bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Association between behavioral patterns and depression symptoms: dyadic interaction between couples
Authors: Yang Qianhui , Gao Xin , Tang Ying , Gan Hong , Wang Baoling , Li Mengdie , Pan Guixia , Bao Shuangshuang , Zhu Peng , Shao Shanshan , Tao Fangbiao
Published: November 2023

Background

Behavioral patterns are sometimes associated with depression symptoms; however, few studies have considered the intra-couple effects. This study examined the effect of a spouses’ behavioral patterns on depression symptoms within themself and in their spouse.

Methods

A total of 61,118 childbearing age participants (30,559 husband-wife dyads) were surveyed. The depression symptoms were assessed using the nine-item Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ-9). The behavioral patterns were identified by the latent class analysis. The effects of behavioral patterns on the couple’s own depression symptoms (actor effect) and their partner’s depression symptoms (partner effect) were analyzed using the Actor-Partner Interdependence Model (APIM).

Results

Three behavioral patterns were identified: low-risk group, moderate-risk group, and high-risk group. The high risk of these behavior patterns would be associated with a higher score on the PHQ-9; for both husbands and wives, their behavioral patterns were positively associated with PHQ-9 scores (βhusband = 0.53, P < 0.01; βwife = 0.58, P < 0.01). Wives’ behavioral patterns were also positively associated with their husbands’ PHQ-9 scores (β = 0.14, P < 0.01), but husbands’ behavioral patterns were not associated with their wives’ PHQ-9 scores.

Conclusions

Wives’ depression symptoms were affected only by their own behavioral patterns, whereas husbands’ depression symptoms were influenced by both their own and their spouses’ behavioral patterns.
Content specificity of attentional bias to COVID-19 threat-related information in trait anxiety
Authors: Zhao Yiming , Jia Xun , Pan Shunjie , Ji Haifeng , Wang Yanmei
Published: November 2023

Introduction

Anxious individuals selectively attend to threatening information, but it remains unclear whether attentional bias can be generalized to traumatic events, such as the COVID-19 pandemic. Previous studies suggested that specific threats related to personal experiences can elicit stronger attentional bias than general threats. The current study aimed to investigate the relationship between content-specific attentional bias and trait anxiety during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Methods

Attentional bias was assessed using the dot-probe task with COVID-19-related, general threat-related, and neutral words at two exposure times, 200 and 500 ms.

Results

We found participants with high trait anxiety exhibited attentional bias toward COVID-19- related stimuli and attentional bias away from general threat-related stimuli, while participants with low trait anxiety showed attentional bias away from both types of stimuli.

Discussion

Results suggest that individuals with high trait anxiety show a content-specific attentional bias to COVID-19-related information during the COVID-19 pandemic. Apart from the innate attentional bias toward biological threats, individuals with high trait anxiety may also learn from trauma and develop trauma-specific attentional bias.
Impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on physical activity, smoking, alcohol use, and mental well-being—A longitudinal study of nursing students at Wroclaw Medical University in Poland
Authors: Kosendiak Aureliusz Andrzej , Wysocki Michał , Krysiński Paweł , Kuźnik Zofia , Adamczak Bartosz
Published: November 2023

Introduction

From the moment the first cases of coronavirus disease were detected in December 2019 until the announcement and duration of the pandemic, it was a negative experience for people around the world in various spheres of life. In connection with it, there have been many changes in our daily lives related to lifestyle, physical activity, or the mental sphere. The aim of the following paper is to determine the correlation between the COVID-19 pandemic and alcohol drinking, smoking, physical exercise, and lifestyle among nursing students in Poland.

Methods

The study was conducted among nursing students at Wroclaw Medical University before and during the COVID-19 pandemic. The survey consisted of completing the same anonymous online questionnaires five times by the same research group. The majority of respondents were women in the age between 18 and 30 years old and the significance level of data analysis was set at p < 0.05.

Results and discussion

In October 2020, we recorded a large number of respondents experiencing anxiety/fear or being more stressed. Between the measurements, the highest average level of alcohol addiction (p < 0.001) was in October 2021 (8.71). Moreover, the percentage of respondents who felt as before increased (p = 0.021). As the pandemic continued, there was a systematic decline in the physical activity level (p < 0.001). In conclusion, the COVID-19 pandemic had a serious impact on the daily lives of the students.
Integrative attitudes of Ukrainian war refugees in two neighboring European countries (Poland and Hungary) in connection with posttraumatic stress symptoms and social support
Authors: Kovács Judit , Csukonyi Csilla , Kovács Karolina Eszter , Liszka Damian , Walawender Paweł
Published: November 2023

Since February 24th, 2022, millions of Ukrainians have sought refuge in other, mainly European countries. Hungary, after Poland, is the second largest host of Ukrainian refugees. Only a portion of them are asylum seekers (~11.0% in Poland and ~ 1.1% in Hungary). The aim of the study is to compare the integrative acculturation attitudes between the war refugees residing in the two European countries. The comparison takes into account both the suffering of posttraumatic stress symptoms and social support. It is the first comparative study of this kind pertaining to the Ukrainian refugees in European countries. The data were obtained by a survey method using the modified CAPI (Computer Assisted Personal Interview) technique. The data analyzed were collected between November 21st and December 20th, 2022 from 728 adult Ukrainian individuals who crossed the borders of Poland and Hungary after February 24th, 2022. The research results show that refugees in Poland perceive significantly more social support and show stronger integrative attitudes than refugees in Hungary. The two samples do not differ regarding the presence of posttraumatic stress. The integrative attitudes proved not to be linked to gender and age, but linked to the host country. Besides social support and the host country, posttraumatic stress also proved to be a significant predictor of integrative attitudes.
Healthcare professionals and commercial milk formula recommendations in the urban Mexican context
Authors: Hernández-Cordero Sonia , Vilar-Compte Mireya , Tomori Cecília , Lara-Mejía Vania , Rovelo-Velázquez Natalia , Hayes Keily , Pérez-Escamilla Rafael
Published: November 2023

Introduction

Breastfeeding (BF) is considered an essential component of optimal care for child health and development. In the past two decades, global data have shown improvements in some, but not all, BF indicators. Despite these positive changes sales and per capita intake of commercial milk formula (CMF) have increased globally. The CMF industry invests millions of dollars in marketing, which targets families and healthcare professionals (HCP). In Mexico, more than half of the mothers (53%) who feed their infants with CMF chose their Brand on the recommendation of HCP. Understanding the reasons behind the current recommendations for the use of CMF by HCP is important for the design of BF interventions. The primary objective of this study was to explore Mexican HCP' beliefs, attitudes, perceptions, and practices about early infant feeding practices, and reasons for recommending CMF. The secondary objective was to explore pregnant women and mother's perceptions of the infant feeding recommendations they received from HCP, and of the factors that influenced their infant feeding decisions.

Methods

The study was based on a secondary qualitative data analysis of a WHO/UNICEF multi-country study. We analyzed focus group discussions (FGDs) and in-depth interviews (IDIs) from Mexico. Data were collected through convenience sampling in Mexico City and Guadalajara. HCP (n = 34) analysis was based on IDIs, and pregnant women or mothers of children 0-18 months (n = 74) on FGDs and IDIs.

Results

Through a thematic analysis, we identified the socioecology of BF and triangulated HCP and women's accounts. HCP, pregnant women, and mothers recognized that several factors might have influenced their infant feeding decisions including healthcare facilities' policies and maternal work conditions. Although HCP believed that BF is the best way to feed newborns and young children, they routinely recommended CMF. On the other hand, pregnant women and mothers had a strong belief that BF is the best way to feed their babies. However, when women sought support from HCP, the latter often recommended switching to CMF.

Discussion

This study highlights the discordance between HCP perceptions and mothers' experiences of HCP recommendations about infant feeding. Our findings support a national call for policy actions.
Co-creation of human papillomavirus self-sampling delivery strategies for cervical cancer screening in rural Zimbabwe: nominal group technique
Authors: Dzobo Mathias , Dzinamarira Tafadzwa , Murewanhema Grant , Chishapira Tatenda , Dube Mandishora Racheal S. , Fitzpatrick Megan , Mashamba-Thompson Tivani
Published: November 2023

Background

Human papillomavirus (HPV) self-sampling is recommended for cervical cancer screening, particularly among women who do not participate in or have access to current screening methods offered in Zimbabwe. Key stakeholder involvement is critical in co-creating acceptable delivery strategies for implementing HPV self-sampling to ensure demand and facilitate uptake by the target population. The main objective of this study was to engage key stakeholders in co-creating acceptable HPV self-sampling delivery strategies for cervical cancer screening in rural Zimbabwe.

Methods

We invited key stakeholders and employed a nominal group technique (NGT) for data collection. We employed the NGT to (1) identify barriers to access and utilisation of available cervical cancer screening services and (2) co-create delivery strategies for HPV self-sampling. The workshop included 8 participants (women n = 4, health workers n = 2 and policymakers n = 2). Quantitative data was gathered by ranking ideas and qualitative data were collected from participant group discussions and analysed thematically. The results of the ranking exercise were fed back to the participants for comments.

Results

The most significant barriers to accessing and utilising current cervical cancer screening services by women were: Inadequate information and education on cervical cancer, lack of resources and funding for cervical cancer programmes, long distances to nearest health facilities, and low perceived personal risk of cervical cancer. Key stakeholders recommended enhanced education and awareness, results notification, linkage to care, community-based self-sampling, and the choice of sampling devices as potential HPV self-sampling delivery strategies.

Conclusion

Our study demonstrated the utility of the NGT for reaching a consensus. Using the NGT, we established priority delivery strategies for HPV self-sampling cervical cancer screening. Adequate education and awareness, early results notification, choice of sampling device and community-based self-sampling were crucial to HPV self-sampling screening in rural Zimbabwe. The proposed delivery strategies can guide the development of guidelines for designing and implementing an HPV self-sampling intervention. We recommend a study to determine women's most preferred HPV self-sampling delivery strategies before implementing the intervention.
Interactive associations of smoking and physical activity with metabolic syndrome in adult men in Korea
Authors: Kim Minjun , Kim Joonwoong , Lee Inhwan
Published: November 2023

Introduction

This study aimed to investigate the association of smoking and physical activity (PA) with metabolic syndrome (MetS) in adult men in Korea.

Methods

This study analyzed data of 7,229 adult men aged 19–64 years obtained from the 2014–2021 Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (KNHANES). Information on smoking habits was obtained using KNHANES data, while that on total PA (TPA), leisure-time PA (LTPA), and occupational PA (OPA) was collected using the Global Physical Activity Questionnaire. Smoking status was classified into non-smokers and smokers, and PA was categorized into three groups (total, leisure time, and occupational) according to the time spent engaging in moderate or high-intensity PA areas. The diagnosis of MetS was based on the Adult Treatment Program III of the National Cholesterol Education Program and Koreans’ waist circumference criteria.

Results

Logistic regression revealed that the risk of MetS was significantly lower in non-smokers than in smokers, even after adjusting for all covariates. The risk of MetS was significantly lower in individuals who engaged in at least 150 min of moderate- and high-intensity TPA or LTPA per week than in those who did not engage in PA. Furthermore, smokers who engaged in at least 150 min of moderate- to high-intensity TPA and LTPA per week had a significantly lower risk of MetS than those who did not engage in PA. Meanwhile, OPA was not associated with MetS.

Conclusion

The findings suggest that engaging in moderate- to high-intensity TPA or LTPA for at least 150 min per week attenuates the risk of MetS caused by smoking.
Graph embedding and geometric deep learning relevance to network biology and structural chemistry
Authors: Lecca Paola , Lecca Michela
Published: November 2023

Graphs are used as a model of complex relationships among data in biological science since the advent of systems biology in the early 2000. In particular, graph data analysis and graph data mining play an important role in biology interaction networks, where recent techniques of artificial intelligence, usually employed in other type of networks (e.g., social, citations, and trademark networks) aim to implement various data mining tasks including classification, clustering, recommendation, anomaly detection, and link prediction. The commitment and efforts of artificial intelligence research in network biology are motivated by the fact that machine learning techniques are often prohibitively computational demanding, low parallelizable, and ultimately inapplicable, since biological network of realistic size is a large system, which is characterised by a high density of interactions and often with a non-linear dynamics and a non-Euclidean latent geometry. Currently, graph embedding emerges as the new learning paradigm that shifts the tasks of building complex models for classification, clustering, and link prediction to learning an informative representation of the graph data in a vector space so that many graph mining and learning tasks can be more easily performed by employing efficient non-iterative traditional models (e.g., a linear support vector machine for the classification task). The great potential of graph embedding is the main reason of the flourishing of studies in this area and, in particular, the artificial intelligence learning techniques. In this mini review, we give a comprehensive summary of the main graph embedding algorithms in light of the recent burgeoning interest in geometric deep learning.
Tweets don’t vote – Twitter discourse from Wales and England during Brexit
Authors: Peixoto Gomes Larissa
Published: November 2023

The Welsh vote for “leave” in the Brexit referendum surprised some academics and analysts due to its strong preference for Labor and its close financial ties to the EU. It also brought up a debate about apparent differences in Welsh and English attitudes towards race, ethnicity, and migration, with the former often claiming to have a more positive stance regarding the presence of ethnic minorities and foreign nationalities. This paper proposes to analyze discourse posted on Twitter during June 2016, specifically targeting Wales and England with the aim to offer insight into the perceptions and beliefs of Welsh and English individuals on the platform and if attitudes on race, ethnicity, and migration played a significant role. Counterfactuals are checked with posts from the first few weeks of the refugee crisis in Afghanistan in 2021, the war on Ukraine, and the announcement of the Rwanda policy. The current discussion of Welsh national identity includes its claims as a “nation of sanctuary” and that understands oppression and marginalization. Thus, Welsh perspectives on Brexit become an interesting viewpoint to comprehending ethnic minorities and foreigners as it creates a possible conflict between the institutional discourse, cultural views, and perceived economic needs. In this context, this paper takes the view that Twitter is an area where individuals post their thoughts uninhibited, and where we can conduct an aggregate analysis of that public sentiment.
The association between subjective anti-doping knowledge and objective knowledge among Japanese university athletes: a cross-sectional study
Authors: Murofushi Yuka , Kamihigashi Etsuko , Kawata Yujiro , Yamaguchi Shinji , Nakamura Miyuki , Fukamachi Hanako , Aono Hiroshi , Takazawa Yuji , Naito Hisashi
Published: November 2023

Introduction

This study aimed to assess the association between subjective anti-doping knowledge (subjective ADK) and objective anti-doping knowledge (objective ADK) among Japanese university athletes, framed within the context of the Theory of Planned Behavior (TPB).

Methods

Eligible participants were 486 university athletes [320 men (65.8%), 166 women; mean age of 18.9 ± 1.0 years]. The participants categorized themselves in terms of the quality of their anti-doping knowledge. This assessment resulted in an independent variable coded as “(1) substantial lack of adequate knowledge,” “(2) some lack of adequate knowledge,” “(3) fair amount of knowledge” or “(4) good amount of knowledge.” Objective ADK was assessed using the Athlete Learning Program about Health and Anti-Doping (ALPHA) test, a set of questions derived from the ALPHA—a former World Anti-Doping Agency e-learning program. The test comprises 12 questions (four choices each; passing index: ≧10 points or 80% correct answer rate). ANCOVA was conducted using subjective ADK as an independent variable and ALPHA scores as a dependent variable, adjusting for confounding factors (anti-doping experience).

Results

The ALPHA corrected answer rate across subjective ADK levels for the group were 73.10% for “(1) substantial lack of adequate knowledge,” 71.97% for “(2) some lack of adequate knowledge,” 75.18% for “(3) fair amount of knowledge” and 72.86% for “(4) good amount of knowledge.” Comparison between different levels of subjective ADK revealed no significant differences in ALPHA score considering the main effects or any of their interactions.

Discussion

The present results revealed that Japanese university athletes’ subjective ADK did not match their objective ADK. In the context of the TPB, there may be limitations in the perceived behavioral control in anti-doping knowledge. Even if athletes view doping as a wrongful act and have formed attitudes and subjective norms to comply with the rules, the results suggest that errors may occur in the composition of behavioral intentions due to a lack of knowledge. This could lead to the possibility of facing the risk of unintentional anti-doping rule violations. It highlights the need for targeted educational interventions to align subjective ADK of athletes with their objective ADK.
Effect of market participation on the food and nutrition security status of the rural smallholder farmers: the case of Limpopo and Mpumalanga provinces, South Africa
Authors: Hlatshwayo Simphiwe Innocentia , Ojo Temitope Oluwaseun , Ngidi Mjabuliseni Simon Cloapas
Published: November 2023

Introduction

Hunger and malnutrition remain serious issues in developing countries, particularly in rural regions. Increased market participation of smallholder farmers can result in improved livelihood and nutrition outcomes. However, smallholder farmers encounter several obstacles that hinder their ability to participate in the market. As a result, the objective of this study is to investigate the factors that influence market participation and its impact on household nutrition security.

Methods

The study relied on secondary data gathered from a sample size of 1,520 people. About 389 of smallholder farmers participated in the market.

Results and Discussion

The results from Food Consumption Score (FSC) cut-off points showed that in the overall sample households, 54% were within the acceptable food consumption diets (>35), while 30 and 16% were in the borderline (21.5–35) and poor diets (0–21), respectively. According to the Household Dietary Diversity Score (HDDS) findings, 57% of smallholder farmers in the total population sample consumed highly diverse diets (consisting of at least six food groups), while 25 and 18% of smallholder farmers consumed diets with medium dietary diversity (consisting of 4–5 food groups) and low dietary diversity (consisting of at most three food groups), respectively. The results from marginal analysis showed that gender of household head, receiving social grants and higher wealth index had a positive impact on market participation. The results from Poisson endogenous treatment effect model showed that household size, ownership of livestock, social grant, wealth index, access to market information, and involvement in crop production had a positive and statistically significant impact on household nutrition security. On the other hand, agricultural assistance showed a negative and significant impact on household nutrition security.

Conclusion and Recommendations

It can be concluded that an improvement in agricultural assistance can improve the household nutrition security status. The improvement of agricultural assistance is more associated with improvement of extension services, which can lead to more production of diverse crops and more market participation. Health extension workers need to do more nutrition programs and workshops in rural areas. These programs and workshops will be intended on providing nutrition education, which will create awareness to smallholder farmers on diverse and balanced food items they should produce, sell, and consume.
Avocado Hass peel from industrial by-product: effect of extraction process variables on yield, phenolic compounds and antioxidant capacity
Authors: García-Ramón Fernando , Malnati-Ramos Miguel , Rios-Mendoza Jesaya , Vivar-Méndez Jorge , Nieva-Villegas Lilia María , Cornelio-Santiago Heber Peleg , Sotelo-Méndez Alejandrina
Published: November 2023

At present in Peru, a substantial quantity of avocado by-products (peel and seed) is produced due to avocado processing. It is essential to revalue these products. The meticulous selection of parameters in solid–liquid extraction through maceration, which is the industrial preference, is crucial to obtain a greater recovery of phenolic compounds from avocado Hass peels. Therefore, the aim of this study was to assess the impact of process variables (ethanol concentration, temperature and solvent:feed (S/F) ratio) on the global yield of extraction (GY), total phenolic content (TPC), total flavonoid content (TFC), and antioxidant capacity (DPPH) of avocado Hass peel extract at two different stages of maturity. Furthermore, the quantification of phenolic compounds was using High Performance Liquid Chromatography with Diode Array Detection (HPLC-DAD) and antioxidant capacity using ABTS and FRAP assays were determined in higher yielding extracts. The dry matter content (dm) was determined in the pulp of unripe avocados (UA, 22.57% dm) and ripe avocados (RA, 27.30% dm). The results showed that, for all treatments, ethanol concentration, temperature, S/F ratio had a significant influence (p < 0.05) on GY, TPC, TFC and antioxidant capacity, and the UA peel extracts obtained with 40% ethanol, 49.3°C, S/F ratio (14.3 mL/g) and 60 min showed the highest values of TPC (44.24 mg GAE/g peel dw), TFC (786.08 mg QE/g peel dw) and antioxidant capacity against DPPH (564.82 μmTE/g peel dw), ABTS (804.40 μmTE/g peel dw) and FRAP (1006.21 μmTE/g peel dw). Meanwhile, for the HPLC-DAD analysis, vanillic acid and 4-hydroxyphenylacetic acid are the main phenolic compounds present in avocado peel extracts. The results of this research indicate that avocado peels are a source of natural phenolic components, with potential application in the food industry as a viable alternative to synthetic antioxidants, thus reducing their use.
Effects of Leymus chinensis hay and alfalfa hay on growth performance, rumen microbiota, and untargeted metabolomics of meat in lambs
Authors: Wang Hanning , Meng Lingbo , Mi Lan
Published: November 2023

Objective

The objective of this study was to compare the effects of Leymus chinensis hay and alfalfa hay as the roughage on the rumen bacterial and the meat metabolomics in lambs.

Methods

Fourteen male lambs were randomly assigned to two dietary treatments (one group was fed with concentrate and Leymus chinensis hay; another was fed with concentrate and alfalfa hay) with seven replicates per treatment. The feeding experiment lasted for 60 days. Lambs were slaughtered at the end of the feeding experiment. Growth performance, carcass performance, and weights of various viscera were determined. The longissimus dorsi and rumen contents were collected for untargeted metabolomics and 16S rDNA amplicon sequencing analysis, respectively.

Results

The lambs fed with alfalfa hay showed a significantly increased in average daily gain, carcass weight, dressing percentage, loin-eye area, and kidney weight. Feeding Leymus chinensis hay and alfalfa hay diets resulted in different meat metabolite deposition and rumen bacterial communities in the lambs. The relative abundance of phyla Fibrobacteres, Bacteroidetes, and Spirochaetes were greater in the Leymus Chinensis hay group, while, the relative abundance of Firmicutes, Proteobacteria, Fusobacteria, and Verrucomicrobia were greater in the alfalfa hay group. Based on untargeted metabolomics, the main altered metabolic pathways included alanine, aspartate and glutamate metabolism, D-glutamine and D-glutamate metabolism, phenylalanine metabolism, nitrogen metabolism, and tyrosine metabolism. Several bacteria genera including BF31, Alistipes, Faecalibacterium, Eggerthella, and Anaeroplasma were significantly correlated with growth performance and meat metabolites.

Conclusion

Alfalfa hay improved growth performance and carcass characteristics in lambs. Leymus chinensis hay and alfalfa hay caused different meat metabolite deposition by modifying the rumen bacterial community. These findings will be beneficial to future forage utilization for sheep growth, carcass performance, and meat quality improvement.
Quercetin protects cadmium-induced renal injuries in mice by inhibiting cell pyroptosis
Authors: Wang Juyu , Yang Jieyan , Liu Kai , Qu Weijie , Wang Kuan , Zhao Yu , Zhou Yaxiong , Liu Xiang , Zhang Limei , Gu Xiaolong
Published: November 2023

The toxic heavy metal cadmium (Cd) has a significant impact on kidney health. Documents manifested that non-toxic flavonoid quercetin can reduce Cd-induced kidney damage by reducing oxidative stress and inhibiting apoptosis, while the effect of quercetin on Cd-induced renal cell pyroptosis has not been elucidated. In this study, we established a model of Cd poisoning treated with quercetin both in vitro and in vivo. Results revealed that quercetin effectively reversed the decrease in Cd-induced cell viability. Furthermore, Cd increased blood urea nitrogen while reducing GPX and SOD levels, caused histopathological injuries in kidney with a significantly elevated cell pyroptosis characterized by enhanced levels of proteins representing assembly (NLRP3) and activation (pro IL-1β, cleaved IL-1β, and IL-18) of NLRP3 inflammasome as well as pyroptosis executor (pro caspase-1, cleaved caspase-1). However, quercetin administration alleviated kidney injuries above by decreasing cell pyroptosis. Overall, it suggests that kidney cells are susceptible to pyroptotic cell death due to Cd exposure; while quercetin exhibits protective effects through cell pyroptosis inhibition.
Long-Endurance Mars Exploration Flying Vehicle: A Project Brief
Authors: Karpovich Elena , Kombaev Timur , Gueraiche Djahid , Evdokimova Daria , Alexandrov Kirill
Published: November 2023

The paper presents specifications for the Long-Endurance Mars Exploration Flying Vehicle (LEMFEV), which will be used as future design input data. The specifications are based on the analysis of previous Mars missions and scientific data collected by the operating Martian probes. The design specifications include the requirements related to the airplane’s delivery to the Martian surface; the requirements related to the Martian conditions (atmosphere and climate); and the requirements related to the scientific payload parameters and the mission flight profile.
Requirements and Economic Implications of Integrating a PV-Plant-Based Energy System in the Dairy Production Process
Authors: Höhendinger Martin , Krieg Hans-Jürgen , Dietrich Reinhard , Rauscher Stefan , Hartung Christina , Stumpenhausen Jörn , Bernhardt Heinz
Published: November 2023

To expand the potential of renewable energies, energy storage is required to level peaks in energy demand and supply. The aim of the present study was to examine and characterize the energy consumption of a milk production system to find possibilities and boundaries for a self-sufficient energy system. A detailed quantification of energy production of the test farm and the consumption of the milk production system showed, that the total energy production could cover the energy consumption of the production process. However, the temporal distribution of energy production and consumption requires energy storage in the production process. Though ice bank milk cooling and water heating have the potential to cover parts of this storage capacity, battery storage is mandatory to enable full autarky. The consideration of different seasons leads to different optimal dimensions of the energy system. The energy price is decisive for profitability, both in the purchase and in the sale. Smaller energy systems are generally at an advantage due to the higher self-consumption quota.
Bacterial Community Structure in Rhizosphere of Barley at Maturity Stage
Authors: Zhang Siyu , An Yue , Zhou Yu , Wang Xiaofang , Tang Yiqing , Zhang Daorong , Sun Genlou , Wang Qifei , Ren Xifeng
Published: November 2023

The crop rhizosphere is the main site of soil microbial activities. Understanding the structure and diversity of microbial communities in the crop rhizosphere will help us reveal interactions between rhizosphere microorganisms and plant growth. In this study, the rhizosphere soil was collected from 35 cultivated barley varieties at the mature stage. To investigate the structure and diversity of bacterial communities in the rhizosphere of different barley varieties, the 16S rDNA gene of microorganisms from the soil was sequenced using Illumina MiSeq next-generation high-throughput sequencing technology. The results showed that 13, 25, 49, and 59 bacterial flora with relative abundance >1% were detected from 35 barley rhizosphere samples at the phylum, class, order, and family levels, respectively. The abundance of bacteria among varieties differed relatively little, but the abundance of the same bacteria in rhizospheres of different varieties was different. In addition, both the cluster analysis and principal component analysis (PCA) divided the 35 samples into three clusters at the phylum level. Groups III and IV showed significantly higher abundance than group II in Proteobacteria, while group II exhibited significantly higher abundance of Chloroflexi than groups III and IV. This finding provides a realistic basis for further using the relationship between barley rhizosphere microorganisms and barley growth to improve the resistance and quality of barley.
Comparison of Two Methods for the Measurement of Blood Plasma and Capillary Blood Glucose in Tropical Highland Grassing Dairy Cows
Authors: López Catalina , Hincapié Valentina , Carmona Jorge U.
Published: November 2023

(1) Background: There is lack of published studies validating specific cow-side glucometers such as Centrivet GK (CVGK). (2) Methods: The aims were (1) to measure and compare the blood glucose concentrations in 52 tropic highland grassing cows by using CVGK and the traditional enzymatic/photometric assay (EPA) in plasma and serum (reference method) and (2) to establish if glucose concentrations obtained via these methods could be affected by several demographic and zootechnical parameters of the dairy herd evaluated. (3) Results: Glucose concentrations were significantly (p = 0.00) affected by the method used for their measurement. The intra-assay coefficient of variation (CV) for glucose concentrations in plasma EPA and for CVGK was 14% for both methods with serum EPA, whereas the inter-assay CV for plasma EPA and CVGK was 8% and 13.7%, respectively, with serum EPA. Pearson correlation coefficient calculations between the reference method in serum and plasma presented a slightly positive significant (p = <0.000) correlation (r = 0.56), whereas there was not a significant (p = 0.413) correlation between serum EPA and CVGK (r = 0.135). The Passing and Bablok regressions were out of the ideal expected values for the slope (β = 1) and the intercept (α = 0) (11), whereas the Bland–Altman plots showed a bias of 5.29 ± 11.73 (mg/dL) for serum and plasma and 11.01 ± 15.74 (mg/dL) for serum and CVGK. The ROC curve showed no sensitivity in detecting normoglycemic cows (area = 53.7 %, e.d = 12.5 %, p = 0.759) for CVGK when compared to plasma EPA (area = 36.1 %, e.d = 14.2 %, p = 0.256). Plasma EPA exhibited a better but not significant effect in detecting hyperglycemic cows (area = 63.9%, e.d = 14.2%, p = 0.256) when compared to HHD (area = 46.3 %, e.d = 12.5 %, p = 0.759). General glucose concentrations, independently of the method used, were significantly (p = <0.001) greater in young cows when compared to adult and old cows. (4) Conclusions: Glucose concentration measurement in plasma by using EPA or in capillary blood via CVGK were not reliable methods when compared with the reference method.
Using Sound Location to Monitor Farrowing in Sows
Authors: van Erp-van der Kooij Elaine , de Graaf Lois F. , de Kruijff Dennis A. , Pellegrom Daphne , de Rooij Renilda , Welters Nian I. T. , van Poppel Jeroen
Published: November 2023

Precision Livestock Farming systems can help pig farmers prevent health and welfare issues around farrowing. Five sows were monitored in two field studies. A Sorama L642V sound camera, visualising sound sources as coloured spots using a 64-microphone array, and a Bascom XD10-4 security camera with a built-in microphone were used in a farrowing unit. Firstly, sound spots were compared with audible sounds, using the Observer XT (Noldus Information Technology), analysing video data at normal speed. This gave many false positives, including visible sound spots without audible sounds. In total, 23 of 50 piglet births were visible, but none were audible. The sow’s behaviour changed when farrowing started. One piglet was silently crushed. Secondly, data were analysed at a 10-fold slower speed when comparing sound spots with audible sounds and sow behaviour. This improved results, but accuracy and specificity were still low. When combining audible sound with visible sow behaviour and comparing sound spots with combined sound and behaviour, the accuracy was 91.2%, the error was 8.8%, the sensitivity was 99.6%, and the specificity was 69.7%. We conclude that sound cameras are promising tools, detecting sound more accurately than the human ear. There is potential to use sound cameras to detect the onset of farrowing, but more research is needed to detect piglet births or crushing.
Phenotypic and Genetic Analyses of In Vitro Embryo Production Traits in Chinese Holstein Cattle
Authors: Huang Yuechuan , Zhang Hailiang , Mei Cheng , Yang Minglu , Zhao Shanjiang , Zhu Huabin , Wang Yachun
Published: November 2023

Ovum pick up and in vitro embryo production (OPU-IVEP) is an essential technique in the dairy industry. The production efficiency of OPU-IVEP is significantly influenced by various factors, and phenotypic and genetic characteristics are highly variable in different populations. The objectives of this study were (1) to reveal the phenotypic characteristics, including population distribution, and impacts of donor age and month on in vitro embryo production and (2) to estimate genetic parameters for five in vitro embryo production traits in Chinese Holstein cattle. A total of 7311 OPU-IVEP records of 867 Holstein heifers from August 2021 to March 2023 were collected in this study. Five in vitro embryo production traits were defined, including the number of cumulus–oocyte complexes (NCOC), the number of cleaved embryos (NCLV), the number of grade I embryos (NGE), and the proportion of NCLV to NCOC (PCLV) and NGE to NCOC (PGE). A univariate repeatability animal model was employed to estimate heritability and repeatability, and a bivariate repeatability animal model was employed to estimate the genetic correlations among five in vitro embryo production traits. It was found that the in vitro embryo production traits were significantly influenced by season, as the NGE and PGE were significantly decreased from June to August. In addition, the production efficiency of OPU-IVEP was also influenced by donor age. On the observed scale, the estimates of heritability were 0.33 for NCOC, 0.24 for NCLV, 0.16 for NGE, 0.06 for PCLV, and 0.10 for PGE, respectively. On the log-transformed scale, the estimates of heritability of NCOC, NCLV, and NGE were 0.34, 0.18, and 0.13. The genetic correlations among NCOC, NCLV, and NGE ranged from 0.61 (NCLV and NGE) to 0.95 (NCOC and NCLV), considering both scales. However, there were low genetic correlations between NCOC and proportion traits (PCLV and PGE) on both the observed scale and the log-transformed scale. In the end, the variation in Chinese Holstein cattle was found to be considerable. The EBV value and average NCOC, NGE, and PGE for the top 10% donors presented extreme differences to those for the bottom 10% donors for NCOC (24.02 versus 2.60), NGE (3.42 versus 0.36), and PGE (30.54% versus 3.46%). Overall, the results of this study reveal that in vitro embryo production traits are heritable with low to high heritability, and the count traits (NCOC, NCLV, and NGE) and proportion traits (PCLV and PGE) reflect different aspects of in vitro embryo production and should be incorporated into genetic selection for improving the embryo production efficiency of dairy cattle.
Effects of Plant-Based Supplement on Oxidative Stress of Honey Bees (Apis mellifera) Infected with Nosema ceranae
Authors: Jovanovic Nemanja M. , Glavinic Uros , Ristanic Marko , Vejnovic Branislav , Ilic Tamara , Stevanovic Jevrosima , Stanimirovic Zoran
Published: November 2023

One of the most important approaches in the prevention and treatment of nosemosis is the use of herbal preparations as food supplements for bees. Therefore, the aim of this study was to investigate the effects of a plant-based supplement branded as “B+” on honeybees in a laboratory experiment. Four experimental groups were established: treated group (T), N. ceranae-infected and treated group (IT), N. ceranae-infected group (I) and non-infected group (NI). Survival, N. ceranae spore load and oxidative stress parameters together with expression levels of antioxidant enzyme genes and vitellogenin gene were monitored. The mortality in the T, IT and NI groups was significantly (p < 0.001) lower than in than in the I group. Within Nosema-infected groups, the IT group had a significantly lower (p < 0.001) number of N. ceranae spores than the I group. In addition, expression levels of genes for antioxidant enzymes were lower (p < 0.001) in the IT group compared to the I group. The concentration of malondialdehyde and the activities of antioxidant enzymes (superoxide dismutase, catalase and glutathione S-transferase) were significantly lower (p < 0.001) in the IT group compared to the I group. No negative effects of the tested supplement were observed. All these findings indicate that the tested supplement exerted beneficial effects manifested in better bee survival, reduced N. ceranae spore number and reduced oxidative stress of bees (lower expression of genes for antioxidant enzymes and oxidative stress parameters).
The Effects of Fermented Feed on the Growth Performance, Antioxidant Activity, Immune Function, Intestinal Digestive Enzyme Activity, Morphology, and Microflora of Yellow-Feather Chickens
Authors: Xu Fei , Wu Hongzhi , Xie Jiajun , Zeng Tao , Hao Lijian , Xu Wenwu , Lu Lizhi
Published: November 2023

This experiment was conducted to investigate the effects of fermented feed on growth performance, antioxidant activity, immune function, intestinal digestive enzyme activity, morphology, and microflora of yellow-feather chickens. A total of 240 one-day-old female yellow-feathered (Hexi dwarf) chickens were randomly divided into two treatment groups, with six replicates per group and 20 chickens per replicate. The control group (CK) received a basal diet, whereas the experimental group was fed a basal diet of +2.00% fermented feed (FJ). The trial lasted for 22 days. Compared with the CK, (1) the growth performance was not affected (p > 0.05); (2) immunoglobin a, immunoglobin g, immunoglobin m, interleukin-1β, and interleukin-6 were affected (p < 0.05); (3) liver superoxide dismutase, glutathione peroxidase, and catalase were higher (p < 0.05); (4) trypsin activity in the duodenum and cecal Shannon index were increased (p < 0.05); (5) the relative abundance of Actinobacteriota in cecum was increased (p < 0.05); (6) the abundance of dominant microflora of Bacteroides as well as Clostridia UCG-014_norank were increased (p < 0.05). In summary, the fermented feed improved the growth performance, antioxidant activity, immune function, intestinal digestive enzyme activity, morphology, and microflora of yellow-feather chickens.
Expanding the Anti-Phl p 7 Antibody Toolkit: An Anti-Idiotype Nanobody Inhibitor
Authors: Vester Susan K. , Davies Anna M. , Beavil Rebecca L. , Sandhar Balraj S. , Beavil Andrew J. , Gould Hannah J. , Sutton Brian J. , McDonnell James M.
Published: November 2023

We have previously produced a toolkit of antibodies, comprising recombinant human antibodies of all but one of the human isotypes, directed against the polcalcin family antigen Phl p 7. In this work, we complete the toolkit of human antibody isotypes with the IgD version of the anti-Phl p 7 monoclonal antibody. We also raised a set of nanobodies against the IgD anti-Phl p 7 antibody and identify and characterize one paratope-specific nanobody. This nanobody also binds to the IgE isotype of this antibody, which shares the same idiotype, and orthosterically inhibits the interaction with Phl p 7. The 2.1 Å resolution X-ray crystal structure of the nanobody in complex with the IgD Fab is described.
Pectolinarigenin Improves Oxidative Stress and Apoptosis in Mouse NSC-34 Motor Neuron Cell Lines Induced by C9-ALS-Associated Proline–Arginine Dipeptide Repeat Proteins by Enhancing Mitochondrial Fusion Mediated via the SIRT3/OPA1 Axis
Authors: Fu Ru-Huei
Published: November 2023

Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is considered a fatal progressive degeneration of motor neurons (MN) caused by oxidative stress and mitochondrial dysfunction. There are currently no treatments available. The most common inherited form of ALS is the C9orf72 mutation (C9-ALS). The proline–arginine dipeptide repeat protein (PR-DPR) produced by C9-ALS has been confirmed to be a functionally acquired pathogenic factor that can cause increased ROS, mitochondrial defects, and apoptosis in motor neurons. Pectolinarigenin (PLG) from the traditional medicinal herb Linaria vulgaris has antioxidant and anti-apoptotic properties. I established a mouse NSC-34 motor neuron cell line model expressing PR-DPR and confirmed the neuroprotective effect of PLG. The results showed that ROS production and apoptosis caused by PR-DPR could be improved by PLG treatment. In terms of mechanism research, PR-DPR inhibited the activity of the mitochondrial fusion proteins OPA1 and mitofusin 2. Conversely, the expression of fission protein fission 1 and dynamin-related protein 1 (DRP1) increased. However, PLG treatment reversed these effects. Furthermore, I found that PLG increased the expression and deacetylation of OPA1. Deacetylation of OPA1 enhances mitochondrial fusion and resistance to apoptosis. Finally, transfection with Sirt3 small interfering RNA abolished the neuroprotective effects of PLG. In summary, the mechanism by which PLG alleviates PR-DPR toxicity is mainly achieved by activating the SIRT3/OPA1 axis to regulate the balance of mitochondrial dynamics. Taken together, the potential of PLG in preclinical studies for C9-ALS drug development deserves further evaluation.
Fault Diagnosis Method for Railway Turnout with Pinball Loss-Based Multiclass Support Matrix Machine
Authors: Geng Mingyi , Xu Zhongwei , Mei Meng
Published: November 2023

The intelligent maintenance of railway equipment plays a pivotal role in advancing the sustainability of transportation and manufacturing. Railway turnouts, being an essential component of railway infrastructure, often encounter various faults, which present operational challenges. Existing fault diagnosis methods for railway turnouts primarily utilize vectorized monitoring data, interpreted either through vector-based models or distance-based measurements. However, these methods exhibit limited interpretability or are heavily reliant on standard curves, which impairs their performance or restricts their generalizability. To address these limitations, a railway turnouts fault diagnosis method with monitoring signal images and support matrix machine is proposed herein. In addition, a pinball loss-based multiclass support matrix machine (PL-MSMM) is designed to address the noise sensitivity limitations of the multiclass support matrix machine (MSMM). First, the time-series monitoring signals in one dimension are transformed into images in two dimensions. Subsequently, the image-based feature matrix is constructed. Then, the PL-MSMM model is trained using the feature matrix to facilitate the fault diagnosis. The proposed method is evaluated using a real-world operational current dataset, achieving a fault identification accuracy rate of 98.67%. This method outperforms the existing method in terms of accuracy, precision, and F1-score, demonstrating its superiority.