bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Psychometric Properties of a Cultural Adapted Version of the Assessment of Identity Development in Adolescence in Panama
Authors: González Flores Sergio , Goth Kirstin , Díaz-Hernandez Ruben A.
Published: March 2022

The Assessment of Identity Development in Adolescence (AIDA) is a self-report instrument to detect pathological development of Identity. In Panamá, psychometric instruments for assessment of psychopathology in adolescence are lacking. Our aim was to develop a valid and reliable version of the AIDA Inventory for Panamanian Population. AIDA was adapted to Spanish considering cultural aspects of Panamanian population. Two pilot tests were performed prior to main test to assess item-total correlation at subscale, primary scale and total scale levels and internal consistency at subscale level. A mixed sample of students and PD patients (N = 315) completed the AIDA inventory, the “Strength and Difficulties Questionnaire” and “Defense Style Questionnaire−40.” AIDA was retested in a sub sample from school population (n = 98). The Structured Clinical Interview for Axis II Disorders was used for diagnosis of personality disorders in the patient sample (n = 25). Psychometric properties were tested to assess internal consistency, reliability, factorial validity, convergent validity, and criterion validity. AIDA Panama showed excellent internal consistency for the total scale Identity Diffusion with Cronbach's α:0.94 and a retest reliability of 0.84. A Bifactorial CFA was modeled to assess the dimensionality of the inventory. The proportion between OmegaH and Omega at total scales 96% of the variance is explained by a general factor. Furthermore, the Explained Common Variance for the General Factor is 73% supporting unidimensionality. In line with theory, AIDA total scale showed a high positive correlation (r = 0.67) with Total Difficulties scale and high positive correlation (r = 0.71) with Immature Defense scale. The AIDA total score differed highly significant (p = 0.000) between the patient sample and the students with a large effect size (d = 1.02).

Conclusion

The adaptation and validation of AIDA for Panamanian adolescent population was successful with good psychometric properties and significant correlations with related psychopathological constructs. AIDA showed high clinical validity by providing a valid discrimination between the school sample and a diagnosed PD sample, in line with the assumption that impaired identity functioning is at the core of personality disorders, especially in adolescence.
Understanding the Link Between Burnout and Sub-Optimal Care: Why Should Healthcare Education Be Interested in Employee Silence?
Authors: Montgomery Anthony , Lainidi Olga
Published: March 2022

Evidence on the association of burnout with objective indicators of performance is scarce in healthcare. In parallel, healthcare professionals ameliorate the short-term impact of burnout by prioritizing some tasks over others. The phenomenon of employee silence can help us understand the evolution of how culture is molded toward the prioritization of some tasks over others, and how this contributes to burnout. Silence in healthcare has been associated with concealing errors, reduced patient safety, and covering up errors made by others. Conversely, there is evidence that in organizations where employees are encouraged to speak up about concerns, and where concerns are responded to appropriately, better patient outcomes such as improved patient safety and patient experience occur. Interventions to promote “speaking-up” in healthcare have not been successful and are rooted in a professional culture that does not promote speaking out. In this paper, we review the evidence that exists within healthcare to argue why healthcare education should be interested in employee silence, and how silence is a key factor in understanding how burnout develops and impacts quality of care. The following key questions have been addressed; how employee silence evolves during medical education, how is silence maintained after graduation, and how can leadership style contribute to silence in healthcare. The impact of withholding information on healthcare professional burnout, patient safety and quality of care is significant. The paper concludes with a suggested future research agenda and additional recommendations.
Atypical Sensory Processing Is Associated With Lower Body Mass Index and Increased Eating Disturbance in Individuals With Anorexia Nervosa
Authors: Saure Emma , Lepistö-Paisley Tuulia , Raevuori Anu , Laasonen Marja
Published: March 2022

Background:

Elevated autism spectrum disorder (ASD) traits are associated with anorexia nervosa (AN). Conversely, eating disturbances, which are core characteristics of AN, are common in ASD. Among individuals with ASD, atypical sensory processing is associated with eating disturbance. Because AN and ASD appear to overlap, it would be crucial to understand whether sensory processing atypicality exist also in AN. Further, it would be essential to find if atypical sensory processing is associated with eating disturbances in individuals with AN, since treatment modifications may be needed. We therefore aimed to examine whether atypical sensory processing is associated with AN and its core characteristics.

Methods

Participants of the current study included 42 individuals with AN and 40 healthy controls (HCs). All participants were adult women. Sensory processing, other ASD traits, and eating disorder symptoms were assessed with self-report questionnaires.

Results

Individuals with AN reported lower registration, decreased sensation seeking, increased sensory sensitivity, and increased sensation avoiding compared to HCs. When analyzing groups with restrictive AN (AN-R) and binge-purge type AN (AN-BP) separately, only individuals with AN-R exhibited decreased sensation seeking, and only those with AN-BP exhibited lower registration. After controlling for body mass index as a covariate, group differences remained significant only in sensory sensitivity between individuals with AN and HCs. Increased atypical sensory processing predicted lower body mass index and increased disordered eating.

Conclusion

Results suggest that sensory processing appears to differ between AN and HC women, and AN subtypes may exhibit distinct sensory processing atypicality. Sensory sensitivity may be stable traits whereas other aspects of atypical sensory processing may be related to acute AN. Atypical sensory processing may contribute to the severity of AN, and thus it is crucial to recognize sensory processing differences when treating individuals with AN.
Digital Resilience Among Individuals in School Education Settings: A Concept Analysis Based on a Scoping Review
Authors: Sun Haiyan , Yuan Changrong , Qian Qian , He Shuzhi , Luo Qiong
Published: March 2022

Background

Nowadays, in an informational society, digital technologies are present in most areas of life, including school education fields. Students encounter risks or threats during online experiences. Digital resilience helps individuals recognize and manage the risks and threats they come across when they socialize, explore, or work online and plays an important role in the digital technology challenges. However, so far, the concept of digital resilience among individuals in the educational field has not been analyzed in detail.

Objectives

The purpose of this study is to clarify the concept of digital resilience among students in a school education context, describe antecedents and consequences, and suggest a conceptual model for health educators.

Methods

Walker and Avants’ concept analysis method and standards of the scoping review were used to clarify the attributes, antecedents, and consequences from the included articles. A thematic analysis approach of literature was utilized to describe the study findings. No date limitations were applied.

Results

A total of 22 included articles provided data for digital resilience conceptualization. Five defining attributes for the concept were identified as follows: (1) understanding online threats; (2) knowing solutions; (3) learning knowledge and skills; (4) recovering from stress; and (5) moving forward through self-efficacy. Antecedents included digital technology-related threats influenced by individual external and internal factors. Consequences were divided into two categories: behavioral performance and psychosocial functioning.

Conclusion

Based on the results of the concept analysis, a preliminary conceptual model of digital resilience was described as a circular process toward greater performance and function in the form of understanding, knowing, learning, recovering, and moving forward, when facing stressors, challenges, or adversity. The conceptual model of digital resilience can be further tested and may inform the enhancement of digital-specific resilience measures and interventions for students.
Aboriginal Women Learning on Country: Lessons for Educators
Authors: Goldberg Lynette R. , Baldock Dianne , Cox Terrance , Hoang Ha , Cross Merylin , Price Andrea D.
Published: March 2022

Introduction

This paper details the journey of eight Aboriginal women from Circular Head, a rural and remote area of North-West Tasmania, as they undertook an innovative 2-year program of tertiary studies in dementia to address a documented community need. The Chief Executive Officer of the Circular Head Aboriginal Corporation (CHAC) had identified difficulties being experienced by older members of the community. These difficulties included changes in behavior, memory, and communication, with profound consequences on social engagement and care needs from both individual and community perspectives. The community wished to know if a combined vocational and university program, completed on Country and in community, could serve as a culturally safe education pathway to empower Aboriginal members of a rural and remote area in providing community health and dementia education and care.

Methods

The nationally funded program included a year-long face-to-face vocational Certificate III in Individual Support (Aging, Home, and Community) on Country, including within-community experience with adults with dementia. This face-to-face learning was combined with online study in the award-winning Bachelor of Dementia care offered by the University of Tasmania. Students received a PhD level stipend to support them in their studies and were guided by an Elder from their community.

Results

All students completed their Certificate III. The number of units they completed toward the eight required for their Diploma of Dementia Care varied. Emergent themes from students' reflections were holistic and relational, highlighting achievements and challenges, the importance of on Country individual connections and community support, and the value of their current and future contributions to the community. Data from this mixed methods approach documented the impact of the innovative coupling of authentic, culturally appropriate experiential learning with broad and deep academic knowledge about dementia and evidence-based care.

Conclusions

This program provided students with a work-related qualification embedded within a university education and increased the capacity and capability of this Aboriginal community to provide care for its members with dementia, a documented concern. The combination of vocational learning on Country with online university study established a pathway to improve students' access to and success in higher education and the professional workforce. This assisted in counteracting the negative influences of racism, stigma, rurality, and socio-economic marginalization on educational opportunity for Aboriginal people. Data showed the need for flexibility with this learning journey, and the strengths and resilience of these women as they learned.
An External Patient Healthcare Index (EPHI) for Simulating Spatial Tendencies in Healthcare Seeking Behavior
Authors: Pan Jay , Wei Duan , Seyler Barnabas C. , Song Chao , Wang Xiuli
Published: March 2022

Background

Healthcare resources are always more limited compared with demand, but better matching supply with demand can improve overall resource efficiency. In countries like China where patients are free to choose healthcare facilities, over-utilization and under-utilization of healthcare resources co-exist because of unreasonable healthcare seeking behavior. However, scholarship regarding the spatial distribution of utilization for healthcare resources, resulting from unreasonable spatial tendencies in healthcare seeking, is rare.

Methods

In this article, we propose a new External Patient Healthcare Index (EPHI) to simulate the spatial distribution of utilization for healthcare resources, based on the Two-Step Floating Catchment Area (2SFCA) method, which is widely used to assess potential spatial accessibility. Instead of using individual-level healthcare utilization data which is difficult to obtain, the EPHI uses institution-level aggregated data, including numbers of inpatient/outpatient visits. By comparing the estimated utilization (based on local healthcare institution services provision) with the expected utilization (based on local population morbidity), guest patients (e.g., patients flowing in for treatment) and bypass patients (patients flowing out) can be identified. To test the applicability of this index, a case study was carried out on China's Hainan Island. The spatial tendencies of patients for inpatient and outpatient services were simulated, then incorporated with spatial access to healthcare resources to evaluate overall resource allocation efficiency, thus guiding future resource allocations and investment for policy makers and healthcare providers.

Results

The EPHI revealed that bypass activities widely exist on Hainan Island in both inpatient and outpatient care, with patients tending to travel from less developed regions with fewer healthcare resources to more highly developed regions with more healthcare resources to receive healthcare. Comparison with spatial accessibility demonstrated how bypass activities on Hainan produced an under-utilization of doctors in less developed regions and over-utilization of doctors in more developed coastal regions.

Conclusions

This case study on Hainan Island demonstrates that this new index can very clearly identify both the sources and sinks of patient spatial tendencies. Combining these results with spatial accessibility of healthcare resources, how efficiently the available supply matches the utilization can be revealed, indicating wide-ranging applicability for local governments and policymakers.
Tweet Analysis for Enhancement of COVID-19 Epidemic Simulation: A Case Study in Japan
Authors: Tran Vu , Matsui Tomoko
Published: March 2022

The COVID-19 pandemic, which began in December 2019, progressed in a complicated manner and thus caused problems worldwide. Seeking clues to the reasons for the complicated progression is necessary but challenging in the fight against the pandemic. We sought clues by investigating the relationship between reactions on social media and the COVID-19 epidemic in Japan. Twitter was selected as the social media platform for study because it has a large user base in Japan and because it quickly propagates short topic-focused messages (“tweets”). Analysis using Japanese Twitter data suggested that reactions on social media and the progression of the COVID-19 epidemic may have a close relationship. Analysis of the data for the past waves of COVID-19 in Japan revealed that the relevant reactions on Twitter and COVID-19 progression are related repetitive phenomena. We propose using observations of the reaction trend represented by tweet counts and the trend of COVID-19 epidemic progression in Japan and a deep neural network model to capture the relationship between social reactions and COVID-19 progression and to predict the future trend of COVID-19 progression. This trend prediction would then be used to set up a susceptible-exposed-infected-recovered model for simulating potential future COVID-19 cases. Experiments to evaluate the potential of using tweets to support the prediction of how an epidemic will progress demonstrated the value of using epidemic-related social media data. Our findings provide insights into the relationship between user reactions on social media, particularly Twitter, and epidemic progression, which can be used to fight pandemics.
Epidemiological, Radiographical, and Laboratorial Characteristics of Chinese Asymptomatic Cases With COVID-19: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis
Authors: Yan Haohao , Ding Yudan , Guo Wenbin
Published: March 2022

The comprehensive understanding of the characteristics of asymptomatic cases are helpful for the identification and management of patients with asymptomatic COVID-19 infection. Four electronic databases were searched from December 1, 2019 to February 8, 2022 for relevant articles. Data synthesis, subgroup analysis, and sensitivity analysis were performed on the included studies. I2 and Q tests were applied to evaluate heterogeneity across studies. The risk of publication bias was assessed and visualized using a funnel plot. A total of 45 studies consisting of 2,655 patients with no symptoms at the screening point were included. Pooled results showed that in China, 65% of initial no-symptoms COVID-19 patients did not present any COVID-19-related symptom during follow-up or by end of disease course (asymptomatic infections). High proportions of initial no-symptoms COVID-19 patients (76%) and patients with asymptomatic infection (55%) had abnormal CT features at the screening point. High proportion of patients with asymptomatic infection had been detected Ig G+ (72%) and/or Ig M+ (57%) at the screening point. The chest CT scan and SARS-CoV-2-specific antibody testing could serve as effective supplementary methods to identify asymptomatic cases in the early stage of SARS-CoV-2 infection. However, the chest CT scan and the SARS-CoV-2-specific IgM and IgG testing should not replace reverse transcription–polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) for screening in asymptomatic patients. The combination of repeated RT-PCR, chest CT scans, and the SARS-CoV-2-specific IgM and IgG testing should be performed for those highly suspected SARS-CoV-2 infections.

Systematic Review Registration

https://www.crd.york.ac.uk/PROSPERO/#recordDetails, identifier: CRD 42021261130.
A Classification Algorithm-Based Hybrid Diabetes Prediction Model
Authors: Edeh Michael Onyema , Khalaf Osamah Ibrahim , Tavera Carlos Andrés , Tayeb Sofiane , Ghouali Samir , Abdulsahib Ghaida Muttashar , Richard-Nnabu Nneka Ernestina , Louni AbdRahmane
Published: March 2022

Diabetes is considered to be one of the leading causes of death globally. If diabetes is not treated and detected early, it can lead to a variety of complications. The aim of this study was to develop a model that can accurately predict the likelihood of developing diabetes in patients with the greatest amount of precision. Classification algorithms are widely used in the medical field to classify data into different categories based on some criteria that are relatively restrictive to the individual classifier, Therefore, four machine learning classification algorithms, namely supervised learning algorithms (Random forest, SVM and Naïve Bayes, Decision Tree DT) and unsupervised learning algorithm (k-means), have been a technique that was utilized in this investigation to identify diabetes in its early stages. The experiments are per-formed on two databases, one extracted from the Frankfurt Hospital in Germany and the other from the database. PIMA Indian Diabetes (PIDD) provided by the UCI machine learning repository. The results obtained from the database extracted from Frankfurt Hospital, Germany, showed that the random forest algorithm outperformed with the highest accuracy of 97.6%, and the results obtained from the Pima Indian database showed that the SVM algorithm outperformed with the highest accuracy of 83.1% compared to other algorithms. The validity of these results is confirmed by the process of separating the data set into two parts: a training set and a test set, which is described below. The training set is used to develop the model's capabilities. The test set is used to put the model through its paces and determine its correctness.
Measuring the Market Power of China's Medical Product Exports
Authors: Wu Wanshan , Zhang Hao , Huang Leping , Wang Lijun
Published: March 2022

During the COVID-19 pandemic, medical products have been crucial to the global fight against the disease. As a major manufacturing country, China occupies an important position in the medical products field. However, China's terms of trade are not commensurate with its status as a major exporter of medical products. Therefore, studying China's market power in medical product exports has important practical significance for determining China's value chain position in the global market and then proposing policies and measures to enhance China's market power. The findings of this paper, utilizing HS 6-digit data from 1992 to 2020, illustrate that China's market power is only in limited medical product export markets. Accordingly, we propose countermeasures to enhance the market power of China's medical product exports.
The Impact of Sustainable Growth and Sustainable Environment on Public Health: A Study of GCC Countries
Authors: Khan Mohd Naved , Aziz Ghazala , Khan Mohd Saeed
Published: March 2022

The current study investigates the impact of economic growth, carbon emission, temperature, and environmental technology on public health in GCC countries. Panel data from 1990 to 2020 is used, and the panel unit root test is used to check the stationarity of the data. After cointegration analysis, the ARDL estimation technique checks the long-run and short-run association between variables. The results have proved that economic growth enhances exposure to PM2.5 and mortality but helps in increasing life expectancy. Likewise, carbon emission also enhances exposure to PM2.5 and mortality but improves life expectancy. As far as temperature is concerned, although it increases the exposure to PM2.5, it also increases life expectancy. It is also found that environmental technology enhances exposure to PM2.5. For policy implication, the study reports that investment in research and development and modifications the energy mix are key measures to enhance the public health in GCC countries.
Trajectory Generation for Flexible-Joint Space Manipulators
Authors: Carabis David S. , Wen John T.
Published: March 2022

Space manipulator arms often exhibit significant joint flexibility and limited motor torque. Future space missions, including satellite servicing and large structure assembly, may involve the manipulation of massive objects, which will accentuate these limitations. Currently, astronauts use visual feedback on-orbit to mitigate oscillations and trajectory following issues. Large time delays between orbit and Earth make ground teleoperation difficult in these conditions, so more autonomous operations must be considered to remove the astronaut resource requirement and expand robotic capabilities in space. Trajectory planning for autonomous systems must therefore be considered to prevent poor trajectory tracking performance. We provide a model-based trajectory generation methodology that incorporates constraints on joint speed, motor torque, and base actuation for flexible-joint space manipulators while minimizing total trajectory time. Full spatial computer simulation results, as well as physical experiment results with a single-joint robot on an air bearing table, show the efficacy of our methodology.
Changes and Disparities in Nature Access During the COVID-19 Pandemic
Authors: Byerly Flint Hilary , Hammond Wagner Courtney , Watson Keri
Published: March 2022

Time in nature is associated with a range of physical and psychological benefits. These benefits tend to be unevenly distributed, with non-white and low-income communities often having lower access to nature than richer, more white neighborhoods. When the COVID-19 pandemic hit the United States in Spring 2020, changes in daily routines, restrictions on public nature access, and risk perceptions may have affected whether and how much people spent time in nature. We explore how nature access changed during the COVID-19 pandemic and how those changes were experienced by different demographic groups. We surveyed representative samples of California and New York residents (n = 2,036) in May and June of 2020 and examined differences in nature access and nature-related COVID restrictions and risks by gender, income and race. We find that, on average, the pandemic was associated with reductions in frequency of nature access and less time in nature for all respondents. However, these trends were greatest for women, people of color and people who are low-income. Moreover, the pandemic seems to have widened prior inequalities: low-income and non-white people accessed nature even less frequently and had fewer nature access options than they did prior to the pandemic. Given the disparities in broader pandemic impacts by gender, income, and race, these results further demonstrate the inequalities laid bare by COVID-19.
Factors Influencing Runner's Choices of Footwear
Authors: Ramsey Codi A. , Lamb Peter , Ribeiro Daniel Cury
Published: March 2022

Until the mid-2000s, qualitative research has been virtually absent from running injury research. A handful of studies have been recently published regarding the attitudes and perceptions of runners and coaches toward injury development. Footwear is frequently perceived as a risk factor for running related injuries, but empeirical evidence fails to support such beliefs. The reasons why runners choose specific footwear warrants formal investigation to further understand the links between footwear and running related injuries. This study aimed to investigate the factors influencing runners choices of footwear. Interviews were conducted with 12 runners. Recordings from the interviews were transcribed verbatim and themes were developed using thematic analysis. Findings revealed 15 unique factors that influence runner's choices of footwear for running. These factors were grouped into three main themes: personal footwear characteristic preferences, other people and economic considerations. Runners largely gather information about their footwear choices from past experiences and people they trust and admire. They also emphasized the complexity of footwear choices due to availability and the constant changes preset within the footwear industry. This research adds to the growing body of knowledge to better understand the wider running injury system. Further studies are needed to establish how runners perceptions of their footwear impact injury rates and to develop effective injury prevention strategies.
Smallholder Farmers Climate-Smart Crop Diversification Cost Structure: Empirical Evidence From Western Kenya
Authors: Awiti Hezbon Akelo , Gido Eric Obedy , Obare Gideon Aiko
Published: March 2022

Climate-smart agriculture (CSA) is increasingly becoming important as a sustainable way of increasing agricultural productivity and increasing the resilience of farming systems to climate variability. Moreover, crop diversification strategy plays a vital role in creating resilience against climate-related risks in farm production and enhancing resilience in food systems. While crop diversification intensity acts as a proxy indication of climate risk mitigation strategy, its successful implementation as a climate-smart agricultural practice depends on the ability of the smallholder farmers to allocate the available farm resources efficiently. The study evaluated the effect of crop diversification on variable cost structure (land, labor, capital, fertilizer, and seeds) among smallholder farmers in Western Kenya. We use primary data from 267 randomly selected respondents and apply a translog cost function model to explore the effect of implementing crop diversification strategy on variable cost structure among smallholder farmers. The results showed that indeed practicing crop diversification affects the overall production cost structure. The result showed that the Allen elasticity of substitution (AES) of all combinations of inputs (land and capital, land and fertilizer, land and labor, fertilizer and capital, fertilizer and labor, fertilizer and capital) are positive. These relationships imply that land, labor, fertilizer, and capital substitute each other in crop production. The Morishima elasticities of factor substitution (MES) reveal that the highest degree of substitutability in response to price changes is between capital and fertilizer, land and fertilizer, and labor and fertilizer, implying the intensive nature of crop diversity in terms of land, labor and capital requirements. These findings demonstrate that despite the potential benefits of crop diversification, the trade-off in the total cost of production does matter. Non-accounting for such trade-offs is likely to over-estimate crop diversification benefits and limit its successful practice by smallholder farmers.
New Insights Into the Development of the Anterior Abdominal Wall
Authors: Bouzada Jose , Gemmell Carolina , Konschake Marko , Tubbs R. S. , Pechriggl Elisabeth , Sañudo Jose
Published: March 2022

Purpose

Among the few studies that have examined the development of the anterior abdominal wall, several are based on incomplete “series”, substituted in many cases by non-human specimens.

Material and Methods

In total, 19 human embryos corresponding to Carnegie stages 15–23, 36 fetuses with estimated gestational ages ranging from 9 weeks to term, and eight neonates were included in this study. All specimens belong to the collection of the Department of Anatomy and Embryology at the Complutense University of Madrid.

Results

The muscles of the anterior abdominal wall appear in the dorsal region at stages 15 and 16 (33–37 days). At stages 17 and 18 (41–44 days), this muscular mass grows ventrally and splits into two sheets: the external abdominal oblique muscle and the common mass of the internal abdominal oblique, and the transversus abdominis muscles, all of which end ventrally in the primitive condensation of the rectus abdominis. In embryos at stages 19 and 20 (48 days), the anterior abdominal wall continues to show an umbilical hernia in the amniotic cavity. However, a narrow neck is apparent for the first time and there is a wider anterior abdominal wall below the hernia made up of dense mesenchyme tissue without layers and showing the primordia of the umbilical canal. In embryos at stages 21, 22, and 23 (51–57 days), the abdominal muscles and aponeuroses cross the midline (linea alba) covering the rectus abdominis and pyramidalis muscles while the umbilical hernia has shrunk. In fetuses during the 9th and 10th weeks, the umbilical hernia becomes encircled by the rectus abdominis muscle, its aponeurosis, and the three layers of lateral abdominal muscles, which are more developed and covered by Camper's and Scarpa's fasciae. The inguinal canal has a course and relationships like those described in adults, with Hesselbach's ligament.
Detection of Sutterella spp. in Broiler Liver and Breast
Authors: Derqaoui Sophia , Oukessou Mohammed , Attrassi Kawtar , Elftouhy Fatima Zahra , Nassik Saadia
Published: March 2022

Sutterella sp. is a gram-negative, microaerophilic bacterium that is particularly resistant to bile acids. It has recently been associated with several human pathologies such as inflammatory bowel disease, asthma, diabetes, and autism. Indeed, susceptibility patterns to ciprofloxacin and erythromycin, combined with resistance to metronidazole, indicate that Sutterella wadsworthensis patterns are closer to those of Campylobacter. The objective of this study is to identify, for the first time, Sutterella spp. in the liver and breast of broiler chickens by quantitative real-time PCR (qPCR). Liver, breast, and cecal content samples were taken from 25 birds and frozen at −20°C until analyzed. The main results showed that Sutterella sp. is part of the cecal microbiota of 48% of the birds and present in the liver and breast of, respectively 20 and 40% of the chicks with a variable Cq. We, therefore, conclude that Sutterella sp. exists in poultry and poultry meat and that foodstuffs of poultry origin might be considered as a potential source of contamination for humans.
Investigating Flood Impact on Crop Production under a Comprehensive and Spatially Explicit Risk Evaluation Framework
Authors: Wang Xi , Liu Zhanyan , Chen Huili
Published: March 2022

Due to the projected increased frequency of occurrence of extreme flood events, it is becoming increasingly important to pay attention to agricultural flood management. The middle and lower reaches of the Yangtze River Basin (MLYRB), as one of the most important agricultural areas in the world, frequently suffer from the ravages of long-duration extreme flood events. Comprehensive flood risk evaluation can provide important support for effective management strategies by focusing on the combination of flood hazard and the consequences of flooding in areas exposed to the inundation. Previous satellite-based flood disturbance detection methods intended for use in single-cropping agricultural systems cannot be applied to the MLYRB with multi-cropping practices and long-duration flood events. Additionally, comprehensive agricultural flood risk evaluations traditionally neglect the characteristics of the impact of flooding with strong spatial and temporal variability. Thus, in this research, an integrated disturbance index (IDI) was developed to detect the impact of flood disturbance on crop growth, aiming to acquire a map of crop damage condition for a multi-cropping agricultural system with long-duration flood events that is spatially explicit and has a sufficiently high spatial resolution. A coupled hydrological and 2D hydraulic model parallelized using the GPU approach was employed to simulate flood flows, aiming at deriving sufficient meaningful detail at the local scale in terms of flood inundation patterns and processes over the whole natural watershed. Additionally, a spatial map of the combined effects of flood hazard and the consequences of flooding was used to investigate the relationship between flood characteristics and associated loss extent with the random forest model. The comprehensive evaluation framework was applied for the 2010 flood event in the MLYRB. The evaluation results indicate that the detection results based on IDI are consistent with the governmental statistics, the most hard-hit areas in related reports, and the spatial characteristics of river floods. The coupled hydrological–hydraulic model offers a clear picture of the flood characteristics over the whole basin, while simultaneously ensuring a sufficiently high spatial resolution. Our findings show that flood duration is the most important predictor in predicting crop damage extent.
Nitrogen Fertilizer Modulates Plant Growth, Chlorophyll Pigments and Enzymatic Activities under Different Irrigation Regimes
Authors: Muhammad Ihsan , Yang Li , Ahmad Shakeel , Farooq Saqib , Al-Ghamdi Abdullah Ahmed , Khan Ahmad , Zeeshan Muhammad , Elshikh Mohamed S. , Abbasi Arshad Mehmood , Zhou Xun-Bo
Published: March 2022

Nitrogen fertilization and irrigation patterns have been extensively studied for common maize (Zea mays L.), but there is limited published work for Zhengda 619, especially in subtropical areas. Nitrogen (N) fertilizer and irrigation play an important role in crop growth and yield improvements. The study aimed to investigate the yield, growth, chlorophyll content, reactive oxygen species (ROS) and enzyme activities of hybrid maize (Zhengda 619) under greenhouse conditions. Individual plants grown in plastic pots were subjected to two irrigation types—low irrigation (LW; 60% field capacity) and high irrigation water (HW; 80% field capacity)—and five N rates. Our results demonstrate that the LW irrigation increased dry matter, kernel yield, leaf chlorophyll, total root length, root diameter, root volume, and root surface area, as well as soil enzymes and plant antioxidant enzymes, while it lowered malondialdehyde (MDA), proline, and ROS. Moreover, most of the above parameters increased with increasing N application rates up to N3 under LW irrigation due to the increased N availability to the plant and soil enzymes. It is concluded that increasing N rates could improve soil enzyme activities as well as plant antioxidant enzymes and decrease ROS, ultimately resulting in a higher kernel yield under LW irrigation.
Identification, Expression, and Functional Study of Seven NAC Transcription Factor Genes Involved in Stress Response in Tartary Buckwheat (Fagopyrum tataricum (L.) Gaertn.)
Authors: Huang Juan , Ren Rongrong , Rong Yuping , Tang Bin , Deng Jiao , Chen Qingfu , Shi Taoxiong
Published: March 2022

Plant NAC transcription factors play vital roles in diverse biological processes, especially in response to stress. However, only a limited number of the FtNAC genes have been cloned and functionally analyzed in Tartary buckwheat (Fagopyrum tataricum (L.) Gaertn.), which is a coarse grain crop that is highly resistant to abiotic stress. Here, we identified seven Tartary buckwheat FtNAC genes, namely FtNAC11, FtNAC12, FtNAC26, FtNAC28, FtNAC65, FtNAC70, and FtNAC78. Multiple-sequence alignments revealed that all of them contained the conserved NAM domain, which consisted of the A, B, C, D, and E subdomains. Seven NAC proteins were classified into six subgroups based on phylogenetic analyses. Cis-acting regulatory elements analyses (CARE) indicated that there were numerous CAREs related to biotic and abiotic responses and hormone responses in the promoters of FtNAC genes. qRT-PCR showed that they were tissue-specifically expressed and could be induced by four out of six treatments, namely PEG, NaCl, cold, MeJA, ABA, and GA, implying that they were abiotic and hormone responsive. Among these, FtNAC70 was the most strongly induced gene and could be induced by all six treatments. Meanwhile, FtNAC70-overexpressed Arabidopsis showed more resistance to salt and drought. The identification, phylogenetics, expression, and functional study of seven stress-responsive FtNAC genes laid a foundation for further research on the molecular mechanism of abiotic stress regulated by NAC TFs in Tartary buckwheat.
Breeding and Evaluation of a New-Bred Semi-Leafless Pea (Pisum sativum L.) Cultivar Longwan No. 6
Authors: Yang Xiaoming , Gou Zhiwen , Zhu Zhendong , Wang Chang , Zhang Lijuan , Min Gengmei
Published: March 2022

The pea (Pisum sativum L.) is an excellent protein source for livestock and human nutrition. However, its growth is hampered by several factors including powdery mildew (Erysiphe pisi DC) and lodging in irrigation areas. These limitations may be solved through combining a Canada powdery mildew-resistant pea (Mp1807) with green cotyledon cultivar (Graf) by means of sexual hybridization. A bred semi-leafless pea, cultivar Longwan No. 6, was selected and evaluated in multiple ecological zones to investigate and evaluate high-yield, adaptability, and resistance to root rot (Aphanomyces euteiches Drechs. f. sp. pisi) and powdery mildew from 2012 to 2014. The results revealed that Longwan No. 6 was characterized by lodging resistance and moderate powdery mildew resistance. The average grain yield of Longwan No. 6 is 2855.3 kg/hm2 in spring sowing and is increased by 18.4% compared to the control cultivar (Longwan No. 1). The average grain yield of Longwan No. 6 is 2349.9 kg/hm2 in winter sowing and is increased by 12.8% when compared to the control cultivar. The results indicated that Longwan No. 6 has a greater potential to increase yield and wide adaptability. Adopting the Longwan No. 6 pea cultivar contributes to improvements in pea production in irrigation areas.
A One-Step Grafting Methodology Can Adjust Stem Morphology and Increase THCA Yield in Medicinal Cannabis
Authors: Purdy Sarah Jane , Hewavitharana Amitha K. , Azman Halimi Razlin , Magner Nelson Joel , Peterswald Tyson James , Trebilco Amy , Kretzschmar Tobias , Hailstones Deborah
Published: March 2022

The standard two-step methods for grafting horticultural crops involve cultivating the rootstock for a period of time and then connecting the scion. Medicinal Cannabis differs from most annual horticultural crops because it is usually clonally propagated from cuttings. We developed a grafting methodology specifically for medicinal Cannabis, involving a single step, in which a freshly cut scion is grafted to a freshly cut donor stem that will become the rootstock. This study also aimed to uncover a potential role for roots in influencing cannabinoid content. Two varieties with desirable attributes but cultivation limitations were selected to act as scions. The first, “CBD1” was a high CBDA accumulating variety with low biomass yield, and the second, “THC2”, was a high yielding, high THCA accumulating line with inconsistent root development during cloning. Two candidate rootstocks, “THC9r” and “THC8r”, were identified; both were high THCA, low CBDA varieties. Biomass yields in the THC2 scions grafted to THC9 rootstocks (THC9r_2s) were 20% higher than in the non-grafted THC2 plants. In CBD1 grafted plants, the concentrations of CBDA and some minor cannabinoids were significantly different to non-grafted CBD1, but biomass yields were lower. There was a trend towards a higher concentration of THCA in THC9r_2s plants, and when combined with the increased biomass, yield of THCA was increased from 8 g Plant−1 to 13 g Plant−1. Our results present a new grafting method for medicinal Cannabis that improved yield in THC2 and required no additional cultivation time.
Residual Effect of Bentonite-Humic Acid Amendment on Soil Health and Crop Performance 4–5 Years after Initial Application in a Dryland Ecosystem
Authors: Ma Bin , Bao Yangmei , Ma Baoluo , McLaughlin Neil B. , Li Ming , Liu Jinghui
Published: March 2022

Degraded soils (including salinized, eroded, and low organic matter) resulting from natural and human effects are universal in arid and semi-arid regions all over the world. Bentonite and humic acid (BHA) are increasingly being tested to remediate these degraded lands, with potential benefits on crop production and soil health. A field study was conducted to quantify the effects of BHA application at six rates (0, 6, 12, 18, 24, and 30 Mg ha−1) on (i) dynamic changes in soil properties and (ii) oat crop productivity parameters in a dryland farming ecosystem. The specific objective of this paper was to determine the residual effects four to five years after a one-time BHA application on soil health and crop performance. The findings demonstrated that with the increasing rates of one-time BHA application, soil profile water storage displayed a piecewise linear plus plateau increase, whereas soil electrical conductivity, pH, and bulk density were all reduced significantly (p < 0.05) in the 0–20 cm and 20–60 cm layers. The improved soil environments gave rise to an increased activity of soil enzymes urease, invertase, and catalase that, respectively, reached peak values of 97%, 37%, and 32% of the control at the rates of 18 to 24 Mg BHA ha−1. In turn, this boosted soil nutrient turnover, leading to a 40% higher soil available P. Compared with the control treatment, application of BHA at the estimated optimum rate (roughly 24 Mg ha−1) increased grain yield by 20%, protein yield by 62%, water use efficiency by 41%, and partial factor productivity of N by 20%. The results of this study indicated for the first time that a one-time BHA application would be a new and effective strategy to combat land degradation and drought, and promote a sustainable soil micro-ecological environment in dryland agroecosystems under a varying climate scenario.
Boar Sperm Cryopreservation Improvement Using Semen Extender Modification by Dextran and Pentaisomaltose
Authors: Simonik Ondrej , Bubenickova Filipa , Tumova Lucie , Frolikova Michaela , Sur Vishma Pratap , Beran Jan , Havlikova Katerina , Hackerova Lenka , Spevakova Daniela , Komrskova Katerina , Postlerova Pavla
Published: March 2022

The long-term storage of boar sperm presents an ongoing challenge, and the modification of the cryoprotective compounds in semen extenders is crucial for improving cryopreservation’s success rate. The aim of our study was to reduce the percentage of glycerol in the extender by elimination or substitution with biocompatible, non-toxic polysaccharides. For boar semen extender improvement, we tested a novel modification with the polysaccharides dextran and pentaisomaltose in combination with unique in silico predictive modeling. We targeted the analysis of in vitro qualitative sperm parameters such as motility, viability, mitochondrial activity, acrosome integrity, and DNA integrity. Non-penetrating polysaccharide-based cryoprotective agents interact with sperm surface proteins such as spermadhesins, which are recognized as fertility markers of boar sperm quality. The in silico docking study showed a moderate binding affinity of dextran and pentaisomaltose toward one specific spermadhesin known as AWN, which is located in the sperm plasma membrane. Pentaisomaltose formed a hydrophobic pocket for the AWN protein, and the higher energy of this protein–ligand complex compared with dextran was calculated. In addition, the root mean square deviation (RMSD) analysis for the molecular dynamics (MD) of both polysaccharides and AWN simulation suggests their interaction was highly stable. The in silico results were supported by in vitro experiments. In the experimental groups where glycerol was partially or entirely substituted, the use of pentaisomaltose resulted in improved sperm mitochondrial activity and DNA integrity after thawing when compared with dextran. In this paper, we demonstrate that pentaisomaltose, previously used for cryopreservation in hematopoietic stem cells, represents a promising compound for the elimination or reduction of glycerol in extenders for boar semen cryopreservation. This novel approach, using in silico computer prediction and in vitro testing, represents a promising technique to help identify new cryoprotectants for use in animal breeding or genetic resource programs.
The Impact of Probiotic Bacillus subtilis on Injurious Behavior in Laying Hens
Authors: Jiang Sha , Hu Jia-Ying , Cheng Heng-Wei
Published: March 2022

Intestinal microbiota functions such as an endocrine organ to regulate host physiological homeostasis and behavioral exhibition in stress responses via regulating the gut–brain axis in humans and other mammals. In humans, stress-induced dysbiosis of the gut microbiota leads to intestinal permeability, subsequently affecting the clinical course of neuropsychiatric disorders, increasing the frequency of aggression and related violent behaviors. Probiotics, as direct-fed microorganism, have been used as dietary supplements or functional foods to target gut microbiota (microbiome) for the prevention or therapeutic treatment of mental diseases including social stress-induced psychiatric disorders such as depression, anxiety, impulsivity, and schizophrenia. Similar function of the probiotics may present in laying hens due to the intestinal microbiota having a similar function between avian and mammals. In laying hens, some management practices such as hens reared in conventional cages or at a high stocking density may cause stress, leading to injurious behaviors such as aggressive pecking, severe feather pecking, and cannibalism, which is a critical issue facing the poultry industry due to negative effects on hen health and welfare with devastating economic consequences. We discuss the current development of using probiotic Bacillus subtilis to prevent or reduce injurious behavior in laying hens.