bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Remote arts therapy in collaborative virtual environment: A pilot case study
Authors: Li Chen , Yip Pui Yin
Published: May 2023

Motivated by the unique experience of creating three-dimensional artworks in virtual reality (VR) and the need for teletherapy due to the global pandemic, we conducted this pilot case study to explore the feasibility and effectiveness of using a custom-designed collaborative virtual environment (CVE) to enable remote arts therapy. Three participants (two females and one male) experiencing moderate to high stress as measured by the Perceived Stress Scale (PSS) joined this study. Each participant had eight 45-minute one-on-one sessions with the therapist for eight consecutive weeks. These eight sessions covered eight art creation themes and were delivered following pre-designed protocols. The CVE was the only medium to facilitate the sessions, during which the therapist and the participants were physically separated into two rooms. The quantitative and qualitative results suggested that the CVE-enabled approach was generally feasible and was welcomed by both the participants and the therapist. However, more evidence of the approach’s effectiveness in enhancing the participants’ mental wellbeing is needed because the results of the pilot case study were affected by the pandemic. The advantages and disadvantages of this approach and the CVE were investigated from practicality and technological affordance perspectives. Potential improvements to the CVE are also proposed to better facilitate the practice of remote arts therapy in CVE. We encourage future studies to cautiously investigate CVE-enabled remote arts therapy in clinical settings and collect more evidence regarding its effectiveness in addressing clinically diagnosed mental disorders and other complications.
The Modeling Toolkit: how recruitment strategies for modeling positions influence model progress
Authors: Melsen Lieke A.
Published: May 2023

Hydrological models play a key role in contemporary hydrological scientific research, but the social practices surrounding the use of these models receive little attention. This study focuses on the recruitment process for scientific positions in which models are used, to understand the implications for model development. Over 400 scientific hydrological vacancies were analyzed, to evaluate whether the job description already prescribed which model must be used, and whether experience with a specific model was an asset. Of the analyzed job positions, 76% involved at least some modeling. Of the PhD positions that involved any modeling, the model is already prescribed in the vacancy text in 17% of the cases, for postdoc positions this was 30%. A small questionnaire revealed that also beyond the vacancies where the model is already prescribed, in many Early-Career Scientist (ECSs) projects the model to be used is pre-determined and, actually, also often used without further discussion. There are valid reasons to pre-determine the model in these projects, but at the same time, this can have long-term consequences for the ECS. An ECS develops a “Modeling Toolkit”, a toolkit that contains all the models where the ECS has experience with. This toolkit influences the research identity the ECS develops, and influences future opportunities of the ECS—it might be strategic to gain experience with popular, broadly used models, or to become part of an efficient modeling team. This serves an instrumental vision on modeling and maintains the status quo. Seeing models as hypotheses calls for a more critical evaluation. ECSs learn the current rules of the game, but should at the same time actively be stimulated to critically question these rules.
Interfaces: Invisible, Yet All Around Us
Authors: Yang Jack , Hinderink Emma
Published: May 2023

Interfaces are all around us. A fluid interface is the boundary between two immiscible fluids, and a great example is oil and water. They do not mix. The formation of these interfaces is crucial for daily life. You cannot always see them, but you can encounter interfaces everywhere. They can be in soap, in ice cream and in your body. In this article, you will learn what an interface is, why you need them in your daily life, and how interfaces can be created. Or to be more specific, how you can create your own interface using special molecules called emulsifiers.
Imbalanced classification applied to asteroid resonant dynamics
Authors: Carruba V. , Aljbaae S. , Caritá G. , Lourenço M. V. F. , Martins B. S. , Alves A. A.
Published: May 2023

Introduction: Machine learning (ML) applications for studying asteroid resonant dynamics are a relatively new field of study. Results from several different approaches are currently available for asteroids interacting with the z2, z1, M1:2, and ν6 resonances. However, one challenge when using ML to the databases produced by these studies is that there is often a severe imbalance ratio between the number of asteroids in librating orbits and the rest of the asteroidal population. This imbalance ratio can be as high as 1:270, which can impact the performance of classical ML algorithms, that were not designed for such severe imbalances.

Methods: Various techniques have been recently developed to address this problem, including cost-sensitive strategies, methods that oversample the minority class, undersample the majority one, or combinations of both. Here, we investigate the most effective approaches for improving the performance of ML algorithms for known resonant asteroidal databases.

Results: Cost-sensitive methods either improved or had not affect the outcome of ML methods and should always be used, when possible. The methods that showed the best performance for the studied databases were SMOTE oversampling plus Tomek undersampling, SMOTE oversampling, and Random oversampling and undersampling.

Discussion: Testing these methods first could save significant time and efforts for future studies with imbalanced asteroidal databases.
Utilizing the water-land-food security nexus to review the underperformance of smallholder farmers in the Eastern Cape, South Africa
Authors: Tantoh Henry Bikwibili , McKay Tracey J. M.
Published: May 2023

Supporting agriculture is crucial if food security and poverty alleviation are to be assured. In that regard two crucial aspects - water and land are central to supporting smallholder farmers. This is especially true for the Eastern Cape Province of South Africa with its high rates of poverty and food insecurity. However, attention is seldom given to the fundamental factors of farm production. Access to land for food production in the Eastern Cape is problematic, as is the water situation. It is among the driest provinces in the country, enduring extended drought conditions with resultant water scarcity challenges. This is compounded by poor adaptation strategies deployed by smallholder farmers. This study investigated the relationship between water, land and food security with respect to smallholder farmers in the Eastern Cape. It found that while both food security and incomes could be improved for these smallholder farmers if they had more access to land and water, these two factors alone are insufficient. These farmers also need access to agricultural extension services, markets, cost-effective transport and capital. Although the commercialization of these farmers is a way to improve rural livelihoods, the prevailing conditions in the province significantly inhibit this.
Stress fusion evaluation modeling and verification based on non-invasive blood glucose biosensors for live fish waterless transportation
Authors: Zhang Yongjun , Xiao Xinqing , Feng Huanhuan , Nikitina Marina A. , Zhang Xiaoshuan , Zhao Qinan
Published: May 2023

Non-invasive blood glucose level (BGL) evaluation technology in skin mucus is a wearable stress-detection means to indicate the health status of live fish for compensating the drawbacks using traditional invasive biochemical inspection. Nevertheless, the commonly used methods cannot accurately obtain the BGL variations owing to the influence of an uncertain glucose exudation rate, ambient effects, and individualized differences. Our study proposes a non-invasive multi-sensor-fusion-based method to evaluate the dynamic BGL variations using the enhanced gray wolf-optimized backpropagation network (EGWO-BP) to continuously acquire more accurate trends. Furthermore, the K-means++ (KMPP) algorithm is utilized to further improve the accuracy of BGL acquisition by clustering fish with full consideration of its size features. In the verification test, turbot (Scophthalmus Maximus) was selected as an experimental subject to perform the continuous BGL monitoring in waterless keep-alive transportation by acquiring comprehensive biomarker information from different parts of fish skin mucus, such as fins, body, and tails. The comparison of results indicates that the KMPP-EGWO-BP can effectively acquire more accurate BGL variation than the traditional gray wolf-optimized backpropagation network (GWO-BP), particle swarm-optimized backpropagation network (PSO-BP), backpropagation network (BP), and support vector regression (SVR) by mean absolute percentage error (MAPE), root mean square error (RMSE), and coefficient of determination (R2). Finally, the proposed BGL fusion evaluation model can precisely acquire the live fish's physiological stress states to substantially reduce the potential mortality for the live fish circulation industry.
Administration of melatonin prior to modified synchronization protocol improves the productive and reproductive efficiency of Chinese crossbred buffaloes in low breeding season
Authors: Abulaiti Adili , Nawaz Mudussar , Naseer Zahid , Ahmed Zulfiqar , Liu Wenju , Abdelrahman Mohamed , Shaukat Aftab , Sabek Ahmed , Pang Xunsheng , Wang Shujuan
Published: May 2023

Introduction

Melatonin is a neurohormone involving various biological processes, including restoration of cyclicity in animals with seasonal breeding patterns. The use of melatonin in different forms has gained broader acceptance in different species, particularly in summer anestrous buffaloes.

Objectives

The objective of the current study was to evaluate the melatonin effect on the reproductive and productive performance of crossbred buffaloes during the low breeding season.

Methods

Sixty-five cyclic and reproductively sound crossbred buffaloes were randomly allocated to three groups: the G1 (n = 20) served as the control group and received no single melatonin, G2 received melatonin (n = 22; 18 mg/50 kg, body weight) once prior to synchronization and G3 group was administered multiple melatonin injections (n = 23; 6 mg/50 kg body weight) for three consecutive days before the start of the synchronization protocol. The reproductive performance, milk yield traits, and serum immunoglobulin M (IgM) and melatonin levels were evaluated in treated and untreated crossbred buffaloes.

Results

The results revealed that a single dose of melatonin administration has (p < 0.05) improved estrus response, ovulation occurrence and follicular growth in crossbred buffaloes compared to control groups. Higher pregnancy rates were observed in both melatonin-treated buffalo groups compared to the control. Following the administration of melatonin, serum IgM level increased in G2 and G3; however, an increment in melatonin level (p < 0.05) was detected in the G2 group only as compared to the control group subsequent day of melatonin administration. The milk compositions were not affected by melatonin administration except for milk urea nitrogen and somatic cell count (SCC). The melatonin administration (p < 0.05) decreased the somatic cell count in buffalo milk compared to untreated.

Conclusion

In conclusion, single or multiple doses of melatonin before initiating the synchronization protocol improved the ovulation, ovulatory follicle diameter and pregnancy rates in crossbred buffaloes during the low breeding season. Moreover, the administration of melatonin enhanced the IgM values along milk traits in terms of milk protein, MUN and somatic cell count in treated buffaloes.
Gut microbial diversity in Apis cerana indica and Apis florea colonies: a comparative study
Authors: Khan Khalid Ali , Ganeshprasad D. N. , Sachin H. R. , Shouche Yogesh S. , Ghramh Hamed A. , Sneharani A. H.
Published: May 2023

Introduction

Honey bee gut microbiota have an important role in host health, nutrition, host-symbiont interaction, and interaction behavior with the surrounding environment. Recent discoveries of strain-level variation, characteristics of protective and nutritional capabilities, and reports of eco-physiological significance to the microbial community have emphasized the importance of honey bee gut microbiota. Many regions of Asia and Africa are inhabited by the dwarf honey bee, Apis florea. Studying its microflora and potential for pollination is therefore of foremost importance.

Methods

In the present investigation, we aimed to explore the gut bacteriobiome composition of two distinct honey bee species, Apis florea and Apis cerana indica using high throughput sequencing. Functional predictions of bee gut bacterial communities using PICRUSt2 was carried out.

Results and discussion

The phylum Proteobacteria dominated the bacterial community in both A. cerana indica (50.1%) and A. florea (86.7%), followed by Firmicutes (26.29 and 12.81%), Bacteroidetes (23.19 and 0.04%) and Actinobacteria (0.4 and 0.02%) respectively. The gut bacteria of A. cerana indica was more diverse than that of A. florea. The observed variations in bacterial genomic diversity among these critical pollinator species may have been influenced by the apiary management techniques, ecological adaptation factors or habitat size. These variations can have a significant effect in understanding host-symbiont interactions and functioning of gut microbiota highlighting the importance of metagenomic survey in understanding microbial community ecology and evolution. This is the first comparative study on variation in bacterial diversity between two Asian honey bees.
Circulation of thermophilic Campylobacter in pigeons, turkeys, and humans at live bird markets in Egypt
Authors: Sayed Amal S. M. , Ibrahim Ahmed I. , Sobhy Mona M. , Elmahallawy Ehab Kotb , Alsowayeh Noorah , Alarjani Khaloud Mohammed , El-khadragy Manal F. , Youseef Asmaa Gahlan
Published: May 2023

Live bird markets increase the risk of transmission of zoonotic diseases. Few studies have investigated the potential zoonotic transmission of Campylobacter in Egypt. Therefore, our study was carried out to investigate the presence of Campylobacter species, mainly Campylobacter jejuni (C. jejuni) and Campylobacter coli (C. coli), in pigeons and turkeys sold at poultry shops. Furthermore, the study aimed to explore the potential occupational risk of Campylobacter infection, mainly among workers at poultry shops. Six hundred (n = 600) samples from various organs were obtained from pigeons and turkeys from live bird shops in the Giza and Asyut provinces in Egypt. Additionally, 100 stool samples were collected from persons working at poultry shops. Circulation of thermophilic Campylobacter in pigeons, turkeys, and humans was investigated based on culture and molecular methods. The rate of detection of Campylobacter species from the samples was significant when the culture method was used alone in comparison to when it was used in combination with mPCR. The prevalence rates of Campylobacter species detected by mPCR were 36% (C. jejuni 20%; C. coli 16%), 28% (C. jejuni 12%; C. coli16%), and 29% (C. jejuni 15%; C. coli 14%) in pigeons, turkeys, and workers, respectively. In pigeons, significant variations in the C. jejuni and C. coli occurrence rates were reported in terms of the intestinal content (15, 4%), liver (4, 13%), and skin (9, 7%), respectively. In turkeys, Campylobacter species were mostly detected in liver samples with a percentage of 19%, followed by the skin (12%), and the intestinal content (8%). In conclusion, Campylobacter species are circulating in poultry farms in Egypt and could represent a hazard for humans. It is recommended that biosecurity measures should be applied to mitigate the occurrence of Campylobacter in poultry farms. Moreover, there is an urgent need to transform live bird markets into chilled poultry markets.
Meta-analysis of RNA-Seq datasets highlights novel genes/pathways involved in fat deposition in fat-tail of sheep
Authors: Hosseini Seyedeh Fatemeh , Bakhtiarizadeh Mohammad Reza , Salehi Abdolreza
Published: May 2023

Introduction

Fat-tail in sheep is considered as an important energy reservoir to provide energy as a survival buffer during harsh challenges. However, fat-tail is losing its importance in modern sheep industry systems and thin-tailed breeds are more desirable. Using comparative transcriptome analysis to compare fat-tail tissue between fat- and thin-tailed sheep breeds provides a valuable approach to study the complex genetic factors associated with fat-tail development. However, transcriptomic studies often suffer from issues with reproducibility, which can be improved by integrating multiple studies based on a meta-analysis.

Methods

Hence, for the first time, an RNA-Seq meta-analysis on sheep fat-tail transcriptomes was performed using six publicly available datasets.

Results and discussion

A total of 500 genes (221 up-regulated, 279 down-regulated) were identified as differentially expressed genes (DEGs). A jackknife sensitivity analysis confirmed the robustness of the DEGs. Moreover, QTL and functional enrichment analysis reinforced the importance of the DEGs in the underlying molecular mechanisms of fat deposition. Protein-protein interactions (PPIs) network analysis revealed the functional interactions among the DEGs and the subsequent sub-network analysis led to identify six functional sub-networks. According to the results of the network analysis, down-regulated DEGs in green and pink sub-networks (like collagen subunits IV, V, and VI, integrins 1 and 2, SCD, SCD5, ELOVL6, ACLY, SLC27A2, and LPIN1) may impair lipolysis or fatty acid oxidation and cause fat accumulation in tail. On the other hand, up-regulated DEGs, especially those are presented in green and pink sub-networks (like IL6, RBP4, LEPR, PAI-1, EPHX1, HSD11B1, and FMO2), might contribute to a network controlling fat accumulation in the tail of sheep breed through mediating adipogenesis and fatty acid biosynthesis. Our results highlighted a set of known and novel genes/pathways associated with fat-tail development, which could improve the understanding of molecular mechanisms behind fat deposition in sheep fat-tail.
Application of the “echo-synch protocol” to advance pregnancy onset in ewe lambs at the first reproductive season
Authors: Sotgiu Francesca Daniela , Spezzigu Antonio , Porcu Cristian , Atzori Alberto Stanislao , Sechi Gian Simone , Pasciu Valeria , Molle Giovanni , Berlinguer Fiammetta
Published: May 2023

Introduction

This study assessed the efficacy and economic impact of a reproductive protocol based on repeated ultrasound scanning (US) associated with the use of GnRH to advance pregnancy onset in ewe lambs.

Methods

Prepubertal ewe lambs (n = 133) were divided into three weight groups (High: HW n = 35; Medium: MW n = 65; Low: LW n = 33). Thereafter, animals were randomly allocated into two subgroups: GnRH, ewe lambs treated with GnRH analog and then exposed to rams; CTR, ewe lambs exposed to rams only. CTR groups were joined with rams as a single flock. GnRH groups were kept separate from rams receiving a single dose of gonadorelin (40 μg/head) and then were evaluated after a week of US. Animals showing corpora lutea received an injection of PGF2α analog (100 μg/head) and then were joined with rams. The remaining ewe lambs received a second dose of gonadorelin and were kept separate from the rams. After another week, animals were checked again and the ones showing corpora lutea were injected with the PGF2α analog, while the others received a third injection of gonadorelin. On the same day, all the animals were joined with rams. Pregnancies were confirmed within 30 days by US. The efficacy of the protocol was determined by assessing differences in the number of days required to achieve pregnancy rates of 25, 50, and 75% and in the total costs and incomes from birth to the end of first lactation within the groups.

Results

The GnRH-MW group showed the best performances in reaching the threshold pregnancy rates of 25, 50, and 75%, but the effect of treatment was significant only at the 25% threshold (p < 0.01). Both low groups displayed an overall poorer performance at 50 and 75% thresholds than medium and high-weight groups (p = 0.01 and p < 0.01, respectively). The GnRH administration did not advance pregnancy onset in GnRH-HW compared with CTR-HW. In the balance between costs and income, the HW-CTR and MW-GnRH groups showed higher gross margins than the other groups.

Conclusion

Using the US/GnRH protocol in ewe lambs appears technically and economically effective in animals that have not reached the optimal weight at the first breeding season, advancing ewe lambs’ pregnncies and increasing farm profitability.
Indolent T-lymphoblastic proliferation with fibrolamellar hepatocellular carcinoma developed after colorectal adenocarcinoma: a case report
Authors: Han Wen , Wang Bei , Yong Xiang , Zhang Yi , Shao Mingyu , Wang Chun
Published: May 2023

Objective: Indolent T-lymphoblastic proliferation (iT-LBP) is a non-neoplastic disease with an indolent clinical course, manifesting as hyperplasia of immature extrathymic T-lymphoblastic cells. Isolated iT-LBP has been observed, but the majority of iT-LBP cases has been seen in conjunction with other diseases. iT-LBP is easily misdiagnosed as T-lymphoblastic lymphoma/leukemia, and understanding the disease of indolent T-lymphoblastic proliferation may prevent misdiagnosis and missed diagnosis in pathological diagnosis.

Case presentation: We report a case morphology, immunophenotypic, and molecular features of iT-LBP combined with fibrolamellar hepatocellular carcinoma developed after colorectal adenocarcinoma and review relevant literature.

Conclusion: iT-LBP combined with fibrolamellar hepatocellular carcinoma developed after colorectal adenocarcinoma is relatively rare and should always be considered as a differential diagnosis of T-lymphoblastic lymphoma and scirrhous hepatocellular carcinoma as the two disorders show highly similar clinical features.
Recovering the Forcing Function in Systems with One Degree of Freedom Using ANN and Physics Information
Authors: Shaikh Shadab Anwar , Cherukuri Harish , Khan Taufiquar
Published: May 2023

In engineering design, oftentimes a system’s dynamic response is known or can be measured, but the source generating these responses is not known. The mathematical problem where the focus is on inferring the source terms of the governing equations from the set of observations is known as an inverse source problem (ISP). ISPs are traditionally solved by optimization techniques with regularization, but in the past few years, there has been a lot of interest in approaching these problems from a deep-learning viewpoint. In this paper, we propose a deep learning approach—infused with physics information—to recover the forcing function (source term) of systems with one degree of freedom from the response data. We test our architecture first to recover smooth forcing functions, and later functions involving abruptly changing gradient and jump discontinuities in the case of a linear system. Finally, we recover the harmonic, the sum of two harmonics, and the gaussian function, in the case of a non-linear system. The results obtained are promising and demonstrate the efficacy of this approach in recovering the forcing functions from the data.
Analysis and Optimization of Motion Coupling for the Coordinated Operation of Flexible Multi-Arm Space Robots
Authors: Pan Guangtang , Jia Qingxuan , Chen Gang , Wang Yifan , Sun Fenglei
Published: May 2023

This paper presents a novel approach for analyzing and optimizing motion coupling in the coordinated operation tasks of flexible space multi-arm robots (FMSRs). The method integrates motion coupling between multiple arms and system stiffness to improve the motion and force accuracy of FMSRs by optimizing the configuration. First, a comprehensive model of an FMSR is established using the hypothetical modal method. Then, the motion coupling relationship among multiple arms is analyzed, and a motion coupling degree evaluation index is developed. Furthermore, the constraint relationship of coordinated operation is analyzed, and an equivalent stiffness model for the coordinated operation of the FMSR is formulated along with a stiffness evaluation index. Based on these analyses, the motion trajectory of the FMSR is optimized by comprehensively considering both the motion coupling degree and the equivalent stiffness factors. Finally, numerical simulation experiments are conducted to validate the proposed method, and the results show that the accuracy of the FMSR can be improved by 40% using this approach.
A Novel High-Voltage-Cable Stripping Robot
Authors: Zhong Jun , Ai Wenxu , Wang Zhichao , Hu Shaoguang , Zhang Hongshuang
Published: May 2023

One of the primary duties in the regular maintenance of electrical distribution networks is the cable stripping operation. In this paper, a unique robot is proposed to overcome drawbacks of the conventional manual operation of cable stripping, such as poor efficiency, low safety, and high labor intensity. This innovative cable-stripping robot is made up of a rotating mechanism, a cable gripping component, and a cutter feeding mechanism that can be adjusted depending on the working environment and workload. The robot’s motors, sensors, main control chip, and wireless communication modules are all carefully selected. A carefully designed cascade controller is created for the robot in an effort to lessen damage to the aluminum core. While the outside location loop uses the PID algorithm, the inner speed control loop uses fuzzy PID. The robot can successfully accomplish cable stripping work and demonstrates its potential to reduce labor intensity. Cable stripping experiments are conducted to validate the effect of the robot and its controller.
Improved Wall Temperature Prediction for the LUMEN Rocket Combustion Chamber with Neural Networks
Authors: Dresia Kai , Kurudzija Eldin , Deeken Jan , Waxenegger-Wilfing Günther
Published: May 2023

Accurate calculations of the heat transfer and the resulting maximum wall temperature are essential for the optimal design of reliable and efficient regenerative cooling systems. However, predicting the heat transfer of supercritical methane flowing in cooling channels of a regeneratively cooled rocket combustor presents a significant challenge. High-fidelity CFD calculations provide sufficient accuracy but are computationally too expensive to be used within elaborate design optimization routines. In a previous work it has been shown that a surrogate model based on neural networks is able to predict the maximum wall temperature along straight cooling channels with convincing precision when trained with data from CFD simulations for simple cooling channel segments. In this paper, the methodology is extended to cooling channels with curvature. The predictions of the extended model are tested against CFD simulations with different boundary conditions for the representative LUMEN combustor contour with varying geometries and heat flux densities. The high accuracy of the extended model’s predictions, suggests that it will be a valuable tool for designing and analyzing regenerative cooling systems with greater efficiency and effectiveness.
Analysis of the Biological Activity and Whole Genome Sequencing of Bacillus cereus CDHWZ7 Isolated from the Rhizosphere of Lycium ruthenicum on the Tibetan Plateau
Authors: Yang Xue , Xie Yongli , Qiao Youming , Chen Lan , Wang Tian , Wu Lingling , Li Junxi , Gao Ying
Published: May 2023

This study examined the biological activity and genome of Bacillus cereus CDHWZ7 isolated from the root of Lycium ruthenicum in the Dachaidan saline area, Haixi Prefecture, Qinghai Province, China. The results revealed that B. cereus CDHWZ7 exhibited strong inhibition activity against the pathogenic fungi Fusarium graminearum, F. acuminatum, and F. oxysporum. CDHWZ7 also demonstrated cellulose-degrading activity, nitrogen-fixing activity, and the ability to secrete indole-3-acetic acid (IAA) at 55.00 mg∙L−1. The strain CDHWZ7 can grow at a salt concentration of 3–11%, a pH range of 5–11, and a temperature of 4 °C–18 °C, and shows good salt tolerance, acid and alkaline tolerance, and low-temperature fitness. The genome of strain CDHWZ7 was sequenced using Illumina HiSeq + PacBio, revealing a circular structure of 5,648,783 bp in length, containing two intact plasmids with an average GC content of 35.2%, and a total number of 5672 encoded genes. It contained 106 tRNA genes, 42 rRNA genes, and 134 sRNA genes. A total of 137 genes were annotated as carbohydrases, with a total base length of 3,968,396,297 bp. The numbers of coding sequences assigned to the Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes, Clusters of Orthologous Groups of Proteins, and Gene Ontology Databases were 4038, 4133, and 2160, respectively. Further analysis of the genome identified genes encoding chitinase activity, cellulases, secondary metabolites, phytohormone production, volatile compounds, nitrogen and phosphate metabolism, and resistance responses to biotic stresses (glycine betaine transporter protein, catalase, superoxide dismutase, low-affinity potassium transporter protein, cold-shock protein, heat-shock protein), as well as genes related to proliferation, stress response, and resistance to pathogenic fungi. Therefore, this study determined that strain CDHWZ7 has several excellent biological traits, such as antagonism to pathogenic fungi, nitrogen-fixation ability, cellulose-degradation ability, and IAA-production ability. The genome sequence of strain CDHWZ7 and several biodefense functional genes were also analyzed, revealing the potential use of strain CDHWZ7 in the development of biological agents.
Psychological Resilience and Farmers’ Homestead Withdrawal: Evidence from Traditional Agricultural Regions in China
Authors: Xie Yanqi , Ke Shuifa , Li Xiaojing
Published: May 2023

The implementation of China’s rural homestead withdrawal policy has been a topic of great interest in recent years. However, little is known about its impact on farmers’ homestead withdrawal behavior from the perspective of psychological resilience. This study aims to evaluate the impact of psychological resilience on farmers’ homestead withdrawal behavior and to explore its mechanism and heterogeneity, as well as its impact on compensation choices. The research data was collected through a survey of 657 rural households in Shaanxi and Shandong provinces. The probit model and mediation effect model were used to analyze the data. The results demonstrate that psychological resilience positively affects farmers’ homestead withdrawal behavior; this finding is robust. Specifically, the positive influence of stability and adaptability dimensions of psychological resilience is more significant. Moreover, the effect of psychological resilience varies across different family life cycles, and it has a stronger promoting effect on the homestead withdrawal behavior of child-raising families. Mechanism analysis indicates that psychological resilience can promote homestead withdrawal behavior by reducing farmers’ land dependence consciousness and improving farmers’ risk preferences. Finally, farmers with strong psychological resilience are more inclined to choose cash compensation. Based on these findings, this paper proposes targeted policy recommendations for rural homestead system reform.
Who Is Going Green? Determinants of Green Investment Intention in the Saudi Food Industry
Authors: Aliedan Meqbel M. , Alyahya Mansour A. , Elshaer Ibrahim A. , Sobaih Abu Elnasr E.
Published: May 2023

The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA) has witnessed major transformations in social, economic, and environmental aspects since the inauguration of Saudi Vision 2030 in April 2016. In alignment with this, the leadership of KSA has inaugurated green initiatives that pave the way for green investment opportunities in different industries within KSA. However, there was limited, if any, research about green investment intention and behaviour in KSA. This research tests an expanded model of the Theory of Planned Behaviour (TPB) to investigate the determinants of green investment intention in the Saudi food industry. A questionnaire survey was electronically directed to 550 fresh agricultural and food sciences graduates in public KSA universities. The results of PLS-SEM showed significant positive influences of the attitude, perceived behavioural control, green investment knowledge, and green consumption commitment on the green investment intention of potential investors. However, the results confirmed a negative influence of subjective norms on green investment intention. The results also confirmed a moderating role of religiosity on the relationship between attitude, perceived behavioural control, green consumption commitment, and green investment intention. The results send some important messages to scholars and policymakers in higher education regarding the foundation of green investment among their graduates, which are elaborated.
Fertilization Strategies on Fennel Crop in the Mediterranean Environment: Agronomic Performance, Costs and Sustainability Assessment
Authors: Diacono Mariangela , Persiani Alessandro , Alfano Vincenzo , Monteforte Antonio , Montemurro Francesco
Published: May 2023

In the Mediterranean area, using organic fertilizers is crucial to maintaining and increasing soil fertility and crop productivity since soil organic matter is being progressively depleted due to climate change effects. Therefore, the aim of this study was to compare two different organic fertilizers (MC1 without and MC2 with an inoculum of selected microorganisms), applied at 100% and 50% doses, with mineral fertilization and an unfertilized control: (i) by assessing the agronomic performance of fennel crop; and (ii) by investigating environmental and economic sustainability, through GHG emissions determination, carbon efficiency, and cost analysis. The results of the MC2 were comparable to the mineral fertilization for crop growing parameters (plants and roots dry weights) and marketable yield, irrespective of the amount applied (50–100%), likely due to the inoculum of selected microorganisms. These may have favored the soil microbial activity, the nutrient availability, and better synchronization of N mineralization with fennel N demand with respect to MC1 (with a higher C/N ratio). The MC2 also achieved lower costs than the other treatments. The highest GHG emission value was found in the mineral fertilization treatment, while the lowest was recorded in the unfertilized control treatment. The two organic treatments at 100% were the most carbon-efficient systems because of the highest carbon stocks/output, considering the difference between C stocked/output and the C loss/input emitted.
Amelioration of Salt-Induced Damage on Paeonia ostii ‘Fengdan’ by Exogenous Application of Silicon
Authors: Shi Xinlong , Xue Xian , Xu Huimin , Yang Yueqin , Kuang Zuoxiang , Hou Xiaogai
Published: May 2023

To investigate the amelioration of salt-induced damage on Paeonia ostii ‘Fengdan’ by exogenous silicon, we analyzed the photosynthetic and physiological characteristics of 1.5-year-old ‘Fengdan’ seedlings under NaCl stress by applying exogenous silicon (0, 0.75, and 1.5 mmol/L). Our results showed that the contents of the photosynthetic pigments chlorophyll a, chlorophyll b, and carotene, the transpiration rate, stomatal conductance, and intercellular CO2 were significantly enhanced under salt stress when silicon treatment was applied, implying that the net photosynthetic rate was greatly improved. In addition, the plant height, stem thickness, and above-ground dry biomass of tree peony seedlings were effectively increased under salt stress with low-concentration silicon (0.75 mmol/L) treatment, along with osmotic substance (SS, SP, and Pro) content, total polyamine (TP) contents, and the activities of antioxidant-related enzymes (SOD, POD, and CAT) and polyamine-related synthetases (ADC, ODC, and SAMDC). In the low-concentration silicon treatment, malondialdehyde (MDA), hydrogen peroxide (H2O2), and superoxide anions (O2−) were transformed quickly, which eventually reduced cell oxidative damage and improved seedling tolerance. This is an important finding in the understanding of how exogenous low-concentration silicon can alleviate salt-induced damage and promote the growth of tree peony seedlings, thus providing a new perspective on tree peony cultivation.
A Remote-Sensing-Assisted Estimation of Water Use in Rice Paddy Fields: A Study on Lis Valley, Portugal
Authors: Ferreira Susana , Sánchez Juan Manuel , Gonçalves José Manuel
Published: May 2023

Rice culture is one of the most important crops in the world, being the most consumed cereal grain (755 million tons in 2020). Since rice is usually produced under flooding conditions and water performs several essential functions for the crop, estimating its water needs is essential. Remote sensing techniques have shown effectiveness in estimating and monitoring the water use in crop fields. An estimation from satellite data is a challenge, but could be very useful, in order to spatialize local estimates and operationalize production models. This study intended to derive an approach to estimate the actual crop evapotranspiration (ETa) in rice paddies from a temporal series of satellite images. The experimental data were obtained in the Lis Valley Irrigation District (central coast of Portugal), during the 2019 to 2021 rice growing seasons. The average seasonal ETa (FAO56) resulted 586 ± 23 mm and the water productivity (WP) was 0.47 ± 0.03 kg m−3. Good correlations were found between the crop coefficients (Kc) proposed by FAO and the NDVI evolution in the control rice fields, with R2 ranging between 0.71 and 0.82 for stages II+III (development + middle) and between 0.76 and 0.82 for stage IV (late). The results from the derived RS-assisted method were compared to the ETa values obtained from the surface energy balance model METRIC, showing an average estimation error of ±0.8 mm d−1, with a negligible bias. The findings in this work are promising and show the potential of the RS-assisted method for monitoring ETa and water productivity, capturing the local and seasonal variability in rice growing, and then predicting the rice yield, being a useful and free tool available to farmers.
Enhancing Red Currant Berry Quality through Fertilization Using Compost from Municipal Sludge and from Vegetal Waste
Authors: Pandelea (Voicu) Georgica , Călinescu Mirela Florina , Mazilu Ivona Cristina , Ștefan Daniela Simina , Ungureanu Camelia
Published: May 2023

Adding compost to the soil is an ecological and economical approach to providing the nutrients needed to support crops, improve soil characteristics, and increase the orchard’s durability. Over three years, at the Research Institute for Fruit Growing Pitesti, Romania, data regarding the influence of fertilization with municipal sludge and vegetal origin compost (MSVOC, 20 and 40 t ha−1 doses) and vegetal origin compost (VOC, 30 and 40 t ha−1 doses) on berry quality at ‘Jonker Van Tets’ red currant cv. Were recorded. Berry dry matter, soluble solids, sugar, titratable acidity, vitamin C, phenolic, and anthocyanin content are discussed. The correlations between berry quality indicators with climatic factors (temperatures and sunshine hours) and soil chemical characteristics are discussed. Strong correlations have been identified between anthocyanins, vitamin C, and phenolics with average temperature, maximum temperature, and sunshine hours in April. Except for Fe and Mn, berry phenolics were negatively correlated with all other soil quality indicators. In the third after the application, the results indicated that VOC 40 t ha−1 had a beneficial effect, increasing berry weight, and TTA, while VOC 30 t ha−1 significantly increased DW, TTA, and vitamin C content. Therefore, vegetal origin compost can be used as fertilizer in the sustainable growth of red currants.
Under a Tropical Climate and in Sandy Soils, Bat Guano Mineralises Very Quickly, Behaving More like a Mineral Fertiliser than a Conventional Farmyard Manure
Authors: Dimande Paulo , Arrobas Margarida , Rodrigues Manuel Ângelo
Published: May 2023

In sub-Saharan Africa, soil fertility management must rely on local fertiliser resources since most smallholder farmers do not have access to industrial fertilisers. In Vilankulo, Mozambique, farmers have access to bat guano and biochar, albeit in small amounts, which makes it even more necessary to manage them correctly to maximise crop productivity. This study was carried out with irrigated maize (Zea mays L.) in a haplic Lixisol during the 2017/2018 and 2019 growing seasons. Nine treatments were established consisting of the application of 5 (G5) and 10 (G10) t ha−1 of guano at sowing, 5 (B5) and 10 (B10) t ha−1 of biochar at sowing, 5 [G5(-1)] and 10 [G10(-1)] t ha−1 of guano one month before sowing, 1 and 4 (B1G4) and 2 and 8 (B2G8) t ha−1 of biochar and guano, respectively, at sowing and an unfertilised control (C). Treatments G10 and B2G8 led to the highest maize yields (3.77 and 2.68 t ha−1 in 2018 and 5.05 and 5.17 t ha−1 in 2019, respectively), and were statistically higher than those of the control (1.35 and 1.63 kg ha−1, respectively). Apparent nitrogen recovery from bat guano was close to 100%, showing almost complete mineralisation during the maize growing season, due to its low carbon/nitrogen ratio and very favourable environmental conditions for mineralisation. Due to the fast release of nutrients, bringing forward the application of the organic amendment before sowing is not recommended, since it reduces nutrient use efficiency. Biochar did not significantly influence maize grain yield or contribute significantly to plant nutrition. To take advantage of its potential effect on some soil properties, its use in combination with other materials of greater fertilising value is recommended.
Municipal Waste Degradation by Vermicomposting Using a Combination of Eisenia fetida and Lumbricus rubellus Species
Authors: Khalid Hira , Ikhlaq Amir , Pervaiz Usman , Wie Young-Min , Lee Eui-Jong , Lee Kang-Hoon
Published: May 2023

Earthworms have been commonly used for solid waste management by employing the process of vermicomposting. In this study, we used two different types of earthworm for vermicomposting and analyzed their efficacy for plant production in comparison to chemical fertilizer. The worms used for vermicomposting included Eisenia fetida (EF) and Lumbricus rubellus (LR), and we studied compost efficiency for the harvesting of spinach and turnips. The parameters we used to evaluate the performance of the produced compost on crops were variations in sprouting time, harvesting time, plant height, and plant yield. For the production of compost, the waste was collected and degraded in an environment where various parameters, including pH, moisture content, temperature, carbon, and nitrogen, were measured regularly throughout the experiment. The compost obtained from these three setups was used as a fertilizer to grow spinach and turnip. Compost efficiency was compared based on plant yield, plant height, sprouting, and harvesting time. In the case of turnip, the combination worm compost yielded 38% and 58% more than the compost obtained using EF and LR, respectively. For spinach, the EF–LR combined compost gave similar results, 17.4% and 37.9% more yield than the above two worms individually. The study’s results showed that the compost obtained by the combination of worms is more promising than the compost obtained from a single species and applied as fertilizer. Moreover, the comparative evaluation by statistical analysis confirmed that growing spinach by combined compost would be a better option compared to growing turnip, due to higher significant difference in outcome parameters.
Is Switching of Adrenaline Auto Injector Devices a Concern for Anaphylaxis Management? A CROSS-Sectional Study
Authors: Cronin Caoimhe , O’Kelly Ciobha , Keohane Hannah , Flores Villarta Laura , Tobin Ciara , Velasco Roberto , Trujillo Wurttele Juan
Published: May 2023

Adrenaline auto injectors (AAI) are the mainstay of treatment in anaphylaxis. However, many caregivers of children with food allergies are unable to administer an AAI when assessed. One proposed factor for this finding is the lack of training and familiarity of the different AAI devices. The aim of this study is to explore the usage of different brands of adrenaline auto-injectors among caregivers of children with food allergies in Ireland. A cross-sectional study method was employed using an online questionnaire. An amount of 121 (75.58%) caregivers reported that their child carried an Epipen®, 25 (15.82%) carried Jext®, and 12 (7.59%) carried Anapen®. An amount of 48.73% (n = 77) of caregivers had switched brands of AAI at least once before, with lack of availability of their usual device at their pharmacy being the most common reason for this. Factors associated with change were a household income >100,000 € (70% vs. 44.9% of those with less income; p = 0.04) and parents ≥40 years old (59.6% vs. 32.8% of patients whose parents younger; p < 0.01). When asked what they preferred about a particular AAI brand, caregivers appreciated a simple design with minimal steps involved in administration, clear colour coding, online resources, formal training from a healthcare professional, and first-hand experience in using the AAI. These findings show, for the first time, that switching brands is a common occurrence among caregivers of children with food allergies. These findings support the EAACI recommendation to train parents regularly in all available brands of AAI and to retrain parents when switching to different devices.
Comparative Analysis of Gut Microbiota between Wild and Captive Golden Snub-Nosed Monkeys
Authors: Wang Yunting , Yang Xuanyi , Zhang Mingyi , Pan Huijuan
Published: May 2023

Environmental shifts and dietary habits could directly affect the gut microbiota of animals. In this study, we investigated the gut microbiota of golden snub-nosed monkeys under two different conditions: captive and wild. Our study adopted a non-invasive sampling method, using full-length 16S rRNA Pacbio SMAT sequencing technology to compare the gut microbiota of wild and captive golden snub-nosed monkeys. The results showed that the captive populations had higher alpha diversity than the wild populations, and there were also significant differences in beta diversity. The linear discriminant analysis effect size (LEfSe) analysis showed 39 distinctly different taxonomic units. At the phylum level, the most dominant bacteria under captive and wild conditions were Bacteroidetes and Firmicutes. This study revealed that the different fiber intake between wild and captive populations might be the main reason for the difference in the gut microbiota. We found that captive golden snub-nosed monkeys had less beneficial bacteria and more potentially pathogenic bacteria than wild ones. Functional predictions showed that the most significant functional pathway at the second level between the captive and wild monkeys was carbohydrate metabolism. Therefore, our results indicate that diet changes caused by captivity could be the main reason impacting the gut microbiota of captive golden snub-nosed monkeys. We further highlight the potential impact of diet changes on the health of captive golden snub-nosed monkeys and offer some suggestions for the feeding of captive golden snub-nosed monkeys.