bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Mechanical Properties of Wood: A Review
Authors: Arriaga Francisco , Wang Xiping , Íñiguez-González Guillermo , Llana Daniel F. , Esteban Miguel , Niemz Peter
Published: June 2023

The use of wood in construction requires knowledge of the mechanical properties and the particularities that wood presents in comparison with other materials used for structural purposes such as steel, concrete, brick, or stone. The introduction mentions the environmental advantages that justify the use of wood today. The orthotropy of wood is one of the differentiating characteristics that must be taken into account when studying its behaviour. The determination of the properties of wood is then addressed from a historical perspective and the differentiation is made between the properties of small clear wood (defect-free timber) and structural timber. The timber grading systems (visual and mechanical grading) and the non-destructive techniques that currently prevail are explained. Finally, the factors that influence the mechanical properties, such as duration of the load, moisture content, quality, temperature, and the effect of size are explained. The objective of this work is to provide an overview of the current knowledge on the mechanical properties of wood, based mainly on published articles and European and North American standards, including historical references to the beginnings and current trends in this field.
A DQN-Based Multi-Objective Participant Selection for Efficient Federated Learning
Authors: Xu Tongyang , Liu Yuan , Ma Zhaotai , Huang Yiqiang , Liu Peng
Published: June 2023

As a new distributed machine learning (ML) approach, federated learning (FL) shows great potential to preserve data privacy by enabling distributed data owners to collaboratively build a global model without sharing their raw data. However, the heterogeneity in terms of data distribution and hardware configurations make it hard to select participants from the thousands of nodes. In this paper, we propose a multi-objective node selection approach to improve time-to-accuracy performance while resisting malicious nodes. We firstly design a deep reinforcement learning-assisted FL framework. Then, the problem of multi-objective node selection under this framework is formulated as a Markov decision process (MDP), which aims to reduce the training time and improve model accuracy simultaneously. Finally, a Deep Q-Network (DQN)-based algorithm is proposed to efficiently solve the optimal set of participants for each iteration. Simulation results show that the proposed method not only significantly improves the accuracy and training speed of FL, but also has stronger robustness to resist malicious nodes.
Microbiological and Physico-Chemical Characteristics of Black Tea Kombucha Fermented with a New Zealand Starter Culture
Authors: Wang Boying , Rutherfurd-Markwick Kay , Naren Naran , Zhang Xue-Xian , Mutukumira Anthony N.
Published: June 2023

Kombucha is a popular sparkling sugared tea, fermented by a symbiotic culture of acetic acid bacteria (AAB) and yeast. The demand for kombucha continues to increase worldwide, mainly due to its perceived health benefits and appealing sensory properties. This study isolated and characterised the dominant AAB and yeast from a starter culture and kombucha broth after 0, 1, 3, 5, 7, 9, 11, and 14 days of fermentation at ambient temperature (22 °C). Yeast and AAB were isolated from the Kombucha samples using glucose yeast extract mannitol ethanol acetic acid (GYMEA) and yeast extract glucose chloramphenicol (YGC) media, respectively. The phenotypic and taxonomic identification of AAB and yeast were determined by morphological and biochemical characterisation, followed by a sequence analysis of the ribosomal RNA gene (16S rRNA for AAB and ITS for yeast). The changes in the microbial composition were associated with variations in the physico-chemical characteristics of kombucha tea, such as pH, titratable acidity, and total soluble solids (TSS). During fermentation, the acidity increased and the TSS decreased. The yield, moisture content, and water activity of the cellulosic pellicles which had developed at the end of fermentation were attributed to the presence of AAB. The dominant AAB species in the cellulosic pellicles and kombucha broth were identified as Komagataeibacter rhaeticus. The yeast isolates belonged to Debaryomyces prosopidis and Zygosaccharomyces lentus.
Steamed Multigrain Bread Prepared from Dough Fermented with Lactic Acid Bacteria and Its Effect on Type 2 Diabetes
Authors: Shang Jiacui , Xie Shuiqi , Yang Shuo , Duan Bofan , Liu Lijun , Meng Xiangchen
Published: June 2023

Multigrain products can prevent the occurrence of chronic noninfectious diseases such as hyperglycemia and hyperlipidemia. In this study, multigrain dough fermented by lactic acid bacteria (LAB) was used for the preparation of good-quality steamed multigrain bread, and its effects on type 2 diabetes were investigated. The results showed that the multigrain dough fermented with LAB significantly enhanced the specific volume, texture, and nutritional value of the steamed bread. The steamed multigrain bread had a low glycemic index and was found to increase liver glycogen and reduce triglyceride and insulin levels, while improving oral glucose tolerance and blood lipid levels in diabetic mice. The steamed multigrain bread made from dough fermented with LAB had comparable effects on type 2 diabetes to steamed multigrain bread prepared from dough fermented without LAB. In conclusion, multigrain dough fermentation with LAB improved the quality of the steamed bread while preserving its original efficacy. These findings provide a novel approach to the production of functional commercial foods.
Dietary Heat-Treatment Contaminants Exposure and Cancer: A Case Study from Turkey
Authors: Pekmezci Hilal , Basaran Burhan
Published: June 2023

In this study, the 10-year dietary habits of patients diagnosed with cancer (n = 1155) were retrospectively analyzed, and the relationships between dietary (red meat, white meat, fish meat, French fries, bread, instant coffee, ready-to-drink coffee, Turkish coffee, and black tea) heterocyclic amines, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, acrylamide, and N-nitrosamine-based risk scores and cancer types were statistically evaluated. The foods with the highest and lowest mean dietary heat-treatment contaminant risk scores were red meat and ready-to-drink coffee, respectively. There were statistically significant differences in the dietary heat-treatment contamination risk scores based on the cancer patients’ demographic characteristics (sex, age, smoking, and body mass index) (p < 0.05). According to the cancer types, the systems with the highest and lowest dietary heat-treatment contaminant risk scores were determined as other (brain, thyroid, lymphatic malignancies, skin, oro- and hypopharynx, and hematology) and the reproductive (breast, uterus, and ovary) system, respectively. The relationship between instant coffee consumption and respiratory system cancer types, the frequency of consumption of French fries and urinary system cancer types and the consumption of meat products and gastrointestinal system cancer types were determined. It is thought that this study contains important findings regarding the relationship between dietary habits and cancer and will be a good source for other studies to be conducted in this context.
New Developments in Nutraceuticals and Functional Food Products: Microorganisms as Alternative Sources of Nutritive and Beneficial Components
Authors: Chiellini Carolina , Cavalieri Duccio , Gabriele Morena
Published: June 2023

Microorganisms have long been essential to human life, playing significant roles in food and beverage production, health and disease, and the environment [...]
Improving the Accuracy of Saffron Adulteration Classification and Quantification through Data Fusion of Thin-Layer Chromatography Imaging and Raman Spectral Analysis
Authors: Dai Haochen , Gao Qixiang , Lu Jiakai , He Lili
Published: June 2023

Agricultural crops of high value are frequently targeted by economic adulteration across the world. Saffron powder, being one of the most expensive spices and colorants on the market, is particularly vulnerable to adulteration with extraneous plant materials or synthetic colorants. However, the current international standard method has several drawbacks, such as being vulnerable to yellow artificial colorant adulteration and requiring tedious laboratory measuring procedures. To address these challenges, we previously developed a portable and versatile method for determining saffron quality using a thin-layer chromatography technique coupled with Raman spectroscopy (TLC-Raman). In this study, our aim was to improve the accuracy of the classification and quantification of adulterants in saffron by utilizing mid-level data fusion of TLC imaging and Raman spectral data. In summary, the featured imaging data and featured Raman data were concatenated into one data matrix. The classification and quantification results of saffron adulterants were compared between the fused data and the analysis based on each individual dataset. The best classification result was obtained from the partial least squares—discriminant analysis (PLS-DA) model developed using the mid-level fusion dataset, which accurately determined saffron with artificial adulterants (red 40 or yellow 5 at 2–10%, w/w) and natural plant adulterants (safflower and turmeric at 20–100%, w/w) with an overall accuracy of 99.52% and 99.20% in the training and validation group, respectively. Regarding quantification analysis, the PLS models built with the fused data block demonstrated improved quantification performance in terms of R2 and root-mean-square errors for most of the PLS models. In conclusion, the present study highlighted the significant potential of fusing TLC imaging data and Raman spectral data to improve saffron classification and quantification accuracy via the mid-level data fusion, which will facilitate rapid and accurate decision-making on site.
Physical, Chemical, and Sensory Properties of a Turmeric-Fortified Pineapple Juice Beverage
Authors: Sun Xiuxiu , Follett Peter A. , Wall Marisa M. , Duff Keegan S. , Wu Xiaohua , Shu Chang , Plotto Anne , Liang Peishih , Stockton Dara G.
Published: June 2023

Beverage mixtures based on pineapple (Ananas comosus) and turmeric (Curcuma longa) juice as a ready-to-drink product were developed, and their physicochemical, nutritional, and sensory properties were evaluated. Four different concentrations of turmeric juice (5%, 10%, 15%, and 20% (v/v)) were added to pineapple juice to make turmeric-fortified pineapple (TFP) juice samples. Pineapple juice without turmeric was the control. The L*, a*, b*, titratable acidity (TA), total antioxidant capacity, and %DPPH scavenging values, as well as the concentrations of the phenolic compounds curcumin and demethoxycurcumin, were significantly increased with increasing turmeric concentration. Thirty volatile compounds were detected in the mixed juice samples with turmeric. Most of the turmeric-specific compounds, including monoterpenes, sesquiterpenes and turmerones, were detected in the TFP juice samples. While the antioxidant activity of the juice samples increased with increasing turmeric concentration, the pineapple juice fortified with 10% turmeric (10%T) had the best overall quality as determined by panelists. Greater concentrations of turmeric were associated with decreased palatability due to reduced mouthfeel and sweetness and increased aftertaste and sourness. These results suggest that the 10%T juice could be developed into a commercial functional beverage with increased overall flavor and nutritional quality.
Clotting and Proteolytic Activity of Freeze-Dried Crude Extracts Obtained from Wild Thistles Cynara humilis L. and Onopordum platylepis Murb.
Authors: Bande-De León Cindy , Buendía-Moreno Laura , Abellán Adela , Manzi Pamela , Al Mohandes Dridi Bouthaina , Essaidi Ismahen , Aquilanti Lucia , Tejada Luis
Published: June 2023

The rising interest in finding alternatives to animal rennet in cheese production has led to studying the technological feasibility of using and exploiting new species of herbaceous plants. In this research work, and for the first time, freeze-dried extracts from Cynara humilis L. (CH) and Onopordum platylepis Murb. (OP) were studied for mineral and protein content, and their clotting and proteolytic activity were compared to those of Cynara cardunculus L. (CC). The effect of extract concentration (5–40 mg extract/mL), temperature (20–85 °C), pH (5–8), and CaCl2 concentration (5–70 mM) on the milk clotting activity (MCA) of CC, CH and OP extracts was evaluated. The MCA values were significantly higher in CC at the same extract concentration. The extract that showed the most significant increase in clotting activity due to increased temperature was OP, with maximum activity at 70 °C. The pH value for maximum milk clotting was 5.0 for both CC and CH, whereas, in the case of OP, the pH value was 5.5. CaCl2 enhanced the clotting capacity of the extracts, particularly for OP and CH. Furthermore, proteolytic activity (PA) and the hydrolysis rate increased with increasing time and enzyme concentration, with CC being the extract that achieved the highest caseinolytic activity.
Characterization of Odor-Active Compounds from Gryllus bimaculatus Using Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry-Olfactometry
Authors: Seong Hui-Yeong , Shin Eui-Cheol , Lee Youngseung , Kim Misook
Published: June 2023

Edible insects have recently attracted attention as an alternative sustainable protein food source. However, consumer aversion remains the major obstacle to successful implementation in the food industry due to their shape and unpleasant odor. Here, we evaluated and compared odor-active compounds from untreated Gryllus bimaculatus (UGB), hot-air dried GB at 70 °C for 10 h (AGB), freeze-dried GB (FGB), steam-heated GB at 121 °C and 14.5 psi for 15 min (SGB), and defatted GB by hexane (DFGB). Each sample was analyzed using gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) and gas chromatography-olfactometry (GC-O). The most volatile compounds were detected in UGB, followed by SGB, DFGB, AGB, and FGB by GC-MS analysis. In GC-O analysis, fourteen compounds were identified as cricket or cricket-related odor among twenty identified compounds. Cyclododecane had the strongest cricket-related odor found only in UGB. DFGB received the lowest total scores of intensity for cricket-related odors, while SGB received the highest scores. It seems that defatting could reduce cricket-related odors. This study may provide theoretical information for the GB odors according to the four processing methods.
Synergistic Effect of Combined Walnut Peptide and Ginseng Extracts on Memory Improvement in C57BL/6 Mice and Potential Mechanism Exploration
Authors: Fu Junxi , Song Wentian , Song Xiaobing , Fang Li , Wang Xiyan , Leng Yue , Wang Ji , Liu Chunlei , Min Weihong
Published: June 2023

This work aimed to investigate whether there are synergistic effects between walnut peptide (WNP) and ginseng extracts (GSE) treatments to ameliorate the memory impairment caused by scopolamine (SCOP). The Morris water maze trial, hippocampal neuron morphology, neurotransmitters, and synaptic ultrastructure were examined, along with brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF)-related signaling pathway proteins. The results of the Morris water maze trial demonstrated that the combined administration of WNP and GSE effectively alleviated memory impairment in C57BL/6 rats caused by SCOP. Improvement in the morphology of hippocampal neurons, dendritic spines, and synaptic plasticity and upregulation of neurotransmitters AChE, ACh, ChAT, Glu, DA, and 5-HT supported the memory improvement effects of WNP + GSE. In addition, compared with the model group, WNP + GSE significantly enhanced the protein levels of VAChT, Trx-1, and the CREB/BDNF/TrkB pathway in hippocampal and PC12 cells induced by SCOP (p < 0.05). Notably, WNP + GSE boosted memory via multiple pathways, not only the BDNF/TrkB/CREB target.
Effect of Carrier Agents on Quality Parameters of Spray-Dried Encapsulated Diosgenin Powder and the Optimization of Process Parameters
Authors: Arya Prajya , Kumar Pradyuman
Published: June 2023

Fenugreek seeds are a rich source of bioactive compounds, such as diosgenin, which is one of the most crucial steroidal sapogenins emerging in the field with its spectacular health benefits. Plant-based diosgenin is bitter in taste and has remarkably low consumption levels, making it unable to fulfil the role of improving health benefits. Diosgenin is spray dried to mask bitterness and astringent flavors with two different wall materials, such as maltodextrin (MD) and whey protein concentrate (WPC), separately. The spray-drying condition of the selected optimization process was inlet air temperature (IAT 150–170 °C), feed flow rate (FFR 300–500 mL/h), and carrier agent concentration (CAC 10–20%). The optimization of the process variable was conducted for producing optimized encapsulated diosgenin powder (EDP) with both MD and WPC. The selected parameters, such as yield, encapsulation efficiency, moisture content, antioxidant activity, hygroscopicity, and solubility, are investigated in this current work. Based on the experimental results, the significant R2 values depict the model fitting to the responses. EDP revealed an optimization condition at 170 °C IAT, 500 mL/h FFR, and 20% CAC for MD and WPC. The highest responses were observed with WPC-EDP, such as yield at 82.25%, encapsulation efficiency at 88.60%, antioxidant activity at 53.95%, and hygroscopicity at 12.64%. MD-EDP revealed higher solubility at 96.64% and moisture content at 2.58%. EDP was studied using micrographs and diffractograms for the optimized samples, which revealed a smooth and dented surface with an amorphous nature for MD-EDP and WPC-EDP, respectively. EDP exhibited acceptable powder properties with regard to fulfilling the set purpose. EDP can be a better potential ingredient in different food matrices to act as a delivery vehicle for various health aliments.
Overlap Functions-Based Fuzzy Mathematical Morphological Operators and Their Applications in Image Edge Extraction
Authors: Zhang Xiaohong , Li Mengyuan , Liu Hui
Published: June 2023

As special aggregation functions, overlap functions have been widely used in the soft computing field. In this work, with the aid of overlap functions, two new groups of fuzzy mathematical morphology (FMM) operators were proposed and applied to image processing, and they obtained better results than existing algorithms. First, based on overlap functions and structuring elements, the first group of new FMM operators (called OSFMM operators) was proposed, and their properties were systematically analyzed. With the implementation of OSFMM operators and the fuzzy C-means (FCM) algorithm, a new image edge extraction algorithm (called the OS-FCM algorithm) was proposed. Then, the second group of new FMM operators (called ORFMM operators) was proposed based on overlap functions and fuzzy relations. Another new image edge extraction algorithm (called OR-FCM algorithm) was proposed by using ORFMM operators and FCM algorithm. Finally, through the edge segmentation experiments of multiple standard images, the actual segmentation effects of the above-mentioned two algorithms and relevant algorithms were compared. The acquired results demonstrate that the image edge extraction algorithms proposed in this work can extract the complete edge of foreground objects on the basis of introducing the least noise.
Collagen Hydrolysate Effects on Photodynamic Efficiency of Gallium (III) Phthalocyanine on Pigmented Melanoma Cells
Authors: Mantareva Vanya , Iliev Ivan , Sulikovska Inna , Durmuş Mahmut , Genova Tsanislava
Published: June 2023

The conjugation of photosensitizer with collagen seems to be a very promising approach for innovative topical photodynamic therapy (PDT). The study aims to evaluate the effects of bovine collagen hydrolysate (Clg) on the properties of gallium (III) phthalocyanine (GaPc) on pigmented melanoma. The interaction of GaPc with Clg to form a conjugate (GaPc-Clg) showed a reduction of the intensive absorption Q-band (681 nm) with a blue shift of the maximum (678 nm) and a loss of shape of the UV-band (354 nm). The fluorescence of GaPc, with a strong emission peak at 694 nm was blue shifted due to the conjugation which lower intensity owing to reduce quantum yield (0.012 vs. 0.23, GaPc). The photo- and dark cytotoxicity of GaPc, Glg and GaPc-Clg on pigmented melanoma cells (SH-4) and two normal cell lines (BJ and HaCaT) showed a slight decrease of cytotoxicity for a conjugate, with low selectivity index (0.71 vs. 1.49 for GaPc). The present study suggests that the ability of collagen hydrolysate to form gels minimizes the high dark toxicity of GaPc. Collagen used for conjugation of a photosensitizer might be an essential step in advanced topical PDT.
Vitrification with Dimethyl Sulfoxide Induces Transcriptomic Alteration of Gene and Transposable Element Expression in Immature Human Oocytes
Authors: Wiltshire Ashley , Schaal Renata , Wang Fang , Tsou Tiffany , McKerrow Wilson , Keefe David
Published: June 2023

Despite substantial advancements in the field of cryobiology, oocyte and embryo cryopreservation still compromise developmental competence. Furthermore, dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO), one of the most commonly used cryoprotectants, has been found to exert potent effects on the epigenetic landscape of cultured human cells, as well as mouse oocytes and embryos. Little is known about its impact on human oocytes. Additionally, few studies investigate the effects of DMSO on transposable elements (TE), the control of which is essential for the maintenance of genomic instability. The objective of this study was to investigate the impact of vitrification with DMSO-containing cryoprotectant on the transcriptome, including on TEs, of human oocytes. Twenty-four oocytes at the GV stage were donated by four healthy women undergoing elective oocyte cryopreservation. Oocytes were paired such that half from each patient were vitrified with DMSO-containing cryoprotectant (Vitrified Cohort), while the other half were snap frozen in phosphate buffer, unexposed to DMSO (Non-Vitrified Cohort). All oocytes underwent RNA sequencing via a method with high fidelity for single cell analysis, and which allows for the analysis of TE expression through Switching Mechanism at the 5′-end of the RNA Transcript sequencing 2 (SMARTseq2), followed by functional enrichment analysis. Of the 27,837 genes identified by SMARTseq2, 7331 (26.3%) were differentially expressed (p < 0.05). There was a significant dysregulation of genes involved in chromatin and histone modification. Mitochondrial function, as well as the Wnt, insulin, mTOR, HIPPO, and MAPK signaling pathways were also altered. The expression of TEs was positively correlated with the expression of PIWIL2, DNMT3A, and DNMT3B, and negatively correlated with age. These findings suggest that the current standard process of oocyte vitrification, involving DMSO-containing cryoprotectant, induces significant transcriptome changes, including those involving TEs.
Determination of Effect Sizes for Power Analysis for Microbiome Studies Using Large Microbiome Databases
Authors: Rahman Gibraan , McDonald Daniel , Gonzalez Antonio , Vázquez-Baeza Yoshiki , Jiang Lingjing , Casals-Pascual Climent , Hakim Daniel , Dilmore Amanda Hazel , Nowinski Brent , Peddada Shyamal , Knight Rob
Published: June 2023

Herein, we present a tool called Evident that can be used for deriving effect sizes for a broad spectrum of metadata variables, such as mode of birth, antibiotics, socioeconomics, etc., to provide power calculations for a new study. Evident can be used to mine existing databases of large microbiome studies (such as the American Gut Project, FINRISK, and TEDDY) to analyze the effect sizes for planning future microbiome studies via power analysis. For each metavariable, the Evident software is flexible to compute effect sizes for many commonly used measures of microbiome analyses, including α diversity, β diversity, and log-ratio analysis. In this work, we describe why effect size and power analysis are necessary for computational microbiome analysis and show how Evident can help researchers perform these procedures. Additionally, we describe how Evident is easy for researchers to use and provide an example of efficient analyses using a dataset of thousands of samples and dozens of metadata categories.
A Multifaceted Educational Intervention in the Doctor–Patient Relationship for Medical Students to Incorporate Patient Agendas in Simulated Encounters
Authors: Denizon Arranz Sophia , Monge Martín Diana , Caballero Martínez Fernando , Neria Serrano Fernando , Chica Martínez Patricia , Ruiz Moral Roger
Published: June 2023

From the beginning of their clinical training, medical students demonstrate difficulties when incorporating patient perspectives. This study aimed to assess if students, after an instructional programme, increased their sensitivity towards patients’ needs and carried out bidirectional conversations. An observational study involving 109 medical students prior to their clerkships was designed. They attended a five-step training programme designed to encourage the use of communication skills (CSs) to obtain patients’ perspectives. The course developed experiential and reflective educational strategies. The students improved their use of CSs throughout three sessions, and the overall score for these patient consultations went up in the opinions of both the external observer (EO) (5; 6.6; 7.5) and the simulated patients SPs (5.3; 6.6; 7.8). Most of the students (83.9%) considered that the CSs addressed were useful for clinical practice, particularly the interviews and the feedback received by the SP and the lecturer. The programme seems to help the students use CSs that facilitate a more bidirectional conversation in a simulated learning environment. It is feasible to integrate these skills into a broader training programme. More research is needed to assess whether the results are applicable to students in real settings and whether they influence additional outcomes.
Ontology and Software Tools for the Formalization of the Visualisation of Cultural Heritage Knowledge Graphs
Authors: Sevilla Javier , Samper Jose Javier , Fernández Marcos , León Arabella
Published: June 2023

Over the last decade, several projects have been developed to digitise and semanticise cultural heritage data. They have been developed to preserve and maintain this heritage, but also to make it accessible to all types of users and to other sectors such as tourism and education. These developments combine the use of knowledge graphs and interactive visualisation tools with web technologies. Although remarkably interesting projects have been developed, the data visualisation tools in these projects tend to focus on the project context. Consequently, it is difficult to reuse the results of these projects. In addition, there are characteristics of cultural heritage information, such as uncertainty and spatial and temporal granularity, that have not been considered, and how to deal with them has not been described. The same is true for other aspects, such as the relationships between different objects. Considering these problems, this study presents a model that formalises how to visualise this information. The design of an ontology that implements this model, based on other works such as VUMO or VISO, is described. Furthermore, the design and development of a software framework that allows the visualisation of this information through a web application are presented. The evaluation of the application of this framework in projects such as SILKNOW or Arxiu Valencià del Disseny is outlined.
Research Progress and a Prospect Analysis of Asexual Bamboo Reproduction
Authors: Ma Shuai , Li Jin , Chen Jian-Ying , Mei Ren-Ming , Cui Kai , Lan Lan
Published: June 2023

Bamboo possesses various characteristics that make it a promising renewable biomass resource. These include rapid growth, early timber production, strong adaptability, high yield, ease of planting, wide distribution, and ease of processing. With the increasing demand for bamboo resources, rapid propagation, species selection, and breeding have always been the focus of bamboo research. However, the long and unpredictable flowering cycle of bamboo, coupled with the difficulties of obtaining seeds, has made it difficult for mass-scale propagation and the introduction of desirable traits through classical breeding methods, which hinders the genetic improvement of bamboo. Asexual propagation, tissue culture, and genetic transformation present an effective breeding method to hasten the breeding process, improve breeding efficiency, and screen and create superior new varieties, and may significantly enhance the genetic improvement of bamboo and the development of the bamboo industry. This study reviews recent research on the asexual propagation of bamboo, propagation methods, cultivation means, influencing factors, and transgenes. The bamboo species that participated in asexual reproduction were systematically sorted according to the type of explants, the formula of the culture medium, and the results achieved. In addition, the bottlenecks and development trends in each training process were identified. This study provides a reference for the rapid propagation and genetic breeding of bamboo plants.
Synergy of Road Network Planning Indices on Central Retail District Pedestrian Evacuation Efficiency
Authors: Yang Gen , Zhou Tiejun , Peng Mingxi , Wang Zhigang , Wang Dachuan
Published: June 2023

Pedestrian evacuation is an important measure to ensure disaster safety in central retail districts, the efficiency of which is affected by the synergy of road network planning indices. This paper established the typical forms of central retail district (CRD) road networks in terms of block form, network structure and road grade, taking China as an example. The experiment was designed using the orthogonal design of experiment (ODOE) method and quantified the evacuation time under different road network planning indices levels through the Anylogic simulation platform. Using range and variance analysis methods, the synergy of network density, network connectivity, road type and road width on pedestrian evacuation efficiency were studied from the perspectives of significance, importance and optimal level. The results showed that the type of CRD will affect the importance of network planning indices, and that the network connectivity is insignificant (P 0.477/0.581) in synergy; networks with wide pedestrian primary roads (30.1~40.0 m), medium secondary roads (3.1~5.0 m/side) and high density (11.0~13.0 km/km2) have the highest evacuation efficiency. From the perspective of evacuees, this paper put forward urban design implications on CRD road networks to improve their capacity for disaster prevention and reduction.
Applicability Analysis and Ensemble Application of BERT with TF-IDF, TextRank, MMR, and LDA for Topic Classification Based on Flood-Related VGI
Authors: Du Wenying , Ge Chang , Yao Shuang , Chen Nengcheng , Xu Lei
Published: June 2023

Volunteered geographic information (VGI) plays an increasingly crucial role in flash floods. However, topic classification and spatiotemporal analysis are complicated by the various expressions and lengths of social media textual data. This paper conducted applicability analysis on bidirectional encoder representation from transformers (BERT) and four traditional methods, TextRank, term frequency–inverse document frequency (TF-IDF), maximal marginal relevance (MMR), and linear discriminant analysis (LDA), and the results show that for user type, BERT performs best on the Government Affairs Microblog, whereas LDA-BERT performs best on the We Media Microblog. As for text length, TF-IDF-BERT works better for texts with a length of <70 and length >140 words, and LDA-BERT performs best with a text length of 70–140 words. For the spatiotemporal evolution pattern, the study suggests that in a Henan rainstorm, the textual topics follow the general pattern of “situation-tips-rescue”. Moreover, this paper detected the hotspot of “Metro Line 5” related to a Henan rainstorm and discovered that the topical focus of the Henan rainstorm spatially shifts from Zhengzhou, first to Xinxiang, and then to Hebi, showing a remarkable tendency from south to north, which was the same as the report issued by the authorities. We integrated multi-methods to improve the overall topic classification accuracy of Sina microblogs, facilitating the spatiotemporal analysis of flooding.
Tree Root-Associated Microbial Communities Depend on Various Floor Management Systems in an Intensive Apple (Malus × domestica Borkh.) Orchard
Authors: Bokszczanin Kamila Łucja , Przybyłko Sebastian , Molska-Kawulok Karolina , Wrona Dariusz
Published: June 2023

Regenerative 3agriculture prioritizes soil health to build up organic soil carbon and nitrogen stocks while supporting the active and diverse soil biota that is a prerequisite for maintaining crop productivity and quality in sustainable food production. This study aimed at unravelling the impact of organic and inorganic soil maintenance systems in a ‘Red Jonaprince’ apple (Malus × domestica Borkh.) orchard on soil microbiota biodiversity and soil physico-chemical properties. During our study, we compared seven floor management systems in terms of microbial community diversity. Fungal and bacterial communities on all taxonomic levels differed largely between systems that augmented organic matter (organic) and other tested inorganic regimes. The dominant phylum of the soil in all management systems was Ascomycota. The operational taxonomic units (OTUs) within the Ascomycota were largely identified as members of Sordariomycetes, followed by Agaricomycetes, and both dominated in organic systems versus inorganic. The most prominent phyla, Proteobacteria, accounted for 43% of all assigned bacteria OTUs. Gammaproteobacteria, Bacteroidia, and Alphaproteobacteria were predominant in organic samples, while Acidobacteriae, Verrucomicrobiae, and Gemmatimonadetes were more abundant in inorganic mulches.
COPD Patients Exhibit Distinct Gene Expression, Accelerated Cellular Aging, and Bias to M2 Macrophages
Authors: da Silva Camila Oliveira , de Souza Nogueira Jeane , do Nascimento Adriana Paulino , Victoni Tatiana , Bártholo Thiago Prudente , da Costa Cláudia Henrique , Costa Andrea Monte Alto , Valença Samuel dos Santos , Schmidt Martina , Porto Luís Cristóvão
Published: June 2023

COPD, one of world’s leading contributors to morbidity and mortality, is characterized by airflow limitation and heterogeneous clinical features. Three main phenotypes are proposed: overlapping asthma/COPD (ACO), exacerbator, and emphysema. Disease severity can be classified as mild, moderate, severe, and very severe. The molecular basis of inflammatory amplification, cellular aging, and immune response are critical to COPD pathogenesis. Our aim was to investigate EP300 (histone acetylase, HAT), HDAC 2 (histone deacetylase), HDAC3, and HDAC4 gene expression, telomere length, and differentiation ability to M1/M2 macrophages. For this investigation, 105 COPD patients, 42 smokers, and 73 non-smoker controls were evaluated. We identified a reduced HDAC2 expression in patients with mild, moderate, and severe severity; a reduced HDAC3 expression in patients with moderate and severe severity; an increased HDAC4 expression in patients with mild severity; and a reduced EP300 expression in patients with severe severity. Additionally, HDAC2 expression was reduced in patients with emphysema and exacerbator, along with a reduced HDAC3 expression in patients with emphysema. Surprisingly, smokers and all COPD patients showed telomere shortening. COPD patients showed a higher tendency toward M2 markers. Our data implicate genetic changes in COPD phenotypes and severity, in addition to M2 prevalence, that might influence future treatments and personalized therapies.
Monetary Compensation and Private Information Sharing in Augmented Reality Applications
Authors: Taub Gilad , Elmalech Avshalom , Aharony Noa , Rosenfeld Ariel
Published: June 2023

This research studied people’s responses to requests that ask for accessing their personal information when using augmented reality (AR) technology. AR is a new technology that superimposes digital information onto the real world, creating a unique user experience. As such, AR is often associated with the collection and use of personal information, which may lead to significant privacy concerns. To investigate these potential concerns, we adopted an experimental approach and examined people’s actual responses to real-world requests for various types of personal information while using a designated AR application on their personal smartphones. Our results indicate that the majority (57%) of people are willing to share sensitive personal information with an unknown third party without any compensation other than using the application. Moreover, there is variability in the individuals’ willingness to allow access to various kinds of personal information. For example, while 75% of participants were open to granting access to their microphone, only 35% of participants agreed to allow access to their contacts. Lastly, monetary compensation is linked with an increased willingness to share personal information. When no compensation was offered, only 35% of the participants agreed to grant access to their contacts, but when a low compensation was offered, 57.5% of the participants agreed. These findings combine to suggest several practical implications for the development and distribution of AR technologies.
Screening of Entomopathogenic Fungal Culture Extracts with Honeybee Nosemosis Inhibitory Activity
Authors: Kim Dong-Jun , Woo Ra-Mi , Kim Kyu-Seek , Woo Soo-Dong
Published: June 2023

This study aimed to select the most effective culture extracts for controlling honeybee nosemosis using 342 entomopathogenic fungi of 24 species from 18 genera. The germination inhibitory activity of the fungal culture extract on Nosema ceranae spores was evaluated using an in vitro germination assay method. Among 89 fungal culture extracts showing germination inhibitory activity of approximately 80% or more, 44 fungal culture extracts that maintained their inhibitory activity even at a concentration of 1% were selected. Finally, the honeybee nosemosis inhibitory activity was evaluated using the cultured extracts of five fungal isolates having a Nosema inhibitory activity of approximately 60% or more, even when the extract was removed after treatment. As a result, the proliferation of Nosema spores was reduced by all fungal culture extract treatments. However, only the treatment of the culture extracts from Paecilomyces marquandii 364 and Pochonia bulbillosa 60 showed a reduction in honeybee mortality due to nosemosis. In particular, the extracts of these two fungal isolates also increased the survival of honeybees.
In Silico Probiogenomic Characterization of Lactobacillus delbrueckii subsp. lactis A4 Strain Isolated from an Armenian Honeybee Gut
Authors: Bazukyan Inga , Georgieva-Miteva Dimitrina , Velikova Tsvetelina , Dimov Svetoslav G.
Published: June 2023

A Lactobacillus delbrueckii ssp. lactis strain named A4, isolated from the gut of an Armenian honeybee, was subjected to a probiogenomic characterization because of its unusual origin. A whole-genome sequencing was performed, and the bioinformatic analysis of its genome revealed a reduction in the genome size and the number of the genes—a process typical for the adaptation to endosymbiotic conditions. Further analysis of the genome revealed that Lactobacillus delbrueckii ssp. lactis strain named A4 could play the role of a probiotic endosymbiont because of the presence of intact genetic sequences determining antioxidant properties, exopolysaccharides synthesis, adhesion properties, and biofilm formation, as well as an antagonistic activity against some pathogens which is not due to pH or bacteriocins production. Additionally, the genomic analysis revealed significant potential for stress tolerance, such as extreme pH, osmotic stress, and high temperature. To our knowledge, this is the first report of a potentially endosymbiotic Lactobacillus delbrueckii ssp. lactis strain adapted to and playing beneficial roles for its host.
Potential Biomarkers in Experimental Animal Models for Traumatic Brain Injury
Authors: Deshetty Uma Maheswari , Periyasamy Palsamy
Published: June 2023

Traumatic brain injury (TBI) is a complex and multifaceted disorder that has become a significant public health concern worldwide due to its contribution to mortality and morbidity. This condition encompasses a spectrum of injuries, including axonal damage, contusions, edema, and hemorrhage. Unfortunately, specific effective therapeutic interventions to improve patient outcomes following TBI are currently lacking. Various experimental animal models have been developed to mimic TBI and evaluate potential therapeutic agents to address this issue. These models are designed to recapitulate different biomarkers and mechanisms involved in TBI. However, due to the heterogeneous nature of clinical TBI, no single experimental animal model can effectively mimic all aspects of human TBI. Accurate emulation of clinical TBI mechanisms is also tricky due to ethical considerations. Therefore, the continued study of TBI mechanisms and biomarkers, of the duration and severity of brain injury, treatment strategies, and animal model optimization is necessary. This review focuses on the pathophysiology of TBI, available experimental TBI animal models, and the range of biomarkers and detection methods for TBI. Overall, this review highlights the need for further research to improve patient outcomes and reduce the global burden of TBI.
Comprehensive Cardiovascular and Renal Protection in Patients with Type 2 Diabetes
Authors: Castro Conde Almudena , Marzal Martín Domingo , Campuzano Ruiz Raquel , Fernández Olmo Maria Rosa , Morillas Ariño Carlos , Gómez Doblas Juan José , Gorriz Teruel Jose Luis , Mazón Ramos Pilar , García-Moll Marimon Xavier , Soler Romeo Maria Jose , León Jiménez David , Arrarte Esteban Vicente , Obaya Rebollar Juan Carlos , Escobar Cervantes Carlos , Gorgojo Martínez Juan J.
Published: June 2023

Type 2 diabetes (T2DM) is one of the main public health care problems worldwide. It is associated with a marked increased risk of developing atherosclerotic vascular disease, heart failure, chronic kidney disease and death. It is essential to act during the early phases of the disease, through the intensification of lifestyle changes and the prescription of those drugs that have been shown to reduce these complications, with the aim not only of achieving an adequate metabolic control, but also a comprehensive vascular risk control. In this consensus document, developed by the different specialists that treat these patients (endocrinologists, primary care physicians, internists, nephrologists and cardiologists), a more appropriate approach in the management of patients with T2DM or its complications is provided. A particular focus is given to the global control of cardiovascular risk factors, the inclusion of weight within the therapeutic objectives, the education of patients, the deprescription of those drugs without cardiovascular benefit, and the inclusion of GLP-1 receptor agonists and SGLT2 inhibitors as cardiovascular protective drugs, at the same level as statins, acetylsalicylic acid, or renin angiotensin system inhibitors.
Ethanol Sclerosis Therapy for Aggressive Vertebral Hemangioma of the Spine: A Narrative Review
Authors: Tonosu Juichi , Yamaguchi Yasuteru , Higashikawa Akiro , Watanabe Kenichi
Published: June 2023

Vertebral hemangiomas of the spine are rare benign tumors. They occur primarily in the thoracic region and are often asymptomatic and found incidentally on radiological examination; however, some are symptomatic, aggressive, and gradually increase in size. Various therapeutic approaches have been proposed for their management. This study aimed to review the therapeutic management, focusing on ethanol sclerosis therapy. The PubMed database was searched from inception to January 2023 using the keywords “hemangioma”, “spine OR vertebra”, and “ethanol”. Twenty studies were retrieved, including two letters. The first report of spinal therapy was published in 1994. Ethanol sclerosis therapy is effective in treating vertebral hemangiomas. It is performed independently or in combination with other techniques, such as vertebroplasty using cement and surgery. The therapy is performed under local or general anesthesia with fluoroscopic or computed tomography guidance. A total of 10–15 mL of ethanol is slowly injected via unilateral or bilateral pedicles. Complications of the therapy include hypotension and arrhythmia during the procedure, paralysis immediately after the procedure, and delayed compression fractures. This review could enable the refinement of knowledge regarding ethanol sclerosis therapy, which is a treatment option that could be adopted.
Estetrol Is Safe and Well Tolerated during Treatment of Hospitalized Men and Women with Moderate COVID-19 in a Randomized, Double-Blind Study
Authors: Foidart Jean Michel , Simon Krzysztof , Utian Wulf H. , Mauvais-Jarvis Franck , Douxfils Jonathan , Dixon Graham , Barrington Philip
Published: June 2023

Epidemiological data suggest that the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 infection rate is higher in women than in men, but the death rate is lower, while women (>50 years) on menopausal hormone therapy (MHT) have a higher survival rate than those not on MHT. Classical oral estrogen enhances the synthesis of coagulation markers and may increase the risk of thromboembolic events that are common in coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). The favorable hemostatic profile of estetrol (E4) might be suitable for use in women who are receiving estrogen treatment and contract COVID-19. A multicenter, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, phase 2 study (NCT04801836) investigated the efficacy, safety, and tolerability of E4 versus placebo in hospitalized patients with moderate COVID-19. Eligible postmenopausal women and men (aged ≥ 18 years old) were randomized to E4 15 mg or placebo, once daily for 21 days, in addition to the standard of care (SoC). The primary efficacy endpoint of improvement in COVID-19 (percentage of patients recovered at day 28) between the placebo and E4 arms was not met. E4 was well tolerated, with no safety signals or thromboembolic events, suggesting that postmenopausal women can safely continue E4-based therapy in cases of moderate COVID-19 managed with SoC.