bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Single-Plant Selection at Ultra-Low Density Enhances Buffering Capacity of Barley Varieties and Landraces to Unpredictable Environments and Improves Their Agronomic Performance
Authors: Tsivelikas Athanasios L. , Ben Ghanem Hajer , El-Baouchi Adil , Kehel Zakaria
Published: February 2022

Rainfall and temperature are unpredictable factors in Mediterranean environments that result in irregular environmental conditions for crop growth, thus being a critical source of uncertainty for farmers. This study applied divergent single-plant selection for high and low yield within five barley varieties and two Tunisian landraces under semi-arid conditions at an ultra-low density of 1.2 plants/m2 for two consecutive years. Progeny evaluation under dense stands following farmers’ practices was conducted in two semi-arid locations in Tunisia during one cropping season and in one location during a second season, totalling three environments. The results revealed significant genotypic effects for all recorded agronomic and physiological traits. No genotype × environment interaction was shown for biological yield, implying a biomass buffering capacity for selected lines under different environmental conditions. However, genotype × environment interaction was present in terms of grain yield since plasticity for biomass production under drought stress conditions was not translated directly to yield compensation for some of the lines. Nevertheless, several lines selected for high yield were identified to surpass their source material and best checks in each environment, while one line (IH4-4) outperformed consistently by 62.99% on average, in terms of grain yield, the best check across all environments. In addition, improved agronomic performance under drought conditions induced an indirect effect on some grain quality traits. Most of the lines selected for high yield maintained or even improved their grain protein content in comparison to their source material (average increase by 2.33%). On the other hand, most of the lines selected for low yield indicated a poor agronomic performance, further confirming the coherence between selection under ultra-low density and performance under dense stand.
Zinc Oxide Nanoparticles Interplay With Physiological and Biochemical Attributes in Terminal Heat Stress Alleviation in Mungbean (Vigna radiata L.)
Authors: Kareem Hafiz Abdul , Saleem Muhammad Farrukh , Saleem Sana , Rather Shabir A. , Wani Shabir Hussain , Siddiqui Manzer H. , Alamri Saud , Kumar Ritesh , Gaikwad Nikhil B. , Guo Zhipeng , Niu Junpeng , Wang Quanzhen
Published: February 2022

Gradually rising atmospheric temperature is the vital component of the environment, which is anticipated as the riskiest abiotic stress for crop growth. Nanotechnology revolutionizing the agricultural sectors, notably, zinc oxide nanoparticles (nano-ZnO) has captured intensive research interests due to their distinctive properties and numerous applications against abiotic stresses. Mungbean (Vigna radiata L.), being a summer crop, is grown all over the world at an optimum temperature of 28–30°C. A rise in temperature above this range, particularly during the flowering stage, can jeopardize the potential performance of the plant. Hence, an outdoor study was performed to evaluate the effect of multiple suspensions of nano-ZnO (0, 15, 30, 45, and 60 mg l–1) on physicochemical attributes and yield of mungbean crop under heat stress. Heat stress was induced by fine-tuning of sowing time as: S1 is the optimal sowing time having day/night temperatures <40/25°C and S2 and S3 are late sown that were above >40/25°C during the flowering stage. In vitro studies on Zn release from nano-ZnO by inductively coupled plasma mass spectroscopy (ICPMS) disclosed that the Zn release and particles uptake from nano-ZnO were concentration-dependent. Exogenous foliar application of nano-ZnO significantly upstreamed the production of antioxidants and osmolytes to attenuate the shocks of heat stress in S2 and S3. Likewise, nano-ZnO substantially rebated the production of reactive oxygen species in both S2 and S3 that was associated with curtailment in lipid peroxidation. Adding to that, foliar-applied nano-ZnO inflates not only the chlorophyll contents and gas exchange attributes, but also the seeds per pod (SPP) and pods per plant (PPP), which results in the better grain yield under heat stress. Thus, among all the sowing dates, S1 statistically performed better than S2 and S3, although foliar exposure of nano-ZnO boosted up mungbean performance under both the no heat and heat-induced environments. Hence, foliar application of nano-ZnO can be suggested as an efficient way to protect the crop from heat stress-mediated damages with the most negligible chances of nanoparticles delivery to environmental compartments that could be possible in case of soil application.
Estimation of Cold Stress, Plant Age, and Number of Leaves in Watermelon Plants Using Image Analysis
Authors: Nabwire Shona , Wakholi Collins , Faqeerzada Mohammad Akbar , Arief Muhammad Akbar Andi , Kim Moon S. , Baek Insuck , Cho Byoung-Kwan
Published: February 2022

Watermelon (Citrullus lanatus) is a widely consumed, nutritious fruit, rich in water and sugars. In most crops, abiotic stresses caused by changes in temperature, moisture, etc., are a significant challenge during production. Due to the temperature sensitivity of watermelon plants, temperatures must be closely monitored and controlled when the crop is cultivated in controlled environments. Studies have found direct responses to these stresses include reductions in leaf size, number of leaves, and plant size. Stress diagnosis based on plant morphological features (e.g., shape, color, and texture) is important for phenomics studies. The purpose of this study is to classify watermelon plants exposed to low-temperature stress conditions from the normal ones using features extracted using image analysis. In addition, an attempt was made to develop a model for estimating the number of leaves and plant age (in weeks) using the extracted features. A model was developed that can classify normal and low-temperature stress watermelon plants with 100% accuracy. The R2, RMSE, and mean absolute difference (MAD) of the predictive model for the number of leaves were 0.94, 0.87, and 0.88, respectively, and the R2 and RMSE of the model for estimating the plant age were 0.92 and 0.29 weeks, respectively. The models developed in this study can be utilized in high-throughput phenotyping systems for growth monitoring and analysis of phenotypic traits during watermelon cultivation.
The Impact of Bio-Stimulants on Cd-Stressed Wheat (Triticum aestivum L.): Insights Into Growth, Chlorophyll Fluorescence, Cd Accumulation, and Osmolyte Regulation
Authors: Farhat Fozia , Arfan Muhammad , Wang Xiukang , Tariq Arneeb , Kamran Muhammad , Tabassum Hafiza Naila , Tariq Ifra , Mora-Poblete Freddy , Iqbal Rashid , El-Sabrout Ahmed M. , Elansary Hosam O.
Published: February 2022

It has been established that wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) has a higher Cd absorption capacity than other cereal crops causing an excess daily Cd intake and a huge threat for public health. Therefore, the reduction of Cd accumulation in wheat from the soil is a crucial food-security issue. A pot trial was performed on Cd-stressed wheat seedlings to evaluate the morphological and physio-biochemical responses via foliage spray of two different bio-stimulants, i.e., ascorbic acid (AsA) and moringa leaf extract (MLE). Two wheat cultivars (Fsd-08 and Glxy-13) were exposed to cadmium (CdCl2.5H2O) stress (0, 500, and 1,000 μM), along with foliar spray of AsA (0 and 50 mM) and MLE (0 and 3%). The most observable growth reduction was documented in plants that are exposed to a higher Cd concentration (1,000 μM), followed by the lower Cd level (500 μM). The wheat growth attributes, such as number of leaves per plant, number of tillers per plant, biomass yield, shoot/root length, and leaf area, were greatly depressed under the Cd stress, irrespective of the cultivar. Under the increasing Cd stress, a significant diminution was observed in maximum photochemical efficiency (Fv/Fm), photochemical quenching (qP), and electron transport rate (ETR) accompanied with reduced gas exchange attributes. However, Cd-induced phytotoxicity enhanced the non-photochemical quenching (NPQ) and internal carbon dioxide concentration (Ci), which was confirmed by their significant positive correlation with Cd contents in shoot and root tissues of both cultivars. The contents of proline, AsA, glycine betaine (GB), tocopherol, total free amino acid (TFAA), and total soluble sugar (TSS) were greatly decreased with Cd stress (1,000 μM), while MLE and AsA significantly enhanced the osmolytes accumulation under both Cd levels (especially 500 μM level). The Cd accumulation was predominantly found in the root as compared to shoots in both cultivars, which has declined after the application of MLE and AsA. Conclusively, MLE was found to be more effective to mitigate Cd-induced phytotoxicity up to 500 μM Cd concentration, compared with the AsA amendment.
Teaching Facilitation of Family Participation in Educational Institutions
Authors: Gomariz María Ángeles , Parra Joaquín , García-Sanz María Paz , Hernández-Prados María Ángeles
Published: February 2022

The participation of families in schools where their children study is a recurring research topic. This field tends to address the perception of parents or teaching staff. This work is novel in that it considers what teachers, and not families, do to facilitate this participation. The purpose of this work has been to contrast a theoretical model with a multidimensional questionnaire designed to obtain information on the assistance provided by teachers to improve parental involvement in schools. It will allow us to lay the foundations for the content necessary for the initial and permanent training of teachers. Then, an initial questionnaire was created and, after being subjected to expert judgment, it was applied to 225 Spanish teachers, using a quantitative and a non-experimental methodology. After calculating the exploratory and confirmatory factor analysis and applying the structural equation model, a questionnaire (QFIS-TP) was obtained that had satisfactory construct validity and reliability.
A Mixed-Methods Study of Creative Problem Solving and Psychosocial Safety Climate: Preparing Engineers for the Future of Work
Authors: Oppert Michelle L. , Dollard Maureen F. , Murugavel Vignesh R. , Reiter-Palmon Roni , Reardon Alexander , Cropley David H. , O’Keeffe Valerie
Published: February 2022

The future of work is forcing the world to adjust to a new paradigm of working. New skills will be required to create and adopt new technology and working methods. Additionally, cognitive skills, particularly creative problem-solving, will be highly sought after. The future of work paradigm has threatened many occupations but bolstered others such as engineering. Engineers must keep up to date with the technological and cognitive demands brought on by the future of work. Using an exploratory mixed-methods approach, our study sought to make sense of how engineers understand and use creative problem solving. We found significant associations between engineers’ implicit knowledge of creativity, exemplified creative problem solving, and the perceived value of creativity. We considered that the work environment is a potential facilitator of creative problem-solving. We used an innovative exceptional cases analysis and found that the highest functioning engineers in terms of knowledge, skills, and perceived value of creativity, also reported working in places that facilitate psychosocially safe environments to support creativity. We propose a new theoretical framework for a creative environment by integrating the Four Ps (Person, Process, Product, and Press) and psychosocial safety climate theory that management could apply to facilitate creative problem solving. Through the acquisition of knowledge to engage in creative problem solving as individuals or a team, a perception of value must be present to enforce the benefit of creativity to the engineering role. The future of work paradigm requires that organisations provide an environment, a psychosocially safe climate, for engineers to grow and hone their sought-after skills that artificial technologies cannot currently replace.
Mental Health Staff Perspectives on Spiritual Care Competencies in Norway: A Pilot Study
Authors: Cone Pamela , Giske Tove
Published: February 2022

Spirituality and spiritual care have long been kept separate from patient care in mental health, primarily because it has been associated with psycho-pathology. Nursing has provided limited spiritual care competency training for staff in mental health due to fears that psychoses may be activated or exacerbated if religion and spirituality are addressed. However, spirituality is broader than simply religion, including more existential issues such as providing non-judgmental presence, attentive listening, respect, and kindness (International Council of Nursing [ICN], 2012). Unfortunately, healthcare personnel working in mental health institutions are not well prepared to address spiritual concerns or resources of their patients (Cone and Giske, 2018). Therefore, a mixed-method pilot study was conducted using a self-assessment survey tool to examine spiritual care competencies of mental health staff in Norway and to understand the perspectives of mental health staff in the Scandinavian context (Stockman, 2018). Five questions and comments related to survey items provided rich qualitative data. While only a small pilot with 24 participants, this study revealed a need for spiritual care educational materials targeted specifically for those who work in mental health, materials that address the approach of improving attitudes, enhancing skills, and increasing knowledge related to spirituality and spiritual care of patients.
Establish a Digital Real-Time Learning System With Push Notifications
Authors: Wu Hsin-Te
Published: February 2022

This study proposes a push notification system that combines digital real-time learning, roll-call, and feedback collection functions. With the gradually flourishing online real-time learning systems, this research further builds roll-call and feedback functions for students to enhance concentration and provide opinions. Additionally, the lecturers can do a roll call irregularly and randomly through the push notification function, avoiding students logging in but away from the keyboard. Lecturers can also send questions to a specific student or invite all students to answer; the replies can show students' learning performance. The system will store each notification in a database and analyse messages automatically to record roll calls. Moreover, the system can record the time and intervals of student feedback, enabling lecturers to check students' attention and learning conditions. Currently, most online digital systems depend on the lecturer to be responsible for the entire system; taking a roll call and asking questions will consume the lecturer's teaching time and strength. The system developed in this article can do roll calls and feedback by push notifications, reducing lecturers' workload. Furthermore, the roll-call and automatic record functions can save the time of paperwork after a course.
Signals for Entrepreneurial Family Lending: Psychological Capital as an Intent Signal
Authors: Zhou Xue , Zhang Ling , Su Xiaoyun , Shirshitskaia Ekaterina
Published: February 2022

Family financing has become a powerful channel for entrepreneurs to obtain entrepreneurial funding. How do family members use intent and quality signals to select new ventures to provide lending support? Building on the signaling theory, this study provides the first quantitative evidence using a sample of 166 samples of family lenders in China. Our findings reveal that psychological capital can support entrepreneurs to obtain family lending. As an intent signal, psychological capital becomes more influential when quality signals, corporate competitive advantage, and firm performance perform more positively. This study emphasizes that family financing support is not only out of love or altruism and extends the literature concerning the influence of positive psychological capital in financial investment decisions.
Osteopathic Care as (En)active Inference: A Theoretical Framework for Developing an Integrative Hypothesis in Osteopathy
Authors: Esteves Jorge E. , Cerritelli Francesco , Kim Joohan , Friston Karl J.
Published: February 2022

Osteopathy is a person-centred healthcare discipline that emphasizes the body’s structure-function interrelationship—and its self-regulatory mechanisms—to inform a whole-person approach to health and wellbeing. This paper aims to provide a theoretical framework for developing an integrative hypothesis in osteopathy, which is based on the enactivist and active inference accounts. We propose that osteopathic care can be reconceptualised under (En)active inference as a unifying framework. Active inference suggests that action-perception cycles operate to minimize uncertainty and optimize an individual’s internal model of the lived world and, crucially, the consequences of their behaviour. We argue that (En)active inference offers an integrative framework for osteopathy, which can evince the mechanisms underlying dyadic and triadic (e.g., in paediatric care) exchanges and osteopathic care outcomes. We propose that this theoretical framework can underpin osteopathic care across the lifespan, from preterm infants to the elderly and those with persistent pain and other physical symptoms. In situations of chronicity, as an ecological niche, the patient-practitioner dyad provides the osteopath and the patient with a set of affordances, i.e., possibilities for action provided by the environment, that through shared intentionally, can promote adaptations and restoration of productive agency. Through a dyadic therapeutic relationship, as they engage with their ecological niche’s affordances—a structured set of affordances shared by agents—osteopath and patient actively construct a shared sense-making narrative and realise a shared generative model of their relation to the niche. In general, touch plays a critical role in developing a robust therapeutic alliance, mental state alignment, and biobehavioural synchrony between patient and practitioner. However, its role is particularly crucial in the fields of neonatology and paediatrics, where it becomes central in regulating allostasis and restoring homeostasis. We argue that from an active inference standpoint, the dyadic shared ecological niche underwrites a robust therapeutic alliance, which is crucial to the effectiveness of osteopathic care. Considerations and implications of this model—to clinical practice and research, both within- and outside osteopathy—are critically discussed.
The Enactment of Classroom Justice Through Explicit Instruction: Deciphering the Changes in English as a Foreign Language Teachers’ Perceptions and Practices
Authors: Estaji Masoomeh , Zhaleh Kiyana
Published: February 2022

This mixed methods research study investigated if explicit instruction could affect EFL teachers’ perceptions and practices of classroom justice considering its three-dimensional conceptualization based on the social psychology theories of justice, encompassing the distributive, interactional, and procedural justice. To this end, 77 Iranian English as a Foreign Language (EFL) teachers, chosen through maximum variation sampling, attended a four-session online justice-training course. The data were collected both before and after the course intervention through close- and open-ended questionnaires. Quantitative data analysis results, obtained through running paired samples t-tests and Wilcoxon signed ranks tests, indicated that except for the distributive component, the treatment was effective in significantly enhancing the Iranian EFL teachers’ procedural, interactional, and total classroom justice perceptions. Content analysis of the posttest qualitative data, done through MAXQDA, revealed that the participants approved the course usefulness, its significance, and uses of justice enactment strategies in their classroom. Furthermore, they confirmed positive changes in their conceptions and practices of justice because of attending the course and showed enthusiasm in attending more such courses in the future. The convergence of the quantitative and qualitative results in this study demonstrated the effectiveness of the justice-oriented training course for enhancing EFL teachers’ just classroom behaviors. Hence, the results would be fruitful for teacher educators aiming to promote the pre- and in-service EFL teachers’ professional effectiveness through explicit instruction on classroom justice and its use in teacher education programs.
A Co-word Analysis of Selected Science Education Literature: Identifying Research Trends of Scaffolding in Two Decades (2000–2019)
Authors: Lin Tzu-Chiang , Tang Kai-Yu , Lin Shu-Sheng , Changlai Miao-Li , Hsu Ying-Shao
Published: February 2022

This study aims to identify research trends of scaffolding in the field of science education. To this end, both descriptive analysis and co-word analysis were conducted to examine the selected articles published in the Social Science Citation Index journals from 2000 to 2019. A total of 637 papers were retrieved as research samples through rounds of searching in Web of Science database. Overall, this study reveals a growing trend of science educators' academic publications about scaffolding in the recent two decades. In these sample papers, from 1,487 non-repeated keywords, we extracted 286 author-defined keywords shared by at least two studies as a benchmark dictionary. A series of co-word analyses were then conducted based on the dictionary to reveal the underlying co-occurring relationships of the words in title and abstract of the sample papers. Results showed that “scaffolding,” “support,” and “design” were the top three most frequently used keywords during 2000 and 2019. Visualization of co-word networks in each 5-year period further helps clarify both educators' common research foci and relevant research trends. Derived discussion and potential research directions are also provided.
Is the Duration of Diabetes Diseases Positively Associated With Knowledge About Diabetic Complications? Knowledge of Diabetes Mellitus Complications and Associated Factors Among Type-2 Diabetic Patients in Public Hospitals of Addis Ababa, 2020
Authors: Chekol Getachew Zewdu , Mengistu Daniel , Tadesse Addisu Waleligne
Published: February 2022

Background

Although the importance of educational programs in the prevention and control of diabetes mellitus (DM) and its complication is well-recognized, there are concerns about whether these programs are achieving the desired goal of increasing knowledge of DM and its complication in developing countries. Therefore, this study assessed knowledge of DM complications and associated factors among type-2 diabetic patients in public hospitals of Addis Ababa.

Method

Simple random sampling technique was used to select 422 participants. Data were entered to EpiData Version 4.6.0.1 and analyzed using SPSS Version 25 software. Multicollinearity and model goodness-of-fit was checked. A multivariate logistic regression model at 95% CI was used to identify the predictors.

Result

The overall knowledge of diabetes complications among diabetic patients in the Hospitals of Addis Ababa was 54.9%. In the fitted model, being a profession of governmental workers [adjusted odds ratio (AOR) = 3.12, 95% CI (1.33, 7.34)] and merchants [AOR = 2.54, 95% CI (1.16, 5.56)]; DM duration 5–10 years [AOR = 0.41, 95% CI (0.23, 0.73)] and ≥10 years [AOR = 0.36, 95% CI (0.19, 0.69)]; family history of DM [AOR = 1.68, 95% CI (1.03, 2.75)]; and participating in diabetic counseling [AOR = 2.41, 95% CI (1.50, 3.86)] were significantly associated with knowledge about DM complications.

Conclusion and Recommendation

The overall knowledge of diabetes complications among diabetic patients in the Hospitals of Addis Ababa was 54.9%. It was determined by the duration of DM, current profession, family history, and participation in diabetes counseling. Hence, emphasis on sustaining knowledge about diabetes complications for patients who are more than 5 years since diagnosis and attention is needed about knowledge diabetic farmers.
Association Between Health Literacy and Work Ability in Employees With Health-Related Risk Factors: A Structural Model
Authors: Gernert Madeleine , Stassen Gerrit , Schaller Andrea
Published: February 2022

Introduction

In workplace health promotion (WHP), health literacy and work ability are considered as outcomes of high interest. Therefore, the question arises as to what extent individual health literacy skills have an impact on work ability alongside sociodemographic influences.

Objectives

This study aimed to examine the associations between a structural model of health literacy as well as sociodemographic context factors and the work ability among employees with health-related risk factors.

Materials and Methods

The study was based on baseline data of a workplace-related intervention (158 employees with health-related risk factors, 53.8% women, 48 ± 10 years). Health literacy skills were assessed with Lenartz's Questionnaire (measuring “self-perception”, “proactive approach to health”, “dealing with health information”, “self-control”, “self-regulation”, and “communication and cooperation”). Work ability was measured by the German Short Form of the Work Ability Index (WAI). As sociodemographic context factors, sex, age, and educational level were assessed. The associations were examined using structural equation modeling with partial least squares (SmartPLS 2.0.M3). Common quality criteria were applied and significance level was set at α = 5%.

Results

Model's reliability, validity, and structure could be validated. Regarding the impact on work ability, “self-regulation” showed a statistically significant direct effect (ß = 0.32, t(∞) = 4.00, p < 0.01, f2 = 0.09) and “self-perception” had a significant indirect effect (ß = 0.13, t(∞) = 2.53, p < 0.05). The only additional association with work ability was found for age (ß = −0.25, t(∞) = 3.82, p < 0.01, f2 = 0.04). The WAI score variance was explained to 17.5% by the health literacy skills and to 27.5% considering the additional sociodemographic context factors.

Conclusion

According to the structural model of health literacy, in employees with health-related risk factors, a target group-specific WHP approach could be the encouragement of self-regulation and self-perception. However, additional resources and conditions influencing work ability should be considered.
Sustainable in Action: From Intention to Environmentally Friendly Practices in Makerspaces Based on the Theory of Reasoned Action
Authors: Klemichen Antje , Peters Ina , Stark Rainer
Published: February 2022

The steady growth of makerspaces to decentralized production enables access to new and previously unknown technologies for diverse users and thus equally promotes the social-ecological change in society. First, such facilities offer a physical space where ideas and innovations can be realized as prototypes or in small series. Secondly, they are also considered social spaces where people come together, exchange ideas, work collaboratively, and learn. The acquired knowledge is carried home and into peer groups outside the makerspaces. Therefore, in theory the maker scene has great potential for sustainable development especially in the educational and awareness raising context. However, there is a strong heterogeneity among makers not only in their intentions to use such places, but also in their educational background and experience in product development as well as in dealing with technology in general. It has been shown that makers certainly have an awareness of the need for sustainable development, however, this is not reflected in their actual making practices. Rather, makerspaces are characterized by high consumption of resources. A fundamental aspect here is the self-image of makers, in which sustainability plays a subordinate role. It is thus important to support individual production, which is associated with increasing consumption of resources in the early design phase, and to consider environmental aspects–even before 3D printers and laser cutters are switched on. In order to meet knowledge gaps and lack of motivation toward sustainable product creation in makerspaces, the ecoMaker project developed a theoretical framework that builds the bridge from knowledge to action. From this a concept for practical implementation is suggested that combines. Engineering processes and sustainability knowledge with established methods from the start-up scene transferred into tools and methods for the maker scene based on maker requirements. Those tools and methods are to be visibly installed at various places in the makerspace and target different stages of project ideas to help makers develop greener products and raise awareness of the makerspace as a place that promotes sustainable development. The elements have been co-developed with makers, applied in makerspaces and are freely available according to the open-source approach.
Multi-Spacecraft Observations of Fluctuations Occurring Along the Dusk Flank Magnetopause, and Testing the Connection to an Observed Ionospheric Bead
Authors: Petrinec Steven M. , Wing Simon , Johnson Jay R. , Zhang Yongliang
Published: February 2022

During 2018 November 06, 11:30—18:00 UT, the MMS constellation, the Cluster set of spacecraft, and the Geotail spacecraft were all situated near the dusk flank magnetopause. Large scale fluctuations were observed by the available and operating science instruments at these various spacecraft (i.e., magnetic field, plasma moment, and energy flux measurements). Similar fluctuations were not observed by upstream solar wind monitors, suggesting that the waves were initiated at the magnetopause. A localized emission ‘bead’ from the post-noon ionosphere was also observed from low Earth orbit. The nature and relation of the fluctuations observed at all of these spacecraft at the magnetosphere boundary and the connection to the post-noon high-latitude ionosphere are investigated in this study.
Knowledge of, and Attitudes Toward, Concussion in Japanese Male Collegiate Athletes
Authors: Suzuki Keita , Imamoto Takashi , Nagai Satoshi , Takemura Masahiro
Published: February 2022

Japan has no streamlined concussion education for collegiate athletes, and guidelines vary by sport. In particular, research on knowledge of, and attitudes toward, concussion is necessary for the establishment of concussion education for Japanese collegiate athletes. The aim of the present study was to assess the knowledge of, and attitudes toward, concussion in Japanese male collegiate athletes and to investigate their experiences with suspected concussion symptoms. An online questionnaire was administered to 390 collegiate athletes participating in the following five sports with a high incidence of concussion: rugby union, soccer, basketball, American football, and judo. Of the 121 valid responses, 91 (77.1%) indicated that they had experienced suspected concussion symptoms at least once and 46 of these 91 respondents had not reported their symptoms of suspected concussion at least once. Athletes who had never experienced concussion symptoms were significantly less likely to recognize the symptoms of concussion (p < 0.001). Most athletes recognized headache and dizziness as suspected concussion symptoms. However, the recognition rate for several symptoms was lower than the prevalence of these symptoms as shown in previous studies. This suggests that educational initiatives might be important to bridge the gap between athletes' knowledge and understanding of frequently occurring concussion symptoms and to improve reporting behavior.
Case Report: Repeated Intralesional Injections of Autologous Mesenchymal Stem Cells Combined With Platelet-Rich Plasma for Superficial Digital Flexor Tendon Healing in a Show Jumping Horse
Authors: Melotti Luca , Carolo Anna , Elshazly Noha , Boesso Filippo , Da Dalt Laura , Gabai Gianfranco , Perazzi Anna , Iacopetti Ilaria , Patruno Marco
Published: February 2022

In the present case report a show jumping 10-year-old Sella Italiano gelding, presented with severe lameness, swelling and pain at palpation of the mid-metacarpal region of the left forelimb. Clinical and ultrasound examination diagnosed a chronic tendonitis of the central region of the superficial digital flexor tendon (SDFT). The lesion was a reoccurrence since it developed from a previously healed injury. The horse had to stop competing and was unresponsive to gold-standard treatments as Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) and conservative management after 6 months of therapy. The animal was subjected to repeated intralesional injections of autologous adipose-derived mesenchymal stem cells (AD-MSCs) combined with autologous platelet-rich plasma (PRP). The combined treatment was administered twice in a 1-month interval. The healing process was assessed through clinical examination, ultrasound imaging and quantification of oxidative stress products and inflammatory mediators in blood plasma. After 2 weeks from first injection, a reduction of concentration of oxidative-derived products was observed, together with an increase of anti-inflammatory cytokines and pro-mitotic growth factors. These results were reflected clinically as the horse showed a reduction of lameness along with swelling and pain after 4 weeks. At the 1-year follow-up, the horse showed no signs of lameness and swelling. The ultrasonographic examination highlighted a compact fiber alignment with a normal echogenic tendon as observed in the sound contralateral limb. Moreover, the horse went back to the previous level of competition. Our results suggest the positive effects of a repeated intralesional injection of AD-MSCs and PRP for the treatment of a chronic tendonitis with long-term effects and an improvement for both equine quality of life and athletic performance.
Inclusion of Cocoa Bean Shell in the Diet of Dairy Goats: Effects on Milk Production Performance and Milk Fatty Acid Profile
Authors: Renna Manuela , Lussiana Carola , Colonna Letizia , Malfatto Vanda Maria , Mimosi Antonio , Cornale Paolo
Published: February 2022

The use of agro-industrial by-products in animal nutrition is a promising strategy to reduce the food-feed competition, the diet cost at farm level and the environmental impact of animal-derived food production. In this study, the suitability of cocoa bean shell (CBS), a by-product of the cocoa industry, as a feed ingredient in the diet of dairy goats was evaluated, with a focus on the related implications on feed intake, milk yield, milk main constituents, and fatty acid (FA) profile of milk fat. Twenty-two Camosciata delle Alpi goats were divided into two balanced groups. All the goats were fed mixed hay ad libitum. The control group (CTRL; n = 11) also received 1.20 kg/head × day of a commercial concentrate, while in the experimental group (CBS; n = 11) 200 g of the CTRL concentrate were replaced by the same amount of pelleted CBS. The total dry matter intake of the goats was reduced by the dietary inclusion of CBS (P ≤ 0.01). The milk yield, as well as the milk fat, protein, and casein contents and yields were unaffected by the treatment. Milk from the CBS-fed goats showed decreased urea content when compared to the CTRL group (P ≤ 0.001). Milk from the CBS group of goats also showed increased concentrations of total branched-chain FA (both iso and anteiso forms; P ≤ 0.001) and total monounsaturated FA (P ≤ 0.05), as well as a decreased ∑ n6/∑ n3 FA ratio (P ≤ 0.05). De novo saturated FA, total polyunsaturated FA, total conjugated linoleic acids, and the majority of ruminal biohydrogenation intermediates remained unaffected by the dietary treatment. These results suggest that CBS can be strategically used as an alternative non-conventional raw material in diets intended for lactating goats, with no detrimental effects on their milk production performance. The use of CBS in goat nutrition may be hindered by the presence of theobromine, a toxic alkaloid. Special attention is needed by nutritionists to avoid exceeding the theobromine limits imposed by the current legislation. Detheobromination treatments are also suggested in literature to prevent toxic phenomena.
A New Algorithm Based on Colouring Arguments for Identifying Impossible Polyomino Tiling Problems
Authors: Garvie Marcus R. , Burkardt John
Published: February 2022

Checkerboard colouring arguments for proving that a given collection of polyominoes cannot tile a finite target region of the plane are well-known and typically applied on a case-by-case basis. In this article, we give a systematic mathematical treatment of such colouring arguments, based on the concept of a parity violation, which arises from the mismatch between the colouring of the tiles and the colouring of the target region. Identifying parity violations is a combinatorial problem related to the subset sum problem. We convert the combinatorial problem into linear Diophantine equations and give necessary and sufficient conditions for a parity violation. The linear Diophantine equation approach leads to an algorithm implemented in MATLAB for finding all possible parity violations of large tiling problems, and is the main contribution of this article. Numerical examples illustrate the effectiveness of our algorithm. The collection of MATLAB programs, POLYOMINO_PARITY (v2.0.0) is freely available for download.
Comparative Analysis of the Effects of Plastic Mulch Films on Soil Nutrient, Yields and Soil Microbiome in Three Vegetable Fields
Authors: Shan Xi , Zhang Wei , Dai Zhongliang , Li Jianbin , Mao Weiwei , Yu Fangwei , Ma Jinjun , Wang Shenyun , Zeng Xiaoping
Published: February 2022

Plastic film mulching is a common practice to increase vegetable yields. However, the effects of plastic mulch films on different vegetable fields remain largely unknown. In the current study, biodegradable mulch films (BDMs) and polyethylene mulch films (PEMs) were used to explore their effects on three vegetable fields (broccoli, chili pepper and garlic). Compared with bare soil, both BDMs and PEMs could effectively maintain higher exchangeable potassium contents in rhizosphere soil, and significantly increase various soil properties and microbial abundance both in rhizosphere and non-rhizosphere soils. In terms of yields, the treatments of BDMs and PEMs effectively increased broccoli, chili pepper and garlic yields by 17.6–19.0%, 21.3–23.3% and 26.0–29.5%, respectively, when compared with the bare soil. Our initial characterization provided insights into the effects of BMDs and PEMs on soil properties, yields and diversity of rhizosphere and non-rhizosphere microbial communities in three vegetable fields.
Profiling of Water-Use Efficiency in Switchgrass (Panicum virgatum L.) and the Relationship with Cadmium Accumulation
Authors: Hu Zhaoyang , Fang Zhigang , Hu Bingyu , Wen Xuehui , Lou Laiqing , Cai Qingsheng
Published: February 2022

Planting bioenergy crops with high water-use efficiency (WUE) on heavy metal-polluted land is a good practice for biomass production and phytoremediation. Switchgrass (Panicum virgatum L.), a C4 perennial bioenergy grass, is native to the United States. The relationship between the WUE and Cd accumulation of switchgrass has seldom been studied. Here, the WUE and Cd accumulation characteristics of 14 high-biomass switchgrass cultivars were investigated under Cd stress by hydroponic culture. The main results showed that Cd inhibited the instantaneous WUE in switchgrass seedlings and that the inhibition rate was more significant in the upland types than in the lowland types of switchgrass. A positive correlation was found between relative WUE and Cd accumulation in roots and shoots. The relative expression level of stomatal control-related genes (ERECTA and EPF1) in lowland cultivars with high WUE was higher than in upland cultivars with low WUE, both in control and Cd treatment conditions. The results suggest that it would be possible to further select and cultivate switchgrass with high WUE and a high capacity for Cd accumulation for phytoremediation in Cd-contaminated land.
In Vitro Assessment of Hydrolysed Collagen Fermentation Using Domestic Cat (Felis catus) Faecal Inocula
Authors: Butowski Christina F. , Thomas David G. , Cave Nick J. , Bermingham Emma N. , Rosendale Douglas I. , Hea Shen-Yan , Stoklosinski Halina M. , Young Wayne
Published: February 2022

The gastrointestinal microbiome has a range of roles in the host, including the production of beneficial fermentation end products such as butyrate, which are typically associated with fermentation of plant fibres. However, domestic cats are obligate carnivores and do not require carbohydrates. It has been hypothesised that in the wild, collagenous parts of prey—the so-called animal-derived fermentable substrates (ADFS) such as tendons and cartilage—may be fermented by the cat’s gastrointestinal microbiome. However, little research has been conducted on ADFS in the domestic cat. Faecal inoculum was obtained from domestic cats either consuming a high carbohydrate (protein:fat:carbohydrate ratio of 35:20:28 (% dry matter basis)) or high protein (protein:fat:carbohydrate ratio of 75:19:1 (% dry matter basis)) diet. ADFS (hydrolysed collagen, cat hair, and cartilage) were used in a series of static in vitro digestions and fermentations. Concentrations of organic acids and ammonia were measured after 24 h of fermentation, and the culture community of microbes was characterised. The type of inoculum used affected the fermentation profile produced by the ADFS. Butyrate concentrations were highest when hydrolysed collagen was fermented with high protein inoculum (p < 0.05). In contrast, butyrate was not detectable when hydrolysed collagen was fermented in high carbohydrate inoculum (p < 0.05). The microbiome of the domestic cat may be able to ferment ADFS to provide beneficial concentrations of butyrate.
Microbiological Composition of Diets of Cactus Pear-Based with Increasing Levels of Buffel Grass Hay and Relationship to Nutritional Disorders in Sheep
Authors: Vieira Diego de S. , Oliveira Juliana S. de , Santos Edson M. , Santos Betina Raquel C. dos , Pinto Luís Fernando B. , Zanine Anderson de M. , Coelho Diego Francisco O. , Sobral Gilberto de C. , Leite Guilherme M. , Soares Rafael L. , Santos Francisco Naysson de S. , Santos Maria Alyne C. , Viana Nelquides B. , Júnior Paulo da C. Torres , Gomes Paloma G. B.
Published: February 2022

This study aimed to evaluate the microbiological composition of cactus pear-based diets with increasing levels of buffel grass hay, and its effect on the blood and physiological parameters and occurrence of diarrhea in feedlot sheep. Four diets containing different percentages of buffel grass hay were tested. Diets were composed of forage cactus, buffel grass hay and concentrate, and the treatments were represented by different levels of hay in the dry matter of the feed: 7.5% buffel grass hay; 15% buffel grass hay; 30% buffel grass hay; and 45% buffel grass hay on a dry matter basis. There was a significant effect (p = 0.0034) of inclusion levels of buffel grass hay on fecal score. Only at the 45% inclusion level diarrhea was not observed, showing that the level of buffel grass affected more the animals than the collection period, although the collection period has affected the microbial counts. Probably there was a physiological adaptation of animals over time. There were significant changes (p < 0.0001) in the blood parameters of sheep. The reduction of the proportion of cactus and the inclusion of greater than 15% buffel grass hay, on a dry matter basis, provides less contamination of the diet and animal feces by enterobacteria, such as E. coli.
Distribution of CRISPR in Escherichia coli Isolated from Bulk Tank Milk and Its Potential Relationship with Virulence
Authors: Kang Hyo-Jung , Lee Young-Ju
Published: February 2022

Escherichia coli is one of the most common causes of mastitis on dairy farms around the world, but its clinical severity is determined by a combination of virulence factors. Recently, clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeat (CRISPR) arrays have been reported as a novel typing method because of their usefulness in discriminating pathogenic bacterial isolates. Therefore, this study aimed to investigate the virulence potential of E. coli isolated from bulk tank milk, not from mastitis, and to analyze its pathogenic characterization using the CRISPR typing method. In total, 164 (89.6%) out of 183 E. coli isolated from the bulk tank milk of 290 farms carried one or more of eighteen virulence genes. The most prevalent virulence gene was fimH (80.9%), followed by iss (38.3%), traT (26.8%), ompT (25.7%), afa/draBC (24.0%), and univcnf (21.9%). Moreover, the phylogenetic group with the highest prevalence was B1 (64.0%), followed by A (20.1%), D (8.5%), and C (7.3%) (p < 0.05). Among the four CRISPR loci, only two, CRISPR 1 and CRISPR 2, were found. Interestingly, the distribution of CRISPR 1 was significantly higher in groups A and B1 compared to that of CRISPR 2 (p < 0.05), but there were no significant differences in groups C and D. The prevalence of CRISPR 1 by virulence gene ranged from 91.8% to 100%, whereas that of CRISPR 2 ranged from 57.5% to 93.9%. The distribution of CRISPR 1 was significantly higher in fimH, ompT, afa/draBC, and univcnf genes than that of CRISPR 2 (p < 0.05). The most prevalent E. coli sequence types (EST) among 26 ESTs was EST 22 (45.1%), followed by EST 4 (23.2%), EST 16 (20.1%), EST 25 (19.5%), and EST 24 (18.3%). Interestingly, four genes, fimH, ompT, afa/draBC, and univcnf, had a significantly higher prevalence in both EST 4 and EST 22 (p < 0.05). Among the seven protospacers derived from CRISPR 1, protospacer 163 had the highest prevalence (20.4%), and it only existed in EST 4 and EST 22. This study suggests that the CRISPR sequence-typing approach can help to clarify and trace virulence potential, although the E. coli isolates were from normal bulk tank milk and not from mastitis.