bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Multi-Actor Partnerships for Agricultural Interactive Innovation: Findings from 17 Case Studies in Europe
Authors: Guerrero-Ocampo Susana B. , Díaz-Puente José M. , Nuñez Espinoza Juan Felipe
Published: October 2022

Innovation is widely regarded as a key factor for the economic development and competitiveness of companies and countries. It is, therefore, widely considered a policy instrument in various sectors, such as agriculture. In this sector, agricultural innovation is seen as a systemic and interactive phenomenon, which is the result of interactions between innovators and knowledge-generating organisations, as well as social and economic aspects of the context. This paper studies the social structures of multi-actor partnerships involved in interactive innovation processes in agricultural innovation systems, analysing the type of actors involved and the roles they play in the innovation process. For this purpose, 17 case studies were analysed in the framework of the Liaison project, an H2020 project, using social network analysis (SNA) and descriptive statistics. The results show that the studied multi-actor partnerships have been mostly funded by outside sources of funding, highlighting European funds. The innovation networks have a heterogeneous composition, but when we analyse the frequency of interactions there is a tendency to establish greater interaction between organisations that are of the same type. In the “core” of innovation networks, research entities and farmers are central actors with the main role of technician expert and case study field workers, respectively.
Agricultural Land Abandonment in Bulgaria: A Long-Term Remote Sensing Perspective, 1950–1980
Authors: Kabadayı Mustafa Erdem , Ettehadi Osgouei Paria , Sertel Elif
Published: October 2022

Agricultural land abandonment is a globally significant threat to the sustenance of economic, ecological, and social balance. Although the driving forces behind it can be multifold and versatile, rural depopulation and urbanization are significant contributors to agricultural land abandonment. In our chosen case study, focusing on two locations, Ruen and Stamboliyski, within the Plovdiv region of Bulgaria, we use aerial photographs and satellite imagery dating from the 1950s until 1980, in connection with official population census data, to assess the magnitude of agricultural abandonment for the first time from a remote sensing perspective. We use multi-modal data obtained from historical aerial and satellite images to accurately identify Land Use Land Cover changes. We suggest using the rubber sheeting method for the geometric correction of multi-modal data obtained from aerial photos and Key Hole missions. Our approach helps with precise sub-pixel alignment of related datasets. We implemented an iterative object-based classification approach to accurately map LULC distribution and quantify spatio-temporal changes from historical panchromatic images, which could be applied to similar images of different geographical regions.
Spatial Driven Effects of Multi-Dimensional Urbanization on Carbon Emissions: A Case Study in Chengdu-Chongqing Urban Agglomeration
Authors: Chang Jie , Sun Pingjun , Wei Guoen
Published: October 2022

Previous studies lacked attention to the spatial heterogeneity of the impact of urbanization on carbon emissions. To fill this knowledge gap, this study analyzed the spatio-temporal variations of carbon emissions (TCE), the per capita carbon intensity (PCI), and the economic carbon intensity (ECI) in the Chengdu-Chongqing urban agglomeration (CUA) based on the Open-Data Inventory for Anthropogenic Carbon dioxide (ODIAC) from 2000–2018. Bivariate spatial autocorrelation, and spatial Durbin models were combined to quantify the spatial correlation and driving mechanisms between carbon emission intensity and multi-dimensional urbanization (population, economic, and land urbanization). The following are the main results: (1) The TCE in CUA increased by 3.918 million tons at an average annual growth of 6.86%; CUA ranked last among China’s national strategic urban agglomerations in terms of TCE, PCI, and ECI. (2) High carbon emission values were concentrated in the Chengdu and Chongqing metropolitan areas, presenting a spatial feature of “Core-Periphery” gradient decay. (3) Nearly 30% of the agglomeration had carbon emission growth at low rates, with the growth cores concentrated in the main urban areas of Chengdu and Chongqing. (4) The “Low-Low” positive correlation was the main correlation type between multi-dimensional urbanization and carbon emissions and was distributed mainly in mountainous areas (e.g., Leshan and Ya’an). (5) Among the urbanization dimensions, the impacts on carbon emissions in local and adjacent areas exhibited varying levels of spatial heterogeneity. Economic urbanization was found to have the strongest positive direct and spillover effects; land urbanization inhibited the growth of carbon emissions in local and adjacent areas; population urbanization promoted carbon emission reduction in adjacent areas. Our findings provide support for CUA to carry out cross-city joint governance strategies of carbon emissions, also proving that regional carbon emission reduction should be an integration of various efforts including low-carbon living of residents, green transformation of economy and optimal land management.
Comparing Single-Word Insertions and Multi-Word Alternations in Bilingual Speech: Insights from Pupillometry
Authors: Johns Michael A. , Dussias Paola E.
Published: October 2022

Prominent sociolinguistic theories of language mixing have posited that single-word insertions of one language into the other are the result of a distinct process than multi-word alternations between two languages given that the former overwhelmingly surface morphosyntactically integrated into the surrounding language. To date, this distinction has not been tested in comprehension. The present study makes use of pupillometry to examine the online processing of single-word insertions and multi-word alternations by highly proficient Spanish-English bilinguals in Puerto Rico. Participants heard sentences containing target noun/adjective pairs (1) in unilingual Spanish, (2) where the Spanish noun was replaced with its English translation equivalent, followed by a Spanish post-nominal adjective, and (3) where both the noun and adjective appeared in English with the adjective occurring in the English pre-nominal position. Both types of language mixing elicit larger pupillary responses when compared to unilingual Spanish speech, though the magnitude of this difference depends on the grammatical gender of the target noun. Importantly, single-word insertions and multi-word alternations did not differ from one another. Taken together, these findings suggest that morphosyntactic integration is not the defining feature of single-word insertions, at least in comprehension, and that the comprehension system is tuned to the distributional properties of bilingual speech.
Effects of High-Temperature Heat Treatment Modification by Impregnation on Physical and Mechanical Properties of Poplar
Authors: Xue Jixiao , Xu Wei , Zhou Jichun , Mao Weiguo , Wu Shuangshuang
Published: October 2022

To expand the application range of fast-growing poplar, a modification method of poplar impregnated with nano-SiO2 and urea-formaldehyde resin was proposed in this study. Taking the mass ratio of nano-SiO2 mass to the solid content of urea-formaldehyde resin impregnation solution (W), high-temperature (H), and high-temperature time (T) as influencing factors, the effects of impregnation high-temperature heat treatment modification on the physical and mechanical properties of fast-growing poplar were explored. At the same time, the weight loss rate, oven-dry density, dry shrinkage properties, swelling properties, modulus of rupture (MOR), and modulus of elasticity (MOE) of the modified poplar were measured. The research results show that both the weight loss rate and the coefficient of variation of the oven-dry density have a high correlation with the temperature; the high-temperature immersion heat treatment can reduce the dry shrinkage and swelling of poplar, improve the dimensional stability, MOR, and MOE. W is 0–1%, H is 160 °C, and T is 2–4 h. The impregnated heat-treated wood has good MOR and MOE. Therefore, the combination of nano-SiO2 and urea-formaldehyde resin impregnation and heat treatment to modify poplar can improve some physical and mechanical properties of fast-growing poplar, expand the use of poplar, increase its added value, and realize high-value utilization.
Strain-Magnetooptics in Single Crystals of CoFe2O4
Authors: Sukhorukov Yurii , Telegin Andrei , Bebenin Nikolay , Bessonov Vladimir , Naumov Sergei , Shishkin Denis , Nosov Aleksandr
Published: October 2022

The strain-magnetooptical properties of single crystals of the ferrimagnetic spinel CoFe2O4, which reflect a correlation between optical properties (magnetoabsorption and magnetoreflection) and magnetostriction, have been studied in the infrared spectral range. The conditions for the observation of the strain-magnetooptics are specified and physical mechanisms responsible for these effects in the spinel are explained.
Vaccination’s Role in Combating the Omicron Variant Outbreak in Thailand: An Optimal Control Approach
Authors: Lamwong Jiraporn , Pongsumpun Puntani , Tang I-Ming , Wongvanich Napasool
Published: October 2022

COVID-19 is the name of the new infectious disease which has reached the pandemic stage and is named after the coronavirus (COVs) which causes it. COV is a single-stranded RNA virus which in humans leads to respiratory tract symptoms which can lead to death in those with low immunities, particularly older people. In this study, a standard dynamic model for COVID-19 was proposed by comparing a simple model and the optimal control model to reduce the number of infected people and become a guideline to control the outbreak. Control strategies are the vaccination rate and vaccine-induced immunity. An analysis was performed to find an equilibrium point, the basic reproduction number (R0), and conditions that generate stability by using Lyapunov functions to prove the stability of the solution at the equilibrium point. Pontryagin’s maximum principle was used to find the optimal control condition. Moreover, sensitivity analysis of the parameters was performed to learn about the parameters that might affect the outbreak in order to be able to control the outbreak. According to the analysis, it is seen that the efficacy of vaccines (b) and the infection rate (βan,βsn,βav,βsv) will affect the increased (decreased) incidence of the outbreak. Numerical analyses were performed on the Omicron variant outbreak data collected from the Thailand Ministry of Health, whose analyses then indicated that the optimal control strategy could lead to planning management and policy setting to control the COVID-19 outbreak.
Deep Reinforcement Learning for Crowdshipping Last-Mile Delivery with Endogenous Uncertainty
Authors: Silva Marco , Pedroso João Pedro
Published: October 2022

In this work, we study a flexible compensation scheme for last-mile delivery where a company outsources part of the activity of delivering products to its customers to occasional drivers (ODs), under a scheme named crowdshipping. All deliveries are completed at the minimum total cost incurred with their vehicles and drivers plus the compensation paid to the ODs. The company decides on the best compensation scheme to offer to the ODs at the planning stage. We model our problem based on a stochastic and dynamic environment where delivery orders and ODs volunteering to make deliveries present themselves randomly within fixed time windows. The uncertainty is endogenous in the sense that the compensation paid to ODs influences their availability. We develop a deep reinforcement learning (DRL) algorithm that can deal with large instances while focusing on the quality of the solution: we combine the combinatorial structure of the action space with the neural network of the approximated value function, involving techniques from machine learning and integer optimization. The results show the effectiveness of the DRL approach by examining out-of-sample performance and that it is suitable to process large samples of uncertain data, which induces better solutions.
Two Laminaria japonica Fermentation Broths Alleviate Oxidative Stress and Inflammatory Response Caused by UVB Damage: Photoprotective and Reparative Effects
Authors: Sun Qianru , Fang Jiaxuan , Wang Ziwen , Song Zixin , Geng Jiman , Wang Dongdong , Wang Changtao , Li Meng
Published: October 2022

UVB radiation can induce oxidative stress and inflammatory response in human epidermal cells. We establish a UVB-induced damage model of human immortalized epidermal keratinocytes (HaCaT) to explore the protective and reparative effects of Laminaria japonica on UVB-damaged epidermal inflammation after fermentation by white Ganoderma lucidum (Curtis) P. Karst and Saccharomyces cerevisiae. Compared with unfermented Laminaria japonica, fermented Laminaria japonica possesses stronger in vitro free radical scavenging ability. Laminaria japonica white Ganoderma lucidum fermentation broth (LJ-G) and Laminaria japonica rice wine yeast fermentation broth (LJ-Y) can more effectively remove excess reactive oxygen species (ROS) in cells and increase the content of the intracellular antioxidant enzymes heme oxygenase-1 (HO-1) and NAD(P)H quinone oxidoreductase 1 (NQO-1). In addition, fermented Laminaria japonica effectively reduces the content of pro-inflammatory factors ILs, TNF-α and MMP-9 secreted by cells. The molecular research results show that fermented Laminaria japonica activates the Nrf2 signaling pathway, increases the synthesis of antioxidant enzymes, inhibits the gene expression levels of pro-inflammatory factors, and alleviates cellular oxidative stress and inflammatory response caused by UVB radiation. Based on the above results, we conclude that fermented Laminaria japonica has stronger antioxidant and anti-inflammatory activity than unfermented Laminaria japonica, possesses good safety, and can be developed and used as a functional inflammation reliever. Fermented Laminaria japonica polysaccharide has a more slender morphological structure and more rockulose, with better moisturizing and rheological properties.
The Impact of COVID-19: The Phenomenological Effect of Burnout on Women in the Nonprofit Sector and Implications for the Post-Pandemic Work World
Authors: Clary Patricia A. , Rose Patricia Vezina
Published: October 2022

Research shows that 67% of the nonprofit sector workforce in the United States are women and worldwide, women account for the majority of employees in the nonprofit sector. Identified as service provider professionals, these women provide the care and nurture of countless people and yet often neglect themselves as they serve others out of passion or a strong work ethic. At the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, service provider professionals responded to an increased demand for programs and services with fewer resources. The increase in the demand for programs and services with a decrease in resources contributed to stress for these workers, leading to the phenomenon of burnout. To address the phenomenon of burnout, we propose that nonprofit organizations need to be systems thinking organizations and consider implications at the organization’s micro, mezzo, and macro levels. Three themes emerged from this study, self-care at the micro level, psychological safety at the mezzo level, and reviewed and revised policies and procedures that address the unique needs of women at the macro level. The article considers the nonprofit sector, burnout, and women in the nonprofit sector and its implications for organizations at the micro, mezzo, and macro levels.
External Illumination Enables Coaxial Sensing of Surface and Subsurface Molten Pool Geometry in LPBF
Authors: Caprio Leonardo , Demir Ali Gökhan , Previtali Barbara
Published: October 2022

Laser powder bed fusion (LPBF) attracts the attention of high-end manufacturing sectors for its capability of depositing free-form components with elevated mechanical properties. However, due to the intrinsic nature of the feedstock material and the interaction with the laser beam, the process is prone to defect formation and manufacturing inaccuracies. Therefore, the development of a monitoring architecture capable of measuring the geometrical features of the process tool (i.e., the melt pool generated by the laser-material interaction) is of paramount importance. This information may then be exploited to evaluate process stability. In this work, a high-speed camera was implemented coaxially in the optical chain of an LPBF system to extrapolate the geometrical features of the molten pool surface and its oscillatory behaviour, with elevated spatial and temporal resolution. A secondary light source was tested in both coaxial and off-axis configuration to dominate process emission and assess optimal illumination conditions for extracting the molten pool’s geometrical features. Preliminary results showed that the off-axis configuration of the illumination light enabled direct measurement of the molten pool surface geometry. A newly developed image processing algorithm based on illuminated images obtained via the coaxial observation frame was employed to provide automated identification of the melt pool geometry. Moreover, bright reflections of the external illumination over the melt surface could be clearly observed and used to characterise the oscillatory motion of the molten material. This information may therefore be taken as an indirect indicator of the molten pool penetration depth, hence providing information regarding the subsurface geometry. A successive experimental investigation showed the capability of the monitoring architecture to resolve the molten pool’s length, width and area with elevated acquisition frequency. Molten pool surface oscillations in the kHz range could be correlated to the penetration depth while the molten pool width measured via the high-speed imaging setup corresponded to the track width of the depositions. Hence, the methodological approach for the concurrent measurement of the molten pool’s geometry in three spatial dimensions was demonstrated and may be used to track the stability of LPBF depositions.
Effect of Natural Ageing on Subsequent Artificial Ageing of AA7075 Aluminum Alloy
Authors: Tai Cheng-Ling , Tai Po-Jui , Hsiao Ting-Jung , Chiu Po-Han , Tseng Chien-Yu , Tsao Tzu-Ching , Chung Tsai-Fu , Yang Yo-Lun , Chen Chih-Yuan , Wang Shing-Hoa , Yang Jer-Ren
Published: October 2022

The effects of natural ageing treatment prior to artificial ageing treatment on the microstructures and mechanical properties of AA7075 Al-5.7Zn-2.6Mg-1.5Cu-0.18Cr-0.08Mn-0.05Si-0.17Fe (wt.%) aluminum alloy have been investigated. The hardness of solution-treated samples (91.0 HV) profoundly increased to 146.8 HV after 7 days of natural ageing. The purpose of the present work was to examine the kinetic hardening evolution in subsequent artificial ageing treatments of samples naturally aged for 7 days and their counterparts without natural ageing. The former were labelled as NA-7d samples, and the latter, NA-0d samples. After artificial ageing at 120 °C for 2 h, the hardness of NA-0d samples increased rapidly to 148.2 HV, which was approximately the same as that of the specimens with natural ageing for 7 days, compensating for the prior state of lower hardness without natural ageing. After being treated at 120 °C for 16 h, the ultimate tensile strength (UTS) and yield strength (YS) of NA-7d reached the highest value, respectively, 601 MPa and 539 MPa, followed by a slight decrement of UTS when aged to 24 h. On the other hand, NA-0d specimens aged at 120 °C for 16 and 24 h showed nearly the same UTS (598 MPa); the former possessed YS of 538 MPa, and the latter, 545 MPa. The results presumably reveal that the peak ageing condition for NA-0d samples can be achieved under 24 h ageing at 120 °C. Under the same treatment at 120 °C for 24 h, the size of η’ phase in NA-7d sample (with a length of 4.96 nm) coarsened and grew larger than that in NA-0d sample (with a length of 3.46 nm). In addition, some η’ phase in the NA-7d sample was found to be transformed into the η2 phase. The results indicated that the naturally aged specimens (NA-7d) reached the peak ageing condition earlier, but did not significantly enhance the UTS in AA7075 aluminum alloy, as compared to the samples without prior natural ageing (NA-0d).
Oxylipins as Potential Regulators of Inflammatory Conditions of Human Lactation
Authors: Walker Rachel E.
Published: October 2022

Chronic low-grade inflammation can be associated with obesity or subclinical mastitis (SCM), which is associated with poor infant growth in low- to middle-income country settings. It is unknown what physiological mechanisms are involved in low milk supply, but our research group has shown that mothers with low milk supply have higher inflammatory markers. Studies investigating oxylipin signaling have the potential to help explain mechanisms that mediate the impacts of inflammation on milk production. Animal studies have reported various elevated oxylipins during postpartum inflammation, mastitis, and mammary involution in ruminant models. Several investigations have quantified oxylipins in human milk, but very few studies have reported circulating oxylipin concentrations during lactation. In addition, there are technical considerations that must be addressed when reporting oxylipin concentrations in human milk. First, the majority of milk oxylipins are esterified in the triglyceride pool, which is not routinely measured. Second, total milk fat should be considered as a covariate when using milk oxylipins to predict outcomes. Finally, storage and handling conditions of milk samples must be carefully controlled to ensure accurate milk oxylipin quantitation, which may be affected by highly active lipases in human milk.
Polyphenol-Rich Leaf of Annona squamosa Stimulates Insulin Release from BRIN-BD11 Cells and Isolated Mouse Islets, Reduces (CH2O)n Digestion and Absorption, and Improves Glucose Tolerance and GLP-1 (7-36) Levels in High-Fat-Fed Rats
Authors: Ansari Prawej , Hannan J.M.A. , Seidel Veronique , Abdel-Wahab Yasser H.A.
Published: October 2022

Annona squamosa, commonly known as custard apple, is traditionally used for the treatment of various diseases including diabetes, cardiovascular disease (CVD), and gastritis. This study was undertaken to investigate the effects of an ethanolic (80% v/v) extract of A. squamosa (EEAS) leaves in vitro on insulin secretion from clonal pancreatic BRIN BD11 β-cells and mouse islets, including mechanistic studies on the effect of EEAS on membrane potential and intracellular calcium ion concentration. Additional in vitro glucose-lowering actions were assessed. For in vivo studies, high-fat-fed (HFF) obese/normal rats were selected. EEAS increased insulin secretion in vitro in a dose-dependent manner. This effect was linked to β-cell membrane depolarisation and cytoplasmic Ca2+ influx. In the presence of isobutyl methylxanthine (IBMX), tolbutamide, or KCl, the insulin-releasing effect of EEAS was increased, suggesting its effect was also mediated via a KATP-independent pathways. EEAS inhibited insulin glycation, glucose absorption, and DPP-IV enzyme activity in vitro and enhanced glucose uptake and insulin action in 3T3L1 cells. In vivo, gut motility, food intake, glucose tolerance, plasma insulin, and active GLP-1 (7-36) levels were improved, whereas plasma DPP-IV levels were reduced in HFF rats. EEAS attenuated the absorption of sucrose and glucose as well as decreased serum glucose levels after sucrose loading and in situ intestinal perfusion in non-diabetic rats. Rutin, proanthocyanidin, and squafosacin G were putatively identified as the anti-hyperglycaemic phytomolecules in EEAS using HPLC followed by LC-MS analysis. This study illustrates the potential of A. squamosa and its phytoconstituents as a source of potential antidiabetic agents.
Discovery and Validation of Potential Serum Biomarkers with Pro-Inflammatory and DNA Damage Activities in Ulcerative Colitis: A Comprehensive Untargeted Metabolomic Study
Authors: Li Mingxiao , Zhang Rui , Xin Mingjie , Xu Yi , Liu Shijia , Yu Boyang , Zhang Boli , Liu Jihua
Published: October 2022

Ulcerative colitis is a type of non-specific inflammatory bowel disease with unclear etiology. It is considered a progressive disease with risks of bowel motility disorders, anorectal dysfunction, and even colorectal cancer. Commonly used diagnostic markers have poor specificity and cannot predict the development of ulcerative colitis. In this study, 77 serum samples (31 patients, 46 healthy controls) were analyzed using high performance liquid chromatography-quadrupole time-of-flight mass spectrometry and 31 metabolites with significant level changes were found, revealing the relationship of ulcerative colitis to disturbed glutathione metabolism and caffeine metabolism. In addition, pyroglutamic acid, a biomarker of cervical cancer and gastric cancer, was identified with elevated levels in the serum of ulcerative colitis patients. The role of pyroglutamic acid was further analyzed, and the results indicated its positive correlation with the upregulation of inflammatory factors and increased levels of phosphorylated histone H2AX (γH2AX) in IEC-6 cells, which are related to DNA damage. All these results suggest that pyroglutamic acid is not only a biomarker for distinguishing ulcerative colitis status, but that it is also a potential effective metabolite that promotes the transformation of ulcerative colitis to colorectal cancer.
Effects of Probiotics and Gut Microbiota on Bone Metabolism in Chickens: A Review
Authors: Chen Pan , Xu Tingting , Zhang Chaodong , Tong Xishuai , Shaukat Aftab , He Yanfeng , Liu Kaili , Huang Shucheng
Published: October 2022

Broiler leg diseases are a common abnormal bone metabolism issue that leads to poor leg health in growing poultry. Bone metabolism is a complicated regulatory process controlled by genetic, nutritional, feeding management, environmental, or other influencing factors. The gut microbiota constitutes the largest micro-ecosystem in animals and is closely related to many metabolic disorders, including bone disease, by affecting the absorption of nutrients and the barrier function of the gastrointestinal tract and regulating the immune system and even the brain–gut–bone axis. Recently, probiotic-based dietary supplementation has emerged as an emerging strategy to improve bone health in chickens by regulating bone metabolism based on the gut–bone axis. This review aims to summarize the regulatory mechanisms of probiotics in the gut microbiota on bone metabolism and to provide new insights for the prevention and treatment of bone diseases in broiler chickens.
Performance Verification of CYP2C19 Enzyme Abundance Polymorphism Settings within the Simcyp Simulator v21
Authors: Sychterz Caroline , Gardner Iain , Chiang Manting , Rachumallu Ramakrishna , Neuhoff Sibylle , Perera Vidya , Merali Samira , Schmidt Brian J. , Gaohua Lu
Published: October 2022

Physiologically based pharmacokinetic (PBPK) modeling has a number of applications, including assessing drug–drug interactions (DDIs) in polymorphic populations, and should be iteratively refined as science progresses. The Simcyp Simulator is annually updated and version 21 included updates to hepatic and intestinal CYP2C19 enzyme abundance, including addition of intermediate and rapid metabolizer phenotypes and changes to the ultra-rapid metabolizer enzyme abundance, with implications for population clearance and DDI predictions. This work details verification of the updates with sensitive CYP2C19 substrates, omeprazole and lansoprazole, using available clinical data from literature. Multiple assessments were performed, including recovery of areas under the concentration-time curve (AUC) and Cmax from compiled datasets for each drug, recovery of victim DDI ratios with CYP2C19 and/or CYP3A4 inhibition and recovery of relative exposure between phenotypes. Simulated data were within respective acceptance criteria for >80% of omeprazole AUC values, >70% of lansoprazole AUC and Cmax, >60% of AUC and Cmax DDI ratios and >80% of exposure ratios between different phenotypes. Recovery of omeprazole Cmax was lower (>50–70% within 2-fold) and possibly attributed to the variety of formulations used in the clinical dataset. Overall, the results demonstrated that the updated data used to parameterize CYP2C19 phenotypes reasonably described the pharmacokinetics of omeprazole and lansoprazole in genotyped or phenotyped individuals.
An Adaptive Fusion Attitude and Heading Measurement Method of MEMS/GNSS Based on Covariance Matching
Authors: Sun Wei , Sun Peilun , Wu Jiaji
Published: October 2022

Aimed at the problem of filter divergence caused by unknown noise statistical characteristics or variable noise characteristics in an MEMS/GNSS integrated navigation system in a dynamic environment, on the basis of revealing the parameter adjustment logic of covariance matching adaptive technology, a fusion adaptive filtering scheme combining innovation-based adaptive estimation (IAE) and the adaptive fading Kalman filter (AFKF) is proposed. By setting two system tuning parameters, for the process noise covariance adaptation loop and the measurement noise covariance adaptation loop, covariance matching is sped up and achieves an effective suppression of filter divergence. The vehicle-mounted experimental results show that the mean square error of the combined attitude error obtained based on the fusion filtering method proposed in this paper is better than 0.5°, and the mean square error of the heading error is better than 1.5°. The results can provide technical support for the continuous extraction of low-cost attitude information from mobile platforms.
MXene/Ferrite Magnetic Nanocomposites for Electrochemical Supercapacitor Applications
Authors: Thirumurugan Arun , Ramadoss Ananthakumar , Dhanabalan Shanmuga Sundar , Kamaraj Sathish-Kumar , Chidhambaram Natarajan , Gobalakrishnan Suyambrakasam , Venegas Abarzúa Carolina , Reyes Caamaño Yerko Alejandro , Udayabhaskar Rednam , Morel Mauricio J.
Published: October 2022

MXene has been identified as a new emerging material for various applications including energy storage, electronics, and bio-related due to its wider physicochemical characteristics. Further the formation of hybrid composites of MXene with other materials makes them interesting to utilize in multifunctional applications. The selection of magnetic nanomaterials for the formation of nanocomposite with MXene would be interesting for the utilization of magnetic characteristics along with MXene. However, the selection of the magnetic nanomaterials is important, as the magnetic characteristics of the ferrites vary with the stoichiometric composition of metal ions, particle shape and size. The selection of the electrolyte is also important for electrochemical energy storage applications, as the electrolyte could influence the electrochemical performance. Further, the external magnetic field also could influence the electrochemical performance. This review briefly discusses the synthesis method of MXene, and ferrite magnetic nanoparticles and their composite formation. We also discussed the recent progress made on the MXene/ferrite nanocomposite for potential applications in electrochemical supercapacitor applications. The possibility of magnetic field-assisted supercapacitor applications with electrolyte and electrode materials are discussed.
Long-Term Effects of Single-Dose Cephalosporin or Macrolide Use on the Prevalence of AmpC and Extended-Spectrum β-Lactamase Producing Escherichia coli in the Feces of Beef Cattle
Authors: Levent Gizem , Schlochtermeier Ashlynn , Vinasco Javier , Jennings Jenny , Richeson John , Ives Samuel E. , Norman Keri N. , Lawhon Sara D. , Loneragan Guy H. , Scott H. Morgan
Published: October 2022

Extended-spectrum-β-lactamase (ESBL) and AmpC-lactamase-producing Enterobacteriaceae are serious public health threats. Due to an increasing number of reports of ESBL and AmpC producing Escherichia coli in agricultural settings, it is critical to understand the relationship between the use of two of the highest priority critically important human antibiotics (e.g., third generation cephalosporins [3GC] and macrolides) in food animals and their potential contribution to the selection of ESBL/AmpC E. coli. The objective of our randomized controlled feedlot trial was to measure the effects of ceftiofur crystalline-free acid and tulathromycin on 3GC resistant fecal E. coli populations in cattle before and at various time points after treatment up to and including at slaughter. Multi-level mixed-effects linear regression showed no effect of ceftiofur and tulathromycin on 3GC E. coli CFU counts at slaughter (Day 99); however, a significant (p < 0.05) population shift was observed from susceptible to 3GC resistant E. coli immediately after ceftiofur administration (Day 7). Among 799 fecal samples screened using selective media, 17.7% were ESBL/AmpC E. coli positive, which were further tested for phenotypic antibiotic susceptibility. The majority of the isolates from these plates were multidrug-resistant (94.3%) and expressed either AmpC (78.1%) or ESBL (28.1%) phenotype. A subset of isolates was whole-genome sequenced (n = 20) and identified to harbor chromosomal and/or plasmidal bla genes such as CMY-2, CTX-M, and TEM. Our findings show a time-dependent selection of antibiotics on 3GC-resistant E. coli. High prevalence of multidrug-resistant ESBL/AmpC E. coli found in cattle feces highlights the importance of prudent use of antibiotics in livestock.
Opposite Sides of Pantoea agglomerans and Its Associated Commercial Outlook
Authors: Lorenzi Adriana Sturion , Bonatelli Maria Letícia , Chia Mathias Ahii , Peressim Leonardo , Quecine Maria Carolina
Published: October 2022

Multifaceted microorganisms such as the bacterium Pantoea colonize a wide range of habitats and can exhibit both beneficial and harmful behaviors, which provide new insights into microbial ecology. In the agricultural context, several strains of Pantoea spp. can promote plant growth through direct or indirect mechanisms. Members of this genus contribute to plant growth mainly by increasing the supply of nitrogen, solubilizing ammonia and inorganic phosphate, and producing phytohormones (e.g., auxins). Several other studies have shown the potential of strains of Pantoea spp. to induce systemic resistance and protection against pests and pathogenic microorganisms in cultivated plants. Strains of the species Pantoea agglomerans deserve attention as a pest and phytopathogen control agent. Several of them also possess a biotechnological potential for therapeutic purposes (e.g., immunomodulators) and are implicated in human infections. Thus, the differentiation between the harmful and beneficial strains of P. agglomerans is mandatory to apply this bacterium safely as a biofertilizer or biocontroller. This review specifically evaluates the potential of the strain-associated features of P. agglomerans for bioprospecting and agricultural applications through its biological versatility as well as clarifying its potential animal and human health risks from a genomic point of view.
Initial pH Conditions Shape the Microbial Community Structure of Sewage Sludge in Batch Fermentations for the Improvement of Volatile Fatty Acid Production
Authors: Di Leto Ylenia , Capri Fanny Claire , Mineo Antonio , Cosenza Alida , Gallo Giuseppe , Alduina Rosa , Mannina Giorgio
Published: October 2022

Conversion of wastewater treatment plants into biorefineries is a sustainable alternative for obtaining valuable compounds, thus reducing pollutants and costs and protecting the environment and human health. Under specific operating conditions, microbial fermentative products of sewage sludge are volatile fatty acids (VFA) that can be precursors of polyhydroxyalkanoate thermoplastic polyesters. The role of various operating parameters in VFA production has yet to be elucidated. This study aimed to correlate the levels of VFA yields with prokaryotic microbiota structures of sewage sludge in two sets of batch fermentations with an initial pH of 8 and 10. The sewage sludge used to inoculate the batch fermentations was collected from a Sicilian WWTP located in Marineo (Italy) as a case study. Gas chromatography analysis revealed that initial pH 10 stimulated chemical oxygen demands (sCOD) and VFA yields (2020 mg COD/L) in comparison with initial pH 8. Characterization of the sewage sludge prokaryotic community structures—analyzed by next-generation sequencing of 16S rRNA gene amplicons—demonstrated that the improved yield of VFA paralleled the increased abundance of fermenting bacteria belonging to Proteobacteria, Bacteroidetes, Chloroflexi, and Firmicutes phyla and, conversely, the reduced abundance of VFA-degrading strains, such as archaeal methanogens.
Influence of Biochar on Soil Nutrients and Associated Rhizobacterial Communities of Mountainous Apple Trees in Northern Loess Plateau China
Authors: Ahmad Rafiq , Gao Jianen , Gao Zhe , Khan Abdullah , Ali Izhar , Fahad Shah
Published: October 2022

Biochar application can enhance soil health and alter soil bacterial community structure. However, knowledge relating to biochar on soil nutrients of mountainous apple orchards and then assessing its effect on soil health, especially on soil microorganisms, is still scanty. Therefore, we evaluated the responses of six biochar treatments [Ck (0), T1 (2), T2 (4), T3 (6), T4 (8), and T5 (10) Mg hm−2] with a basal dose of chemical fertilizer on the soil nutrients under potted apple trees across 3, 6, 9, and 12 months, and then investigated the responses of the rhizobacterial communities. Experimental findings demonstrated that: (i) Across the months, the biochar-applied treatment (T5) compared to the control significantly enhanced soil nutrients, including soil pH (2.12 to 2.29%), soil organic matter (35 to 40%), total nitrogen (59 to 65%), ammonium nitrogen (25 to 33%), nitrate nitrogen (163 to 169%), and the activities of urease (76 to 81%), alkaline phosphatase (30 to 33%), catalase (8.89 to 11.70%), and sucrase (23 to 29%). (ii) Compared to the control, the biochar-applied treatment (T5) had a more desirable relative abundance of the bacterial phylum Proteobacteria (35.47%), followed by Actinobacteria (8.59%), Firmicutes (5.74%), and Bacteroidota (2.77%). Similarly, the relative abundance of the bacterial genera in the T5 was Sphingomonas (8.23%) followed by RB41 (3.81%), Ellin6055 (3.42%), Lachnospiracea (1.61%), Bacillus (1.43%), Kineosporia (1.37%), Massilia (0.84%), and Odoribacter (0.34%) than the control. (iii) Among the alpha diversity, the biochar-applied treatment (T5) revealed the highest Chao1 (20%) and ACE (19.23%) indexes, while Shannon (1.63%) and Simpson (1.02%) had relatively lower indexes than the control. Furthermore, positive correlations were found between the soil nutrients and some of the abundant bacterial phyla. Overall, the findings of this research demonstrated that biochar application at 10 Mg hm−2 (T5) along with the required chemical fertilizer is beneficial to improve soil health and pave the way for sustainable production in apple orchards of the northern loess plateau.
Plant and Soil Core Mycobiomes in a Two-Year Sorghum–Legume Intercropping System of Underutilized Crops in South Africa
Authors: Pambuka Gilmore T. , Kinge Tonjock Rosemary , Ghosh Soumya , Cason Errol D. , Nyaga Martin M. , Gryzenhout Marieka
Published: October 2022

Fungal communities form close beneficial (mutualists) or detrimental (pathogens) associations with their plant hosts. Their diversity and abundance can be affected by agricultural practices which include cropping systems such as rotations and intercropping. Despite the importance of cropping systems in increasing productivity, knowledge of the fungal mycobiome and the core inhabitants for under-utilised cereal and legume crops, particularly over a period, is still limited. The core mycobiomes in plant tissues and bulk soils of a cereal–legume intercrop were characterized over two years using high-throughput sequencing. The intercropping trial consisted of sorghum, Bambara groundnut, cowpea, dry bean, and soybean. A greater number of molecular operational taxonomic units (MOTUs) were found in plant tissues compared to those from the soils and between year one and year two. Principal coordinate analyses revealed that fungal communities for each year were relatively distinct, particularly for the soils. The core mycobiome was dominated by a Davidiellaceae sp. (Cladosporium), Didymellaceae sp. 1 (Phoma), Didymellaceae sp. 2 (Epicoccum), Fusarium sp. 2, Unidentified (Ascomycota), and Cryptococcus MOTUs that were present in all plant tissues and soils of year one and two. Other key MOTUs were only specific to a year, substrate, or crop. Although the mycobiome of sorghum were more distinct than the cores of the legumes, there were still MOTUs dominant across all of the crops. Characterization of this baseline core across two years provides insight into those fungi that are always present in these crops, and that could be utilized in improving crop performance and productivity.
Solvent Extraction Studies of Copper from a Heap Leach Liquor Using Mextral 5640H
Authors: Hosseinzadeh Mostafa , Petersen Jochen , Azizi Asghar
Published: October 2022

In this study the extractive capability of Mextral 5640H was investigated for extraction of copper from a heap leach liquor. In this regard, the influence of parameters such as pH (0.2–2.8), extractant concentration in kerosene diluent (2.5%–10% v/v), temperature (25–70 °C), contact time (0–300 s), stirring speed (100–1200 rpm), phase ratio (O/A) (0.6–1.8) and Cu initial concentration (0.5–2 g/L) in the leach liquor were examined and optimized. The findings demonstrated that the Mextral 5640H extractant had a very high efficiency and selectivity in copper extraction from the leachate. 98.17% Cu, with less than 0.5% of Fe and Mn, were extracted at pH 1.6, 10% (v/v) Mextral 5640H concentration, ambient temperature (25 °C), 400 rpm stirring speed, 2 min contact time and an O/A phase ratio of 1:1. Under equilibrium conditions it was found that one mol of Cu is extracted by 7 mol of Mextral 5640H. Additionally, analysis using a McCabe–Thiele diagram suggests a two-stage extraction to reach the maximum extraction of copper (99.5%) from the leachate at operational condition using industrial mixer-settlers. Furthermore, a thermodynamic study was conducted, and the measured values of ΔH = 15.13 kJ/mol, ΔG = −6.95 kJ/mol and ΔS = 74.10 J/mol/K indicate an endothermic, spontaneous nature and high affinity of copper extraction.
Surrounding Rock Stability in Unsupported Roof Area and Rapid Heading Technique for Deep Arch Coal Roadways under Goaf
Authors: Bi Yewu , Wang Mingxing , Wu Chao , Huang Yucheng
Published: October 2022

In order to achieve rapid heading of deep arch coal roadways under goaf, the maximum unsupported roof distance (URD), surrounding rock stability of unsupported roof area and influencing factors, and rapid heading equipment and processes for these roadways are investigated in the context of the working face geology and mining conditions of Coal #9 of a certain coal mine, through theoretical analysis, numerical simulation, equipment modification, and construction process optimization. The following work is carried out: (1) Based on the thin shell theory, a mechanical model of a top cover cylindrical shell for roadways with an arch section is built. The formula for calculating the maximum URD of arch roadways is developed. The influences of roadway width, tensile strength, buried depth, and arch height on the maximum URD are analyzed. The theoretical maximum URD is worked out to be 2.4 m. (2) Numerical simulation reveals that when the URD is around 2 m, the arch roadway is free of tensile failure and the surrounding rock is well stable; when the URD is greater than 4 m, tensile failure occurs on the roadway sides, and the surrounding rock becomes less stable. Therefore, the maximum URD for numerical computation is set to 2–3 m. No additional failure occurs on the arch roof with the increase in URD, suggesting that an arch roof has the best stability. Properly increasing URD can help U-steel to gain support strength more quickly. In the shallow part of a roadway surrounding rock under goaf, failures are primarily determined by vertical stresses, whereas in the deep part, failures are determined by horizontal stresses. (3) A combined onboard standing platform + onboard beam lift device and a new onboard temporary support device for long excavation are developed as a solution to the low shed and temporary support efficiency and safety of roadways with a URD of 2.4 m and used on-site in conjunction with the optimized construction process. The result shows an average footage of over 550 m per month with a peak footage of 846.4 m and 16 supports totaling 14.1 m per shift. Additionally, the forming quality of a shed roadway is good enough to accommodate normal mining of the working face, consequently the rapid heading of the roadway.
Biofilm Degradation by Seashell-Derived Calcium Hydroxide and Hydrogen Peroxide
Authors: Hata Yuuki , Bouda Yuta , Hiruma Sumiyo , Miyazaki Hiromi , Nakamura Shingo
Published: October 2022

Microbial cells and self-produced extracellular polymeric substances assembled to form biofilms that are difficult to remove from surfaces, causing problems in various fields. Seashell-derived calcium hydroxide, a sustainable inorganic material, has shown high bactericidal activity even for biofilms due to its alkalinity. However, its biofilm removal efficacy is relatively low. Herein, we report a biofilm degradation strategy that includes two environmentally friendly reagents: seashell-derived calcium hydroxide and hydrogen peroxide. A biofilm model of Escherichia coli was prepared in vitro, treated with calcium hydroxide–hydrogen peroxide solutions, and semi-quantified by the crystal violet stain method. The treatment significantly improved biofilm removal efficacy compared with treatments by calcium hydroxide alone and hydrogen peroxide alone. The mechanism was elucidated from calcium hydroxide–hydrogen peroxide solutions, which suggested that perhydroxyl anion and hydroxyl radical generated from hydrogen peroxide, as well as the alkalinity of calcium hydroxide, enhanced biofilm degradation. This study showed that concurrent use of other reagents, such as hydrogen peroxide, is a promising strategy for improving the biofilm degradation activity of seashell-derived calcium hydroxide and will contribute to developing efficient biofilm removal methods.