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Abstract Background Stool consistency is an important diagnostic criterion in both research and clinical medicine and is often used to define diarrheal disease. Methods We examine the pediatric enteric virome across stool consistencies to evaluate differences in richness and community composition using fecal samples collected from children aged 0 to 5 years participating in a clinical trial in the Amhara region of Ethiopia. The consistency of each sample was graded according to the modified Bristol Stool Form Scale for children (mBSFS-C) before a portion of stool was preserved for viral metagenomic analysis. Stool samples were grouped into 29 pools according to stool consistency type. Differential abundance was determined using negative-binomial modeling. Results Of 446 censused children who were eligible to participate, 317 presented for the study visit examination and 269 provided stool samples. The median age of children with stool samples was 36 months. Species richness was highest in watery-consistency stool and decreased as stool consistency became firmer (Spearman’s r = − 0.45, p = 0.013). The greatest differential abundance comparing loose or watery to formed stool was for norovirus GII (7.64, 95% CI 5.8, 9.5) followed by aichivirus A (5.93, 95% CI 4.0, 7.89) and adeno-associated virus 2 (5.81, 95%CI 3.9, 7.7). Conclusions In conclusion, we documented a difference in pediatric enteric viromes according to mBSFS-C stool consistency category, both in species richness and composition.

BACKGROUND:The enteric viruses shed by different populations can be influenced by multiple factors including access to clean drinking water. We describe here the eukaryotic viral genomes in the feces of Ethiopian children participating in a clean water intervention trial. METHODOLOGY/PRINCIPAL FINDINGS:Fecal samples from 269 children with a mean age of 2.7 years were collected from 14 villages in the Amhara region of Ethiopia, half of which received a new hand-dug water well. Feces from these villages were then analyzed in 29 sample pools using viral metagenomics. A total of 127 different viruses belonging to 3 RNA and 3 DNA viral families were detected. Picornaviridae family sequence reads were the most commonly found, originating from 14 enterovirus and 6 parechovirus genotypes plus multiple members of four other picornavirus genera (cosaviruses, saliviruses, kobuviruses, and hepatoviruses). Picornaviruses with nearly identical capsid VP1 were detected in different pools reflecting recent spread of these viral strains. Next in read frequencies and positive pools were sequences from the Caliciviridae family including noroviruses GI and GII and sapoviruses. DNA viruses from multiple genera of the Parvoviridae family were detected (bocaviruses 1-4, bufavirus 3, and dependoparvoviruses), together with four species of adenoviruses and common anelloviruses shedding. RNA in the order Picornavirales and CRESS-DNA viral genomes, possibly originating from intestinal parasites or dietary sources, were also characterized. No significant difference was observed between the number of mammalian viruses shed from children from villages with and without a new water well. CONCLUSIONS:We describe an approach to estimate the efficacy of potentially virus transmission-reducing interventions and the first complete (DNA and RNA viruses) description of the enteric viromes of East African children. A wide diversity of human enteric viruses was found in both intervention and control groups. Mammalian enteric virome diversity was not reduced in children from villages with a new water well. This population-based sampling also provides a baseline of the enteric viruses present in Northern Ethiopia against which to compare future viromes.

A divergent parvovirus genome was the only eukaryotic viral sequence detected in feces of a Tunisian child with unexplained diarrhea. Tusavirus 1 shared 44% and 39% identity with the nonstructural protein 1 and viral protein 1, respectively, of the closest genome, Kilham rat parvovirus, indicating presence of a new human viral species in the Protoparvovirus genus.

Polyomaviruses are small circular DNA viruses associated with chronic infections and tumors in both human and animal hosts. Using an unbiased deep sequencing approach, we identified a novel, highly divergent polyomavirus, provisionally named MX polyomavirus (MXPyV), in stool samples from children. The ∼5.0 kB viral genome exhibits little overall homology (

The proposed viral genus human Cosavirus (HCoSV) consists of diverse picornaviruses found at high prevalence in the feces of children from developing countries. We sequenced four near-full length genomes and 45 partial VP1 region from HCoSV in human feces from healthy children and children with acute flaccid paralysis in Pakistan, Nigeria and Tunisia and from healthy and diarrhetic adults in Nepal. Genetic analyses of the near-full length genomes revealed presence of a new candidate cosavirus species provisionally labelled as species F (HCoSV-F). A HCoSV genome showed evidence of recombination between species D and E viruses at the P1/P2 junction indicating that these viruses may be reclassified as a single highly diverse species. Based on genetic distance criteria for assigning genotypes corresponding to neutralization serotypes in enteroviruses we identified 26 new HCoSV genotypes belonging to species A, D, and E. The detection of a large number of HCoSV genotypes based on still limited geographic sampling indicates that the phenotypic effects of cosaviruses on infected subjects are likely to be as highly diverse as those of human enteroviruses.

The frequent interactions of rodents with humans make them a common source of zoonotic infections. To obtain an initial unbiased measure of the viral diversity in the enteric tract of wild rodents we sequenced partially purified, randomly amplified viral RNA and DNA in the feces of 105 wild rodents (mouse, vole, and rat) collected in California and Virginia. We identified in decreasing frequency sequences related to the mammalian viruses families Circoviridae, Picobirnaviridae, Picornaviridae, Astroviridae, Parvoviridae, Papillomaviridae, Adenoviridae, and Coronaviridae. Seventeen small circular DNA genomes containing one or two replicase genes distantly related to the Circoviridae representing several potentially new viral families were characterized. In the Picornaviridae family two new candidate genera as well as a close genetic relative of the human pathogen Aichi virus were characterized. Fragments of the first mouse sapelovirus and picobirnaviruses were identified and the first murine astrovirus genome was characterized. A mouse papillomavirus genome and fragments of a novel adenovirus and adenovirus-associated virus were also sequenced. The next largest fraction of the rodent fecal virome was related to insect viruses of the Densoviridae, Iridoviridae, Polydnaviridae, Dicistroviriade, Bromoviridae, and Virgaviridae families followed by plant virus-related sequences in the Nanoviridae, Geminiviridae, Phycodnaviridae, Secoviridae, Partitiviridae, Tymoviridae, Alphaflexiviridae, and Tombusviridae families reflecting the largely insect and plant rodent diet. Phylogenetic analyses of full and partial viral genomes therefore revealed many previously unreported viral species, genera, and families. The close genetic similarities noted between some rodent and human viruses might reflect past zoonoses. This study increases our understanding of the viral diversity in wild rodents and highlights the large number of still uncharacterized viruses in mammals.

BackgroundStool consistency is an important diagnostic criterion in both research and clinical medicine and is often used to define diarrheal disease.MethodsWe examine the pediatric enteric virome across stool consistencies to evaluate differences in richness and community composition using fecal samples collected from children aged 0 to 5 years participating in a clinical trial in the Amhara region of Ethiopia. The consistency of each sample was graded according to the modified Bristol Stool Form Scale for children (mBSFS-C) before a portion of stool was preserved for viral metagenomic analysis. Stool samples were grouped into 29 pools according to stool consistency type. Differential abundance was determined using negative-binomial modeling.ResultsOf 446 censused children who were eligible to participate, 317 presented for the study visit examination and 269 provided stool samples. The median age of children with stool samples was 36 months. Species richness was highest in watery-consistency stool and decreased as stool consistency became firmer (Spearman's r = - 0.45, p = 0.013). The greatest differential abundance comparing loose or watery to formed stool was for norovirus GII (7.64, 95% CI 5.8, 9.5) followed by aichivirus A (5.93, 95% CI 4.0, 7.89) and adeno-associated virus 2 (5.81, 95%CI 3.9, 7.7).ConclusionsIn conclusion, we documented a difference in pediatric enteric viromes according to mBSFS-C stool consistency category, both in species richness and composition.

ObjectivesWe examined the fecal virome and bacterial community composition of children with Crohn disease (CD), ulcerative colitis (UC), and healthy controls to test the hypothesis that unique patterns of viral organisms and/or presence of bacterial pathogens may be identified that could contribute to the pathogenesis of pediatric inflammatory bowel disease (IBD).MethodsFecal samples from 24 children (mean 12.2 years) with CD (n = 7) or UC (n = 5) and similar aged controls (n = 12) were processed to determine individual viromes. Viral sequences were identified through translated protein sequence similarity search. Bacterial microbiota were determined by sequencing of the V4 region of the 16S rRNA gene.ResultsOnly a few human viruses were detected, so virome analyses focused on bacterial viruses. The relative abundance of Caudovirales was greater than that of Microviridae phages in both IBD and healthy controls. Caudovirales phages were more abundant in CD (mean 80.8%) than UC (48.8%) (P = 0.05) but not controls. The richness of viral strains in Microviridae but not Caudovirales was higher in controls than CD (P = 0.05) but not UC cases. No other measure of phage abundance, richness, or Shannon diversity showed significant difference between the 2 IBD and control groups. Bacterial microbiota analysis revealed that IBD diagnosis, albumin, hemoglobin, erythrocyte sedimentation rate, and probiotic supplementation correlated to the composition of gut bacterial microbiota.ConclusionsMinor patterns in gut virome and bacterial community composition distinguish pediatric IBD patients from healthy controls. Probiotics are associated with bacterial microbiota composition. These exploratory results need confirmation in larger studies.

BACKGROUND:The enteric viruses shed by different populations can be influenced by multiple factors including access to clean drinking water. We describe here the eukaryotic viral genomes in the feces of Ethiopian children participating in a clean water intervention trial. METHODOLOGY/PRINCIPAL FINDINGS:Fecal samples from 269 children with a mean age of 2.7 years were collected from 14 villages in the Amhara region of Ethiopia, half of which received a new hand-dug water well. Feces from these villages were then analyzed in 29 sample pools using viral metagenomics. A total of 127 different viruses belonging to 3 RNA and 3 DNA viral families were detected. Picornaviridae family sequence reads were the most commonly found, originating from 14 enterovirus and 6 parechovirus genotypes plus multiple members of four other picornavirus genera (cosaviruses, saliviruses, kobuviruses, and hepatoviruses). Picornaviruses with nearly identical capsid VP1 were detected in different pools reflecting recent spread of these viral strains. Next in read frequencies and positive pools were sequences from the Caliciviridae family including noroviruses GI and GII and sapoviruses. DNA viruses from multiple genera of the Parvoviridae family were detected (bocaviruses 1-4, bufavirus 3, and dependoparvoviruses), together with four species of adenoviruses and common anelloviruses shedding. RNA in the order Picornavirales and CRESS-DNA viral genomes, possibly originating from intestinal parasites or dietary sources, were also characterized. No significant difference was observed between the number of mammalian viruses shed from children from villages with and without a new water well. CONCLUSIONS:We describe an approach to estimate the efficacy of potentially virus transmission-reducing interventions and the first complete (DNA and RNA viruses) description of the enteric viromes of East African children. A wide diversity of human enteric viruses was found in both intervention and control groups. Mammalian enteric virome diversity was not reduced in children from villages with a new water well. This population-based sampling also provides a baseline of the enteric viruses present in Northern Ethiopia against which to compare future viromes.

Parvoviruses are small icosahedral viruses with linear single-stranded DNA genomes of ~5 kb that are associated with a wide spectrum of illnesses in humans and animals. The subfamily Parvovirinae, which [...]

To the Editor: For nearly 3 decades, human parvovirus B19 (B19V) was considered to be the only pathogenic parvovirus found in humans. Since 2005, several new human parvoviruses have been [...]

Bathymetry data is indispensable for a variety of aquatic field studies and benthic resource inventories. Determining water depth can be accomplished through an echo sounding system or remote estimation utilizing space-borne and air-borne data across diverse environments, such as lakes, rivers, seas, or lagoons. Despite being a common option for bathymetry mapping, the use of satellite imagery faces challenges due to the complex inherent optical properties of water bodies (e.g., turbid water), satellite spatial resolution limitations, and constraints in the performance of retrieval models. This study focuses on advancing the remote sensing based method by harnessing the non-linear learning capabilities of the machine learning (ML) model, employing advanced feature selection through a meta-heuristic algorithm, and using image extraction techniques (i.e., band ratio, gray scale morphological operation, and morphological multi-scale decomposition). Herein, we validate the predictive capabilities of six ML models: Random Forest (RF), Support Vector Machine (SVM), CatBoost (CB), Extreme Gradient Boost (XGB), Light Gradient Boosting Machine (LGBM), and KTBoost (KTB) models, both with and without the application of meta-heuristic optimization (i.e., Dragon Fly, Particle Swarm Optimization, and Grey Wolf Optimization), to accurately ascertain water depth. This is achieved using a diverse input dataset derived from multi-spectral Landsat 9 imagery captured on a cloud-free day (19 September 2023) in a shallow, turbid lagoon. Our findings indicate the superior performance of LGBM coupled with Particle Swamp Optimization (R2 = 0.908, RMSE = 0.31 m), affirming the consistency and reliability of the feature extraction and selection-based framework, while offering novel insights into the expansion of bathymetric mapping in complex aquatic environments.

Soil Organic Carbon (SOC) influences many soil properties including nutrient and water holding capacity, nutrient cycling and stability, improved water infiltration and aeration. It also is an essential parameter in the assessment of soil quality, especially for agricultural production. However, SOC mapping is a complicated process that is costly and time-consuming due to the physical challenges of the natural conditions that is being surveyed. The best model for SOC mapping is still in debate among many researchers. Recently, the development of machine learning and Geographical Information Systems (GIS) has provided the potential for more accurate spatial prediction of SOC content. This research was conducted in a relatively small-scale capacity in the Central Vietnam region. The aim of this study is to compare the accuracy of Inverse Distance Weighting (IDW), Ordinary Kriging (OK), and Random Forest (RF) methods for SOC interpolation, with a dataset of 47 soil samples for an area of 145 hectares. Three environmental variables including elevation, slope, and the Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI) were used for the RF model. In the RF model, the values of the number of variables randomly sampled as candidates at each split, (mtry), and the number of bootstrap replicates, (ntree), were determined in terms of 1 and 1,000 respectively The results at our research site showed that using IDW is the most accurate method for SOC mapping, followed by the methods of RF and OK respectively. Concerning SOC mapping based-on auxiliary variables, in areas where there is human activity, the selection of auxiliary variables should be carefully considered because the variation in the SOC may not only be due to environmental variables but also by farming technologies.

In recent years, water for agricultural production gradually became a significant challenge in the context of climate change in Vietnam. Sustainable solutions are required, which consider the use of resources for both human needs and ecology, and that account for the equitable distribution and the livelihood of the farmers now and in the future. In particular, the farmers in the province of Quang Nam facing water shortage in the cultivation of paddy in the summer-autumn season. Conflicts arise regarding the sharing of the water between the farmers, the drinking water company and the hydropower company. In the context of climate change, the water shortage is expected to increase in the future. The article presents the results of participatory action research (PAR) approach to develop a local level mechanism for water sharing, in which stakeholders actively participated. Water sharing mechanism was developed, envisioning a sustainable solution for inclusive water sharing. The mechanism was successfully implemented in two cases, one at commune level (Tho stream) and one at the district level (Mo stream). The participatory approach proved to be successful in setting up a broadly acceptable mechanism that will need to be further incorporated in the institutional set-up. Keywords: Adaptation, Agriculture, Climate change, Governance, Rice production, Water sharing

In recent years, both scientists and local governments have been giving serious attention to land evaluation, especially in regard to the use of agricultural land. This is with the intention of increasing the sustainability of agricultural production. In Vietnam, acacia plantations play an important role in the livelihoods of farmers in mountainous regions. Therefore, identifying suitable areas for acacia plantations is an important consideration within mountainous areas. This research was conducted in Nam Dong district, Central Vietnam, using six physical soil criteria for land evaluation by the Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP) and also the Fuzzy Analytic Hierarchy Process (FAHP). The results have shown that the ranking of selected criteria in both methods was the same, but the weighting of each criterion was different. Among the six physical soil criteria, soil depth has the highest priority, followed by slope, soil organic carbon content, soil texture, soil pH, and soil type. The suitability maps for acacia plantations within the area studied have shown that 9344 ha were not suitable, and 99 ha had low suitability for acacia plantation by both methods. For the AHP approach, 928 hectares were in the range of moderate suitability, and 3080 hectares were in the high suitability class. In contrast, the FAHP method determined 905 hectares to be of the moderate suitability class and 3102 hectares to be of the high suitability class. Based on the observed acacia’s productivity and the scores of the two methods, it shows that the FAHP has a stronger correlation than the of AHP. Within the six selected criteria, the FAHP method can increase the accuracy of land evaluation results by 4.62% in comparison to the original AHP method. Therefore, the FAHP is the most suitable method for land evaluation, especially for agricultural land planning. Further studies should be integrated into more social and economic criteria for comprehensive land evaluation scenarios.

Soil quality assessment is valuable for agricultural production. In this research, 155 soil samples at two soil depths were collected from four land use types in an agricultural area of the A Luoi district in the Central Vietnam. Differences of soil organic carbon, total nitrogen in soil and soil pH under different land use types and topographic aspects were compared. Soil organic carbon contents in arable land and plantation forest are higher than those in natural forest and grassland (p

Even though indigenous knowledge (IK) is considered as one of the most effective strategies in response to climate change issues, this form is not being sufficiently integrated into the climate change planning and policy at both local and national levels in Vietnam. This study investigates the role of the traditional agricultural practices of the Xo Dang ethnic minority groups in Central Vietnam and provides insights into the factors that influence farmers to adopt these practices in response to climate change. Primary data was obtained through three focus group discussions and 87 household surveys involving the Xo Dang people through face-to-face semi-structured interviews in the Tra Doc commune, Bac Tra My district, Quang Nam province, Central Vietnam. The binary logistic regression model was used to examine the factors which have influenced the choices made by this community in response to climate change. The results showed that Xo Dang people were highly aware of climate change risks and had, in response, employed their current adaptation practices. The major adaptation strategies implemented by the Xo Dang people included the use of flora and fauna indicators, native plant varieties, the adjustment of planting calendars, irrigation practices, and the application of intercropping. The results indicated that the living years, their monthly farm incomes, and farmer's perceptions of ongoing climate change effects on their environment were the factors that significantly affected farmers' adaptation decisions. Understanding indigenous knowledge plays a fundamental role in the processes of deciding the appropriate adaptation techniques more effectively and making use of human resources. Therefore, policy makers should pay much attention to indigenous knowledge to combat climate change in future national policies and projects.

Central Vietnam is very susceptible to soil erosion due to its complicated terrain and heavy rainfall. The objective of this study was to quantify soil erosion in the A Sap river basin, A Luoi district, Thua Thien Hue Province, Vietnam, using the Universal Soil Loss Equation (USLE) and Geographical Information System (GIS). The results showed that 34% of land area lost accumulated to 10 t ha−1 year−1 while 47% of the total area lost less than 1 t ha−1 year−1. Natural forest land lost the most with an average of about 19 t ha−1 year−1, followed by plantation forest with approximately 7 t ha−1 year−1 and other agricultural lands at 3.70 and 1.45 t ha−1 year−1 for yearly crops and paddy rice, respectively. Soil erosion was most sensitive to the topographic factor (LS), followed by the practice support factor (P), soil erodibility factor (K), cropping management (C), and the rainfall erosivity factor (R). Implications are that changes to the cultivated calendar and implementing intercropping are effective ways to prevent soil erosion in cultivated lands. Furthermore, introducing broad leaves trees for mountainous areas in A Sap basin was the most effective practice in reducing soil erosion. The study also pointed out that the combination of available data sources used with the USLE and GIS technology is a viable option to calculate soil erosion in Central Vietnam, which would allow targeted attention toward a solution is to reduce future soil erosion. Keywords: Central Vietnam, GIS, Soil erosion, USLE

A large, highly prolific swine farm in Hungary had a 2-year history of neurologic disease among newly weaned (25- to 35-day-old) pigs, with clinical signs of posterior paraplegia and a high mortality rate. Affected pigs that were necropsied had encephalomyelitis and neural necrosis. Porcine astrovirus type 3 was identified by reverse transcription PCR and in situ hybridization in brain and spinal cord samples in 6 animals from this farm. Among tissues tested by quantitative RT-PCR, the highest viral loads were detected in brain stem and spinal cord. Similar porcine astrovirus type 3 was also detected in archived brain and spinal cord samples from another 2 geographically distant farms. Viral RNA was predominantly restricted to neurons, particularly in the brain stem, cerebellum (Purkinje cells), and cervical spinal cord. Astrovirus was generally undetectable in feces but present in respiratory samples, indicating a possible respiratory infection. Astrovirus could cause common, neuroinvasive epidemic disease.

Objective: To assess the reliability and accuracy of manual and semi-automated segmentation methods for quantifying knee cartilage thickness. This study employed both manual and LiveWire-based semi-automated segmentation methods, ex vivo and in vivo, to measure tibiofemoral (TF) cartilage thickness.Methods: The articular cartilage of a cadaver knee and a healthy volunteer's knee were segmented manually and with LiveWire from multiple 3T MR images. The cadaver specimen's cartilage thickness was also evaluated with a 3D laser scanner, which was assumed to be the gold standard. Thickness measurements were made within specific cartilage regions. The reliability of each segmentation method was assessed both ex vivo and in vivo, and accuracy was assessed ex vivo by comparing segmentation results to those obtained with laser scanning.Results: The cadaver specimen thickness measurements showed mean coefficients of variation (CVs) of 4.16%, 3.02%, and 1.59%, when evaluated with manual segmentation, LiveWire segmentation, and laser scanning, respectively. The cadaver specimen showed mean absolute errors versus laser scanning of 4.07% and 7.46% for manual and LiveWire segmentation, respectively. In vivo thickness measurements showed mean CVs of 2.71% and 3.65% when segmented manually and with LiveWire, respectively.Conclusions: Manual segmentation, LiveWire segmentation, and laser scanning are repeatable methods for quantifying knee cartilage thickness; however, the measurements are technique-dependent. Ex vivo, the manual segmentation error was distributed around the laser scanning mean, while LiveWire consistently underestimated laser scanning by 8.9%. Although LiveWire offers repeatability and decreased segmentation time, manual segmentation more closely approximates true cartilage thickness, particularly in cartilage contact regions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Soil erosion is a considerable concern in the upland areas of Central Vietnam. This situation is most serious in regions, where the terrain is sloped and subjected to heavy rainfall. Our research was conducted in a mountainous area, belonging to Central Vietnam, the area of Song Kon commune in the Dong Giang district. The objective of this study is first to estimate the impact of soil erosion risk in these areas, and second to assess the capacity of farming systems which are based on indigenous knowledge (IK) to respond to soil erosion. Our data were collected by Participatory Rural Appraisal (PRA) and processed using Geographical Information System (GIS) methods. We then interpreted this research using the Universal Soil Loss Equation (USLE) in order to calculate the soil erosion rate. The Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI) and the Enhanced Vegetation Index (EVI) were also used as measurements to compare the difference of land surface covers between different farming systems. The results showed that the lowest soil erosion rate was found in the narrow valley regions, which are populated by both agricultural and residential areas. On the other hand, soil erosion was extremely high in the more northerly quadrant of our research area. Our findings also indicate that local farmers are highly aware of soil erosion, which has positively influenced the adoption of adaptation measures (AMs) in their agricultural activities. The most common AMs are as follows: changes in cropping patterns, the adjustments of their planting calendars, the use of native varieties, and intercropping methods. These AMs are mediated by the cultural observances of the local ethnic minority peoples in relation to their IK. We have concluded that when farmers apply IK in their farming systems, the soil erosion rate tends to decrease as compared with non-indigenous knowledge (NIK) practices. We hope to bring a better understanding of the processes that shape farmers’ AMs and thereby to develop well-targeted adaptation policies that can then be applied at the local level. Our findings may be instrumental in future adaptation planning and policies in regard to climate change, and that they will help to increase awareness not only in matters of the soil erosion but also in other interconnected aspects of climate change in these areas.

Land evaluation is a process that is aimed at the sustainable development of agricultural production in rural areas, especially in developing countries. Therefore, land evaluation involves many aspects of natural conditions, economic, and social issues. This research was conducted in a hilly region of Central Vietnam to assess the land suitability of potential agricultural land use types that are based on scientific and local knowledge. In the frame of this research, Participatory Rural Appraisal (PRA); Analytical Hierarchy Analysis (AHP); Geographic Information System (GIS); and, scoring based scientific literature and local knowledge were applied for Multi-Criteria Decision Analysis (MCDA) for land use evaluation. The results of the PRA survey reveal that five plants offer great agricultural potential in the research area, namely rice, cassava, acacia, banana, and rubber. The land suitability of each plant type varies, depending on physical conditions as well as economic and social aspects. Acacia and cassava represent the most suitable plant types in the research area. Recommendations regarding agricultural land use planning in the A Luoi district are brought forward based on the land evaluation results. The combination of scientific and local knowledge in land assessment based on GIS technology, AHP, and PRA methods is a promising approach for land evaluation.

Soil property maps are essential resources for agricultural land use. However, soil properties mapping is costly and time-consuming, especially in the regions with complicated topographic conditions. This study was conducted in a hilly region of Central Vietnam with the following objectives: (i) to evaluate the best environmental variables to estimate soil organic carbon (SOC), total nitrogen (TN), and soil reaction (pH) with a regression kriging (RK) model, and (ii) to compare the accuracy of the ordinary kriging (OK) and RK methods. SOC, TN, and soil pH data were measured at 155 locations within the research area with a sampling grid of 2 km × 2 km for a soil layer from 0 to 30 cm depth. From these samples, 117 were used for interpolation, and the 38 randomly remaining samples were used for evaluating accuracy. The chosen environmental variables are land use type (LUT), topographic wetness index (TWI), and transformed soil adjusted vegetation index (TSAVI). The results indicate that the LUT variable is more effective than TWI and TSAVI for determining TN and pH when using the RK method, with a variance of 7.00% and 18.40%, respectively. In contrast, a combination of the LUT and TWI variables is the best for SOC mapping with the RK method, with a variance of 14.98%. The OK method seemed more accurate than the RK method for SOC mapping by 3.33% and for TN mapping by 10% but the RK method was found more precise than the OK method for soil pH mapping by 1.81%. Further selection of auxiliary variables and higher sampling density should be considered to improve the accuracy of the RK method.

Using viral metagenomics of brain tissue from a young adult crossbreed steer with acute onset of neurologic disease, we sequenced the complete genome of a novel astrovirus (BoAstV-NeuroS1) that was phylogenetically related to an ovine astrovirus. In a retrospective analysis of 32 cases of bovine encephalitides of unknown etiology, 3 other infected animals were detected by using PCR and in situ hybridization for viral RNA. Viral RNA was restricted to the nervous system and detected in the cytoplasm of affected neurons within the spinal cord, brainstem, and cerebellum. Microscopically, the lesions were of widespread neuronal necrosis, microgliosis, and perivascular cuffing preferentially distributed in gray matter and most severe in the cerebellum and brainstem, with increasing intensity caudally down the spinal cord. These results suggest that infection with BoAstV-NeuroS1 is a potential cause of neurologic disease in cattle.

We report a novel human adenovirus D (HAdV-65) isolated from feces of 4 children in Bangladesh who had acute gastroenteritis. Corresponding genes of HAdV-65 were related to a hexon gene of HAdV-10, penton base genes of HAdV-37 and HAdV-58, and a fiber gene of HAdV-9. This novel virus may be a serious threat to public health.

Birds are frequent sources of emerging human infectious diseases. Viral particles were enriched from the feces of 51 wild urban pigeons (Columba livia) from Hong Kong and Hungary, their nucleic acids randomly amplified and then sequenced. We identified sequences from known and novel species from the viral families Circoviridae, Parvoviridae, Picornaviridae, Reoviridae, Adenovirus, Astroviridae, and Caliciviridae (listed in decreasing number of reads), as well as plant and insect viruses likely originating from consumed food. The near full genome of a new species of a proposed parvovirus genus provisionally called Aviparvovirus contained an unusually long middle ORF showing weak similarity to an ORF of unknown function from a fowl adenovirus. Picornaviruses found in both Asia and Europe that are distantly related to the turkey megrivirus and contained a highly divergent 2A1 region were named mesiviruses. All eleven segments of a novel rotavirus subgroup related to a chicken rotavirus in group G were sequenced and phylogenetically analyzed. This study provides an initial assessment of the enteric virome in the droppings of pigeons, a feral urban species with frequent human contact.

Objective: Assess changes in cross-sector collaboration between Nurse-Family Partnership (NFP) nurse home visitors and community providers in the United States., Data Sources and Study Setting: We collected primary data via internet-based surveys of all NFP nursing supervisors in the United States in 2018, 2020, and 2021., Study Design: We conducted a panel survey to measure changes in cross-sector collaboration between NFP nurses and 10 provider types in healthcare and social services. We assessed relational coordination using the validated seven item Relational Coordination Scale and structural integration using four items adapted from the Interagency Collaboration Activities Scale. Responses over time were compared using one-way analysis of variances (ANOVAs) and pairwise t-tests. We used the Kruskal-Wallis rank test to assess differences in collaboration by implementing agency type., Data Collection: All nursing supervisors from NFP implementing agencies in the United States were eligible for the study. Survey implementation was conducted using Qualtrics and administered to all eligible participants (N = 370 [2018], 383 [2020], 414 [2021]). Email reminders were sent every 7-10 days, followed by a final telephone outreach., Principal Findings: The response rate was 71% in 2018, 83% in 2020, and 74% in 2021. Relational coordination scores were calculated as a mean of the seven items and ranged from 1 to 5 (not at all to completely); integration scores were calculated as a sum of the four items and ranged from 4 to 20, where higher scores indicated greater sharing of resources. Coordination with women's care increased from 2018 to 2020 (M = 3.39 vs. 3.57; p < 0.01); while coordination (M = 3.23 vs. 3.01; p < 0.05) and integration (M = 6.50 vs. 5.28 vs. 5.43; p < 0.01) with parenting programs decreased., Conclusions: Changes to cross-sector collaboration varied by provider type, likely due to the delivery of NFP and other services via telehealth during the COVID-19 pandemic. There is an opportunity to improve cross-sector collaboration in home visiting to better address family needs., (© 2023 The Authors. Health Services Research published by Wiley Periodicals LLC on behalf of Health Research and Educational Trust.)

Background: Cannabis may be a substitute for opioids but previous studies have found conflicting results when using data from more recent years. Most studies have examined the relationship using state-level data, missing important sub-state variation in cannabis access., Objective: To examine cannabis legalization on opioid use at the county level, using Colorado as a case study. Colorado allowed recreational cannabis stores in January 2014. Local communities could decide whether to allow dispensaries, creating variation in the level of exposure to cannabis outlets., Design: Observational, quasi-experimental design exploiting county-level variation in allowance of recreational dispensaries., Subjects: Colorado residents MEASURES: We use licensing information from the Colorado Department of Revenue to measure county-level exposure to cannabis outlets. We use the state's Prescription Drug Monitoring Program (2013-2018) to construct opioid-prescribing measures of number of 30-day fills and total morphine equivalents, both per county resident per quarter. We construct outcomes of opioid-related inpatient visits (2011-2018) and emergency department visits (2013-2018) with Colorado Hospital Association data. We use linear models in a differences-in-differences framework that accounts for the varying exposure to medical and recreational cannabis over time. There are 2048 county-quarter observations used in the analysis., Results: We find mixed evidence of cannabis exposure on opioid-related outcomes at the county level. We find increasing exposure to recreational cannabis is associated with a statistically significant decrease in number of 30-day fills (coefficient: -117.6, p-value<0.01) and inpatient visits (coefficient: -0.8, p-value: 0.03), but not total MME nor ED visits. Counties with no medical exposure prior to recreational legalization experience greater reductions in the number of 30-day fills and MME than counties with prior medical exposure (p=0.02 for both)., Conclusions: Our mixed findings suggest that further increases in cannabis beyond medical access may not always reduce opioid prescribing or opioid-related hospital visits at a population level., (© 2023. The Author(s).)

Importance: Cannabis hyperemesis syndrome is an emerging clinical issue associated with cannabis use. Legalization of cannabis has led to an increase in vomiting-related illnesses in health care settings., Objective: To examine whether legalization of cannabis in Colorado has been associated with increases in vomiting-related emergency department (ED) visits., Design, Setting, and Participants: A cross-sectional design was used to assess the increase in ED claims for vomiting reported to the Colorado Hospital Association between January 1, 2013, and December 31, 2018, in counties that had no prior cannabis dispensaries before legalization compared with those that did. A total of 820 778 patients seeking care through Colorado EDs were included in the analysis., Exposures: The number of medical and recreational cannabis dispensaries per county per quarter., Main Outcomes and Measures: County per capita rate of vomiting-related ED claims per quarter., Results: Vomiting-related ED health care encounters increased from 119 312 in 2013 to 153 699 in 2018 (29% increase). Over this period, 203 861 patients (25%) were aged 0 to 18 years; 114 201 (14%) were aged 19 to 25 years, and 502 771 (61%) were aged 26 years or older; 510 584 patients (62%) were female. Additional recreational dispensaries were associated with increased vomiting-related ED visits (incidence rate ratio, 1.03; 95% CI, 1.01-1.05), but counties with high baseline medical dispensary exposure experienced smaller increases in vomiting-related ED visits than counties with no baseline medical dispensary exposure (incidence rate ratio, 0.97; 95% CI, 0.95-0.99). Counties with a high number of medical marijuana dispensaries had increases at a 5.8% slower rate than counties with none., Conclusions and Relevance: The findings of this study suggest that cannabis legalization in Colorado is associated with an increase in annual vomiting-related health care encounters with regard to exposure to these markets. It may be useful for health care clinicians to be aware of cannabis hyperemesis syndrome and inquire about cannabis use when appropriate.