bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Diversity attitudes and sensitivity of employees and leaders in the German STEM-sector
Authors: Genkova Petia , Schreiber Henrik
Published: August 2022

The increasing diversity of cultural backgrounds, migration status and age is shaping modern working life. Previous research demonstrated that the attitudes and competences of team members and leaders toward diversity play a crucial role in utilizing the potential of heterogeneous teams and preventing detrimental behavior and discrimination. But even though leaders appear to be key figures in the process of diversity management, their perception of diversity as well as related challenges and chances are poorly investigated. The current paper aims to contribute to the understanding of leaders’ perspective on and role in diversity management building on a comparative analysis of two explorative qualitative studies with 16 employees and 22 leaders. The overall research questions are how employees and leaders perceive diversity of culture and age from their specific point of view, which experiences are likely to contribute to their opinion on and perception of diversity and in how far do employees and leaders differ in these aspects. Participants come from the German sector of science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM), which is the most internationalized and least psychologically investigated sector in Germany. The results show that employees are aware of the topic of diversity in general but have poor competences in dealing with diversity in their daily work life. This seems to be associated with a lack of experience with intercultural interaction and a lack of support from the respective organizations/leaders. We further found that individuals with a migration background do not show any signs of stereotype threat rather than expressing a feeling of being isolated from employees without a migration background. By comparing perspectives of leaders and employees, the current study contributes to the understanding of the processes underlying the experiences of inequalities of migrants and experiences of intercultural miscommunication and faultlines of people without migration background. Theoretical and practical implications are discussed.
Childhood maltreatment, depression and their link to adult economic burdens
Authors: Petersen Julia , Schulz Ann-Christin , Brähler Elmar , Sachser Cedric , Fegert Jörg M. , Beutel Manfred E.
Published: August 2022

Background

Adult depression is a common consequence of adverse childhood experiences. There is also a higher likelihood of being affected by economic burdens after having experienced a traumatic event in childhood. As depression has been associated with economic burden, these long-term sequelae of childhood adversity are likely to interact.

Goals

We investigated depression and economic consequences, such as unemployment, lower level of education, lower income as long-term sequelae of adverse childhood experiences in adulthood and their interaction.

Methods

Childhood Maltreatment was measured by the German version of the Adverse Childhood Experience (ACE) questionnaire. Depression was measured by the Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ-2). Logistic regressions were applied to investigate the risks of suffering economic burdens, with depression as a moderator.

Results

Depressive symptoms increased with the number of ACEs and were highest in those reporting four or more ACEs, especially amongst those who experienced sexual and emotional abuse, as well as neglect. Moderation analysis showed a significant effect of depression increasing almost all economic burdens. Migration background additionally increased the risk of unemployment and working in a blue-collar job. Female gender decreased the risk of unemployment and working in a blue-collar job, but increased the risk of low income and part-time employment.

Conclusion

The moderation effect of depression increased the negative impact of exposure to multiple ACEs on economic life in adulthood. Prevention of ACEs and early intervention are needed to prevent the mental health and economic consequences.
Characteristics of emotional gaze on threatening faces in children with autism spectrum disorders
Authors: Zhang Yifan , Li Dandan , Yang Tingting , Chen Chuanao , Li Hong , Zhu Chunyan
Published: August 2022

Most evidence suggested that individuals with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) experienced gaze avoidance when looking at the eyes compared to typically developing (TD) individuals. Children with ASD magnified their fears when received threatening stimuli, resulting in a reduced duration of eye contact. Few studies have explored the gaze characteristics of children with ASD by dividing emotional faces into threatening and non-threatening pairs. In addition, although dynamic videos are more helpful in understanding the gaze characteristics of children with ASD, the experimental stimuli for some of the previous studies were still emotional pictures. We explored the viewing of dynamic threatening and non-threatening faces by children with ASD in different areas of interest (AOIs). In this study, 6–10 years old children with and without ASD viewed faces with threatening (fearful and angry) and non-threatening (sad and happy) expressions, respectively, with their eyes movements recorded. The results showed that when confronted with threatening faces, children with ASD, rather than TD, showed substantial eye avoidances, particularly non-specific avoidances in the fixation time on the mouths and significantly less time gazing at the mouths in any emotions, which was not observed for non-threatening faces. No correlations were found between the severity of symptoms and characteristics of gaze at the eyes and mouths in children with ASD. These results further enhance the understanding of the gaze characteristics of children with ASD on threatening and non-threatening faces and possibly provide additional evidence for their social interaction improvements.
A cross-sectional survey: Exploring future healthcare workers' intention to use cannabis through extended theory of planned behavior
Authors: Ho Sze Wing Cherelle , WONG Yuen Lung , Chung Pui Hong
Published: August 2022

Cannabis is the most extensively abused drug, leading to multiple health burdens such as traffic accidents and psychosis. There is a global wave of legalization of recreational and medical cannabis. This study aimed to understand future healthcare workers' intention to use cannabis through extended Theory of Planned Behavior (TPB). An online cross-sectional survey on cannabis, including validated survey tools and questions on demographics, knowledge, and constructs of the TPB was designed, and distributed during virtual classes in late 2020. Responses were obtained from the Faculty of Medicine of a local university. Nine hundred ninety-six responses were collected, of which 629 were complete and analysed. Age was the only demographic variable associated with cannabis use intention (p = 0.029). Respondents with intention had better knowledge of cannabis. All TPB and additional constructs, including perceived behavioral control (COR = 3.44, 95% CI 2.72–4.35, p < 0.001), descriptive norm (COR = 2.24, 95% CI 1.81–2.77, p < 0.001), injunctive norm (COR = 0.51, 95% CI 0.42–0.61, p < 0.001), attitude (COR = 1.23, 95% CI 1.18–1.28, p < 0.001), knowledge (COR = 1.08, 95% CI 1.03–1.14), and perceived availability (COR = 2.75, 95% CI 2.22–3.40, p < 0.001) were individually associated with intention. In the final multiple logistic regression model adjusted for age, only attitude (AOR = 1.19, 95% CI 1.13–1.25, p < 0.001) and perceived availability (p = 0.004) showed statistically significant associations with intention. Descriptive norm (standardized coefficient = 0.570) had better explanatory power than the injunctive norm (standardized coefficient = −0.143) in the model. Perceived behavioral control was associated with intention among respondents with negative to neutral attitudes towards cannabis (AOR = 2.48, 95% CI 1.63–3.77, p < 0.001), but not among those with positive attitudes. All TPB constructs positively correlated with the intention to use cannabis. Changing the attitudes and perceived control on cannabis use may be useful in preventing cannabis use.
Effects of Tai Chi and brisk walking on the bone mineral density of perimenopausal women: A randomized controlled trial
Authors: Cheng Liang , Chang Shuwan , He Benxiang , Yan Yang
Published: August 2022

Background

There is a lack of information on whether the positive effect of Tai Chi (TC) and brisk walking (BW) exercise on bone mineral density (BMD) in perimenopausal women remains after exercise cessation. To compare the effects of regular TC and BW exercise on BMD in perimenopausal women and to analyze the maintenance effects after exercise cessation.

Methods

The TC and BW groups performed 48 weeks of exercise. The BMD of the lumbar spine and dominant-side proximal femur was measured in all subjects at weeks 0, 48, 52, and 56.

Results

Compared with baseline, the BMD of the lumbar spine (L2−4) at week 48 increased by 5.05% (P = 0.031) in the TC group, and the BMD of the femoral neck at week 48 increased by 8.23% (P = 0.031) in the BW group. At 4 and 8 weeks after exercise cessation, the BMD of L2−4 in the TC group was still increased by 5.05% (P = 0.041) and 5.05% (P = 0.023), respectively, and the BMD of the femoral neck was still increased by 8.23% (P = 0.018) and 9.41% (P = 0.007), respectively, in the BW group.

Conclusion

Forty-eight weeks of TC exercise significantly increases the BMD of L2−4 in perimenopausal women, and BW exercise significantly increases the BMD of the femoral neck; these effects are maintained at 4 and 8 weeks after exercise cessation. These results suggest that these two exercises reduce the BMD decrease caused by aging.
Mental health services use among Canadian Armed Forces members and Veterans: Data from the 2018 Canadian Armed Forces members and Veterans mental health follow-up survey (CAFMVHS)
Authors: St. Cyr Kate , Liu Aihua , Plouffe Rachel A. , Nouri Maede S. , Forchuk Callista A. , Wanklyn Sonya G. , Bird Brian M. , Fikretoglu Deniz , Mahar Alyson L. , Nazarov Anthony , Richardson J. Don
Published: August 2022

Background

Differences in healthcare delivery systems and pathways to mental healthcare for Canadian Armed Forces (CAF) members and Veterans may contribute to variations in mental health services use (MHSU) and the factors associated with it. We: (1) estimated the prevalence of past 12-month MHSU (≥1 visit with a medical or mental health professional); and (2) identified sociodemographic, military-, trauma-, and health-related variables associated with MHSU among CAF members and Veterans.

Methods

The current study used data from the 2018 CAF Members and Veterans Mental Health Follow-Up Survey (CAFVMHS). Model variables were selected a priori, and their respective associations with MHSU were estimated among (1) CAF members and (2) Veterans using separate multivariable logistic regression models.

Results

Similar proportions of CAF members and Veterans reported past 12-month MHSU (26.9 vs. 27.5%, respectively). For both CAF members and Veterans, meeting criteria for at least one past 12-month MH disorder was associated with past 12-month MHSU [adjusted odds ratio (AOR) = 7.80, 95% confidence interval (CI) = 7.18–8.46; and AOR = 11.82, 95% CI: 11.07–12.61, respectively). Past-year suicide ideation, a history of sexual trauma, and endorsement of adverse childhood experiences were also significantly associated with MHSU among CAF members and Veterans.

Significance

Similar to previous research, meeting screening criteria for a past 12-month MH disorder was strongly associated with MHSU among both samples. This study extends our existing knowledge about factors associated with MHSU among CAF members and Veterans, and offers direction for future research to increase MHSU.
How What You See Can Influence What You Hear
Authors: Stacey Paula C. , Sumner Christian J.
Published: August 2022

We automatically use more than one of our senses to understand the world around us. When having a conversation, most of us use our ears to listen to what other people are saying. But you might be surprised to know that what you see is also very important in helping you to understand others. This article looks at how hearing and sight are combined and explains how both of these senses help us to understand speech. We demonstrate how important it is to see the faces of people who are talking, particularly when we are in noisy places. This topic has important implications for the wearing of face masks! It is really important that we think about how face masks may affect the ability of people to communicate with each other.
The potential of Shannon entropy to find the large separation of δ Scuti stars: The entropy spectrum
Authors: Suárez J. C.
Published: August 2022

This study explores the use of Shannon entropy to find periodic patterns in the oscillation spectra of δ Scuti stars. We have developed a new diagnostic tool for detecting potential patterns that scans for minimal entropic states in the well-known échelle diagrams. Here, we describe the basic mathematical grounds of the Shannon entropy and how it can be applied to échelle diagrams through a new diagnostic diagram: the entropy (H) spectrum (HSpec). The method is first validated with the solar-like pulsator HD 49933, for which the large separation was found compatible with values published in the literature. Then we computed the entropy spectrum for two well-studied δ Scuti stars: HD 174936 and HD 174966, for which HSpec analysis was able to accurately determine their large separation (or some multiple or submultiple of it). Although these results are promising, the HSpec tool presents several limitations: it has a strong dependence on the probability distribution of the frequencies in the échelle diagram, and on the way it is calculated. We discuss possible solutions to this that rely on 2D probability distributions and conditional entropy.
Chronic atrazine exposure increases the expression of genes associated with GABAergic and glutamatergic systems in the brain of male albino rat
Authors: Reyes-Bravo D. Y. , Villalobos-Aguilera P. , Almonte-Zepeda J. T. , Mendoza-Trejo M. S. , Giordano M. , Orozco A. , Rodríguez V. M.
Published: August 2022

The herbicide atrazine (ATR; 2-chloro-4-ethylamino-6-isopropylamino-s-triazine) is widely used to destroy grasses and broadleaf weeds in crops and some fruits. Studies in rodents have shown that acute, repeated or chronic exposure to ATR is associated with alterations in the nigrostriatal dopaminergic pathway, whereas its effects on GABAergic and glutamatergic pathways have only recently been reported. Sprague-Dawley male rats were exposed daily to 1 or 10 mg ATR/kg of BW for 13 months to evaluate the ATR effects on GABAergic and glutamatergic systems. At the end of the ATR treatment, the levels of mRNA of several genes involved in the production, vesiculation, reuptake, and receptors of GABA and Glu in the striatum (STR), nucleus accumbens (NAcc), prefrontal cortex (PFC), ventral midbrain (vMID) and hippocampus (HIPP) were evaluated by absolute qPCR. For the GABAergic genes, increased expression of GAD67 and Slc32a1 in STR and/or vMID in rats exposed to 1 and/or 10 mg ATR were detected. With regard to the expression of genes involved in the glutamatergic system, Slc17a6 and Grin1 in HIPP of rats exposed to 1 and/or 10 mg ATR, increased as was Gria1 in STR and PFC in the group exposed to 1 mg ATR. In the same fashion, Slc1a3 expression and MGLUR1 increased in STR of rats exposed to 1 and 10 mg ATR groups. The expression of the glutaminases gls (variants 1 and 2) was greater in STR, NAcc, HIPP, and PFC of rats exposed to 1 and/or 10 mg ATR. These findings show that the GABAergic and, especially glutamatergic systems are targets of ATR exposure.
Effects of in ovo feeding of methionine and/or disaccharide on post-hatching breast development, glycogen reserves, nutrients absorption parameters, and jejunum antioxidant indices in geese
Authors: Dang De Xin , Zhou Haizhu , Lou Yujie , Li Desheng
Published: August 2022

We investigated the effects of in ovo injection of methionine (Met) and/or disaccharide (DS) on breast muscle and small intestine development, and the aspect of the glycogen contents, digestive enzymes activities, and jejunal antioxidant parameters in geese after incubation. A total of 600 fertilized eggs were used in this study to be employed in a 2 × 2 factorial experiment. Eggs were randomly assigned to 4 groups, 6 replicates per group, and 25 eggs per replicate. Factors in four groups included non-injection, Met injection (5 g/L Met dissolved in 7.5 g/L NaCl), DS injection (25 g/L maltose and 25 g/L sucrose dissolved in 7.5 g/L NaCl), and DS plus Met injection (25 g/L maltose, 25 g/L sucrose, and 5 g/L Met dissolved in 7.5 g/L NaCl). As a result, birth weight, relative weight of breast muscle, diameter of myofiber, glycogen contents, jejunal villus and surface area, and jejunal digestive enzymes activities improved, while liver glucose-6-phosphatase activity decreased, by DS injection. Additionally, DS administration upregulated the expression of myogenic factor-5 (Myf-5) from breast muscle and sodium/glucose cotransporter protein-1 (SGLT-1) from jejunum. In ovo delivery of DS has long-term effects on the improvement of jejunal glucose transporter-2 (GLUT-2) and sucrase-isomaltase expression. In ovo feeding of Met improved the relative weight of breast muscle and small intestine, diameter of myofiber, length of small intestine, jejunal villus width, jejunal sucrase, Na+/K+ATPase and alkaline phosphatase activities, and jejunal glutathione (GSH) concentration, and decreased the jejunal glutathione disulfide (GSSH) and the ratio of GSSG to GSH, in early-life post-hatching. The breast muscle Myf-5 and myostatin expression, jejunal villus height and surface area, jejunal glutathione peroxidase concentration, and the expression of GLUT-2 in jejunum long-term improved by in ovo delivery of Met. Moreover, in ovo feeding of DS plus Met mixture synergistically improved the diameter of myofiber, jejunal villus height and width, jejunal sucrase, and alkaline phosphatase activities in early-life post-hatching, but long-term upregulated the expression of jejunal GLUT-2. Therefore, we concluded that in ovo injection of Met plus DS is an effective way to improve the development of gosling during post-hatching stages.
The first complete genome sequence and pathogenicity characterization of fowl adenovirus serotype 2 with inclusion body hepatitis and hydropericardium in China
Authors: Xie Zimin , Zhang Junqin , Sun Minhua , Zeng Qinghang , Huang Yunzhen , Dong Jiawen , Li Linlin , Huang Shujian , Liao Ming
Published: August 2022

Since 2015, fowl adenovirus (FAdV) has been frequently reported worldwide, causing serious economic losses to the poultry industry. In this study, a FAdV-2, namely GX01, was isolated from liver samples of chickens with hepatitis and hydropericardium in Guangxi Province, China. The complete genome sequence of GX01 was determined about 43,663 base pairs (bp) with 53% G+C content. To our knowledge, this is the first FAdV-2 complete genome in China. There was a deleting fragment in ORF25 gene. Phylogenetic analysis based on the hexon loop-1 gene showed that GX01 is most closely related to FAdV-2 strain 685. Pathogenicity experiment of GX01 in 3-day-old and 10-day-old specific-pathogen-free chickens showed that although no mortality was observed within 21 days post infection (dpi), strain GX01 significantly inhibited weight gain of infected chickens. Moreover, FAdV-2 was still detectable in the anal swabs of infected chickens at 21 dpi. Necropsy analysis showed that the main lesions were observed in liver, heart, and spleen. Of note, hepatitis and hydropericardium were observed in the infected chickens. In addition, massive necrosis of lymphocyte was observed in spleen of infected 3-days-old chickens. We concluded that FAdV-2 strain GX01 is capable of causing hepatitis and hydropericardium, which will make serious impact on the growth of chickens. Our research lays a foundation to investigate the molecular epidemiology and etiology of FAdV.
In Situ Measurement of Stemflow, Throughfall and Canopy Interception of Sprinkler Irrigation Water in a Wheat Field
Authors: Liu Haijun , Chang Jie , Tang Xiaopei , Zhang Jinping
Published: August 2022

The sprinkler irrigation method has been widely used in agricultural fields due to its high water productivity and microclimate regulation traits. Quantitative analysis of the water distribution of sprinkler irrigation water by considering canopy influence is critical to evaluate crop growth and water use efficiency. In this study, stemflow was measured by collecting the water flowing down along stems using a high-adsorption sheet, throughfall water was measured by contains placed between wheat rows, and canopy interception was measured by the mass difference of plants between before and after sprinkler irrigation during wheat anthesis and grain-filling stages in the North China Plain. The results showed that the canopy interception water was between 0.6 and 1.3 mm, with a mean of 0.9 mm per sprinkler irrigation event for a leaf area index of approximately 4. Stemflow water was linearly related to the irrigation water and approximately 30% of the irrigation water. The throughfall water was also linearly related to the irrigation water above the canopy and accounted for approximately 60% of the irrigation water. The three components of sprinkler water are weakly influenced by the plant leaf area index, wind conditions and sprinkler irrigation system layouts in this study.
Comparison of Three Cooling Methods (Hydrocooling, Forced-Air Cooling and Slush Icing) and Plastic Overwrap on Broccoli Quality during Simulated Commercial Handling
Authors: Theodore Carina , Sargent Steven A. , Brecht Jeffrey K. , Zotarelli Lincoln , Berry Adrian D.
Published: August 2022

Broccoli is a highly perishable crop, due to its high respiration rate, and rapidly loses quality under inappropriate handling temperatures. The objective of this study was to evaluate the effect of commercial hydrocooling (HY), forced-air cooling (FA) or slushed-ice cooling (SI) on the quality and shelf-life of two commercial broccoli cultivars (‘Marathon’ and ‘Eastern Crown’) grown in northeast Florida during the early spring season. Following HY and FA, individual bunches (‘Marathon’) or crowns (‘Eastern Crown’) were placed in plastic film bags and stored at 1 °C for 7 days then transferred to 5 °C for 8 days to simulate retail conditions. It was found that HY removed the field heat 3.6 and 4.8 times faster than FA and SI, respectively. For both cultivars, using a texture analyzer, broccoli cooled by SI were softer (20.4 to 27.9 N) with higher head deformation than those by HY or FA (45.6 to 58.9 N) after 15 days of storage. Overall appearance of both cultivars decreased during storage if infected in the field by the fungal pathogen Alternaria brassicicola, which causes black spot disease. However, by the end of storage ‘Eastern Crown’ had a higher quality rating (6.2) than ‘Marathon’ (5.4). Broccoli floret moisture content was not affected during storage; however, ‘Marathon’ had higher moisture content (94.7%) than ‘Eastern Crown’ (89.2%). Yellowing was expressed more for ‘Marathon’, which had higher chroma* value (21.4) and lower hue* angle (h*) (122.3) value than ‘Eastern Crown’ after 7 days at 1 °C, plus 8 days at 5 °C. Carotenoid content was similar for both cultivars at harvest (2.3 mg/100 g) then decreased 39% for ‘Marathon’ and 12% for ‘Eastern Crown’ by day 15. Total chlorophyll was similar for both cultivars throughout storage (22.6 mg/100 g). Ascorbic acid decreased for both cultivars during storage but was higher in ‘Eastern Crown’ (92.0 to 101.9 mg/100 g) compared to ‘Marathon’ (80.7 to 88.6 mg/100 g). Hydrocooling and forced-air plus overwrapping have potential to reduce cooling costs during commercial handling.
In Vitro Regeneration of Stevia (Stevia rebaudiana Bertoni) and Evaluation of the Impacts of Growth Media Nutrients on the Biosynthesis of Steviol Glycosides (SGs)
Authors: Ghose Asish Kumar , Abdullah Siti Nor Akmar , Md Hatta Muhammad Asyraf , Megat Wahab Puteri Edaroyati
Published: August 2022

A plant tissue culture protocol from stevia was optimized for the production of planting materials and the natural sweetener, rebaudioside A. The highest survivability (88.90% ± 5.55) of explants was achieved at 15 and 30 days after culture initiation (DACI) on Murashige and Skoog (MS) media by sterilization with 30% Clorox (5 min) and 10% Clorox (10 min), respectively. Supplementation of MS with 0.50 mg/L 2,4-Dichlorophenoxyacetic acid (2,4-D) and 0.10 mg/L zeatin produced 50% callus at 15 DACI while 1.50 mg/L 2,4-D and 0.10 mg/L zeatin at 30 DACI increased callus production to 76.67%. The highest shoot proliferation per callus was achieved with 10.00 mg/L 6-benzyl amino purine (BAP) in MS at 15 DACI (5.80) and 30 DACI (12.33). The longest shoots of 4.31 cm and 6.04 cm at 15 and 30 DACI, respectively, were produced using BAP (10.00 mg/L) and 1.00 mg/L naphthalene acetic acid (NAA). MS media (0.50 strength) induced 2.86 and 6.20 roots per shoot and produced 3.25 cm and 7.82 cm long roots at 15 and 30 DACI, respectively. Stevia grown on 0.25 MS accumulated the highest concentration of rebaudioside A (6.53%), which correlated with the expression level of its biosynthetic gene uridine-diphosphate-dependent (UDP)-glycosyltransferase (UGT76G1).
Potential Roles of Three ABCB Genes in Quinclorac Resistance Identified in Echinochloa crus-galli var. zelayensis
Authors: Qi Yuanlin , Guo Yongli , Liu Xudong , Gao Yuan , Sun Yu , Dong Liyao , Li Jun
Published: August 2022

Echinochloa crus-galli var. zelayensis is a variant of E. crus-galli (L) Beauv, and it is the most pernicious weed in the east of China. Quinclorac, as synthetic auxin herbicide, could control this kind of weed effectively. In this study, two populations were used to further research the mechanism of quinclorac resistance, and the EcABCB1, EcABCB4 and EcABCB19 was functionally characterized to determine their roles in quinclorac resistance. It was found that root growth of quinclorac-resistant biotype SSXB-R was less inhibited by quinclorac at 5 μM and 50 μM when compared with the susceptible biotype JNNX-S. The results show that the IAA variations in root tip of JNNX-S were significantly higher than SSXB-R at 12 h after treatment with quinclorac (50 μM) and 1-N-naphthylthalamic acid (100 μM). There are no significant differences in IAA variations of the basal part of the root between susceptible and resistant biotypes after treatment with quinclorac and 1-N-naphthylthalamic acid (NPA). The transcript level of EcABCB1 and EcABCB19 in the root of JNNX-S showed down-regulated and up-regulated after treatment with quinclorac (TWQ) at 6 h in susceptible and resistant biotypes compared with control, respectively. The transcript level for EcABCB4 in the root showed up-regulated after TWQ at 12 h only in susceptible biotypes compared with control. It was found that the IC50 to quinclorac of AtABCB4 and AtABCB19 mutants were significantly higher than the parent line Col-0.
How Well Can Reflectance Spectroscopy Allocate Samples to Soil Fertility Classes?
Authors: Zeng Rong , Rossiter David G. , Zhang Jiapeng , Cai Kai , Gao Weichang , Pan Wenjie , Zeng Yuntao , Jiang Chaoying , Li Decheng
Published: August 2022

Fertilization decisions depend on the measurement of a large set of soil fertility indicators, usually through laboratory determination, which is costly and time-consuming. Visible and near-infrared (vis-NIR) spectroscopy combined with machine learning can simultaneously predict various soil fertility indicators. Spectroscopy is inherently less accurate than direct laboratory determination. However, in many fertilization recommendation contexts, farmers mainly fertilize according to classified fertility indicators, rather than by continuous soil property values. These classes have defined limits of property values. We hypothesized that the additional inaccuracy from spectroscopy may not be important for properties grouped into classes. This study compared the indirect and direct prediction of soil fertility classes. Indirectly, by (1) using vis-NIR spectra with machine learning to predict 20 soil fertility indicators (pH, soil organic matter (SOM), cation exchange capacity (CEC), total nitrogen (TN), total phosphorus (TP), total potassium (TK), alkali-hydrolyzable nitrogen (AN), available phosphorus (AP), available potassium (AK), calcium (Ca), magnesium (Mg), silicon (Si), sulfur (S), boron (B), iron (Fe), manganese (Mn), copper (Cu), Zinc (Zn), molybdenum (Mo) and chlorine (Cl)) and (2) allocating the indicators to soil fertility classes. Directly, by predicting soil fertility classes directly from vis-NIR spectra using machine learning. The prediction accuracy of these two methods were compared and the accuracies needed for the acceptable class allocation of the fertility indicators were determined. The example dataset is a soil spectral library from the Guizhou Province, southwest China. The model performance was evaluated by the overall allocation accuracy and tau index, which accounts for class imbalance. For direct allocation based on three fertility classes (low, medium and high), the overall allocation accuracy of eight properties (CEC, Cu, Si, Zn, S, Mn, Ca and Mg), nine properties (B, AN, TK, AK, SOM, TN, TP, Fe and Mo) and three properties (Cl, AP and pH) were within the range of 0.80–1.0, 0.60–0.80 and 0.40–0.60, respectively. For indirect allocation based on the same classes, the allocation accuracy of nine properties (TN, CEC, Cu, S, Zn, Si, Mn, Ca and Mg), nine properties (B, TK, pH, TP, AK, AN, Fe, Mo and SOM) and two properties (Cl and AP) were within the range of 0.80–1.0, 0.60–0.80 and 0.40–0.60, respectively. We conclude that vis-NIR spectroscopy was fairly successful for soil fertility class allocation for most of the soil properties, using either direct or indirect models. The advantage of indirect models is that both specific property values and soil fertility classes can be obtained at no increase in cost, while direct models are suggested when only soil fertility class information are available.
Molecular Phylogenetic Analysis of Salt-Tolerance-Related Genes in Root-Nodule Bacteria Species Sinorhizobium meliloti
Authors: Muntyan Victoria Spartakovna , Roumiantseva Marina Lvovna
Published: August 2022

A molecular phylogenetic analysis of salt-tolerance-related genes was carried out using complete genome sequencing data available for 26 Sinorhizobium meliloti strains and for 25 bacterial strains belonging to 17 genera. It was revealed that the genes of the first and the second stages of the response to salt stress (aqpZ, trkH, and trkA, and betICBA) have copies of many of the above- indicated genes on pSymA. Data obtained can provide evidence that this replicon, known to be essential for nitrogen fixation rhizobia activity, also has a significant role in the formation of a stress-related gene pool. The closest putative phylogenetic relatives were identified for all 14 tested genes and these are the first insights into the evolutionary pathways for the formation of a stress-related gene pool in root nodule nitrogen-fixing bacteria.
Vernacular Names and Genetics of Cultivated Coffee (Coffea arabica) in Yemen
Authors: Montagnon Christophe , Rossi Veronica , Guercio Carolina , Sheibani Faris
Published: August 2022

While Ethiopia and South Sudan are the native habitats for Coffea arabica, Yemen is considered an important domestication center for this coffee species as most Arabica coffee grown around the world can be traced back to Yemen. Furthermore, climatic conditions in Yemen are hot and extremely dry. As such, Yemeni coffee trees likely have genetic merits with respect to climate resilience. However, until recently, very little was known about the genetic landscape of Yemeni coffee. The Yemeni coffee sector identifies coffee trees according to numerous vernacular names such as Udaini, Tufahi or Dawairi. However, the geographical landscape of these names and their correlation with the genetic background of the coffee trees have never been explored. In this study, we investigated the geographic occurrence of vernacular names in 148 coffee farms across the main coffee areas of Yemen. Then, we used microsatellite markers to genotype 88 coffee trees whose vernacular name was ascertained by farmers. We find a clear geographical pattern for the use of vernacular coffee names. However, the vernacular names showed no significant association with genetics. Our results support the need for a robust description of different coffee types in Yemen based on their genetic background for the benefit of Yemeni farmers.
Evaluation of the Effect of Sampling Time on Biomarkers of Stress, Immune System, Redox Status and Other Biochemistry Analytes in Saliva of Finishing Pigs
Authors: Ortín-Bustillo Alba , Contreras-Aguilar María D. , Rubio Camila P. , Botia María , Cerón José J. , López-Arjona Marina , Martínez-Subiela Silvia , Escribano Damián , Tecles Fernando
Published: August 2022

This study aims to evaluate the possible variations due to the sampling time in the day in 26 analytes of pigs’ saliva, related to stress, the immune system, redox status and other biomarkers related to metabolism and selected tissues and organs, in order to know the possible effects of the hour of the day in their interpretation. These analytes were measured in saliva obtained from a population of 40 clinically healthy pigs from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m., every 4 h in the same day. In our experimental conditions, daily variations were observed in cortisol, salivary α-amylase, total esterase activity, butyrylcholinesterase, lipase, adenosine deaminase isoenzyme 1, uric acid, superoxide dismutase, alanine aminotransferase, aspartate aminotransferase, alkaline phosphatase, creatine kinase, lactate dehydrogenase, lactate and triglycerides. These changes appeared in both sexes, except for adenosine deaminase isoenzyme 1 and superoxide dismutase which only showed differences in females. In conclusion, this report indicates that, in the experimental conditions of this trial, the time of the day and sex can influence the values obtained in various salivary analytes in pigs. These variations should thus be taken into consideration for an adequate interpretation of these analytes when used for the evaluation of health and welfare in this species.
Effect of an Immunomodulatory Feed Additive in Mitigating the Stress Responses in Lactating Dairy Cows to a High Concentrate Diet Challenge
Authors: Cavallini Damiano , Mammi Ludovica M. E. , Palmonari Alberto , García-González Ruben , Chapman James D. , McLean Dereck J. , Formigoni Andrea
Published: August 2022

Dairy cows are often exposed to multiple stressors in a lactation-cycle, with sub-acute ruminal acidosis (SARA) a frequent example of nutritional stress. SARA affects ruminal and intestinal equilibrium resulting in dysbiosis with localized and systemic inflammation impacting animal health and productivity. OmniGen-AF (OMN, Phibro Animal Health Corporation, Teaneck, NJ, USA) is a feed product recognized for modulating innate immune function, especially during periods of stress. The objective of this study was to determine the effects of OMN in lactating dairy cows fed a high-starch, low-fiber diet. Twenty-four blocked cows were assigned to control or treatment (55 g/d). After the additive adaptation (49 d) cows were fed the challenge diet (28 d). Milk, rumination and pH were continuously recorded; components, rumen fluid, and blood were taken in multiple time-point and analyzed. Results showed that the challenge decreased the rumination, shifted ruminal fluid composition, decreased milk production and the components, and slightly increased the time below pH 5.5, with no differences between groups. The treatment produced greater rumen butyrate and lower lactate, prompter regeneration of red blood cells, increase of neutrophils, lower paraoxonase, gamma-glutamyl-transferase, and β-hydroxybutyrate, with no differences on other tested inflammatory markers. Results show that OMN helps modulating some of the metabolic and immunological responses to SARA.
Identification, Superantigen Toxin Gene Profile and Antimicrobial Resistance of Staphylococci Isolated from Polish Primitive Sheep Breeds
Authors: Karakulska Jolanta , Woroszyło Marta , Szewczuk Małgorzata , Fijałkowski Karol
Published: August 2022

The study aimed to analyze staphylococcal microbiota of the nasal cavity of the primitive sheep breeds Polish Świniarka and Wrzosówka kept on the same ecological farm. The research included the identification of staphylococcal species, evaluation of the prevalence of genes encoding enterotoxins, staphylococcal enterotoxin-like proteins, exfoliative toxins, toxic shock syndrome toxin 1, and detection of antimicrobial resistance. From 61 swab samples gathered from Świniarka (33) and Wrzosówka (28) healthy sheep, 127 coagulase-negative staphylococci (CoNS) were isolated. Based on PCR-RFLP analysis of the gap gene using AluI and HpyCH4V enzymes, the isolates were identified as: Staphylococcus xylosus (33.9%), S. equorum (29.1%), S. arlettae (15%), S. warneri (9.4%), S. lentus (7.9%), S. succinus (3.9%) and S. sciuri (0.8%). Three of these species, S. lentus, S. succinus, and S. sciuri, were detected only from the Świniarka breed. It was found that 77.2% of isolates harbored from 1 to 7 out of 21 analyzed genes for superantigenic toxins. The greatest diversity of toxin genes was recorded for S. equorum (16 different genes). The most prevalent gene was ser (40.2%). The incidence and number of resistances to antimicrobials were found to be bacterial species but not sheep breed dependent. The highest percentage of resistance was found for S. sciuri. The most frequent resistance was observed to clindamycin (45.7%). The findings of this study prove that toxigenic and antimicrobial resistant CoNS can colonize the nasal cavity of healthy sheep.
Reflective Empiricism and Empirical Animal Ethics
Authors: Winther Hannah
Published: August 2022

The past few decades have seen a turn to the empirical in applied ethics. This article makes two contributions to debates on this turn: one with regard to methodology and the other with regard to scope. First, it considers empirical bioethics, which arose out of a protest against abstract theorizing in moral philosophy and a call for more sensitivity to lived experience. Though by now an established field, methodological discussions are still centred around the question of how empirical research can inform normative analysis. This article proposes an answer to this question that is based on Iris Murdoch’s criticism of the fact/value distinction and Cora Diamond’s concept of reflective empiricism. Second, the discussion takes as a point of departure a study on genome-edited farmed salmon that uses qualitative research interviews and focus groups. Although there are several animal ethics studies based in empirical data, there are few works on the methodological challenges raised by empirical ethics in this area. The article contributes to these discussions by arguing that reflective empiricism can constitute a methodological approach to animal ethics.
Sex Determination in Immature Sierra Nevada Lizard (Timon nevadensis)
Authors: Vetere Alessandro , Ablondi Michela , Bigliardi Enrico , Rizzi Matteo , Di Ianni Francesco
Published: August 2022

Sex determination has a fundamental role in a captive breeding context, both for commercial reasons and in relation to animal welfare itself. However, this can be particularly difficult, especially in reptiles with little or no sexual dimorphism. Twenty-three clinically healthy young Sierra Nevada lizards (Timon nevadensis) were included in this study for sex determination. The first attempt at sexing was carried out by cloacal probing. A small, buttoned probe was inserted very gently into the hemipenal pouches, and the length of the inserted part was evaluated and measured. Subsequently, for each animal, a contrast medium was administered into the cloaca, and radiography was performed within 5 min. Through probing, 11 males and 8 females were recognized. The test was, however, equivocal in four subjects. In contrast radiography, 14 males and 9 females were identified. All the animals were rechecked after 8 months through an ultrasound examination, confirming 15 of the 14 previously male sexed animals based on contrast radiography. All the animals identified as female (n = 9) by contrast radiography were confirmed. From these results, it seems that contrast radiography may have major sensitivity in sex determination compared to probing. This technique could represent a valid and less invasive aid for sexing young lizards.
Immunolocalization of Nesfatin-1 in the Gastrointestinal Tract of the Common Bottlenose Dolphin Tursiops truncatus
Authors: De Felice Elena , Gatta Claudia , Giaquinto Daniela , Fioretto Federica , Maruccio Lucianna , d’Angelo Danila , Scocco Paola , de Girolamo Paolo , D’Angelo Livia
Published: August 2022

First identified as an anorexigenic peptide, in the last decades, several studies have suggested that Nesfatin-1 (Nesf-1) is a pleiotropic hormone implicated in numerous regulatory processes in peripheral organs and tissues. In vertebrates, Nesf-1 is indeed expressed in the central nervous system and peripheral organs. In this study, we characterized the pattern of Nesf-1 distribution within the digestive tract of the common bottlenose dolphin (Tursiops truncatus), composed of three gastric chambers and an intestine without a clear subdivision in the small and large intestine, also lacking a caecum. Our results indicated that Nesf-1 is widely distributed in cells of the mucosal epithelium of the gastric chambers. Most of the immunoreactivity was observed in the second chamber, compared to the first and third chambers. Immunopositivity was also found in nerve fibers and neurons, scattered or/and clustered in ganglion structures along all the examined gastrointestinal tracts. These observations add new data on the highly conserved role of Nesf-1 in the mammalian digestive system.
Individual Variation in the Use of Acoustic Signals to Coordinate Group Movements among Tibetan Macaques (Macaca thibetana)
Authors: Chen Meng-Meng , Zhang Yu-Heng , Tai Yi-Mei , Wang Xi
Published: August 2022

To maintain group cohesion, social animals need to coordinate their actions during group movements. Several species use vocalizations to communicate with each other during coordination. However, the process of vocal communication and its influence in collective decision making is not clear. We studied a group of free-range Tibetan macaques (Macaca thibetana) at Huangshan, China, and recorded acoustic signals during their group movements. It was found that three kinds of sounds were used in their movements. Group movements with vocalizations recruited more participants than the movements without sound. Moreover, during group departures, individuals in the front emitted a higher frequency of vocalization than individuals in the rear. Sex and social centrality both had a significant influence on vocalizations. Social centrality indicates the degree of proximity relations between two individuals in a social network. Females and individuals with high social centrality emitted more sound in group movements. However, social rank and the number of relatives did not affect the emission of sound. These results suggest that the function of calls in collective movements relates to coordinating group movements. This study provides an insight into the association of acoustic communication with collective decision making.
A Systematic Review on the Role of Vitamin C in Tissue Healing
Authors: Bechara Nada , Flood Victoria M. , Gunton Jenny E.
Published: August 2022

Vitamin C is an essential nutrient for humans and animals which are unable to synthesise it themselves. Vitamin C is important for tissue regeneration due to the role it plays in collagen formation, and its antioxidant properties. We reviewed the literature to evaluate potential associations between vitamin C supplementation and healing of an acute or chronic condition. Embase, Medline, PubMed, and the Cochrane Library were searched for studies published prior to April 2022. Studies were eligible if they reported at least one association between vitamin C supplementation and healing outcomes. Eighteen studies met the inclusion criteria and were included in this review. Overall, vitamin C supplementation improved healing outcomes in certain pathologies, predominantly pressure ulcers. However, many of the studies had small sample sizes, combined nutritional treatments, and did not test baseline vitamin C. Future studies should be of larger scale, exclusively using vitamin C to determine its role in tissue healing in other wounds. We recommend consideration of vitamin C supplementation for people with pressure ulcers.
Effects of the Partial Substitution of Corn with Wheat or Barley on the Growth Performance, Blood Antioxidant Capacity, Intestinal Health and Fecal Microbial Composition of Growing Pigs
Authors: Ma Xiaokang , Li Zhiqing , Zhang Yuebo
Published: August 2022

This experiment aimed to investigate the effects of wheat and barley substitution for corn on growth performance, blood antioxidant capacity, intestinal health and fecal microbial composition in growing pigs. Eighteen healthy “Duroc × Landrace × Yorkshire” pigs (50 ± 0.85 kg) were randomly divided into three groups with six replicates and one pig per replicate. The three treatment groups were fed the basal diet (CON) based on corn and soybean meal, respectively, and the experimental group diet was partially replaced by wheat (WH) and barley (BL), respectively. The nutritional levels of the three treatments were the same. The experiment lasted 28 days. Wheat and barley partially replacing corn had no significant effects on growing pigs’ growth performance, blood antioxidant capacity and nutrient digestibility (p > 0.05). Compared with CON and BL, WH significantly increased the duodenal villus height and villus height/crypt depth ratio of growing pigs (p < 0.05). Compared with CON, WH and BL significantly increased the contents of butyric acid, propionic acid and total volatile fatty acid (VFA) in the cecum and colonic digesta of growing pigs (p < 0.05). In addition, the abundance of Turicibacter, Escherichia-Shigella and other harmful bacteria in barley and wheat diet groups were significantly decreased at the genus level (p < 0.05). The abundance of Bifidobacterium, Lactobacillus, Prevotella and Roseburia increased significantly (p < 0.05). In conclusion, barley and wheat partially replacing corn as energy feedstuffs does not affect the growth performance of pigs but can regulate intestinal flora and promote intestinal health.