bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
MicroRNA expression is associated with auditory dysfunction in workers exposed to ototoxic solvents and noise
Authors: Sisto Renata , Moleti Arturo , Capone Pasquale , Sanjust Filippo , Cerini Luigi , Tranfo Giovanna , Massini Giulia , Buscema Sara , Buscema Paolo Massimo , Chiarella Pieranna
Published: September 2022

This study is part of a project on early hearing dysfunction induced by combined exposure to volatile organic compounds (VOCs) and noise in occupational settings. In a previous study, 56 microRNAs were found differentially expressed in exposed workers compared to controls. Here, we analyze the statistical association of microRNA expression with audiometric hearing level (HL) and distortion product otoacoustic emission (DPOAE) level in that subset of differentially expressed microRNAs. The highest negative correlations were found; for HL, with miR-195-5p and miR-122-5p, and, for DPOAEs, with miR-92b-5p and miR-206. The homozygous (mut) and heterozygous (het) variants of the gene hOGG1 were found disadvantaged with respect to the wild-type (wt), as regards the risk of hearing impairment due to exposure to VOCs. An unsupervised artificial neural network (auto contractive map) was also used to detect and show, using graph analysis, the hidden connections between the explored variables. These findings may contribute to the formulation of mechanistic hypotheses about hearing damage due to co-exposure to noise and ototoxic solvents.
Drinking water behavior and willingness to use filters by middle-aged and elderly residents in rural areas: A cross-sectional study in Tengchong, China
Authors: Duan Yuxin , Wu Ruiheng , Ji Haoqiang , Chen Xu , Xu Jia , Chen Yunting , Sun Meng , Pan Yuanping , Zhou Ling
Published: September 2022

Access to safe drinking water is critical to health and development issues, and residents' drinking behavior reflects their awareness of health and water hygiene. Random sampling and face-to-face questionnaires were used to investigate the drinking water behavior, sanitation and perceptions of drinking water among middle-aged and elderly residents in Tengchong, southwest Yunnan from July 1 to July 28, 2021. Differences between groups were assessed using the Chi-square test and t-test. Two binary logistic regression analyses were conducted to explore the influencing factors of drinking unboiled tap water and willingness to use filters. Results show that 35% of residents drink unboiled tap water, and 29.8% of respondents indicated a willingness to use filters. The model results showed a strong correlation between 60 and 79 years old (OR: 0.510, 95% CI: 0.303–0.858), 80 and above years old (OR: 0.118, 95% CI: 0.038–0.365), drinking water at a regular interval (OR: 0.397, 95% CI: 0.257–0.612), wanting to gain knowledge about drinking water (OR: 0.198, 95% CI: 0.099–0.395), Perceived health risks (PHR) (OR: 0.847, 95% CI: 0.771–0.929), having kidney stones (OR: 2.975, 95% CI: 1.708–5.253) and drinking unboiled tap water (p < 0.05). 60–79 years old (OR: 0.446, 95% CI: 0.244–0.815), 80 and above years old (OR: 0.228, 95% CI: 0.064–0.812), water storage (OR: 0.088, 95% CI: 0.026–0.300), middle school and above (OR: 2.238, 95% CI: 1.289–3.883), household water treatment (HWT) (OR: 33.704, 95% CI: 9.726–116.791), Perceived health risks (PHR) (OR:1.106, 95% CI: 1.009–1.213), water authority satisfaction (WAT) (OR:0.857, 95% CI: 0.769–0.956) and willingness to use filters were correlated (p < 0.05). Our findings suggested that a certain proportion of permanent middle-aged and elderly residents in rural areas still drink unboiled tap water, and residents are less willing to use filters. Residents' perception of drinking water can reflect residents' drinking water behavior and willingness to a certain extent. It is recommended that the government and Centers for Disease Control (CDC) should strengthen relevant measures such as knowledge popularization and health education, and regulate the water use behavior of middle-aged and elderly residents. Promote safe, economical and effective household water filtration facilities to ensure public health safety.
Depressive symptoms homophily among community-dwelling older adults in japan: A social networks analysis
Authors: Morita Ayako , Takahashi Yoshimitsu , Takahashi Kunihiko , Fujiwara Takeo
Published: September 2022

Late-life depression is one of the most common mental illnesses that cause serious consequences, but the majority do not reach out for mental health services and relapses are common. The present study investigated profiled similarity of older adults' social networks in terms of depressive symptoms. In 2017, we distributed questionnaires inquiring about confidants in the community, depressive symptoms based on the 15-item Geriatric Depression Scale (GDS-15), and demographic and functional characteristics to all the community-dwelling older adults under the national insurance system in Wakuya City (Miyagi prefecture, Japan). Applying the Exponential Random Graph Model, we estimated the likelihood of a confidant relational tie by the similarity of overall and specific depressive symptoms within 217,470 potential ties among 660 respondents eligible for analysis. The overall depressive symptom homophily was marginally significant (p< 0.10), indicating that the likelihood of a confidant relational tie between two community-dwelling older adults was decreased by 5%, with one point increase in their difference in the total number of depressive symptoms (odds ratio [OR], 0.95; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.90–1). Focusing on specific domains of depressive symptoms, we found significant apathy homophily (p< 0.05) but no significant suicidal ideation of homophily. The results indicated that there is a 19% decrease in the likelihood of a confidant relational tie between two community-dwelling older adults by one point increase in their difference in the total number of apathy symptoms (OR, 0.81; 95%CI, 0.67–0.98) but no change by increasing the difference in their total number of suicidal ideation symptoms (OR, 1; 95%CI, 0.87–1.14). These findings suggest depressive symptom homophily, particularly with respect to apathy domains, in confidant social networks of community-dwelling older adults, and the importance of network intervention in preventing late-life depression.
Mobile phone addiction and depressive symptoms among Chinese University students: The mediating role of sleep disturbances and the moderating role of gender
Authors: Liu Meng , Lu Chuntian
Published: September 2022

Background

With the continuous updating of mobile phone functions, the phenomenon of mobile phone addiction among University students is becoming more and more serious. It is important to identify the potential risk factors for mobile phone addiction. The aim of the study was to examine whether there is a relationship between mobile phone addiction and depression symptoms in University students, and to investigate whether sleep disturbances play a mediating role between mobile phone addiction and depression symptoms, as well as the moderating role of gender.

Methods

A cross-sectional study, carried out between September to December 2021, recruited 973 students (478 males) from seven comprehensive universities in western China. The Mobile Phone Addiction Index (MPAI), the Patient Health Questionnaire-9 (PHQ9), and the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI) were used to complete measures of mobile phone addiction, depressive symptoms, and sleep disturbances. For statistical analyses, descriptive statistics, correlation, regression, mediation and moderated mediation analyses were used. Furthermore, we tested the mediation model and moderated mediation model using the SPSS macro PROCESS.

Results

In this study, it was found that there were positive correlations between mobile phone addiction and depressive symptoms among Chinese University students. Mediation analyses revealed that this relationship was partially mediated by sleep disturbances, but the mediating role was not moderated by gender.

Conclusion

Sleep disturbances have a partial mediating role in the relationship between mobile phone addiction and depressive symptoms. Our results highlight the critical role of prevention and early identification of mobile phone addiction among University students, especially those with sleep disturbances.
Training student volunteers as community resource navigators to address patients' social needs: A curriculum toolkit
Authors: Gautam Diwas , Sandhu Sahil , Kutzer Kate , Blanchard Lillian , Xu Jacqueline , Sotelo Munoz Veronica , Dennis Erika , Drake Connor , Crowder Carolyn , Eisenson Howard , Prvu Bettger Janet
Published: September 2022

Introduction

Few resources are available to train students to provide patients assistance for obtaining needed community-based services. This toolkit outlines a curriculum to train student volunteers to become “community resource navigators” to serve patients via telephone at partner health sites.

Methods

University students co-designed the Help Desk navigator program and training for volunteer navigators as part of an academic-community partnership with a local Federally Qualified Health Center (FQHC). The multi-modal curricula consisted of five components: didactic instruction on social determinants of health and program logistics, mock patient calls and documentation, observation of experienced navigator interaction with patients, supervised calls with real patients, and homework assignments. In 2020, training materials were adapted for virtual delivery due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Trainees completed a survey after completion to provide qualitative feedback on the training and preparedness.

Results

The training was offered for the first cohort of 11 student volunteer navigators in 2019, revised and then offered for 13 undergraduate and nursing students over 6 weeks in 2020. In the training evaluation, trainees described the new knowledge and skills gained from the training, the long-term benefits toward their educational and professional career goals, and helpful interactive delivery of the training. Trainees also highlighted areas for improvement, including more time learning about community resources and practicing challenging patient conversations.

Conclusions

Our peer-to-peer, multi-modal training prepares student volunteers to become community resource navigators. Student, eager for meaningful clinical experiences, are an untapped resource that can help patients with their social needs.
Official tenure and governance effectiveness of China's basic pension insurance system: An inverted U-shaped curve
Authors: Li Zhiguang , Si Xu , Zhang Wei , Feng Zhipei , Li Tingjing , Guo Yige
Published: September 2022

Objectives

Based on incentive theory of motivation, this paper aims to estimate China's basic pension insurance's annual efficiency and inter-period efficiency changes from 2015 to 2019 and further examine the relationship between official tenure and basic pension insurance governance performance.

Methods

The DEA—BCC model was used to evaluate the operating efficiency of basic pension insurance in 31 provinces of China. And four panel Tobit models were constructed to examine the heterogeneous linkages between officials' tenure and governance efficiency in different regions of China.

Results

The results showed that there was an inverted U-shaped relationship between the official tenure and the governance efficiency of basic pension insurance. The younger an official was in his current position, the more apparent the inverted U-shaped relationship between the tenure of an official and the governance efficiency of basic pension insurance. We also found that localized government officials showed better governance efficiency of basic pension insurance. However, as the term of office of officials increased, the governance efficiency of non-localized officials showed a steeper negative effect.

Conclusion

This study firstly reveals a significant relationship between the characteristics of officials and the operation of China's basic pension insurance system, which is a complement to the study of China's basic pension systems.
Sex-specific association between elective cesarean section and growth trajectories in preschool children: A prospective birth cohort study
Authors: Zhang Shanshan , Zhou Jixing , Yang Mengting , Zhang Fu , Tao Xingyong , Tao Fangbiao , Huang Kun
Published: September 2022

Background

Elective cesarean section (ECS) primarily contributes to the rising cesarean section (CS) rate, and much attention has been attracted to its health consequences. The association between ECS and overweight and obesity in children has been controversial, and few studies distinguished ECS with medical indications from those without indications. Based on a large sample birth cohort, we aim to examine the association of ECS with or without medical indications on children's physical development by using repeated anthropometric data from birth to 6 years of age.

Methods

A total of 2304 mother-child pairs with complete data on delivery mode and children's anthropometric measurements were recruited from the Ma'anshan-Anhui Birth Cohort (MABC) in China. ECS was the main exposure in this study, and the primary outcomes were children's growth trajectories and early adiposity rebound (AR). Children's BMI trajectories were fitted by using group-based trajectory models and fractional polynomial mixed-effects models. The association between ECS and children's growth trajectories and early AR was performed using multiple logistic regression models.

Results

Among 2,304 mother-child pairs (1199 boys and 1105 girls), 1088 (47.2%) children were born by CS, including 61 (5.6%) emergency CS, 441 (40.5%) ECS with medical indications, and 586 (53.9%) ECS without medical indications. After adjusting for potential confounders, it was found that ECS with medical indications was associated with a “high level” of BMI trajectory (OR = 1.776; 95% CI: 1.010–3.123), and ECS without medical indications was associated with early AR (OR = 1.517; 95% CI: 1.123–2.050) in girls. In boys, we found that ECS without medical indications was unlikely to experience an accelerated growth trajectory (OR = 0.484; 95%CI: 0.244–0.959).

Conclusions

ECS may be related to girls' “high level” BMI trajectories and early AR. If causal, the findings will provide an evidence-based reference for early life interventions for childhood obesity.
A case report of sepsis and death caused by Parvimonas micra, a rare anaerobe
Authors: Jiang Yuhang , Qin Weichao , Li Jian , Gao Yuan , Zeng Yan
Published: September 2022

Parvimonas micra is a type of Gram-positive anaerobic cocci widely distributed in the oral cavity, gastrointestinal tract, respiratory tract, and female reproductive system mucosa. It is a conditional pathogen that can cause infections in the human oral cavity, wounds, and other areas as well as sepsis. In this case report, the patient's immune system was compromised by various underlying diseases and a pulmonary infection, which led to the entry of P. micra infection into the bloodstream. P. micra is a slow-growing organism (When a bloodstream infection occurs, flagging an anaerobic bottle of blood culture as positive will usually take >48 h), which makes it hard to secure timely blood culture results. Our patient's poor physical condition eventually led to sepsis, and she died after 5 days in the hospital.
A multiple and comprehensive approach to assess health risk in amalgam-exposed Chinese workers
Authors: Ruan Xiao-ying , Tan Si-wei , Zhu Lin , Shi Yan-peng , Yu Jia-mian , Zhang Mei-bian , Wang Tong-shuai , Fu Hong
Published: September 2022

Fluorescent lamp manufacturing workers have been extensively exposed to mercury (Hg). Our aim was to assess their health risks using several approved occupational health risk assessment methods, and to find out which method was more suitable for identification of occupational health risks. Work locations, and air and urine samples were collected from 530 exposed workers in Zhejiang, China. Based on the calculated exposure doses, health risks and risk ratios (RRs) as health risk indices, were evaluated using: Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), Australian, Romanian, Singaporean, International Council on Mining and Metals (ICMM), and Control of Substances Hazardous to Health (COSHH) methods. Among the workers, 86.0% had higher Hg levels than the Chinese occupational exposure limits of 0.02 mg/m3, and 16.7% urine samples were higher than the biological exposure limits of 35.0 μg/g·creatinine. Among workers at the injection, etc. locations, their average RRs, evaluated by the EPA, COSHH and Singaporean methods were 0.97, 0.76, and 0.60, respectively, and were significantly higher than the ICMM (0.39), Australian (0.30) and Romanian (0.29) methods. The RRs from the Singaporean method showed significant correlations with the urinary Hg levels (P < 0.01). In conclusion, the Singaporean method was more appropriate than the others for health risk evaluation because the excessive risks were significantly associated with urinary Hg levels among the workers.
Factors associated with long-acting and short-acting reversible contraceptives use among 10–24-years-old youths in Lilongwe, Malawi
Authors: Maruwo George Baxton , Ng'ambi Wingston Felix , Muula Adamson Sinjani , Zonda Khumbo , Kachale Fannie
Published: September 2022

Background

Evidence suggests that Malawi continues to register substantial progress on key Family Planning (FP) indicators. However, FP adoption is still low among married youth (15–24 years old), only 38% of married girls use modern contraceptive methods coupled with high-unmet needs (22%) in the same age group.

Objective

Identifying factors associated with long-acting (LARC) and short-acting (SARC) reversible contraceptive use among 10–24-years-old youth in Lilongwe, Malawi.

Methodology

A retrospective study using secondary data from 64 youth outreach clinic sites in the Lilongwe district. A quantitative approach using secondary data that was analyzed in STATA version 14 was used. A sample of 14,954 youth who accessed FP and Reproductive Health (RH) services during youth outreach clinics were included in the study.

Results

SARC uptake was higher than LARC (p < 0.01). Of the youths who accessed FP methods, LARC uptake was 25% (n = 3,735). Variations were noted in the uptake of LARC, especially on age, education level, client status occupation, and marital status. Factors associated with LARC uptake varied; new clients were almost twice likely to use LARC (AOR = 1.87, CI: 1.59–2.19, P < 0.01) while youth aged 20–24, the single, and student youth were less likely to use LARC. Compared to young women with formal occupations, students were less likely to use LARC (AOR = 0.30, CI: 0.158–0.58, P < 0.01). Related to the number of living children, youths with a living child were likely to use LARC (AOR = 6.40, CI: 3.91–10.48, P < 0.01).

Conclusion

This study showed that LARC uptake in youth outreach clinics in Lilongwe is low, though increasing over time. In addition to this, this study shows that SARC uptake is high among youth compared to LARC. Furthermore, LARC uptake varied by age education, client status (new, existing, and unknown client), occupation, number of living children, and marital status, and there were variations in LARC uptake by the clinic. Current outreach services reach youth with LARC services, but gaps exist for underserved youths.
Do all Plastics Damage the Environment?
Authors: Palma Gallardo Leobardo Ottmar , Alba Flores Joel
Published: September 2022

Many of the objects we use every day are made from plastics that are created from petroleum. Not only is petroleum a limited resource that will run out 1 day, but petroleum-derived plastics break down very slowly in the environment, so they cause pollution. This is a critical problem because these plastics have been building up ever since humans first made them. This article will describe what plastics are and what we can do to tackle plastic pollution. One solution may be the use of bioplastics, which are a promising alternative to petroleum-derived plastics and can be used to create many of the same objects. Bioplastics do not cause pollution because they can be naturally broken down by microorganisms in the environment. What is plastic pollution and why is it unhealthy for our planet? Have you ever wondered why we should worry about plastic pollution? Is it already too late to help protect our planet from plastics? In this article, we will answer these questions and provide some suggestions to decrease the problem of plastic pollution.
Brain Disorders: When One Bad Protein Spoils the Whole Bunch
Authors: Reslan Mohammad Amine , Tabet Maha , Nickles Rachel , Wang Kevin K. W. , Kobeissy Firas
Published: September 2022

Cells are complex structures that are held together by a thread-like web known as the cytoskeleton. Tiny tubes called microtubules are a major part of the cytoskeleton. Microtubules can be assembled, disassembled, and reassembled again like Lego bricks. Microtubules are especially abundant in the nerve cells of the brain. To do their jobs, microtubules call upon special helpers known as tau proteins, which keep the microtubules from crumbling by attaching themselves to the surface of the tubes. Unfortunately, tau helpers may sometimes quit their jobs and become troublemakers in the cell. The result is the unraveling of the microtubules, the destruction of the cytoskeleton, and the eventual death of the cell. A serious disease that arises because of the malfunctioning of tau proteins is called a tauopathy. In this article, we will describe the function of tau proteins and explain what happens when they turn against the cell.
The profile of inflammatory extracellular vesicles in intracerebral hemorrhage patients
Authors: Sawant Harshal , Bihl Trevor , Nguyen Doan , Iwuchukwu Ifeanyi , Bihl Ji
Published: September 2022

Background

Intracerebral hemorrhage (ICH) is one of the leading life-threatening types of strokes with high mortality. A prominent feature of ICH is neuroinflammation involving leukocytes, such as neutrophils and macrophages. Large extracellular vesicles (lEV) and small extracellular vesicles (sEV) released from various cells are used as biomarkers for different diseases. Here, we aimed to determine the concentration/population of lEV and sEV from different leukocytes in ICH patients and analyze the correlation of these lEV/sEV with clinical parameters.

Methods

lEV and sEV were isolated from the plasma of ICH patients (n = 39) by using the serial centrifuge methods. Nanoparticle tracking analysis (NTA, NS300) was used to determine the type and concentration of different leukocytes-released lEV/sEV. Specific antibodies, CD66b, P2RY12, and CD80 were used for different leukocyte types.

Results

A predictive relationship between both hospital length of stay (R2 = 0.83) and Intensive care units (ICU) length of stay (R2 = 0.88) was found with lEV and sEV and patient data [including low-density lipoprotein (LDL), ICH volume, etc.]. Further predictive multiple linear regression relationship was seen between lEV and sEV concentrations and MRSV3 (Modified Rankin Scale at 90 days) (R2 = 0.46) and MRSV5 (modified Rankin Scale at 180 days) (R2 = 0.51). Additionally, a slight, but statistically significant (p = 0.0151), multiple linear regression relationship was seen between lEV and sEV concentrations and ICU length of stay (R2 = 0.26).

Conclusion

This study found predictive relationships between patient outcomes and lEV and sEV. When combined with generally collected patient data (LDL, etc.), measurements of lEV and sEV are strongly predictive of overall patient outcome. Further, larger studies should investigate these effects.
Application of three-dimensional computed tomography bronchography and angiography in thoracoscopic anatomical segmentectomy of the right upper lobe: A cohort study
Authors: Wang Mingbo , Lv Huilai , Wu Tao , Gao Wenda , Tian Yang , Gai Chunyue , Tian Ziqiang
Published: September 2022

Objective

Three-dimensional computed tomography bronchography and angiography (3D-CTBA) can provide detailed imaging information for pulmonary segmentectomy. This study aimed to investigate the safety and effectiveness of 3D-CTBA guidance of anatomical segmentectomy of the right upper lobe (RUL).

Methods

This was a retrospective analysis of anatomical segmentectomy of the RUL at the Thoracic Surgery Department of the Fourth Hospital of Hebei Medical University from December 9, 2013, to June 2, 2021. Preoperatively, all patients underwent contrast-enhanced CT of the chest (to determine the size of the pulmonary nodule) and a lung function test. 3D-CTBA has been performed since 2018; patients with vs. without 3D-CTBA were compared. Segmentectomy was performed according to nodule location.

Results

Of 139 patients (46 males and 93 females, aged 21–81 years), 93 (66.9%) completed single segmentectomy, 3 (2.2%) completed single subsegmentectomy, 29 had combined subsegmentectomy, 7 had segmentectomy combined with subsegmentectomy, and 6 had combined resection of two segments. Eighty-five (61.2%) patients underwent 3D-CTBA. 3D-CTBA cases had decreased intraoperative blood loss (67.4 ± 17.6 vs. 73.1 ± 11.0, P = 0.021) and shorter operation time (143.0 ± 10.8 vs. 133.4 ± 20.9, P = 0.001). 3D-CTBA (Beta = −7.594, 95% CI: −12.877 to −2.311, P = 0.005) and surgical procedure (Beta = 9.352, 95% CI: 3.551–15.153, P = 0.002) were independently associated with intraoperative blood loss. 3D-CTBA (Beta = −13.027, 95% CI: −18.632 to 17.422, P < 0.001) and surgical procedure (Beta = 7.072, 95% CI: 0.864–13.280, P = 0.026) were also independent factors affecting the operation time.

Conclusion

Preoperative use of 3D-CTBA to evaluate the pulmonary vessels and bronchial branch patterns of the RUL decreased blood loss and procedure time and so would be expected to improve the safety and effectiveness of thoracoscopic segmentectomy.
Novel machine learning models to predict endocrine disruption activity for high-throughput chemical screening
Authors: Collins Sean P. , Barton-Maclaren Tara S.
Published: September 2022

An area of ongoing concern in toxicology and chemical risk assessment is endocrine disrupting chemicals (EDCs). However, thousands of legacy chemicals lack the toxicity testing required to assess their respective EDC potential, and this is where computational toxicology can play a crucial role. The US (United States) Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has run two programs, the Collaborative Estrogen Receptor Activity Project (CERAPP) and the Collaborative Modeling Project for Receptor Activity (CoMPARA) which aim to predict estrogen and androgen activity, respectively. The US EPA solicited research groups from around the world to provide endocrine receptor activity Qualitative (or Quantitative) Structure Activity Relationship ([Q]SAR) models and then combined them to create consensus models for different toxicity endpoints. Random Forest (RF) models were developed to cover a broader range of substances with high predictive capabilities using large datasets from CERAPP and CoMPARA for estrogen and androgen activity, respectively. By utilizing simple descriptors from open-source software and large training datasets, RF models were created to expand the domain of applicability for predicting endocrine disrupting activity and help in the screening and prioritization of extensive chemical inventories. In addition, RFs were trained to conservatively predict the activity, meaning models are more likely to make false-positive predictions to minimize the number of False Negatives. This work presents twelve binary and multi-class RF models to predict binding, agonism, and antagonism for estrogen and androgen receptors. The RF models were found to have high predictive capabilities compared to other in silico modes, with some models reaching balanced accuracies of 93% while having coverage of 89%. These models are intended to be incorporated into evolving priority-setting workflows and integrated strategies to support the screening and selection of chemicals for further testing and assessment by identifying potential endocrine-disrupting substances.
Effect of lameness on feeding behavior of zero grazed Jersey dairy cows
Authors: Gündel Sandra , Looft Christian , Foldager Leslie , Thomsen Peter T.
Published: September 2022

The dairy industry faces major challenges with high levels of lameness, in parallel to an increased consumer focus on animal welfare. This encourages farmers to consider more robust breeds, such as Jersey cows. As little is known about the behavior of this breed under loose housing conditions, the present study sought to describe the feeding behavior of lame and non-lame Jersey cows in different parities. Such breed-specific information of behavioral changes is needed for breed-specific herd management decisions and may contribute to identifying animals that are susceptible to developing lameness in the future, thus reducing impacts on the welfare and production of cows. Feeding data from 116 Danish Jersey cows were collected using automatic feeders, and lameness status was assessed by technicians every second week. The cows were kept in a loose housing system, with cubicles, a slatted concrete floor, and automatic milking robots. Eating time per visit and per day, the number of visits per day, and intervals between meals were analyzed using generalized linear mixed effects models. The effect of lameness was not significant for any variable. Primiparous Jersey cows had significantly longer eating times per day, shorter meal intervals, and a lower number of visits per day than older Jersey cows. Week in lactation affected the eating time per visit and per day, the number of visits, and between-meal intervals. In conclusion, we found no differences between lame and non-lame Jersey cows but between parities, which disagree with previous research on other breeds, suggesting that Jersey cows not just differ in size and looks but also in their behavioral reaction when lame. Although data from only one herd of a research center were used, this study has demonstrated the need for further research about breed-specific differences and their implications for the health and welfare of the animals.
A brief view of factors that affect plant virus evolution
Authors: Butković Anamarija , González Rubén
Published: September 2022

Viruses are highly evolvable biological entities capable of wreaking havoc on our society. Therefore, a better understanding of virus evolution is important for two main reasons: (i) it will lead to better management of current diseases and prevention of future ones, and (ii) it will contribute to a better understanding of evolutionary processes and their dynamics. In order to understand the evolution of viruses as a whole, it is necessary to consider different elements that shape virus evolution. In this review, we give a general overview of the most relevant factors that determine the evolution of plant viruses. We will focus on mutation rates, epistasis, robustness, recombination, genome organization, virus-host interactions, transmission, community interactions and abiotic factors. Since this review gives a summarized overview of the most important factors in virus evolution it can be a useful starting material for anyone interested in approaching (plant) virus evolution.
Impact of Temperature on Age–Stage, Two-Sex Life Table Analysis of a Chinese Population of Bean Bug, Riptortus pedestris (Hemiptera: Alydidae)
Authors: Tian Xin-Yue , Gao Yu , Ali Muhammad Yasir , Li Xiao-Hua , Hu Ying-Lu , Li Wen-Bo , Wang Zi-Jie , Shi Shu-Sen , Zhang Jin-Ping
Published: September 2022

Riptortus pedestris Fabricius (Hemiptera: Alydidae) is an economically important pest of soybean that causes serious damage in the Huang-Huai-Hai region of China, which is the main soybean-producing area. However, the basic biological and ecological attributes of the Chinese populations of R. pedestris are still unknown. Temperature is a critical factor influencing insect population dynamics; therefore, understanding the effects of temperature on individual development and population growth of R. pedestris is helpful to forecast the pest’s phenology as part of its control. In this study, we determined age–stage, two-sex life table parameters of R. pedestris at five constant temperatures (19, 22, 25, 28, and 31 °C) under laboratory conditions. The results demonstrated that the developmental period, preadult time, adult longevity, adult preoviposition period (APOP), and total preoviposition period (TPOP) were all significantly shortened when the temperature increased from 19 to 31 °C. The developmental time from egg to adult was 55.00 d at 19 °C but decreased to 24.43 d at 31 °C. The developmental threshold temperatures of the egg, nymph, female adult, male adult, and total generation (from egg to adult death) were 13.31, 10.91, 16.21, 17.13, and 13.44 °C, respectively, and the corresponding stage-specific day degree totals were 95.91, 260.51, 114.22, 147.35, and 582.04. The net reproductive rate (R0 = 2.36 offspring), fecundity (58.00 ± 28.59 eggs), and population trend index (I) (7.89) were found to be optimal at 25 °C. These results could be useful for predicting the population dynamics of R. pedestris and improving the management of this pest in field crops.
Investigation and Identification of Cyst Nematodes in the Bashang Region of Hebei, China
Authors: Wu Yuhuan , Peng Huan , Liu Shiming , Shao Hudie , Li Yunqing , Zhang Yingdong , Li Yaning , Liu Daqun , Peng Deliang
Published: September 2022

Cyst nematodes are one of the most important pathogens worldwide. Most cyst nematode species have been reported recently in China. From 2016 to 2020, an extensive survey of cyst nematodes was conducted in the Bashang region of Hebei Province. A total of 158 soil samples were collected, and cyst-forming nematodes were isolated from five soil samples. Morphological and molecular characterization showed that four of the cyst-forming nematode populations were Heterodera glycines (SCN), named populations of ZM, KM, CB and FN, respectively. These SCN populations were collected from Zhangbei County, Kangbao County, Chabei Management Area of Zhangjiakou and Fengning Manchu Autonomous County of Chengde, respectively, where the corresponding cyst densities were 57, 41, 103 and 31 cysts/200 cc soil. Furthermore, the populations of ZM, KM and CB were identified as race 4, whereas the FN population was identified as race 3. The cyst-forming nematode population was collected from Zhangbei County of Zhangjiakou, which was confirmed to be Heterodera schachtii (SBCN), named population ZZ, and the cyst density was 94 cysts/200 cc soil. It is a new disease of Chinese cabbage caused by SBCN based on Koch’s postulates. Fourteen cultivars from five plant families were evaluated as hosts for SBCN. Chinese cabbage (cv. Linglonghuang012) and cabbage (cv. Chunwang) were suitable hosts, while celery (cv. Yuhuang), potato (cv. Helan 15) and eggplant (cv. Junlang) were nonhosts. The obtained results regarding the occurrence, distribution, races of SCN and hosts of SBCN in the Bashang region in this study provide a reference for SCN and SBCN management.
Determination of Internal Quality Indices in Oriental Melon Using Snapshot-Type Hyperspectral Image and Machine Learning Model
Authors: Cho Byeong-Hyo , Lee Ki-Beom , Hong Youngki , Kim Kyoung-Chul
Published: September 2022

In this study, we aimed to develop a prediction model of the solid solutions concentration (SSC) and moisture content (MC) in oriental melon with snapshot-type hyperspectral imagery (Visible (VIS): 460–600 nm, 16 bands; Red-Near infrared (Red-NIR): 600–860 nm, 15 bands) using a machine learning model. The oriental melons were cultivated in a hydroponic greenhouse, Republic of Korea, and a total of 91 oriental melons that were harvested from March to April of 2022 were used as samples. The SSC and MC of the oriental melons were measured using destructive methods after taking hyperspectral imagery of the oriental melons. The reflectance spectrum obtained from the hyperspectral imagery was processed by the standard normal variate (SNV) method. Variable importance in projection (VIP) scores were used to select the bands related to SSC and MC. As a result, ten (609, 736, 561, 849, 818, 489, 754, 526, 683, and 597 nm) and six (609, 736, 561, 818, 849, and 489 nm) bands were selected for the SSC and MC, respectively. Four machine learning models, support vector regression (SVR), ridge regression (RR), K-nearest neighbors regression (K-NNR), and random forest regression (RFR), were used to develop models to predict SSC and MC, and their performances were compared. The SVR showed the best performance for predicting both the SSC and MC of the oriental melons. The SVR model achieved a relatively high accuracy with R2 values of 0.86 and 0.74 and RMSE values of 1.06 and 1.05 for SSC and MC, respectively. However, it will be necessary to carry out more experiments under various conditions, such as differing maturities of fruits and varying light sources and environments, to achieve more comprehensive predictions and apply them to monitoring robots in the future. Nevertheless, it is considered that the snapshot-type hyperspectral imagery aided by SVR would be a useful tool to predict the SSC and MC of oriental melon. In addition, if the maturity classification model for the oriental melon can be applied to fields, it could lead to less labor and result in high-quality oriental melon production.
Investigation of Possible Factors Influencing the Neutralizing Anti-SARS-CoV-2 Antibody Titer after Six Months from the Second Vaccination Dose in a Sample of Italian Nursing Home Personnel
Authors: Modenese Alberto , Paduano Stefania , Bellucci Rossana , Marchetti Simona , Bruno Fulvio , Grazioli Pietro , Vivoli Roberto , Gobba Fabriziomaria , Bargellini Annalisa
Published: September 2022

The titer of the anti-SARS-CoV-2 antibodies produced after vaccination shows a relevant decay over time, as demonstrated in several studies. However, less is known on the possible factors affecting the entity of this decay. The aim of this study is to analyze a group of individual factors which are possibly associated with anti-SARS-CoV-2 antibody titer decay six months after the second vaccine dose. We report here the results of a follow-up serological analysis and a questionnaire-based evaluation of a sample of workers from an Italian nursing home, vaccinated with two doses of BNT162b2 vaccine in early 2021. The baseline data were collected one month after the vaccine, while in the present analysis we report the data collected six months later. Our data show a relevant decay of the neutralizing antibody titer, even if for all the workers a largely positive response was detected. Moreover, our results demonstrate a possible association between younger age and the absence of previous COVID-19 infection, and a higher decay rate of the anti-SARS-CoV-2 antibodies titer.
The Impact of Oxidative Stress and AKT Pathway on Cancer Cell Functions and Its Application to Natural Products
Authors: Shiau Jun-Ping , Chuang Ya-Ting , Tang Jen-Yang , Yang Kun-Han , Chang Fang-Rong , Hou Ming-Feng , Yen Ching-Yu , Chang Hsueh-Wei
Published: September 2022

Oxidative stress and AKT serine-threonine kinase (AKT) are responsible for regulating several cell functions of cancer cells. Several natural products modulate both oxidative stress and AKT for anticancer effects. However, the impact of natural product-modulating oxidative stress and AKT on cell functions lacks systemic understanding. Notably, the contribution of regulating cell functions by AKT downstream effectors is not yet well integrated. This review explores the role of oxidative stress and AKT pathway (AKT/AKT effectors) on ten cell functions, including apoptosis, autophagy, endoplasmic reticulum stress, mitochondrial morphogenesis, ferroptosis, necroptosis, DNA damage response, senescence, migration, and cell-cycle progression. The impact of oxidative stress and AKT are connected to these cell functions through cell function mediators. Moreover, the AKT effectors related to cell functions are integrated. Based on this rationale, natural products with the modulating abilities for oxidative stress and AKT pathway exhibit the potential to regulate these cell functions, but some were rarely reported, particularly for AKT effectors. This review sheds light on understanding the roles of oxidative stress and AKT pathway in regulating cell functions, providing future directions for natural products in cancer treatment.
Application of Extension Engineering in Safety Evaluation of Chemical Enterprises
Authors: Han Qilong , Liu Peng , Ma Zhiqiang
Published: September 2022

To effectively analyze the safety risk of chemical enterprises and ensure the safety of production and management of enterprises, the contradiction problems in the process of index selection and risk early warning model in practical application are addressed. In this paper, extension engineering is introduced into the safety-security field of chemical enterprises to extract hidden useful information from the production environment and outdoor environment data and provide decision support for the managers of chemical enterprises. First, based on data preprocessing and extension analysis, the safety-security data of chemical enterprises that meet the quality requirements and can be efficiently mined are searched. Then, the outdoor environment is combined in the paper to conduct the mining of these data in two aspects: (1) comprehensive analysis and evaluation of data quality; (2) key factors affecting factory safety mining, realizing the safety-security evaluation of intelligent factories in chemical enterprises. Based on the proposed chemical factory safety extension prerisk model, the risk assessment of the safety status of a chemical enterprise in Hebei Province is carried out. The research results of this paper provide a theoretical basis for the safety production analysis of such chemical enterprises and put forward practical suggestions for preventing possible accidents in the production process.
Intelligent Timber Damage Monitoring Using PZT-Enabled Active Sensing and Intrinsic Multiscale Entropy Analysis
Authors: Guo Shuai , Shen Tong , Li Li , Hu Huangxing , Zhang Jicheng , Lu Zhiwen
Published: September 2022

Timber has been commonly used in the field of civil engineering, and the health condition of timber is of great significance for the whole structure in practical scenarios. However, due to mechanical load and environmental impact, timber-based constructions are vulnerable to termite attack, microbial corrosion and fractures within their service lives. Thus, the damage monitoring of timber structures is very challenging under real situations. This paper presents an intelligent timber damage monitoring approach using Lead Zirconate Titanate (PZT)-enabled active sensing and intrinsic multiscale entropy analysis. The proposed approach adopts PZT-enabled active sensing to collect the signals depicting dynamic characteristics of the timber structure. The proposed intrinsic multiscale entropy analysis utilizes variational mode decomposition (VMD) to deal with the collected response signals. Decomposition of the response signals into a set of band-limited intrinsic mode functions (BLIMFs) denoting nonlinear and nonstationary characteristics. Then multiscale sample entropy (MSE) is employed to extract quantitative features, which are adopted as health condition indicators of timber structures. Finally, the convolutional neural network (CNN) fulfills the intelligent timber damage monitoring by using the quantitative features as the effective input. The research findings reveal the efficacy and superiority of the proposed method.
Particulate Matter Concentrations and Fungal Aerosol in Horse Stables as Potential Causal Agents in Recurrent Airway Disease in Horses and Human Asthma and Allergies
Authors: Lenart-Boroń Anna , Bajor Anna , Tischner Marek , Kulik Klaudia , Kabacińska Julia
Published: September 2022

Exposure to bioaerosols associated with horse stable indoor environment and their health effects on people and horses has recently become of particular interest. Moreover, increasing frequency of recurrent airway disease (RAO) among horses made it necessary to search for the most probable causal agents of this disease and methods of their eradication. The study was conducted in two horse stables in southern Poland (Kraków and Tarnów). Particulate matter (PM2.5, PM4, and PM10) concentrations were determined photometrically, the concentration of fungal aerosol was determined by a six-stage impactor, and next generation sequencing (NGS) was used to determine fungal community composition in one of these stables. The highest PM concentrations were observed in Tarnów, but fungal aerosol levels were higher in the Kraków stable. Based on the NGS results, the three most prevalent fungal species were Wallemia sebi, Aspergillus penicillioides, and Epicoccum nigrum, all highly allergenic and potentially involved in the occurrence of RAO in horses. Spores of the detected fungi can penetrate deeply into the respiratory system. Therefore, this study suggests that examinations of particulate matter and fungal aerosol concentrations, along with species composition assessment, should be regularly conducted in horse stables.
Applying Evolutionary Multitasking for Process Parameter Optimization in Polymerization Process of Carbon Fiber Production
Authors: Jin Liang , Zhou Zude , Li Kunlun , Zhang Guoliang , Liu Quan , Yao Bitao , Fang Yilin
Published: September 2022

Carbon fiber is becoming a key material for engineering applications due to its excellent comprehensive properties. The process parameter optimization is an important step in the polymerization process of carbon fiber production. At present, most of the research on process parameter optimization is usually carried out on a single production line, without considering the correlation between optimization problems. In this paper, a multiobjective mechanism model for the co-optimization of the polymerization process of carbon fiber production is established. Each of these submodels is a multiobjective process parameter optimization task, corresponding to the polymerization process of a production line. In order to solve the model effectively, we also designed an evolutionary multitasking algorithm based on transfer learning, which reuses the past experiences of one task to generate a population pool for the next iteration of another task, enabling explicit genetic transfer between different tasks and accelerating the population convergence speed. The proposed multitasking framework for operation optimization has been conducted on 10 different production conditions of the polymerization process. Experimental results show that compared with other implicit and explicit genetic algorithms, this algorithm is very competitive in generating effective solutions. This research provides important support for process parameter optimization and manufacturing of carbon fiber production, which will help engineers and technicians to make informed decisions.
A Partial Multiplicative Dimensional Reduction-Based Reliability Estimation Method for Probabilistic and Non-Probabilistic Hybrid Structural Systems
Authors: Chen Xuyong , Peng Yuanlin , Xu Zhifeng , Wu Qiaoyun
Published: September 2022

A new reliability estimation method based on partial multiplicative dimensional reduction is proposed for probabilistic and non-probabilistic hybrid structural systems. The proposed method is characterized by decorrelating interval input variables from random input variables using the partial multiplicative dimensional reduction method in conjunction with the weakest-link theory. In this method, the failure statistics of the original performance function are equivalent to a statical chain of two elements, in which one of the two elements represents the failures due to random input variables and the other represents the failures due to interval variables. Rather than yielding an estimated interval of failure probability, the proposed method produces a single value for failure probability, which is more meaningful for engineering. In addition, the accuracy, validity, and superiority of the proposed method are demonstrated, and the error-related properties of the proposed method are investigated.