bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Secure i-Voting Scheme with Blockchain Technology and Blind Signature
Authors: Al-Rawy Mahmoud , Elci Atilla
Published: December 2019

In the last four years, blockchain technology affected largely all aspects of our lives. Blockchain started to launch a new technological revolution of storing digital transactions over the Internet, verifying the authenticity, licensing and providing the highest degree of security and encryption. Blockchain usage started with digital currency then its implementation extended to many industries such as voting, health records, copywriters, real estates and so on. However, it is time to upgrade the election scenario from practicing paper-based elections to use modern technologies in order to facilitate our lives. The fact that the blockchain technology has demonstrated almost infinite immutability and high resistance against hacking, lends credit to employ it in securing election data from fraud by saving every single piece of data, record or transaction with unchangeable history. In this paper, we propose and test implement a robust online voting system based on blockchain in order to prevent election forgery and ease the voting process for citizens. The essence of our research lies in abandoning alterable traditional databases and replacing them with two private blockchains that use the peer-to-peer network. Along with the blockchains, we utilized blind signature to maintain vote/voter privacy in order to safeguard voter eligibility validation against manipulation and forgery. Lastly, we discuss a threat model, and suggest solutions overcome it; we also suggest a solution to identity impersonation and vote-selling problems.
Reforming Russian legislation for crimes in the digital economy
Authors: Mingaleva Anna
Published: December 2019

The aim of this research work is to analyze Russian criminal legislation on punishment for computer crimes. The growth in the number and intensity of cyber-attacks throughout the world also leads to an increase of costs for companies and society as a whole to provide protection against cyber-attacks and to prevent losses from them. The financial sphere of the economy suffers especially. The article provides statistical and expert data on the potential damage from the suspension of the financial institution’s activities, including lost profits and costs for restoring websites after cyber-attacks. A significant increase in the number of crimes committed with the help of digital devices and a multiple increase in the amount of damage from them were revealed on the basis of an empirical study. On the part of the business community, the demand for the state to toughen penalties for computer crimes is increasing. To this end, in 2018 novels were introduced into the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation, which toughened criminal liability for embezzlement of funds from bank accounts or electronic money. It is shown that the changes introduced by the legislator in the criminal legislation of Russia take into account modern threats to economic security and increase the level of protection of the financial interests of citizens, credit organizations and the state as a whole.
Optimization Model for Fresh Fruit Supply Chains: Case-Study of Dragon Fruit in Vietnam
Authors: Nguyen Tri-Dung , Venkatadri Uday , Nguyen-Quang Tri , Diallo Claver , Adams Michelle
Published: December 2019

We present an optimization model for dragon fruit plantations in Vietnam. The timing of cultivating and harvesting decisions are taken into account as the dragon fruit plant has an approximately ten-year life cycle with maximum average yield in the fourth year. Another consideration also included is the prevalence of forward-buying contracts with locked-in prices. The dragon fruit supply chain faces several difficulties as yield, price, and demand are highly sensitive to weather conditions and global uncertainty factors. The risk factors in the dragon fruit supply chain also depend on species—for example, the red varieties, while more profitable than the white varieties, also have higher export risk because they are subject to global prices and adverse geopolitical conditions.
Clipping Forage Sorghum Twice and Nitrogen Topdressing Offer an Option for Dual-Purpose Use for Cover Cropping and Fodder in Mixed Crop/Livestock Farming Systems
Authors: Janhi Kudzayi , Matshaya Zimkhitha , Chiduza Cornelius , Muzangwa Lindah
Published: December 2019

Management practices that promote dual-purpose use of cover crops as forage and soil cover can encourage adoption in mixed smallholder (SH) farming systems. This study investigated the feasibility of dual-purpose use of forage sorghum (Sorghum bicolor x Sorghum bicolor var. sudanense) by testing the effects of clipping frequency and nitrogen (N) topdressing on the root biomass, crude protein (CP), acid detergent (ADF), and neutral detergent fiber (NDF) in the greenhouse and vegetative biomass on the experimental farm station. Four levels of clipping were tested: not clipped (C1), clipped once (C2), twice (C3), and thrice (C4). Nitrogen topdressing had two levels: with (N1) and without (N0) recommended supplementary N. Results show that absence of N topdressing significantly (p < 0.05) increased root biomass in C2, while increasing clipping frequency significantly (p < 0.001) decreased root biomass. During the growing period, N topdressing significantly (p < 0.001) increased CP content in C3 and C4 and NDF (p < 0.01) content in C4. At the termination stage, there was a significant interaction between clipping frequency and N topdressing on the biomass yield obtained in both 2016–2017 (p < 0.05) and 2017–2018 (p < 0.001), respectively. Clipping twice and N topdressing emerged as the best management practice for the dual-purpose of soil cover and livestock feed.
Synergetic Effects of Zinc, Boron, Silicon, and Zeolite Nanoparticles on Confer Tolerance in Potato Plants Subjected to Salinity
Authors: Mahmoud Abdel Wahab M. , Abdeldaym Emad A. , Abdelaziz Suzy M. , El-Sawy Mohamed B. I. , Mottaleb Shady A.
Published: December 2019

Salinity stress is a severe environmental stress that affects plant growth and productivity of potato, a strategic crop moderately sensitive to saline soils. Limited studies are available on the use of combined nano-micronutrients to ameliorate salinity stress in potato plants (Solanum tuberosum L.). Two open field experiments were conducted in salt-affected sandy soil to investigate plant growth, physiology, and yield of potato in response to soil salinity stress under single or combined application of Zn, B, Si, and Zeolite nanoparticles. It was hypothesized that soil application of nanoparticles enhanced plant growth and yield by alleviating the adverse impact of soil salinity. In general, all the nano-treatments applications significantly increased plant height, shoot dry weight, number of stems per plant, leaf relative water content, leaf photosynthetic rate, leaf stomatal conductance, chlorophyll content, and tuber yield, as compared to the untreated control. Furthermore, soil application of these treatments increased the concentration of nutrients (N, P, K, Ca, Zn, and B) in plant tissues, leaf proline, and leaf gibberellic acid hormone (GA3) in addition to contents of protein, carbohydrates, and antioxidant enzymes (polyphenol oxidase (PPO) and peroxidase (POD) in tubers. Compared to other treatments, the combined application of nanoparticles showed the highest plant growth, physiological parameters, endogenous elements (N, P, K, Ca, Zn, and B) and the lowest concentration of leaf abscisic acid (ABA) and transpiration rate. The present findings suggest that soil addition of the aforementioned nanoparticles can be a promising approach to improving crop productivity in salt-affected soils.
Combination of Herbicide Band Application and Inter-Row Cultivation Provides Sustainable Weed Control in Maize
Authors: Loddo Donato , Scarabel Laura , Sattin Maurizio , Pederzoli Antonio , Morsiani Chiara , Canestrale Renato , Tommasini Maria Grazia
Published: December 2019

Herbicides have facilitated weed management but their incorrect use can lead to environmental contamination. Reducing herbicide use by limiting their application to a band along the crop row can decrease their environmental impact. Three field experiments were conducted in North-eastern Italy to evaluate herbicide band application systems integrated with inter-row hoeing for silage maize. Post-emergence herbicide band application (sprayed area 50% of total field; herbicide dose 50% of that recommended, application with an inter-row cultivator prototype) was compared with pre-emergence band application (sprayed area 33% of total field; herbicide dose 33% of that recommended, application with a seeder) and pre-emergence broadcast application (sprayed area 100% of total field; full recommended herbicide dose, application with a boom sprayer) that is standard management for maize. Weed density and composition were evaluated before and after post-emergence herbicide application and at crop harvest. Crop yield was also recorded. Weed density in untreated areas ranged between 5 and 15 plants m−2 in the different experiments. Optimal weed control and good yields were achieved without significant differences between all treatments. Herbicide band application can provide optimal weed control in silage maize, at the same time allowing a relevant reduction of herbicide input.
Nitrates in Groundwater of Small Shallow Aquifers in the Western Side of Hoya de Huesca (NE Spain)
Authors: Zufiaurre Raquel , Martín-Ramos Pablo , Cuchí José Antonio
Published: December 2019

Nitrate is one of the most common groundwater contaminants in rural areas. In this work, the presence of high levels of nitrate in groundwater of the aquifers of the west part of Hoya de Huesca County (NE Spain) has been studied by coupling hydrogeological information with water sampling techniques through a wide areal sampling of 90 surface water and groundwater points belonging to several aquifers. The results showed a general hydrochemistry of calcium carbonate to calcium sulfate waters. Unlike other case studies in Mediterranean areas, in which nitrate pollution was associated with irrigated crops, the highest concentrations in the present study were found in dry farming areas in which winter cereal is grown. A monthly nitrate level monitoring, conducted in 21 selected points between 2016 and 2017, showed that the nitrate evolution pattern followed the N fertilizer application schedules in the sampling points in which the highest concentrations were recorded, whereas an annual regularity could be observed in the sampling points with low nitrate levels. The compilation of data for 16 selected points since 1990 shows that the problem is persistent and points to the need of implementing new aquifer pollution control measures, since the ones currently in force have not been successful.
The Bovine Antimicrobial Peptide Lactoferricin Interacts with Polysialic Acid without Loss of Its Antimicrobial Activity against Escherichia coli
Authors: Kühnle Andrea , Galuska Christina E. , Zlatina Kristina , Galuska Sebastian P.
Published: December 2019

The lactoferrin-derived peptide lactoferricin (LFcin) belongs to the family of antimicrobial peptides, and its bovine form has already been successfully applied to counteract enterohemorrhagic Escherichia coli (EHEC) infection. Recently, it was described that LFcin interacts with the sugar polymer polysialic acid (polySia) and that the binding of lactoferrin to polySia is mediated by LFcin, included in the N-terminal domain of lactoferrin. For this reason, the impact of polySia on the antimicrobial activity of bovine LFcin was investigated. Initially, the interaction of LFcin was characterized in more detail by native agarose gel electrophoresis, demonstrating that a chain length of 10 sialic acid residues was necessary to bind LFcin, whereas approximately twice-as-long chains were needed to detect binding of lactoferrin. Remarkably, the binding of polySia showed, independently of the chain length, no impact on the antimicrobial effects of LFcin. Thus, LFcin binds polySia without loss of its protective activity as an antimicrobial peptide.
Atmospheric Ammonia Affects Myofiber Development and Lipid Metabolism in Growing Pig Muscle
Authors: Tang Shanlong , Xie Jingjing , Zhang Sheng , Wu Weida , Yi Bao , Zhang Hongfu
Published: December 2019

Ammonia, an aerial pollutant in animal facilities, affects animal health. Recent studies showed that aerial ammonia negatively impacts meat quality but the mechanism remains unknown. To understand how ammonia drives its adverse effects on pig meat quality, 18 crossbred gilts were exposed to 0, 10 or 25 mg/m3 ammonia for 25 days. Ammonia exposure increased fat content in the Longissimus dorsi muscle, and meat color got lighter after 25 mg/m3 ammonia exposure. Analysis of MyHC isoforms showed an increased MyHC IIx but decreased MyHC I after ammonia exposure. Besides, muscular glutamine decreased significantly as aerial ammonia increased. Although hyperammonemia was reported to upregulate MSTN and inhibit downstream mTOR pathway, no changes have been found in the mRNA expression level of MSTN and protein expression level of mTOR signal pathway after ammonia exposure. RNA-Seq showed that 10 mg/m3 ammonia exposure altered genes related to myofiber development (MyoD1, MyoG), whereas 25 mg/m3 ammonia affected genes associated with fatty acid synthesis and β-oxidation (SCD, FADS1, FASN, ACADL). Collectively, our findings showed aerial ammonia exposure appears to regulate myofiber development and lipid metabolism in the skeletal muscle, which results in the negative impacts on meat quality in pigs.
Using Time Lapse Monitoring for Determination of Morphological Defect Frequency in Feline Embryos after in Vitro Fertilization (IVF)
Authors: Kij Barbara , Kochan Joanna , Nowak Agnieszka , Niżański Wojciech , Prochowska Sylwia , Fryc Karolina , Bugno-Poniewierska Monika
Published: December 2019

Some human, bovine, and mouse in vitro fertilized (IVF) embryos with morphokinetic abnormalities such as fragmentation, direct cleavage, and cytoplasmic vacuoles have the potential to reach the blastocyst stage, which is related to a high potential for implantation. The latest techniques of embryo development observation to enable the evaluation and selection of embryos are based on time lapse monitoring (TLM). The aim of this study was to determine the frequency of morphological defects in feline embryos, their competence to reach the blastocyst stage, and their ability to hatch. Oocyte-cumulus complexes were isolated after the scarification of ovaries and matured in vitro. Matured oocytes were fertilized in vitro by capacitated spermatozoa. Randomly selected oocytes were observed by TLM for seven-to-eight days. Out of 76 developed embryos, 41 were morphologically normal, of which 15 reached the blastocyst stage. Of 35 abnormally developed embryos, 17 reached the blastocyst stage, of which six had single aberrations and 11 had multiple aberrations. The hatching rate (%) was 15.6% in normally cleaving embryos, 6.25% in embryos with single aberrations, and 3.33% in those with multiple aberrations. The present study reports the first results, found by using TLM, about the frequency of the morphological defects of feline embryos, their competence to reach the blastocyst stage, and their ability to hatch.
GBS Data Identify Pigmentation-Specific Genes of Potential Role in Skin-Photosensitization in Two Tunisian Sheep Breeds
Authors: Baazaoui Imen , McEwan John , Anderson Rayna , Brauning Rudiger , McCulloch Alan , Van Stijn Tracey , Bedhiaf-Romdhani Sonia
Published: December 2019

The Tunisian Noire de Thibar sheep breed is a composite breed, recently selected to create animals that are uniformly black in order to avoid skin photosensitization after the ingestion of toxic “hypericum perforatum” weeds, which causes a major economic loss to sheep farmers. We assessed genetic differentiation and estimated marker FST using genotyping-by-sequencing (GBS) data in black (Noire de Thibar) and related white-coated (Queue fine de l’ouest) sheep breeds to identify signals of artificial selection. The results revealed the selection signatures within candidate genes related to coat color, which are assumed to be indirectly involved in the mechanism of photosensitization in sheep. The identified genes could provide important information for molecular breeding.
Sheep Rumen Fermentation Characteristics Affected by Feeding Frequency and Feeding Level When Fed Fresh Forage
Authors: Sun Xuezhao , Chen Ao , Pacheco David , Hoskin Simone O. , Luo Dongwen
Published: December 2019

Feeding frequency and feeding level are two important factors affecting rumen fermentation characteristics, but few studies on these have been conducted on fresh forage. Eight rumen-fistulated sheep were fed either fresh chicory or perennial ryegrass hourly in the first period (d 14 to 21) of the experiment and twice-daily in the second period (d 22 to 27) at 1.3 or 2.2 times the requirement of metabolizable energy for maintenance. When fed hourly, but not twice-daily, rumen fluid pH value was affected by forage species and feeding level. The total concentrations of short-chain fatty acid (SCFA) were similar at both feeding levels when fed chicory hourly, but they were greater at the higher feeding level in comparison with the lower feeding level when fed perennial ryegrass. However, forage species and feeding level did not affect rumen fluid total SCFA concentration when sheep were fed twice-daily. Therefore, rumen fermentation characteristics were affected by forage species, feeding frequency, feeding level and their interactions and the differences in fermentation characteristics were more apparent when feeding was performed hourly rather than twice-daily. This study highlighted the importance of feeding frequency on manipulating sheep ruminal metabolism when fed fresh forage.
Bodyweight at Birth and Growth Rate during the Neonatal Period in Three Canine Breeds
Authors: Schrank Magdalena , Mollo Antonio , Contiero Barbara , Romagnoli Stefano
Published: December 2019

Weight at birth (bBW) and early weight gain have been linked to the risk of neonatal mortality. Pups are described to be of low bBW if weighing less than one standard deviation (SD) below the mean. Most studies classified breeds according to their expected adult bodyweight. Our aim was to evaluate the breed specificity of these parameters. We assessed the bBW of 213 puppies of Bernese Mountain Dog (BMD), Tibetan Terrier (TT), and Lhasa Apso (LA) breeds, as well as the neonatal growth rate of 133 puppies of BMD and TT. BMD puppies were born relatively smaller than puppies of TT and LA (p ≤ 0.0001) and gained less weight than TT puppies during the first 14 days (p ≤ 0.05). Litter size had a significant impact on bBW and daily gain until the onset of the third week for BMD (p < 0.0001 and p = 0.0005, respectively) and TT (p = 0.0003 and p = 0.0064, respectively). When using bBW means and SD specifically assessed according to breed, 29 out of the 213 neonates of our study were judged as being of low bBW, whereas, when using the classical criteria (based on breed groups), the number of low bBW pups was 160 of 213. These results suggest that evaluations of bBW and neonatal growth should be performed in a breed-specific manner.
Neonatal Exposure to Agonists and Antagonists of Sex Steroid Receptors Affects AMH and FSH Plasma Level and Their Receptors Expression in the Adult Pig Ovary
Authors: Knapczyk-Stwora Katarzyna , Grzesiak Malgorzata , Witek Patrycja , Duda Malgorzata , Koziorowski Marek , Slomczynska Maria
Published: December 2019

In this study piglets were injected with testosterone propionate (TP, an androgen), flutamide (FLU, an antiandrogen), 4-tert-octylphenol (OP, an estrogenic compound), ICI 182,780 (ICI, an antiestrogen) or corn oil (controls) between postnatal days 1 and 10 (N = 5/group). Then plasma anti-Müllerian hormone (AMH) and follicle stimulating hormone (FSH) concentration and the expression of their receptors were examined in the adult pig ovary. TP and FLU decreased plasma AMH and FSH concentration. In preantral follicles, TP resulted in upregulation of AMHR2 and FSHR expression, but decreased AMH protein abundance. FLU upregulated AMHR2 expression, while OP increased FSHR mRNA. In small antral follicles, OP upregulated ACVR1 and BMPR1A expression, while FLU increased BMPR1A mRNA. FLU and ICI resulted in upregulation of AMHR2 expression. TP and FLU upregulated AMH expression, while it was downregulated in response to OP or ICI. Moreover, OP and ICI resulted in downregulation of FSHR expression, while FLU decreased FSHR protein abundance. In conclusion, neonatal exposure to either agonist or antagonist of androgen receptor affected AMH and FSH signalling systems in preantral follicles. In small antral follicles these systems were influenced by compounds with estrogenic, antiestrogenic, and antiandrogenic activity. Consequently, these hormonal agents may cause an accelerated recruitment of primordial follicles and affect the cycling recruitment of small antral follicles in pigs.
Evaluation of Growth Curve Models for Body Weight in American Mink
Authors: Do Duy Ngoc , Miar Younes
Published: December 2019

Modelling the growth curves of animals is important for optimizing the management and efficiency of animal production; however, little is known about the growth curves in American mink (Neovison vison). The study evaluated the performances of four three-parameter (Logistic, Gompertz, von Bertalanffy, and Brody), four four-parameter (Richards, Weibull, Bridges, and Janoscheck) and two polynomial models for describing the growth curves in mink. Body weights were collected from the third week of life to the week 31 in 738 black mink (373 males and 365 females). Models were fitted using the nls and nlsLM functions in stats and minpack.lm packages in R software, respectively. The Akaike’s information criterion (AIC) and Bayesian information criterion (BIC) were used for model comparison. Based on these criteria, Logistic and Richards were the best models for males and females, respectively. Four-parameter models had better performance compared to the other models except for Logistic model. The estimated maximum weight and mature growth rate varied among the models and differed between males and females. The results indicated that males and females had different growth curves as males grew faster and reached to the maximum body weight later compared to females. Further studies on genetic parameters and selection response for growth curve parameters are required for development of selection programs based on the shape of growth curves in mink.
Impacts of Strain Variation on Response to Heat Stress and Boldo Extract Supplementation to Broiler Chickens
Authors: Abo Ghanima Mahmoud M. , Bin-Jumah May , Abdel-Moneim Abdel-Moneim E. , Khafaga Asmaa F. , Abd El-Hack Mohamed E. , Allam Ahmed A. , El-Kasrawy Nagwa I.
Published: December 2019

There is increasing interest in the use of natural antioxidant supplements in poultry diets as protection against the adverse effects of heat stress. The potential protective effect of boldo (Peumus boldus molina) leaf extract, which have antioxidant activity, were investigated against the harmful effects of heat stress in two broiler strains. Arbor Acres (AA) and Avian-48 (AV) chicks were divided into thermoneutral (TN) and heat stress (HS) groups and treated with 1 g boldo leaf extract/4 L drinking water during the heat stress period. HS reduced growth performance in both strains. The phagocytic index, phagocytic activity, and eosinophil and lymphocytes counts were significantly elevated in TN and HS AV birds but not altered in AA birds. Boldo extract treatment partially eliminated the previous negative impacts of heat stress. AA chicks were better able to withstand HS than AV chicks. Serum concentrations of total lipids and cholesterol were reduced in HS birds of both strains. Malondialdehyde, superoxide dismutase, and glutathione peroxidase levels were elevated but restored with the administration of boldo leaf extract in HS birds of both strains. Economic parameters were negatively affected by HS but restored to values close to those of the control group in boldo-treated HS birds. In conclusion, the administration of boldo leaf extract in drinking water was effective in neutralizing the harmful effects of heat stress on growth performance, blood indices, and economic parameters and improved the antioxidant defense system in heat-stressed birds.
The Occurrence and Characterization of Extended-Spectrum-Beta-Lactamase-Producing Escherichia coli Isolated from Clinical Diagnostic Specimens of Equine Origin
Authors: Elias Leta , Gillis David C. , Gurrola-Rodriguez Tanya , Jeon Jeong Ho , Lee Jung Hun , Kim Tae Yeong , Lee Sang Hee , Murray Sarah A. , Ohta Naomi , Scott Harvey Morgan , Wu Jing , Rogovskyy Artem S.
Published: December 2019

Escherichia coli isolates were recovered from clinical specimens of equine patients admitted to the Texas A&M Veterinary Medical Teaching Hospital over a five-year period. Ceftiofur resistance was used as a marker for potential extended-spectrum beta-lactamase (ESBL)-activity, and of the 48 ceftiofur-resistant E. coli isolates, 27.08% (n = 13) were phenotypically ESBL-positive. Conventional PCR analysis followed by the large-scalebla Finder multiplex PCR detected the ESBL genes, CTX-M-1 and SHV, in seven out of the 13 isolates. Moreover, beta-lactamase genes of TEM-1-type, BER-type (AmpC), and OXA-type were also identified. Sequencing of these genes resulted in identification of a novel TEM-1-type gene, called blaTEM-233, and a study is currently underway to determine if this gene confers the ESBL phenotype. Furthermore, this report is the first to have found E. coli ST1308 in horses. This subtype, which has been reported in other herbivores, harbored the SHV-type ESBL gene. Finally, one out of 13 E. coli isolates was PCR-positive for the carbapenemase gene, blaIMP-1 despite the lack of phenotypically proven resistance to imipenem. With the identification of novel ESBL gene variant and the demonstrated expansion of E. coli sequence types in equine patients, this study underscores the need for more investigation of equines as reservoirs for ESBL-producing pathogens.
Metabolomic Profile of Primary Turkey and Rat Hepatocytes and Two Cell Lines after Chloramphenicol Exposure
Authors: Radko Lidia , Śniegocki Tomasz , Sell Bartosz , Posyniak Andrzej
Published: December 2019

The purpose of this study was to assess the formation of chloramphenicol metabolites in primary turkey and rat hepatocyte cultures and human hepatoma (HepG2) cells and nonhepatic, Balb/c 3T3 fibroblasts. Additionally, the cytotoxicity of the drug was assessed through three biochemical endpoints: mitochondrial and lysosomal activity and cellular membrane integrity after 24 and 48 h exposure. The two metabolites of the drug, chloramphenicol glucuronide and nitroso-chloramphenicol, were detected to the greatest extent in both primary hepatocyte cultures by liquid chromatography–tandem mass spectrometry. Toxic nitroso-chloramphenicol was the main metabolite in the primary turkey hepatocyte cultures, but it was not in the primary rat hepatocyte cultures. The most affected endpoint in turkey and rat hepatocyte cultures was the disintegration of the cellular membrane, but in the cell lines, mitochondrial and lysosomal activities underwent the greatest change. The primary hepatocyte cultures represent valuable tools with which to study the species differences in the biotransformation and toxicity of drugs. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first report of differences in chloramphenicol metabolism in primary turkey and rat hepatocyte cultures.
Sexual Dimorphism and Breed Characterization of Creole Hens through Biometric Canonical Discriminant Analysis across Ecuadorian Agroecological Areas
Authors: Toalombo Vargas Paula Alexandra , Navas González Francisco Javier , Landi Vincenzo , León Jurado José Manuel , Delgado Bermejo Juan Vicente
Published: December 2019

Despite Ecuador having a wide biodiversity of zootechnical species, characterization studies of these genetic resources are scarce. The objective of this research was to perform the biometric characterization of the Creole hen population through 14 quantitative zoometric measures. We evaluated 207 hens and 37 roosters from Ecuador’s three agro-ecological regions: the Sierra (highlands) region (Bolivar, Chimborazo, Tungurahua and Cotopaxi provinces); the Costa (coastal) region (Guayas); and the Oriente Amazonian region (Morona Santiago). Sexual dimorphism was assessed using one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA). Body dimensions were generally significantly higher for males (p < 0.05), especially for length of head, beak, neck, dorsum, tarsus, thigh, leg, and middle finger. Then, individuals were biometrically clustered into populations after a stepwise canonical discriminant analysis (CDA) computing interpopulation Mahalanobis distances. Agroecologically-based structured populations were identified when zoometrical criteria were used to classify the animals. Cotopaxi and Tungurahua provinces were reported to be the most distant from the rest, with a slight differentiation of the Morona Santiago province population from those in Guayas, Chimborazo and Bolívar. Conclusively, Ecuadorian Creole hens were higher than longer contrasting light hen breeds, which favors their dual-purpose aptitude. Hence, the development of selection programs aimed at Ecuadorian differentiated entity of production of eggs and meat across agro-ecological areas is feasible.
The MHC Class Ia Genes in Chenfu’s Treefrog (Zhangixalus chenfui) Evolved via Gene Duplication, Recombination, and Selection
Authors: Chen Hu , Huang Siqi , Jiang Ye , Han Fuyao , Ni Qingyong , Yao Yongfang , Xu Huailiang , Mishra Sudhanshu , Zhang Mingwang
Published: December 2019

The molecular mechanisms underlying the evolution of adaptive immunity-related proteins can be deduced by a thorough examination of the major histocompatibility complex (MHC). Currently, in vertebrates, there is a relatively large amount of research on MHCs in mammals and birds. However, research related to amphibian MHC genes and knowledge about the evolutionary patterns is limited. This study aimed to isolate the MHC class I genes from Chenfu’s Treefrog (Zhangixalus chenfui) and reveal the underlying evolutionary processes. A total of 23 alleles spanning the coding region of MHC class Ia genes were identified in 13 individual samples. Multiple approaches were used to test and identify recombination from the 23 alleles. Amphibian MHC class Ia alleles, from NCBI, were used to construct the phylogenetic relationships in MEGA. Additionally, the partition strategy was adopted to construct phylogenetic relationships using MrBayes and MEGA. The sites of positive selection were identified by FEL, PAML, and MEME. In Chenfu’s Treefrog, we found that: (1) recombination usually takes place between whole exons of MHC class Ia genes; (2) there are at least 3 loci for MHC class Ia, and (3) the diversity of genes in MHC class Ia can be attributed to recombination, gene duplication, and positive selection. We characterized the evolutionary mechanisms underlying MHC class Ia genes in Chenfu’s Treefrog, and in so doing, broadened the knowledge of amphibian MHC systems.
Antidiabetic Activity of Gold Nanoparticles Synthesized Using Wedelolactone in RIN-5F Cell Line
Authors: Ramachandran Vinayagam , Arokia Vijaya Anand Mariadoss , David Ernest , Venkatachalam Karthikkumar , Vijayakumar Shalini , Sankaran Vijayalakshmi , Balupillai Agilan , Sangeetha Casimeer C. , Gothandam K. M. , Kotakadi Venkata Subbaiah , Ghidan Alaa , Al Antary Tawfiq , Xu Baojun
Published: December 2019

We synthesized the gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) using wedelolactone (WDL) and characterized them using UV-visible spectroscopy, fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopic (SEM), transmission electron microscopic (TEM), energy dispersive X-ray diffraction, and atomic force microscopic (AFM) studies. The electronic spectrum exhibited an absorption peak at 535 nm. The FT-IR results proved that WDL was stabilized on the surface of AuNPs by acting as a capping or reducing agent. The crystalline structure was affirmed by XRD pattern and the spherical shape of WDL-AuNPs was evidenced by SEM, TEM, and AFM. The synthesized WDL-AuNPS were evaluated for anti-diabetic activity in pancreatic RIN-5F cell lines. In vitro results showed that WDL-AuNPs did not only improve the insulin secretion affected by di-(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate (DEHP), but also the cell viability in RIN5F cells. WDL-AuNPs treatment modulates the pro-apoptotic proteins and anti-apoptotic proteins expression to prevent the cells undergoing apoptosis in DEHP-exposed RIN-5F cells. The exposure of DEHP causes an increase in ROS production and lipid peroxidation levels. The free radical scavenging and antioxidant properties of WDL-AuNPs increase the deleterious effect caused by DEHP. On the other side, WDL-AuNPs increase mRNA expressions of insulin-signaling proteins in RIN-5F cells. This study concludes that WDL-AuNPs can be successfully used to regulate the expression of Bcl-2 family proteins, reduce lipid peroxidation, and to improve the secretion of antioxidants and insulin through the GLUT2 pathway in RIN-5F cell lines.
Antagonistic Efficacy of Luteolin against Lead Acetate Exposure-Associated with Hepatotoxicity is Mediated via Antioxidant, Anti-Inflammatory, and Anti-Apoptotic Activities
Authors: AL-Megrin Wafa A. , Alkhuriji Afrah F. , Yousef Al Omar S. , Metwally Dina M. , Habotta Ola A. , Kassab Rami B. , Abdel Moneim Ahmed E. , El-Khadragy Manal F.
Published: December 2019

The abundant use of lead (Pb; toxic heavy metal) worldwide has increased occupational and ecosystem exposure, with subsequent negative health effects. The flavonoid luteolin (LUT) found in many natural foodstuffs possesses antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties. Herein, we hypothesized that LUT could mitigate liver damage induced by exposure to lead acetate (PbAc). Male Wistar rats were allocated to four groups: control group received normal saline, LUT-treated group (50 mg/kg, oral, daily), PbAc-treated group (20 mg/kg, i.p., daily), and LUT+PbAc-treated group (received the aforementioned doses via the respective routes of administration); the rats were treated for 7 days. The results revealed that PbAc exposure significantly increased hepatic Pb residue and serum activities of aspartate aminotransferase (AST), alanine aminotransferase (ALT), and total bilirubin value. Oxidative reactions were observed in the liver tissue following PbAc intoxication, characterized by the depletion and downregulation of antioxidant proteins (glutathione, glutathione reductase, glutathione peroxidase, superoxide dismutase, catalase, nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor 2, and heme oxygenase-1), and an increase in oxidants (malondialdehyde and nitric oxide). Additionally, PbAc increased the release and expression of the pro-inflammatory cytokines (tumor necrosis factor alpha and interleukin-1 beta), inducible nitric oxide synthase, and nuclear factor kappa B. Moreover, PbAc enhanced hepatocyte loss by increasing the expression of pro-apoptotic proteins (Bax and caspase-3) and downregulating the anti-apoptotic protein (Bcl-2). The changes in the aforementioned parameters were further confirmed by noticeable histopathological lesions. LUT supplementation significantly reversed all of the tested parameters in comparison with the PbAc-exposed group. In conclusion, our findings describe the potential mechanisms involved in the alleviation of PbAc-induced liver injury by luteolin via its potent anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, and anti-apoptotic properties.
Magnetic Force Enhancement Using Air-Gap Magnetic Field Manipulation by Optimized Coil Currents
Authors: Lee Jaejoon , Lee Jaewook
Published: December 2019

This paper presents an air-gap magnetic field manipulation by optimized coil currents for a magnetic force enhancement in electromechanical devices. The external coil is designed near the device air-gap for manipulating the magnetic field distribution. The distribution of external coil currents is then optimized for maximizing the magnetic force in the tangential direction to the air-gap line. For the optimization, the design domain near air-gap is divided into small areas, and design variables are assigned at each small design area. The design variables determines not only the strength of coil current density (i.e., number of coil turns) but also whether the material state is coil or iron. In a benchmark actuator example, it is shown that 11.12% force enhancement is available by manipulating the air-gap magnetic field distribution using the optimized coil current. By investigating the magnetic field distribution, it is confirmed that the optimized coil current manipulated the magnetic field, forwarding a focused and inclined distribution that is an ideal distribution for maximizing the magnetic force.
A 1D–2D Coupled Lattice Boltzmann Model for Shallow Water Flows in Large Scale River-Lake Systems
Authors: Meng Wanwan , Cheng Yongguang , Wu Jiayang , Zhang Chunze , Xia Linsheng
Published: December 2019

Simulating shallow water flows in large scale river-lake systems is important but challenging because huge computer resources and time are needed. This paper aimed to propose a simple and efficient 1D–2D coupled model for simulating these flows. The newly developed lattice Boltzmann (LB) method was adopted to simulate 1D and 2D flows, because of its easy implementation, intrinsic parallelism, and high accuracy. The coupling strategy of the 1D–2D interfaces was implemented at the mesoscopic level, in which the unknown distribution functions at the coupling interfaces were calculated by the known distribution functions and the primitive variables from the adjacent 1D and 2D lattice nodes. To verify the numerical accuracy and stability, numerical tests, including dam-break flow and surge waves in the tailrace canal of a hydropower station, were simulated by the proposed model. The results agreed well with both analytical solutions and commercial software results, and second-order convergence was verified. The application of the proposed model in simulating the surge wave propagation and reflection phenomena in a reservoir of a run-of-river hydropower station indicated that it had a huge advantage in simulating flows in large-scale river-lake systems.
Pulsed Electric Fields for the Treatment of Olive Pastes in the Oil Extraction Process
Authors: Tamborrino Antonia , Urbani Stefania , Servili Maurizio , Romaniello Roberto , Perone Claudio , Leone Alessandro
Published: December 2019

The aim of this study was to evaluate the ability of pulsed electric field (PEF) technology to improve the extractability and enhance the oil quality in an industrial olive oil extraction process. Using a PEF device on olive pastes significantly increased the extractability from 79.5% for the control, up to 85.5%. The PEF system did not modify the primary legal quality parameters or total concentrations of phenols, aldehydes, and esters. On the contrary, the non-thermal treatment slightly enhanced the dialdehydic forms of decarboxymethyl elenolic acid linked to hydroxytyrosol (3,4-DHPEA-EDA) and tyrosol (p-HPEA-EDA), and decreased the total saturated and unsaturated C5 and C6 alcohols of the PEF EVOO (Extra Virgin Olive Oil) compared to the control test. This study confirmed that PEF technology can improve olive oil extraction and quality.
Uplink Transmit Power Control for Single-Carrier Grouped FDMA with Iterative Multiuser Detection
Authors: Cho Yong-Sang , Kang Yun-Seong , Min Moonsik
Published: December 2019

We consider an uplink power allocation scheme for single-carrier frequency-division multiple access (FDMA) with iterative multiuser detection, called single-carrier grouped FDMA (SC-GFDMA). SC-GFDMA is a non-orthogonal scheme in which several users share a single time-frequency resource. Hence, the uplink signal of a user can be regarded as both a signal and a source of interference. The signal power of each user should be sufficiently high to ensure reliable signal detection and sufficiently low to suppress inter-user interference. That is, the transmit power of each user should be adjusted appropriately to achieve high spectral efficiency. In this context, a power control method for an uplink SC-GFDMA system is proposed by analyzing the signal-to-interference-plus-noise ratios of users sharing each time-frequency resource. In particular, the uplink spectral efficiency is improved by limiting the transmit power of each user according to a criterion derived using a semi-analytic method called signal-to-noise ratio-variance density evolution. Simulation results demonstrate that the proposed method can significantly increase the spectral efficiency of the system, even with a considerably reduced total transmit power.
Evaluation of Geometric Characteristics of Fine Aggregate and Its Impact on Viscoelastic Property of Asphalt Mortar
Authors: Tan Tan , Fan Zepeng , Xing Chao , Tan Yiqiu , Xu Huining , Oeser Markus
Published: December 2019

It has long been recognized that fine aggregate (FA) plays a crucial role in the performance of asphalt mixture, especially for the viscoelastic behavior. In this research, 13 types of FA (1 natural sand, 5 stone chips, and 7 machine-made sands) were selected for investigation. Three indirect indicators (uncompact void content test, flow time test, and standard test method for index of aggregate particle shape and texture ASTM D3398) and three types of direct indicators (form, angularity, and texture) were employed to evaluate the geometric characteristics of FA and conduct comprehensive studies on the indicator system. Meanwhile, the effects of FA geometrical properties on the viscoelastic behavior of asphalt mortar were investigated. The results show that only the form indicator ratio of equivalent ellipse axis (E) and angularity indicator surface parameter (SP) can effectively distinguish different types of fine aggregates. The correlation analysis reveals that the parameters of the four elements in the Burgers model are negatively related to the form index (E) but positively related to the angularity index (SP), while the parameter retardation time ( τ r ) exhibits the opposite. This indicates that the use of less flat-elongated and more angular FA can increase both the overall stiffness and elastic component of asphalt mortar.
Suitability of Different Filling Materials for a Biofilter at a Broiler Fattening Facility in Terms of Ammonia and Odour Reduction
Authors: Strohmaier Carolina , Krommweh Manuel S. , Büscher Wolfgang
Published: December 2019

A two-stage exhaust air treatment system installed at a broiler fattening facility with 40,000 animals was investigated. The facility’s exhaust air was treated first by use of a chemo-scrubber (stage 1) and afterwards by a vertical biofilter (stage 2). The biofilter was equipped with root wood and honeycombed paper pad layers (half/half) to enable a direct comparison of both filter materials’ suitability. Odour samples were taken on site and afterwards analysed at an olfactometry laboratory. Ammonia concentration values were collected continuously using a photoacoustic multi-gas monitor. High mitigation performance was achieved with both filter materials, with the honeycombed paper pad layer being less susceptible to fungal growth than the root wood filter. Cellulose seems to be a proper alternative for use in biofilters, but further research is needed to estimate the long-term stability of this material.
Estimation of Forest Fire Emissions in Southwest China from 2013 to 2017
Authors: Wang Wenjia , Zhang Qixing , Luo Jie , Zhao Ranran , Zhang Yongming
Published: December 2019

Forest fire emissions have a great impact on local air quality and the global climate. However, the current and detailed regional forest fire emissions inventories remain poorly studied. Here we used Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) data to estimate monthly emissions from forest fires at a spatial resolution of 500 m × 500 m in southwest China from 2013 to 2017. The spatial and seasonal variations of forest fire emissions were then analyzed at the provincial level. The results showed that the annual average emissions of CO2, CO, CH4, SO2, NH3, NOX, PM, black carbon, organic carbon, and non-methane volatile organic compounds from forest fires were 1423.19 × 103, 91.66 × 103, 4517.08, 881.07, 1545.04, 1268.28, 9838.91, 685.55, 7949.48, and 12,724.04 Mg, respectively. The forest fire emissions characteristics were consistent with the characteristics of forest fires, which show great spatial and temporal diversity. Higher pollutant emissions were concentrated in Yunnan and Tibet, with peak emissions occurring in spring and winter. Our work provides a better understanding of the spatiotemporal representation of regional forest fire emissions and basic data for forest fire management departments and related research on pollution and emissions controls. This method will also provide guidance for other areas to develop high-resolution regional forest fire emissions inventories.
Impact of Urbanization on Precipitation in North Haihe Basin, China
Authors: Cao Runxiang , Li Fawen , Feng Ping
Published: December 2019

The influence of urbanization on regional precipitation is one of the most important issues in hydrology. This paper selected the North Haihe Basin as the study area and explored the connection between summer precipitation and urbanization index (URBI) based on satellite precipitation and nighttime lights datasets. A moving spatial percentage anomaly method (MSP) was used to signify the local induced enhancement of precipitation (LIEP). Local indicators of spatial association (LISA) clustering for LIEP and URBI based on Bivariate Moran’s I coupled with digital elevation model (DEM) segmentation was used to separate the impacts caused by urbanization and terrain uplifting, and thus, the regions of interest (ROI) where the urban induced enhancement of precipitation (UIEP) plays a dominant role were located. A geographically weighted regression (GWR) model was used to reveal the spatial variation of the sensitivity of UIEP to URBI within the ROI. Pearson correlation and cross-wavelet analyses (XWT) were adopted to investigate the teleconnection between UIEP and climate anomalies, using Niño3.4 and SOI as indices. The results indicated that: (1) Urbanization effects on precipitation spatial variation in the upstream mountainous area would be hidden away by topographic factors. (2) From the perspective of the basin, the highest urbanization level areas have the Lowest LIEP, while the suburban areas have the highest LIEP, and the rural areas are in the middle. (3) The UIEP and the URBI are generally negatively correlated within ROI. (4) UIEP versus Niño3.4 and SOI both show a significant common high-power period at a time scale of 2 years. This work can help comprehensively understand the hydrological response to urbanization.
Admissible Hybrid Z-Contractions in b-Metric Spaces
Authors: Chifu Ioan Cristian , Karapınar Erdal
Published: December 2019

In this manuscript, we introduce a new notion, admissible hybrid Z -contraction that unifies several nonlinear and linear contractions in the set-up of a b-metric space. In our main theorem, we discuss the existence and uniqueness result of such mappings in the context of complete b-metric space. The given result not only unifies the several existing results in the literature, but also extends and improves them. We express some consequences of our main theorem by using variant examples of simulation functions. As applications, the well-posedness and the Ulam–Hyers stability of the fixed point problem are also studied.
Harmonic Starlike Functions with Respect to Symmetric Points
Authors: Cho Nak Eun , Dziok Jacek
Published: December 2019

In the paper we define classes of harmonic starlike functions with respect to symmetric points and obtain some analytic conditions for these classes of functions. Some results connected to subordination properties, coefficient estimates, integral representation, and distortion theorems are also obtained.