bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Meta-path-based key node identification in heterogeneous networks
Authors: Wang Pengtao , Shu Jian , Liu Linlan , Yao Xiaolong
Published: March 2024

Identifying key nodes in complex networks remains challenging. Whereas previous studies focused on homogeneous networks, real-world systems comprise multiple node and edge types. We propose a meta-path-based key node identification (MKNI) method in heterogeneous networks to better capture complex interconnectivity. Considering that existing studies ignore the differences in propagation probabilities between nodes, MKNI leverages meta-paths to extract semantics and perform node embeddings. Trust probabilities reflecting propagation likelihoods are derived by calculating embedding similarities. Node importance is calculated by using metrics incorporating direct and indirect influence based on trust. The experimental results on three real-world network datasets, DBLP, ACM and Yelp, show that the key nodes identified by MKNI exhibit better information propagation in the Susceptible Infected (SI) and susceptibility-influence model (SIR) model compared to other methods. The proposed method provides a reliable tool for revealing the topological structure and functional mechanisms of the network, which can guide more effective regulation and utilization of the network.
Novel 4th-generation phytase improves broiler growth performance and reduces woody breast severity through modulation of muscle glucose uptake and metabolism
Authors: Walk Carrie L. , Mullenix Garrett J. , Maynard Craig W. , Greene Elisabeth S. , Maynard Clay , Ward Nelson , Dridi Sami
Published: March 2024

The objective of the present study was to determine the effect of a novel (4th generation) phytase supplementation as well as its mode of action on growth, meat quality, and incidence of muscle myopathies. One-day old male broilers (n = 720) were weighed and randomly allocated to 30 floor pens (24 birds/pen) with 10 replicate pens per treatment. Three diets were fed from hatch to 56- days-old: a 3-phase corn-soy based diet as a positive control (PC); a negative control (NC) formulated to be isocaloric and isonitrogenous to the PC and with a reduction in Ca and available P, respectively; and the NC supplemented with 2,000 phytase units per kg of diet (NC + P). At the conclusion of the experiment, birds fed with NC + P diet were significantly heavier and had 2.1- and 4.2-points better feed conversion ratio (FCR) compared to birds offered NC and PC diets, respectively. Processing data showed that phytase supplementation increased live weight, hot carcass without giblets, wings, tender, and skin-on drum and thigh compared to both NC and PC diets. Macroscopic scoring showed that birds fed the NC + P diet had lower woody breast (WB) severity compared to those fed the PC and NC diets, however there was no effect on white striping (WS) incidence and meat quality parameters (pH, drip loss, meat color). To delineate its mode of action, iSTAT showed that blood glucose concentrations were significantly lower in birds fed NC + P diet compared to those offered PC and NC diets, suggesting a better glucose uptake. In support, molecular analyses demonstrated that the breast muscle expression (mRNA and protein) of glucose transporter 1 (GLUT1) and glucokinase (GK) was significantly upregulated in birds fed NC + P diet compared to those fed the NC and PC diets. The expression of mitochondrial ATP synthase F0 subunit 8 (MT-ATP8) was significantly upregulated in NC + P compared to other groups, indicating intracellular ATP abundance for anabolic pathways. This was confirmed by the reduced level of phosphorylated-AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPKα1/2) at Thr172 site, upregulation of glycogen synthase (GYS1) gene and activation of mechanistic target of rapamycin and ribosomal protein S6 kinase (mTOR-P70S6K) pathway. In conclusion, this is the first report showing that in-feed supplementation of the novel phytase improves growth performance and reduces WB severity in broilers potentially through enhancement of glucose uptake, glycolysis, and intracellular ATP production, which used for muscle glycogenesis and protein synthesis.
A mirror of political ideology: undergraduates’ attitudinal drivers on implemented campus carry
Authors: Butters Albion M. , Kestilä-Kekkonen Elina , Ruoppila Sampo
Published: March 2024

Campus carry, which allows individuals possessing a license (or, more recently, a right) to carry concealed firearms to legally bring them onto public university campuses, was implemented in Texas in 2016, but it has remained a contested issue at The University of Texas at Austin. Based on a survey of undergraduates (N = 1,204) conducted in spring 2019, this paper examines predictors of support and opposition for the policy, including gender, ethnicity, socioeconomic background, political affiliation and ideology, length of time lived in Texas, and pro-gun legal attitudes. The study found that attitudes were profoundly driven by the political views of the students. Their gender and pro-gun legal attitudes also had significance, whereas many other variables identified by previous research did not. The study contributes to an understanding of campus carry attitudes in situations where it is not only planned or a distant hypothetical but already in effect and impacting students’ lives.
Studying daily fluctuations of emotional effort among nurses of intensive care units: the establishment of latent profiles and its relationship with daily secondary traumatic stress and vitality
Authors: Moreno-Jiménez Jennifer E. , Romero Miriam , Blanco-Donoso Luis Manuel , Hernández-Hurtado Mercedes , Garrosa Eva
Published: March 2024

Introduction

Nursing professionals working in Intensive Care Units (ICU) face significant challenges that can result in secondary traumatic stress (STS). These challenges stem from witnessing patients’ suffering and managing difficult tasks (i.e. communication with patients’ relatives). Furthermore, these professionals encounter emotional demands, such as emotional effort, which is the dissonance between the emotion felt and the emotion that should be expressed to meet work expectations. Consequently, we aimed to investigate whether different profiles exist concerning nurses’ levels of emotional effort over a five-day period and whether these profiles are related to daily STS and vitality.

Methods

The sample comprised 44 nursing professionals from ICUs in Spanish hospitals. They were assessed daily, using a package of questionnaires twice per day for five working days: a) immediately after their shift and b) at a later time after working.

Results

The findings revealed three distinct profiles based on emotional effort levels: high (Profile 1), moderate (Profile 2), and low (Profile 3). These profiles were found to be negative predictors for both daily shattered assumptions and symptomatology.

Discussion

This study underscores the importance of assessing daily emotional demands in an ICU setting. Such assessments are crucial for establishing preventive measures to help nursing professionals manage lower-level emotional demands.
Understanding suicidal ideation disparity between sexual minority and heterosexual Chinese young men: a multiple mediation model of social support sources, self-esteem, and depressive symptoms
Authors: Huang Yiting , Liu Jiayu , Huang Gang , Zhu Dejia , Zhou Yunfei , Hu Jingchu
Published: March 2024

Objectives

Although sexual minorities have reported higher levels of suicidal ideation than heterosexuals across cultures, the role of various psychosocial factors underlying this disparity among young men has been understudied, particularly in China. This study examined the multiple mediating effects of psychosocial factors between sexual orientation and suicidal ideation in Chinese sexual minority and heterosexual young men.

Methods

302 Chinese cisgender men who identified as gay or bisexual, and 250 cisgender heterosexual men (n=552, aged 18-39 years) completed an online questionnaire measuring perceived social support, self-esteem, depressive symptoms, and suicidal ideation.

Results

Young sexual minority men reported significantly higher suicidal ideation and lower social support than their heterosexual peers. Structural equation modelling revealed two multiple indirect pathways. One pathway indicated that sexual orientation was indirectly related to suicidal ideation via family support and depressive symptoms. Another pathway indicated that sexual orientation was indirectly related to suicidal ideation via support from friends, self-esteem, and depressive symptoms.

Conclusions

This study is among the first to examine the potentially cascading relationships between sexual orientation and psychosocial factors with suicidal ideation in a Chinese sample of young men. The findings highlight several promising psychosocial targets (i.e., improving family/friend support and increasing self-esteem) for suicide interventions among sexual minority males in China.
Case report: Environmental adjustment for visual hallucinations in dementia with Lewy bodies based on photo assessment of the living environment
Authors: Ishimaru Daiki , Kanemoto Hideki , Hotta Maki , Nagata Yuma , Koizumi Fuyuki , Satake Yuto , Taomoto Daiki , Ikeda Manabu
Published: March 2024

Background

Visual hallucinations (VH) are associated with visual prediction error in patients with dementia with Lewy bodies (DLB). Given this relationship, environmental adjustments have been suggested, but detailed contents for implementing such environmental adjustments and assessments are poorly documented. This case report preliminarily demonstrates methods for improving VH through our experience with two patients with DLB. We conducted familial interviews to assess the phenomenological features of VH and reviewed photographs of patients’ homes to identify the environmental triggers of VH, known as photo assessment of the living environment (PA-LE).

Case description

Patient 1 was a 78-year-old woman with a Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE) score of 11/30. She experienced seeing a stranger, children, and cats at home, which frightened her. VH frequently occurred in the living room and bedroom. The PA-LE showed that several environmental features, such as cushions on a sofa, the pattern on a carpet under a table, and clothing on hangers, were suggestive triggers of VH. Patient 2 was an 88-year-old woman with a MMSE score of 5/30. She had seen strangers, children, and animals at home, some of which were linked to a theft delusion. VH frequently occurred in the living room and bedroom. The PA-LE found that several environmental features, such as clothing on hangers and dolls, were suggestive of VH triggers. Non-pharmacological approaches were tailored to the patients’ environmental and psychological states using interviews and PA-LE. This included removing environmental triggers, reducing negative mood, and providing coping strategies for VH. This improved their VH and their caregivers’ knowledge of VH.

Conclusion

Phenomenological assessments using photographs of the patient’s home could identify the environmental triggers associated with VH in patients with DLB and assist in environmental adjustments.
Enuresis in young offenders – a study on prevalence and mental health comorbidity
Authors: Koposov Roman A. , Stickley Andrew , Isaksson Johan , Ruchkin Vladislav
Published: March 2024

Background

Enuresis is a common disorder in the school-age period, and is often associated with a variety of behavioral, psychological, and social problems. While early studies suggested an association between enuresis and delinquent behavior, there has been no recent research assessing the prevalence of enuresis and its comorbid psychopathology in young offenders. The aim of this study was to therefore assess the prevalence of enuresis and its associated psychiatric comorbidity in incarcerated young offenders.

Methods

The prevalence of past and current enuresis and comorbid psychopathology was assessed using a semi-structured psychiatric interview and self-reports from 366 incarcerated male young offenders [age 14 to 19 years (mean age = 16.4)] from Northern Russia.

Results

Seventy-three (20.0%) adolescents reported a previous history of enuresis, and in addition almost 10% of the youth reported current enuresis symptoms. Delinquent youth with enuresis did not significantly differ from other youth in the prevalence of comorbid psychiatric diagnoses when assessed by a clinical diagnostic interview, but had significantly higher levels of self-reported mental health problems, and suicidal ideation and attempts.

Conclusion

Problems with enuresis are common among delinquent youth and may be associated with increased mental health problems. Given the potentially increased risk for suicidal thoughts and behavior in young offenders with enuresis, comprehensive mental health screening of those who are detected with this condition should be considered in the juvenile justice system.
Prevalence and association of HIV and tuberculosis status in older adults in South Africa: an urgent need to escalate the scientific and political attention to aging and health
Authors: Akokuwebe Monica Ewomazino , Osuafor Godswill Nwabuisi , Idemudia Erhabor Sunday
Published: March 2024

Objectives

This study examined the prevalence and sociodemographic factors among older adults with HIV and TB status in South Africa.

Methods

This data was cross-sectional and obtained from the 2019 General Household Surveys in South Africa. Adults 50 years and over with reported HIV and TB status were included (N = 9,180,047). We reported statistical analyses of the descriptive, Chi-square and Fisher’s exact tests, and binary logistic regression.

Results

The study has found a prevalence rate of HIV to be 5.3% and TB to be 2.9% among older adults aged 50 years and above in South Africa. However, the study found HIV and TB to be highest among older adults residing in Gauteng, KwaZulu-Natal and Eastern Cape provinces. For HIV status, the female gender [AOR = 0.80*, CI 95% = 0.80–0.80] and secondary education [AOR = 0.57, CI 95% = 0.56–0.58] have lower odds of association among older adults with HIV. Regarding TB status, primary education [AOR = 1.08*, CI 95% = 1.06–1.10] and diabetes [AOR = 1.87*, CI 95% = 1.82–1.91] have lower likelihoods of associations among older adults with TB.

Conclusion

There is an urgent need to escalate scientific and political attention to address the HIV/TB burden in older adults and, public health policymakers need to take cognizance of the interdependence of inequality, mobility, and behavioural modification among this high-risk population.
Preparing correctional settings for the next pandemic: a modeling study of COVID-19 outbreaks in two high-income countries
Authors: Kwon Jisoo A. , Bretaña Neil A. , Kronfli Nadine , Dussault Camille , Grant Luke , Galouzis Jennifer , Hoey Wendy , Blogg James , Lloyd Andrew R. , Gray Richard T.
Published: March 2024

Introduction

Correctional facilities are high-priority settings for coordinated public health responses to the COVID-19 pandemic. These facilities are at high risk of disease transmission due to close contacts between people in prison and with the wider community. People in prison are also vulnerable to severe disease given their high burden of co-morbidities.

Methods

We developed a mathematical model to evaluate the effect of various public health interventions, including vaccination, on the mitigation of COVID-19 outbreaks, applying it to prisons in Australia and Canada.

Results

We found that, in the absence of any intervention, an outbreak would occur and infect almost 100% of people in prison within 20 days of the index case. However, the rapid rollout of vaccines with other non-pharmaceutical interventions would almost eliminate the risk of an outbreak.

Discussion

Our study highlights that high vaccination coverage is required for variants with high transmission probability to completely mitigate the outbreak risk in prisons.
Isotemporal substitution effect of 24-hour movement behavior on the mental health of Chinese preschool children
Authors: Li Fang , Yin Long , Luo Wanhong , Gao Zan , Ryu Suryeon , Sun Mingyun , Liu Pan , Yang Zongyu
Published: March 2024

The 24-h movement behavior of preschoolers comprises a spectrum of activities, including moderate-to-vigorous intensity physical activity (MVPA), light-intensity physical activity (LPA), screen-based sedentary behavior (SCSB), non-screen-based sedentary behavior (NSCSB), and sleep. While previous research has shed light on the link between movement behaviors and children’s mental health, the specific impacts on the unique demographic of Chinese preschoolers remain underexplored. This study significantly contributes to the literature by exploring how 24-h movement behavior affects the mental health of preschoolers in a Chinese context. The study involved205 Chinese preschool children (117 boys and 88 girls) between the ages of 3 and 6 years wore accelerometers to measure their LPA, MVPA, and sedentary behavior (SB), while their parents reported the time spent on sleep and SCSB. The parents also completed the Strength and Difficulties Questionnaire to assess their children’s mental health. The study used compositional regression and isotemporal substitution models to examine the relationship between the various components of 24-h movement behavior and mental health. The results showed that greater NCSSB compared to MVPA, LPA, sleep, and SCSB was associated with good prosocial behavior and lower scores on externalizing problems. This highlights the potential of NSCSB as a beneficial component in the daily routine of preschoolers for fostering mental well-being. Replacing 15 min of sleep and SCSB with 15 min of NSCSB was associated with a decrease of 0.24 and 0.15 units, respectively, in externalizing problems. Reallocating 15 min of sleep to NSCSB was linked to an increase of 0.11 units in prosocial behavior. There were no significant substitution effects between LPA and MVPA time with any other movement behavior on prosocial behavior and externalizing problems. Given the positive associations observed, further longitudinal studies are necessary to explore the link between 24-h movement behavior and mental health in preschool children.
Sexually transmitted infections and the HPV-related burden: evolution of Italian epidemiology and policy
Authors: Gazzetta Silvia , Valent Francesca , Sala Alessia , Driul Lorenza , Brunelli Laura
Published: March 2024

Sexually transmitted infections (STIs) are a major public health problem worldwide, with a high prevalence between the ages of 15 and 25 in most Western countries. High notification rates of chlamydia, gonorrhea, and syphilis are reported in the WHO European Region, with differences between countries. In Italy, the total number of STIs alerts increased by 18% from 2020 to 2021. HPV is the most common sexually transmitted infection; globally one in seven women is infected by this virus, and certain sexual behaviors are important risk factors for HPV-related cancers, particularly cervical cancer (CC), anogenital cancers and cancers of the head and neck. The burden of CC is relevant worldwide, in particular in Europe CC is the third leading cause of cancer-related deaths in women aged 15–44. This HPV-related tumor is preventable through a combined strategy of vaccination and screening for precursor lesions. In Italy, the coverage of organized screening varies from region to region and the average HPV vaccination rate is still far from the expected optimal threshold of 95% at the age of 12. To address the challenges of health promotion and HPV prevention, priority actions are needed such as: promoting education and information at every level, from schools to healthcare professionals. In Italy, education of adolescents on sexual and reproductive health, still remains critical, regionally inhomogeneous and much lower than in other European countries. Equitable measures need to be taken, and schools are an important place for health promotion activities.
The roles of HCV core protein and its binding host factor in virus assembly and release
Authors: Izumida Kyo , Morita Eiji
Published: March 2024

Hepatitis C virus (HCV) is a well-known virus that causes liver diseases such as liver cirrhosis and hepatocellular carcinoma. For several decades, numerous studies have been conducted to unravel the life cycle and molecular mechanisms of this virus with the aim of developing strategies to combat diseases caused by its infection. In this review, we summarize HCV assembly to budding, focusing on one of the structural proteins, the core, a viral capsid that binds both the viral genome and host membrane, along with the core-interacting host partners. The HCV core matures in the endoplasmic reticulum (ER), localizes at the lipid droplet (LD), and shuttles between the LD and ER to form viral particles. This process is controlled by many host factors known to binds core proteins, such as diacylglycerol acyltransferase-1 (DGAT-1), Rab18, μ subunit of the clathrin adaptor protein complex 2 (AP2M1), nuclear pore complex protein 98 (Nup98), Cortactin, group IVA phospholipase A2 (PLA2G4A) etc. Virion budding is thought to involve contributions from endosomal sorting complexes required for transport (ESCRT), similar to other envelope viruses. We delved into potential perspectives to enhance our understanding of the HCV mechanism by drawing insights from existing studies.
Formulating biopharmaceuticals using three-dimensional printing
Authors: Chan Alistair K. C. , Ranjitham Gopalakrishnan Nehil , Traore Yannick Leandre , Ho Emmanuel A.
Published: March 2024

Additive manufacturing, commonly referred to as three-dimensional (3D) printing, has the potential to initiate a paradigm shift in the field of medicine and drug delivery. Ever since the advent of the first-ever United States Food and Drug Administration (US FDA)-approved 3D printed tablet, there has been an increased interest in the application of this technology in drug delivery and biomedical applications. 3D printing brings us one step closer to personalized medicine, hence rendering the “one size fits all” concept in drug dosing obsolete. In this review article, we focus on the recent developments in the field of modified drug delivery systems in which various types of additive manufacturing technologies are applied.
Sustainable Agriculture: Theories, Methods, Practices and Policies
Authors: Liu Moucheng , Chen Xin , Jiao Yuanmei
Published: March 2024

Due to the extensive degree of the consumption of resources and energy by industrial agriculture, there is a growing awareness of sustainable agriculture development that should not only increase yield to meet people’s demands for food security, but should also improve product quality and promote the multi-functionality of the agricultural ecosystem [...]
State of Agricultural E-Government Services to Farmers in Tanzania: Toward the Participatory Design of a Farmers Digital Information System (FDIS)
Authors: Mushi Gilbert Exaud , Burgi Pierre-Yves , Di Marzo Serugendo Giovanna
Published: March 2024

The projected population increase and drastic climate changes are a great setback to food security through sustainable agriculture. However, governments need to play key roles in supporting the agriculture sector, which creates considerable employment and contributions to most countries’ Gross Domestic Product (GDP) outcomes. In many countries, the governments already support the agriculture sector with services based on Information and Communication Technology (ICT) to reach many stakeholders, including smallholder farmers. This paper investigated the status of e-Government services in the agriculture sector for farmers in order to understand the functions and scope of e-services, the challenges faced by farmers, both addressed and unaddressed, and the challenges of ICT-based services for farmers and other stakeholders in Tanzania. We used a qualitative research approach to interview the Ministry of Agriculture, farmers, extension workers, and agriculture processing industries. The main finding reveals that e-government services play a major role in the agriculture sector in Tanzania. Our results show that the pre-existing ICT services identified for farmers cannot meet the needs of farmers in a complete farming cycle. Moreover, lack of awareness, digital illiteracy, and poor infrastructure are the major challenges faced by farmers and other stakeholders when it comes to ICT-based services. These results justify the need for a comprehensive digital platform, particularly the proposed Farmers Digital Information System (FDIS) to enable farmers and other stakeholders to access essential services in a complete farming cycle for a more sustainable agriculture.
Digital Village Construction: A Multi-Level Governance Approach to Enhance Agroecological Efficiency
Authors: Ren Jin , Chen Xinrui , Shi Lefeng , Liu Ping , Tan Zhixiong
Published: March 2024

This study conducts a comprehensive analysis of China’s digital village construction, emphasizing its role in rural organizational governance, from bureaucracies to self-governance bodies to market forces and social organizations. Utilizing sample data from 30 provinces from 2014 to 2020, the study dissects the dynamics and diversity of multi-level governance in bolstering agroecological efficiency (AEE). Notable insights include a significant positive correlation between digital villages and AEE. However, it wanes in an “inverted U” pattern beyond a digital development index of 0.8. Furthermore, rural bureaucrats and self-governing entities independently advance AEE, while market forces and social organizations require enhancement. These findings contribute to the field of digital village construction and inform sustainable agricultural strategies in developing nations.
Residual Benefits of Poultry Litter Applied by Subsurface Band vs. Surface Broadcast to Cotton
Authors: Tewolde Haile , Way Thomas R. , Buehring Normie , Jenkins Johnie N.
Published: March 2024

Poultry litter (PL) is known to have residual effects on crop productivity long after applications cease. Whether this advantage is greater if applied by subsurface vs. surface broadcast is unknown. The objective of this study was to determine whether the residual benefit of PL to corn and cotton production is greater if applied in subsurface bands vs. surface broadcast and identify PL components contributing to this effect. The residual effect of PL applied by the two methods or synthetic nitrogen (sN) at seven plant available N rates (0–292 kg ha−1 yr−1) in 2014–2015 was tested on corn and cotton in 2016–2019. Corn was grown without applying PL or sN in 2016, and cotton was grown in 2017–2019 after applying 90 kg ha−1 yr−1 sN to all plots. Corn produced 40% greater grain and cotton produced 29% more lint yield due to residuals from PL than sN. Residuals from PL distinctly increased cotton leaf K over sN regardless of the method of application. Corn and cotton yield benefits from PL residual were greater if applied by subsurface banding vs. surface broadcast. This difference diminished with time. The overall results show PL components persist in the soil for up to 4 years and affect corn and cotton production, but this persistence is greater if the PL is applied by subsurface banding. This study identified K as the key PL nutrient that persisted in the soil and benefited cotton yield 4 years after the last application.
Effect and Mechanism of Root Characteristics of Different Rice Varieties on Methane Emissions
Authors: Qi Zhijuan , Guan Sheng , Zhang Zhongxue , Du Sicheng , Li Sirui , Xu Dan
Published: March 2024

Methane (CH4), which is an important component of the greenhouse gases from paddy ecosystems, is a major contributor to climate change. CH4 emissions from paddy ecosystems are closely related to the rice root system; however, how the rice root system affects CH4 emissions remains unclear. We conducted a field experiment in 2023 at the Heping Irrigation District Rice Irrigation Experiment Station in Qing’an County, Heilongjiang Province. The field experiment used five local rice varieties with similar fertility periods to observe rice root morphology and physiology indexes, CH4 emission fluxes, and cumulative CH4 emissions. A structural equation model (SEM) was established to investigate the effects of root characteristics on the CH4 emissions from rice and understand the potential mechanisms of these effects. The results showed that the seasonal patterns of CH4 emission fluxes were similar in different rice varieties, and that, during the tillering to heading–flowering stages, the cumulative CH4 emissions accounted for 89.8–92.6% of the total cumulative CH4 emissions of rice. Significant negative correlations were observed between CH4 emission fluxes and root volume, root dry weight, root oxidation activity (ROA), and root radial oxygen loss (ROL) (r = −0.839, −0.885, −0.401 and −0.934, p < 0.05), while there were significant positive correlations between root diameter; malic acid, citric acid, and succinic acid contents; and CH4 emission fluxes (r = 0.407, 0.753, 0.797, and 0.685, p < 0.05). The SEM showed that CH4 emission fluxes were directly influenced by ROL and organic acid contents, while the other root indicators had indirect effects by modulating ROL and organic acid contents. ROL and root volume had the largest total effect, indicating that ROL and root volume were the most significant root physiological and morphological indicators affecting CH4 emission fluxes. This study provides theoretical support and reference data for achieving sustainable agricultural development in the black soil region of Northeast China.
Training the Concept of Innovate in Dolphins (Tursiops truncatus) Is Both Creative and Cognitively Stimulating
Authors: Yeater Deirdre B. , Dudzinski Kathleen M. , Melzer Dawn , Magee Andrew R. , Robinett Michaela , Guerra Gonzalo , Salazar Kimberly , Bolton Teri , Hill Heather Manitzas
Published: March 2024

Creative or novel behaviors in bottlenose dolphins (Tursiops truncatus) can be indicators of flexible thinking and problem solving. Over 50 years ago, two rough-tooth dolphins demonstrated creative novel behaviors acquired through reinforcement training in human care. Since this novel training, a variety of species have been trained to respond to this conceptual cue. The current study assessed the creativity of 12 bottlenose dolphins (5 females, 7 males) housed at the Roatan Institute for Marine Sciences (RIMS) in Roatan, Honduras. Individual differences were found across four constructs measured for creativity: fluency, flexibility, elaboration, and originality. Variability in performance occurred across test sessions. Animals with less experience with this task performed fewer “innovative” behaviors as compared to more experienced animals. Despite errors, dolphins continued to attempt the task during test sessions, suggesting the concept of “innovate” was intrinsically rewarding and cognitively engaging. This task may be utilized across species to promote the comparative study of innovative or creative behavior as well as to promote cognitive welfare.
Exploring Breed-Specific Milk Coagulation in Spanish Dairy Sheep: A Canonical Correlation Approach
Authors: Caballero-Villalobos Javier , Garzón Ana , Angón Elena , Arias Ramón , Cecchinato Alessio , Amalfitano Nicolò , Perea José M.
Published: March 2024

The transformation of milk into cheese largely depends on the technological properties of the raw material, with breed being a crucial factor that influences both the composition and coagulation properties of the milk used for cheesemaking. This study uses canonical correlation analysis to explore the relationships between physicochemical traits and coagulation properties in milk from various Spanish breeds, aiming to identify both common and breed-specific patterns that impact milk technological aptitude. A total of 832 milk samples from Manchega, Assaf, Merino de Grazalema, and Merino de Los Pedroches breeds were analyzed. The milk characteristics investigated included pH, composition (fat, protein, lactose, total solids), and coagulation properties (curd firmness—A60, rennet clotting time—RCT, curd firming time—k20, and individual laboratory curd yield—ILCY). The results reveal a shared correlation structure across breeds and unique covariation patterns in some breeds that deviate from the general trend. While Assaf and Merino de Los Pedroches follow the common correlation pattern, Manchega and Merino de Grazalema exhibit distinct patterns. This research underscores the need for in-depth study and suggests that the dairy industry could benefit from shifting from the traditional focus on maximizing fat and protein for higher curd yields to considering technological traits for selective breeding.
Alternative Approaches to Feeding Small Ruminants and Their Potential Benefits
Authors: Boudalia Sofiane , Smeti Samir , Dawit Mahilet , Senbeta Ewonetu Kebede , Gueroui Yassine , Dotas Vassilios , Bousbia Aissam , Symeon George K.
Published: March 2024

Small ruminants, such as sheep (Ovisaries) and goats (Capra hircus), contribute to approximately 475 million metric tons of carbon dioxide equivalent (MtCO2e) greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, accounting for approximately 6.5% of the global emissions in the agriculture sector. Crop residues, silage, grasses, hay, browse, plant leaves, shrubs, agro-industrial by-products, poultry litter, and other alternative feed sources are frequently utilized for small ruminant production. The use of these valuable alternative feeds can significantly improve animal productivity and reduce carbon footprints and GHG fluxes, making it both environmentally friendly and cost-effective. Additionally, these alternative feeds possess antioxidant, antimicrobial, and antiseptic properties that can enhance the quality of the meat and milk produced. By impacting the bacteria involved in ruminal biohydrogenation, alternative feeds can reduce methane emissions and contribute to a decrease in the carbon footprint. Overall, the use of alternative feed sources for small ruminants generally improves their apparent nutrient digestibility and productivity, and has an impact on the production of greenhouse gases, especially methane. Finally, this review recommends evaluating the economic analysis of reducing methane emissions in small ruminants by utilizing different feed sources and feeding techniques.
Evaluation of Different Thawing Protocols on Iberian Boar Sperm Preserved for 10 Years at Different Liquid Nitrogen Levels
Authors: Álvarez-Rodríguez Manuel , Tomás-Almenar Cristina , Nieto-Cristóbal Helena , de Mercado Eduardo
Published: March 2024

The conservation of genetic resources in pig breeds, notably the Iberian pig, is crucial for genetic improvement and sustainable production. Prolonged storage in liquid nitrogen (LN2) is recognized for preserving genetic diversity, but potential adverse effects on seminal quality remain debated. This study aims to assess the impact of ten years of storage at different LN2 levels and to optimize thawing protocols for Iberian pig sperm. Sperm samples from 53 boars were cryopreserved and stored at varying LN2 levels and, a decade later, the samples were thawed at 37 °C for 20 s or at 70 °C for 8 s. Sperm motility, membrane integrity, acrosome status, and DNA fragmentation were evaluated in year 0 and year 10. Overall, no significant differences were observed in post-thaw sperm quality between storage levels in year 0 or year 10. But thawing at 70 °C 8 s showed significant improvements, particularly in samples that were always stored in LN2, in all analyzed parameters except fragmentation, which was not affected by cryostorage. This study suggests that the long-term preservation of Iberian pig sperm does not affect quality over time, regardless of whether the samples were fully submerged in LN2. Furthermore, it is determined that thawing at 70 °C for 8 s maximizes post-thaw sperm quality, especially in those samples stored constantly submerged in LN2.
Detection of Extended-Spectrum Beta-Lactamase (ESBL)-Producing Enterobacteriaceae from Diseased Broiler Chickens in Lusaka District, Zambia
Authors: Chileshe Chikwanda , Shawa Misheck , Phiri Nelson , Ndebe Joseph , Khumalo Cynthia Sipho , Nakajima Chie , Kajihara Masahiro , Higashi Hideaki , Sawa Hirofumi , Suzuki Yasuhiko , Muleya Walter , Hang’ombe Bernard Mudenda
Published: March 2024

Poultry products in Zambia form an integral part of the human diet in many households, as they are cheap and easy to produce. The burden of poultry diseases has, however, remained a major challenge. Growing consumer demand for poultry products in Zambia has resulted in non-prudent antimicrobial use on farms, intending to prevent and treat poultry diseases for growth optimisation and maximising profits. This cross-sectional study aimed to identify the different types of bacteria causing diseases in chickens in Lusaka and to detect the extended-spectrum lactamase (ESBL)-encoding genes. We collected 215 samples from 91 diseased chickens at three post-mortem facilities and screened them for Gram-negative bacteria. Of these samples, 103 tested positive for various clinically relevant Enterobacteriaceae, including Enterobacter (43/103, 41.7%), Escherichia coli (20/103, 19.4%), Salmonella (10/103, 9.7%), and Shigella (8/103, 7.8%). Other isolated bacteria included Yersinia, Morganella, Proteus, and Klebsiella, which accounted for 21.4%. E. coli, Enterobacter, Salmonella, and Shigella were subjected to antimicrobial susceptibility testing. The results revealed that E. coli, Enterobacter, and Shigella were highly resistant to tetracycline, ampicillin, amoxicillin, and trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole, while Salmonella showed complete susceptibility to all tested antibiotics. The observed resistance patterns correlated with antimicrobial usage estimated from sales data from a large-scale wholesale and retail company. Six (6/14, 42.9%) E. coli isolates tested positive for blaCTX-M, whilst eight (8/14, 57.1%) Enterobacter samples tested positive for blaTEM. Interestingly, four (4/6, 66.7%) of the E. coli isolates carrying blaCTX-M-positive strains were also positive for blaTEM. Sanger sequencing of the PCR products revealed that five (5/6, 83.3%) of the abovementioned isolates possessed the blaCTX-M-15 allele. The results suggest the presence of potentially pathogenic ESBL-producing Enterobacteriaceae in poultry, threatening public health.
Ferroptosis in Liver Disease: Natural Active Compounds and Therapeutic Implications
Authors: Wu Zhili , Zhu Yanru , Liu Wenchao , Balasubramanian Balamuralikrishnan , Xu Xiao , Yao Junhu , Lei Xinjian
Published: March 2024

Ferroptosis is an emerging type of regulated cell death usually accompanied by the accumulation of ferrous ions (Fe2+) and lipid peroxides. As the metabolic hub of the body, the liver is crucial for iron storage and lipid metabolism. The liver seems to be closely related to ferroptosis through iron and lipid metabolism. Liver disease greatly threatens host health, and exploring effective interventions is essential. Mounting studies have demonstrated that ferroptosis is one of the possible pathogenic mechanisms involved in liver disease. Targeting ferroptosis may provide a promising opportunity for treating liver disease. However, drugs targeting ferroptosis are extremely limited. Therefore, it is an urgent need to develop new and safe ferroptosis regulators. Natural active compounds (NAC), especially those derived from traditional Chinese medicine, have recently shown great therapeutic potential in liver disease via modulating ferroptosis-related genes or pathways. Here, we outline the molecular mechanism of ferroptosis and systematically summarize the regulatory function of NAC on ferroptosis in liver disease. Finally, we discuss the application prospects and potential problems concerning NAC as ferroptosis regulators for managing liver disease.
An Improved Evolutionary Multi-Objective Clustering Algorithm Based on Autoencoder
Authors: Qiu Mingxin , Zhang Yingyao , Lei Shuai , Gu Miaosong
Published: March 2024

Evolutionary multi-objective clustering (EMOC) algorithms have gained popularity recently, as they can obtain a set of clustering solutions in a single run by optimizing multiple objectives. Particularly, in one type of EMOC algorithm, the number of clusters k is taken as one of the multiple objectives to obtain a set of clustering solutions with different k. However, the numbers of clusters k and other objectives are not always in conflict, so it is impossible to obtain the clustering solutions with all different k in a single run. Therefore, evolutionary multi-objective k-clustering (EMO-KC) has recently been proposed to ensure this conflict. However, EMO-KC could not obtain good clustering accuracy on high-dimensional datasets. Moreover, EMO-KC’s validity is not ensured as one of its objectives (SSDexp, which is transformed from the sum of squared distances (SSD)) could not be effectively optimized and it could not avoid invalid solutions in its initialization. In this paper, an improved evolutionary multi-objective clustering algorithm based on autoencoder (AE-IEMOKC) is proposed to improve the accuracy and ensure the validity of EMO-KC. The proposed AE-IEMOKC is established by combining an autoencoder with an improved version of EMO-KC (IEMO-KC) for better accuracy, where IEMO-KC is improved based on EMO-KC by proposing a scaling factor to help effectively optimize the objective of SSDexp and introducing a valid initialization to avoid the invalid solutions. Experimental results on several datasets demonstrate the accuracy and validity of AE-IEMOKC. The results of this paper may provide some useful information for other EMOC algorithms to improve accuracy and convergence.
Dissolved Organic Matter Behaviour by Conventional Treatments of a Drinking Water Plant: Controlling Its Changes with EEM-PARAFAC
Authors: Sciscenko Iván , Binetti Rita , Escudero-Oñate Carlos , Oller Isabel , Arques Antonio
Published: March 2024

In the last 20 years, several articles related to the use of fluorescence excitation–emission matrices—parallel factor analysis (EEM-PARAFAC) to monitor dissolved organic matter (DOM) in drinking- and wastewater treatment plants were published. Noteworthy, its use in respective quality control laboratories remains scarce. To extend its popularisation, in this work, EEM-PARAFAC was employed to analyse the DOM composition changes along the different stages of the drinking water treatment plant administrated by Società Metropolitana Acque Torino. The best PARAFAC model was the one of three components, indicating that the Po River is constituted, mainly, by humic acid-like (HA-L) and tryptophan-like (Try-L) substances, the tyrosine-like ones being negligible (Tyr-L). Results indicated that physical treatments (sedimentation) did not produce a reduction in the PARAFAC scores; however, a 50% decay in 254 nm absorbance was observed. Fluorescent DOM was only removed with chemical treatments, obtaining ca. 70% HA-L scores decay with ozonation and 40% with chlorination. Furthermore, although ozonation degraded HA-L substances, the Try-L scores increased by 25%, indicating the transformation of HA-L into smaller molecules. On the contrary, total organic carbon measurements only exhibited a significant change when comparing the treatment plant’s inlet and outlet (approximately a 45% decrease), but not within intermediate processes.
A Wavelet Extraction Method of Attenuation Media for Direct Acoustic Impedance Inversion in Depth Domain
Authors: Sun Chengyu , Cai Ruiqian , Yao Zhen’an
Published: March 2024

The seismic image produced by pre-stack depth migration is more accurate and has clearer geological significance than the time image. However, the waveform of the depth-domain seismic image is affected not only by depth-dependent velocity variation but also by media attenuation, resulting in strong spectral variation of depth-domain seismic data. Therefore, depth-domain seismic inversion is still challenging. We propose a wavelet extraction method of attenuation media based on the generalized seismic wavelet, to address this issue. Then, the estimated depth-domain wavelets were applied to the direct acoustic impedance inversion. First, we investigated the effect of attenuation media on depth-domain source wavelets and derived an analytical formula for the depth-domain wavelets of attenuation media. Next, the time-domain generalized seismic wavelet was extended to the depth domain, which was utilized to study the feasibility of using the generalized seismic wavelet to characterize the seismic wavelet of the depth-domain attenuation media. Based on the orthogonal matching pursuit, we propose a method to extract the depth-domain generalized seismic wavelet directly from depth-domain seismic data. Finally, we applied this method to the depth-domain direct acoustic impedance inversion of a 3D field data example. Tests on the synthetic and 3D field datasets show that the proposed method can correctly extract the depth-domain seismic wavelet of attenuation media and attain direct inversion of the depth-domain acoustic impedance with high accuracy. Therefore, our method is effective and has robust potential in reservoir characterization, fluid prediction, and attribute extraction in the depth domain.
Comprehensive Analysis of the Acute Toxicity of Ionic Liquids Using Microtox® Bioassays
Authors: Parajó Juan José , Santiago-Alonso Antía , Vallet Pablo , Teijeira Tamara , Emeterio Raquel San , Villanueva María , Salgado Josefa
Published: March 2024

The ecotoxicity of a set of 30 ionic liquids, namely 23 aprotic compounds (APILs) and 7 protic compounds (PILs), was analyzed in this work by monitoring the inhibition of the bioluminescence of the bacteria Aliivibrio fischeri with varying concentrations of ILs utilizing the Microtox® standard toxicity test. The study covered ILs that have various synthetic natures, PILs and APILs, with a common anion or cation, and different alkyl chain lengths. The results indicate that both moieties, anion and cation, have an influence on toxicity, these being the ILs with the bis((trifluoromethyl)sulfonyl)imide (TFSI) anion and imidazolium cation, which are the most harmful, while those less toxic correspond to ammonium-based ILs. The alkyl chain length seems to have the most significant impact on toxicity, except for tris(pentafluoroethyl) trifluorophosphate (FAP) anion-based ILs, which, interestingly, showed the opposite behavior. A critical alkyl size (CAS) at C = 6 was observed for the rest of the families, resulting in a significant reduction in the effective concentration (EC) values: the connection between this CAS and toxicity has never been observed before, and it indicates a threshold that marks the end of harmlessness (C < 6) and the start of toxicity (C > 6).
The Effect of Type and Duration of Digestive Enzyme Treatment on Coffee Bean Composition
Authors: Pakosz Paulina , Wołosiak Rafał , Drużyńska Beata , Majewska Ewa
Published: March 2024

During kopi luwak production, coffee fruit is subjected to enzymatic and microbial treatment. While microbial modification of coffee fruit or beans is often investigated, there is little information regarding the influence of the enzymatic part of the process. In this study, green Arabica and Robusta beans were modified using basic animal digestive enzymes (pepsin or trypsin with α-amylase) and various treatment times (3, 6 or 12 h) to determine their effect on bioactive and other quality-affecting compounds. Analyses of coffee composition were performed using spectrophotometric and HPLC methods. Modified and control samples were significantly affected by the treatment. Among enzymes used, only proteases exhibited noticeable impact on target compounds by increasing soluble protein content in green beans. The most advantageous modification time was 3 h. The composition of beans was altered by the roasting step, with the effect not quite corresponding to the previous stage. In conclusion, enzymatic treatment of green coffee beans provides a way to alter coffee composition, which can further influence its quality.