bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Impact of home literacy environment on literacy development of children with hearing loss: A mediation model
Authors: Wang Qianqian , Ma Minjie , Huang Yan , Wang Xichen , Wang Tingzhao
Published: October 2022

Reading presents an unsolved difficulty for children with hearing loss and research on factors influencing their literacy development is very limited. This work aimed to study the influence of home literacy environment (HLE) on literacy development of children with hearing loss and explore possible mediating effects of reading interest and parent-child relationship. 112 Chinese children with hearing loss were surveyed for scales of HLE, literacy development, reading interest, and parent-child relationship. Result analysis showed that HLE significantly predicted literacy development of children with hearing loss and this effect was no longer significant after including reading interest and parent-child relationship as variables. Further, HLE significantly predicted reading interest and parent-child relationship, each of which predicted literacy development and played a significant mediating role in HLE’s influence on literacy development. These findings provide educational tips for families of children with hearing loss.
Sleep quality status, anxiety, and depression status of nurses in infectious disease department
Authors: Xi Shuangmei , Gu Yanmei , Guo Huimin , Jin Boxun , Guo Fengjuan , Miao Wenjing , Zhang Lili
Published: October 2022

Objective

To investigate the current status of sleep quality and influencing factors of clinical nurses in infectious disease hospitals, and to provide basis and reference for improving their sleep status and providing psychological support.

Methods

Using convenience sampling method, clinical nurses from a tertiary hospital for infectious diseases were selected as the survey subjects in September 2021. General information questionnaire, Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Questionnaire (PSQI), Generalized Anxiety Disorder Scale (GAD-7), Depression Screening Scale (PHQ-9) were used for questionnaire surveys, and multiple linear regression was used to analyze the impact of decreased sleep quality in clinical nurses factor.

Results

A total of 460 questionnaires were returned, of which 442 were valid, effective rate is 96.09%. The Pittsburgh sleep quality index (PSQI) score of 442 clinical nurses was 7.07 ± 2.14, of which 60 (13.57%) had sleep disorders; the Generalized Anxiety Disorder Scale (GAD-7) score was 4.77 ± 3.50, of which 182 (41.18%) had varying degrees of anxiety; The score of PHQ-9 was 5.95 ± 3.79, of which 187 (42.31%) had different degrees of depressive symptoms. The stepwise multiple linear regression analysis which involved PHQ-9 and GAD-7 scores showed that: both the PHQ-9 score and the GAD-7 score were positively correlated with the sleep quality score, and the PHQ-9 score increased every time 1 point, sleep quality score increased by 0.239 points; GAD-7 score increased by 1 point, sleep quality score increased by 0.150 points. The overall model test (F = 109.760, P < 0.001) regression model is meaningful.

Conclusion

Decreased sleep quality is common among clinical nurses in infectious disease hospitals, and the sleep status of nurses is positively correlated with anxiety and depression. Nursing managers pay attention to sleep quality of clinical nurses in infectious disease hospitals and carry out effective interventions to improve the sleep quality of nurses.
Associations of body image with depressive symptoms and PTG among breast cancer patients: The mediating role of social support
Authors: Li Mengyao
Published: October 2022

Background

Cancer diagnosis and treatment usually trigger positive and negative psychological health outcomes. Social support is a coping resource for psychological health outcomes. However, little research is available on the relationships between social support, body image, and overall psychological health outcomes in breast cancer (BC) patients. This study aimed to estimate the prevalence of depressive symptoms and post-traumatic growth (PTG) and examine the mediating roles of social support between body image and depressive symptoms and PTG among BC patients, respectively.

Methods

A cross-sectional study was conducted in the Northeast China from December 2015 to August 2017. All the participants were diagnosed with BC and underwent surgery. This study was conducted with 405 BC patients from the First Affiliated Hospital of China Medical University. Participants completed the Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression scale, Post Traumatic Growth Inventory, Body Image Scale, and Perceived Social Support Scale. The associations of social support, body image with depressive symptoms, and PTG were examined by hierarchical linear regression analysis. Asymptotic and resampling strategies were used to explore the mediating role of social support.

Results

The prevalence of depressive symptoms was 88.1%, and 67.2% of the patients had moderate-high PTG, 52.84% of the patients had body concerns, and 264 (65.19%) patients had high-level social support. Body image was positively associated with depressive symptoms (β = 0.445, P < 0.001) and social support was negatively associated with depressive symptoms (β = −0.219, P < 0.001). Body image was negatively associated with PTG (β = −0.095, P = 0.023), whereas social support was positively associated with PTG (β = 0.533, P < 0.001). Social support significantly mediated the associations among body image, depressive symptoms (effect size = 0.057), and PTG (effect size = −0.304), respectively.

Conclusions

Social support played mediating role in the relationships between body image and depressive symptoms and PTG. The interventions based on social support and body image should be included in psychological health prevention.
Self-management preferences in patients with mild cognitive impairment: A qualitative study
Authors: Jiao Yuchen , Liu Chang , Chang Jing , Zhou Shiyu , Ji Yan
Published: October 2022

Purpose

Patients with mild cognitive impairment (MCI) require self-management, yet current self-management compliance is low. Taking patients’ preferences into account can improve the self-management situation. The purpose of this study is to look into MCI patients’ preferences for self-management in China.

Methods

A qualitative research was conducted using semi-structured in-depth interviews with 21 patients recently diagnosed with MCI who were chosen by purposive sampling. These interviews were analyzed through thematic analysis and identified emerging themes.

Results

Five themes of self-management preference were identified: (1) Preference for acquiring disease knowledge; (2) Preference for participating in drug therapy; (3) Preference for participating in exercise; (4) Preference for applying memory compensation strategy; (5) Preferences for emotional expression and response.

Conclusion

Our study identified the specific preferences of MCI patients in China for the main self-management items. The findings are valuable insights for knowing MCI patients’ self-management content and preferences and provide better guidance for health practitioners to improve self-management compliance.
Do online social interactions cultivate social capital? Evidence from a longitudinal study
Authors: Zhou Dong , Li Yanan , Tirasawasdichai Tanin
Published: October 2022

It is widely documented that social capital can benefit individual and social development. However, research on the roles of internet technologies in cultivating social capital has not arrived at a consensus. This article aims to understand the effects of online social interactions (OSIs) on generalized trust and prosocial civic engagement, two essential forms of social capital, with a longitudinal study and structural equation model. Fixed-effect model estimations consistently show that OSIs can effectively increase levels of generalized trust in China. Also, trust in parents is used as an alternative dependent variable to provide a comparative analysis. The mechanisms of these two sources of trust are different, and insignificant effects of OSIs on trust in parents are found to implicitly support the causal link between OSIs and trust in strangers. In this study, we implemented a series of robustness checks, for example, examinations using only the netizens as a sample and cross-sectional methods. Furthermore, we explored the relationship between OSIs and prosocial civic engagement (charitable donation), a behavior form of social capital. The SEM results suggested that charitable behaviors were positively affected by OSIs and generalized trust played a positive mediating role. Additionally, significant positive direct and indirect effects through the generalized trust in OSIs were found on prosocial behaviors.
Motor impairments in Chinese toddlers with autism spectrum disorder and its relationship with social communicative skills
Authors: Zhou Bingrui , Xu Qiong , Li Huiping , Zhang Ying , Li Dongyun , Dong Ping , Wang Yi , Lu Ping , Zhu Ye , Xu Xiu
Published: October 2022

Objective

Motor impairments are prevalent in children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and persistent across age. Our current study was designed to investigate motor deficits in Chinese toddlers with ASD and to explore the relationships between motor deficits and social communication skills.

Methods

For this cross-sectional study, we recruited a total of 210 Chinese toddlers with ASD aged between 18 and 36 months in the study during December 2017 to December 2020. Griffiths Developmental Scales-Chinese (GDS-C), Autism Diagnostic Observation Schedule-Second Edition (ADOS-2) and Communication and Symbolic Behavior Scales Developmental Profile-Infant-Toddler Checklist (CSBS-DP-ITC) were administered in these toddlers to evaluate their development, social communicative skills, and autism severity. We compared the developmental and social communicational profiles of ASD toddlers in different gross and fine motor subgroups, and explored potential associated factors. The univariate generalized linear model tested the relationship of fine and gross motor skills and social communicative skills.

Results

The prevalence of gross and fine motor deficits were 59.5 and 82.5%, respectively, which are almost equivalent in boys and girls. The motor impairments tended to be more severe with age in toddlers. After adjusting for age, sex, non-verbal development quotient (DQ) and restricted, repetitive behaviors, severer gross motor impairments were significantly related to higher comparison score of ADOS-2 and higher social composite score of CSBS-DP-ITC, without interactions with other variables. Meanwhile, lower fine motor skills were associated with more deficits of social communication and higher severity of ASD, also depending on non-verbal DQ. In the lower non-verbal DQ subgroup, both fine motor deficits and restricted repetitive behaviors (RRBs) might have effects on autism symptomology.

Conclusion

Motor impairments are common in Chinese toddlers with ASD. Toddlers with weaker gross and fine motor skills have greater deficits in social communicative skills. Gross motor impairment might be an independent predictor of the severity of autism and social communication skills, while the effect of fine motor deficits might be affected by non-verbal DQ and RRBs of toddlers with ASD. We provide further justification for the inclusion of motor impairments in the early intervention for toddlers with ASD.
Changes of consultation-liaison psychiatry practice in Italian general hospitals: A comparative 20-year multicenter study
Authors: Zerbinati Luigi , Palagini Laura , Balestrieri Matteo , Belvederi Murri Martino , Caruso Rosangela , D’Agostino Armando , Ferrara Maria , Ferrari Silvia , Minervino Antonino , Milia Paolo , Nanni Maria Giulia , Pini Stefano , Politi Pierluigi , Porcellana Matteo , Rocchetti Matteo , Taddei Ines , Toffanin Tommaso , Grassi Luigi ,   Italian Society of Consultation-Liaison Psychiatry, Bellucci Jessica , Bergamelli Emilio , Attilio Campagna Victor , Cherubini Melissa , Folesani Federica , Gancitano Marta , Giannetti Francesca , Giovanna Gianluca , Gullotta Benedetta , Massa Lucia , Montardi Giulia
Published: October 2022

Introduction

Conducted under the auspices of the Italian Society of Consultation Liaison Psychiatry (SIPC) the aim of this study was to describe the characteristics of Consultation Liaison Psychiatry (CLP) activity in Italy (SIPC-2—2018) over the past 20 years by comparing with data from the first Italian nation-wide study (SIPC-1—1998).

Methods

We collected data on CLP visits of 3,943 patients from 10 Italian hospitals over a period of 1 year. Data were compared with those from the SIPC-1 1998 study (4,183 participants). Patients were assessed with the same ad hoc 60-item Patient Registration Form recording information from five different areas: Sociodemographic, hospitalization-related, consultation-related, interventions and outcome.

Results

Compared with participants from the previous study, SIPC-2-2018 participants were significantly older (d = 0.54) and hospitalized for a longer duration (d = 0.20). The current study detected an increase in the proportion of referrals from surgical wards and for individuals affected by onco-hematologic diseases. Depressive disorders still represented the most frequent psychiatric diagnosis, followed by adjustment and stress disorders and delirium/dementia. Also, CLP psychiatrists prescribed more often antidepressants (Φ = 0.13), antipsychotics (Φ = 0.09), mood stabilizers (Φ = 0.24), and less often benzodiazepines (Φ = 0.07).

Conclusion

CLP workload has increased considerably in the past 20 years in Italy, with changes in patient demographic and clinical characteristics. A trend toward increase in medication-based patient management was observed. These findings suggest that the psychiatric needs of patients admitted to the general hospital are more frequently addressed by referring physicians, although Italian CLP services still deserve better organization and autonomy.
Psychometric properties of the Chinese version of the sugar-sweetened beverages media literacy scale for undergraduates
Authors: Long Chen , Yoon Myeong Sook
Published: October 2022

Specific domains of the Sugar-Sweetened Media Literacy Scale (SSM-ML) have been shown to significantly assess sugar-sweetened beverage (SSB) calorie intake in the US population. This study aimed to describe the psychometric properties of the revised Chinese version of the SSB-ML (C-SSB-ML) and evaluate its validity and reliability. Results from 975 undergraduates at two of the largest universities in a province in southwest China showed that Cronbach's alphas for the overall scale, the three dimensions, and two-halves analysis were satisfactory (0.71–0.92). The criterion-related validity of the C-SSB-ML was positively associated with the e Health literacy scale (eHEALS). Confirmatory factor analysis showed that the three-factor model of the C-SSB-ML had adequate fit indices χ2(153) = 4349.93,p< 0.001; Comparative fit index (CFI), Tucker-Lewis index (TLI), Incremental fit index (IFI) >0.90; Standardized Root Mean Square Residual (SRMR) <0.07; and Root Mean Square Error of Approximation (RMSEA) <0.08. Our findings provide evidence for a valid and reliable tool that can be used to assess sugar-sweetened media literacy in Chinese undergraduates and will help organizations leverage media literacy in strategy formulation to ensure SSB intake is controlled as much as possible through effective efforts on all fronts.
Physical exercise and cognitive training interventions to improve cognition in hemodialysis patients: A systematic review
Authors: Bogataj Špela , Mesarič Katja Kurnik , Pajek Maja , Petrušič Tanja , Pajek Jernej
Published: October 2022

Introduction

Patients with chronic kidney disease treated with hemodialysis (HD) have lower cognitive abilities compared to the age-matched healthy population. Recently, physical exercise and cognitive training have been presented as possible interventions to improve cognitive abilities both in the general population and in patients with chronic diseases. To date, there is no general overview of the current knowledge on how these interventions affect cognitive abilities in HD patients and what tests are used to measure these effects.

Methods

Three electronic databases were searched for randomized controlled studies of physical exercise or cognitive training interventions that examined effects on cognitive abilities/performance in HD patients.

Results

Six articles were included. All included studies used physical exercise as an intervention, with one study also including tablet-based cognitive training. Four studies included an intradialytic approach and two included a home-based intervention. Intervention lasted. A significant intervention effect was observed in three studies compared with the control condition.

Conclusion

The present review suggests that physical exercise might improve or at least not worsen cognitive performance in HD patients, whereas the effect of cognitive training has not yet been adequately studied. There is a need for more sensitive and specific cognitive tests to adequately measure the effects of interventions in the HD population.
A scoping review on population-centered indicators for cancer care continuum
Authors: Rajaguru Vasuki , Jang Jieun , Kwon Jeoung A. , Kim Jae Hyun , Shin Jaeyong , Chun Mison
Published: October 2022

Purpose

The purpose of this study was to develop prioritized cancer indicators and measure the population-based monitoring of the entire life cycle of cancer care, guiding the improvement of care delivery systems.

Methods

Scoping review was performed based on the Joanna Briggs Institute's methodology. Electronic databases were searched in PubMed, Cochrane Library, EMBASE, Ovid Medline, RISS, KISS, and KoreaMed. The searches were limited to articles published in English between 2010 and 2020. No restrictions were applied regarding the publication status or country of origin, and all study designs were included. Gray literature was used to broaden the search's scope, identify new recommendations, need to be in connect with subject experts, and explore pertinent websites. The process and selected indicators were analyzed based on their frequency distribution and percentage.

Results

The literature search yielded 6,202 works. In addition, national and international cancer guidelines were obtained from official database reports. A total of 35 articles and 20 reports regarding cancer indicators were finally selected for data synthesis. Based on them, 254 core sets of cancer indicators were identified. The selected indicators were classified into six domains based on the continuum of cancer care and survivor's life cycle, namely, primary prevention (61, 24.0%), secondary prevention (46, 18.1%), treatment (85, 33.5%), quality of care (33, 13.0%), survivor management (33, 13.0%), and end-of-life care (14, 5.5%).

Conclusion

There is a growing interest in developing specific areas of cancer care. Cancer indicators can help organizations, care providers, and patients strive for optimal care outcomes. The identified indicators could guide future innovations by identifying weaknesses in cancer prevention and management.
Emotional impact on children during home confinement in Spain
Authors: Sánchez-Ferrer Francisco , Cervantes-García Evelyn , Gavilán-Martín César , Quesada José Antonio , Cortes-Castell Ernesto , Nso-Roca Ana Pilar
Published: October 2022

Introduction

The COVID-19 pandemic has brought about important changes. On March 14, 2020, a strict home confinement was decreed in Spain. Children did not attend school and were not allowed to leave their homes. The aim of this study was to determine the emotional state of these children, as well as associated factors.

Material and methods

A cross-sectional descriptive study was conducted using an online questionnaire sent by cell phone. This survey includes sociodemographic items and questions concerning the emotional impact of the lockdown. With the questions on emotions, two categories of emotional state were established with the variables fear, irritability, sadness and somatization: those who were less or more emotionally affected. A multivariate logistic model was used to estimate the associations between the variables.

Results

A total of 3,890 responses were obtained. The mean age of the children was 6.78 years (range 0 to 16). A score indicating poor emotional state was reported by 40.12%. The multivariate logistic model for poor emotional state was directly associated with having less appetite, sleep disturbances, and with parents' beliefs that their child will have difficulties returning to normal life after lockdown. A better emotional state was associated with being an only child, access to outdoor spaces at home, having pets, and parents informing their children about the pandemic using creative explanations.

Conclusions

During strict home confinement, a considerable emotional impact was observed in children as described by their parents. Specific elements were associated with a better or poorer emotional state.
How long and effective does a mask protect you from an infected person who emits virus-laden particles: By implementing one-dimensional physics-based modeling
Authors: Bahrami Flora , Batt Till , Schudel Seraina , Annaheim Simon , He Weidong , Wang Jing , Rossi René M. , Defraeye Thijs
Published: October 2022

SARS-CoV-2 spreads via droplets, aerosols, and smear infection. From the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, using a facemask in different locations was recommended to slow down the spread of the virus. To evaluate facemasks' performance, masks' filtration efficiency is tested for a range of particle sizes. Although such tests quantify the blockage of the mask for a range of particle sizes, the test does not quantify the cumulative amount of virus-laden particles inhaled or exhaled by its wearer. In this study, we quantify the accumulated viruses that the healthy person inhales as a function of time, activity level, type of mask, and room condition using a physics-based model. We considered different types of masks, such as surgical masks and filtering facepieces (FFPs), and different characteristics of public places such as office rooms, buses, trains, and airplanes. To do such quantification, we implemented a physics-based model of the mask. Our results confirm the importance of both people wearing a mask compared to when only one wears the mask. The protection time for light activity in an office room decreases from 7.8 to 1.4 h with surgical mask IIR. The protection time is further reduced by 85 and 99% if the infected person starts to cough or increases the activity level, respectively. Results show the leakage of the mask can considerably affect the performance of the mask. For the surgical mask, the apparent filtration efficiency reduces by 75% with such a leakage, which cannot provide sufficient protection despite the high filtration efficiency of the mask. The facemask model presented provides key input in order to evaluate the protection of masks for different conditions in public places. The physics-based model of the facemask is provided as an online application.
Right–left digit ratios, a novel form of asymmetry: Patterns of instability in children and relationships to platelet counts and hospitalization in adults with COVID-19
Authors: Kasielska-Trojan Anna , Manning John T. , Jabłkowski Maciej , Białkowska-Warzecha Jolanta , Kwasniewska Oliwia , Hirschberg Angelica L. , Antoszewski Bogusław
Published: October 2022

High right minus left (R-L) asymmetry of digit ratios has been reported to be linked to hospitalization for COVID-19. Here we examined the developmental patterns of this novel form of asymmetry in children and further explored their relationships to platelet counts and hospitalization for COVID-19 in adult patients. We considered ratios calculated from four digits (2D, 3D, 4D, 5D) in: (i) a sample of healthy participants aged 2 years to 18 years (n = 680, 340 males) and (ii) 96 adult patients (42 males) hospitalized for COVID-19 and 100 controls (53 males). The protocol for (ii) included a questionnaire and laboratory test results. In sample (i) of the six unsigned digit ratio asymmetries, those which included 5D had the highest mean asymmetry with the greatest between-individual variation and they were unstable over the age range of 2 years to 18 years. In sample (ii) patients showed higher asymmetries than controls in four ratios (2D:4D, 2D:5D, 3D:5D, 4D:5D) and a sum of asymmetries of the two independent ratios (2D:4D+3D:5D) correlated positively with platelet counts and hospitalization. Conclusion: Means and SDs of digit ratio asymmetry that include the 5th digit are high and age-unstable. Digit ratio asymmetry, particularly 5th digit ratio asymmetry and a composite measure of 2D:4D + 3D:5D asymmetry, may be positively linked to high platelet counts in COVID-19 patients and to an elevated risk of hospitalization.
Digital financing for SMEs' recovery in the post-COVID era: A bibliometric review
Authors: Pellegrino Alfonso , Abe Masato
Published: October 2022

The restrictions that have been implemented due to the COVID-19 pandemic have highlighted the growing importance of digital financing. While traditional banking services have been limited by social distancing, reduced work hours, and lockdowns, digital financial services can deal effectively with those restriction measures while facilitating governments to channel relief and stimulus funds to micro, small and medium-sized enterprises (MSMEs). This paper analyzes, by using the bibliometric review approach along with the VOSviewer, a data visualization software, 629 Scopus journal articles relevant to the key components of digital financing for SMEs under the pandemic. Based on the review, it identifies the most crucial policy areas for digital financing. The paper presents policy implications on how digital financial services can support MSMEs in dealing with COVID's challenges.

JEL classification codes:G21, G23, G28, G32.
The societal conditions for achieving sufficiency through voluntary work time reduction: Results of a pilot study in Western Switzerland
Authors: Sahakian Marlyne , Rossier Clémentine
Published: October 2022

Can the voluntary reduction of working hours as a sufficiency practice promote more environmentally sustainable forms of consumption along with human well-being? In this exploratory study conducted at the end of 2018 in Western Switzerland, we use the social practices and systems of provision approaches and a definition of well-being based on human need satisfaction to answer this question in the context of an affluent country where women typically work-part-time after the arrival of children due to limited family policies. In-depth interviews with people in couples, with families, where men have also voluntarily engaged in work time reduction (WTR) (n= 14), indicate that some do indeed simultaneously enjoy a high level of well-being, while limiting consumption and ecological impact. However, these are almost exclusively couples with high cultural and social capital who have adopted non-consumerist and gender egalitarian norms, despite the “culture of affluence” that dominates in Swiss society. Moreover, truly resource-sufficient lifestyles seem to be possible only for people who live in settings that offer ecological options by default, thus emphasizing the importance of systems of provision that make some forms of consumption and well-being more probable and possible than others. The article therefore argues that sufficiency as a practice must go beyond personal motivations to consider the societal conditions that support sustainable well-being.
The missing conformer: A comprehensive rotational spectroscopy study and astronomical search of two conformers of methyl cyanoacetate
Authors: Batra Gayatri , Pinacho Pablo , Steber Amanda L. , Rivilla Víctor M. , Martín-Pintado Jesús , Jiménez-Serra Izaskun , Schnell Melanie
Published: October 2022

We performed a comprehensive investigation of methyl cyanoacetate (MCA) using high-resolution Fourier transform rotational spectroscopy. Two low energy conformers of MCA were observed in the vibrational ground state, in selected frequency regions from 2 to 110 GHz. We report accurately determined line lists, rotational constants, centrifugal distortion constants, and nuclear quadrupole coupling constants for both conformers, as well as for several singly substituted heavy-atom isotopologues. One of the conformers was previously reported; however, the rotational transitions of the second conformer, which is newly described here, are observed to be generally more intense than the latter. The accurate predictions of rotational transitions into the millimeter-wave region can facilitate the detection of these conformers of MCA in the interstellar medium. Using the rotational spectroscopy data provided here, we searched for the two conformers of MCA in a deep and unbiased spectral survey of the molecular cloud G+0.693-0.027 located in the Galactic Center. None of the MCA conformers were detected. The upper limits for their abundances were derived with respect to the abundance of molecular hydrogen.
Quantifying CrossFit®: Potential solutions for monitoring multimodal workloads and identifying training targets
Authors: Mangine Gerald T. , Seay Tucker R.
Published: October 2022

The design of high-intensity functional training (HIFT; e. g., CrossFit®) workouts and targeted physiological trait(s) vary on any given training day, week, or cycle. Daily workouts are typically comprised of different modality and exercise combinations that are prescribed across a wide range of intensities and durations. The only consistent aspect appears to be the common instruction to maximize effort and workout density by either completing “as many repetitions as possible” within a time limit (e.g., AMRAP, Tabata) or a list of exercises as quickly as possible. However, because effort can vary within and across workouts, the impact on an athlete's physiology may also vary daily. Programming that fails to account for this variation or consider how targeted physiological systems interrelate may lead to overuse, maladaptation, or injury. Athletes may proactively monitor for negative training responses, but any observed response must be tied to a quantifiable workload before meaningful changes (to programming) are possible. Though traditional methods exist for quantifying the resistance training loads, gymnastic movements, and cardiorespiratory modalities (e.g., cycling running) that might appear in a typical HIFT workout, those methods are not uniform, and their meaning will vary based on a specific exercise's placement within a HIFT workout. To objectively quantify HIFT workloads, the calculation must overcome differences in measurement standards used for each modality, be able to account for a component's placement within the workout and be useful regardless of how a workout is commonly scored (e.g., repetitions completed vs. time-to-completion) so that comparisons between workouts are possible. This review paper discusses necessary considerations for quantifying various HIFT workout components and structures, and then details the advantages and shortcomings of different methods used in practice and the scientific literature. Methods typically used in practice range from being excessively tedious and not conducive for making comparisons within or across workouts, to being overly simplistic, based on faulty assumptions, and inaccurate. Meanwhile, only a few HIFT-related studies have attempted to report relevant workloads and have predominantly relied on converting component and workout performance into a rate (i.e., repetitions per minute or second). Repetition completion rate may be easily and accurately tracked and allows for intra- and inter-workout comparisons. Athletes, coaches, and sports scientists are encouraged to adopt this method and potentially pair it with technology (e.g., linear position transducers) to quantify HIFT workloads. Consistent adoption of such methods would enable more precise programming alterations, and it would allow fair comparisons to be made between existing and future research.
Impacts of Green Production Behaviors on the Income Effect of Rice Farmers from the Perspective of Outsourcing Services: Evidence from the Rice Region in Northwest China
Authors: Li Ruining , Yu Yanli
Published: October 2022

Along with the increasingly prominent contradiction between agricultural development and a healthy ecological environment, the adoption of agriculture green production (AGP) methods has become an important measure to reduce excessive pesticide application, avoid ecological environmental pollution and promote sustainable agricultural development. However, few studies have explored the impact of green production behaviors on the revenue effect from the perspective of outsourcing services, and existing studies have not subdivided outsourcing into multiple categories to examine their impact. In this study, the first-hand data of 447 rice farmers in Ningxia and Shaanxi in northwest China were collected. By using the endogenous switching regression model (ESR), we focuses on the influence of rice farmers’ AGP behaviors on their income effect, and analyzed whether outsourcing service categories can promote rice farmers’ AGP behaviors and income. The results showed that outsourcing services significantly promoted AGP behaviors and the income of rice farmers. Specifically, outsourcing pesticide application showed the greatest effect on the reduction of pesticide usage, rice harvesting after a safe interval after pesticide application, and the income of rice farmers; weeding and harvesting outsourcing had less effect. These indicate that outsourcing services can improve environmental and economic benefits by reducing pesticide input costs, to promote rice farmers to engage in AGP behaviors. Moreover, green production behaviors help to increase the income of rice farmers. If rice farmers who have not implemented AGP conduct physical control behaviors, their income will increase by 23.110%; the reduction of pesticide application ranks the second, and their income will increase by 5.970%. The implementation of rice harvesting at the safe intervals after pesticide application had the lowest degree of improvement, and the farmers’ income will increase by 4.505%. The study provides data for promoting outsourcing services and AGP in developing countries. Therefore, the government should further improve outsourcing services and AGP policies to maximize the income of rice farmers in low- and middle-income areas.
Variation of Subsoiling Effect at Wing Mounting Heights on Soil Properties and Crop Growth in Wheat–Maize Cropping System
Authors: Wang Xuezhen , Zhou Hao , Huang Yuxiang , Ji Jiangtao
Published: October 2022

Subsoiling is an effective practice to promote better soil water infiltration and crop growth. The information regarding the variation and persistence of subsoiling effects with different soil disturbance on soil properties and crop growth was absent in previous research. In this study, the effects of wing mounting height (h) (75–155 mm) during subsoiling on soil disturbance at various layers, soil properties and crop performance were investigated using in situ field experiments from 2019 to 2021 in winter wheat–summer maize rotations. The experimental field soil was covered with crop stubble and crop straw was removed before subsoiling or sowing the next crop. The analysis of variance (ANOVA) was used to assess different subsoiling treatment effects on tested variables, including soil moisture content, bulk density, plant diameter, plant height, dry root weight, root number, yield, and yield components of crops. Means between subsoiling treatments were compared using Duncan’s multiple range tests. Based on ANOVA outputs, the h significantly (p < 0.05) affected soil moisture content in the first growing season of winter wheat (WW1), soil bulk density, number of roots and panicle number and grain yield of WW1, and thousand kernel weight (TKW) of both WW1 and summer maize (SM). Decreasing h overall gave better soil properties and crop performance. Decreased subsoiling effects were found on aspects of insignificant difference in subsequent grain yield of SM and winter wheat in the second growing season (WW2). These findings had implications for designing higher-performance winged subsoilers, as well as selection of subsoiling frequency.
Impact of Novel Coronavirus Pneumonia on Agricultural Products Prices: A Case Study of Chengdu
Authors: Qu Gailiu , Lou Yuqing , Wu Siyu , Deng Xin , Feng Jie
Published: October 2022

Ensuring the basic stability of supply and prices of agricultural products bears on people’s wellbeing and contributes to social development and stability. However, the outbreak of COVID-19 and a series of rules and regulations confining socialization adopted to deal with the epidemic have led to the prominent contradiction between supply and demand in the agricultural market, and the sharp fluctuations in the prices of agricultural products. In this paper, the price data of agricultural products in the main urban area of Chengdu in the 10 weeks before and 20 weeks after the Spring Festival from 2018 to 2020 were used to empirically study the impact of COVID-19 on local agricultural product prices by generalized multiple difference method (DID). The empirical results show that, first, compared with the Spring Festival of 2018 and 2019, the COVID-19 epidemic in the Spring Festival of 2020 led to an average increase of 105.02% in the retail prices of agricultural products in Chengdu, among which the increase of livestock and poultry, fruits and vegetables, and aquatic products was the most obvious, while the change of grain and oil prices was not significant. Second, compared with the demand side, the COVID-19 pandemic has a major impact on agricultural prices from the supply side. Third, the impact of COVID-19 on the retail prices of agricultural products is more obvious in areas where the primary industry is relatively small and industrialization is fast. Fourth, in the short term, the government’s policy of suppressing prices does not restrain all agricultural prices. The above research findings provide a reference for understanding the adjustment mechanism of agricultural prices under the impact of the epidemic, and for effectively formulating relevant policies to stabilize the price of agricultural products, ensure supply, and alleviate the pressure on people’s livelihood.
Palynological Study of Weed Flora from Potohar Plateau
Authors: Usma Anwer , Ahmad Mushtaq , Zafar Muhammad , Sultana Shazia , Ullah Fazal , Saqib Saddam , Ayaz Asma , Zaman Wajid
Published: October 2022

The pollen morphology of weeds was investigated by scanning electron microscopy (SEM). A morpho-palynological investigation of 18 species of weeds that belongs to 16 angiosperms families was performed using SEM to document distinguishable microscopic features. The main objective of the present study was to provide basic knowledge about morpho-palynological features of weed species that helps delimit the weed flora of the Potohar Plateau. The results show diversity among the qualitative and quantitative characteristics of pollen shape, equatorial and polar axis diameter, the exine’s thickness, and the exine’s surface ornamentation. The pollen grains were spherical, prolate-spheroidal, oblate-spheroidal, and sub-oblate. The exine ornamentation in most species was reticulate, scarbate, aerolate, faveolate, reticulate-perforate, and reticulate-scabrate. All the species described possessed tricolpate pollen. The variations found in the thickness of the exine and other characters were helpful at the genus and species-specific levels. In accordance with these variations, a taxonomic key was prepared using these characteristics to identify and differentiate weed plant species. SEM images of pollen grains can help delimit the taxa to the species level. This study provides baseline information to distinguish the species of weeds.
Particle Size Distribution of Plasma Lipoproteins in Donkeys from Death Valley Compared to a Sampling of Horses
Authors: Goodrich Erin L. , Behling-Kelly Erica
Published: October 2022

The clinical evaluation of lipid metabolism in equids is often limited to the measurement of total cholesterol and triglyceride concentrations. This provides a limited picture of metabolic state and general health, given the continuous exchange of lipid species between various lipoproteins. Major lipoprotein classes in equids include high-density lipoprotein (HDL), intermediate-density lipoprotein (IDL), low-density lipoprotein (LDL), very low-density lipoprotein (VLDL), and chylomicrons (CM). Unlike large breed horses, donkeys are highly susceptible to hepatic lipidosis. Currently, serum triglyceride concentrations serve as a surrogate marker of hepatic lipid exportation. Both VLDL, indicative of hepatic exportation, and its metabolic end-product, LDL, are rich in triglycerides, and contribute to this value. Diagnostic assays that distinguish VLDL from LDL could be useful in better recognizing the hepatic pathology in donkeys. The compositional differences of lipoproteins across species limit the use of commercially available assays developed for the measurement of human lipoproteins in domestic animals. In this study, we evaluated a high-resolution polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis method (Lipoprint®) for separating major lipoprotein classes and sub-fractionating LDL and HDL based on particle size in a large group of donkeys, and compared the pattern to a representative set of horses. Donkeys proved an HDL-rich species, with HDL accounting for the bulk of all lipoproteins (average 78.45%, SD 6.6%, range 92.2–55%). VLDL accounted for a large portion of the total (average 21.6%, SD 6.6%, range 37.1–7.8%), with minimal amounts of LDL detected. The horses tested had higher proportions of VLDL as compared to donkeys (31.7% and 21.6%, respectively p = 0.00008). The later finding draws into question the purported relationship between VLDL, high triglycerides, and hepatic lipidosis, given the incidence of the disease in donkeys is far higher than in horses.
Identifying Key Factors for Accelerating the Transition to Animal-Testing-Free Medical Science through Co-Creative, Interdisciplinary Learning between Students and Teachers
Authors: Abarkan Fatima Zohra , Wijen Anna M. A. , van Eijden Rebecca M. G. , Struijs Fréderique , Dennis Phoebe , Ritskes-Hoitinga Merel , Visseren-Hamakers Ingrid
Published: October 2022

Even with the introduction of the replacement, reduction, refinement (the three Rs) approach and promising technological developments in animal-testing-free alternatives over the past two decades, a significant number of animal tests are still performed in medical science today. This article analyses which factors could accelerate the transition to animal-free medical science, applying the multi-level perspective (MLP) framework. The analysis was based on qualitative research, including a desk study (literature review and document analysis), lectures from experts, and nine online focus group sessions with experts on 26 July 2021. These were undertaken as part of an honours project between May and September 2021 to identify barriers, levers, and opportunities for accelerating this transition. The MLP framework identifies required changes at three levels: innovations and new practices (niche level), the current (bio)medical research system (regime level), and larger societal forces (landscape level). All three levels interact in a non-linear fashion. The model enabled us to identify many relevant factors influencing the transition to animal-testing-free medical science and enabled priority setting. Our findings supported the formulation of six “focus areas” to which stakeholders could devote efforts in order to accelerate the transition to animal-testing-free medical science: (1) thorough and translatable new approach methods (NAMs) for human-relevant medical research; (2) open science and sharing data; (3) targeted funding for NAMs; (4) implementing and modernising legislation for NAMs; (5) interdisciplinary education on animal-testing-free medical science; and (6) facilitating a shift in societal views, as this would be of benefit to both animals and humans. It is proposed that these focus areas should be implemented in parallel.
Porcine Cortical Bone Lamina as a Predictable Technique for Guided Bone Regeneration: Histomorphometric and Radiographic Evaluation
Authors: Lopez Michele Antonio , Passarelli Pier Carmine , Netti Andrea , D’Addona Antonio , Carinci Francesco , Wychowański Piotr , Cecchetti Francesco
Published: October 2022

The stability of bone regenerated through Guided Bone Regeneration (GBR) around implants is crucial for long-term success. In this case series, changes in marginal bone levels (MBL) around implants placed in a regenerated bone using heterologous cortical lamina technique were radiographically measured. In addition, bone samples were obtained and submitted to histological and histomorphometric analysis. Thirty implants were placed in regenerated bone sites 8 months after the regenerative surgery; in the same surgical stage, a hard tissue biopsy was taken using a trephine bur and submitted to histologic and histomorphometric analysis. Changes in the marginal bone level, mesial and distal to the implant shoulder, were measured between prosthetic loading and the last follow-up, 2 years later. No implants were lost, and all could be deemed successful at the last follow-up. Only a minimal mean variation in the position of the marginal bone level was observed, both at the mesial (0.11 ± 0.49 mm) and at the distal level (0.03 ± 0.19 mm). The bone lamina had been resorbed after 8 months, and new bone had developed in close connection to the biomaterial. The average percentage of newly formed bone was 28%, while only 10% of the samples were composed of residual biomaterial; bone marrow and connective tissue composed the remaining part of the samples. This regeneration technique allowed, thanks to the rigidity of the lamina, the regeneration of new bone, which is stable after the prosthetic load. Further studies are needed to compare this procedure with those adopting non-resorbable, titanium-supported membranes.
Characterization of Carnivorous Plants Sarracenia purpurea L. Transformed with Agrobacterium rhizogenes
Authors: Pilarska Kinga Maria , Panić Manuela , Redovniković Ivana Radojčić , Wróbel-Kwiatkowska Magdalena
Published: October 2022

People have used carnivorous plants of the genus Sarracenia in folk medicine for centuries due to the biochemical composition of Sarracenia plants, which are rich in numerous bioactive compounds with anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, antiviral and antibacterial properties. The subject of this study was the genetic transformation of Sarracenia purpurea L. with Agrobacterium rhizogenes strains 15834, 9402 and A4 using two different methods: bacterial injection or co-culture of the bacteria with plant explants. This study confirmed the possibility of hairy root induction in S. purpurea using A. rhizogenes strain 15834 and the injection method. Seven lines of transformed plants, exhibiting the integration of the rolB gene, were obtained. The hairy roots formed showed morphological differences in comparison to the roots of unmodified plants. A mathematical model was used to optimize the conditions for the extraction of bioactive compounds. Extracts isolated under optimal conditions from the transformed plants showed biochemical changes, i.e., an increase in the accumulation of total polyphenols (line 7#1 in hairy roots: 71.048 mg GAE g−1 DW; in leaves: 9.662 mg GAE g−1 DW) and triterpenes (line 7#1 in hairy roots: 1.248 mg BA g−1 DW; in leaves: 0.463 mg BA g−1 DW) in comparison to untransformed plants (polyphenols in roots: 7.957 mg GAE g−1 DW and in leaves: 5.091 mg GAE g−1 DW; triterpenes in roots: 0.298 mg BA g−1 DW and in leaves: 0.296 mg BA g−1 DW), especially when induced roots were analyzed. HPLC analysis showed an increase in the level of betulinic acid in some transformed Sarracenia lines. Betulinic acid is a pentacyclic triterpenoid compound with high pharmacological significance.