bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Do You Think I Am Living Well? A Four-Season Hair Cortisol Analysis on Leisure Horses in Different Housing and Management Conditions
Authors: Mazzola Silvia Michela , Colombani Carla , Pizzamiglio Giulia , Cannas Simona , Palestrini Clara , Costa Emanuela Dalla , Gazzonis Alessia Libera , Bionda Arianna , Crepaldi Paola
Published: July 2021

The satisfaction of leisure horses’ behavioral needs has begun to be considered a priority, linked to the awareness that horses kept in single boxes may be deprived of social contact and the possibility to perform natural behaviors. Several factors may influence horses’ quality of life also in the paddock, and there are very few data on the effects of those variables on leisure horses’ chronic stress, measurable in terms of activation of the hypothalamic–pituitary–adrenocortical axis. Therefore, managerial choices faced by owners and stables managers are only based on experience, common sense, and anecdotal beliefs. This study assessed and compared the chronic stress levels in leisure horses hosted in structures in the same geographic and climatic area with different daily routines to verify which management strategy could be the one that better contributes to achieving the welfare of horses. Forty-seven horses were divided into three groups homogeneous in terms of sex and age: Mixed management group (n = 12), Paddock group (n = 19), and Natural management group (n = 16). The hair cortisol concentration, a reliable marker of long-term stress, was analyzed in all the horses the same day at four time points of the year. In addition to management strategies, the influences of other variables (sex, age, coat color, and season) were evaluated. Independently from the management strategies, significantly higher hair cortisol values were detected in the autumn and summer, as well as in individuals older than 15 years. No significant differences were highlighted between the sexes or the coat colors. The comparison of the different management strategies showed that, in the summer, autumn, and winter, the hair cortisol levels were significantly lower in the Mixed management group horses than the Paddock group, highlighting that those subjects had better homeostasis. The Natural management group horses’ hair cortisol levels were intermediate between the other two groups of horses in all the seasons. Spending the night in the stables would seem to positively impact the well-being of the horses. These findings, if confirmed by further studies, may be helpful in enhancing horse welfare and assisting in managerial choice decision-making.
Evaluating Horse Owner Expertise and Professional Use of Auxiliary Reins during Horse Riding
Authors: Gehlen Heidrun , Puhlmann Julia , Merle Roswitha , Thöne-Reineke Christa
Published: July 2021

Auxiliary reins are commonly used for the training of riders and horses as well as in daily training. They are often criticized when used incorrectly, as they will not help and can harm the horse by causing overwork, accidents, and injuries, which harm the horse in the long term. They also often conceal causal rider problems while trying to achieve quick success. The aim of this paper was to investigate, with an online horse-owner questionnaire, which and how often auxiliary reins were used and whether they were used appropriately. Only participants who were currently using auxiliary reins were selected. Consequently, 823 participants were questioned, of which 362 were currently using auxiliary reins at least every two weeks. Auxiliary reins were mainly used according to their discipline: the running side rein was the most popular when working from the ground and the sliding ring martingale was the most popular for ridden equestrian activities. Most of the test subjects only attached the auxiliary reins after the warm-up phase, but half of the participants did not change them during the entire training session. Most participants (75%) could at least identify what the correct head position of the horse should look like. However, there were still too many (50%) who adjusted their horse too tightly and did not change anything at that time despite the related breathing problems. The study found that most participants used the reins responsibly, but there is still a need for clarification and information relating to the functions of the different auxiliary reins among horse owners.
Chemical Compositions of Brown and Green Seaweed, and Effects on Nutrient Digestibility in Broiler Chickens
Authors: Azizi Mohammad Naeem , Loh Teck Chwen , Foo Hooi Ling , Akit Henny , Izuddin Wan Ibrahim , Shazali Nurhazirah , Teik Chung Eric Lim , Samsudin Anjas Asmara
Published: July 2021

This study aimed to analyse the nutritional properties, apparent ileal digestibility (AID) and apparent metabolisable energy (AME) of broiler chickens fed with brown seaweed (BS) and green seaweed (GS). Proximate analysis was performed to determine the nutrient composition of seaweed. The amino acids were determined using high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC), and atomic absorption spectroscopy was used to determine the minerals content. The gross energy (GE) was determined using a fully automatic bomb calorimeter, and the AME value was calculated. Titanium dioxide (TiO2) was used as an indigestible marker to calculate the AID. A digestibility trial was conducted to investigate the effects of seaweeds on crude protein (CP), crude fibre (CF), ether extract (EE), dry matter (DM), organic matter (OM), amino acids (AA) and minerals digestibility, and AME on broiler chickens. Thirty-six broiler chickens were randomly distributed into two dietary treatment groups with six replicates and three birds per replicate. Results showed that brown and green seaweed was a source of macro and micronutrients. For the AME and AID of seaweed-based diets, the results showed that the AME value for BS and GS was 2894.13 and 2780.70 kcal/kg, respectively. The AID of BS and GS was 88.82% and 86.8% for EE, 82.03% and 80.6% for OM, 60.69% and 57.80% for CP, 48.56 and 44.02% for CF, and 17.97 and 19.40% for ash contents, respectively. Meanwhile, the AID of CP and CF was significantly higher for BS compared to the GS. Findings showed that the AID of various AA was 40.96 to 77.54%, and the AID of selected minerals (Ca, Na, K, Mg, Zn, Cu, Fe) for both BS and GS groups were above 90%.
Sex Hormones in Hemolymph of Red King Crabs from the Barents Sea
Authors: Dvoretsky Alexander G. , Tipisova Elena V. , Elfimova Aleksandra E. , Alikina Viktoria A. , Dvoretsky Vladimir G.
Published: July 2021

The presence of vertebrate-related steroid sex hormones has been reported in both freshwater and marine crustaceans. However, despite the commercial importance of king crabs, many aspects of their endocrinology are still unknown. For this reason, we examined hemolymph samples of the red king crab Paralithodes camtschaticus from the Barents Sea population for the presence of testosterone and 17β-estradiol using radioimmunoassay. The mean testosterone concentration was 0.46 ± 0.04 (range 0.08–1.39) ng mL–1, whereas the mean 17β-estradiol concentration was 1248.9 ± 91.4 (range 217.7–4100.1) pg mL–1. In general, the levels of 17β-estradiol and testosterone in red king crabs were higher than reported for the hemolymph of amphipods, crabs, and shrimps from warm and temperate waters, probably because the king crabs analyzed were larger and heavier than the other crustaceans. The concentrations of sex steroids did not differ significantly between males and females and between immature and mature red king crabs. Seasonal variations in the level of testosterone with the maximum value in the spawning period (May) indicate a potential role of the sex hormones in the maturation and reproduction processes of red king crab. Taking into account the slow growth rate in P. camtschaticus, our data could be useful not only for further physiological studies but also for the development of reliable techniques for red king crab aquaculture.
Etiology of Colitis-Complex Diarrhea in Growing Pigs: A Review
Authors: Panah Farhad M. , Lauridsen Charlotte , Højberg Ole , Nielsen Tina Skau
Published: July 2021

Colitis-complex diarrhea (CCD) in pigs can be defined as a type of diarrhea, which is associated with colonic inflammation and disrupted colonic gut barrier functionality in growing pigs (4–16 weeks post-weaning). It is a challenge for the pig industry as it is associated with the high use of antibiotics, reduced animal welfare, and depressed growth rate. The exact etiology of CCD is still unclear; however, pathogens including Brachyspira (B.) hyodysenteriae, B. pilosicoli, and swine whipworms such as Trichuris (T.) suis have been involved in specific colitis (SC). In the absence of specific pathogens, dietary factors, such as high levels of protein, pelleted feedstuffs, and lack of sufficient antioxidants, can result in non-specific colitis (NSC). On the other hand, supplement of polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA) and polyphenols, sufficient supply of essential amino acids (e.g., threonine, cysteine, and proline), short-chain fatty acids (SCFA; especially butyrate), and resistant starch have shown to confer preventing/ameliorating effects on CCD. Different putative biomarkers associated with CCD have been presented. It is anticipated that a comprehensive picture of the possible causes of CCD and potential dietary interventions could cast light on the direction of future studies aimed at developing preventive and curative strategies against CCD in growing pigs.
Staphylococcal Biofilm on the Surface of Catheters: Electron Microscopy Evaluation of the Inhibition of Biofilm Growth by RNAIII Inhibiting Peptide
Authors: de Oliveira Adilson , Pinheiro-Hubinger Luiza , Pereira Valéria Cataneli , Riboli Danilo Flávio Moraes , Martins Katheryne Benini , Romero Letícia Calixto , Cunha Maria de Lourdes Ribeiro de Souza da
Published: July 2021

Staphylococcus aureus and coagulase-negative staphylococci (CoNS) have become the main causative agents of medical device-related infections due to their biofilm-forming capability, which protects them from the host’s immune system and from the action of antimicrobials. This study evaluated the ability of RNA III inhibiting peptide (RIP) to inhibit biofilm formation in 10 strains isolated from clinical materials, including one S. aureus strain, two S. epidermidis, two S. haemolyticus, two S. lugdunensis, and one isolate each of the following species: S. warneri, S. hominis, and S. saprophyticus. The isolates were selected from a total of 200 strains evaluated regarding phenotypic biofilm production and the presence and expression of the ica operon. The isolates were cultured in trypticase soy broth with 2% glucose in 96-well polystyrene plates containing catheter segments in the presence and absence of RIP. The catheter segments were observed by scanning electron microscopy. The results showed inhibition of biofilm formation in the presence of RIP in all CoNS isolates; however, RIP did not interfere with biofilm formation by S. aureus. RIP is a promising tool that might be used in the future for the prevention of biofilm-related infections caused by CoNS.
In Vitro Synergy of Colistin in Combination with Meropenem or Tigecycline against Carbapenem-Resistant Acinetobacter baumannii
Authors: Abdul-Mutakabbir Jacinda C. , Yim Juwon , Nguyen Logan , Maassen Philip T. , Stamper Kyle , Shiekh Zain , Kebriaei Razieh , Shields Ryan K. , Castanheira Mariana , Kaye Keith S. , Rybak Michael J.
Published: July 2021

Acinetobacter baumannii is currently classified as one of six pathogens that contribute to increased patient mortality. Thus, exploratory studies navigating alternative treatment strategies are of supreme interest. Herein, we completed minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) testing, and time-kill analyses (TKA) on 50 carbapenem-resistant Acinetobacterbaumannii isolates including 28 colistin-resistant isolates. Upon testing of MEM or TGC in the presence of sub-inhibitory COL against the 50 isolates, there was a median 2-fold reduction in MEM and TGC MICs. In the TKAs, the COL+MEM combination was synergistic in 45 (90%) isolates and bactericidal in 43 (86%) isolates at 24 hours, whereas the COL+TGC combination TKAs demonstrated synergy in 32 (64%) isolates and bactericidal activity was shown in 28 (56%) isolates. Additionally, sulbactam (SUL) and TGC were added to the COL+MEM dual therapy regimen to assess the possible utility of a triple therapy regimen against five non-responsive isolates. The COL+MEM+SUL and COL+MEM+TGC regimens effectively restored synergy in (5/5) 100% of the isolates. The results of this study demonstrate the potential utility of COL combinations in the treatment of carbapenem-resistant isolates.
Do Iron Oxide Nanoparticles Have Significant Antibacterial Properties?
Authors: Gudkov Sergey V. , Burmistrov Dmitriy E. , Serov Dmitriy A. , Rebezov Maksim B. , Semenova Anastasia A. , Lisitsyn Andrey B.
Published: July 2021

The use of metal oxide nanoparticles is one of the promising ways for overcoming antibiotic resistance in bacteria. Iron oxide nanoparticles (IONPs) have found wide applications in different fields of biomedicine. Several studies have suggested using the antimicrobial potential of IONPs. Iron is one of the key microelements and plays an important role in the function of living systems of different hierarchies. Iron abundance and its physiological functions bring into question the ability of iron compounds at the same concentrations, on the one hand, to inhibit the microbial growth and, on the other hand, to positively affect mammalian cells. At present, multiple studies have been published that show the antimicrobial effect of IONPs against Gram-negative and Gram-positive bacteria and fungi. Several studies have established that IONPs have a low toxicity to eukaryotic cells. It gives hope that IONPs can be considered potential antimicrobial agents of the new generation that combine antimicrobial action and high biocompatibility with the human body. This review is intended to inform readers about the available data on the antimicrobial properties of IONPs, a range of susceptible bacteria, mechanisms of the antibacterial action, dependence of the antibacterial action of IONPs on the method for synthesis, and the biocompatibility of IONPs with eukaryotic cells and tissues.
In Vitro Anticancer Activity and Oxidative Stress Biomarkers Status Determined by Usnea barbata (L.) F.H. Wigg. Dry Extracts
Authors: Popovici Violeta , Bucur Laura , Vochita Gabriela , Gherghel Daniela , Mihai Cosmin Teodor , Rambu Dan , Calcan Suzana Ioana , Costache Teodor , Cucolea Iulia Elena , Matei Elena , Badea Florin Ciprian , Caraiane Aureliana , Badea Victoria
Published: July 2021

Lichens represent an important resource for common traditional medicines due to their numerous metabolites that can exert diverse pharmacological activities including anticancer effects. To find new anticancer compounds with fewer side effects and low tumor resistance, a bioprospective study of Usnea barbata (L.) F.H. Wigg. (U. barbata), a lichen from the Călimani Mountains (Suceava county, Romania) was performed. The aim of this research was to investigate the anticancer potential, morphologic changes, wound healing property, clonogenesis, and oxidative stress biomarker status of four extracts of U. barbata in different solvents (methanol, ethanol, acetone, and ethyl acetate), and also of usnic acid (UA) as a positive control on the CAL-27 (ATCC® CRL-2095™) oral squamous carcinoma (OSCC) cell line and V79 (ATCC® CCL-93™) lung fibroblasts as normal cells. Using the MTT assay and according to IC50 values, it was found that the most potent anticancer property was displayed by acetone and ethyl acetate extracts. All U. barbata extracts determined morphological modifications (losing adhesion capacity, membrane shrinkage, formation of abnormal cellular wrinkles, and vacuolization) with higher intensity in tumor cells than in normal ones. The most intense anti-migration effect was established in the acetone extract treatment. The clonogenic assay showed that some U. barbata extracts decreased the ability of cancer cells to form colonies compared to untreated cells, suggesting a potential anti-tumorigenic property of the tested extracts. Therefore, all the U. barbata extracts manifest anticancer activity of different intensity, based, at least partially, on an imbalance in antioxidant defense mechanisms, causing oxidative stress.
Mechanisms of Ataxia Telangiectasia Mutated (ATM) Control in the DNA Damage Response to Oxidative Stress, Epigenetic Regulation, and Persistent Innate Immune Suppression Following Sepsis
Authors: Huff Laura A. , Yan Shan , Clemens Mark G.
Published: July 2021

Cells have evolved extensive signaling mechanisms to maintain redox homeostasis. While basal levels of oxidants are critical for normal signaling, a tipping point is reached when the level of oxidant species exceed cellular antioxidant capabilities. Myriad pathological conditions are characterized by elevated oxidative stress, which can cause alterations in cellular operations and damage to cellular components including nucleic acids. Maintenance of nuclear chromatin are critically important for host survival and eukaryotic organisms possess an elaborately orchestrated response to initiate repair of such DNA damage. Recent evidence indicates links between the cellular antioxidant response, the DNA damage response (DDR), and the epigenetic status of the cell under conditions of elevated oxidative stress. In this emerging model, the cellular response to excessive oxidants may include redox sensors that regulate both the DDR and an orchestrated change to the epigenome in a tightly controlled program that both protects and regulates the nuclear genome. Herein we use sepsis as a model of an inflammatory pathophysiological condition that results in elevated oxidative stress, upregulation of the DDR, and epigenetic reprogramming of hematopoietic stem cells (HSCs) to discuss new evidence for interplay between the antioxidant response, the DNA damage response, and epigenetic status.
Olive Pomace Phenolic Compounds and Extracts Can Inhibit Inflammatory- and Oxidative-Related Diseases of Human Ocular Surface Epithelium
Authors: Katsinas Nikolaos , Rodríguez-Rojo Soraya , Enríquez-de-Salamanca Amalia
Published: July 2021

Oxidative- and inflammatory-related ocular surface diseases have high prevalence and are an emerging issue in ophthalmology. Olive pomace (OP) is the olive oil’s industry main by-product, and is potentially environmentally hazardous. Nevertheless, it contains phenolic compounds with important bioactivities, like oleuropein (OL) and hydroxytyrosol (HT). The antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effects of four OP extracts (CONV, OPT(1–3)), pure OL and HT, and mixtures thereof were screened on human corneal (HCE) and conjunctival epithelial (IM-ConjEpi) cells. CONV was conventionally extracted, while OPT(1–3) were produced by pressurized liquid extraction. Thanks to their improved activity, CONV and OPT3 (HT-enriched) were selected for dose-dependent studies. Cells were stimulated with tumor necrosis factor-α or ultraviolet-B radiation, measuring interleukin (IL)-1β, IL-6, IL-8, and IL-17A as well as interferon γ-induced protein [IP]-10 secretion or intracellular ROS production, respectively. On HCE, both extracts and HT inhibited the secretion of most measured ILs, demonstrating a strong anti-inflammatory effect; while in IM-ConjEpi, all samples decreased IP-10 secretion. Moreover, HT, OL, and both extracts showed strong dose-dependent antioxidant activity in both cell lines. Compared with CONV, OPT3 was active at lower concentrations, demonstrating that intensified extraction techniques are selective towards targeted biomarkers. Hence, a high-value application as potential ocular surface therapy was proposed for the OP valorization.
The Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19): Key Emphasis on Melatonin Safety and Therapeutic Efficacy
Authors: Ramos Eva , López-Muñoz Francisco , Gil-Martín Emilio , Egea Javier , Álvarez-Merz Iris , Painuli Sakshi , Semwal Prabhakar , Martins Natália , Hernández-Guijo Jesús M. , Romero Alejandro
Published: July 2021

Viral infections constitute a tectonic convulsion in the normophysiology of the hosts. The current coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic is not an exception, and therefore the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection, like any other invading microbe, enacts a generalized immune response once the virus contacts the body. Melatonin is a systemic dealer that does not overlook any homeostasis disturbance, which consequently brings into play its cooperative triad, antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and immune-stimulant backbone, to stop the infective cycle of SARS-CoV-2 or any other endogenous or exogenous threat. In COVID-19, the corporal propagation of SARS-CoV-2 involves an exacerbated oxidative activity and therefore the overproduction of great amounts of reactive oxygen and nitrogen species (RONS). The endorsement of melatonin as a possible protective agent against the current pandemic is indirectly supported by its widely demonstrated beneficial role in preclinical and clinical studies of other respiratory diseases. In addition, focusing the therapeutic action on strengthening the host protection responses in critical phases of the infective cycle makes it likely that multi-tasking melatonin will provide multi-protection, maintaining its efficacy against the virus variants that are already emerging and will emerge as long as SARS-CoV-2 continues to circulate among us.
A New Prototype for Automatic Identification of Stone Block Internal Structure
Authors: Anes Bernardo , Figueiredo Joao , Tlemçani Mouhaydine
Published: July 2021

Nowadays, the inner shape and economic viability of a stone block is dependent on the skill and experience of the “expert” that makes predictions based on external observations. This actual procedure is an extremely high empirical method, and when it fails, substantial work, time, and money is wasted. At present, researchers are committed to developing models to predict the stone block internal structure based on non-destructive tests. Ultrasonic tomography and electrical resistivity tomography are the tests that best fit these objectives. Trying to improve the existing procedures for collecting stone information and data exporting, a novel approach to perform both tomographies is proposed in this paper. This novel approach presents sound advantages regarding the current manual procedure: namely, (i) high accuracy due to a new automatic positioning system; (ii) no need for highly skilled operators to process measurements; (iii) measurements are much easier to derive, and results are quickly delivered. A comparison between the new automatic process and the current manual procedure shows that the manual procedure has a very low accuracy when compared to the new developed automatic system. The automatic measurements show extremely significant time savings, which is a relevant issue for the future competitiveness of the stone sector.
Omnidirectional Robotic Platform for Surveillance of Particle Accelerator Environments with Limited Space Areas
Authors: Prados Sesmero Carlos , Buonocore Luca Rosario , Di Castro Mario
Published: July 2021

Intelligent robotic systems are becoming essential for inspections and measurements in harsh environments. This article presents the design of an omnidirectional robotic platform for tunnel inspection with spatial limitations. This robot was born from the need to automate the surveillance process of the Super Proton Synchrotron (SPS) accelerator of the European Organization for Nuclear Research (CERN), where there is remaining radiation. The accelerator is located within a tunnel that is divided by small doors of 400 × 200 mm dimensions, through which the robot has to cross. The designed robot brings a robotic arm, and the needed devices to carry out the inspection. Thanks to this design, the robot application may vary by replacing certain devices and tools. In addition, this paper presents the kinematic and dynamic control models for the robotic platform.
Electric Vehicles Charging Management for Real-Time Pricing Considering the Preferences of Individual Vehicles
Authors: Selim Ali , Abdel-Akher Mamdouh , Kamel Salah , Jurado Francisco , Almohaimeed Sulaiman A.
Published: July 2021

The paper proposes a real-time model for electric vehicles (EVs) controlled load charging. The proposed demand-side management (DSM) of EVs is implemented based on queuing analysis with a nonhomogeneous arrival rate and charging service periods dataset. An electric vehicle model is used which is based on a statistical survey to represent the uncontrolled demand of the EVs. A probability distribution for the time at which EVs are plugged and the corresponding value of the state of charges (SOCs) are considered. The preferences of individual EVs have been fully exploited through a set of instructions to fulfill the needs of the vehicles’ owners. The designated preferences include the owner setting for both, charging price preferences (OPR), and the maximum estimated parking time duration (EPTD). The quasi-static time-series (QSTS) simulation is used to simulate real-time scenarios of the 24-h simulation period. The IEEE 123 nodes radial test feeder is analyzed with different daily load curves, EV charging scenarios, and wind power penetrations. The results show the effectiveness of the proposed DSM in avoiding excessive levels of charging with/without penetration of non-dispatchable wind power generation. The proposed DSM enables the EVs to charge with low tariff rates either at excessive renewable power generation or late evening hours with available committed bulk power plants and light loading conditions.
Correction: Huang et al. An Attention-Based Recommender System to Predict Contextual Intent Based on Choice Histories across and within Sessions. Appl. Sci. 2018, 8, 2426
Authors: Huang Ruo , McIntyre Shelby , Song Meina , E Haihong , Ou Zhonghong
Published: July 2021

We, the authors, wish to make the following corrections to our paper [1] [...]
Non-Ionizing Millimeter Waves Non-Thermal Radiation of Saccharomyces cerevisiae—Insights and Interactions
Authors: Barbora Ayan , Rajput Shailendra , Komoshvili Konstantin , Levitan Jacob , Yahalom Asher , Liberman-Aronov Stella
Published: July 2021

Non-ionizing millimeter-waves (MMW) interact with cells in a variety of ways. Here the inhibited cell division effect was investigated using 85–105 GHz MMW irradiation within the International Commission on Non-Ionizing Radiation Protection (ICNIRP) non-thermal 20 mW/cm2 safety standards. Irradiation using a power density of about 1.0 mW/cm2 SAR over 5–6 h on 50 cells/μL samples of Saccharomyces cerevisiae model organism resulted in 62% growth rate reduction compared to the control (sham). The effect was specific for 85–105 GHz range and was energy- and cell density-dependent. Irradiation of wild type and Δrad52 (DNA damage repair gene) deleted cells presented no differences of colony growth profiles indicating non-thermal MMW treatment does not cause permanent genetic alterations. Dose versus response relations studied using a standard horn antenna (~1.0 mW/cm2) and compared to that of a compact waveguide (17.17 mW/cm2) for increased power delivery resulted in complete termination of cell division via non-thermal processes supported by temperature rise measurements. We have shown that non-thermal MMW radiation has potential for future use in treatment of yeast related diseases and other targeted biomedical outcomes.
Effect of C-S-H Nucleating Agent on Cement Hydration
Authors: Zhao Wenhao , Ji Xuping , Jiang Yaqing , Pan Tinghong
Published: July 2021

This work aims to study the effect of a nucleating agent on cement hydration. Firstly, the C-S-H crystal nucleation early strength agent (CNA) is prepared. Then, the effects of CNA on cement hydration mechanism, early strength enhancement effect, C-S-H content, 28-days hydration degree and 28-days fractal dimension of hydration products are studied by hydration kinetics calculation, resistivity test, BET specific surface area test and quantitative analysis of backscattered electron (BSE) images, respectively. The results show that CNA significantly improves the hydration degree of cement mixture, which is better than triethanolamine (TEA). CNA shortens the beginning time of the induction period by 49.3 min and the end time of the cement hydration acceleration period by 105.1 min than the blank sample. CNA increases the fractal dimension of hydration products, while TEA decreases the fractal dimension. CNA significantly improves the early strength of cement mortars; the 1-day and 3-days strength of cement mortars with CNA are more than the 3-days and 7-days strength of the blank sample. These results will provide a reference for the practical application of the C-S-H nucleating agent.
Identifying the Author Group of Malwares through Graph Embedding and Human-in-the-Loop Classification
Authors: Chae Dong-Kyu , Park Sung-Jun , Kim Eujeanne , Hong Jiwon , Kim Sang-Wook
Published: July 2021

Malware are developed for various types of malicious attacks, e.g., to gain access to a user’s private information or control of the computer system. The identification and classification of malware has been extensively studied in academic societies and many companies. Beyond the traditional research areas in this field, including malware detection, malware propagation analysis, and malware family clustering, this paper focuses on identifying the “author group” of a given malware as a means of effective detection and prevention of further malware threats, along with providing evidence for proper legal action. Our framework consists of a malware-feature bipartite graph construction, malware embedding based on DeepWalk, and classification of the target malware based on the k-nearest neighbors (KNN) classification. However, our KNN classifier often faced ambiguous cases, where it should say “I don’t know” rather than attempting to predict something with a high risk of misclassification. Therefore, our framework allows human experts to intervene in the process of classification for the final decision. We also developed a graphical user interface that provides the points of ambiguity for helping human experts to effectively determine the author group of the target malware. We demonstrated the effectiveness of our human-in-the-loop classification framework via extensive experiments using real-world malware data.
Human Umbilical Cord Mesenchymal Stem Cells in Combination with Hyaluronic Acid Ameliorate the Progression of Knee Osteoarthritis
Authors: Wu Jia-Lin , Wong Pei-Chun , Ho Chung-Wei , Chen Chien-Han , Liao Kuan-Ya , Lovel Ronald , Wu Tang Bo-Chung , Chang Wen-Ying , Lee Yan-Zhang , Lin Willie
Published: July 2021

The aim of this study is to evaluate the feasibility and usefulness of the human umbilical cord mesenchymal stem cells (hUC-MSCs) and hyaluronan acid (HA) combination to attenuate osteoarthritis progression in the knee while simultaneously providing some insights on the mitigation mechanism. In vitro, the effect of hUC-MSCs with HA treatment on chondrocyte cell viability and the cytokine profile were analyzed. Additionally, the antioxidation capability of hUC-MSCs-CM (conditioned medium) with HA towards H2O2-induced chondrocyte cell damage was evaluated. The HA addition increased the hUC-MSC antioxidation capability and cytokine secretion, such as Dickkopf-related protein 1 (DKK-1) and hepatocyte growth factor (HGF), while no adverse effect on the cell viability was observed. In vivo, the intra-articular injection of hUC-MSCs with HA to a mono-iodoacetate (MIA)-induced knee osteoarthritis (KOA) rat model was performed and investigated. Attenuation of the KOA progression in the MIA-damaged rat model was seen best in hUC-MSCs with a HA combination compared to the vehicle control or each individual element. Combining hUC-MSCs and HA resulted in a synergistic effect, such as increasing the cell therapeutic capability while incurring no observable adverse effects. Therefore, this combinatorial therapy is feasible and has promising potential to ameliorate KOA progression.
The Control of Renewable Energies to Improve the Performance of Multisource Heat Pump Systems: A Two-Case Study
Authors: Busato Filippo , Lazzarin Renato , Noro Marco
Published: July 2021

In new and refurbished buildings, different energy sources are usually exploited to reach the Near Zero Energy Building target. Heat pumps and renewables are the most common adopted technologies. The coupling of the different components with a control logic conceived to exploit all energy contributions causes an implied design complexity. In this paper, two case studies were reported regarding the use of multisource heat pump systems: as main novelties, the correct design of the solar field (thermal or photovoltaic/thermal) in relation with the other sources (ground heat exchangers, ventilation heat recovery) for a given building and climate was reported in order to balance the energy drawn and injected into the ground around the year, and to attempt to reach the independency from the electric grid. Moreover, the relatively complex (compared to conventional heating or cooling) system controlling for multisource heat pump plants was simulated. The paper reported on the design of the plant, of the control logic, and the energy performance of two original multisource heat pump systems by means of dynamic simulation. In one case, real measured data were available as well. Very high primary energy ratios were obtained due to suitable control logics of the multisource plants, around 1.4 (based on measured data) and 4.7 (based on simulated data) for the first and second case, respectively. As a consequence, non-renewable primary energy consumptions of 37 and 3.9 kWh m−2 y−1 were determined, respectively.
Enabling Role-Based Orchestration for Cloud Applications
Authors: Wang Yue , Lee Choonhwa , Ren Shuyang , Kim Eunsam , Chung Sungwook
Published: July 2021

With the rapidly growing popularity of cloud services, the cloud computing faces critical challenges to orchestrate the deployment and operation of cloud applications on heterogenous cloud platforms. Cloud applications are built on a platform model that abstracts away underlying platform-specific details, so that their orchestration can benefit from the abstract view and flexibility of the underlying platform configuration. However, considerable efforts are still required to properly manage complicated cloud applications. This paper proposes a model-driven approach to cloud application orchestration which promotes the concerns of distinct roles for cloud system provisioning and operation. By establishing a set of capabilities as modeling constructs, our approach allows TOSCA-based application topology itself and its orchestration needs to be specified in a way to provide a more targeted support for different needs and concerns of application developers and operators. With novel orchestration features like application topology description, platform capability modeling, and role-awareness for cloud application orchestration, it can significantly reduce the complexity of application orchestration in diverse cloud environments. To show the feasibility and effectiveness of our proposal for cloud application orchestration, we present a proof-of-concept orchestration system implementation and evaluate its deployment and orchestration results in a Kubernetes cluster.
Segmenting 20 Types of Pollen Grains for the Cretan Pollen Dataset v1 (CPD-1)
Authors: Tsiknakis Nikos , Savvidaki Elisavet , Kafetzopoulos Sotiris , Manikis Georgios , Vidakis Nikolas , Marias Kostas , Alissandrakis Eleftherios
Published: July 2021

Pollen analysis and the classification of several pollen species is an important task in melissopalynology. The development of machine learning or deep learning based classification models depends on available datasets of pollen grains from various plant species from around the globe. In this paper, Cretan Pollen Dataset v1 (CPD-1) is presented, which is a novel dataset of grains from 20 pollen species from plants gathered in Crete, Greece. The pollen grains were prepared and stained with fuchsin, in order to be captured by a camera attached to a microscope under a ×400 magnification. In addition, a pollen grain segmentation method is presented, which segments and crops each unique pollen grain and achieved an overall detection accuracy of 92%. The final dataset comprises 4034 segmented pollen grains of 20 different pollen species, as well as the raw data and ground truth, as annotated by an expert. The developed dataset is publicly accessible, which we hope will accelerate research in melissopalynology.
Removal of Pharmaceuticals from Water by Adsorption and Advanced Oxidation Processes: State of the Art and Trends
Authors: Mansouri Fatma , Chouchene Khawla , Roche Nicolas , Ksibi Mohamed
Published: July 2021

Pharmaceutical products have become a necessary part of life. Several studies have demonstrated that indirect exposure of humans to pharmaceuticals through the water could cause negative effects. Raw sewage and wastewater effluents are the major sources of pharmaceuticals found in surface waters and drinking water. Therefore, it is important to consider and characterize the efficiency of pharmaceutical removal during wastewater and drinking-water treatment processes. Various treatment options have been investigated for the removal/reduction of drugs (e.g., antibiotics, NSAIDs, analgesics) using conventional or biological treatments, such as activated sludge processes or bio-filtration, respectively. The efficiency of these processes ranges from 20–90%. Comparatively, advanced wastewater treatment processes, such as reverse osmosis, ozonation and advanced oxidation technologies, can achieve higher removal rates for drugs. Pharmaceuticals and their metabolites undergo natural attenuation by adsorption and solar oxidation. Therefore, pharmaceuticals in water sources even at trace concentrations would have undergone removal through biological processes and, if applicable, combined adsorption and photocatalytic degradation wastewater treatment processes. This review provides an overview of the conventional and advanced technologies for the removal of pharmaceutical compounds from water sources. It also sheds light on the key points behind adsorption and photocatalysis.
Performing Cache Timing Attacks from the Reconfigurable Part of a Heterogeneous SoC—An Experimental Study
Authors: Bossuet Lilian , Benhani El Mehdi
Published: July 2021

Cache attacks are widespread on microprocessors and multi-processor system-on-chips but have not yet spread to heterogeneous systems-on-chip such as SoC-FPGA that are found in increasing numbers of applications on servers or in the cloud. This type of SoC has two parts: a processing system that includes hard components and ARM processor cores and a programmable logic part that includes logic gates to be used to implement custom designs. The two parts communicate via memory-mapped interfaces. One of these interfaces is the accelerator coherency port that provides optional cache coherency between the two parts. In this paper, we discuss the practicability and potential threat of inside-SoC cache attacks using the cache coherency mechanism of a complex heterogeneous SoC-FPGA. We provide proof of two cache timing attacks Flush+Reload and Evict+Time when SoC-FPGA is targeted, and proof of hidden communication using a cache-based covert channel. The heterogeneous SoC-FPGA Xilinx Zynq-7010 is used as an experimental target.
A Paired Learner-Based Approach for Concept Drift Detection and Adaptation in Software Defect Prediction
Authors: Gangwar Arvind Kumar , Kumar Sandeep , Mishra Alok
Published: July 2021

The early and accurate prediction of defects helps in testing software and therefore leads to an overall higher-quality product. Due to drift in software defect data, prediction model performances may degrade over time. Very few earlier works have investigated the significance of concept drift (CD) in software-defect prediction (SDP). Their results have shown that CD is present in software defect data and tha it has a significant impact on the performance of defect prediction. Motivated from this observation, this paper presents a paired learner-based drift detection and adaptation approach in SDP that dynamically adapts the varying concepts by updating one of the learners in pair. For a given defect dataset, a subset of data modules is analyzed at a time by both learners based on their learning experience from the past. A difference in accuracies of the two is used to detect drift in the data. We perform an evaluation of the presented study using defect datasets collected from the SEACraft and PROMISE data repositories. The experimentation results show that the presented approach successfully detects the concept drift points and performs better compared to existing methods, as is evident from the comparative analysis performed using various performance parameters such as number of drift points, ROC-AUC score, accuracy, and statistical analysis using Wilcoxon signed rank test.
Assessment of Various Toxicity Endpoints in Duckweed (Lemna minor) at the Physiological, Biochemical, and Molecular Levels as a Measure of Diuron Stress
Authors: Lee Hojun , Depuydt Stephen , Shin Kisik , Choi Soyeon , Kim Geonhee , Lee Yun Haeng , Park Joon Tae , Han Taejun , Park Jihae
Published: July 2021

The common, broad-spectrum herbicide diuron poses some risks to the environment due to its long persistence and high toxicity. Therefore, the effective monitoring of diuron residues will inform efforts to assess its impacts on ecosystems. In this study, we evaluated the toxicity targets of diuron in the model aquatic macrophyte Lemna minor at the physiological (growth and photosynthetic efficiency), biochemical (pigment biosynthesis and reactive oxygen species (ROS) levels), and molecular (rbcL transcript) levels. The toxicity of diuron was detectable after 48 h of exposure and the order of sensitivity of toxicity endpoints was gene transcription > maximum electron transport rate (ETRmax) > non-photochemical quenching (NPQ) > maximum quantum yield (Fv/Fm) > ROS > fresh weight > chlorophyll b > chlorophyll a > total frond area > carotenoids. Under diuron stress, pigment, ROS, and gene transcript levels increased while frond area, fresh weight, and photosynthesis (Fv/Fm and ETRmax) gradually decreased with the increasing duration of exposure. Notably, ROS levels, Fv/Fm, frond area, and fresh weight were highly correlated with diuron concentration. The growth endpoints (frond area and fresh weight) showed a strong negative correlation with ROS levels and a positive correlation with Fv/Fm and ETRmax. These findings shed light on the relative sensitivity of different endpoints for the assessment of diuron toxicity.
Doubled Haploids in Eggplant
Authors: Mir Ricardo , Calabuig-Serna Antonio , Seguí-Simarro Jose M.
Published: July 2021

Eggplant is a solanaceous crop cultivated worldwide for its edible fruit. Eggplant breeding programs are mainly aimed to the generation of F1 hybrids by crossing two highly homozygous, pure lines, which are traditionally obtained upon several self crossing generations, which is an expensive and time consuming process. Alternatively, fully homozygous, doubled haploid (DH) individuals can be induced from haploid cells of the germ line in a single generation. Several attempts have been made to develop protocols to produce eggplant DHs principally using anther culture and isolated microspore culture. Eggplant could be considered a moderately recalcitrant species in terms of ability for DH production. Anther culture stands nowadays as the most valuable technology to obtain eggplant DHs. However, the theoretical possibility of having plants regenerated from somatic tissues of the anther walls cannot be ruled out. For this reason, the use of isolated microspores is recommended when possible. This approach still has room for improvement, but it is largely genotype-dependent. In this review, we compile the most relevant advances made in DH production in eggplant, their application to breeding programs, and the future perspectives for the development of other, less genotype-dependent, DH technologies.
The Effects of Temperature and Pressure on Protein-Ligand Binding in the Presence of Mars-Relevant Salts
Authors: Jahmidi-Azizi Nisrine , Oliva Rosario , Gault Stewart , Cockell Charles S. , Winter Roland
Published: July 2021

Protein–ligand interactions are fundamental to all biochemical processes. Generally, these processes are studied at ambient temperature and pressure conditions. We investigated the binding of the small ligand 8-anilinonaphthalene-1-sulfonic acid (ANS) to the multifunctional protein bovine serum albumin (BSA) at ambient and low temperatures and at high pressure conditions, in the presence of ions associated with the surface and subsurface of Mars, including the chaotropic perchlorate ion. We found that salts such as magnesium chloride and sulfate only slightly affect the protein–ligand complex formation. In contrast, magnesium perchlorate strongly affects the interaction between ANS and BSA at the single site level, leading to a change in stoichiometry and strength of ligand binding. Interestingly, both a decrease in temperature and an increase in pressure favor the ligand binding process, resulting in a negative change in protein–ligand binding volume. This suggests that biochemical reactions that are fundamental for the regulation of biological processes are theoretically possible outside standard temperature and pressure conditions, such as in the harsh conditions of the Martian subsurface.
Designing the Crops for the Future; The CropBooster Program
Authors: Harbinson Jeremy , Parry Martin A. J. , Davies Jess , Rolland Norbert , Loreto Francesco , Wilhelm Ralf , Metzlaff Karin , Klein Lankhorst René
Published: July 2021

The realization of the full objectives of international policies targeting global food security and climate change mitigation, including the United Nation’s Sustainable Development Goals, the Paris Climate Agreement COP21 and the European Green Deal, requires that we (i) sustainably increase the yield, nutritional quality and biodiversity of major crop species, (ii) select climate-ready crops that are adapted to future weather dynamic and (iii) increase the resource use efficiency of crops for sustainably preserving natural resources. Ultimately, the grand challenge to be met by agriculture is to sustainably provide access to sufficient, nutritious and diverse food to a worldwide growing population, and to support the circular bio-based economy. Future-proofing our crops is an urgent issue and a challenging goal, involving a diversity of crop species in differing agricultural regimes and under multiple environmental drivers, providing versatile crop-breeding solutions within wider socio-economic-ecological systems. This goal can only be realized by a large-scale, international research cooperation. We call for international action and propose a pan-European research initiative, the CropBooster Program, to mobilize the European plant research community and interconnect it with the interdisciplinary expertise necessary to face the challenge.