bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Exploring the Effects of Meditation Techniques Used by Mindfulness-Based Programs on the Cognitive, Social-Emotional, and Academic Skills of Children: A Systematic Review
Authors: Filipe Marisa G. , Magalhães Sofia , Veloso Andreia S. , Costa Ana Filipa , Ribeiro Lúcia , Araújo Patrícia , Castro São Luís , Limpo Teresa
Published: November 2021

There is evidence for the positive impact of mindfulness in children. However, little is known about the techniques through which mindfulness practice results in differential outcomes. Therefore, this study intended to systematically review the available evidence about the efficacy of meditation techniques used by mindfulness-based programs on cognitive, socio-emotional, and academic skills of children from 6 to 12 years of age. The review was registered on the PROSPERO database, and the literature search was conducted according to PICO criteria and PRISMA guidelines. The EBSCO databases were searched, and 29 studies were eligible: nine randomized controlled trials and 20 quasi-experimental studies. All the included randomized controlled trials were rated as having a high risk of bias. Overall, the evidence for mindfulness techniques improving cognitive and socio-emotional skills was reasonably strong. Specifically, for cognitive skills, results showed that all the interventions used “body-centered meditations” and “mindful observations.” Regarding socio-emotional skills, although all the studies applied “body-centered meditations” and “mindful observations,” “affect-centered meditations” were also frequent. For academic skills, just one quasi-experimental trial found improvements, thus making it difficult to draw conclusions. Further research is crucial to evaluate the unique effects of different meditation techniques on the cognitive, social-emotional, and academic skills of children.

Systematic Review Registration: Identifier: RD42019126767.
Totally Implantable Venous Access Devices: A Randomized Controlled Trial on the Effect of Psychological Support on Quality of Life and Body Image (BI-PORT)
Authors: Pinto Eleonora , Granziera Elisa , Cagol Matteo , Cappellato Sandra , Alfieri Rita , Mari Valentina , Meroni Muzio , Zagonel Vittorina , Conte Pierfranco , Pilati Pierluigi , Castoro Carlo , Cavallin Francesco , Scarpa Marco
Published: November 2021

Background:The presence of totally implantable venous access devices (TIVADs), as any permanent or semipermanent medical devices, has an impact on the quality of life (QoL) of patients. Therefore, the purpose of this trial was to evaluate the efficacy of psychological support for patients undergoing this procedure.

Methods:This randomized controlled trial (RCT) aimed to compare the efficacy of a psychological intervention vs. standard care on QoL in patients receiving TIVAD for chemotherapy treatment (ClinicalTrials.govNCT02075580). The trial was conducted at the Veneto Institute of Oncology IOV-IRCCS (Padua, Italy) between October 2013 and September 2018. Participants were neoplastic adults receiving TIVAD for chemotherapy treatment for any cancer, not undergoing visible demolitive interventions, without psychopathological diagnosis and language understanding. The exclusion criteria were patients without a diagnosis of cancer, with psychopathological diagnosis, or with language misunderstanding.

Results:The variation of C30-QL2 and BR32-BI was not statistically different between intervention and control arms in men and women. However, the variation of C30-SF was statistically better in the intervention than control arm in men [mean difference (MD) 22.3, 95% CI 3.5 to 41.0] but not in women (MD −2.7, 95% CI −24.0 to 18.7). The variations of the other secondary outcome measures were not statistically different between intervention and control arms.

Conclusion:Psychological support did not show any clear advantages on global QoL and body image perception in patients at 15 days after TIVAD insertion for chemotherapy. In contrast, male patients might benefit from even a very short psychological counseling before or during chemotherapy even if they do not seem to ask for it.
The Effect of Exercise Intervention on Disability and Kinesiophobia in a Retired Athlete With Old Patella Fracture: A Case Report
Authors: Su Yuqin , Huang Li , Liu Haowei , Chen Shifan , Peng Li
Published: November 2021

Objectives: To evaluate the effect of exercise intervention on disability, pain, and kinesiophobia in a retired athlete with old patella fracture.

Methods: A 34-year-old retired football player with old patella fracture conducted the exercise intervention for 12 weeks, 1 h each time, three times a week. the retired football player completed the Lysholm Knee Score (LKS), Visual Analog Scale (VAS), and the Tampa Scale for Kinesiophobia (TSK) were measured at pre-intervention, mid-intervention, and post-intervention.

Results: Based on the functional training perspective, the retired athlete was subjected to two stages of exercise intervention for a total of 12 weeks. The patient's LKS score increased from 76 to 95, and the pain level of various physical states was relieved. When walking, the VAS score was reduced from 3 to 1, and when running, the VAS score was reduced from 5 to 2. Jumping VAS score for actions was reduced from 6 to 3, and the VAS score for of daily life activities was reduced from 3 points to 2. The patient's TSK score from 50 to 37.

Conclusion: A 12-week exercise intervention could improve knee joint function, relieve pain and relieve kinesiophobia.
To Be Authentic, to Be Eco: Exploring the Link Between Authenticity and Pro-environmental Behavior
Authors: Yang Ying , Zhu Shuhua , Gan Yulu , Dang Junhua
Published: November 2021

Authentic self is believed to be morally good. The current research proposes that the authentic self is also environmentally good. Across two studies, we tested the link between authenticity and pro-environmental attitude and behavior. In Study 1 (N=2,646), dispositional authenticity was found to be a predictor of pro-environmental behavior (PEB). In Study 2 (N=474), participants in the authentic condition (recalling their experiences of being authentic) were more willing to donate money to protect the environment than those in the inauthentic (recalling their experiences of being inauthentic) or the neutral (recalling their experiences of a typical day) conditions. Participants in the authentic condition also reported higher intention to conduct PEB than their peers in the other conditions. The results of the present research provide initial evidence that people are more likely to endorse pro-environmental attitude and behave pro-environmentally when being authentic.
Exploration of Psychological Mechanism of Smartphone Addiction Among International Students of China by Selecting the Framework of the I-PACE Model
Authors: Mehmood Anam , Bu Tianyi , Zhao Erying , Zelenina Viktoriia , Alexander Nikishov , Wang Wantong , Siddiqi Sultan Mehmood , Qiu Xiaohui , Yang Xiuxian , Qiao Zhengxue , Zhou Jiawei , Yang Yanjie
Published: November 2021

The I-PACE (interaction of person-affect-cognition-execution) model explains that the causes of addiction are the result of individual susceptibility (genetic and personality), psychopathological factors (negative emotions), and cognitive and affective factor interaction. The issue of smartphone addiction and its emerging effects are now becoming an essential social enigma. This study is aimed at exploring how personal, affective, cognitive, and execution factors accelerate the mechanism of smartphone addiction among international students. Randomly selected, six hundred international students have constituted the population for our study. All participants were asked to complete self-administered questionnaires. The questionnaire included demographics (gender, place of stay, educational level, and reason for smartphone usage), Mobile Phone Addiction Index, Loneliness Scale (UCLA), Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale, Beck Depression Inventory, Perceived Stress Scale, Eysenck Personality Questionnaire, and Simplified Coping Style Questionnaire. Statistical analysis was performed using SPSS. 20.3% (n = 122) of international students are agonized with smartphone addiction, while 79.7% (n = 478) use smartphones at an average level. Students’ place of stay, neuroticism personality, social desirability, self-esteem, loneliness, depression, perceived stress, and passive coping are associated with smartphone addiction. Loneliness and depression show a strong positive significant correlation, among other variables while loneliness, neurotic personality, depression, low self-esteem, stress, and passive coping are risk factors for smartphone addiction. This study reveals that international students are a high-risk group for smartphone addiction. It has a great deal of impact on students’ behavior and psyche. Multiple social, psychological, affective, and cognitive factors affect smartphone addiction. It would be beneficial to direct the students to limit their phone usage and indulge in other healthy physical activities to complete academic goals.
Cloud-Based Commensality: Enjoy the Company of Co-diners Without Social Facilitation of Eating
Authors: Wang Chujun , Peng Yubin , Qiu Linbo , Wan Xiaoang
Published: November 2021

Previous research has associated frequently enforced solo dining with negative consequences on psychological well-being, but the problem of having to eat alone may be solved by seeking mealtime companions in the digital space by watching an eating broadcast (i.e., Mukbang) or videoconferencing with others (i.e., cloud-based commensality). We conducted the present study to compare the consequences of Mukbang-based, cloud-based, and in-person commensality. Ninety-five healthy Chinese young adults were instructed to rate images of eating scenarios and foods. The results revealed that they expected loneliness to be reduced by Mukbang-based or in-person commensality, but they were also aware of the risks of enhancing food intake and/or being shifted toward less healthy food choices in these two scenarios. By contrast, the participants expected cloud-based commensality to provide the benefits of reducing loneliness without the health-compromising risks of increasing food intake or unhealthy eating. Collectively, these findings suggest the beliefs of the participants that cloud-based commensality can provide an “alone but together” context to balance the need for social interactions with the strategic avoidance of a social context facilitating unhealthy eating. The findings also provide some novel insights into how the application of technologies for eating behavior can be used to integrate social factors and food pleasure, and shed light on the promising future of cloud-based commensality as a combination of the strengths of solitary and commensal eating.
Attitudes Toward Organ Donation for Persons Who Have a Substance Use Disorder Relative to Other Health Conditions
Authors: Grubb Caitlyn J. , Bergeria Cecilia L. , Huhn Andrew S. , Dunn Kelly E.
Published: November 2021

Background: Increases in opioid-related overdose and death have led to increases in the number of organs available for donation and transplant, however persons who have a substance use disorder (SUD) may be disadvantaged relative to other health conditions with regard to receiving an organ for transplant.

Objective: This study aimed to evaluate perceptions regarding acceptability and priority for organ donation vs. a control condition (resuscitation) for hypothetical persons with nine target health conditions including a substance use disorder, among persons recruited as part of an online survey.

Methods: Respondents (N = 285; male = 172, female = 113) recruited from Amazon Mechanical Turk rated acceptability and priority that hypothetical persons representing nine target health conditions expected to influence transplant success (including a SUD) receive an organ transplant and resuscitation via a survey hosted by Qualtrics. Primary outcomes of stigma ratings and priority ranking of persons as a function of the hypothetical target health condition were analyzed using Repeated Measures Analyses of Variance and Bonferroni-corrected t-tests. Demographic information was presented descriptively for all respondents.

Results: Ratings for acceptability and priority for persons who had a SUD were generally lower than ratings for other conditions for both organ for transplant and resuscitation, though respondents reported less stigma toward resuscitation, F(8) = 22.35, p <0.001 overall. Respondents were least supportive of persons who smoked cigarettes receiving an organ, p's < 0.001. Priority rankings favored persons who were young or had a history of heart disease. Multivariable models determined that target health condition, F(8) = 33.64, p < 0.001, was a better and more consistent predictor of response than demographic variables that were examined.

Conclusions: Data suggest that general perception of acceptability and priority ranking for receipt of life-saving interventions was lower for persons who have a SUD relative to other clinically-relevant health conditions. Research to examine this effect among persons working in the donation system are warranted and efforts to reduce stigma toward persons who have a SUD should be continued.
Does the Person-Centered Care Model Support the Needs of Long-Term Care Residents With Serious Mental Illness and Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities?
Authors: Howard Elizabeth P. , Martin Lynn , Heckman George A. , Morris John N.
Published: November 2021

Person-centered care approaches continue to evolve in long-term care (LTC). At the same time, these settings have faced increased challenges due to a more diverse and complex population, including persons with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD) and serious mental illness (SMI). This study examined the mental, social, and physical wellbeing of residents with different diagnoses, within a person-centered care model. It was hypothesized that individual wellbeing would be comparable among all residents, regardless of primary diagnosis. The study cohort was drawn from all admissions to long-term care facilities in the USA from 2011 to 2013. Data are based on admission, 3 and 6 month follow-up Minimum Data Set (MDS) 3.0 assessments. The groups examined included: schizophrenia, other psychotic disorders, IDD, dementia, and all others (i.e., none of the above diagnoses). The wellbeing outcomes were depression (mental), pain (physical), and behaviors (social). All residents experienced improvements in pain and depression, though the group without the examined diagnoses experienced the greatest gains. Behaviors were most prevalent among those with psychotic disorders; though marked improvements were noted over time. Improvement also was noted among persons with dementia. Behavior worsened over time for the three other groups. In particular, those with IDD experienced the highest level of worsening at 3-month follow-up, and continued to worsen. The results suggest person-centered care in US nursing homes provides the necessary foundation to promote mental and physical wellbeing in persons with complex needs, but less so for social wellbeing.
The Effect of Cyberbullying, Abuse, and Screen Time on Non-suicidal Self-Injury Among Adolescents During the Pandemic: A Perspective From the Mediating Role of Stress
Authors: Wiguna Tjhin , Minayati Kusuma , Kaligis Fransiska , Ismail Raden Irawati , Wijaya Erik , Murtani Belinda Julivia , Pradana Kent
Published: November 2021

Adolescence is often a period of turmoil. The COVID-19 pandemic has increased adolescents' difficulty due to mental health consequences that may affect their developmental milestones. This study constructed and empirically tested a theoretical model of three predictive factors (cyberbullying, abuse, and screen time) and stress as the mediating factor in adolescent non-suicidal self-injury (NSSI). Structural equation model (SEM) analysis was applied to investigate stress as a mediating factor in the relationship between adolescent NSSI and cyberbullying, abuse, and screen time. This cross-sectional study used a “crowdsourcing” sample collection method to recruit 464 adolescents aged 11–17 years who were administered a questionnaire comprising scales on cyberbullying, abuse, screen time, stress, and NSSI. All scales had construct reliabilities ranging from 0.759 to 0.958. SEM statistical analysis was performed using Lisrel version 8.8 (Scientific Software International, USA) for Windows (Microsoft Corporation, Redmond, WA, USA). The mean (± SD) age of the cohort was 14.61 ± 1.65 years, and consisted of 66.7% females. Secondary high school was the highest educational background (58%). The study found that cyberbullying and abuse were direct positive predictors (critical t-value for the path > 1.96; p < 0.05) of adolescent NSSI; however, screen time did not have any direct relationship. Furthermore, stress was a significant full mediating factor of screen time and a partial mediating factor of cyberbullying and abuse in the relationship with adolescent NSSI (critical t-value of the path = 5.27; p < 0.05). Cyberbullying, screen time, and abuse with the mediating effect of stress could explain 48% of the variance in adolescent NSSI (R2 = 0.48). Adolescent mental health prevention and promotion programs need to be redesigned during the current COVID-19 pandemic to manage their stress and minimize the mental health consequences of cyberbullying, abuse, and inappropriately increased screen time.
Dignity of Older Persons With Mental Health Conditions: Why Should Clinicians Care?
Authors: Banerjee Debanjan , Rabheru Kiran , Ivbijaro Gabriel , Mendonca Lima Carlos Augusto de
Published: November 2021

With a steady increase in population aging, the proportion of older people living with mental illness is on rise. This has a significant impact on their autonomy, rights, quality of life and functionality. The biomedical approach to mental healthcare has undergone a paradigm shift over the recent years to become more inclusive and rights-based. Dignity comprises of independence, social inclusion, justice, equality, respect and recognition of one's identity. It has both subjective and objective components and influences life-satisfaction, treatment response as well as compliance. The multi-dimensional framework of dignity forms the central anchor to person-centered mental healthcare for older adults. Mental health professionals are uniquely positioned to incorporate the strategies to promote dignity in their clinical care and research as well as advocate for related social/health policies based on a human rights approach. However, notwithstanding the growing body of research on the neurobiology of aging and old age mental health disorders, dignity-based mental healthcare is considered to be an abstract and hypothetical identity, often neglected in clinical practice. In this paper, we highlight the various components of dignity in older people, the impact of ageism and mental health interventions based on dignity, rights, respect, and equality (including dignity therapy). It hopes to serve as a framework for clinicians to incorporate dignity as a principle in mental health service delivery and research related to older people.
Placebo and Non-specific Effects in Reconsolidation-Based Treatment for Arachnophobia
Authors: Elsey James W. B. , Kindt Merel
Published: November 2021

The idea that maladaptive memories may be rendered susceptible to interference after reactivation raises the possibility of reactivating and neutralizing clinically-relevant emotional memories. In this study, we sought to investigate the feasibility of such a “reconsolidation-based” intervention for arachnophobia, drawing upon previous research that successfully reduced fear of spiders in a subclinical sample. In Experiment 1, we piloted several reactivation procedures for conducting a reconsolidation-based treatment for arachnophobic individuals. All procedures involved some form of brief exposure to a fear-provoking spider, followed by the administration of 40 mg propranolol. In Experiment 2, we conducted a double-blind, placebo-controlled assessment of one procedure tested in Experiment 1. In Experiment 1, we found that most reactivation procedures produced drops in self-reported fear of spiders from pre- to post-treatment, including fear declines that were apparent up to 6- and even 14-months later. However, in Experiment 2, we found no evidence that the participants receiving propranolol were better off than those who received placebo. While our findings are limited by the small sample sizes used, they nevertheless show a different pattern of responses than was observed in a previous reconsolidation-based intervention for subclinical spider fearful participants. Alterations to the protocol made to accommodate the clinical participants may have led to greater opportunities for non-specific effects (e.g., exposure, placebo effects) to drive change in the participants. Our findings highlight both the challenges of translating reconsolidation-based procedures into clinical interventions, as well as the importance of controls for non-specific effects in reconsolidation-based research.
Explainable AI for Data-Driven Feedback and Intelligent Action Recommendations to Support Students Self-Regulation
Authors: Afzaal Muhammad , Nouri Jalal , Zia Aayesha , Papapetrou Panagiotis , Fors Uno , Wu Yongchao , Li Xiu , Weegar Rebecka
Published: November 2021

Formative feedback has long been recognised as an effective tool for student learning, and researchers have investigated the subject for decades. However, the actual implementation of formative feedback practices is associated with significant challenges because it is highly time-consuming for teachers to analyse students’ behaviours and to formulate and deliver effective feedback and action recommendations to support students’ regulation of learning. This paper proposes a novel approach that employs learning analytics techniques combined with explainable machine learning to provide automatic and intelligent feedback and action recommendations that support student’s self-regulation in a data-driven manner, aiming to improve their performance in courses. Prior studies within the field of learning analytics have predicted students’ performance and have used the prediction status as feedback without explaining the reasons behind the prediction. Our proposed method, which has been developed based on LMS data from a university course, extends this approach by explaining the root causes of the predictions and by automatically providing data-driven intelligent recommendations for action. Based on the proposed explainable machine learning-based approach, a dashboard that provides data-driven feedback and intelligent course action recommendations to students is developed, tested and evaluated. Based on such an evaluation, we identify and discuss the utility and limitations of the developed dashboard. According to the findings of the conducted evaluation, the dashboard improved students’ learning outcomes, assisted them in self-regulation and had a positive effect on their motivation.
Indicators of Complexity and Over-Complexification in Global Food Systems
Authors: Loring Philip A. , Sanyal Palash
Published: November 2021

Global food systems have increased in complexity significantly since the mid-twentieth century, through such innovations as mechanization, irrigation, genetic modification, and the globalization of supply chains. While complexification can be an effective problem-solving strategy, over-complexification can cause environmental degradation and lead systems to become increasingly dependent on external subsidies and vulnerable to collapse. Here, we explore a wide array of evidence of complexification and over-complexification in contemporary global food systems, drawing on data from the Food and Agriculture Organization and elsewhere. We find that food systems in developed, emerging, and least developed countries have all followed a trajectory of complexification, but that return on investments for energy and other food system inputs have significantly declined—a key indicator of over-complexification. Food systems in developed countries are further along in the process of over-complexification than least developed and emerging countries. Recent agricultural developments, specifically the introduction of genetically modified crops, have not altered this trend or improved return on investments for inputs into food systems. Similarly, emerging innovations belonging to the “digital agricultural revolution” are likewise accompanied by energy demands that may further exacerbate over-complexification. To reverse over-complexification, we discuss strategies including innovation by subtraction, agroecology, and disruptive technology.
Methodology for Designing Humanitarian Supply Chains: Distribution of COVID-19 Vaccines in Mexico
Authors: Hernández Gress Eva Selene , Hernández-Gress Neil , Contla Karen Sujo
Published: November 2021

This paper presents a methodology for designing a humanitarian supply chain (HSC) for immunization in Mexico. The study analyzes the abilities of HSCs provided in the literature and those that are relevant for the HSC vaccination in Mexico. In addition, the stakeholders involved in HSC for immunization were studied. A sentiment analysis of more than 900 newspaper articles was conducted to determine society’s perception of the government’s strategy for vaccine distribution. Considering these aspects and a review of the state-of-the-art in the design of supply chains, a methodology for HSC is proposed. Some of the findings are that resilience and agility, the most important abilities in HSCs in Mexico, can be achieved through government support and strong collaboration between different stakeholders, which was found to be the weakest point of the strategy. The problems observed in the vaccination strategy in Mexico were as follows: (1) a single physical space per municipality was defined for the application of the vaccine, (2) there is a shortage of vaccines, and (3) as far as we know, no methodology has been applied to carry out immunization. This approach considers the design of HSCs in terms of capabilities and stakeholders, which, to the best of our knowledge, is a novel aspect of the literature. This methodology can be used for various scenarios of HSCs in Mexico.
An Automatic Light Stress Grading Architecture Based on Feature Optimization and Convolutional Neural Network
Authors: Hao Xia , Zhang Man , Zhou Tianru , Guo Xuchao , Tomasetto Federico , Tong Yuxin , Wang Minjuan
Published: November 2021

The identification of light stress is crucial for light control in plant factories. Image-based lighting classification of leafy vegetables has exhibited remarkable performance with high convenience and economy. Convolutional Neural Network (CNN) has been widely used for crop image analysis because of its architecture, high accuracy and efficiency. Among them, large intra-class differences and small inter-class differences are important factors affecting crop identification and a critical challenge for fine-grained classification tasks based on CNN. To address this problem, we took the Lettuce (Lactuca sativa L.) widely grown in plant factories as the research object and constructed a leaf image set containing four stress levels. Then a light stress grading model combined with classic pre-trained CNN and Triplet loss function is constructed, which is named Tr-CNN. The model uses the Triplet loss function to constrain the distance of images in the feature space, which can reduce the Euclidean distance of the samples from the same class and increase the heterogeneous Euclidean distance. Multiple sets of experimental results indicate that the model proposed in this paper (Tr-CNN) has obvious advantages in light stress grading dataset and generalized dataset.
Estimation of Soil Nutrient Content Using Hyperspectral Data
Authors: Peng Yiping , Wang Lu , Zhao Li , Liu Zhenhua , Lin Chenjie , Hu Yueming , Liu Luo
Published: November 2021

Soil nutrients play a vital role in plant growth and thus the rapid acquisition of soil nutrient content is of great significance for agricultural sustainable development. Hyperspectral remote-sensing techniques allow for the quick monitoring of soil nutrients. However, at present, obtaining accurate estimates proves to be difficult due to the weak spectral features of soil nutrients and the low accuracy of soil nutrient estimation models. This study proposed a new method to improve soil nutrient estimation. Firstly, for obtaining characteristic variables, we employed partial least squares regression (PLSR) fit degree to select an optimal screening algorithm from three algorithms (Pearson correlation coefficient, PCC; least absolute shrinkage and selection operator, LASSO; and gradient boosting decision tree, GBDT). Secondly, linear (multi-linear regression, MLR; ridge regression, RR) and nonlinear (support vector machine, SVM; and back propagation neural network with genetic algorithm optimization, GABP) algorithms with 10-fold cross-validation were implemented to determine the most accurate model for estimating soil total nitrogen (TN), total phosphorus (TP), and total potassium (TK) contents. Finally, the new method was used to map the soil TK content at a regional scale using the soil component spectral variables retrieved by the fully constrained least squares (FCLS) method based on an image from the HuanJing-1A Hyperspectral Imager (HJ-1A HSI) of the Conghua District of Guangzhou, China. The results identified the GBDT-GABP was observed as the most accurate estimation method of soil TN ( of 0.69, the root mean square error of cross-validation (RMSECV) of 0.35 g kg−1 and ratio of performance to interquartile range (RPIQ) of 2.03) and TP ( of 0.73, RMSECV of 0.30 g kg−1 and RPIQ = 2.10), and the LASSO-GABP proved to be optimal for soil TK estimations ( of 0.82, RMSECV of 3.39 g kg−1 and RPIQ = 3.57). Additionally, the highly accurate LASSO-GABP-estimated soil TK (R2 = 0.79) reveals the feasibility of the LASSO-GABP method to retrieve soil TK content at the regional scale.
Temporal Changes Analysis of Soil Properties Associated with Ganoderma boninense Pat. Infection in Oil Palm Seedlings in a Controlled Environment
Authors: Aziz Mohd H. A. , Khairunniza-Bejo Siti , Wayayok Aimrun , Hashim Fazirulhisyam , Kondo Naoshi , Azmi Aiman N. N.
Published: November 2021

Basal stem rot (BSR) disease of oil palm (Elaeis guineensis Jacq.) spreads through the contact of the plant roots with Ganoderma boninense (G. boninense) Pat. inoculum in the soil. The soil properties can be altered by growing seedlings with or without G. boninense inoculum. In the early stage of infection, the symptoms are difficult to detect. Therefore, an understanding of the environmental soil conditions of the plant is crucial in order to indicate the presence of the fungus. This paper presents an analysis of the temporal changes of the soil properties associated with the G. boninense infection in oil palm seedlings. A total of 40 seedlings aged five months were used in the study, comprising 20 inoculated (infected seedlings: IS) and 20 control (healthy seedlings: HS) seedlings. The seedlings were grown in a greenhouse for six months (24 weeks) under a controlled environmental temperature and humidity. The data of the soil moisture content (MC in %), electrical conductivity (EC in µS/cm), and temperature (T in °C) for each seedling were collected daily using three MEC10 soil sensors every hour and then transferred to the ThingSpeak cloud using a 3G Internet connection. Based on the results, the mean MC and EC showed a decreasing trend, while the mean T showed an increasing trend in both HS and IS during the six-month monitoring period. The overall mean in both the monthly and weekly analysis of MC, EC, and T was higher in HS than IS. However, in the monthly analysis, a Student’s t-test at a 5% significance level showed that only the soil MC and EC were significantly different between HS and IS, while in the weekly analysis, HS was significantly different from IS in all parameters. This study suggests that soil MC, EC, and T can be used as indicators of the G. boninense infection, especially for the weekly data.
Phenological Assessment for Agronomic Suitability of Some Agastache Species Based on Standardized BBCH Scale
Authors: Vârban Rodica , Ona Andreea , Stoie Andrei , Vârban Dan , Crișan Ioana
Published: November 2021

Increasing interest in medicinal plants encourages the growers to consider extending their range of cultivated species. Acclimatization and adaptation of species introduced for cultivation in new areas remain a challenge of modern agriculture. One of the first steps for optimizing the cultivation technology is determining the plant phenology in the local conditions. Therefore, the aim of this research was to provide a standardized phenology scale for Agastache sp. and to apply it in assessing the suitability for cultivation in a local environment of some valuable Agastache species: Agastache scrophulariifolia, Agastache rugosa, Agastache mexicana, Agastache foeniculum and Agastache rugosa ‘After Eight’. During the vegetation period, nine growth stages were identified: germination/emergence, leaf development, formation of side shoots, stem elongation, inflorescence emergence, flowering, fruit development, fruit maturity, senescence and beginning of resting. Observations conducted over two years revealed that the vegetation period increased from 168.8 ± 3.51 days in the first year to 199.0 ± 1.82 days in the second year. In both vegetation periods, the flowering phenophase predominated, but the abundance of precipitations shortened the flowering duration in the second year. The duration of phenophases was highly influenced by growing degree days. Phenological assessment based on a standardized scale can be a useful tool for evaluating cultivation potential and the planning of technological resources.
Advances in the Registration of Farmers’ Varieties: Four Cases from the Global South
Authors: De Jonge Bram , López Noriega Isabel , Otieno Gloria , Cadima Ximena , Terrazas Franz , Hpommalath Siviengkhek , van Oudenhoven Frederik , Shrestha Santosh , Pudasaini Niranjan , Singh Shrestha Deepa , Gauchan Devendra , Kasasa Patrick , Bwerazuva Tsungai , Mujaju Claid , Manjengwa Sipiwe
Published: November 2021

Over the last few decades, there has been a growing appreciation of crop varieties developed by local farmers, commonly referred to as farmers’ varieties. These varieties often have attractive characteristics for both producers and consumers, such as adaptability to harsh environmental conditions and high nutritional values. Yet they are usually not sold in formal markets, and tend to be limited to farmers’ seed systems. This is partially due to national seed laws that, in an effort to guarantee good quality seed of uniform and stable varieties, create obstacles for farmers’ varieties to reach the market. This article describes the experiences of four countries—Bolivia, Laos, Nepal and Zimbabwe—that are developing alternative variety registration systems for farmers’ varieties. Most of these cases have never been documented before. The cases present the main drivers behind and approaches to the registration of farmers’ varieties in different legal contexts and at different stages of development. We conclude that farmers’ variety registration systems can generate benefits including faster and cheaper variety releases, improved farmer incomes, and a larger diversity of well-adapted varieties in the market—but some important issues are still to be resolved.
Aflatoxin Accumulation in a Maize Diallel Cross Containing Inbred Lines with Expired Plant Variety Protection
Authors: Smith Jesse Spencer , Williams William Paul
Published: November 2021

In-field infection of maize (Zea mays L.) ears by the fungus Aspergillus flavus Link:Fr causes pre-harvest aflatoxin contamination of maize grain. Germplasm lines with host-plant resistance to aflatoxin accumulation are available to breeders, but these lines often possess undesirable agronomic characteristics. Commercial lines with expired plant variety protection (ex-PVP lines) are a potential source of elite germplasm available to public maize breeders. A diallel cross containing three aflatoxin-accumulation-resistant germplasm lines and seven ex-PVP lines were evaluated in replicated trials for aflatoxin contamination after artificial inoculation and for yield. The resistant germplasm lines Mp313E, Mp715, and Mp717 were the only lines with significant general combining ability (GCA) for reduced aflatoxin accumulation. Of the ex-PVP lines evaluated, the Stiff-Stalk line F118 was the most promising line to use in breeding crosses. Based on its GCA, it was the only ex-PVP line that did not significantly increase aflatoxin and the only ex-PVP line that significantly increased yield. Second-cycle breeding lines derived from crosses between F118 and the resistant donor lines will be valuable if they combine the donor lines’ disease resistance with F118’s earlier maturity while introgressing the disease resistance into a genetic background that aligns with the industry’s well-defined heterotic groups.
Desert Locust Stopped by Tibetan Highlands during the 2020 Upsurge
Authors: Liu Jun , Lecoq Michel , Zhang Long
Published: November 2021

Desert locust is an important pest to agriculture. In 2019–2020, a major upsurge originated in the southern Arabian Peninsula and gradually spread to east Africa, then to south-west Asia, as far as Pakistan and India, even reaching Nepal, resulting in major agricultural losses. For the first time, a few swarms entered southern Tibet. Using field observations and experiments, we studied their path to the Tibetan plateau and their behavior at these very high altitudes. The locusts moved up the Tibetan valleys from low-lying areas (1700 m) to much higher elevations (5400 m). The low temperatures and high humidity put them under severe stress; their activities were limited, and they did not survive long or produce local offspring. It is clear that the high-altitude environmental conditions in the Himalayan mountains provided an important natural barrier that limited the northward expansion of the desert locust populations.
The Segmented Colour Feature Extreme Learning Machine: Applications in Agricultural Robotics
Authors: Sadgrove Edmund J. , Falzon Greg , Miron David , Lamb David W.
Published: November 2021

This study presents the Segmented Colour Feature Extreme Learning Machine (SCF-ELM). The SCF-ELM is inspired by the Extreme Learning Machine (ELM) which is known for its rapid training and inference times. The ELM is therefore an ideal candidate for an ensemble learning algorithm. The Colour Feature Extreme Learning Machine (CF-ELM) is used in this study due to its additional ability to extract colour image features. The SCF-ELM is an ensemble learner that utilizes feature mapping via k-means clustering, a decision matrix and majority voting. It has been evaluated on a range of challenging agricultural object classification scenarios including weed, livestock and machinery detection. SCF-ELM model performance results were excellent both in terms of detection, 90 to 99% accuracy, and also inference times, around 0.01(s) per image. The SCF-ELM was able to compete or improve upon established algorithms in its class, indicating its potential for remote computing applications in agriculture.
Evaluation of Seed Dormancy, One of the Key Domestication Traits in Chickpea
Authors: Sedláková Veronika , Hanáček Pavel , Grulichová Marie , Zablatzká Lenka , Smýkal Petr
Published: November 2021

Legume seed dormancy has been altered during the domestication process, resulting in non-dormant seeds with a testa that is readily permeable for water. Ultimately, this provides fast and uniform germination, in contrast to dormant seeds of the wild progenitor. To date, germination and seed dormancy were studied mostly in relation to two types of cultivated chickpea: kabuli and desi. We studied seed dormancy, from physiological and anatomical perspectives, in chickpea crops and compared cultivated chickpeas to the wild chickpea progenitor and set of recombinant inbred lines (RIL). There was significant difference in the macrosclereid length of parental genotypes. Cultivated chickpea (C. arietinum, ICC4958) had mean of 125 µm, while wild C. reticulatum (PI48977) had a mean of 165 µm. Histochemical staining of the seed coat also showed differences, mainly in terms of Sudan Red detection of lipidic substances. Imbibition and germination were tested and several germination coefficients were calculated. Cultivated chickpea seeds imbibed readily within 24 h, while the germination percentage of wild chickpea at various times was 36% (24 h), 46% (48 h), 60% (72 h) and reached 100% only after 20 days. RIL lines showed a broader distribution. This knowledge will ultimately lead to the identification of the underlying molecular mechanism of seed dormancy in chickpea, as well as allowing comparison to phylogenetically related legumes, such as pea, lentil and faba bean, and could be utilized in chickpea breeding programs.
The Ancient Varieties of Mountain Maize: The Inheritance of the Pointed Character and Its Effect on the Natural Drying Process
Authors: Sangiorgio Stefano , Colombo Federico , Ghidoli Martina , Giupponi Luca , Ferro Giulio , Ferro Carlo Giovanni , Cassani Elena , Landoni Michela , Pilu Roberto
Published: November 2021

The introduction of mechanized agricultural practices after the Second World War and the use of productive hybrids led to a gradual disappearance of local maize varieties. However, 13 landraces are still cultivated in North-Western Italy, in the Lombardy region; those that are cultivated in mountainous areas (roughly up to 1200 m in altitude) are often characterized by the pointed shape of their seeds (i.e., “Nero Spinoso”, “Rostrato Rosso di Rovetta”, “Spinato di Gandino” and “Scagliolo di Carenno”) and the presence of pigments (i.e., “Nero Spinoso”, “Rostrato Rosso di Rovetta”). The pointed shape of the seeds is an ancient characteristic of maize-ancestors, which negatively affects the yield by not allowing optimal “filling” of the ear. This study reports work on four different Italian varieties of pointed maize in order to assess the genetic bases of the “pointed character” and to try to explain the reasons for this adaptation to the mountain environment. The data obtained by genetic analysis, seed air-drying modeling and thermographic camera observations demonstrated that the “pointed trait” is controlled by the same genes across the different varieties studied and suggested that this peculiar shape has been selected in mountainous areas because it promotes faster drying of the seed, with the presence of pigments implementing this effect.
Prevalence of Infection with Porcine Circovirus Types 2 and 3 in the Wild Boar Population in the Campania Region (Southern Italy)
Authors: Amoroso Maria Grazia , Serra Francesco , Esposito Claudia , D’Alessio Nicola , Ferrara Gianmarco , Cioffi Barbara , Anzalone Antonietta , Pagnini Ugo , De Carlo Esterina , Fusco Giovanna , Montagnaro Serena
Published: November 2021

In recent years, porcine circovirus (PCV) infection has been documented as an important and emerging health concern for livestock and wildlife worldwide. The purpose of the present study was to assess the molecular prevalence of PCV-2 and PCV-3 and to clarify the epidemiological role of wild boars in the circulation of this virus in Campania, Southern Italy. For this purpose, samples from several organs were collected during the hunting season 2017–2018 from 148 wild boars in the Campania region. Quantitative real-time PCR was used for the detection and quantification of PCV-2 and PCV-3 genomes. The combined prevalence of PCV-2 and PCV-3 was 74.32% in the wild boars tested. The proportions of wild boars positive for PCV-2 or PCV-3, or coinfected, were 47.30%, 49.32%, and 22.30%, respectively. No link was detected between PCV positivity and location, but gender was a risk factor for the disease (female; p < 0.0001; OR 0.29). Furthermore, our study provides a snapshot of PCV-2 and PCV-3 circulation in wild boars in the Campania region: our findings can help us to better understand the role of wildlife in PCV circulation.
Sequence Variation in the Bovine Lipin-1 Gene (LPIN1) and Its Association with Milk Fat and Protein Contents in New Zealand Holstein-Friesian × Jersey (HF × J)-cross Dairy Cows
Authors: Du Xiaohua , Zhou Huitong , Liu Xia , Li Yunhai , Hickford Jonathan G. H.
Published: November 2021

Lipin-1 is known to play a regulatory role in tissues that function in lipid metabolism. In dairy cows, the lipin-1 gene (LPIN1) is highly expressed in the mammary gland, but its function in milk production is less understood. In this study, we used PCR-single strand conformation polymorphism analysis to investigate sequence variation in three regions of bovine LPIN1 in New Zealand Holstein-Friesian × Jersey (HF × J)-cross dairy cows, including part of the 5′ non-coding region, the region containing the LPIN1β-spliced exon, and the sixth coding exon that encodes the putative transcriptional activating domain of the protein. No variation was found in the LPIN1β-spliced exon, but two sequence variants containing one single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) were identified in the 5′ non-coding region and four sequence variants containing four non-synonymous SNPs were identified in the sixth coding exon. Among the three common variants of the sixth coding exon, variant C was found to be associated with an increase in milk fat percentage (presence 4.96 ± 0.034% vs. absence 4.81 ± 0.050%; p = 0.006) and milk protein percentage (presence 4.09 ± 0.017% vs. absence 3.99 ± 0.025%; p = 0.001), but no associations (p > 0.01) were detected for milk yield. These results suggest that variation in LPIN1 affect the synthesis of fat and proteins in milk and has potential as a gene-marker to improve milk production traits.
Evaluation of Statistical Process Control Techniques in Monitoring Weekly Body Condition Scores as an Early Warning System for Predicting Subclinical Ketosis in Dry Cows
Authors: Li Shangru , Wei Xiaoli , Song Jiamei , Zhang Chengrui , Zhang Yonggen , Sun Yukun
Published: November 2021

The management of body condition score (BCS) during the dry period is associated with the postpartum health outcomes of dairy cows. However, the difference between the actual BCS and the fixed ideal value is not able to accurately predict the occurrence of postpartum diseases. This study aimed to use statistical process control (SPC) technology to monitor the BCS of dry cows, to evaluate the effect of control charts on nutritional strategies, and to explore the utility of SPC in predicting the incidence of postpartum subclinical ketosis (SCK). The BCS and SCK data of 286 cows from the dry off period to 60 days postpartum were collected to set up the early warning function. Three control charts, including a control chart for the average BCS of the herds, for the BCS of each dry cow, and for individual BCS, were established. The early warning signs for postpartum SCK development were: (1) an individual BCS more than 3.5 that remained unchanged for six weeks; (2) a capability index (CPK), an SPC tool, greater than −0.52. Using these parameters, the early warning signs of SCK development were verified in 429 dry cows. The results showed that the accuracy of early warning signal was 0.64 and the precision was 0.26. The control chart showed that the average BCS of dry cows was consistently higher than the expected upper limit of BCS during the experimental period, and that the addition of new cows to the herds increased the average BCS. In summary, the application of SPC technology to monitor the BCS of dry cows was not a good tool for the prediction of postpartum SCK occurrence but was an appropriate tool for guiding positive nutrition strategies.