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Climate change is the primary environmental threat to subsistence farmers’ productivity in Peru. Adaptation is promoted as the best mechanism to cope with climate change in subsistence agricultural livelihoods. However, climatic adaptability depends on the resources the farmer has access to or can use, which are not always adequate to respond effectively to the speed and aggressiveness of climate change. This study explored the local factors and dynamics (assets) influencing the climate adaptability processes of subsistence farmers in Huayhuay, Peru. Twenty subsistence farmers participated in semi-structured interviews within a basic qualitative design. The results brought to light 18 local factors and dynamics that influence the coping mechanisms of climate adaptability. These findings support other investigations that demonstrate the difficulty of climate change adaptation agricultural communities face. The difficulty of climate change adaptation has rooted the interrelationships of assets of different natures within the same adaptive process. Future research and interventions should encourage the active participation of farmers in local climate action and evaluate the efficiency and effectiveness of farmers' adaptability mechanisms, considering the role of each local-scale factor and dynamic.

Internationalization of higher education’s agricultural disciplines is essential to account for agrifood system trends toward globalization and multiculturalism. Professional and academic associations can play a formative role preparing graduate students for their agricultural careers. Guided by socialization theory, this needs assessment explores graduate students’ perceived needs, expectations, and ideas to optimize engagement with associations focused on international agriculture. A convergent mixed methods design integrated and contrasted quantitative and qualitative data from an online survey—filled by 26 student participants—and qualitative data from a virtual fishbone focus group with seven participants. Students’ perceptions appear responsive to trends toward globalized food systems and demonstrate their desire for socialization to gain internationally focused capacities and connections to opportunities in a variety of global agricultural areas. Findings indicate associations geared toward internationally oriented scholarship and academics should expand to better encompass international development practice. Doing so would provide greater insight into practitioners’ priorities and facilitate alternative career pathways for graduate students interested in practice. Additionally, findings point to needs for student mentoring and communication efforts focused on equitable and inclusive engagement with first generation students and students in developing countries who may be financially inhibited from traveling for in-person socialization activities.

Traditional production of dry salted shrimp enhances cholesterol oxidation and astaxanthin degradation in the product. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of addition of the antioxidants butylhydroxytoluene (BHT) and tert-butylhydroquinone (TBHQ) to cooked shrimp on the formation of cholesterol oxidation products (COPs) and astaxanthin degradation during solar drying of shrimp.The added antioxidants significantly inhibited COPs formation after the product was boiled in brine. Smaller amounts of COPs were formed in antioxidant-treated shrimps (~-23%) as compared to untreated samples. The antioxidants continued to significantly inhibit COPs formation (~-39%) during sun drying. Similarly, TBHQ and BHT reduced by 51.3% and 37.2%, respectively, the degradation rate of astaxanthin, favoring a higher retention of this carotenoid in the final product.The use of the antioxidants BHT and TBHQ in the preparation of dry salted shrimp significantly inhibited the formation of COPs after cooking raw shrimp and during direct solar drying. They also protected astaxanthin contained in the cooked shrimp from photodegradation. These results are technologically relevant because it is possible to prepare a product with a higher content of astaxanthin and lower the presence of hazardous COPs. © 2022 Society of Chemical Industry.

Coated polycrystalline cubic boron nitride (PcBN) tools are increasingly used for industrial applications with stringent requirements. However, information on the mechanical integrity of these systems is quite limited. Within this context, the adhesion strength of two TiN/TiAlN-coated and microstructurally different PcBN substrates – high- and low-cBN content grades with metallic and ceramic binders, respectively – is investigated by means of Rockwell C indentation testing. In doing so, special attention is paid to substrate microstructure effects on emergence and evolution of damage as applied load is increased. For both coated systems, it is found that damage scenario evolves from early adhesive delamination within the contact area towards radial cracking and spalling outside the residual imprint. However, critical loads for transition between damage stages are discerned to depend on microstructural assemblage of the substrate. Higher resistance to radial cracking and delamination is exhibited by the high cBN-content grade, in agreement with its higher hardness and toughness. Failure micromechanisms associated with cracking and spalling are similar for both coated-PcBN systems. Very interesting, delamination outside the residual imprint is determined to be of cohesive nature within the substrate, an experimental fact resulting from interaction among indentation-induced radial, cone-like and lateral fissures in PcBN.

Introduction /Objectives: The objectives were to conduct a survey of cardiologists on their recent experiences with cats that have dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM), and to retrospectively review individual cases of feline DCM. Animals, Materials and Methods Part One: A survey was distributed to cardiologists with questions regarding caseload and clinical management of cats with DCM diagnosed over the past two years. Part Two: Cardiologists completing the survey were invited to submit data from cats recently diagnosed with DCM. Data on signalment, clinical signs, diet, echocardiographic measurements, and outcome were recorded. Results Part One: From 52 completed surveys, many cardiologists responded that measuring and supplementing taurine and recommending a diet change in cats with DCM are common practices. Few (15%) cardiologists reported an increase in number of feline DCM cases over the past two years, although some had cases that improved even if taurine deficiency was not present. Part Two: Twenty of 37 (54%) cats ate low pea/lentil (low PL) diets and 14/37 (38%) ate high pea/lentil (high PL) diets at the time of diagnosis; three had incomplete diet information. Two of 13 cats (15%) in which taurine was measured had levels below the reference range. After adjusting for other variables, cats eating high PL diets that changed diets post-diagnosis had a significantly longer survival time compared to cats eating high PL diets that did not change diets post-diagnosis (P=0.025). Conclusions Additional research is warranted to determine whether there could be a possible association between diet and DCM in cats.

Resume Introduction Les residents en EHPAD sont une population fragile dont l’acces aux soins est limite. Ces dernieres annees, la telemedecine s’est developpee dans plusieurs specialites, dont l’ophtalmologie. L’objectif principal de notre etude est la validation d’un protocole de teleexpertise d’ophtalmologie en EHPAD. Materiel et methodes Il s’agit d’une etude retrospective, multicentrique et descriptive incluant 4 EHPAD autour de l’agglomeration de Rennes. Un orthoptiste examinait les residents une demi-journee par semaine. L’examen se faisait directement dans la chambre du patient, au lit ou au fauteuil, avec du materiel portable. Les examens sont interpretes a distance et en differe par un ophtalmologiste du service dans un delai de 7 jours. Une prise en charge adaptee medicale ou chirurgicale est alors proposee au patient selon le diagnostic. Resultats Nous avons inclus 113 residents. Un examen complet et interpretable a ete realise dans 84,1 % des cas. Une ou plusieurs pathologies ophtalmologiques ont ete diagnostiquees chez 57,5 % des residents. Parmi les residents ayant effectue une consultation au CHU, 65 % d’entre eux ont eu un acte chirurgical ou un laser programme. L’acuite visuelle a ete significativement amelioree apres la teleexpertise. Discussion Le taux de reussite d’un examen complet et interpretable nous permet, a ce jour, de valider notre procedure d’examen en EHPAD. En plus d’apporter un grand nombre d’informations initialement inconnues au personnel medical et paramedical de la structure, la teleexpertise d’ophtalmologie permet une amelioration significative de l’acuite visuelle. Conclusion Ce projet a permis de valider la faisabilite d’une teleexpertise d’ophtalmologie dans les EHPAD. Cette activite semble egalement pouvoir s’ouvrir a d’autres centres de soins (centres penitenciers, etablissement de sante mentale…).

From its origins in social media usage, the term “sharing” has become an umbrella term for socio-technological competency. Even though sharing is a multifaceted construct – influenced by user motivations, expectations, and particularly the intrinsic and extrinsic social benefits to be gained – there are few definitions that approach it around these terms. We analyze these benefits in terms of what we call sociability affordances - i.e., social network site (SNS) affordances that arise outside either the merely material or imagined affordances - which enable individuals to take social actions toward social integration and interaction. Semi-structured interviews with young Chileans from three representative social media use typologies showed that each were closely linked with the performance of sharing actions for intrinsic and extrinsic social integration and interaction gains. Coding of interviews found four main sociability affordances from sharing practices: social visibility; audience engagement; social strengthening and enduring intra-personal communication. Based on U&G and self-determination theories, and rooted in an affordance approach, this study finds that online sharing behaviors are carefully weighed upon to achieve either factual or imagined social gains.

Background Organisms in the wild can acquire disease- and stress-resistance traits that outstrip the programs endogenous to humans. Finding the molecular basis of such natural resistance characters is a key goal of evolutionary genetics. Standard statistical-genetic methods toward this end can perform poorly in organismal systems that lack high rates of meiotic recombination, like Caenorhabditis worms. Results Here we discovered unique ER stress resistance in a wild Kenyan C. elegans isolate, which in inter-strain crosses was passed by hermaphrodite mothers to hybrid offspring. We developed an unbiased version of the reciprocal hemizygosity test, RH-seq, to explore the genetics of this parent-of-origin-dependent phenotype. Among top-scoring gene candidates from a partial-coverage RH-seq screen, we focused on the neuronally-expressed, cuticlin-like gene cutl-24 for validation. In gene-disruption and controlled crossing experiments, we found that cutl-24 was required in Kenyan hermaphrodite mothers for ER stress tolerance in their inter-strain hybrid offspring; cutl-24 was also a contributor to the trait in purebred backgrounds. Conclusions These data establish the Kenyan strain allele of cutl-24 as a determinant of a natural stress-resistant state, and they set a precedent for the dissection of natural trait diversity in invertebrate animals without the need for a panel of meiotic recombinants.

Because climate change has severely impacted global bee populations by depleting their habitats and food sources, beekeepers must implement management practices to adapt to changing climates. However, beekeepers in El Salvador lack information about necessary climate change adaptation strategies. This study explored Salvadoran beekeepers’ experiences adapting to climate change. The researchers used a phenomenological case study approach and conducted semi-structured interviews with nine Salvadoran beekeepers who were members of The Cooperative Association for Marketing, Production, Savings, and Credit of Beekeepers of Chalatenango (ACCOPIDECHA). The beekeepers perceived water and food scarcity, as well as extreme weather events (e.g., increasing temperature, rain, winds), as the leading climate change-induced challenges to their production. Such challenges have augmented their honey bees’ physiological need for water, limited their movement patterns, decreased apiary safety, and increased the incidence of pests and diseases, all of which have led to honey bee mortality. The beekeepers shared adaptation strategies, including box modification, apiary relocation, and food supplementation. Although most beekeepers accessed climate change information using the internet, they struggled to understand and apply pertinent information unless they received it from trusted ACCOPIDECHA personnel. Salvadoran beekeepers require information and demonstrations to improve their climate change adaptation strategies and implement new ones to address the challenges they experience.

Two juvenile alpacas, 1 male and 1 female, were presented for evaluation of grade V/VI bilateral basilar systolic heart murmurs. Both animals were ultimately diagnosed with severe valvular pulmonic stenosis and a small ventricular septal defect. Transvenous balloon valvuloplasty was performed in each animal using methods described in the dog. A double balloon technique was employed in the first case, with a balloon‐annulus ratio of ~1.55. For the second case, a high‐pressure dilatation balloon catheter with a balloon‐annulus ratio of ~1.33 was selected. Experience with both procedures indicates that balloon pulmonary valvuloplasty is technically feasible in alpacas using techniques extrapolated from those used in dogs. Furthermore, accepted criteria for procedural success were fulfilled for both alpacas, with more than a 50% reduction in the echocardiographically derived transpulmonic pressure gradient after intervention.

Dysgeusia is a common but understudied complication in patients undergoing autologous hematopoietic cell transplantation (auto-HCT). We assessed the feasibility of using chemical gustometry (CG) to measure dysgeusia and explored its associations with symptom burden, nutrition, chemotherapy pharmacokinetics (PK), and the oral microbiome.We conducted a single-center, prospective feasibility study (NCT03276481) of patients with multiple myeloma undergoing auto-HCT. CG was performed longitudinally testing five flavors (sweet, sour, salty, bitter, umami) to calculate a total taste score (maximum score, 30). We measured caloric intake and patient-reported symptoms, assessing their correlation with oral microbiota composition and salivary and blood melphalan PK exposure.Among all 45 patients, 39 (87%) completed at least four (60%) and 22 (49%) completed all six CG assessments. Median total CG scores remained stable over time but were lowest at day +7 (27, range 24-30) with recovery by day +100. Symptom burden was highest by day +10 (area under the curve, 2.9; range, 1.0-4.6) corresponding with the lowest median overall caloric intake (1624 kcal; range, 1345-2267). Higher serum/salivary melphalan levels correlated with higher patient-reported dysgeusia and lower caloric intake. Oral microbiota α-diversity was stable early and increased slightly by day +100.Assessment of dysgeusia by CG is feasible after auto-HCT. Most dysgeusia, symptom burden, and lowest caloric intake occurred during the blood count nadir. Higher melphalan concentrations correlated with more dysgeusia and poorer caloric intake. Future studies will aim to modulate melphalan exposure by PK-targeted dosing and characterize patient taste preferences to personalize diets for improved nutritional intake.Taste changes after cancer treatments are very common. We used chemical gustometry (taste testing) to study taste changes and to better understand why patients with multiple myeloma experience this symptom after autologous hematopoietic cell transplantation. We found that taste testing was feasible, taste changes peaked when blood counts were lowest, and most patients recovered their taste by 100 days after transplantation. Taste changes correlated with lower food intake and with higher levels of chemotherapy in the body. Future work will focus on using personalized chemotherapy doses to reduce taste changes and to match patients' individual taste preferences with their diets.

The world was not prepared for the COVID-19 pandemic. It has tremendously impacted health and food systems around the world and the depth and breadth of its long-term effects are yet to be seen. The rates of those that will be in poverty and food insecure are significantly higher than the predictions pre-COVID. People are coping in any way that they can, at times in ways that will have lasting impacts on their households and communities. A community’s ability to absorb, adapt, and transform in the face of crisis can significantly impact how it is able to survive and thrive during those challenging times. A frontline extension professional can equitably build assets and thus capitals, ultimately increasing household and community resilience. Keywords: COVID-19; food security; resilience; coping; Community Capitals Framework

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During the spring 2020 COVID-19 outbreak, faculty and staff within Ohio State University's College of Food, Agricultural and Environmental Sciences came together from multiple disciplines to support essential agricultural workers. Concerted leadership from administration provided a framework for this interaction to occur while faculty worked off-campus to address the many issues identified by the agricultural community, the industry sector, and other state agencies. During the onset period, much of our work was reactive; our efforts to address worker safety and health involved three primary areas within: 1) production agricultural workers, 2) produce growers and direct marketing enterprises, and 3) meat supply chain workers. Communication to target audiences relied upon our ability to convert face-to-face programming into virtual webinars, social media, and digital publications. A Food System Task Force mobilized specialists to address emerging issues, with one specific topic related to Personal Protective Equipment (PPE). As we continue to face new seasons in agriculture production, and pockets of COVID-19 outbreaks within our state, we will continue to address the dynamic needs of our food supply systems. There are implications for how we will teach the agricultural workforce within a virtual platform, including the evaluation of the effectiveness of those training programs. There are renewed opportunities to integrate health and safety content into other Extension teams who conventionally focused on production practices and farm management topics. Several research themes emerged during subgroup dialog to pursue new knowledge in workers' cultural attitude and barriers, PPE design, PPE access, and overall attitude toward COVID-19 health practices.

Agricultural communication (AGCOM) has been known to aid in disseminating research-based agricultural information among Malawian farmers. In 1958 the Malawi Government, via the Ministry of Agriculture, established the Agricultural Communications Branch (ACB) in an attempt to increase access to and adoption of scientifically-proven technologies among farmers. Moreover, in 2000 the Malawi Government started implementing an agricultural extension policy that promoted pluralistic demand-driven extension, which led to the increased availability of non-governmental organizations providing AGCOM services to farmers. However, after several decades of using different communication tools to promote new technologies, low productivity in most small holder farms remains a challenge, with limited adoption of improved technology as one of the contributing factors. In this exploratory, convergent, mixed methods study, 30 Malawian farmers and six AGCOM officers who were selected using convenient and snow ball sampling respectively participated in key informant interviews. In addition, 64 AGCOM officers who were selected using simple random sampling were involved in a survey. The findings of the study revealed that information delivered to farmers does not address farmer needs in most cases. Specifically, existing policies, source and availability of funding, and the agricultural calendar influenced choice of information that was disseminated. For example, the existing policy does not allow AGCOM officers to disseminate local and innovative farmer practices unless they are tested and approved by scientists. Such policies, perpetuates a mindset among farmers that innovations originate from outside their communities, thereby making it hard for them to share their local, indigenous ideas with their colleagues. Moreover, it has contributed to the inability of AGCOM to be used as an innovation creation tool, hence AGCOMs’ limited impact. Keywords: adoption, improved technologies, agricultural communication, increased productivity, information dissemination

Most gene therapy lentiviral vector (LV) production platforms employ HEK293T cells expressing the oncogenic SV40 large T-antigen (TAg) that is thought to promote plasmid-mediated gene expression. Studies on other viral oncogenes suggest that TAg may also inhibit the intracellular autonomous innate immune system that triggers defensive antiviral responses upon detection of viral components by cytosolic sensors. Here we show that an innate response can be generated after HIV-1-derived LV transfection in HEK293T cells, particularly by the transgene, yet, remarkably, this had no effect on LV titer. Further, overexpression of DNA sensing pathway components led to expression of inflammatory cytokine and interferon (IFN) stimulated genes but did not result in detectable IFN or CXCL10 and had no impact on LV titer. Exogenous IFN-β also did not affect LV production or transduction efficiency in primary T cells. Additionally, manipulation of TAg did not affect innate antiviral responses, but stable expression of TAg boosted vector production in HEK293 cells. Our findings demonstrate a measure of innate immune competence in HEK293T cells but, crucially, show that activation of inflammatory signaling is uncoupled from cytokine secretion in these cells. This provides new mechanistic insight into the unique suitability of HEK293T cells for LV manufacture.

The reduction of nitrites in cooked meat products is becoming a topic of primary importance, both for manufacturers and for consumers. However, their complete or partial replacement with a single natural compound is a challenge, due to the multifunctional characteristics of nitrites. One possible approach is the use of natural antioxidants from Mediterranean vegetal sources, such as olives and their processing by-products, which are rich in phenolic compounds. In particular, olive mill wastewaters (OMWW) generated during virgin olive oil production contain the majority of hydrophilic phenols (mainly secoiridoids and its derivates, which are found exclusively in the Oleaceae family), which are known to have high antioxidant and antimicrobial activities. Thus, if phenols are extracted from OMWW and purified by suitable membrane technology, they can be used for the formulation of healthier cooked meat products, with a reduced content of nitrate salts. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of an extract rich in phenols (PE), obtained from OMWW, on the oxidative stability and sensory characteristics of steam-cooked and grilled würstels during storage. The steam cooked würstels were prepared with beef (50%), lean pork (20%) and lard (30%), ice (20%), salt (1.25%), ascorbic acid (0.02%), aromas (0.33%) and liquid smoke (0.05%). The ingredients were homogenized until complete emulsion and, the dough was then divided into four batches: Control (NO2 150 mg/kg) and 3 PE-enriched samples (W1, W2 and W3, with PE 200 mg/kg + NO2 35/150/0 mg/kg). The emulsion was bagged into a collagen bowel and cooked in a steam oven until 72°C. After cooling in the blast chiller, würstels were peeled, vacuum-packed, pasteurized at 75°C for 20 min and stored under alternating exposure to fluorescent light at 4±2°C for 30 days. Steam cooked würstels were sampled at fixed time periods (0, 15 and 30 days of storage) and frozen at -80°C. At the same sampling times, the same number of steam cooked würstels from each batch were grilled at 200°C for 3.30 min per side until 70°C was reached at core. After processing and grilling, about 60% of total phenols were retained in PE samples. Regarding primary lipid oxidation, peroxide value (PV) in the control sample tripled in 30 days, while in W1 and W3 samples the final PV were 74% and 71% lower, respectively. Furthermore, no significant effect of storage on the PV of PE samples was observed. The steam-cooked control sample showed an increase in both conjugated dienes and trienes during storage, while these parameters remained almost constant in ungrilled PE samples. After grilling, all samples showed the classical bell-shape behavior of primary oxidation products. Regarding secondary lipid oxidation, VOCS largely confirmed the role of PE in limiting the increase of C5 and C6 saturated aldehydes that derive from lipid oxidation, being up to 36% lower in PE samples than in the control after 30-day storage, and up to 25% lower after grilling. In addition, grilled samples had TBARs values that were about 2 times higher than those of steam-cooked würstels, confirming the pro-oxidant effect of grilling. However, TBARs in both steam-cooked and grilled control würstels were lower than those of the PE samples during storage. Regarding COPs and COR%, no significative differences were found between PE and control steam-cooked würstel samples. No taste anomalies were detected for all products, confirming their stability during chilled displaying. Samples were only discriminated by a grayer color, which is due to the addition of a lower quantity of NO2 in the formulation of PE samples. This study confirms that it is possible to produce healthier low-nitrate würstels with improved oxidative stability by using PE from OMWW, thus representing a good strategy to valorize by-products of the olive oil food chain and to promote industrial symbiosis.

During olive oil mechanical extraction process, two by-products (vegetation waters and paste) are generated, which are sources of high-added value molecules to produce new foods and/or ingredients with higher functionality. For both food industry and consumer is of great interest to replace synthetic additives (i.e. nitrite/nitrate salts and colorants) with natural compounds (such as biophenols). Moreover, the utilization of natural compounds extracted from agri-food by-products increases the food chain sustainability, promoting the development of healthier food products as well. The phenolic extract from olive vegetation water is of particular interest, as it has a high concentration of secoiridoids’ derivatives and verbascoside, so its addition in cooked meat products can exert an antioxidant action towards lipids and myoglobin, thus contributing to the reduction of the use of nitrites in their formulation. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of an extract rich in phenols (PE) obtained from olive vegetation water on the oxidative stability and the sensory characteristics of cooked ham during storage. Cooked ham was prepared using fresh pork meat. The injected brine contained: i) sodium chloride (1.5%), ii) glucose (0.2%), iii) ascorbic acid (0.02%), iv) flavours (0.15%), v) PE + NO2 at different levels (S1, S2 and S3, PE 200 mg/kg + NO2 150/35/0 mg/kg; Control + NO2 150 mg/kg). After the brine injection, meat was kneaded, kept at 4 °C and cooked up to an internal temperature of 69 °C. After slicing and packaging in ATM made of N2 (80%) and CO2 (20%), samples were stored in a refrigerated cabinet where they were exposed to fluorescent light (11 h/day) and sampled at 0, 15 and 30 days. During the 30-day storage, more than 35% of the added phenols were still retained in all formulations (S1, S2 and S3). Regarding secondary lipid oxidation, S1 showed the best oxidative stability, with TBARs below 1.0 mg MDA/kg of meat (reference value for rancidity development in cooked pork meat), while the control sample had significantly higher TBARs values (less than 3.79 mg MDA/kg of meat). S2 and S3 displayed a similar oxidative trend, with TBARs values below 1.4 mg MDA/kg of meat; therefore, it is possible to hypothesize that the antioxidant activity in both S2 and S3 was mainly due to phenols, while nitrites in S1 were more involved in the color development. The volatile organic compounds (VOCs) showed a general raise in C5 and C6 saturated aldehydes, reaching an increase of more than 400% in control sample, 300% in S1, 100% in S2 and 200% in S3 after 30 days of storage. Total cholesterol oxidation products (COPs) and its oxidation ratio (OR%) were particularly low (less than 4 mg/kg of meat and 0.4%, respectively) in all cooked ham samples. Taste and flavor attributes were not negatively affected by PE, whilst the pink color was positively protected by PE in combination with the lowest concentration of NO2. This study confirms that PE obtained from OMWW is able to improve lipid oxidation in low-nitrate cooked ham, being a good strategy to produce healthier meat products with a circular economy approach.

The dynamics facing rural development and school policy in New Mexico has limited merging and redistricting efforts in small schools in isolated rural communities. This has created a situation where small schools exist in several rural communities in the state. These programs often include school-based agricultural education as a program offering. The dynamics of the schools can impact how the total program approach commonly used in agricultural education can be implemented. The purpose of the study was to explore how agriculture teachers in small schools in New Mexico developed their own institutional polices and worked with the policies established by the school to involve students in the total program. A qualitative case study with six teachers was conducted. The themes emphasized the nuanced nature of the programs as well as the importance of relationships with students, parents, community members, and school staff to implement these programs. The teachers faced challenges related to balancing student time and working with athletics for scheduling. Successful programs cater to the context of the school and community by getting to know the students they serve. Advice and best practices provided by the teachers were discussed. Recommendations were provided related to establishing and maintaining relationships.

Promoting the transition of smallholder farmers from subsistence to more commercial and market-oriented production is an important goal of the Tanzanian extension system. The Ministry of Agriculture Training Institutes (MATIs) contribute to this goal by providing training to frontline extension workers (FEWs). However, the capacity of the MATI system to produce agricultural extension practitioners with job-ready competencies has declined, leading stakeholders and employers to raise concerns about the quality and training of FEWs. The main purpose of this study was to develop recommendations for curriculum revisions at MATI Ilonga to improve its program of study. This was done using a competency-based approach that incorporated inputs from stakeholders into the curriculum assessment and revision process. A panel of eight local and external experts derived 23 competencies from a review of the MATI curriculum and extension literature. A survey instrument to assess competencies based on perceptions of importance and graduates’ ability was designed and administered to 189 stakeholders from four stakeholder groups. Stakeholder-respondents considered all but two of the 23 competencies to be very high importance. Weighted discrepancy scores indicated that the highest rated areas for curriculum revision were Value Chains, Business skills, Climate Change, Fisheries, and Land Resource Management. All stakeholder groups except graduates, indicated Value Chains and Business Skills as high priorities requiring enhanced training to improve the ability of FEWs. Follow-up stakeholder consultations indicated support for using the competency-based approach, engaging stakeholders in the curriculum review process, and interest in applying the approach with other MATIs in Tanzania. Keywords: Tanzania; agricultural extension; training; competencies

Virtual reality (VR) is an emerging tool to reduce pain and anxiety during procedures. Although VR's clinical benefits are reported, biometric data quantifying VR's effect on pain tolerance is lacking. We used time-lapse, subjective, and biometric data to evaluate VR's effect on modulating pain.Randomized, controlled crossover within-subject clinical trial.This study was conducted in the Chariot Lab at Lucile Packard Children's Hospital and outdoors at Stanford University School of Medicine.156 healthy volunteers were included.Participants underwent pain-inducing ice immersions while connected to biometric sensors. Participants were randomized to immerse their dominant or non-dominant hand with VR or control (no VR) for one immersion, and then crossed-over to the other hand for the second immersion. We instructed participants to submerge their hand until they reached their pain tolerance or until four minutes elapsed.Outcomes included ice immersion duration, perceived pain scores, and skin conductance response density (SCRD), a marker of sympathetic arousal. We used survival analysis and mixed effects models to compare measurements with and without VR.153 participants were included in the analysis. Participants with VR were 64% less likely to remove their hands from the ice bath throughout the immersion's duration compared to control (P 0.001). Participants with VR reported significantly lower pain scores after controlling for dominant hand treatment assignment, VR vs. no VR treatment order, and gender (P 0.001). SCRD increased as time progressed for both VR and control groups (P = 0.047 combined), with no significant mean group differences.Participants with VR were more likely to survive the 4-min ice bath challenge longer and with lower levels of pain perception, supporting VR's effectiveness as a distraction tool during painful procedures. We observed no differences in sympathetic response when comparing VR to no VR.

The incidence of acute kidney injury (AKI) in hospitalized patients with COVID-19 is variable, being associated with worse outcomes. The objectives of the study were to evaluate the incidence, risk factors (considering demographic characteristics, comorbidities, initial clinical presentation and associated complications) and impact of AKI in subjects hospitalized for COVID-19 in two third-level hospitals in Córdoba, Argentina. A retrospective cohort study was conducted. We included 448 adults who were consecutively hospitalized for COVID-19 between March 3 and October 31, 2020 and were followed throughout the hospitalization. The incidence of AKI was 19% (n = 85; stage I = 43, stage II = 17, and stage III = 25, 18 required renal replacement therapy). In the multivariate analysis, the variables that were independently associated with AKI were: age (for every 10 years, adjusted odd ratio [95%CI] = 1.30 [1.04-1.63], p = 0.022), history of chronic kidney disease -CKD- (9.92 [4.52-21.77], p0.001), blood neutrophil count at admission -BNCA- (for every increase of 1000 BNCA, 1.09 [1.01-1.18], p = 0.037) and requirement for mechanical ventilation -MV- (6.69 [2.24-19.90], p = 0.001). AKI was associated with longer hospitalization, higher admission (63.5 vs. 29.7%; p0.001) and longer stay in the intensive care unit, a positive association with respiratory bacterial superinfection, sepsis, respiratory distress syndrome, MV requirement and mortality (mortality without AK I = 12.4% vs with AKI = 47.1%; stage I = 26%, stage II = 41% and stage III = 88%; p0.001). AKI was independently associated with higher mortality (3.32 [1.6-6.9], p = 0.001). In conclusion, the incidence of AKI in adults hospitalized for COVID-19 was 19% and had a clear impact on morbidity and mortality. The independent risk factors for AKI were: Age, CKD, BNCA and MV.Los objetivos del estudio fueron evaluar la incidencia, los factores de riesgo (considerando características demográficas, comorbilidades, presentación clínica inicial y complicaciones asociadas) y el impacto de la lesión renal aguda ‐LRA‐ en sujetos hospitalizados por COVID-19 en dos instituciones de alta complejidad de Córdoba, Argentina. Se realizó un estudio de cohorte retrospectivo. Se incluyeron 448 adultos que fueron hospitalizados por COVID-19 entre el 3 de marzo y el 31 de octubre del 2020 con seguimiento durante toda la hospitalización. La incidencia de LRA fue 19% (estadio I = 43, estadio II = 17 y estadío III = 25, 18 requirieron diálisis). Las variables que se asociaron de manera independiente con el LRA fueron: edad (por cada 10 años, odd ratio ajustado [IC95%] = 1.30 [1.04-1.63], p = 0.022), enfermedad renal crónica ‐ERC‐ (9.92 [4.52-21.77], p0.001), recuento de neutrófilos sanguíneos al ingreso ‐NSI‐ (por cada incremento de 1000 NSI, 1.09 [1.01‐1.18], p = 0.037) y asistencia respiratoria mecánica ‐ARM‐ (6.69 [2.24‐19.90], p = 0.001). Los sujetos con LRA presentaron una internación más prolongada, mayor requerimiento (63.5 vs. 29.7%; p0.001) y estadía más prolongada en unidad de cuidados intensivos, una asociación positiva con sobreinfección respiratoria bacteriana, sepsis, síndrome de distrés respiratorio, requerimiento de ARM y mortalidad (mortalidad sin LRA 12.4% vs. con LRA 47.1%; estadio I = 26%, estadio II = 41% y estadio III = 88%; p0.001). LRA se asoció de manera independiente a mayor mortalidad (3.3 [1.6‐6.9], p = 0.001). En conclusión, la incidencia de LRA en adultos hospitalizados por COVID-19 fue del 19% y tuvo un claro impacto en la morbi-mortalidad. Los factores de riesgo independientes de LRA fueron: edad, ERC, NSI y ARM.

At the Fermilab Tevatron proton-antiproton ($p\bar{p}$) collider, high-mass electron-neutrino ($e\nu$) pairs are produced predominantly in the process $p \bar{p} \rightarrow W(\rightarrow e\nu) + X$. The asymmetry of the electron and positron yield as a function of their pseudorapidity constrain the slope of the ratio of the $u$- to $d$-quark parton distributions versus the fraction of the proton momentum carried by the quarks. This paper reports on the measurement of the electron-charge asymmetry using the full data set recorded by the Collider Detector at Fermilab in 2001--2011 and corresponding to 9.1~fb$^{-1}$ of integrated luminosity. The measurement significantly improves the precision of the Tevatron constraints on the parton-distribution functions of the proton. Numerical tables of the measurement are provided.

In Peru, subsistence farmers experience firsthand the direct and indirect impacts of climate change (CC). To understand how farmers adapt their livelihoods to climatic variability, this mixed methods study explored their perceptions and climate adaptability strategies implemented in Huayhuay, Peru. Twenty farmers participated in semi-structured interviews, and 103 completed a survey questionnaire. The results indicated that most farmers perceive changes in temperature, precipitation, and drought that negatively affect agricultural production and local natural resources. To deal with CC, farmers are implementing twenty-six climate adaptation strategies. Diversifying agricultural products and practices, and exploring new economic activities were adaptability strategies identified in this study that the literature has previously documented as having positive implications for agricultural livelihoods. However, some farmers reported that adaptability strategies are failed attempts at local climate action. The results, along with the adaptability literature, revealed that farmers implement locally accessible adaptability strategies based on their climate variability perceptions. Therefore, this study recommends exploring CC perceptions and adaptability strategies with a site-based approach. It is also recommended that future research, local climate planning, and action must focus on the efficiency and inclusiveness of strategies rather than their frequency or levels of adoption. Finally, strengthening the technical capacities and knowledge of CC among subsistence farmers must be a priority for authorities and practitioners in Huayhuay, Peru.