqing , Zhang Hongwen , Zhang Longchang , Wang Meng , Wang Lei , Du Xintian , Wei Ximei , Fu Xuewen
Published: September 2022

The spindle is a key core component of a cotton picker, and its operating parameters directly affect the quality of cotton harvesting. In this study, the spindle was selected as the research object. The kinematics and mechanics analysis of the cotton-picking process was conducted, the dynamic motion trajectory of the spindle was obtained, and the working parameters affecting the picking performance of the spindle were determined. A test bench for spindle picking performance was built; the spindle speed and feed speed were used as test factors; the seed cotton rejection rate, picking time, and picking force were used as evaluation indices for spindle picking performance; and a full-factor test was conducted. The range, variance, and regression analyses were conducted on the test results, and the results showed that spindle speed and feed speed had significant effects on seed cotton rejection rate, picking force, and picking time (p < 0.01). The primary and secondary order of factors affecting seed cotton rejection rate and picking time were spindle speed and feed speed, and the primary and secondary order of factors affecting picking force were feed and spindle speed. By comprehensively analyzing the influence of factors on the evaluation indices, the best combination was obtained as the spindle speed and feed speed of 4000 r/min and 1.8 m/s, respectively. The research results have theoretical research value and practical significance for revealing the picking law of spindles when rotating at a high speed and then realizing efficient cotton harvesting.
Construction of a Chlorophyll Content Prediction Model for Predicting Chlorophyll Content in the Pericarp of Korla Fragrant Pears during the Storage Period
Authors: Liu Yang , Zhao Jinfei , Tang Yurong , Jiang Xin , Liao Jiean
Published: September 2022

A chlorophyll content prediction model for predicting chlorophyll content in the pericarp of Korla fragrant pears was constructed based on harvest maturity and storage time. This model predicts chlorophyll content in the pericarp of fragrant pears after storage by using the error backpropagation neural network (BPNN), generalized regression neural network (GRNN) and adaptive neural fuzzy inference system (ANFIS). The results demonstrate that chlorophyll content in the pericarp of fragrant pears decreased gradually as the harvest time lengthened. The chlorophyll content in the pericarp of fragrant pears with different maturity levels at harvest decreased continuously with the increase in storage time. According to a comparison of the prediction performances of the BPNN and ANFIS models, it was discovered that the trained GRNN and ANFIS models could predict chlorophyll content in the pericarp of fragrant pears. The ANFIS model showed the best prediction performances when the input membership functions were gasuss2mf (RMSE = 0.006; R2 = 0.993), dsigmf (RMSE = 0.007; R2 = 0.992) and psigmf (RMSE = 0.007; R2 = 0.992). The findings of this study can serve as references for determining the delivery quality and timing of Korla fragrant pears.
Numerical Analysis of Ventilation Efficiency of a Korean Venlo-Type Greenhouse with Continuous Roof Vents
Authors: Park Se-Jun , Lee In-Bok , Lee Sang-Yeon , Kim Jun-Gyu , Choi Young-Bae , Decano-Valentin Cristina , Cho Jeong-Hwa , Jeong Hyo-Hyeog , Yeo Uk-Hyeon
Published: September 2022

A Venlo-type greenhouse with a continuous roof vent (CR-Venlo greenhouse) was proposed by the Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs, South Korea (2019) for natural ventilation even during summers. It is ventilated through the buoyancy effect of the heated air using the high eave elevation. However, the CR-Venlo greenhouse was not distributed domestically, and its ventilation efficiency was not quantitatively evaluated. We aimed to analyze the natural ventilation efficiency of the greenhouse according to the eave height, using computational-fluid-dynamics. The simulation model was analyzed for hot summer conditions. The target greenhouse is ventilated only through the roof vent with all roof windows open; therefore, the air introduced through the roof window is easily exhausted. To evaluate the efficiency of ventilation, the external air entering through the roof window was calculated and evaluated. The amount of incoming air varied greatly with the location of the span and average temperature of the greenhouse; The temperature of the crop zone decreased lognormally with increasing height of the eave. Moreover, the ventilation efficiency of CR-Venlo greenhouse could be increased by improving the ventilation structure such as a shape, position or combination of roof window.
Comparing Different Methods for Wheat LAI Inversion Based on Hyperspectral Data
Authors: Ma Junwei , Wang Lijuan , Chen Pengfei
Published: September 2022

Gaussian process regression (GPR) can effectively solve the problem of high-dimensional modeling with a small sample size. However, there is a lack of studies comparing GPR with other methods for leaf area index (LAI) inversion using hyperspectral data. In this study, winter wheat was used as the research material to evaluate performance of different methods for LAI inversion, i.e., GPR, an artificial neural network (ANN), partial least squares regression (PLSR) and the spectral index (SI). To this end, a 2-year water and nitrogen coupled experiment was conducted, and canopy hyperspectral and LAI data were measured at the critical growth stages of wheat. Based on these data, calibration and validation datasets were obtained, and the LAI prediction model was constructed using the above four methods and validated. The results showed that the LAI inversion models of the SI were the least effective compared with other methods, with R2 and RMSE ranging from 0.42–0.76 and 0.80–1.04 during calibration and R2 and RMSE ranging from 0.37–0.55 and 0.94–1.09 during validation. The ANN and GPR had the best results, with R2 of 0.89 and 0.85 and RMSE of 0.46 and 0.53 during calibration and R2 of 0.74 and 0.71 and RMSE of both 0.74 during validation. The PLSR had intermediate LAI inversion results, with R2 and RMSE values of 0.80 and 0.61 during calibration and R2 and RMSE values of 0.67 and 0.80 during validation. Thus, the ANN and GPR methods were recommended for LAI inversion of winter wheat.
Current Scenario and Perspectives for Nitrogen Fertilization Strategies on Tropical Perennial Grass Pastures: A Review
Authors: Pereira Lilian Elgalise Techio , Herling Valdo Rodrigues , Tech Adriano Rogerio Bruno
Published: September 2022

Traditional Nitrogen (N) fertilization practices for tropical perennial grass are still based on annual amounts, following flat N rates instalments. This strategy does not consider variations in climatic conditions along the growing season, their impacts on the plant’s demand and the soil N availability. At regrowth cycles where the amount of soil N released from mineralization or through animal excreta surpass the plant’s demand, most of the N may be lost (as ammonia, nitrate, and nitrous oxide), increasing production costs and environmental pollution. This paper examines current N fertilization and discusses possible gaps in knowledge for the definition of more precise fertilization guidelines in pasture-based livestock systems based on tropical perennial grasses. More precise fertilization practices, based upon site and seasonal-specific recommendations, will substantially contribute to the establishment of best fertilization guidelines. Sustainable approaches can be defined by combining the identification of regrowth cycles where high N rates are required, with enhanced efficiency fertilizers, and/or using grass species with the potential for biological nitrification inhibition. The lack of information on tropical grasses requirements, and soil and climatic factors driving the N fate into the mineralization and immobilization processes and how these factors affect plant’s N demand, still prevents opportunities for tactical applications and the establishment of best management guidelines.
Kiwifruit Detection Method in Orchard via an Improved Light-Weight YOLOv4
Authors: Gao Jianbo , Dai Sihui , Huang Jingjing , Xiao Xu , Liu Li , Wang Longhan , Sun Xia , Guo Yemin , Li Ming
Published: September 2022

In order to detect kiwifruit quickly and accurately in orchard environments for the picking robot, this paper proposed a detection method based on a lightweight YOLOv4-GhostNet network. The implementations of the method are as follows: The original CSP-Darknet53 backbone network model was replaced by GhostNet, a feature layer facilitating small object detection was introduced in the feature fusion layer, and part of the ordinary convolution was replaced by a combination of 1 × 1 convolution and depth-separable convolution to reduce the computational pressure caused by the fused feature layer. The parameters of the new network are reduced, and the generalization ability of the model is improved by loading pre-training weights and freezing some layers. The trained model was tested, and the results showed that the detection performances were better than that of the original YOLOv4 network. The F1 value, map, and precision were improved on the test set, which were 92%, 93.07%, and 90.62%, respectively. The size of weight parameters was reduced to 1/6 of the original YOLOv4 network, and the detection speed reached 53 FPS. Therefore, the method proposed in this study shows the features of fast recognition, lightweight parameters, and high recognition accuracy, which can provide technical support for vision systems of kiwifruit picking robots.
Synergistic Effect of Plant-Growth-Promoting Rhizobacteria Improves Strawberry Growth and Flowering with Soil Salinization and Increased Atmospheric CO2 Levels and Temperature Conditions
Authors: Redondo-Gómez Susana , García-López Jesús V. , Mesa-Marín Jennifer , Pajuelo Eloísa , Rodriguez-Llorente Ignacio D. , Mateos-Naranjo Enrique
Published: September 2022

Biofertilization with plant-growth-promoting rhizobacteria (PGPR) can positively affect the growth and health of host plants and reinforce their tolerance of stressors. Here, we investigate the use of isolated PGPR consortia from halophytes to improve strawberry growth and flowering performance under saline and elevated CO2 and temperature conditions. Growth, flower bud production, and the photosynthetic apparatus response were determined in strawberry plants grown at 0 and 85 mmol L−1 NaCl and in two atmospheric CO2-temperature combinations (400/700 ppm and 25/+4 °C, respectively). Biofertilization improved strawberry plant growth and flower bud production, independently of salinity conditions, at ambient CO2 and 25 °C, while bacterial inoculation only had a positive effect on plant growth in the presence of salt in high CO2 and at +4 °C. Biofertilizers 1 and 3 generated the largest biomass of strawberries at 400 ppm CO2 and 0 and 85 mmol L−1 NaCl, respectively, while biofertilizer 1 did so in the presence of salt and in an atmosphere enriched with CO2 and at +4 °C. The effect of the consortia was mediated by bacterial strain PGP properties, rather than by an improvement in the photosynthetic rate of the plants. Furthermore, biofertilizers 1 and 2 increased the number of flower buds in the absence of salt, while biofertilizers 3 and 4 did so for salt-inoculated plants at 400 ppm CO2 and at 25 °C. There was no effect of inoculation on flower bud production of plants grown at high CO2 and at +4 °C. Finally, we concluded that the effect of bacterial inoculation on strawberry growth and flowering depended on the type of bacterial strain and growth conditions. This highlights the importance of developing studies considering stress interaction to assess the real potential of biofertilizers.
Influence of Acacia Mearnsii Fodder on Rumen Digestion and Mitigation of Greenhouse Gas Production
Authors: Vargas-Ortiz Luis , Andrade-Yucailla Veronica , Barros-Rodríguez Marcos , Lima-Orozco Raciel , Macías-Rodríguez Edis , Contreras-Barros Katherine , Guishca-Cunuhay Carlos
Published: September 2022

In recent years, the worrying generation of GHG from ruminant production has generated widespread interest in exploring nutritional strategies focused on reducing these gases, presenting the use of bioactive compounds (tannins) as an alternative in the diet. The aim of this research was to determine the effect of the addition of different levels of Acacia mearnsii on ruminal degradation, nutrient digestibility, and mitigation of greenhouse gas production. A completely randomized design with four treatments and six repetitions was used. The treatments were: T1, T2, T3, and T4 diets with, respectively, 0%, 20%, 40%, and 60% A. mearnsii. The rumen degradation kinetic and in vitro digestibility, and the production of gas, CH4, and CO2 were evaluated. In situ rumen degradation and in vitro digestibility of DM and OM showed differences between treatments, with T1 being higher (p < 0.05) in the degradation of the soluble fraction (A), potential degradation (A + B), and effective degradation for the different passage rates in percent hour (0.02, 0.05, and 0.08), compared to the other treatments. Rumen pH did not show differences (p > 0.05) between treatments. The lowest (p < 0.05) gas, CH4, and CO2 production was observed in treatments T1 and T2 with an approximate mean of 354.5 mL gas/0.500 g fermented DM, 36.5 mL CH4/0.500 g fermented DM, and 151.5 mL CO2/0.500 g fermented DM, respectively, compared to treatments T3 and T4. Under the conditions of this study, it was concluded that it is possible to replace traditional forages with up to 20% of A. mearnsii, without observing changes in the production of greenhouse gases with respect to the control treatment (0% of A. mearnsii); however, A. mearnsii is not usable because it significantly decreases rumen degradability of DM and OM, which would considerably affect the production in animals.
Effects of Pelleted and Extruded Feed on Growth Performance, Intestinal Histology and Microbiota of Juvenile Red Swamp Crayfish (Procambarus clarkii)
Authors: Wan Jinjuan , Xi Qinkai , Tang Jianqing , Liu Tianji , Liu Cong , Li Hongqin , Gu Xizhang , Shen Meifang , Zhang Meiqin , Fang Jinguang , Meng Xianglong
Published: September 2022

The study was conducted to evaluate the extruded and pelleting feed production on growth performance, intestinal histology and microbiome analysis of juvenile red swamp crayfish, Procambarus clarkii. Crayfish were fed either pelleted or extruded feeds that were made using the same formula. Crayfish fed extruded feed had a lower feed conversion ratio, as well as significantly higher levels of trypsin and amylase (p < 0.05) than those fed pelleted feed. However, other growth indices and the activity of lipase were not significantly influenced by the feed processing technique (p > 0.05). In comparison with the pelleted feed group, the lamina propria thickness of crayfish fed extruded feed was significantly lower (p < 0.05). Additionally, the abundance of intestinal microbiota in the extruded feed group was higher than that in the pelleted feed group. The dominant phyla in the intestine of both groups were Proteobacteria, Tenericutes, and Firmicutes, and the relative abundance of Proteobacteria in the extruded feed group was significantly higher than that in the pelleted feed group (p < 0.05). These results revealed that P. clarkii fed extruded feed had higher feed utilization and better intestinal health.
Can Chromoendoscopy Improve the Early Diagnosis of Gastric Carcinoma in Dogs?
Authors: Candido Marcus Vinicius , Syrjä Pernilla , Kilpinen Susanne , Meisner Søren , Hanifeh Mohsen , Spillmann Thomas
Published: September 2022

Chromoendoscopy has improved the early diagnosis of gastric cancer in humans but its usefulness in dogs is unknown. This study aimed at assessing whether adding narrow band imaging (NBI) or indigo carmine (IC) chromoendoscopy (CE) can improve the diagnostic yield of standard white light endoscopy (WLE). We compared the real-time findings of canine WLE, NBI-CE, and IC-CE and corresponding histology reports with endoscopic mucosal pattern assessment templates used in human medicine. Belgian Shepherd dogs are predisposed to gastric carcinoma. Therefore, 30 dogs of this breed served as the study population. According to histology, 17/30 dogs had mucosal changes (mucous metaplasia, glandular dysplasia, and gastric carcinoma). Diagnostic yield was best when targeted biopsies were taken with WLE and NBI-CE combined (15/17 cases). WLE alone positively identified only 8/17 cases and missed a gastric carcinoma in 3/6 cases. CE assessment templates based on macroscopic mucosal patterns, broadly used in human medicine, were not readily applicable in dogs. In conclusion, the study provides evidence that using CE in dogs has the potential to improve the diagnosis of precancerous gastric mucosal pathology and early gastric carcinoma. However, current image assessment templates from human medicine need major adjustments to the patterns of canine gastric mucosa.
Phenotypic and Genotypic Analysis of Antimicrobial Resistance in Escherichia coli Recovered from Feedlot Beef Cattle in Australia
Authors: Messele Yohannes E. , Alkhallawi Mauida , Veltman Tania , Trott Darren J. , McMeniman Joe P. , Kidd Stephen P. , Low Wai Y. , Petrovski Kiro R.
Published: September 2022

This study investigated the antimicrobial resistance (AMR) profile of fecal Escherichia coli isolates from beef cattle (n = 150) at entry and exit from an Australian feedlot. Sample plating on MacConkey agar and Brilliance ESBL agar differentiated generic from extended-spectrum β-lactamase (ESBL)-producing E. coli, respectively. Resistance profiles were determined by minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) testing and further analyzed by whole-genome sequencing (WGS). At entry, the prevalence of antimicrobial resistance to amoxicillin/clavulanic acid, ampicillin, streptomycin, and trimethoprim/sulfamethoxazole was very low (0.7%, each). At the exit, the resistance prevalence was moderate to tetracycline (17.8%) and low to ampicillin (5.4%), streptomycin (4.7%), and sulfisoxazole (3.9%). The most common AMR genes observed in phenotypically resistant isolates were tet(B) (43.2%), aph(3″)-Ib and aph(6)-Id (32.4%), blaTEM-1B, and sul2 (24.3%, each), which are responsible for resistance to tetracyclines, aminoglycosides, β-lactams, and sulfonamides, respectively. The ESBL-producing E. coli were recovered from one sample (0.7%) obtained at entry and six samples (4.0%) at the exit. The ESBL-producing E. coli harbored blaTEM (29.7%), blaCTX m(13.5%), and blaCMY (5.4%). The resistance phenotypes were highly correlated with resistance genotypes (r ≥ 0.85: p < 0.05). This study demonstrated that E. coli isolated from feedlot beef cattle can harbour AMR genes, but the low incidence of medically important resistance reflected the prudent antimicrobial use in the Australian industry.
Utility of the Ratio between Lactate Dehydrogenase (LDH) Activity and Total Nucleated Cell Counts in Effusions (LDH/TNCC Ratio) for the Diagnosis of Feline Infectious Peritonitis (FIP)
Authors: Romanelli Pierpaolo , Paltrinieri Saverio , Bonfanti Ugo , Castaman Marco Graziano , Monza Elisa , Bertazzolo Walter
Published: September 2022

Background: We tested the hypothesis that the ratio between lactate dehydrogenase activity (LDH) and total nucleated cell counts (TNCC) in effusions may be useful to diagnose feline infectious peritonitis (FIP). Methods: LDH/TNCC ratio was retrospectively evaluated in 648 effusions grouped based on cytology and physicochemical analysis (step 1), on the probability of FIP estimated by additional tests on fluids (step 2) or on other biological samples (step 3, n = 471). Results of different steps were statistically compared. Receiver Operating Characteristic (ROC) curves were designed to assess whether the ratio identify the samples with FIP “probable/almost confirmed”. The cut-offs with the highest positive likelihood ratio (LR+) or Youden Index (YI) or with equal sensitivity and specificity were determined. Results: A high median LDH/TNCC ratio was found in FIP effusions (step1: 2.01) and with probable or almost confirmed FIP (step 2: 1.99; 2.20 respectively; step 3: 1.26; 2.30 respectively). The optimal cut-offs were 7.54 (LR+ 6.58), 0.62 (IY 0.67, sensitivity: 89.1%; specificity 77.7%), 0.72 (sensitivity and specificity: 79.2%) in step 2 and 2.27 (LR+ 10.39), 0.62 (IY 0.65, sensitivity: 82.1%; specificity 83.0%), 0.54 (sensitivity: 82.1%; specificity 81.9%) in step 3. Conclusions: a high LDH/TNCC ratio support a FIP diagnosis.
Production Performance and Nutrient Conversion Efficiency of Field Cricket (Gryllus bimaculatus) in Mass-Rearing Conditions
Authors: Mitchaothai Jamlong , Grabowski Nils T. , Lertpatarakomol Rachakris , Trairatapiwan Tassanee , Chhay Ty , Keo Sath , Lukkananukool Achara
Published: September 2022

Currently, there is an increased interest in mass producing edible insects, e.g., field crickets (Gryllus bimaculatus), due to their market value and sustainable development. The current study aimed to measure the production performance of field crickets and to quantify the major nutrient deposition rate using a new approach for a nutrient conversion efficiency calculation for the field crickets under mass-rearing conditions. The field crickets were reared under mass-rearing conditions in the rearing crates and fed with a commercial cricket feed. Measurements for daily feed offered, final body weight, and dead cricket quantity were carried out during the feeding trial period. There were three production rounds with the same procedure for farmed cricket management. The samples of diet, adult crickets, and dead crickets were collected and then analyzed for chemical analysis of macronutrients. The production performance and nutrient conversion efficiency were calculated and then compared with applicable earlier reports for both field and house (Acheta domesticus) crickets. The production performance for the studied field crickets under mass-rearing conditions had final a body weight, an average daily gain (ADG), a feed conversion ratio (FCR), and a survival rate of 0.95 g, 23.20 mg/day, 2.94 and 88.51%, respectively. The field crickets had nutrient conversion efficiency for dry matter (DM), ash, crude protein (CP), crude fat (EE), crude fiber (CF), and nitrogen-free extract (NFE) of 13.26, 8.03, 28.95, 88.94, 34.87, and 1.85, respectively, with an adjusted nutrient conversion efficiency of 14.85, 8.99, 32.37, 99.17, 38.95, and 2.10, respectively. Thus, the production of field crickets could be performed under mass-rearing conditions, and the nutrient conversion efficiency for both adjusted and non-adjusted values could be measured.
In Vitro Biological Activity of Natural Products from the Endophytic Fungus Paraboeremia selaginellae against Toxoplasma gondii
Authors: Mazzone Flaminia , Simons Viktor E. , van Geelen Lasse , Frank Marian , Mándi Attila , Kurtán Tibor , Pfeffer Klaus , Kalscheuer Rainer
Published: September 2022

Toxoplasma gondii is an apicomplexan pathogen able to infect a wide range of warm-blooded animals, including humans, leading to toxoplasmosis. Current treatments for toxoplasmosis are associated with severe side-effects and a lack efficacy to eradicate chronic infection. Thus, there is an urgent need for developing novel, highly efficient agents against toxoplasmosis with low toxicity. For decades, natural products have been a useful source of novel bioactive compounds for the treatment of infectious pathogens. In the present study, we isolated eight natural products from the crude extract of the endophytic fungus Paraboeremia selaginellae obtained from the leaves of the plant Philodendron monstera. The natural products were tested for inhibiting Toxoplasma gondii proliferation, and their cytotoxicity was evaluated in different human cell lines. Six natural products showed antitoxoplasma activity with low or no cytotoxicity in human cell lines. Together, these findings indicate that biphenyl ethers, bioxanthracenes, and 5S,6S-phomalactone from P. selaginellae are potential candidates for novel anti-toxoplasma drugs.
Bioinformatics and Genomic Analyses of the Suitability of Eight Riboswitches for Antibacterial Drug Targets
Authors: Pavlova Nikolet , Penchovsky Robert
Published: September 2022

Antibiotic resistance (AR) is an acute problem that results in prolonged and debilitating illnesses. AR mortality worldwide is growing and causes a pressing need to research novel mechanisms of action and untested target molecules. This article presents in silico analyses of eight bacterial riboswitches for their suitability for antibacterial drug targets. Most bacterial riboswitches are located in the 5′-untranslated region of messenger RNAs, act as allosteric cis-acting gene control elements, and have not been found in humans before. Sensing metabolites, the riboswitches regulate the synthesis of vital cellular metabolites in various pathogenic bacteria. The analyses performed in this article represent a complete and informative genome-wide bioinformatics analysis of the adequacy of eight riboswitches as antibacterial drug targets in different pathogenic bacteria based on four criteria. Due to the ability of the riboswitch to control biosynthetic pathways and transport proteins of essential metabolites and the presence/absence of alternative biosynthetic pathways, we classified them into four groups based on their suitability for use as antibacterial drug targets guided by our in silico analyses. We concluded that some of them are promising targets for antibacterial drug discovery, such as the PreQ1, MoCo RNA, cyclic-di-GMP I, and cyclic-di-GMP II riboswitches.