bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Nationwide Assessment of Knowledge and Perception in Reinforcing Telemedicine in the Age of COVID-19 Among Medical Students From Pakistan
Authors: Kazmi Sana , Yasmin Farah , Siddiqui Sarush Ahmed , Shah Muzhgan , Tariq Rabbia , Nauman Hamza , Saeed Usama , Hassan Amir , Asghar Muhammad Sohaib , Hussain Tooba
Published: March 2022

The urgency for telemedicine is felt during the COVID-19 pandemic which has rendered the world shut by enforcing quarantines and lockdowns. Many developing countries including Pakistan have inadequate telehealth care services that limited access to rural and remote areas. A cross-sectional survey was carried out among medical students i.e., both preclinical and clinical enrolled in various medical colleges from all provinces of Pakistan to determine their Knowledge, Attitude and Perception regarding the use of Telemedicine during the COVID-19 Pandemic. A total of 398 respondents were included in this preliminary survey. Knowledgeable scores were calculated, from a maximum obtainable score of 7. The mean knowledge was found to be significantly associated with age, province, and year of study (p-value < 0.05). Attitude scores were calculated from a maximum obtainable score of 10. All the independent variables failed to reach a significant (p < 0.05) association with the mean attitude of respondents about telemedicine. Perception scores were calculated from a maximum obtainable score of 8. Residents of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa are more likely to know about telemedicine than Balochistan (p = 0.022) on univariate regression. We identified, lack of knowledge and training for telemedicine in medical institutes. It is crucial to assess the knowledge of medical students regarding telemedicine to comprehend, and evaluate their attitude as future doctors who can play a significant role in establishing telemedicine services in the health care system.
“Does Institutional Quality, Natural Resources, Globalization, and Renewable Energy Contribute to Environmental Pollution in China? Role of Financialization”
Authors: Ameer Waqar , Amin Azka , Xu Helian
Published: March 2022

Our study explores the impact of financialization on carbon emissions by utilizing diverse financialization proxies, particularly for China. We examine the impact of financialization, institutional quality, globalization, natural resources, trade openness, and renewable and nonrenewable energy consumption on environmental pollution over the period 1996–2017 by utilizing dynamic autoregressive distributed lag (ARDL) simulations. The empirical findings of the study indicate that institutional quality, trade, globalization, natural resources, and renewable energy consumption significantly decrease environmental pollution in the long run, while foreign direct investment and financialization have neutral effects on carbon emissions. Our findings demonstrate that a 1% increase in institutional quality, trade, IFDI, renewable energy, and globalization leads to a decrease in CO2 emissions by 0.198, 0.016, 0.075, 0.010, and 0.072%, respectively. Even though financialization indexes contributed insignificantly to environmental degradation, other explanatory variables significantly affected carbon emissions through indirect effects of financialization. Financialization indexes behave in a similar context, and these proxy indicators are good parameters to understand the complex nature of financialization. Moreover, in order to achieve low carbon emissions and sustainable development, countries need viable financial institutions that focus on green growth by promoting clean production process strategies to ensure the reduction of CO2 emissions.
An Augmented Artificial Intelligence Approach for Chronic Diseases Prediction
Authors: Rashid Junaid , Batool Saba , Kim Jungeun , Wasif Nisar Muhammad , Hussain Amir , Juneja Sapna , Kushwaha Riti
Published: March 2022

Chronic diseases are increasing in prevalence and mortality worldwide. Early diagnosis has therefore become an important research area to enhance patient survival rates. Several research studies have reported classification approaches for specific disease prediction. In this paper, we propose a novel augmented artificial intelligence approach using an artificial neural network (ANN) with particle swarm optimization (PSO) to predict five prevalent chronic diseases including breast cancer, diabetes, heart attack, hepatitis, and kidney disease. Seven classification algorithms are compared to evaluate the proposed model's prediction performance. The ANN prediction model constructed with a PSO based feature extraction approach outperforms other state-of-the-art classification approaches when evaluated with accuracy. Our proposed approach gave the highest accuracy of 99.67%, with the PSO. However, the classification model's performance is found to depend on the attributes of data used for classification. Our results are compared with various chronic disease datasets and shown to outperform other benchmark approaches. In addition, our optimized ANN processing is shown to require less time compared to random forest (RF), deep learning and support vector machine (SVM) based methods. Our study could play a role for early diagnosis of chronic diseases in hospitals, including through development of online diagnosis systems.
How Do Collective Efficiency and Norms Influence the Social Resilience of Iranian Villagers Against the COVID-19? The Mediating Role of Social Leadership
Authors: Valizadeh Naser , Ghazani Ezatollah , Akbari Morteza , Shekarkhah Javad
Published: April 2022

The main purpose of the present research was to investigate the effects of collective efficacy and norms on the social resilience against the COVID-19 with the mediating role of social leadership. To this end, a cross-sectional survey was carried out in the Kerman and Fars provinces of Iran. Finally, 206 villagers were selected as the sample for collecting the required information. The research tool was a close-ended questionnaire whose validity and reliability was evaluated and confirmed. The results of testing direct hypotheses using structural equation modeling revealed that collective efficacy, social leadership, and norms had significant positive effects on social resilience against the COVID-19 pandemic. Comparison of the standardized effects demonstrated that collective efficacy is the most powerful predictor of the social resilience of villagers. Furthermore, testing indirect (mediation) hypotheses revealed that social leadership can successfully mediate the effect of collective efficacy on social resilience against the COVID-19. Investigating the moderated indirect hypotheses showed that governmental supports moderated the effect of collective efficacy on social resilience. Taken together, the independent variables could account for 62% of social resilience variance change. In the end, the practitioners, decision-makers, and interveners of the COVID-19 management programs in rural communities were provided with some applicable recommendations to be able to foster social resilience against the COVID-19.
AEROS: AdaptivE RObust Least-Squares for Graph-Based SLAM
Authors: Ramezani Milad , Mattamala Matias , Fallon Maurice
Published: April 2022

In robot localisation and mapping, outliers are unavoidable when loop-closure measurements are taken into account. A single false-positive loop-closure can have a very negative impact on SLAM problems causing an inferior trajectory to be produced or even for the optimisation to fail entirely. To address this issue, popular existing approaches define a hard switch for each loop-closure constraint. This paper presents AEROS, a novel approach to adaptively solve a robust least-squares minimisation problem by adding just a single extra latent parameter. It can be used in the back-end component of the SLAM system to enable generalised robust cost minimisation by simultaneously estimating the continuous latent parameter along with the set of sensor poses in a single joint optimisation. This leads to a very closely curve fitting on the distribution of the residuals, thereby reducing the effect of outliers. Additionally, we formulate the robust optimisation problem using standard Gaussian factors so that it can be solved by direct application of popular incremental estimation approaches such as iSAM. Experimental results on publicly available synthetic datasets and real LiDAR-SLAM datasets collected from the 2D and 3D LiDAR systems show the competitiveness of our approach with the state-of-the-art techniques and its superiority on real world scenarios.
Attenuated Lower Limb Stretch-Shorten-Cycle Capacity in ACL Injured vs. Non-Injured Female Alpine Ski Racers: Not Just a Matter of Between-Limb Asymmetry
Authors: Jordan Matthew J. , Morris Nathaniel , Nimphius Sophia , Aagaard Per , Herzog Walter
Published: March 2022

A retrospective analysis of routine countermovement jump (CMJ) testing, a coupled eccentric-concentric (stretch-shorten-cycle: SSC) movement, was performed in female elite alpine skiers with anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) reconstruction (ACLR) and without ACLR. A total of 567 tests obtained from the daily training environment were analyzed in 41 elite female athletes (non-injured control: n = 30, ACLR: n = 17), including n = 6 athletes with pre-injury data, between 16 and 32 years of age from alpine ski racing (n = 32) and skier cross (n = 9). Bilateral CMJ testing was conducted on a dual force plate system, and the limb-specific vertical ground reaction force (Fz) was analyzed to obtain the net eccentric deceleration impulse (Ecc), lower limb stiffness (Stiff), maximal vertical jump height (JH), peak external mechanical power (PP) exerted on the body center of mass (BCM), modified-reactive-strength-index (RSImod), and the loss in BCM velocity during the final phase of the takeoff Δ(Vmax–Vtakeoff). Eccentric and concentric phase-specific between-limb asymmetry indexes (AIs) were also calculated. Additive mixed effects models (AMMs) were used to compare the age-dependent and post-injury time course change between groups. The mean values for non-injured controls >25 years of age were used as a comparative benchmark for recovery given the absence of pre-injury data. Net eccentric deceleration impulse increased and Δ(Vmax–Vtakeoff) decreased with age for the non-injured control group (p < 0.001) while between-limb AI (mean ± SD) fell between 1 ± 5% for the concentric phase and 3 ± 7% for the eccentric deceleration phase. Between-limb asymmetry became smaller in ACLR skiers with time-from-surgery to reach non-injured control values by 2 years, but SSC function, such as JH and PP, remained depressed up to 5 years post-surgery (p < 0.01), indicating impairments in SSC function. This highlights the importance of evaluating SSC performance capacity alongside vertical jump force-time asymmetries in female ACLR alpine skiers.
Subserous Cystic Adenomyosis: A Case Report and Review of the Literature
Authors: Xu Tongtong , Li Yue , Jiang Lili , Liu Qifang , Liu Kuiran
Published: March 2022

Introduction

Cystic adenomyosis is a rare type of adenomyosis that often occurs in adolescents or women of childbearing age. Due to the few reports of this case, its clinical characteristics have not been clearly established.

Case Presentation

We treated a 32-year-old married patient with cystic adenomyosis that reported persistent abdominal pain and massive vaginal bleeding, so an emergency laparotomy was performed. The intraoperative findings and post-operative pathology proved that the diagnosis was correct. The prognosis of the patient is good, and there is no recurrence within 3 months after surgery.

Results

Surgery is the most effective way to treat cystic adenomyosis. Ultrasound and magnetic resonance are the most effective auxiliary examinations for diagnosing the disease.

Conclusion

Cystic adenomyosis is a sporadic disease. This article summarizes this condition's clinical manifestations, pathological features, diagnosis, treatment, and prognosis by reviewing the existing literature and the case presented in this report. It is noteworthy that early diagnosis and individualized treatment strategies can improve patients' quality of life.
Challenge in Diagnosis and Treatment of Ectopic Hepatocellular Carcinoma: A Case Report and Literature Review
Authors: Liu Qicen , Li Jingyi , Pan Yi , Zheng Xiang , Gao Bin
Published: March 2022

Background

Findings of ectopic hepatocellular carcinoma (EHCC) have been rarely documented. Complicated clinical features and unpredictable medical prognosis make diagnosis and treatment difficult.

Case Presentation

We reported a 59-year-old male patient who came to the hospital with epigastric discomfort and regurgitation of gastric acid. An enhanced CT scan revealed a 1.8 cm × 1.4 cm mass in the tail of pancreas without any positive finding in the liver. Postoperative MRI scan was performed but did not reveal any evidence of hepatic tumor. The tumor was resected in toto. Meanwhile, a 1 cm × 1 cm mass in the body of the stomach was found that was removed simultaneously. Histopathology showed that the pancreatic tumor was ectopic hepatocellular carcinoma (EHCC), and that the gastric nodule was gastrointestinal stromal tumor (GIST). The patient had an uneventful postoperative recovery. He has been living without recurrence for over 7 years since surgery. Owing to our knowledge, this is the second-longest disease-free survival time for EHCC in the literature.

Conclusion

Here, we present a rare case of EHCC in the pancreas, and review the current literature on EHCC. Operation was an effective treatment for patients with curable EHCC. EHCC with metastasis still needs more practice to improve the poor prognosis.
Preoperative Three-Dimensional Lung Simulation Before Thoracoscopic Anatomical Segmentectomy for Lung Cancer: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis
Authors: Xiang Zhongtian , Wu Bo , Zhang Xiang , Feng Nan , Wei Yiping , Xu Jianjun , Zhang Wenxiong
Published: March 2022

Background

Whether the utilization of preoperative three-dimensional (3D) lung simulation can improve the outcomes of segmentectomy for lung cancer (LC) is still controversial. Our meta-analysis was performed to compare preoperative 3D lung simulation with non-3D procedures in terms of perioperative outcomes.

Methods

Seven databases (Embase, Ovid Medline, ScienceDirect, PubMed, Web of Science, Cochrane Library, and Scopus) were searched for eligible articles. Intraoperative outcomes (conversion, operative time, etc.), postoperative indicators (postoperative hospital stay, total number of complications, etc.) and postoperative complications were endpoints.

Results

After applying predefined inclusion criteria, we included 8 studies and 989 patients (3D group: 552 patients; non-3D group: 437 patients) in our meta-analysis. The results of the meta-analysis showed that preoperative 3D lung simulation could significantly decrease the blood loss (mean difference [MD]: −16.21 [−24.95 to −7.47]ml, p = 0.0003), operative time (MD: −13.03 [−25.56 to −0.50]ml, p = 0.04), conversion rate (conversion from segmentectomy to thoracotomy or lobectomy) (MD: 0.12 [0.03–0.48], p = 0.003), postoperative hospital stay (MD: −0.25 [−0.46 to 0.04]days, p = 0.02) and total number of complications (MD: 0.59 [0.43–0.82], p = 0.001) compared with non-3D procedures. The number of resected lymph nodes (LNs), postoperative drainage time, postoperative forced expiratory volume in the first second (postoperative FEV1) and postoperative drainage volume were similar in the two groups. Arrhythmia (5.30%), pulmonary air leakage (2.72%), atrial fibrillation (2.20%), pulmonary infection (2.04%), and pneumonia (1.73%) were the top 5 postoperative complications in the 3D group.

Conclusions

Preoperative 3D lung simulation was better than non-3D procedures in segmentectomy for LC, with better intraoperative and postoperative outcomes. However, our results should be confirmed in larger prospective randomized controlled trials.

Systematic Review Registration

PROSPERO, identifier: CRD42021275020.
Retrospective Evaluation of the Use and Complications of Small-Bore Wire-Guided Thoracostomy Tubes in Dogs and Cats: 156 Cases (2007–2019)
Authors: Boullhesen Williams Tomas , Fletcher Daniel , Fusco Jacqueline , Bichoupan Allison , Weikert Lisa , Barenas Mario , Menard Julie
Published: March 2022

Background

Small-bore wire-guided thoracostomy tubes (SBWGTT) are commonly used in small animals for management of pleural space disease. We aimed to evaluate the indications, placement locations, types of complications, and complication rate of small-bore wire-guided thoracostomy tube placements in dogs and cats in a university setting.

Methods

Electronic medical records of patients that underwent SBWGTT placement were reviewed. Signalment, disease, outcome, indication for thoracostomy tube, placement location, number of attempts, diagnostic imaging, number, and type (insertional, technical, and infectious) of complications were recorded. Logistic regression analysis was performed to determine risk factors for complications.

Results

A hundred fifty-six cases were identified between 2007 and 2019. Traumatic pneumothorax (33%), pyothorax (25%), and spontaneous pneumothorax (16%) were the most common indications for placement of a SBWGTT. Complications developed in 50 cases (32%). Technical and insertional complications accounted for 21.7% and 14.1% of all cases. Infectious complications were rare with 3.1% of all cases. Pneumothorax (19%), soft tissue swelling at insertion site (14%), and kinking of the chest tube (13%) were most common. Accidental lung perforation was reported in 5/50 complications (7%). Multiple chest tube placement attempts were associated with complications (OR = 6.01 CI: 2.13 to 16.93 p = 0.0007).

Conclusions

Complications of SBWGTT placement occurred in one third of cases. Serious complications such as accidental lung perforation was reported in two cases. Complications were associated with number of attempts.
Metronomic Chemotherapy for Palliative Treatment of Malignant Oral Tumors in Dogs
Authors: Milevoj Nina , Nemec Ana , Tozon Nataša
Published: March 2022

The aim of this study was to evaluate the efficacy of metronomic chemotherapy in the palliative treatment of various malignant oral tumors in dogs. Our focus was to determine the effect of treatment on local disease control and to assess the tolerability and safety of the treatment in dogs with various oral malignancies. Metronomic chemotherapy with cyclophosphamide was used to treat 12 dogs and was combined with non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs in 6/12 (50%) of dogs. A clinical benefit was observed in 6/12 (50%) patients 1 month and in 4/12 (33%) 3 months after treatment initiation. The median survival time of the dogs was 155 days (range 21–529 days). At the end of the observation period, the disease had progressed in 10/12 (83.3%) of the patients. Sterile hemorrhagic cystitis was the most commonly reported side effect of treatment, occurring in 4/12 (33.3%) dogs. The results of our study suggest that metronomic chemotherapy with cyclophosphamide can be, in a subset of dogs, beneficial in the palliation of malignant oral tumors.
Reducing the Glucose Level in Pre-treatment Solution Improves Post-thaw Boar Sperm Quality
Authors: Zhu Zhendong , Zhang Weijing , Li Rongnan , Zeng Wenxian
Published: March 2022

Frozen–thawed boar sperm was not widely used in pig artificial insemination as the sperm quality was damaged by biochemical and physical modifications during the cryopreservation process. The aim of this study was to investigate whether reduction of the glucose level in diluted medium could protect the post-thaw boar sperm or not. Boar sperm was diluted with the pre-treatment medium with different doses of glucose (153, 122.4, 91.8, 61.2, 30.6, and 0 mM) during the cooling process. The sperm motility patterns and glycolysis were evaluated during the cooling process. Meanwhile, the post-thaw sperm quality, ATP level, mitochondrial function as well as apoptosis were also measured. It was observed that 153 mM glucose treatment showed the highest glycolysis in boar sperm as the activities of hexokinase, fructose-bisphosphate aldolase A, and lactate dehydrogenase are the highest as well as the lactate level. Reduction of the glucose level from 153 to 30.6 mM suppressed sperm glycolysis. In addition, treatment with 153 mM glucose made the sperm demonstrate a circle-like movement along with a high value of curvilinear velocity and amplitude of the lateral head, while decreasing the glucose level reduced those patterns in the cooling process. Moreover, reduction of the glucose level also significantly increased the post-thaw sperm's total motility, progressive motility, straight-linear velocity, membrane integrity, and acrosome integrity. The treatment with 30.6 mM glucose showed the highest value among the treatments. Furthermore, the post-thaw sperm's succinate dehydrogenase activity, malate dehydrogenase activity, mitochondrial membrane potential as well as ATP level were increased by reducing the glucose level from 153 to 30.6 mM. Interestingly, the treatment with 30.6 mM glucose showed the lowest apoptosis of post-thaw sperm among the treatments. Those observations suggest that reduction of the glucose level in diluted medium increased the post-thaw boar sperm quality via decreasing the glycolytic metabolism. These findings provide novel insights that reduction of boar sperm activity via decreasing sperm glycolysis during the cooling process helps to improve the post-thaw sperm quality during cryopreservation.
Associations of the T329S Polymorphism in Flavin-Containing Monooxygenase 3 With Atherosclerosis and Fatty Liver Syndrome in 90-Week-Old Hens
Authors: Song Jianlou , Shi Xuefeng , Li Xianyu , Liang Qianni , Zeng Lingsen , Li Guangqi , Yan Yiyuan , Xu Guiyun , Zheng Jiangxia
Published: March 2022

This study aimed to evaluate the effects of the spontaneous genetic mutation T329S in flavin-containing monooxygenase 3 (FMO3) on atherosclerosis (AS), fatty liver syndrome (FLS), and adiposity in 90-week-old layers. At 90 weeks of age, 27 FMO3 genotyped Rhode Island White chickens (consisting of nine AA hens, nine AT hens, and nine TT hens) with normal laying performance were selected. The AS lesions, incidence of FLS, fat deposition, metabolic characteristics, and production performance of these egg-layers with different FMO3 genotypes were assessed. The T329S mutation in TT hens reduced the AS lesions (P < 0.01) and altered the plasma metabolic indices more than it did in the AA and AT hens. Furthermore, it reduced the incidence of FLS, hepatic triglyceride deposition (P < 0.05), liver indices (P < 0.05), and fat deposition (P < 0.05) in the subcutis and abdomen of TT hens compared to those of AA and AT hens. Moreover, as an effect of T329S, TT hens laid a higher than average number of eggs and maintained a higher egg-laying rate from 68 to 90 weeks than AA and AT hens. Our study confirmed that the T329S mutation in FMO3 could reduce the development of AS lesions, the incidence of FLS, and fat deposition, which are associated with changes in plasma and hepatic metabolic indices and improvements in the laying performance of older layers. Our results may provide a new strategy for using the T329S mutation to improve the health status and production performance of layers during the late laying period.
Multi-Level Fusion Model for Person Re-Identification by Attribute Awareness
Authors: Pei Shengyu , Fan Xiaoping
Published: March 2022

Existing person re-recognition (Re-ID) methods usually suffer from poor generalization capability and over-fitting problems caused by insufficient training samples. We find that high-level attributes, semantic information, and part-based local information alignment are useful for person Re-ID networks. In this study, we propose a person re-recognition network with part-based attribute-enhanced features. The model includes a multi-task learning module, local information alignment module, and global information learning module. The ResNet based on non-local and instance batch normalization (IBN) learns more discriminative feature representations. The multi-task module, local module, and global module are used in parallel for feature extraction. To better prevent over-fitting, the local information alignment module transforms pedestrian attitude alignment into local information alignment to assist in attribute recognition. Extensive experiments are carried out on the Market-1501 and DukeMTMC-reID datasets, whose results demonstrate that the effectiveness of the method is superior to most current algorithms.
Changes in Organic Carbon in Mineral Topsoil of a Formerly Cultivated Arenosol under Different Land Uses in Lithuania
Authors: Tripolskaja Liudmila , Kazlauskaite-Jadzevice Asta , Baksiene Eugenija , Razukas Almantas
Published: March 2022

This study aims to determine the differences in the organic carbon, humic acid (HA), and fulvic acid (FA) concentrations in the A and AB horizons, depending on land use, in order to determine the influence of the land use on the soil organic carbon (SOC) sequestration rate in the A horizon, and to assess the impact of the land use on the quality of the humic substances (HS) (the humification rate (HR) and the HA/FA ratio). On the basis of the data of 1995–2018, it would be expedient to convert cropland (CL) areas to fertilized managed grassland (MGfert) in order to increase the SOC accumulation (28%) in the Arenosol. In the unfertilized managed grassland (MGunfer) areas, the SOC accumulation in the A horizon was similar to that in the MGfert (p > 0.05); however, significantly less (−45.0%) HAs were formed, the HR decreased 2.8%, and the HA/FA ratio was 1.12%. This means that less stable humic substances were formed in the MGunfer soil. In the Arenosol, the fastest SOC sequestration took place in the AL and PP areas, the annual SOC stocks increased by 393 and 504 kg ha−1 year−1, respectively, and the HR increased to 19.1–21.3% (CLfert: 11.9%). However, these types of land use produce more FAs (14.5 and 32.5% more, respectively, compared to the MGfert, and 36.3 and 57.7% more, respectively, compared to the CLfert), which can lead to soil acidification and can accelerate eluvial processes. Because of the faster leaching of the FAs from the upper layers of the A horizon to the AB horizon, the humus type changes from humate–fulvate in the A horizon, to fulvate–humate in the AB horizon.
Online Detection and Classification of Moldy Core Apples by Vis-NIR Transmittance Spectroscopy
Authors: Zhang Kaixu , Jiang Hongzhe , Zhang Haicheng , Zhao Zequn , Yang Yingjie , Guo Shudan , Wang Wei
Published: March 2022

Apple moldy core disease is a common internal fungal disease. The online detection and classification of apple moldy core plays a vital role in apple postharvest processing. In this paper, an online non-destructive detection system for apple moldy core disease was developed using near-infrared transmittance spectroscopy in spectral range of 600–1100 nm. A total of 120 apple samples were selected and randomly divided into a training set and a test set based on the ratio of 2:1. First, basic parameters for detection of apples with moldy core were determined through detection experiments of samples in a stationary state. Due to the random distribution of the diseased tissue inside diseased apples, stationary detection cannot accurately identify the diseased tissue. To solve this problem, the spectra of apples in motion state transmitted forward by the transmission line were acquired. Three placement orientations of the apple in the carrying fruit cup were tested to explore the influence of fruit orientation on spectral characteristics and prediction. According to the performance of the model, the optimal preprocessing method and modeling method were determined (fixed orientation model and arbitrary orientation model). SPA was used to select the characteristic wavelengths to further improve the online detection speed. The overall results showed that the multi-spectra model using mean spectra of three orientations was the best. The prediction accuracies of multi-spectra model using SPA for three orientations were 96.7%, 97.5% and 97.5% respectively. As a conclusion, the arbitrary orientation model was beneficial to improve the online detection of apple moldy core disease.
Effects of Kaolin and Shading Net on the Ecophysiology and Berry Composition of Sauvignon Blanc Grapevines
Authors: Cataldo Eleonora , Fucile Maddalena , Mattii Giovan Battista
Published: April 2022

Rising temperatures in most viticultural regions are associated with a higher incidence of drastic weather circumstances such as heatwaves. The consequences are reflected in qualitative and quantitative white grapes characteristics. In fact, there is an enhancement in alcohol content and a jeopardized reduction in the aromatic potential. We performed a scientific test to assuage the bump of heatwaves and exposure of grapes on Vitis vinifera cv. “Sauvignon Blanc” with exposed vines (untreated) or with kaolin foliar treatment or with partial fruit-zone shading (shading net 30 and 70%). This work aimed to evaluate the effects of shading net (SD-30% and SD-70%) and foliar kaolin (K) treatment on physiology, technological maturity, and thiolic precursors in Italy during the 2020–2021 seasons. For this purpose, four treatments were established: SD-30% (green artificial shading net at 30%), SD-70% (green artificial shading net at 70%), K (foliar kaolin), and CTRL (no application). During the two vintages, single-leaf gas exchange appraisal, leaf temperature, berry temperature, chlorophyll fluorescence, pre-dawn, and leaf water potential were measured. Moreover, berry weight, pH, °Brix, acidity (technological maturity specifications), and the following thiolic precursors were analyzed: 3-S-glutathionylhexan-1-ol (Glut-3MH), S-4-(4-methylpentan-2-one)-L-cysteine (Cys-4MMP), and 3-S-cysteinylhexan-1-ol (Cys-3MH). SD-70% and K denoted less negative water potential, a lower berry temperature, and a higher level of all precursors than the other treatments. Acidity and sugar parameters indicated significant differences among treatments. The lower berry weight and the lower tartaric acidity were found in the CTRL treatment. In comparison, SD-70% and K showed lower and more balanced sugar contents. As a result of global warming, color shading net and kaolin have been demonstrated to be good practices to counterpoise the divergence between aromatic and technological maturity in Sauvignon Blanc grapevines.
Effect of Se-Enriched Irrigation Water and Soil Texture on Biomass Production and Elemental Composition of Green Pea and Carrot and Their Contribution to Human Se Intake
Authors: Ragályi Péter , Takács Tünde , Füzy Anna , Uzinger Nikolett , Dobosy Péter , Záray Gyula , Szűcs-Vásárhelyi Nóra , Rékási Márk
Published: April 2022

Selenium (Se)-deficient diets are a problem in large areas of the world and can have serious health consequences, thus, the biofortification of foods with Se has been an important research field for several decades. The effect of Se-enriched irrigation water was investigated regarding the Se concentration in green peas and carrots. A pot experiment was set up in a greenhouse with irrigation water containing 0, 100, and 500 µg Se L−1 with sand, silty sand and silt soil types. Most of the treatments only slightly reduced the biomass, while the 500 µg Se L−1 treatment caused a significant decrease in the dry weight of carrot root. Treatment with irrigation water containing 100 µg Se L−1 increased the Se content in green peas and carrots 76 and 75 times, respectively, producing foodstuffs where 100 g of a fresh product covered 395% and 92% of the recommended dietary allowance, respectively, averaged over the three soil types. The Se concentration was higher for green peas in sand and carrots in silt. The treatments had little effect on the concentrations of other nutrients. The enrichment of irrigation water with Se may thus be a suitable method for the biofortification and production of functional food under certain conditions.
Soil Nutrient Contents in East African Climate-Smart Villages: Effects of Climate-Smart Agriculture Interventions
Authors: Recha John Walker , Ambaw Gebermedihin , Nigussie Abebe , Radeny Maren , Solomon Dawit
Published: April 2022

Short-term and plot-level trials mostly produce data on the advantages of climate-smart agriculture (CSA) practices on food security in a changing climate. Previous studies evaluated only one or a combination of a few CSA practices that improved soil nutrients, particularly in the landscapes of East Africa; hence, it is difficult to draw general conclusions. In this study, we evaluated the effect of CSA practices portfolio on soil macronutrient (nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium) and micronutrient (manganese and zinc) levels in climate-smart villages (CSVs) in Uganda, Kenya, and Tanzania over a six-year period across different land uses such as agroforestry, cropland, grassland, forest, and control (without CSA practices). A total of 432 soil samples were collected at depths of 0–15, 15–45, and 45–100 cm, and analyzed for macro- and micronutrients. CSA practices increased total nitrogen (TN), phosphorus (P), and potassium (K) regardless of land use type or soil depth. TN, P, and K were mainly stored in surface soil (0–15 cm), accounting for 50.8–52.5%, 47.0–79.5%, and 34.2–65.5% respectively. Concentrations of Mn and Zn were 1.5–3.6 and 5.1–15.6 times greater under CSA than those under the control, respectively, at all soil depths. Results suggest that CSA practices implemented using the landscape approach contributed to improved soil fertility, which is critical in developing more sustainable and resilient production systems among smallholder farmers.
A Spatial Feature-Enhanced Attention Neural Network with High-Order Pooling Representation for Application in Pest and Disease Recognition
Authors: Kong Jianlei , Wang Hongxing , Yang Chengcai , Jin Xuebo , Zuo Min , Zhang Xin
Published: April 2022

With the development of advanced information and intelligence technologies, precision agriculture has become an effective solution to monitor and prevent crop pests and diseases. However, pest and disease recognition in precision agriculture applications is essentially the fine-grained image classification task, which aims to learn effective discriminative features that can identify the subtle differences among similar visual samples. It is still challenging to solve for existing standard models troubled by oversized parameters and low accuracy performance. Therefore, in this paper, we propose a feature-enhanced attention neural network (Fe-Net) to handle the fine-grained image recognition of crop pests and diseases in innovative agronomy practices. This model is established based on an improved CSP-stage backbone network, which offers massive channel-shuffled features in various dimensions and sizes. Then, a spatial feature-enhanced attention module is added to exploit the spatial interrelationship between different semantic regions. Finally, the proposed Fe-Net employs a higher-order pooling module to mine more highly representative features by computing the square root of the covariance matrix of elements. The whole architecture is efficiently trained in an end-to-end way without additional manipulation. With comparative experiments on the CropDP-181 Dataset, the proposed Fe-Net achieves Top-1 Accuracy up to 85.29% with an average recognition time of only 71 ms, outperforming other existing methods. More experimental evidence demonstrates that our approach obtains a balance between the model’s performance and parameters, which is suitable for its practical deployment in precision agriculture art applications.
Straw-Soil-Rotary Blade Interaction: Interactive Effects of Multiple Operation Parameters on the Straw Movement
Authors: Xu Gaoming , Xie Yixuan , Liang Lei , Ding Qishuo , Xie Huanxiong , Wang Jiannan
Published: March 2022

Conventional soil-tool interaction has been upgraded to straw-soil-tool interaction due to plenty of straw remains in the field after harvesting. Understanding the straw-soil-tool interaction relationship and quantifying the straw movement and distribution characteristics at various tillage operation parameters is critical for straw management and the design of tillage tools. Here, in order to investigate the interactive effects of key operation parameters on the displacement and burial of straw, a specific field test rig was developed to perform straw movement test. According to the singe-factor test and multifactor interactive experiment, we investigated the effect of straw length, tillage depth and rotary speed on straw movement, and established a mathematical model between operation parameters and straw movement. The results showed that the significant order of the influence on the displacement and burial of straw was as follows: the tillage depth, the straw length, the rotary speed. As determined by response surface analysis, the optimal combination of parameters for straw incorporation was straw length of 5 cm, tillage depth of 13 cm, and rotary speed of 320 rpm, and the corresponding straw burial rate and straw displacement were 95.5% and 27.6 cm, respectively. The relative errors of the optimization results are less than 5%. These results indicated that the mathematical model can be used to predict and evaluate straw movement. Therefore, it is feasible to enhance the straw incorporation performance by a reasonable setting of operation parameters, which may provide a comprehensive strategy to improve the working quality of tillage tools.
A Root Density Tradeoff in an Okra-Assisted Subsurface Pipe Drainage System for Amelioration of Saline Soil
Authors: Fang Dong , Guo Kai , Ameen Asif , Wang Shichao , Xie Jin , Liu Jintong , Han Lipu
Published: April 2022

Subsurface pipe drainage technology can effectively improve coastal saline land in Northern China. We explored an okra (Abelmoschus esculentus L.)-assisted subsurface pipe drainage system to improve the water and salt discharge performance and benefits. In this study, the simulation box experiment was conducted to research the response of water and salt discharge performance in subsurface pipe drainage to okra root weight density (RWD). The drain outflow, soil salinity, and sodium adsorption ratio were determined. The results showed that okra RWD affected the vertical distribution of okra roots. Okra with an appropriate RWD (about 116 μg·cm−3) could significantly increase the cumulative drain outflow. Okra with an appropriate RWD (about 136 μg·cm−3) could significantly increase the desalting effect. Moreover, the RWD of okra also influenced the ability of subsurface pipe drainage to inhibit soil alkalization. The above results show that planting okra and installing subsurface pipe drainage to control drainage at the coastal saline land in Northern China can effectively improve the water and salt drainage effect when okra RWD is about 116–136 μg·cm−3. When using subsurface pipe drainage to improve coastal saline soils, planting okra with proper density may be an appropriate choice to improve the effect and benefit.
Prevalence of Fox Tapeworm in Invasive Muskrats in Flanders (North Belgium)
Authors: Cartuyvels Emma , Adriaens Tim , Baert Kristof , Huysentruyt Frank , Van Den Berge Koen
Published: March 2022

One way in which invasive alien species affect their environment is by acting as pathogen hosts. Pathogens limited by the availability of the native host species can profit from the presence of additional hosts. The muskrat (Ondatra zibethicus) is known to act as an intermediate host for the fox tapeworm (Echinococcus multilocularis). From 2009 to 2017, 15,402 muskrats caught in Flanders and across the border with Wallonia and France were collected and dissected with the aim of understanding the prevalence of this parasite in muskrats. Visual examination of the livers revealed 202 infected animals (1.31%). Out of the 9421 animals caught in Flanders, we found 82 individuals (0.87%) infected with E. multilocularis. No increase in prevalence was observed during this study. All of the infected animals in Flanders were found in municipalities along the Walloon border. We did not observe a northward spread of E. multilocularis infection from Wallonia to Flanders. We hypothesise that the low prevalence is the result of the reduced availability of intermediate hosts and the successful control programme which is keeping muskrat densities in the centre of the region at low levels and is preventing influx from other areas. Our results illustrate that muskrats are good sentinels for E. multilocularis and regular screening can gain valuable insight into the spread of this zoonosis.
Distribution and Difference of Gastrointestinal Flora in Sheep with Different Body Mass Index
Authors: Cheng Jiangbo , Wang Weimin , Zhang Deyin , Zhang Yukun , Song Qizhi , Li Xiaolong , Zhao Yuan , Xu Dan , Zhao Liming , Li Wenxin , Wang Jianghui , Zhou Bubo , Lin Changchun , Zhang Xiaoxue
Published: March 2022

Fat deposition is the key factor affecting the efficiency of animal husbandry production. There are many factors affecting fat deposition, in which the gastrointestinal microbiota plays an important role. Therefore, the body mass index (BMI) was introduced into the evaluation of sheep fat deposition, and the different microbiota and functional pathways of the sheep gastrointestinal tract in different BMI groups were analyzed. We selected 5% of individuals with the highest and lowest BMI from a feed test population (357 in whole group). Microorganisms in 10 sites of the gastrointestinal tract in 36 individuals (18 in each group) were evaluated by 16S rRNA V3–V4 region sequencing. There were differences (p < 0.05) in fat deposition traits between different BMI groups. In the 10 parts of the gastrointestinal tract, the diversity and richness of cecal microflora in the high-BMI group were higher than those in low-BMI Hu sheep (p < 0.05). Principal coordinate analysis (PCoA) showed that there was separation of the cecum between groups, and there were differences in the cecal microbial community. Linear discriminant analysis effect size (LEfSe) showed that most biomarkers were in the cecum. On the basis of an indepth study of cecal microorganisms, 26 different bacterial genera were obtained (p < 0.05). Correlation analysis between them and the characteristics of fat deposition in sheep showed that Colidextribacter, Alloprevotella, and Succenivibrio were positively correlated with fat deposition, while Lachnospiraceae_ND3007_Group was negatively correlated (p < 0.05). The above results show that the cecum may be an important part leading to the difference of BMI in sheep, and its microorganisms may affect the level of fat deposition.
Effects of Monovalent Salt on Protein-Protein Interactions of Dilute and Concentrated Monoclonal Antibody Formulations
Authors: Xu Amy Y. , Clark Nicholas J. , Pollastrini Joseph , Espinoza Maribel , Kim Hyo-Jin , Kanapuram Sekhar , Kerwin Bruce , Treuheit Michael J. , Krueger Susan , McAuley Arnold , Curtis Joseph E.
Published: April 2022

In this study, we used sodium chloride (NaCl) to extensively modulate non-specific protein-protein interactions (PPI) of a humanized anti-streptavidin monoclonal antibody class 2 molecule (ASA-IgG2). The changes in PPI with varying NaCl (CNaCl) and monoclonal antibody (mAb) concentration (CmAb) were assessed using the diffusion interaction parameter kD and second virial coefficient B22 measured from solutions with low to moderate CmAb. The effective structure factor S(q)eff measured from concentrated mAb solutions using small-angle X-ray and neutron scattering (SAXS/SANS) was also used to characterize the PPI. Our results found that the nature of net PPI changed not only with CNaCl, but also with increasing CmAb. As a result, parameters measured from dilute and concentrated mAb samples could lead to different predictions on the stability of mAb formulations. We also compared experimentally determined viscosity results with those predicted from interaction parameters, including kD and S(q)eff. The lack of a clear correlation between interaction parameters and measured viscosity values indicates that the relationship between viscosity and PPI is concentration-dependent. Collectively, the behavior of flexible mAb molecules in concentrated solutions may not be correctly predicted using models where proteins are considered to be uniform colloid particles defined by parameters derived from low CmAb.
Correction: Morroni et al. Antimicrobial Activity of Aztreonam in Combination with Old and New β-Lactamase Inhibitors against MBL and ESBL Co-Producing Gram-Negative Clinical Isolates: Possible Options for the Treatment of Complicated Infections. Antibiotics 2021, 10, 1341
Authors: Morroni Gianluca , Bressan Raffaela , Fioriti Simona , D’Achille Gloria , Mingoia Marina , Cirioni Oscar , Di Bella Stefano , Piazza Aurora , Comandatore Francesco , Mauri Carola , Migliavacca Roberta , Luzzaro Francesco , Principe Luigi , Lagatolla Cristina
Published: March 2022

Results have been implemented with additional data, which have been commented in the following paragraphs [...]
A New Variant of the aadE-sat4-aphA-3 Gene Cluster Found in a Conjugative Plasmid from a MDR Campylobacter jejuni Isolate
Authors: Guirado Pedro , Miró Elisenda , Iglesias-Torrens Yaidelis , Navarro Ferran , Campoy Susana , Alioto Tyler Scott , Gómez-Garrido Jessica , Madrid Cristina , Balsalobre Carlos
Published: March 2022

Campylobacter jejuni is a foodborne pathogen causing bacterial gastroenteritis, with the highest incidence reported in Europe. The prevalence of antibiotic resistance in C. jejuni, as well as in many other bacterial pathogens, has increased over the last few years. In this report, we describe the presence of a plasmid in a multi-drug-resistant C. jejuni strain isolated from a gastroenteritis patient. Mating experiments demonstrated the transference of this genetic element (pCjH01) among C. jejuni by plasmid conjugation. The pCjH01 plasmid was sequenced and assembled, revealing high similarity (97% identity) with pTet, a described tetracycline resistance encoding plasmid. pCjH01 (47.7 kb) is a mosaic plasmid composed of a pTet backbone that has acquired two discrete DNA regions. Remarkably, one of the acquired sequences carried an undescribed variant of the aadE-sat4-aphA-3 gene cluster, providing resistance to at least kanamycin and gentamycin. Aside from the antibiotic resistance genes, the cluster also carries genes coding for putative regulators, such as a sigma factor of the RNA polymerase and an antisigma factor. Homology searches suggest that Campylobacter exchanges genetic material with distant G-positive bacterial genera.
Phytocompounds as an Alternative Antimicrobial Approach in Aquaculture
Authors: Nik Mohamad Nek Rahimi Naqiuddin , Natrah Ikhsan , Loh Jiun-Yan , Ervin Ranzil Francis Kumar , Gina Madi , Lim Swee-Hua Erin , Lai Kok-Song , Chong Chou-Min
Published: April 2022

Despite culturing the fastest-growing animal in animal husbandry, fish farmers are often adversely economically affected by pathogenic disease outbreaks across the world. Although there are available solutions such as the application of antibiotics to mitigate this phenomenon, the excessive and injudicious use of antibiotics has brought with it major concerns to the community at large, mainly due to the rapid development of resistant bacteria. At present, the use of natural compounds such as phytocompounds that can be an alternative to antibiotics is being explored to address the issue of antimicrobial resistance (AMR). These phytocompounds are bioactive agents that can be found in many species of plants and hold much potential. In this review, we will discuss phytocompounds extracted from plants that have been evidenced to contain antimicrobial, antifungal, antiviral and antiparasitic activities. Further, it has also been found that compounds such as terpenes, phenolics, saponins and alkaloids can be beneficial to the aquaculture industry when applied. This review will focus mainly on compounds that have been identified between 2000 and 2021. It is hoped this review will shed light on promising phytocompounds that can potentially and effectively mitigate AMR.