bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
‘Dual Sensory Loss Protocol’ for Communication and Wellbeing of Older Adults With Vision and Hearing Impairment – A Randomized Controlled Trial
Authors: Vreeken Hilde L. , van Nispen Ruth M. A. , Kramer Sophia E. , van Rens Ger H. M. B.
Published: November 2020

Objectives

Many older adults with visual impairment also have significant hearing loss. The aim was to investigate the effectiveness of a newly developed Dual Sensory Loss (DSL) protocol on communication and wellbeing of older persons with DSL and their communication partners (e.g., spouse or child) in the Netherlands and Belgium.

Methods

Participants (N= 131) and their communication partners (n= 113) were randomized in the “DSL-protocol” intervention group or a waiting-list control group. The intervention took 3 to 5 weeks. Occupational therapists focused on optimal use of hearing aids, home-environment modifications and effective communication strategies. The primary outcome was the Communication Strategies domain of the Communication Profile for the Hearing Impaired (CPHI). Secondary outcomes measured in participants were the Low Vision Quality Of Life Adjustment subscale, the Center for Epidemiological Studies - Depression Scale, De Jong Gierveld Loneliness Scale and the Fatigue Assessment Scale. The Hearing Handicap and Disability Inventory (HHDI) - Reaction of Others subscale and the Care-related Quality of Life - 7 Dimensions was measured in communication partners. Measurements were taken at baseline and 3-month follow-up. Linear mixed models (LMM) were used to analyze effects between groups over time for every outcome measure.

Results

Intention-to-treat analyses showed a significant effect of the DSL-protocol on the use of verbal strategies (effect size SMD = 0.60, 95% CI: 0.25 to 0.95) in favor of the control group, however, this effect was non-significant after adjustment for confounding. Effect sizes of other outcomes varied between −0.23 [−0.57, 0.12] and 0.30 [−0.05, 0.64]. The LMM showed a significant effect on the HHDI-Reaction of others scale in favor of communication partners in the treatment group, however, the effect did not remain significant at a 0.01 significance level and the effect size was very small and non-significant 0.12, 95% CI [−0.27 to 0.51]. Adjusted analyses did not reveal treatment effects.

Conclusion

The DSL-protocol did not clearly contribute to the enhancement of communication and wellbeing in DSL-patients. Possible reasons for the lack of effects are OTs not being comfortable giving advice on communication and psychosocial issues or the short-term treatment and follow-up period. Further study is warranted to find out how the protocol may be adapted or whether it is necessary to involve mental healthcare professionals.

Clinical Trial Registration

www.ClinicalTrials.gov, identifier NTR2843.
Effects and Moderators of Computer-Based Training on Children's Executive Functions: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis
Authors: Cao Yifei , Huang Ting , Huang Jipeng , Xie Xiaochun , Wang Yuan
Published: November 2020

Computer-based training has attracted increasing attention from researchers in recent years. Several studies have found that computer-based training resulted in improved executive functions (EFs) in adults. However, it remains controversial whether children can benefit from computer-based training and what moderator could influence the training effects. The focus of the present meta-analysis was to examine the effects of computer-based training on EFs in children: working memory, cognitive flexibility, and inhibitory control. A thorough search of published work yielded a sample of 36 studies with 216 effect sizes. The results indicated that computer-based training showed moderate training effects on improving EFs in children (g = 0.35, k = 36, p < 0.001), while training effects of working memory were significantly higher. Furthermore, we found near-transfer effects were marginally significantly higher than far-transfer effects. The standard training method was significantly more effective than training with game elements. In computer-based training, typically developing children had significantly better training effects than atypically developing children. Some additional factors, such as the number of training sessions and age, also modulated the training effects. In conclusion, the present study investigated the effects and moderators of computer-based training for children's EFs. The results provided evidence that computer-based training (especially standard training) may serve as an efficient way to improve EFs in children (especially typically developing individuals). We also discussed some directions for future computer-based training studies.
Regulatory Fit Demonstrates That Prohibitive Voice Does Not Lead to Low Performance Evaluation
Authors: Yang Lu
Published: November 2020

Voice behavior, the extra-role behavior of employees based on their sense of responsibility, plays an important role in organizational development. Research shows that an employee’s voice can have a positive impact on both the quality of decision-making and organizational performance. This study explores the relationship between the prohibitive voice and employees’ safety performance based on the theory of regulatory fit. The study examined 372 employees and their leaders in the Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region of China through a questionnaire survey. A moderated model was constructed, and the SPSS-PROCESS was applied to analyze the data. The study results show that prevention regulatory focus fit strengthened the positive association between the prohibitive voice and safety performance evaluation. This study provides a new perspective in understanding leaders’ evaluation of the prohibitive voice and concludes that the prohibitive voice should be encouraged in organizations as it promotes greater adherence to safety measures and helps reduce organizational development risks.
Work Fatigue Profiles: Nature, Implications, and Associations With Psychological Empowerment
Authors: Blais Ann-Renée , Gillet Nicolas , Houle Simon A. , Comeau Caitlin A. , Morin Alexandre J. S.
Published: November 2020

The present study examined the distinct configurations, or profiles, taken by work fatigue dimensions among samples of military (n = 1,436) and civilian (n = 2,477) employees. We also tested profile similarity across these two samples of employees. In addition, this research documented the relations between the identified work fatigue profiles, one predictor variable (psychological empowerment), and a series of attitudinal outcomes (job satisfaction, career satisfaction, and turnover intentions) among military employees. Six profiles of employees characterized by different levels of global and specific (emotional, physical, and mental) work fatigue were identified using latent profile analyses: Low Fatigue, Physically and Emotionally Depleted, Emotionally Depleted, Globally and Mentally Depleted, Globally and Emotionally Depleted, and Balanced. In both samples, employees corresponding to the Balanced profile displayed average levels of global and specific work fatigue. However, this profile slightly differed across sample, as indicated by the observation of work fatigue levels that were slightly higher among the military than among civilians. Militaries’ perceptions of psychological empowerment were significantly related to their likelihood of belonging to all profiles. In turn, militaries’ career satisfaction, job satisfaction, and turnover intentions were also found to differ as a function of profile membership.
Examining Portuguese High School Students’ Attitudes Toward Physical Education
Authors: Pereira Paulo , Santos Fernando , Marinho Daniel A.
Published: November 2020

Portugal ranks fourth among countries with the highest rate of overweight population, considering that 67.6% of the Portuguese population over the age of 15 is overweight or obese. To our knowledge, limited studies have investigated students’ attitudes toward physical education in Portugal. Such research is necessary because it can provide valuable insights for policy and application in the curriculum development for physical education, which may eventually increase participation in physical and sports activities. This study analyzed students’ attitudes toward physical education (PE) according to sociodemographic variables, including grade level, socioeconomic status, and gender, and their participation in extracurricular sports activities and respective PE grades. The sample comprised 476 high school students (from the 7th, 8th, and 9th-grade levels) from five public schools located in Portugal. The Students’ Attitudes toward Physical Education Questionnaire was adapted and validated for use with Portuguese students as a two-factor model. Findings show that students generally have a moderately positive attitude toward PE. However, students’ positive attitudes tend to decrease throughout high school, which is particularly significant in the 9th grade. Furthermore, students’ attitudes are influenced by gender, extracurricular sports practice, and grades. These findings may help stakeholders reflect on how to frame PE in a more meaningful way to create a solid foundation for maintaining an active lifestyle throughout life. Implications for further research and practice are discussed.
An Intervention to Increase Situational Awareness and the Culture of Mutual Care (Foco) and Its Effects During COVID-19 Pandemic: A Randomized Controlled Trial and Qualitative Analysis
Authors: Kozasa Elisa H. , Lacerda Shirley S. , Polissici Monica Aparecida , Coelho Roseli da Silva , Farias Gedeon da Silva , Chaves Patrícia , Leão Eliseth R.
Published: November 2020

Situational awareness is especially important to decision-making in health care. Comprehending the situation is crucial for anticipating any change in the environment and delivering optimal care. The objective of this study was to evaluate the effects of a training to increase situational awareness and mutual care designed for health care workers (FoCo) in a randomized controlled trial with additional qualitative analysis. We also investigated the perception of the training for the COVID-19 pandemic moment, in May 2020, almost 6 months after we finished the data collection at the Emergency Care Unit, which became a COVID-19 treatment reference for the care of a population depending on the public health system, in Sao Paulo, Brazil. We conclude that FoCo training can be an important instrument for health care professionals both in times of pandemic and “normal times,” to increase situational awareness, the culture of mutual care and decrease the possibility of occupational injuries and illnesses.
Association Between Smoking and Premenstrual Syndrome: A Meta-Analysis
Authors: Choi So Hee , Hamidovic Ajna
Published: November 2020

Results of basic science studies demonstrate shared actions of endogenous neuroactive steroid hormones and drugs of abuse on neurotransmission. As such, premenstrual syndrome (PMS) may be associated with smoking, however, results from studies examining this relationship have been mixed. Following PRISMA guidelines, we extracted unique studies examining the relationship between smoking and PMS. We used the escalc () function in R to compute the log odds ratios and corresponding sampling variance for each study. We based quality assessment on the nature of PMS diagnosis and smoking estimation, confounding adjustment, participation rate, and a priori specification of target population. Our final sample included 13 studies, involving 25,828 study participants. Smoking was associated with an increased risk for PMS [OR = 1.56 (95% CI: 1.25–1.93), p < 0.0001]. Stratified by diagnosis, the effect size estimate was higher for Premenstrual Dysphoric Disorder (PMDD) [OR = 3.15 (95% CI: 2.20–4.52), p < 0.0001] than for PMS [OR = 1.27 (95% CI: 1.16–1.39), p < 0.0001]. We review some of the basic mechanisms for the observed association between smoking and PMS. Given nicotine's rewarding effects, increased smoking behavior may be a mechanism to alleviate affective symptoms of PMS. However, smoking may lead to worsening of PMS symptoms because nicotine has effects on neurocircuitry that increases susceptibility to environmental stressors. Indeed, prior evidence shows that the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis is already sub-optimal in PMS, hence, smoking likely further deteriorates it. Combined, this complicates the clinical course for the treatment of both PMS and Tobacco Use Disorder in this population.
The CANNA-TICS Study Protocol: A Randomized Multi-Center Double-Blind Placebo Controlled Trial to Demonstrate the Efficacy and Safety of Nabiximols in the Treatment of Adults With Chronic Tic Disorders
Authors: Jakubovski Ewgeni , Pisarenko Anna , Fremer Carolin , Haas Martina , May Marcus , Schumacher Carsten , Schindler Christoph , Häckl Sebastian , Aguirre Davila Lukas , Koch Armin , Brunnauer Alexander , Cimpianu Camelia Lucia , Lutz Beat , Bindila Laura , Müller-Vahl Kirsten
Published: November 2020

Background: Gilles de la Tourette syndrome (TS) is a chronic neuropsychiatric disorder characterized by motor and vocal tics. First-line treatments for tics are antipsychotics and tic-specific behavioral therapies. However, due to a lack of trained therapists and adverse events of antipsychotic medication many patients seek alternative treatment options including cannabis. Based on the favorable results obtained from case studies on different cannabis-based medicines as well as two small randomized controlled trials using delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), we hypothesize that the cannabis extract nabiximols can be regarded as a promising new and safe treatment strategy in TS.

Objective: To test in a double blind randomized clinical trial, whether treatment with the cannabis extract nabiximols is superior to placebo in patients with chronic tic disorders.

Patients and Methods: This is a multicenter, randomized, double-blind, placebo controlled, parallel-group, phase IIIb trial, which aims to enroll 96 adult patients with chronic tic disorders (TS or chronic motor tic disorder) across 6 centers throughout Germany. Patients will be randomized with a 2:1 ratio into a nabiximols and a placebo arm. The primary efficacy endpoint is defined as tic reduction of at least 30% (compared to baseline) according to the Total Tic Score of the Yale Global Tic Severity Scale (YGTSS-TTS) after 13 weeks of treatment. In addition, several secondary endpoints will be assessed including changes in different psychiatric comorbidities, quality of life, driving ability, and safety assessments.

Discussion: This will be the first large, controlled study investigating efficacy and safety of a cannabis-based medicine in patients with TS. Based on available data using different cannabis-based medicines, we expect not only a reduction of tics, but also an improvement of psychiatric comorbidities. If the cannabis extract nabiximols is proven to be safe and effective, it will be a valuable alternative treatment option. The results of this study will be of high health-economic relevance, because a substantial number of patients uses cannabis (illegally) as self-medication.

Conclusion: The CANNA-TICS trial will clarify whether nabiximols is efficacious and safe in the treatment of patients with chronic tic disorders.

Clinical Trial Registration: This trial is registered at clinicaltrialsregister.eu (Eudra-CT 2016-000564-42) and clinicaltrials.gov (NCT03087201).
The Aspirations of Measurement for Change
Authors: Krapels Joachim , van der Haar Lotte , Slemming Wiedaad , de Laat Joost , Radner James , Sanou Anselme Simeon , Holding Penny
Published: November 2020

This Perspective presents the five key aspirations of an approach to data use, decision making and monitoring, evaluation, and learning (MEL) in Early Childhood Development (ECD) referred to as Measurement for Change. The core ideas of Measurement for Change gave rise to this series, and many of the papers submitted in this series speak to this approach, whether directly or indirectly. The five aspirations describe interconnected concepts that advocate for practitioners and researchers within ECD to build the capacity to use data in their decision making, by establishing a monitoring, evaluation, and learning system that strives to be: Dynamic; Inclusive; Informative; Interactive; and People-centered.
Measurement for Change: From Idea to Approach
Authors: van der Haar Lotte , Holding Penny A. , Krapels Joachim , de Laat Joost , Slemming Wiedaad
Published: November 2020

Measurement for Change proposes an integration of monitoring, evaluation, and learning into decision-making systems that support sustainable transition of interventions to scale. It was developed using a cyclical, interactive 1-year dialogue between early childhood development (ECD) practitioners and academics from across the globe. Details are presented in Krapels et al. (1) as part of this special issue in Frontiers. In this paper, we trace the developments that inspired Measurement for Change and the novel ways in which the approach and the special issue was developed. The experience, and the reflections on this experience, are intended to inform those implementing initiatives that similarly seek to integrate practitioner- and academic experiences in support of sustainable transitions of interventions to scale.
The Effect of Shelter-in-Place Orders on Social Distancing and the Spread of the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Study of Texas
Authors: Castaneda Marco A. , Saygili Meryem
Published: November 2020

Objectives:We study how the state-wide shelter-in-place order affected social distancing and the number of cases and deaths in Texas.

Methods:We use daily data at the county level. The COVID-19 cases and fatalities data are from the New York Times. Social distancing measures are from SafeGraph. Both data are retrieved from the Unfolded Studio website. The county-level COVID-related policy responses are from the National Association of Counties. We use an event-study design and regression analysis to estimate the effect of the state-wide shelter-in-place order on social distancing and the number of cases and deaths.

Results:We find that the growth rate of cases and deaths is significantly lower during the policy period when the percentage of the population that stays at home is highest. The crucial question is whether the policy has a causal impact on the sheltering percentages. The fact that some counties in Texas adopted local restrictive policies well before the state-wide policy helps us address this question. We do not find evidence that this top-down restrictive policy increased the percentage of the population that exercised social distancing.

Discussion:Shelter-in-place policies are more effective at the local level and should go along with efforts to inform and update the public about the potential consequences of the disease and its current state in their localities.
Using Word Embeddings to Learn a Better Food Ontology
Authors: Youn Jason , Naravane Tarini , Tagkopoulos Ilias
Published: November 2020

Food ontologies require significant effort to create and maintain as they involve manual and time-consuming tasks, often with limited alignment to the underlying food science knowledge. We propose a semi-supervised framework for the automated ontology population from an existing ontology scaffold by using word embeddings. Having applied this on the domain of food and subsequent evaluation against an expert-curated ontology, FoodOn, we observe that the food word embeddings capture the latent relationships and characteristics of foods. The resulting ontology, which utilizes word embeddings trained from the Wikipedia corpus, has an improvement of 89.7% in precision when compared to the expert-curated ontology FoodOn (0.34 vs. 0.18, respectively, p value = 2.6 × 10–138), and it has a 43.6% shorter path distance (hops) between predicted and actual food instances (2.91 vs. 5.16, respectively, p value = 4.7 × 10–84) when compared to other methods. This work demonstrates how high-dimensional representations of food can be used to populate ontologies and paves the way for learning ontologies that integrate contextual information from a variety of sources and types.
Latency and Cybersickness: Impact, Causes, and Measures. A Review
Authors: Stauffert Jan-Philipp , Niebling Florian , Latoschik Marc Erich
Published: November 2020

Latency is a key characteristic inherent to any computer system. Motion-to-Photon (MTP) latency describes the time between the movement of a tracked object and its corresponding movement rendered and depicted by computer-generated images on a graphical output screen. High MTP latency can cause a loss of performance in interactive graphics applications and, even worse, can provoke cybersickness in Virtual Reality (VR) applications. Here, cybersickness can degrade VR experiences or may render the experiences completely unusable. It can confound research findings of an otherwise sound experiment. Latency as a contributing factor to cybersickness needs to be properly understood. Its effects need to be analyzed, its sources need to be identified, good measurement methods need to be developed, and proper counter measures need to be developed in order to reduce potentially harmful impacts of latency on the usability and safety of VR systems. Research shows that latency can exhibit intricate timing patterns with various spiking and periodic behavior. These timing behaviors may vary, yet most are found to provoke cybersickness. Overall, latency can differ drastically between different systems interfering with generalization of measurement results. This review article describes the causes and effects of latency with regard to cybersickness. We report on different existing approaches to measure and report latency. Hence, the article provides readers with the knowledge to understand and report latency for their own applications, evaluations, and experiments. It should also help to measure, identify, and finally control and counteract latency and hence gain confidence into the soundness of empirical data collected by VR exposures. Low latency increases the usability and safety of VR systems.
Nonverbal Immediacy Mediates the Relationship Between Interpersonal Motives and Belongingness
Authors: Mayor Eric
Published: November 2020

While belongingness is a predictor of mental and physical health, the lack of social bonds is an issue for many people in occidental countries. This issue calls for global and affordable solutions. In this study, we notably investigated (a) the presumed positive relationships between agentic and communal interactional motives and belongingness, and (b) the mediating role of self-reported non-verbal immediacy—an indicator of availability to interact—in these relationships. Cross-sectional and longitudinal data were collected by means of questionnaires to test these hypotheses (NCrossectional = 344; NLongitudinal = 126) using the General Belongingness Scale, the Non-verbal Immediacy Scale, and the Bem Sex Role Inventory. Results supported the hypotheses: Interpersonal motives and non-verbal immediacy are associated cross-sectionally to belongingness, non-verbal immediacy mediates the interpersonal motives—belongingness relationship and positive changes in non-verbal immediacy are also related to increased belongingness. Practical and research implications are discussed.
Superselective Renal Artery Embolization Management of Post-percutaneous Nephrolithotomy Hemorrhage and Its Methods
Authors: Dong Xiangjun , Ren Yanqiao , Han Ping , Chen Lei , Sun Tao , Su Yangbo , Feng Yiming , Ma Jinqiang , Liang Huimin , Zheng Chuansheng
Published: November 2020

Objective: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the therapeutic efficacy and safety of superselective renal arterial embolization (SRAE) in the treatment of patients with renal hemorrhage after percutaneous nephroscopy (PCNL). In addition, embolization techniques and embolization materials during operation were also worthy of further discussion.

Methods: From February 2015 to December 2019, clinical data of 49 consecutive patients with renal hemorrhage after PCNL were retrospectively analyzed. Demographic and clinical data of patients were recorded, changes in serum creatinine values were analyzed, and the safety and efficacy of TAE were evaluated. Clinical experience was also recorded.

Results: A total of 49 patients underwent angiography, of which 46 patients received SRAE due to positive hemorrhagic foci detected by angiography, and the technical success rate of 46 patients was 100%. Among the three patients who did not receive embolization, one patient underwent nephrectomy, and two patients improved with conservative treatment, with a clinical success rate of 98%. There was no statistically significant difference between serum creatinine before PCNL and 7 days after SRAE (101.6 ± 36.5 to 100.5 ± 27.1 μmol/L; P = 0.634), and no significant change was observed in serum creatinine at the last follow-up (99.4 ± 34 μmol/L, P = 0.076). No major complications occurred after embolization.

Conclusions: SRAE is safe and effective in patients with renal hemorrhage after PCNL. The experience of interventional therapy and the choice of embolization materials in this study may provide certain benefits for the treatment of patients with renal hemorrhage after PCNL.
Contemporary Management of Vesico-Urethral Anastomotic Stenosis After Radical Prostatectomy
Authors: Rosenbaum Clemens M. , Fisch Margit , Vetterlein Malte W.
Published: November 2020

Vesico-urethral anastomotic stenosis is a well-known sequela after radical prostatectomy for prostate cancer and has significant impact on quality of life. This review aims to summarize contemporary therapeutical approaches and to give an overview of the available evidence regarding endoscopic interventions and open reconstruction. Initial treatment may include dilation, incision or transurethral resection. In treatment-refractory stenoses, open reconstruction via an abdominal (retropubic), transperineal or combined abdominoperineal approach is a viable option with high success rates. All of the open surgical procedures are generally accompanied by a high risk of developing de novo incontinence and patients may need further interventions. In such cases, subsequent artificial urinary sphincter implantation is the most common treatment option with the best available evidence.
The Roles of Apoptosis in Swine Response to Viral Infection and Pathogenesis of Swine Enteropathogenic Coronaviruses
Authors: Xu Zhichao , Zhang Yun , Cao Yongchang
Published: November 2020

Apoptosis is a tightly regulated mechanism of cell death that plays important roles in various biological processes including biological evolution, multiple system development, anticancer, and viral infections. Swine enteropathogenic coronaviruses invade and damage villous epithelial cells of the small intestine causing severe diarrhea with high mortality rate in suckling piglets. Transmissible gastroenteritis virus (TGEV), Porcine epidemic diarrhea virus (PEDV), Porcine deltacoronavirus (PDCoV), and Swine acute diarrhea syndrome coronavirus (SADS-CoV) are on the top list of commonly-seen swine coronaviruses with a feature of diarrhea, resulting in significant economic losses to the swine industry worldwide. Apoptosis has been shown to be involved in the pathogenesis process of animal virus infectious diseases. Understanding the roles of apoptosis in host responses against swine enteropathogenic coronaviruses infection contribute to disease prevention and control. Here we summarize the recent findings that focus on the apoptosis during swine coronaviruses infection, in particular, TGEV, PEDV, PDCoV, and SADS-CoV.
Conyza sumatrensis Resistant to Paraquat, Glyphosate and Chlorimuron: Confirmation and Monitoring the First Case of Multiple Resistance in Paraguay
Authors: Albrecht Alfredo Junior Paiola , Thomazini Guilherme , Albrecht Leandro Paiola , Pires Afonso , Lorenzetti Juliano Bortoluzzi , Danilussi Maikon Tiago Yamada , Silva André Felipe Moreira , Adegas Fernando Storniolo
Published: November 2020

Conyza sumatrensis was reported to be associated with 20 cases of herbicide resistance worldwide, with a recent report of multiple drug resistance to paraquat, glyphosate, and chlorimuron in Brazil. In Paraguay, there were no reports of cases of resistance for this species; however, in 2017, researchers began identifying biotypes with resistance to paraquat, glyphosate, and chlorimuron, which is the focus of the present study. The goal of this study was to investigate the case of multiple resistance of C. sumatrensis to paraquat, glyphosate, and chlorimuron and to monitor the resistant biotypes in the departments of Canindeyú and Alto Paraná. Seeds were collected from sites where plants survived after herbicide application in the 2017/18 and 2018/19 seasons. After screening, biotypes were selected for the construction of dose–response curves. A resistance factor (RF) of 6.79 was observed for 50% control (C50) and 3.92 for 50% growth reduction (GR50) for the application of paraquat. An RF of 12.32 was found for C50 and 4.15 for GR50 for the application of glyphosate. For the application of chlorimuron, an RF of 11.32 was found for C50 and 10.96 for GR50. This confirms the multiple resistance of the C. sumatrensis biotype to paraquat, glyphosate, and chlorimuron. Population monitoring indicated the presence of C. sumatrensis with multiple resistance in departments of Canindeyú and Alto Paraná, Paraguay.
Complete Mitochondrial Genome and a Set of 10 Novel Kompetitive Allele-Specific PCR Markers in Ginseng (Panax ginseng C. A. Mey.)
Authors: Jang Woojong , Lee Hyun Oh , Kim Jang-Uk , Lee Jung-Woo , Hong Chi-Eun , Bang Kyong-Hwan , Chung Jong-Wook , Jo Ick-Hyun
Published: November 2020

Panax ginseng C. A. Mey., a perennial herb belonging to the family Araliaceae, is a valuable medicinal plant with distinctive biological characteristics. However, comprehensive analyses of the mitochondrial genome (mitogenome) are lacking. In this study, we sequenced the complete mitogenome of ginseng based on long-read data from the Nanopore sequencing platform. The mitogenome was assembled into a “master circle” form of 464,705 bp and contained 72 unique genes. The genome had three large repeat regions, and 10.42% of the sequences were mitogenome sequences of plastid origin (MTPTs). In total, 278 variants (213 SNPs and 65 InDels) were discovered, most of which were identified in intergenic regions. The MTPT regions were mutational hotspots, harboring 74.5% of the variants. The ginseng mitogenome showed a higher mutation rate than that of the chloroplast genome, and this pattern is uncommon in plants. In addition, 10 Kompetitive allele-specific PCR (KASP) markers were developed from 10 SNPs, excluding those in MTPT regions. These markers accurately identified the genotypes of 59 Korean ginseng accessions and elucidated mitogenome diversity. These results provide insight into organellar genomes and genetic diversity in ginseng. Moreover, the complete mitogenome sequence and 10 KASP markers will be useful for ginseng research and breeding.
Epidemiology and Classification of Mastitis
Authors: Cobirka Maros , Tancin Vladimir , Slama Petr
Published: November 2020

Farmers should focus on milk quality over quantity because milk that contains unsuitable components and/or antibiotic residues, or has a high somatic cell count, cannot be used in food production and thereby results in reduced milk yield. One of the main problems affecting the ultimate milk yield of dairy cows is mastitis. This disease is the most serious economic and health problem associated with dairy cow herds and is a major reason for excessive culling. Therefore, many studies have addressed this problem to further our understanding of the agents causing mastitis and their classification and virulence factors. This review summarizes the current knowledge regarding mastitis prevalence, the characteristics of its main causative agents, and the effects of mastitis on dairy production. The review also intends to provide guidance for future studies by examining external effects influencing dairy production in cows under field conditions.
Diet Composition of the Wild Stump-Tailed Macaque (Macaca arctoides) in Perlis State Park, Peninsular Malaysia, Using a Chloroplast tRNL DNA Metabarcoding Approach: A Preliminary Study
Authors: Osman Nur Azimah , Abdul-Latiff Muhammad Abu Bakar , Mohd-Ridwan Abd Rahman , Yaakop Salmah , Nor Shukor Md , Md-Zain Badrul Munir
Published: November 2020

Understanding dietary diversity is a fundamental task in the study of stump-tailed macaque, Macaca arctoides in its natural habitat. However, direct feeding observation and morphological identification using fecal samples are not effective and nearly impossible to obtain in natural habitats because this species is sensitive to human presence. As ecological methods are challenging and time-consuming, DNA metabarcoding offers a more powerful assessment of the diet. We used a chloroplast tRNL DNA metabarcoding approach to identify the diversity of plants consumed by free-ranging M. arctoides in the Malaysia–Thailand border region located in Perlis State Park, Peninsular Malaysia. DNA was extracted from three fecal samples, and chloroplast tRNL DNA was amplified and sequenced using the Illumina MiniSeq platform. Sequences were analyzed using the CLC Genomic Workbench software. A total of 145 plant species from 46 families were successfully identified as being consumed by M. arctoides. The most abundant species were yellow saraca, Saraca thaipingensis (11.70%), common fig, Ficus carica (9.33%), aramata, Clathrotropis brachypetala (5.90%), sea fig, Ficus superba (5.44%), and envireira, Malmea dielsiana (1.70%). However, Clathrotropis and Malmea are not considered Malaysian trees because of limited data available from Malaysian plant DNA. Our study is the first to identify plant taxa up to the species level consumed by stump-tailed macaques based on a DNA metabarcoding approach. This result provides an important understanding on diet of wild M. arctoides that only reside in Perlis State Park, Malaysia.
Estimation of Variance Components and Genomic Prediction for Individual Birth Weight Using Three Different Genome-Wide SNP Platforms in Yorkshire Pigs
Authors: Lee Jungjae , Lee Sang-Min , Lim Byeonghwi , Park Jun , Song Kwang-Lim , Jeon Jung-Hwan , Na Chong-Sam , Kim Jun-Mo
Published: November 2020

This study estimates the individual birth weight (IBW) trait heritability and investigates the genomic prediction efficiency using three types of high-density single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) genotyping panels in Korean Yorkshire pigs. We use 38,864 IBW phenotypic records to identify a suitable model for statistical genetics, where 698 genotypes match our phenotypic records. During our genomic analysis, the deregressed estimated breeding values (DEBVs) and their reliabilities are used as derived response variables from the estimated breeding values (EBVs). Bayesian methods identify the informative regions and perform the genomic prediction using the IBW trait, in which two common significant window regions (SSC8 27 Mb and SSC15 29 Mb) are identified using the three genotyping platforms. Higher prediction ability is observed using the DEBV-including parent average as a response variable, regardless of the SNP genotyping panels and the Bayesian methods, relative to the DEBV-excluding parent average. Hence, we suggest that fine-mapping studies targeting the identified informative regions in this study are necessary to find the causal mutations to improve the IBW trait’s prediction ability. Furthermore, studying the IBW trait using a genomic prediction model with a larger genomic dataset may improve the genomic prediction accuracy in Korean Yorkshire pigs.
Stress-Induced Phosphaturia in Weaned Piglets
Authors: Habich Malgorzata , Pawlinski Bartosz , Sady Maria , Siewruk Katarzyna , Zielenkiewicz Piotr , Gajewski Zdzislaw , Szczesny Pawel
Published: November 2020

The weaning period in piglets draws significant attention from researchers, veterinarians, and breeders. A substantial change in diet accompanied by enormous stress has health and welfare implications (abnormal feeding intake, infections, umbilical lesions, etc.). While the parameters like optimal age or weight for the weaning have been studied extensively, relatively less attention has been devoted to the study of stress effects in the piglets’ biochemistry. As one of the effects of stress is hyperventilation, a gasometric analysis supported by measurements of hypoxia biomarkers was conducted. Piglets blood and urine, one day and seven days before and one day and seven days after the weaning, were tested. There was no evidence of hyperventilation, but phosphaturia and hypophosphatemia were observed one and seven days postweaning, respectively. A statistical analysis across the population also pointed to minor tissue hypoxia. Our work contributes to an understanding of biochemical dynamics and helps in the interpretation of physiological changes observed in piglets in this critical period.
Price Fluctuation, Protected Geographical Indications and Employment in the Spanish Small Ruminant Sector during the COVID-19 Crisis
Authors: Vidaurreta Irene , Orengo Juan , Fe Christian de la , González José María , Gómez-Martín Ángel , Benito Bernardino
Published: November 2020

Official milk prices in the Spanish small ruminant sector were used for 5 years (2015–2019) to analyze the effect caused by the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) crisis in 2020. Meat price fluctuations were also studied using the weekly prices officially provided by some of the main agrarian markets of the country (n = 6) in 2019 and 2020. Moreover, the sales and prices of three protected geographical indications (PGI) of lamb meat served to study the marketability when the products are sold or not under these quality labels in a crisis context. According to Spanish Government’s official communications, 2020 was divided in three periods of study (pre-COVID-19, total confinement and post-confinement). The evolution of employment in this subsector in 2020, as a direct consequence of this crisis, was also analyzed considering data provided by producers. Results showed an intra-annual seasonal effect for milk prices in 2020 for both livestock species, as observed in previous years. However, a negative economic impact on goat milk prices due to the pandemic was checked during the confinement and post-confinement months. Sheep milk prices remained stable. Lamb and goat kid meat prices showed a similar trend in comparison with 2019 during the pre-COVID-19 period. The total confinement period recorded a short interval of 1–2 weeks in which the prices declined, before the suspension of quotations in many markets. In contrast, once confinement was completed, meat prices for both ruminant species rapidly reached levels that existed before the coronavirus crisis. Overall data suggested the protective effect of the PGI marks on lamb meat. Lambs with a PGI had better 2020 prices than non-PGI lambs (+8%), regardless of the period analyzed. Moreover, with fewer lambs sold in 2020, there was a relevant drop in sales of non-PGI lambs vs. PGI (−19% vs. −2%) during the first 7 months. Finally, there was little or no readjustment of the workforce in the small ruminant flocks.
Catechins within the Biopolymer Matrix—Design Concepts and Bioactivity Prospects
Authors: Yaneva Zvezdelina , Ivanova Donika
Published: November 2020

Epidemiological studies and clinical investigations proposed that catechins extracts alone may not provide a sufficient level of bioactivities and promising therapeutic effects to achieve health benefits due to a number of constraints related to poor oral absorption, limited bioavailability, sensitivity to oxidation, etc. Modern scientific studies have reported numerous techniques for the design of micro- and nano-bio-delivery systems as novel and promising strategies to overcome these obstacles and to enhance catechins’ therapeutic activity. The objective assessment of their benefits, however, requires a critical comparative estimation of the advantages and disadvantages of the designed catechins-biocarrier systems, their biological activities and safety administration aspects. In this respect, the present review objectively outlines, compares and assesses the recent advances related to newly developed design concepts of catechins’ encapsulation into various biopolymer carriers and their release behaviour, with a special emphasis on the specific physiological biofunctionalities of the innovative bioflavonoid/biopolymer delivery systems.
Influence of Rotational Stiffness Modeling on the Joint Behavior of Quasi-Rectangular Shield Tunnel Linings
Authors: Zhang Weixi , De Corte Wouter , Liu Xian , Taerwe Luc
Published: November 2020

A beam-spring model with constant rotational stiffness is a practical tool for the prediction of the general deformations and bending moments in circular tunnel linings. However, in reality, the rotational stiffness of a segmental joint is not constant, due to nonlinear deformations and local yielding in the vicinity of the joint. These are a result of the specific geometry at the joint, which is related to water-tightness measures and buildability issues. For quasi-rectangular tunnels this nonlinearity should not be neglected, as the bending component in the lining is significantly larger compared to circular linings. To date, there are only few studies that have investigated a calculation method for consideration of the joint’s nonlinear moment-axial force and shear-axial force interaction behavior and its consequences on the calculated lining behavior. In this paper, an iterative incremental method is proposed to tackle this issue, based on rotational stiffness curves derived from 3D nonlinear finite element modelling of the joints, and substantiated by testing. The significance of the variable rotational stiffness is highlighted through a comparison with results based on a constant stiffness assumption. Further, using the proposed calculation method, the effects of the circumferential joints, the bending moment transmission and several other parameters on the full-ring behavior of quasi-rectangular tunnels are discussed for a wide interval of design parameters. The results provide some new insights into the behavior of this non-traditional tunnel type. Although the presented results are related to specific overall and local geometries, the presented method is considered to be useful for the design of other special tunnel geometries.
Improving Accuracy of Impervious Surface Extraction Based on a Threshold Hierarchical Method (THM)
Authors: Sun Caige , Chen Hao , Fan Fenglei
Published: November 2020

Impervious surface area (ISA) is an important representation of urban area. It is very popular to extract ISA by using linear spectral mixture analysis (LSMA). However, there are still some defects in this method: underestimated in areas with a large amount of ISA. Hence, we designed a threshold hierarchical method (THM) to test this underestimation and understand which scale is the best to mixture. The capacity of the THM and the optimal threshold in the impervious surface extraction are the focus in this work. In THM model, the medium-resolution image (Landsat 8 OLI) and the high-resolution image (Gaofen-2, GF-2) were used, the LSMA and the object-oriented method (OOM) were applied for the area with a larger amount of impervious surfaces, which was extracted from the Landsat 8 OLI image after finishing the LSMA procedure by a threshold of the ISA abundance data, the GF-2 image was employed to extract the ISA by OOM. The results show that the THM had the capacity to achieve higher ISA extraction accuracy and ameliorate the ISA underestimate problem.
Complementing Solutions to Optimization Problems via Crowdsourcing on Video Game Plays
Authors: Vargas-Santiago Mariano , Monroy Raúl , Ramirez-Marquez José Emmanuel , Zhang Chi , Leon-Velasco Diana A. , Zhu Huaxing
Published: November 2020

Leveraging human insight and intuition has been identified as having the potential for the improvement of traditional algorithmic methods. For example, in a video game, a user may not only be entertained but may also be challenged to beat the score of another player; additionally, the user can learn complicated concepts, such as multi-objective optimization, with two or more conflicting objectives. Traditional methods, including Tabu search and genetic algorithms, require substantial computational time and resources to find solutions to multi-objective optimization problems (MOPs). In this paper, we report on the use of video games as a way to gather novel solutions to optimization problems. We hypothesize that humans may find solutions that complement those found mechanically either because the computer algorithm did not find a solution or because the solution provided by the crowdsourcing of video games approach is better. We model two different video games (one for the facility location problem and one for scheduling problems), we demonstrate that the solution space obtained by a computer algorithm can be extended or improved by crowdsourcing novel solutions found by humans playing a video game.
SiO2/C Composite as a High Capacity Anode Material of LiNi0.8Co0.15Al0.05O2 Battery Derived from Coal Combustion Fly Ash
Authors: Jumari Arif , Yudha Cornelius Satria , Widiyandari Hendri , Lestari Annisa Puji , Rosada Rina Amelia , Santosa Sigit Puji , Purwanto Agus
Published: November 2020

Abundantly available SiO2 (silica) has great potential as an anode material for lithium-ion batteries because it is inexpensive and flexible. However, silicon oxide-based anode material preparation usually requires many complex steps. In this article, we report a facile method for preparing a SiO2/C composite derived from coal combustion fly ash as an anode material for Li-ion batteries. SiO2 was obtained by caustic extraction and HCl precipitation. Then, the SiO2/C composite was successfully obtained by mechanical milling followed by heat treatment. The samples were characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). Electrochemical properties were tested using an 18650 cylindrical cell utilizing LiNi0.8Co0.15Al0.05O2 (NCA) as the counter electrode. Based on the obtained results, the physiochemical characteristics and electrochemical performance, it was determined that SiO2/C composites were greatly affected by the temperature of heat treatment. The best result was obtained with the SiO2 content of 10% w/w, heating temperature of 500 °C, initial specific discharge capacity of 586 mAh g−1 at 0.1 C (1 C = 378 mAh g−1), and reversible capacity of 87% after 20 cycles. These results confirmed that the obtained materials had good initial discharge capacity, cyclability, high performance, and exhibited great potential as an anode material for LIBs.