bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Assessment of Orthodontic Treatment Need and Oral Health-Related Quality of Life in Asthmatic Children Aged 11 to 14 Years Old: A Cross-Sectional Study
Authors: Curto Adrián , Mihit Fátima , Curto Daniel , Albaladejo Alberto
Published: January 2023

This study investigated the need for orthodontic treatment in asthmatic children aged 11 to 14 years and how the treatment affected their oral health-related quality of life (OHRQoL). Materials and Methods: This cross-sectional study was conducted at the dental clinic of the University of Salamanca in 2020–2022. The study selected a consecutive sample of 140 children with asthma (52.1% girls; 47.9% boys). This study used the Orthodontic Treatment Needs Index (OTN) to analyze the need for orthodontic treatment and the Children’s Perception Questionnaire (CPQ11–14) to assess OHRQoL. Results: Sex and age did not significantly influence the need for orthodontic treatment, although age may be considered influential for OHRQoL concerning oral symptoms (p < 0.01), functional limitations (p < 0.05), and total score on the CPQ11–14 questionnaire (p < 0.05): the younger the age, the greater the effect of the need for orthodontic treatment on OHRQoL. The social well-being of the patients was much more significantly impacted by the need for orthodontic treatment (15.7 ± 1.91) than by oral symptoms (7.64 ± 1.39), which were the least impacted. In all parts of the CPQ11–14 questionnaire and in the patients’ total scores, we observed significant agreement (p < 0.01) that treatment influenced OHRQoL. Conclusion: An inverse relationship exists between the severity of the treatment needed and OHRQoL.
A Multicentre Italian Study on the Psychological Impact of an Inconclusive Cystic Fibrosis Diagnosis after Positive Neonatal Screening
Authors: Tosco Antonella , Marino Diletta , Polizzi Sara , Tradati Valentina , Padoan Rita , Giust Claudia , Fabrizzi Benedetta , Taccetti Giovanni , Merli Lucia , Terlizzi Vito
Published: January 2023

Background: An inconclusive diagnosis of cystic fibrosis (CF) after positive newborn screening (NBS) may cause parental distress. We compared the psychological impact of CF transmembrane conductance regulator-related metabolic syndrome (CRMS)/CF screen-positive, inconclusive diagnosis (CFSPID), and clear CF diagnosis, on parents. Methods: The participants were administered the Generalized Anxiety Disorder Scale, Patient Health Questionnaire-9, and the Italian version of the Impact of Event Scale-Revised as quantitative tools and semi-structured interviews as qualitative tools. Parental experience, child representation, relationships, future information, and perception of health status were investigated. Interviews were recorded and transcribed verbatim maintaining anonymity. Results: Thirty-two families were enrolled: sixteen with CF and CRMS/CFSPID, respectively. Anxiety and depression values were high in both groups, as were the measurement of traumatic impact subscales: avoidance, intrusiveness, and hyperarousal. The children’s health was evaluated by respective parents as being nearly healthy. Conclusions: Our results highlight negative psychological impacts, including emotional and affective representations, on parents of children with inconclusive CF diagnosis compared with those with clear diagnosis.
TransAttention U-Net for Semantic Segmentation of Poppy
Authors: Luo Zifei , Yang Wenzhu , Gou Ruru , Yuan Yunfeng
Published: January 2023

This work represents a new attempt to use drone aerial photography to detect illegal cultivation of opium poppy. The key of this task is the precise segmentation of the poppy plant from the captured image. To achieve segmentation mask close to real data, it is necessary to extract target areas according to different morphological characteristics of poppy plant and reduce complex environmental interference. Based on RGB images, poppy plants, weeds, and background regions are separated individually. Firstly, the pixel features of poppy plant are enhanced using a hybrid strategy approach to augment the too-small samples. Secondly, the U-Shape network incorporating the self-attention mechanism is improved to segment the enhanced dataset. In this process, the multi-head self-attention module is enhanced by using relative position encoding to deal with the special morphological characteristics between poppy stem and fruit. The results indicated that the proposed method can segmented out the poppy plant precisely.
Magnetic Field Testing Technique of System-Generated Electromagnetic Pulse Based on Magnetoresistance Effects
Authors: Liu Yifei , Wu Wei , Li Jinxi , Zhao Mo , Wei Feng , Ren Shuqing , Huang Tao
Published: January 2023

To address the technical challenges of system-generated electromagnetic pulse (SGEMP) measurement, the generation environment of SGEMP is introduced, and the characteristics of the magnetic field waveform to be measured are analyzed first in this paper. Then a magnetoresistance-based SGEMP measurement method is proposed for the first time. Aiming at the problem that the high frequency response of the existing commercial magnetoresistance chips cannot meet the test requirements, a pulsed magnetic field detector with strong anti-interference ability is developed in this work based on the tunneling magnetoresistance (TMR) sensor chip developed by Lanzhou University and a high-gain amplifier circuit with common mode rejection and a good shielding structure. It can be shown from the calibration results that the detector sensitivity factor is 4.0 nT/mV and the measurable pulse front is greater than or equal to 28 ns, which meet the requirements of SGEMP magnetic field waveform measurement. Based on the developed detector, the ideal test waveform is obtained under the “Flash II” hard X-ray pulse source through a reasonable experimental design. The related work has laid a foundation for validating the numerical calculation model and further mastering the propagation law and effect mechanism of SGEMP.
Comparative Performance of UPQC Control System Based on PI-GWO, Fractional Order Controllers, and Reinforcement Learning Agent
Authors: Nicola Marcel , Nicola Claudiu-Ionel , Sacerdoțianu Dumitru , Vintilă Adrian
Published: January 2023

In this paper, based on a benchmark on the performance of a Unified Power Quality Conditioner (UPQC), the improvement of this performance is presented comparatively by using Proportional Integrator (PI)-type controllers optimized by a Grey Wolf Optimization (GWO) computational intelligence method, fractional order (FO)-type controllers based on differential and integral fractional calculus, and a PI-type controller in tandem with a Reinforcement Learning—Twin-Delayed Deep Deterministic Policy Gradient (RL-TD3) agent. The main components of the UPQC are a series active filter and an Active Parallel Filter (APF) coupled to a common DC intermediate circuit. The active series filter provides the voltage reference for the APF, which in turn corrects both the harmonic content introduced by the load and the VDC voltage in the DC intermediate circuit. The UPQC performance is improved by using the types of controllers listed above in the APF structure. The main performance indicators of the UPQC-APF control system for the controllers listed above are: stationary error, voltage ripple, and fractal dimension (DF) of the VDC voltage in the DC intermediate circuit. Results are also presented on the improvement of both current and voltage Total harmonic distortion (THD) in the case of, respectively, a linear and nonlinear load highly polluting in terms of harmonic content. Numerical simulations performed in a MATLAB/Simulink environment demonstrate superior performance of UPQC-APF control system when using PI with RL-TD3 agent and FO-type controller compared to classical PI controllers.
Deep-Learning-Based Recovery of Frequency-Hopping Sequences for Anti-Jamming Applications
Authors: Zhu Jiawei , Wang Anqiang , Wu Wei , Zhao Zhijin , Xu Yuting , Lei Rong , Yue Keqiang
Published: January 2023

The frequency-hopping communication system has been widely used in anti-jamming communication due to its anti-interception and anti-jamming performance. With the increasingly complex electromagnetic environment, the frequency-hopping communication system needs more flexible frequency-hopping patterns to deal with interferences, which brings great challenges to the communication receiver. In this paper, an intelligent receiving scheme of frequency-hopping sequences is proposed, which combines time–frequency analysis with deep learning to realize an intelligent estimation of frequency-hopping sequences. A hybrid network module is designed by combining a convolutional neural network (CNN) with a gated recurrent unit (GRU). In the proposed network module, the combination of a residual network (ResNet) and squeeze and extraction (SE) improves the feature extraction and expression capabilities of the CNN network. The GRU network is proposed to solve the problem of dealing with signals with variant input lengths. A transfer learning scheme is further proposed to deal with communications systems with different frequency-hopping sets. Simulation results show that the proposed method has strong generalization ability and robustness, and the bit error rate (BER) performance of intelligent receiving is close to the receiving performance under ideal conditions.
Pre-Treatment of Starter Cultures with Mild Pulsed Electric Fields Influences the Characteristics of Set Yogurt
Authors: Stühmeier-Niehe Corinna , Lass Luca , Brocksieper Miriam , Chanos Panagiotis , Hertel Christian
Published: January 2023

The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of pulsed electric field (PEF) pre-treatment of a dairy starter culture of Lactobacillus delbrueckii subsp. bulgaricus LB186 and Streptococcus thermophilus ST504 on the fermentation and final product characteristics of set-style yogurt. The effects of PEF treatment parameters, voltage (4–20 kV), pulse number (20–80 pulses), frequency (1–21 Hz), and pulse (5–8 µs) width on pH development, cell counts, and proteolytic activity, as well as on texture and degree of syneresis in yogurt were investigated by use of a two-level full factorial design. Pulse frequency and pulse width had a significant effect on the yogurt stiffness (p < 0.05) and the interaction of voltage and frequency had a significant effect on both stiffness and proteolytic activity (p < 0.05). Further experiments confirmed that pre-treatment of the dairy culture with specific PEF parameters immediately before addition to milk could accelerate fermentation of, increase stiffness of, and reduce syneresis in the final yogurt. This effect of the PEF-pre-treated culture was partially retained even after flash-freezing and 14 days of storage of the culture at −20 °C. The effects were attributed to responses to oxidative stress induced by the PEF pre-treatment.
Effect of Cooking Method and Doneness Degree on Volatile Compounds and Taste Substance of Pingliang Red Beef
Authors: Wang Yujiao , Bu Xinrong , Yang Dawei , Deng Dan , Lei Zhaomin , Guo Zhaobin , Ma Xiaotong , Zhang Li , Yu Qunli
Published: January 2023

This study used gas chromatography–ion mobility spectrometry (GC-IMS) and high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) methods to examine the impact of cooking methods and doneness on volatile aroma compounds and non-volatile substances (fatty acids, nucleotides, and amino acids) in Pingliang red beef. The flavor substances’ topographic fingerprints were established, and 45 compounds were traced to 71 distinct signal peaks. Pingliang red beef’s fruity flavor was enhanced thanks to the increased concentration of hexanal, styrene, and 2-butanone that resulted from instant boiling. The levels of 3-methylbutanal, which contributes to the characteristic caramel–chocolate–cheese aroma, peaked at 90 min of boiling and 40 min of roasting. The FFA content was reduced by 28.34% and 27.42%, respectively, after the beef was roasted for 40 min and instantly boiled for 10 s (p > 0.05). The most distinctive feature after 30 min of boiling was the umami, as the highest levels of glutamate (Glu) (p < 0.05) and the highest equivalent umami concentration (EUC) values were obtained through this cooking method. Additionally, adenosine-5′-monophosphate (AMP) and inosine-5′-monophosphate (IMP) decreased with increasing doneness compared to higher doneness, indicating that lower doneness was favorable in enhancing the umami of the beef. In summary, different cooking methods and doneness levels can affect the flavor and taste of Pingliang red beef, but it is not suitable for high-doneness cooking.
“Readers” and “Writers” in Japanese Detective Fiction, 1920s–30s: Tracing Shifts from Edogawa Rampo’s “Beast in the Shadows” to The Demon of the Lonely Isle
Authors: Komatsu Shoko , Siercks Eric
Published: January 2023

This paper explores the shifting position of “readers” and “writers” within serialized works by Japanese detective fiction author Edogawa Rampo. The essay focuses on two works published at the end of the 1920s and early 1930s: the novella “Beast in the Shadows” and Edogawa’s first long-form serialized novel, The Demon of the Lonely Isle. By examining the kinds of magazines in which Edogawa published, as well as the expected readership of those magazines, we discover several important stylistic shifts in Edogawa’s writing as he transitions from being a genre fiction short story writer to an author of popular novels. In Edogawa’s short detective fiction for niche magazines, the position of the reader and writer overlap, mirroring the way readers of detective fiction magazines often became writers themselves. Edogawa parodies his simultaneous position as dedicated reader and writer of detective novels. Moving to popular magazines and long-form fiction causes those self-parodies to shift into the background. Edogawa severs the correlative or dual position of writer/reader in favor of a detached “author” and consuming “reader”. This paper explores the genesis of this change in relation to the development of magazine media in modern Japan.
Psychological Impact of COVID-19 Lockdown and Its Evolution: A Case Study Based on Internet Searching Data during the Lockdown of Wuhan 2020 and Shanghai 2022
Authors: Zhou Wenyuan , Zhang Xiaoqi , Zheng Yanqiao , Gao Tutiantian , Liu Xiaobei , Liang Han
Published: January 2023

It has been three years since the initial outbreak of COVID-19 in Wuhan, China, which incurred huge damage both physically and psychologically on human’s normal life. As a prevention measure, the lockdown was first adopted by Wuhan, then by a long list of Chinese cities and many other major cities around the world. Lockdown is the most restrictive social distancing strategy, turning out effective in mitigating the spreading of COVID-19 on the community level, which, however, cuts off all social interactions and isolates healthy people from each other. The isolated nature of the lockdown could induce severe mental health issues, forming one major source of depression and domestic violence. Given the potential side effect, a comprehensive investigation based on reliable data sources is needed to evaluate the real psychological impact of COVID-19 lockdown and its evolution over time, particularly in the time when the Omicron variant, known for its low death risk, dominates the pandemic. Based on the Baidu Searching Index data collected for Wuhan and Shanghai, two major cities in China that suffered from long-lasting (over two months) lockdowns in 2020 and 2022, respectively, it is found that the major psychological issue during the lockdown period is not induced by the spreading of COVID-19, but by the execution of lockdown. With the deepening of knowledge about COVID-19 and the decrease in the death risk, the psychological impact of lockdown keeps increasing, while the impact of virus spreading becomes less important and even irrelevant to depression and domestic violence issues. The findings reveal that from the psychological perspective, the negative effect of lockdown already overweighs the positive one, which is especially true for the Omicron variant provided its almost ignorable death risk. Therefore, it is necessary to re-evaluate the yield and cost of lockdown for those countries where the COVID-19 pandemic has not yet come to an end.
Elderly Care Practitioners’ Perceptions of Moral Distress in the Work Development Discussions
Authors: Weiste Elina , Paavolainen Maria , Olin Nina , Korkiakangas Eveliina , Saari Eveliina , Koivisto Tiina , Laitinen Jaana
Published: January 2023

Elderly care practitioners are at specific risk of experiencing prolonged moral distress, which is associated with occupational health-related problems, low job satisfaction, and staff turnover. So far, little attention has been paid to the moral concerns specific to elderly care, a field whose importance is constantly growing as the populations in Western countries age. By drawing on seven workshop conversations as data and interaction-oriented focus group research, conversation analysis and discursive psychology as methods, we aim to study the ways in which elderly care practitioners discuss moral distress in their work. We found that the moral distress experienced was related to three topics that arose when client work and teamwork contexts were discussed: the power to influence, equal treatment of people, and collaboration. The interaction in client work and teamwork contexts differed systematically. The discussion on client work was characterised by negotiations on the rights and wrongs of care work, whereas the teamwork discussion engendered emotional outbursts, a potential manifestation of work-related burnout. Hence, attempts to improve the work-related health of elderly care practitioners require time and space for sharing the emotional load, followed by reflection on what could be improved in the work and what institutional solutions could help in morally distressing situations.
Flood Risk Assessment and Mapping: A Case Study from Australia’s Hawkesbury-Nepean Catchment
Authors: Kelly Matthew , Schwarz Imogen , Ziegelaar Mark , Watkins Andrew B. , Kuleshov Yuriy
Published: January 2023

Floods are the most common and costliest natural disaster in Australia. Australian flood risk assessments (FRAs) are mostly conducted on relatively small scales using modelling outputs. The aim of this study was to develop a novel approach of index-based analysis using a multi-criteria decision-making (MCDM) method for FRA on a large spatial domain. The selected case study area was the Hawkesbury-Nepean Catchment (HNC) in New South Wales, which is historically one of the most flood-prone regions of Australia. The HNC’s high flood risk was made distinctly clear during recent significant flood events in 2021 and 2022. Using a MCDM method, an overall Flood Risk Index (FRI) for the HNC was calculated based on flood hazard, flood exposure, and flood vulnerability indices. Inputs for the indices were selected to ensure that they are scalable and replicable, allowing them to be applied elsewhere for future flood management plans. The results of this study demonstrate that the HNC displays high flood risk, especially on its urbanised floodplain. For the examined March 2021 flood event, the HNC was found to have over 73% (or over 15,900 km2) of its area at ‘Severe’ or ‘Extreme’ flood risk. Validating the developed FRI for correspondence to actual flooding observations during the March 2021 flood event using the Receiver Operating Characteristic (ROC) statistical test, a value of 0.803 was obtained (i.e., very good). The developed proof-of-concept methodology for flood risk assessment on a large spatial scale has the potential to be used as a framework for further index-based FRA approaches.
Interactive and Immersive Digital Representation for Virtual Museum: VR and AR for Semantic Enrichment of Museo Nazionale Romano, Antiquarium di Lucrezia Romana and Antiquarium di Villa Dei Quintili
Authors: Banfi Fabrizio , Pontisso Mara , Paolillo Francesca Romana , Roascio Stefano , Spallino Clara , Stanga Chiara
Published: January 2023

The research focuses on the generation of 3D models aimed at creating interactive virtual environments as the outcomes of scalar representations of existing realities. The purpose is to increase the narration, fruition, and dissemination of the findings that emerged from the archaeological investigations carried out in a large sector of the south-eastern suburbs of Rome. In this context, the research proposes a process oriented toward designing a virtual museum of the first group of works from the Appia Antica Archaeological Park and now exhibited at the Museo Nazionale Romano, the Antiquarium di Lucrezia Romana, and the Antiquarium di Villa Dei Quintili. Managing high historical and cultural findings through geometrical surveys, high-resolution data from 3D survey analysis, archival research, and interactive digital representation is the aim of the study. The digitisation of artefacts has made it possible to build new forms of communication that enrich virtual and on-site visits with content, both of the park and of the Museums that host the collections. In particular, it has gradually allowed a ‘virtual’ relocation of works from the Appia Park, favouring the definition of a method capable of communicating new content and laying the basis for the development of a virtual museum, a temporary exhibition, and a web platform for one of the most important historical sites of ancient Rome.
Combustion Synthesis of Nanocrystalline Ba1.3Ca0.7SiO4 Semiconductors Using Urea as an Energy Efficient Fuel
Authors: Golja Desta R. , Dejene Francis B. , Hussen Megersa K. , Kim Jung Yong
Published: January 2023

The τ-phase Ba1.3Ca0.7SiO4 alkaline earth silicate powders were synthesized using the solution combustion technique. For this purpose, metal nitrate–urea mixtures were used as an oxidant and a fuel. Urea’s main function was to help lower the nominal combustion temperature (~550 °C) of the mixtures through exothermic reactions, leading to a relatively mild post-annealing temperature (~750 °C). If the urea concentration increased, the interconnected silicate particle size decreased with nanoscale crystallite (average, 33 ± 3 nm), affecting optical properties. Finally, the photoluminescence spectra suggested that the light emission was through trap sites, because the emitted blue and green lights (2.6 and 2.3 eV, respectively) were smaller than the bandgap (~3.2 eV) of the Ba1.3Ca0.7SiO4 semiconductor.
Micromixing and Co-Precipitation in Continuous Microreactors with Swirled Flows and Microreactors with Impinging Swirled Flows
Authors: Abiev Rufat Sh. , Kudryashova Yulia S. , Zdravkov Andrey V. , Fedorenko Nadezhda Yu.
Published: January 2023

One of the promising methods for process intensification for micromixing, co-precipitation, and crystallization in continuous reactors is the use of vigorous vortices. A combination of the high intensity of the kinetic energy input with the small volume of the micromixing volume allows to concentrate the energy dissipation rate up to 104 W/kg and more. As the embodiment of such an idea, four new types of microreactors with intensively swirled flows were created and studied as a tool for continuous co-precipitation and crystallization. A correlation between residence time and segregation index was found: the smaller residence time, the higher energy dissipation rate and better quality of micromixing. A method for the synthesis of oxides of a number of transition metals in microreactors with intensively swirled flows with subsequent thermal treatment of co-precipitation products has been developed. This method was used to obtain ensembles of nanosized particles of zirconium oxides, as well as calcium and strontium fluorides. In comparison with the currently widely used hydro- and solvothermal methods, the proposed method has high productivity (around 10 m3/day for lab scale device), can significantly reduce the duration of the process, provides low energy consumption, does not require a large number of labor-intensive operations, is technologically advanced and easily scalable.
Hemodynamic and Respiratory Changes following Prone Position in Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome Patients: A Clinical Study
Authors: Baka Maria , Bagka Dimitra , Tsolaki Vasiliki , Zakynthinos George E. , Diakaki Chrysi , Mantzarlis Konstantinos , Makris Demosthenes
Published: January 2023

Background: Limited data are available for the oxygenation changes following prone position in relation to hemodynamic and pulmonary vascular variations in acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS), using reliable invasive methods. We aimed to assess oxygenation and hemodynamic changes between the supine and prone posture in patients with ARDS and identify parameters associated with oxygenation improvement. Methods: Eighteen patients with ARDS under protective ventilation were assessed using advanced pulmonary artery catheter monitoring. Physiologic parameters were recorded at baseline supine position, 1 h and 18 h following prone position. Results: The change in the Oxygenation Index (ΔOI) between supine and 18 h prone significantly correlated to the concurrent change in shunt fraction (r = 0.75, p = 0.0001), to the ΔOI between supine and 1 h prone (r = 0.73, p = 0.001), to the supine acute lung injury score and the OI (r = −0.73, p = 0.009 and r = 0.69, p = 0.002, respectively). Cardiac output did not change between supine and prone posture. Moreover, there was no change in pulmonary pressure, pulmonary vascular resistances, right ventricular (RV) volumes and the RV ejection fraction. Conclusions: The present investigation provides physiologic clinical data supporting that oxygenation improvement following prone position in ARDS is driven by the shunt fraction reduction and not by changes in hemodynamics. Moreover, oxygenation improvement was not correlated with RV or pulmonary circulation changes.
Analytical Studies on Ciguateric Fish in Okinawa, Japan (II): The Grouper Variola albimarginata
Authors: Oshiro Naomasa , Nagasawa Hiroya , Nishimura Mio , Kuniyoshi Kyoko , Kobayashi Naoki , Sugita-Konishi Yoshiko , Ikehara Tsuyoshi , Tachihara Katsunori , Yasumoto Takeshi
Published: January 2023

Ciguatera fish poisoning (CFP) refers to an illness caused by ingesting fish that have accumulated ciguatoxins (CTXs). CFP frequently occurs in the tropical and subtropical Indo-Pacific Ocean and the Caribbean Sea. In Japan, CFP occurs sporadically but constantly in Okinawa and the Amami Islands. The grouper Variola albimarginata is regarded to be safe for consumption. To assess the real risk of V. albimarginata, we analyzed 133 specimens of the fish in Okinawa using liquid chromatography–tandem mass spectrometry (LC–MS/MS). Ciguatoxin-1B, 54-deoxyciguatoxin-1B, and 52-epi-54-deoxyciguatoxin-1B were detected in 28 specimens (21%). In 11 of these specimens (8%), the CTX levels exceeded the US FDA guidance level (0.01 µg/kg CTX1B equivalent). However, only one fish (<1%) was found to have levels above the recommended level in Japan (0.175 μg/kg CTX1B equivalent). The amount of CTXs in the flesh (280 g) of the most toxic specimen (0.225 μg/kg) did not reach the level needed to cause illness. The CFP risk due to the consumption of this species was thus considered to be low in Okinawa, supporting local belief. The CTX levels in the flesh were positively correlated with standard length, body weight, and age. The total CTX levels significantly fluctuated between the male and the female of the species. The estimated annual catch of V. albimarginata in Okinawa and Yaeyama Islands was 4909 kg or 13,636 fish. As many as 1227 fish had levels over the US FDA guidance level, but only 136 fish had levels above the Japanese recommendation. Risk management based on the Japanese recommendation level seems to be effective in protecting public health and enabling appropriate exploitation of fishery resources.
VT-1161—A Tetrazole for Management of Mono- and Dual-Species Biofilms
Authors: Maione Angela , Mileo Aldo , Pugliese Stefano , Siciliano Antonietta , Cirillo Luigi , Carraturo Federica , de Alteriis Elisabetta , De Falco Maria , Guida Marco , Galdiero Emilia
Published: January 2023

VT-1161 is a novel tetrazole antifungal agent with high specificity for fungal CYP51 (compared to human CYP enzymes) which has been proven to have fewer adverse effects and drug–drug interaction profiles due to fewer off-target inhibitors. In this study, we evaluated the anti-biofilm potential of VT-1161 against mono- and dual-species biofilms of Candida albicans, Klebsiella pneumoniae and Staphylococcus aureus. VT-1161 inhibited planktonic growth of all three strains, with an MIC value of 2 µg mL−1 for C. albicans and 0.5 µg mL−1 for K. pneumoniae and S. aureus, and killed 99.9% of the microbial populations, indicating a cytocidal action. Additionally, VT-1161 showed an excellent anti-biofilm action, since it inhibited mono-microbial biofilms by 80% at 0.5 µg mL−1, and dual-species biofilms of C. albicans/K. pneumoniae and C. albicans/S. aureus by 90% at the same concentration. Additionally, the eradication of mature biofilms after 24 h of VT-1161 exposure was excellent, reaching 90% at 2 μg mL−1 for both mono- and dual-species biofilms. In such mixed biofilms, the use of VT-1161 was revealed to be an alternative treatment because it was able to reduce the number of cells of each species during both inhibition and eradication. Since long-term therapy is necessary for most fungal biofilm infections due to their recurrence and obstinacy, VT-1161 showed low cytotoxicity against normal human cell lines and also against the invertebrate model Caenorhabditis elegans. Considering the excellent anti-biofilm potential and its GRAS (generally recognized as safe) status, VT-1161 may find use in the prevention or therapeutic treatment of mono- or poly-microbial biofilms.
Beyond the Gut, Emerging Microbiome Areas of Research: A Focus on Early-Life Microbial Colonization
Authors: Vemuri Ravichandra , Herath Manoja P.
Published: January 2023

Undoubtedly, the human body harbors trillions of microbes of different kinds performing various physiological activities, such as priming the immune system, influencing host metabolism, and improving health by providing important metabolites such as short-chain fatty acids. Although the gut is considered the “microbial organ” of our body as it hosts the most microbes, there are microbes present in various other important anatomical locations differing in numbers and type. Research has shown the presence of microbes in utero, sparking a debate on the “sterile womb” concept, and there is much scope for more work in this area. It is important to understand the early-life microbiome colonization, which has a role in the developmental origins of health and disease in later life. Moreover, seminal studies have indicated the presence of microbes beyond the gut, for example, in the adipose tissue and the liver. However, it is still unclear what is the exact source of these microbes and their exact roles in health and disease. In this review, we appraise and discuss emerging microbiome areas of research and their roles in metabolic health. Further, we review the importance of the genital microbiome in early-life microbial interactions.
Comprehensive Identification of Ginsenosides in the Roots and Rhizomes of Panax ginseng Based on Their Molecular Features-Oriented Precursor Ions Selection and Targeted MS/MS Analysis
Authors: Wang Hong-Ping , Wang Zi-Jian , Du Jing , Lin Zhao-Zhou , Zhao Chen , Zhang Run , Yin Qiong , Fan Chun-Lan , Peng Ping , Wang Zhi-Bin
Published: January 2023

Panax ginseng is widely used in Asian countries and its active constituents—ginsenosides—need to be systematically studied. However, only a small part of ginsenosides have been characterized in the roots and rhizomes of panax ginseng (RRPG) up to date, mainly because of a lack of the fragmentation ions of many more ginsenosides. In order to comprehensively identify ginsenosides in RRPG, molecular features of ginsenosides orienting precursor ions selection and targeted tandem mass spectrometry (MS/MS) analysis strategy were proposed in our study, in which the precursor ions were selected according to the molecular features of ginsenosides irrespective of their peak abundances, and targeted MS/MS analysis was then performed to obtain their fragmentation ions for substance characterization. Using this strategy, a total of 620 ginsenosides were successfully characterized in RRPG, including 309 protopanaxadiol-type ginsenosides, 258 protopanaxatriol-type ginsenosides and 53 oleanane-type ginsenosides. It is worth noting that, except for the known aglycones mass-to-charge ratio (m/z) 459, 475 and 455, twelve other aglycones, including m/z 509, 507, 493, 491, 489, 487, 477, 473, 461, 457, 443 and 441, were first reported in our experiment and they were probably the derivatizations of the protopanaxatriol and protopanaxadiol. Our study will not only help people to improve the cognition of ginsenosides in RRPG, but will also play a guiding and reference role for the isolation and characterization of potentially new ginsenosides from RRPG.
Potent Inhibitory Activity of Natural Product Anaephene B and Analogues against Leishmania tarentolae In Vitro
Authors: Zaman Shariq M. , Jones Marjorie A.
Published: January 2023

In this study, a specific alkylphenol natural product, anaephene B, and its unique synthesized derivatives were tested for their inhibitory effect on the protozoan parasite Leishmania tarentolae. In a series of cell viability tests and enzyme assays, these test compounds have produced interesting results with regard to their antibiotic effect, showing similar potency against L. tarentolae as they do against drug-resistant bacteria such as methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA). All compounds tested in this study have shown the ability to completely inhibit our model system, L. tarentolae, in vitro. This study helps increase our understanding of the structure-activity relationship (SAR) between anaephene B and its analogues for a new class of potential pharmaceuticals for the treatment of Leishmania infections.
The Leaching Kinetics of Iron from Titanium Gypsum in a Citric Acid Medium and Obtain Materials by Leaching Liquid
Authors: Lin Yan , Sun Hongjuan , Peng Tongjiang , Zhao Dingran , Zhang Xiyue
Published: January 2023

In this study, the effect of citric acid on iron leaching from titanium gypsum (TiG) was systematically investigated. The conditions for the leaching of valuable metals were optimized while varying such parameters as the leaching time, citric acid mass fraction, leaching temperature, and the liquid–solid ratio. It was found that under the conditions of a citric acid mass fraction of 10%, at a 80 °C leaching temperature, a leaching duration of 80–90 min and a liquid–solid ratio of 8, the whiteness of titanium gypsum (TiG) increased from 8.1 to 36.5, and the leaching efficiencies of iron reached 84.37%. The kinetic analysis indicated that the leaching process of iron from TiG was controlled by the reaction product layer from 0–20 min, while the leaching process of iron from TiG was controlled by internal diffusion from 20–90 min. The apparent activation energy of the leaching reactions was 33.91 kJ/mol and 16.59 kJ/mol, respectively. High-value-added calcium oxalate and ferrous oxalate were prepared from the calcium and iron in the filtrate of the oxalic acid extraction. The leaching liquid could be recycled, which will provide a new way to utilize titanium gypsum.
Virome Profiling of an Eastern Roe Deer Reveals Spillover of Viruses from Domestic Animals to Wildlife
Authors: Sun Yue , Sun Lanshun , Sun Sheng , Tu Zhongzhong , Liu Yang , Yi Le , Tu Changchun , He Biao
Published: January 2023

Eastern roe deer (Capreolus pygargus) is a small ruminant and is widespread across China. This creature plays an important role in our ecological system. Although a few studies have been conducted to investigate pathogens harbored by this species, our knowledge of the virus diversity is still very sparse. In this study, we conducted the whole virome profiling of a rescue-failed roe deer, which revealed a kobuvirus (KoV), a bocaparvovirus (BoV), and multiple circular single-stranded viruses. These viruses were mainly recovered from the rectum, but PCR detection showed systematic infection of the KoV. Particularly, the KoV and BoV exhibited closely genetic relationships with bovine and canine viruses, respectively, highly suggesting the spillover of viruses from domestic animals to wildlife. Although these viruses were unlikely to have been responsible for the death of the animal, they provide additional data to understand the virus spectrum harbored by roe deer. The transmission of viruses between domestic animals and wildlife highlights the need for extensive investigation of wildlife viruses.
Joint Optimization of Pre-Marshalling and Yard Cranes Deployment in the Export Block
Authors: Duan Shuang , Zheng Hongxing , Gan Xiaomin
Published: January 2023

To improve the efficiency of loading operation by researching the optimization of the pre-marshalling operation scheme in the export container block between the time when the ship stowage chart was published and the beginning time of loading, a two-stage mixed integer programming model was established. The first stage established an optimization model of the container reshuffling location, based on the objective function of the least time-consuming operation of a single-bay-yard crane, and designed an improved artificial bee colony algorithm to solve it. Based on the first stage, an optimization model of yard crane configuration and scheduling was built to minimize the maximum completion time of the yard crane in the export block, and an improved genetic algorithm was designed to solve the built model. Through comparative analysis, the performance of our algorithm was better than CPLEX and traditional heuristic algorithms. It could still solve the 30 bays quickly, and the solving quality was 8.53% and 11.95% higher than GA and TS on average, which verified the effectiveness of the model and the science of the algorithm and could provide a reference for improving the efficiency of port operation.
The Potential of Spent Coffee Grounds @ MOFs Composite Catalyst in Efficient Activation of PMS to Remove the Tetracycline Hydrochloride from an Aqueous Solution
Authors: Zhang Wei , Lu Jiajia , Liu Shoushu , Wang Chen , Zuo Qiting , Gong Lin
Published: January 2023

The efficient removal of Tetracycline Hydrochloride (TC) from wastewater, which is a difficult process, has attracted increasing attention. Aiming to synchronously achieve the goal of natural waste utilization and PMS activation, we have combined the MOFs material with waste coffee grounds (CG). The catalytic activity of the CG@ZIF-67 composite in the TC removal process was thoroughly evaluated, demonstrating that the TC removal rate could reach 96.3% within 30 min at CG@ZIF-67 composite dosage of 100 mg/L, PMS concertation of 1.0 mM, unadjusted pH 6.2, and contact temperate of 293.15 K. The 1O2 and ·SO4− in the CG@ZIF-67/PMS/TC system would play the crucial role in the TC degradation process, with 1O2 acting as the primary ROS. The oxygen-containing functional groups and graphite N on the surface of CG@ZIF-67 composite would play a major role in efficiently activating PMS and correspondingly degrading TC. In addition, the CG@ZIF-67/PMS/TC system could withstand a wide pH range (3–11). The application of CG in preparing MOF-based composites will provide a new method of removing emerging pollutants from an aqueous solution.
Comment on van den Hurk et al. The Emergence of Japanese Encephalitis Virus in Australia in 2022: Existing Knowledge of Mosquito Vectors. Viruses 2022, 14, 1208
Authors: Brinkhoff Michelle Nicole
Published: January 2023

I read with interest the article “The Emergence of Japanese Encephalitis Virus in Australia in 2022: Existing Knowledge of Mosquito Vectors” [...]
Assessing the Role of Systems Thinking for Stocker Cattle Operations
Authors: Cummings Daniel B. , Groves John T. , Turner Benjamin L.
Published: January 2023

Bovine respiratory disease (BRD) is recognized as a complex multifactorial disease often resulting in significant economic losses for the stocker industry through reduced health and performance of feeder calves. Conventional approaches to manage BRD in stocker production systems can be challenged with a restricted view of the system, most importantly the structure, which drives the behavior of the system and fails to anticipate unintended consequences. The translation and implementation of systems thinking into veterinary medicine can offer an alternative method to problem-solving. Fundamental to the success of the systems thinker is the conceptualization of the Iceberg Diagram intended to identify root causes of complex problems such as BRD. Furthermore, veterinary and animal health professionals are well-positioned to serve as facilitators to establish creative tension, the positive energy necessary to identify high-leverage strategies. The interrelationships and interconnected behaviors of complex stocker systems warrant an understanding of various archetypes. Archetypes provide the systems thinker with a decision-making tool to explore tactics in a nonlinear fashion for the purpose of recognizing short- and long-term outcomes. Developing literacy in the discipline of systems thinking will further equip professionals with the skillset necessary to address the multitude of challenges ingrained in complex stocker cattle systems.
Pharmacotherapy for chronic idiopathic urticaria
Authors:   Kazan State Medical Academy — Branch Campus of the FSAEI CPE Russian Medical Academy of Continuous Professional Education of the Ministry of Health of Russia, Kazan, Yunusova D. F. , Zvegintseva A. A. ,   Kazan State Medical Academy — Branch Campus of the FSAEI CPE Russian Medical Academy of Continuous Professional Education of the Ministry of Health of Russia, Kazan; SAHI Republican Clinical Hospital of the Ministry of Health of the Republic of Tatarstan, Kazan, Maksimov M. L. ,   Kazan State Medical Academy — Branch Campus of the FSAEI CPE Russian Medical Academy of Continuous Professional Education of the Ministry of Health of Russia, Kazan; SAHI Republican Clinical Hospital of the Ministry of Health of the Republic of Tatarstan, Kazan; FSAEI CPE Russian Medical Academy of Continuous Professional Education of the Ministry of Health of Russia, Moscow; FSAEI HE Pirogov Russian National Research Medical University of the Ministry of Health of Russia, Moscow
Published: January 2023

Relevance. Chronic idiopathic urticaria (CIU) is a disease that affects 20 % of people for more than 5 years. One out of five patients has tachyphylaxis, and traditional therapy is not effective. In addition, a problem of predictable adverse effects is the increasing growth in cases refractory to therapy, as well as a decrease in the quality of life of patients. The aim of the work is to study modern methods of chronic idiopathic urticaria treatment.
RELATIONSHIP OF MEAT PRODUCTIVITY AND PRESLAUGHTER WEIGHT OF BULLS DEPENDING ON THE INTENSITY OF GROWING
Authors: И.Ф. ГОРЛОВ, , М.И. СЛОЖЕНКИНА, , Д.В. НИКОЛАЕВ, , О.А. КНЯЖЕЧЕНКО, , Д.А. МОСОЛОВА, , О.П. ШАХБАЗОВА, , Р.Г. РАДЖАБОВ,
Published: January 2023

В статье приведены результаты анализа взаимосвязи признаков мясной продуктивности с предубойной массой бычков, выращенных по традиционной и интенсивной технологиям. Исследования проводили в условиях сельхозпредприятия в Волгоградской области в 2019—2022 годах на бычках русской комолой породы в возрасте 8 мес, которых разделили на 2 группы по10 голов. В I группе животных откармливали по традиционной технологии, во II — по интенсивной. Средняя живая масса отобранного молодняка составляла 190 кг. По окончании опыта предубойная живая масса бычков во II группе была выше, чем в I, на 11,7%, а коэффициент изменчивости больше на 3,7%. Убойный выход у бычков во II группе был на 2% выше, чем у сверстников из I группы. Коэффициенты корреляции между предубойной массой бычков и массой печени, почек, шкуры, шейного и плечелопаточного отрубов, высшего, I и II сортов мяса характеризуются средними значениями (0,136—0,822). Выявленные на основе корреляционного анализа взаимосвязи в опытных группах позволили определить основные параметры наиболее эффективной технологии выращивания молодняка крупного рогатого скота.

The article presents the results of correlation analysis among meat productivity parameters and pre-slaughter weight of bulls breeding in accordance with traditional and intensive technologies. The research was performed in conditions of an agricultural enterprise in the Volgograd region in 2019—2022 on Russian brown breed bulls at the age of 8 months, which were divided into 2 groups of 10 heads. In group I, animals were fattened according to traditional technology, in group II — according to intensive. The average live weight of selected animals was 190 kg. It was determined that the pre-slaughter live weight of bulls in group II was 11.7% higher in comparison with animals in group I, and the relative standard deviation was 3.7% higher. The slaughter yield of bulls in group II was 2% higher than that of their coeval in the group I. The correlation coefficients, which describes relation between the pre-slaughter weight of bulls and the weight of liver, kidneys, skin, neck and shoulder, and also higher, I and II meat grade are characterized by average values (0.136-0.822). The interrelations, revealed as a result of the correlation analysis, made it possible to determine the main parameters of the most effective technology for cattle farming.
INTEGRATED CHANGES IN THE POLYMORPHISM OF THE MAIN MARKER GENES AND THE LEVEL OF PRODUCTIVITY IN YAROSLAVL COWS DURING THE INTRODUCTORY CROSSING WITH THE HOLSTEIN BREED
Authors: А.Е. КОЛГАНОВ, , О.В. КУДРЯВЦЕВА, , Д.К. НЕКРАСОВ,
Published: January 2023

На фоне чистопородных ярославских коров (n=104) комплексно изучена многочисленная группа полученных 3-мя вариантами скрещивания с голштинской породой помесных коров (n=154) с кровностью по ней 25% при переменном скрещивании с использованием чистопородных быков обеих пород, 25% и 37,5% при вводном скрещивании с использованием F1 помесных голштино-ярославских быков. При оценке по 1 лактации помеси достоверно превосходили чистопородных коров по удою при одинаковом или более высоком содержании жира и белка в молоке, а абсолютно лучшими были особи с кровностью 37,5% по голштинской породе. При изучении полиморфизма генов CSN3, BLG, PRL, GH и LEP были установлены достоверное увеличение частоты встречаемости гетерозиготных генотипов и их максимальное значение в группе помесных коров с кровностью по голштинской породе 37,5%. Положительная связь уровня гетерозиготности по большинству маркерных генов с уровнем молочной продуктивности имела место только в группе помесей кровностью по голштинам 25% от переменного скрещивания, тогда как в 2-х группах помесных особей от вводного скрещивания более высокой молочной продуктивностью отличались коровы в совокупности с гомозиготными генотипами по большинству маркерных генов.

Against the background of purebred Yaroslavl cows (n=104), a large group of crossbred cows (n=154) with a bloodline of 25% with variable crossing using purebred bulls of both breeds, 25% and 37.5% with introductory crossing using F1 crossbred Holstein-Yaroslavl bulls was comprehensively studied. When evaluating 1 lactation, crossbred cows as a whole significantly outperformed purebred cows in milk yield with the same or higher fat and protein content in milk, and cows with a blood content of 37.5% for the Holstein breed were absolutely the best. When studying the polymorphism of the CSN3, BLG, PRL, GH and LEP genes, a significant increase in the specific gravity of heterozygous genotypes and their maximum value in the group of crossbred cows with a bloodline of the Holstein breed of 37.5% was found. However, a positive association of the level of heterozygosity for most marker genes with the level of milk productivity took place only in the group of crossbred cows.