bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Manual de intervención en dilemas implicativos
Authors: Senra Joana , Feixas Guillem , Fernandes Eugénia
Published: July 2021

La idea de que los humanos tenemos conflictos internos y que de ellos se puedan derivar síntomas y/o sufrimiento es muy antigua en el campo de las psicoterapias. Sin embargo, pocos han sido los intentos por apreciar esta cuestión de forma empírica. Precisamente, el objetivo del Proyecto Multicéntrico Dilema ha sido investigar el papel que tienen en la salud estos conflictos, definidos como dilemas implicativos o constructos dilemáticos identificados a través de la Técnica de Rejilla. Se ha detectado una mayor prevalencia de estos conflictos en una gran variedad de problemas clínicos (depresión, fobia social, problemas somáticos, etc.), por lo que parece indicado desarrollar una forma de intervención que permita abordarlos y resolverlos. En este trabajo se presenta un manual de intervención enfocado a la resolución de dilemas implicativos. Se trata de una propuesta de intervención estructurada, de 15 sesiones, destinada principalmente al uso en investigación y en formación de psicoterapeutas, dentro de una perspectiva de Terapia de Constructos Personales.
Dolor y sufrimiento en las tradiciones sapienciales
Authors: Villegas Besora Manuel
Published: July 2021

En este artículo se repasan las principales tradiciones religiosas y filosóficas relativas a los temas de la muerte y el dolor. Entre ellas destacan en la antigüedad las tradiciones de carácter religioso como el Hinduismo y el Budismo, el Antiguo y Nuevo Testamento, así como las corrientes filosóficas surgidas del helenismo y el humanismo. La principal conclusión a que llegan todas ellas es que dado que muerte y sufrimiento son consubstanciales a la existencia humana, debemos aprender a aceptarlos y vivir con ellos.
Una mirada etnográfica al dolor desde el contexto hospitalario
Authors: Barroso Pérez Mª Ena , Sánchez Martino Verónica
Published: July 2021

Este artículo se propone analizar la experiencia del dolor desde un punto de vista fenomenológico en el contexto hospitalario. Para ello, siguiendo una metodología etnográfica que combina la investigación tanto cuantitativa como cualitativa, estudia diferentes aspectos de la situación hospitalaria de dos hospitales de Madrid, el Ramon y Cajal y el Gregorio Marañón. Los resultados se exponen a través de tablas y de entrevistas.
Conciencia plena (mindfulness) y psicoterapia: concepto, evaluación y aplicaciones clínicas
Authors: Pérez Mª Antonia , Botella Luis
Published: July 2021

El concepto de conciencia plena (Mindfulness) que ha emergido recientemente en el ámbito anglosajón remite a un estado particular de conciencia promovido por las técnicas meditativas orientales. En este artículo se revisan las conceptualizaciones teóricas de la conciencia plena en el ámbito de la psicoterapia atendiendo a sus componentes, instrumentos de evaluación y mecanismos de acción. Se resumen también las características generales de cinco enfoques psicoterapéuticos que incorporan la conciencia plena: la Reducción de Estrés Basada en la Conciencia Plena (MBSR), la Terapia Cognitiva Basada en la Conciencia Plena (MBCT), la Terapia Dialéctica Conductual (DBT), la Terapia de Aceptación y Compromiso (ACT) y la Terapia Breve Relacional (BRT). Finalmente, se detallan las aplicaciones clínicas de estos enfoques.
Mindfulness en la terapia dialéctico-comportamental
Authors: García Palacios Azucena
Published: July 2021

La atención plena o mindfulness está entrando con fuerza en la psicoterapia en los últimos años. Uno de los programas de tratamiento pionero en la incorporación de mindfulness es la terapia dialéctico-comportamental (DBT) diseñada para el tratamiento de un trastorno muy complejo y difícil de abordar, el trastorno límite de la personalidad. Basado en una perspectiva cognitivo-comportamental, este programa incorpora elementos innovadores con el fin de abordar el patrón disfuncional de la personalidad límite. Uno de esos componentes es la atención plena. El objetivo de este trabajo es describir con detalle las habilidades de mindfulness de la DBT. Para ello describiremos brevemente la DBT y cómo se estructuran las habilidades de mindfulness en este programa, su utilidad, qué habilidades se entrenan, y las diferencias con otros procedimientos de atención plena.
Eficacia de la terapia cognitiva basada en la atención plena en el tratamiento de la depresión
Authors: Cebolla Ausiàs , Miró María Teresa
Published: July 2021

El objetivo del presente estudio es comprobar la eficacia de un programa de ocho semanas de Terapia Cognitiva basada en la Atención Plena (TCAP) sobre población con sintomatología depresiva en el contexto del sistema público de salud. La muestra estuvo constituida por 69 sujetos, de los cuales 38 recibieron un el tratamiento en TCAP, y 31 recibieron la intervención usual en las unidades de salud mental de la isla de Tenerife. En esta investigación, se ha adaptado el programa de Terapia Cognitiva Basada en la Atención Plena (TCAP) desarrollado por Segal, Williams y Teasdale (2002) para prevenir las recaídas en depresión, a pacientes con síntomas de depresión, tanto de larga como de corta duración, que no estuvieran en fase aguda. En este trabajo, se muestra que tal adaptación es viable y ofrece a los pacientes una nueva herramienta para enfrentarse al sufrimiento de un modo más eficaz.
Diferenciación de espacio en la psicoterapia experiencial
Authors: Depestele Frans
Published: July 2021

En este artículo se establece una división en cinco “espacios” consecutivos en el proceso de cambio terapéutico en la psicoterapia experiencial. Al principio de la terapia, el cliente crea con el terapeuta un espacio de relación. En este espacio el cliente entra gradualmente dentro de una actitud de reflexión dando lugar al espacio de reflexión. En ciertos momentos, cuando el cliente se mantiene silencioso y atiende a una sensación sentida poco clara, hablamos de espacio de focusing. Cuando el cliente está prestando atención a esta sensación sentida con palabras y frases para explicarla, está trabajando en el espacio de simbolización. A veces después de la sesión surgen nuevas ideas a la conciencia; aquí el experienciar se simboliza a sí mismo de manera espontánea, lo cual sucede en el espacio de auto-simbolización. Finalmente, el ser problemático del cliente antes de entrar a la terapia puede ser concebido como el espacio patológico.
PM2.5 Concentration Prediction Based on CNN-BiLSTM and Attention Mechanism
Authors: Zhang Jinsong , Peng Yongtao , Ren Bo , Li Taoying
Published: July 2021

The concentration of PM2.5 is an important index to measure the degree of air pollution. When it exceeds the standard value, it is considered to cause pollution and lower the air quality, which is harmful to human health and can cause a variety of diseases, i.e., asthma, chronic bronchitis, etc. Therefore, the prediction of PM2.5 concentration is helpful to reduce its harm. In this paper, a hybrid model called CNN-BiLSTM-Attention is proposed to predict the PM2.5 concentration over the next two days. First, we select the PM2.5 concentration data in hours from January 2013 to February 2017 of Shunyi District, Beijing. The auxiliary data includes air quality data and meteorological data. We use the sliding window method for preprocessing and dividing the corresponding data into a training set, a validation set, and a test set. Second, CNN-BiLSTM-Attention is composed of the convolutional neural network, bidirectional long short-term memory neural network, and attention mechanism. The parameters of this network structure are determined by the minimum error in the training process, including the size of the convolution kernel, activation function, batch size, dropout rate, learning rate, etc. We determine the feature size of the input and output by evaluating the performance of the model, finding out the best output for the next 48 h. Third, in the experimental part, we use the test set to check the performance of the proposed CNN-BiLSTM-Attention on PM2.5 prediction, which is compared by other comparison models, i.e., lasso regression, ridge regression, XGBOOST, SVR, CNN-LSTM, and CNN-BiLSTM. We conduct short-term prediction (48 h) and long-term prediction (72 h, 96 h, 120 h, 144 h), respectively. The results demonstrate that even the predictions of the next 144 h with CNN-BiLSTM-Attention is better than the predictions of the next 48 h with the comparison models in terms of mean absolute error (MAE), root mean square error (RMSE), and coefficient of determination (R2).
Deep Learning Based Cardiac MRI Segmentation: Do We Need Experts?
Authors: Skandarani Youssef , Jodoin Pierre-Marc , Lalande Alain
Published: July 2021

Deep learning methods are the de facto solutions to a multitude of medical image analysis tasks. Cardiac MRI segmentation is one such application, which, like many others, requires a large number of annotated data so that a trained network can generalize well. Unfortunately, the process of having a large number of manually curated images by medical experts is both slow and utterly expensive. In this paper, we set out to explore whether expert knowledge is a strict requirement for the creation of annotated data sets on which machine learning can successfully be trained. To do so, we gauged the performance of three segmentation models, namely U-Net, Attention U-Net, and ENet, trained with different loss functions on expert and non-expert ground truth for cardiac cine–MRI segmentation. Evaluation was done with classic segmentation metrics (Dice index and Hausdorff distance) as well as clinical measurements, such as the ventricular ejection fractions and the myocardial mass. The results reveal that generalization performances of a segmentation neural network trained on non-expert ground truth data is, to all practical purposes, as good as that trained on expert ground truth data, particularly when the non-expert receives a decent level of training, highlighting an opportunity for the efficient and cost-effective creation of annotations for cardiac data sets.
“God Didn’t Make a Mistake in Creating Me”: Intrapersonal Resilience Processes among Gay and Bisexual Male Youth in Kenya
Authors: Harper Gary W. , Lewis Katherine A. , Norwitz Gabriella A. , Odhiambo Elijah Ochieng , Jadwin-Cakmak Laura , Okutah Felix , Lauber Kendall , Aloo Teddy , Collins Ben , Gumbe Edwin , Amico K Rivet , Olango Kennedy , Odero Wilson , Graham Susan M.
Published: July 2021

Gay and bisexual male youth in Kenya experience human rights violations, including pervasive stigma and discrimination, and these oppressive forces are associated with elevated rates of mental health concerns. Despite these challenges, many gay and bisexual male youth in Kenya are thriving during this critical developmental period. This study explored intrapersonal processes that gay and bisexual male youth in Kisumu, Kenya, highlight as important to developing, and demonstrating resilience in the face of adversity. We conducted qualitative in-depth interviews (IDIs) with 40 gay and bisexual male youth, ages 20–30 (mean = 26.4), and an additional 20 IDIs with gay and bisexual men, ages 22–45 (mean = 26.6), who were working as peer educators (total n = 60), all in Kisumu, Kenya. A total of nine primary themes emerged which describe various intrapersonal resilience processes enacted by gay and bisexual male youth, including sexual identity acceptance, self-confidence, self-love, religious/spiritual affirmation, adaptive coping, successful navigation, legal rights awareness, economic stability, and advocacy satisfaction. These data demonstrate the range of positive personal processes that promote mental health and wellbeing among gay and bisexual male youth in Kenya. We discuss implications of these findings for community-based interventions, and call for a research paradigm shift away from deficits and toward resilience.
A Review on the Current Status of Icing Physics and Mitigation in Aviation
Authors: Yamazaki Masafumi , Jemcov Aleksandar , Sakaue Hirotaka
Published: July 2021

Icing on an aircraft is the cause of numerous adverse effects on aerodynamic performance. Although the issue was recognized in the 1920s, the icing problem is still an area of ongoing research due to the complexity of the icing phenomena. This review article aims to summarize current research on aircraft icing in two fundamental topics: icing physics and icing mitigation techniques. The icing physics focuses on fixed wings, rotors, and engines severely impacted by icing. The study of engine icing has recently become focused on ice-crystal icing. Icing mitigation techniques reviewed are based on active, passive, and hybrid methods. The active mitigation techniques include those based on thermal and mechanical methods, which are currently in use on aircraft. The passive mitigation techniques discussed are based on current ongoing studies in chemical coatings. The hybrid mitigation technique is reviewed as a combination of the thermal method (active) and chemical coating (passive) to lower energy consumption.
Effects of Rocket Seed Oil, Wheat Germ Oil, and Their Mixture on Growth Performance, Feed Utilization, Digestibility, Redox Status, and Meat Fatty Acid Profile of Growing Rabbits
Authors: Morshedy Sabrin Abdelrahman , Abdelmodather Ahmed M. , Basyony Mohamed M. , Zahran Soliman A. , Hassan Mohamed A.
Published: July 2021

Vegetable oils are a source of natural antioxidants, including tocopherols, sterols, phenolic compounds, coenzymes, and polyunsaturated fatty acids that provide nutritional value, organoleptic properties, and significantly delay or prevent lipid oxidation. Eighty-four V-line rabbits at 5 weeks of age with an initial body weight (BW) of 535.60 ± 13.48 g were assigned randomly to four experimental groups (seven replicates in each group with three rabbits each). The first group served as a control and received 0.3 mL/kg BW of distilled water (CON), while the second and third groups received 0.3 mL/kg BW of rocket seed oil (RSO) and wheat germ oil (WGO), respectively. The fourth group received a mixture of oils consisting of 0.15 mL of RSO and 0.15 mL of WGO/kg BW (MOs). The experiment lasted 7 weeks. The study investigated the effects of RSO, WGO, and their mixture on growth performance, feed utilization, antioxidant status, and immune response of growing rabbits. The results indicated that the rabbits that were administered orally with RSO and WGO or their mixture had higher (p ≤ 0.05) final BW, weight gain, and average daily gain when compared to the control group. In addition, the feed conversion ratio improved significantly with RSO, WGO, and MOs treatments. Different oil treatments improved nutrient digestibility, nutritive value, and nitrogen balance. Moreover, the rabbits that received RSO, WGO, and their mixture had an improvement the meat fatty acid composition compared to the control rabbits. Oral administration of RSO, WGO, and their mixture significantly improved serum protein fractions, decreased blood urea nitrogen, and had a positive effect on serum total lipids, HDL-c, and LDL-c. Furthermore, the treatments of RSO, WGO, and MOs had a significant improvement in the antioxidative status and immune response.
Design and Experimental Research on Soil Covering Device with Linkage and Differential Adjustment of Potato Planter
Authors: Zheng Zhiqi , Fu Zuoli , Wang Chenyang , Huang Yuxiang , He Jinpu
Published: July 2021

When the potato planter works on sloping field, it will cause problems such as poor film mulching quality due to the difference in volume of soil covering both sides of the discs and the inconvenient adjustment of the soil covering disc. The soil covering device with linkage and differential adjustment was designed to improve the mulching quality. The main research content includes explaining the structure and principle of the soil covering device and analyzing the structural parameters of the adjustment mechanism. The field experiment was completed to verify the performance of soil covering device, which takes the stability coefficient and uniformity coefficient of the volume of covering soil as factors. The result shows the following: (1) The volume of covering soil changes exponentially with the angle of the disc through data fitting, which can standardize the angle of covering disc; and (2) when the angle of disc is 30° and 60°, respectively, the uniformity coefficient of volume of covering soil is lower than 1.4, which has premium soil covering quality. When the angles of the discs on both sides differ greatly, the stability coefficient of volume of covering soil is 0.41, which can meet the requirements of the mulching quality of potato planter. This research provides the technical support for high-quality potato planting.
Deciphering Plantago ovata Forsk Leaf Extract Mediated Distinct Germination, Growth and Physio-Biochemical Improvements under Water Stress in Maize (Zea mays L.) at Early Growth Stage
Authors: Nawaz Muhammad , Wang Xiukang , Saleem Muhammad Hamzah , Khan Muhammad Hafeez Ullah , Afzal Javaria , Fiaz Sajid , Ali Sajjad , Ishaq Hasnain , Khan Aamir Hamid , Rehman Nagina , Shaukat Shadab , Ali Shafaqat
Published: July 2021

Use of Plantago ovata Forsk leaf (also known as blond plantain or isabgol) extract is a novel approach for ameliorating water stress in various agronomic crops such as maize (Zea mays L.). To examine the potential roles of P. ovata extract (0, 20 and 40%) in increasing seed germination, plant growth, photosynthetic measurements, stomatal properties, oxidative stress and antioxidant response, ions uptake and the relationship between studied parameters, we investigated the impacts of its short-term seed priming on Z. mays L. elite cultivar “Cimmyt-Pak” under a control environment and a water deficit stress environment (induced by PEG). It was evident that water deficit stress conditions induced a negative impact on plant growth, stomatal properties and ion uptake in different organs of Z. mays. The decrease in growth-related attributes might be due to overproduction of oxidative stress biomarkers, i.e., malondialdehyde (MDA) contents, hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) initiation, and electrolyte leakage (%), which was also overcome by the enzymatic antioxidants, i.e., superoxidase dismutase (SOD), peroxidase (POD), catalase (CAT) and ascorbate peroxidase (APX) and non-enzymatic antioxidants, which increased under the water stress environment. However, seed priming with P. ovata extract positively increased germination rate and growth profile, and protected photosynthetic apparatus and stomatal properties by decreasing oxidative stress indicators and increasing activities of antioxidant compounds. Our results also depicted that the optimum concentration of P. ovata extract for Z. mays seedlings under water stress conditions was 20%, while a further increase in P. ovata extract (40%) induced a non-significant negative impact on growth and biomass of Z. mays seedling. In addition, the effect was more promising on Z. mays seedlings when grown under controlled conditions. Here, we concluded that the understanding of the role of seed priming with P. ovata extract in the increment of growth-related attributes, photosynthetic apparatus (Pn, Gs, Ts and Ci) and nutrient uptake (Ca2+, Fe2+, P and Mg2+) introduces new possibilities for their effective use in water deficit stress environments and shows a promising foundation for Z. mays tolerance against water deficit stress conditions.
Deficit Irrigation to Enhance Fruit Quality of the ‘African Rose’ Plum under the Egyptian Semi-Arid Conditions
Authors: Hassan Islam F. , Gaballah Maybelle S. , El-Hoseiny Hanan M. , El-Sharnouby Mohamed E. , Alam-Eldein Shamel M.
Published: July 2021

Evolved in South Africa and released to market in 2009, the ‘African Rose’ plum has been introduced and grown under the Egyptian semi-arid conditions since 2010. Within that time, this cultivar has faced significant fruit quality issues, mainly poor color and low total soluble solids (TSS). Several trials using foliarly applied growth regulators have been conducted, but with little conspicuous results on fruit yield and quality. There is very limited information about the relationship between irrigation regime and fruit quality for this cultivar. Therefore, a field experiment was conducted to study the effect of deficit irrigation on the quality of the ‘African Rose’ plum during the 2019 and 2020 seasons. Five-year-old hedge growing trees were subjected to three deficit irrigation regimes: 100% (control), 80%, and 60% of the crop evapotranspiration (ETc) after the pit hardening stage until the end of the harvest season (May to June period) were evaluated. Results indicated that deficit irrigation positively enhanced the levels of abscisic acid (ABA), total phenols, and anthocyanins with improved fruit TSS and maturity index, although fruit yield, acidity, size, and firmness were decreased. Deficit irrigation could be suggested as a sustainable novel solution to improve the fruit quality of the ‘African Rose’ plum grown under the semi-arid conditions of Egypt. Although the total yield and some quality characteristics were not improved, the early harvested fruit with enhanced color and taste could be a good start for additional research to solve other quality-related issues under such conditions.
Performance of Strawberry Varieties Developed for Perennial Matted-Row Production in Annual Plasticulture in a Cold Climate Region
Authors: Weber Courtney A.
Published: July 2021

Annual plasticulture production of strawberries promises superior weed control, fruit quality and yields. However, strawberry varieties adapted for perennial, matted-row production and local markets in cold climate regions have not been widely tested for adaptation to an annual production cycle. Productivity of seven short-day varieties developed for matted-row and/or annual production was examined in an annual plasticulture system in two consecutive trials in central NY (lat. 42.87° N, long. 76.99° W) harvested in 2013 and 2014. ‘Flavorfest’ demonstrated good performance in Trial 1 with high yield (390 g/plant) and large fruit size (13.9 g mean berry weight). ‘Jewel’ was shown to be well adapted to the annual plasticulture system with consistently high yields (330 and 390 g/plant) that equaled or surpassed other varieties and had moderate fruit size. ‘Chandler’ performed similarly to previous trials conducted in warmer regions with yield (340 g/plant) and fruit size (9.8 g mean berry weight) similar to ‘Jewel’. ‘Clancy’ yielded less but was consistent from year to year. The late season varieties Seneca and Ovation showed marked variability between years, possibly due to drastically different temperatures during flowering and fruit development in Trial 1 compared to Trial 2. High temperatures in Trial 1 likely caused higher early fruit yield, a compressed season and a precipitous decline in fruit size in the later season, thus reducing yield in the late season. Survival after a second dormant period was poor resulting in a small second harvest and reduced fruit size. Overall, the system demonstrated many of the expected benefits but may be more sensitive to weather conditions in the region. While many varieties developed for matted-row production may work well in an annual plasticulture system, not all varieties are equally adapted. Performance of each variety should be determined independently before large scale adoption by growers.
Development of an Agar Bioassay Sensitivity Test in Alopecurus myosuroides for the Pre-Emergence Herbicides Cinmethylin and Flufenacet
Authors: Messelhäuser Miriam H. , Linn Alexander I. , Mathes Anna , Sievernich Bernd , Gerhards Roland
Published: July 2021

Rapid and reliable tests for pre-emergence herbicide susceptibility in weeds are important to test a wider range of accessions on their baseline sensitivity, as well as to provide information on putative resistance. This study focused on the development of an agar quick test to determine sensitivity differences in Alopecurus myosuroides Huds. to pre-emergence herbicides containing flufenacet and cinmethylin. The new agar quick test and a standardized whole plant pot bioassay were conducted twice in 2019. For both test systems, seeds of 18 populations of A. myosuroides originated from Southwest Germany and Great Britain were used and treated with discriminating rates of herbicides in dose-response studies. After 28 days, the above-ground dry matter of the plants was determined and the resistance factors were calculated. The agar test was able to provide information on the resistance status of the tested biotype within 12 days. All populations did not show reduced sensitivity to cinmethylin. Within three populations, differences in sensitivity levels were observed between the two test systems. As cinmethylin is not yet marketed in Europe, these resistance factors can also be considered as a baseline sensitivity for A. myosuroides. For flufenacet, the resistance factors differed significantly from the whole plant pot bioassay and the agar test for the biotypes A (0.35, 13.1), C (0.56, 13.2), D (1.87, 12.4), E (15.5, 3.5) and H (2.95, 14). It was possible for the most part for the cinmethylin tested populations to confirm the results of the standardized whole plant pot bioassay in the agar bioassay sensitivity tests, and hence create a promising, faster test system.
Technologies for Forecasting Tree Fruit Load and Harvest Timing—From Ground, Sky and Time
Authors: Anderson Nicholas Todd , Walsh Kerry Brian , Wulfsohn Dvoralai
Published: July 2021

The management and marketing of fruit requires data on expected numbers, size, quality and timing. Current practice estimates orchard fruit load based on the qualitative assessment of fruit number per tree and historical orchard yield, or manually counting a subsample of trees. This review considers technological aids assisting these estimates, in terms of: (i) improving sampling strategies by the number of units to be counted and their selection; (ii) machine vision for the direct measurement of fruit number and size on the canopy; (iii) aerial or satellite imagery for the acquisition of information on tree structural parameters and spectral indices, with the indirect assessment of fruit load; (iv) models extrapolating historical yield data with knowledge of tree management and climate parameters, and (v) technologies relevant to the estimation of harvest timing such as heat units and the proximal sensing of fruit maturity attributes. Machine vision is currently dominating research outputs on fruit load estimation, while the improvement of sampling strategies has potential for a widespread impact. Techniques based on tree parameters and modeling offer scalability, but tree crops are complicated (perennialism). The use of machine vision for flowering estimates, fruit sizing, external quality evaluation is also considered. The potential synergies between technologies are highlighted.
Harvest of Southern Highbush Blueberry with a Modified, Over-the-Row Mechanical Harvester: Use of Soft-Catch Surfaces to Minimize Impact Bruising
Authors: Sargent Steven A. , Takeda Fumiomi , Williamson Jeffrey G. , Berry Adrian D.
Published: July 2021

Harvest of fresh market, southern highbush blueberries (SHB) is labor intensive and costly, leading to a demand for alternative harvest methods. Recent research has shown potential for mechanically harvesting blueberries with minimal bruising by using a modified over-the-row (OTR) harvester. For two harvests, SHB cultivars Optimus and Vireo were either hand-harvested (HH) or mechanically harvested (MH) by two commercial harvesters, one unmodified with standard hard-catch surfaces (HCS) or by the other modified with soft-catch surfaces (SCS). For Harvest 1, fruit from all harvest methods were hand-sorted into the following categories: blue fruit (marketable), red fruit, green fruit and culls. Samples from each cultivar and treatment were then held at 24 °C overnight, and the following day firmness and impact bruise severity were determined. Harvest 2 had identical harvest treatments; however, the fruit were sorted on a commercial packing line prior to packing in clamshells (n = 16). A subsample was held overnight as in Harvest 1 for bruise severity rating, while the remaining fruit were stored at 1 °C for 14 days (d). Although percent marketable fruit was more affected by cultivar than harvest method, determination of bruise severity revealed the benefit of harvest with SCS over HCS for both cultivars. The former had 16–26% severe bruising, compared to 27–40% for the latter; HH had 1–4%. During storage, HH fruit remained firmer than HCS and SCS, which were similar. After 14 d, firmness for “Optimus” was 239 N (HH), 157 N (HCS and SCS) and for “Vireo” it was 189 (HH), 155 N (HCS and SCS). Fruit weight loss increased during storage (1.1–4.4%), but there was no difference due to catch plate surface. SSC, TTA and Ratio were not affected by catch surface type or storage period within cultivar. Using modifications such as “soft” catch surfaces on currently available OTR harvesters reduces impact bruise damage; however, impacts incurred during commercial packing operations can negate this effect. MH for fresh market blueberries may provide an economical alternative for blueberry growers; however, with current technology, the fruit should be utilized within a week of harvest.
The Effect of N Fertilizer Application Timing on Wheat Yield on Chernozem Soil
Authors: Kostić Marko M. , Tagarakis Aristotelis C. , Ljubičić Nataša , Blagojević Dragana , Radulović Mirjana , Ivošević Bojana , Rakić Dušan
Published: July 2021

The challenges of the global food supply and environment conservation require ongoing scientific observations of soil-to-plant and plant-to-environment interactions with the aim of improving agriculture resource management. This study included observations of winter wheat yield and biomass of four varieties over three consecutive growing seasons and four site-year cases to assess the effects of nitrogen (N) fertilization rate and time of application on grain yield and biomass. For different wheat varieties, the full factorial design was performed, where factorial combinations of year, location, fall and spring N applications were laid out in a randomized complete block design. The N rate significantly influenced grain yield and biomass production efficiency. The time of N application had a highly significant effect on grain yield, biomass and NUE traits. The N rate of 120 kg ha−1 was recognized as a breakpoint over which the grain yield and biomass showed a downtrend. N application in the fall had a significantly higher impact on grain yield and biomass compared to spring N application. The major contribution of wheat variability production belongs to seasonal climate circumstances (<85%) and consequential intrinsic soil properties. The average difference of grain yield between varieties was 15.75%, and 12% of biomass, respectively.
Intradermal Testing Results in Horses Affected by Mild-Moderate and Severe Equine Asthma
Authors: Lo Feudo Chiara Maria , Stucchi Luca , Alberti Elena , Conturba Bianca , Zucca Enrica , Ferrucci Francesco
Published: July 2021

Equine asthma is an inflammatory respiratory disorder, classified as mild-moderate (MEA) and severe (SEA). SEA is characterized by recurrent exacerbations, consisting of dyspnea, coughing and exercise intolerance; MEA causes poor performance, occasional cough and mucus hypersecretion. Although a precise pathogenesis is not completely understood, allergic mechanisms are considered an important pathophysiological feature of equine asthma. In equine medicine, intradermal testing (IDT) is effective in identifying hypersensitivity to specific allergens. However, to date, the studies about IDT in asthmatic horses obtained contradictory results. This study aims to evaluate IDT responses in MEA and SEA horses and to identify the most significant allergens. Thirty-eight asthmatic horses were enrolled and underwent IDT using 50 allergens; reactions were evaluated at 30 min, 4, 24 and 48 h and were assigned a score from 0 to 4. In SEA horses, the most frequent and strongest reactions were observed at 30 min and 4 h, suggesting the involvement of type I hypersensitivity; in MEA horses, also type IV hypersensitivity seemed to play a major role. Insects, Dermatophagoides spp. and dog epithelium induced in MEA and SEA horses the most significant hypersensitivity responses and could therefore be considered as the main allergenic antigens in our geographic area.
Owners’ Knowledge and Approaches to Colic in Working Equids in Honduras
Authors: Wild Isabella , Freeman Sarah , Robles Daniela , Matamoros Dennis , Ortiz Maverick , Rodriguez Jonathan , Burford John
Published: July 2021

In Honduras, many families are reliant on working equids in their daily life. The aim of this study was to evaluate knowledge about, and approaches to colic used by owners of working equids in Choluteca, Honduras using a phenomenological approach. Semi-structured, verbal questionnaires were conducted with ninety-three owners from eleven different communities in the Choluteca region on equid horse owners’ knowledge of colic and treatments. Additional context was gained through observations and verbal questionnaires with three veterinary practitioners and eight agricultural pharmacy (agrovet) store owners. Working equids were commonly used for firewood collection 31% (40/126), transportation 24% (30/126), and carrying crops 13% (17/126). Thirty-eight percent of owners (35/92) said they did not know what colic was, 27% (24/89) could not name any clinical signs, and 46% (42/92) could not name any causes. Most owners with previous experience of colic had treated it themselves 79% (53/67), typically using herbal remedies. Colic was a major concern for owners of working equids who had prior experience or knowledge of the condition. Knowledge and understanding of colic varied, and access to evidence-based treatments was very limited. The findings will be used to inform the development of educational resources on colic in working equids.
Risk Factors Associated With Mastitis in Smallholder Dairy Farms in Southeast Brazil
Authors: Silva Aline Callegari , Laven Richard , Benites Nilson Roberti
Published: July 2021

The aim of this study was to investigate the potential risk factors for clinical and subclinical mastitis in smallholder dairy farms in Brazil. A prospective, repeated cross-sectional study was carried out between May 2018 and June 2019 on 10 smallholder dairy farms. Potential risk factors for subclinical and clinical mastitis at the herd and cow level were recorded through interviewing the owner and by observation. A combination of clinical udder examination and the Tamis (screened mug with a dark base) test (Tadabras Indústria e Comércio de Produtos Agrovetereinário LTDA, Bragrança Paulista, SP, Brazil) were applied to observe clinical mastitis, and the California Mastitis Test (Tadabras Indústria e Comércio de Produtos Agrovetereinário LTDA, Bragrança Paulista, SP, Brazil) was used to determine subclinical mastitis. A total of 4567 quarters were tested, 107 (2.3%) had clinical mastitis, while 1519 (33.2%) had subclinical mastitis. At the cow level, clinical mastitis risk was highest in mid-lactation (50–150 days in milk) with OR 2.62 with 95% confidence interval (CI) of 1.03–6.67, while subclinical mastitis was highest in late lactation (> 150 days in milk) with OR 2.74 (95% CI 2.05–3.63) and lower in primiparous (OR 0.54, 95% CI 0.41–0.71) than multiparous cows. At the herd level, using dry-cow treatment (OR 4.23, 95% CI 1.42–12.62) was associated with an increased risk of clinical mastitis. Milking clinical (OR 0.37, 95% CI 0.24–0.56) and subclinical cases last (OR 0.21, 95% CI 0.09–0.47) and cleaning the milking parlor regularly (OR 0.27, 95% CI 0.15–0.46) had decreased odds for subclinical mastitis, while herds with optimized feed had greater odds (OR 9.11, 95% CI 2.59–31.9). Prevalence of clinical mastitis was at its lowest at the first visit in June/July and highest at the last visit in April/June (OR 3.81, 95% CI 1.93–7.52). Subclinical mastitis also presented increased odds in the last visit (OR 2.62, 95% CI 2.0–3.36). This study has identified some risk factors for mastitis on smallholder farms but further research on more farms across more areas of Brazil is required to develop a targeted mastitis control program for smallholder farms.
Exploration of Genetic Variants within the Goat A-Kinase Anchoring Protein 12 (AKAP12) Gene and Their Effects on Growth Traits
Authors: Bai Yangyang , Yuan Rongrong , Luo Yunyun , Kang Zihong , Zhu Haijing , Qu Lei , Lan Xianyong , Song Xiaoyue
Published: July 2021

The A-kinase anchoring protein 12 gene (AKAP12) is a scaffold protein, which can target multiple signal transduction effectors, can promote mitosis and cytokinesis and plays an important role in the regulation of growth and development. In our previous study, P1–7 bp (intron 3) and P2–13 bp (3′UTR) indels within the AKAP12 gene significantly influenced AKAP12 gene expression. Therefore, this study aimed to identify the association between these two genetic variations and growth-related traits in Shaanbei white cashmere goats (SBWC) (n = 1405). Herein, we identified two non-linkage insertions/deletions (indels). Notably, we found that the P1–7 bp indel mutation was related to the height at hip cross (HHC; p < 0.05) and the P2–13 bp indel was associated with body weight, body length, chest depth, chest width, hip width, chest circumference and cannon (bone) circumference in SBWC goats (p < 0.05). Overall, the two indels’ mutations of AKAP12 affected growth traits in goats. Compared to the P1–7 bp indel, the P2–13 bp indel is more suitable for the breeding of goat growth traits.
Sexual Dimorphism in Crowned Lemur Scent-Marking
Authors: Elwell Emily J. , Walker David , Vaglio Stefano
Published: July 2021

Primates are traditionally considered to have a poor sense of smell. However, olfaction is important for non-human primates as demonstrated by conspicuous scent-marking behaviours in lemurs. We studied two pairs (n = 4) of crowned lemurs (Eulemur coronatus) housed at Colchester and Twycross zoos (UK) by combining behavioural observations and chemical analyses of scent-marks and glandular swabs. We recorded observations of olfactory behaviours for 201 h using instantaneous scan sampling. We investigated the volatile compounds of ano-genital odour secretions (n = 16) using solid-phase microextraction and gas chromatography-mass spectrometry. Males scent-marked most frequently, displaying ano-genital marking for allomarking, head marking for countermarking and wrist marking in specific areas of the enclosure. Females displayed ano-genital marking, predominantly on feeding devices. We detected a total of 38 volatile components in all male ano-genital scent-marks and 26 in all female samples of ano-genital odour secretions, including a series of esters, aldehydes, ketones, alcohols, terpenes, volatile fatty acids and hydrocarbons that have been identified in odour profiles of other primates. In conclusion, we found sexual dimorphism in crowned lemur scent-marking. Male head and wrist marking behaviours might play defensive territorial functions, while ano-genital marking would be related to socio-sexual communication as chemical mate-guarding. Female ano-genital marking might be involved in resource defense.
Effects of Lysine Cell Mass Supplementation as a Substitute for L-Lysine·HCl on Growth Performance, Diarrhea Incidence, and Blood Profiles in Weaning Pigs
Authors: Hong Jinsu , Kim Hee-Seong , Do Sungho , Kim Hong-Jun , Kim Sung-Won , Jang Sung-Kwon , Kim Yoo-Yong
Published: July 2021

This study was conducted to evaluate the effects of lysine cell mass (LCM) as an alternative lysine source in diets for weaning pigs on growth performance, diarrhea incidence, and blood profiles. In experiment 1, a total of 200 weaning pigs, with an average body weight (BW) of 6.89 ± 1.04 kg, were allotted into one of five treatments with four replicates of 10 pigs per pen in a randomized complete block design (RCBD). The dietary treatments were composed of LCM supplementation (0, 0.25, 0.5, 0.75, or 1.0%) with partial replacement of L-lysine·HCl (0 to 0.8% for phase 1 diets and 0 to 0.07% for phase 2 diets). The BW and feed intake were recorded at the end of each phase (d 0 to 14 for phase 1, d 14 to 35 for phase 2), and diarrhea incidence was checked daily throughout the experimental period. Blood samples were taken from the jugular vein of pigs at 2 weeks and 5 weeks to determine the blood profiles of weaning pigs. In experiment 2, a total of 144 weaning pigs with an average BW of 6.44 ± 1.19 kg were allotted into one of six treatments with six replicates of four pigs per pen in RCBD. The dietary treatments were composed of LCM supplementation (0 to 3.5% for phase 1 diets and 0 to 2.2% for phase 2 diets) with replacement of L-lysine·HCl from 0 to 100%. In experiment 1, partial replacement of L-lysine·HCl with 0 to 1% LCM did not affect growth performance and diarrhea incidence of pigs. An increase in the LCM supplementation from 0 to 1% with partial replacement of L-lysine·HCl had no influence on the blood urea nitrogen concentrations, whereas it resulted in a linear decrease (p < 0.05) in the serum IgG concentrations for 5 weeks. In experiment 2, increasing the dietary level of LCM with replacement of L-lysine·HCl quadratically decreased (p < 0.05) ADG and G–F ratio for phase 2 and G–F ratio for the overall period such that 100% replacement of L-lysine·HCl with LCM decreased ADG and G–F ratio of weaning pigs. An increase in the LCM supplementation with replacement of L-lysine·HCl tended to decrease linearly (p < 0.10) the diarrhea incidence of weaning pigs for the overall period and linearly decrease (p < 0.05) the serum IgG concentrations for 2 weeks. In conclusion, partial replacement of L-lysine·HCl with LCM from 0 to 1% had no negative impacts on the growth performance, but 100% replacement of L-lysine·HCl with LCM decreased the growth performance of weaning pigs. Therefore, LCM could be included in the diets for weaning pigs up to 2.8% and 1.76% for phase 1 and phase 2, respectively, as a substitute for L-lysine·HCl without detrimental effects on the performance of weaning pigs.
A Serological Survey of Paratuberculosis in the Polish European Bison (Bison bonasus) Population in 2018–2021
Authors: Didkowska Anna , Ptak Marcin , Opałczyńska Katarzyna , Wojciechowska Marlena , Olech Wanda , Anusz Krzysztof
Published: July 2021

The European bison (Bison bonasus) is an endangered species which faces a range of health threats. As little is known of exposure of European bison to paratuberculosis caused by Mycobacterium avium spp. paratuberculosis, known to cause losses in cattle, the aim of the present study was to conduct serological survey in Polish bison herds. Between September 2018 and February 2021, blood samples were collected from 165 European bison from different regions of Poland. Samples were taken whenever the animals were immobilized (e.g., putting on telemetry collars) as well as from any dead animal. The serum samples were tested with ELISA. Three individuals, originating from different captive herds, were found to be seropositive. In conclusion, it was found that Mycobacterium avium subsp. paratuberculosis infections are not currently a problem in European bison, especially in free-range herds.
Heart Rate and Heart Rate Variability Change with Sleep Stage in Dairy Cows
Authors: Hunter Laura B. , Haskell Marie J. , Langford Fritha M. , O’Connor Cheryl , Webster James R. , Stafford Kevin J.
Published: July 2021

Changes to the amount and patterns of sleep stages could be a useful tool to assess the effects of stress or changes to the environment in animal welfare research. However, the gold standard method, polysomnography PSG, is difficult to use with large animals such as dairy cows. Heart rate (HR) and heart rate variability (HRV) can be used to predict sleep stages in humans and could be useful as an easier method to identify sleep stages in cows. We compared the mean HR and HRV and lying posture of dairy cows at pasture and when housed, with sleep stages identified through PSG. HR and HRV were higher when cows were moving their heads or when lying flat on their side. Overall, mean HR decreased with depth of sleep. There was more variability in time between successive heart beats during REM sleep, and more variability in time between heart beats when cows were awake and in REM sleep. These shifts in HR measures between sleep stages followed similar patterns despite differences in mean HR between the groups. Our results show that HR and HRV measures could be a promising alternative method to PSG for assessing sleep in dairy cows.
Effect of Different Kefir Source on Fermentation, Aerobic Stability, and Microbial Community of Alfalfa Silage
Authors: Koç Fisun , Özkan Ünal Emel , Okuyucu Berrin , Esen Selim , Işık Raziye
Published: July 2021

The present study has been one of the first attempts to thoroughly examine the effects of different kefir sources on fermentation characteristics, aerobic stability, and microbial communities of alfalfa silages. The effects of commercial kefir (CK) and homemade kefir culture (HK) applied with untreated a common control (CON) and three different application doses (5.0, 5.7, and 6.0 log cfu g−1) on wilted alfalfa and stored at an ambient temperature of 25–30 °C are studied. After 45 days of ensiling, fermentation characteristics and aerobic stability of silages were measured, and bacterial diversity was investigated by 16S ribosomal RNA gene sequencing using the GenomeLab™ GeXP platform. Both CK and HK accelerate more lactic acid production and reduced ammonia nitrogen concentration. Factor analysis of kefir sources suggests that the addition of kefir improves the aerobic stability of silages, even the initial water-soluble carbohydrate (WSC) content is inadequate via its antimicrobial effect on yeast and mold formation. Enterococcus faecium, Pediococcus pentosaceous and Lactobacillus brevis were dominant bacterial species among the treated groups at silo opening, while Lactobacillus plantarum and Lactobacillus brevis became dominant bacterial species after 7 days of aerobic exposure. In conclusion, the application of kefir on alfalfa silages improves fermentation quality and aerobic stability even with low WSC content.