bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
With a little help from our pediatrician: An intervention to promote mathematics-related home activities through regular well-child visits
Authors: Tomasetto Carlo , LeFevre Jo-Anne , Passolunghi Maria Chiara , De Vita Chiara , Guardabassi Veronica , Brunelli Antonella , Ciotti Francesco , Biasini Giancarlo
Published: December 2022

Introduction

Children’s involvement in mathematics-related activities in the home environment is associated with the development of their early numeracy over the preschool years. Intervention studies to promote parents’ awareness and provision of mathematics-related home activities are however scant. In this study we developed and tested the effectiveness of a non-intensive intervention program delivered by community pediatricians to promote mathematics-related activities in the home environment.

Methods

Parents of 204 Italian children were invited to report on the frequency of mathematics-related home activities when children attended the first preschool year (3 years, 8 months of age on average) and, subsequently, the third preschool year (5 years, 6 months of age on average). At both waves, children were also assessed on their early numeracy. In occasion of the routine well-child visit at age 5, parents who were randomly allocated to the intervention condition (vs. a business-as-usual control condition) received guidance on age-appropriate home mathematics-related practices to sustain children’s numerical development.

Results

Results revealed that parents in the intervention group improved their provision of home mathematics-related activities at the post-intervention assessment (relative to baseline) to a greater extent than parents in the control condition. No effect was observed on children’s early numeracy.

Discussion

Overall, results are promising in suggesting that community pediatricians may be a resource to promote home mathematics-related activities though non-intensive low-cost interventions.
Differences of respiratory kinematics in female and male singers – A comparative study using dynamic magnetic resonance imaging
Authors: Traser Louisa , Schwab Carmen , Burk Fabian , Özen Ali Caglar , Bock Michael , Richter Bernhard , Echternach Matthias
Published: December 2022

Breath control is an important factor for singing voice production, but pedagogic descriptions of how a beneficial movement pattern should be performed vary widely and the underlying physiological processes are not understood in detail. Differences in respiratory movements during singing might be related to the sex of the singer. To study sex-related differences in respiratory kinematics during phonation, 12 singers (six male and six female) trained in the Western classical singing tradition were imaged with dynamic magnetic resonance imaging. Singers were asked to sustain phonation at five different pitches and loudness conditions, and cross-sectional images of the lung were acquired. In each dynamic image frame the distances between anatomical landmarks were measured to quantify the movements of the respiratory apparatus. No major difference between male and female singers was found for the general respiratory kinematics of the thorax and the diaphragm during sustained phonation. However when compared to sole breathing, male singers significantly increased their thoracic movements for singing. This behavior could not be observed in female singers. The presented data support the hypothesis that professional singers follow sex-specific breathing strategies. This finding may be important in a pedagogical context where the biological sex of singer and student differ and should be further investigated in a larger cohort.
Randomized controlled trial for the efficacy of three versus five sessions of grief counseling on the psychological aspects following COVID-19 bereavement: A study protocol
Authors: Hajebi Ahmad , Rasoulian Maryam , Fathi Marjan , Tiyuri Amir , Abbasinejad Maryam , Naserbakht Morteza , Asadi Ali , Khademoreza Nooshin
Published: December 2022

Background

During the COVID-19 pandemic, many people have experienced traumatic losses and therefore are at risk of developing complicated grief regarding the restrictions on the performance of routine mourning rituals. This study is a randomized controlled trial for assessing the efficacy of three versus five sessions of grief counseling on grief intensity, psychological distress, and quality of life of grief among bereaved people due to COVID-19.

Methods

A total of 120 bereaved people, due to COVID-19, will be enrolled in this multi-center randomized controlled trial after assessment for inclusion and exclusion criteria. Following the informed consent procedure, participants will be allocated into two groups equally by the Stratified Balanced Block Randomization, one of them delivering a three-session grief counseling intervention and the other delivering a five-session grief counseling intervention. The intervention will be delivered by trained psychologists via in-person individual sessions. The primary outcome is grief intensity, and the secondary outcomes are psychological distress, quality of life, and satisfaction of the participants. These outcomes will be measured by the Grief Intensity Scale (GIS), the General Health Questionnaire-28 (GHQ-28), the Short Form Health Survey-12 (SF-12), and the Client Satisfaction Questionnaire (CSQ-8), respectively. The assessments will be done at three time points, one before the intervention and the others 1 month and 3 months after the intervention. The data will be analyzed using the SPSS V.18 and Stata V.11 software. The analysis approach will be “intention to treat.”

Discussion

Results of this study can be applied for selecting the most suitable intervention leading to the prevention of complicated grief and the maintenance and promotion of the mental health of bereaved people due to COVID-19.

Clinical trial registration

[irct.ir], identifier [IRCT20200505047305N1].
Drawings as tools to (re)imagine space in interdisciplinary global health research
Authors: Dens Stefanie , Nieto-Sanchez Claudia , De Los Santos Mario , Hawer Thomas , Haile Asgedom , Solari Karla , Cisneros Jesus , Vega Victor , Solomon Kalkidan , Addissie Adamu , Yewhalaw Delenasaw , Otero Larissa , Grietens Koen Peeters , Verdonck Kristien , Van Acker Maarten
Published: December 2022

Understanding the role of space in infectious diseases' dynamics in urban contexts is key to developing effective mitigation strategies. Urbanism, a discipline that both studies and acts upon the city, commonly uses drawings to analyze spatial patterns and their variables. This paper revisits drawings as analytical and integrative tools for interdisciplinary research. We introduce the use of drawings in two interdisciplinary projects conducted in the field of global public health: first, a study about the heterogeneous burden of tuberculosis and COVID-19 in Lima, Peru, and second, a study about urban malaria in Jimma, Ethiopia. In both cases, drawings such as maps, plans, and sections were used to analyze spatial factors present in the urban context at different scales: from the scale of the territory, the city, and the district, to the neighborhood and the household. We discuss the methodological approaches taken in both cases, considering the nature of the diseases being investigated as well as the natural and social context in which the studies took place. We contend that the use of drawings helps to reimagine space in public health research by adding a multidimensional perspective to spatial variables and contexts. The processes and products of drawing can help to (a) identify systemic relations within the spatial context, (b) facilitate integration of quantitative and qualitative data, and (c) guide the formulation of policy recommendations, informing public and urban health planning.
Application of 4-way decomposition to the analysis of placental-fetal biomarkers as intermediary variables between maternal body mass index and birthweight
Authors: Xun Xiaoshuang , Qin Xu , Layden Alexander J. , Yin Qing , Swan Shanna H. , Barrett Emily S. , Bush Nicole R. , Sathyanarayana Sheela , Adibi Jennifer J.
Published: December 2022

Human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG) is a placental hormone measured in pregnancy to predict individual level risk of fetal aneuploidy and other complications; yet may be useful in understanding placental origins of child development more generally. hCG was associated with maternal body mass index (BMI) and with birthweight. The primary aim here was to evaluate hCG as a mediator of maternal BMI effects on birthweight by causal mediation analysis. Subjects were 356 women from 3 U.S. sites (2010–2013). The 4-way decomposition method using med4way (STATA) was applied to screen for 5 types of effects of first trimester maternal BMI on birthweight: the total effect, the direct effect, mediation by hCG, additive interaction of BMI and hCG, and mediation in the presence of an additive interaction. Effect modification by fetal sex was evaluated, and a sensitivity analysis was performed to evaluate the assumption of unmeasured confounding. Additional placental-fetal biomarkers [pregnancy associated plasma protein A (PAPPA), second trimester hCG, inhibin-A, estriol, alpha fetoprotein] were analyzed for comparison. For first trimester hCG, there was a 0.20 standard deviation increase in birthweight at the 75th vs. 25th percentile of maternal BMI (95% CI 0.04, 0.36). Once stratified, the direct effect association was null in women carrying females. In women carrying males, hCG did not mediate the relationship. In women carrying females, there was a mediated effect of maternal BMI on birthweight by hCG in the reverse direction (−0.06, 95% CI: −0.12, 0.01), and a mediated interaction in the positive direction (0.06, 95% CI 0.00, 0.13). In women carrying males, the maternal BMI effect on birthweight was reverse mediated by PAPPA (−0.09, 95% CI: −0.17, 0.00). Sex-specific mediation was mostly present in the first trimester. Second trimester AFP was a positive mediator of maternal BMI effects in male infants only (0.06, 95% CI: −0.01, 0.13). Effect estimates were robust to potential bias due to unmeasured confounders. These findings motivate research to consider first trimester placental biomarkers and sex-specific mechanisms when quantifying the effects of maternal adiposity on fetal growth.
Dendrobium candidum quality detection in both food and medicine agricultural product: Policy, status, and prospective
Authors: Chen Fengnong , Chen Zhaoqing , Sun Hongwei , Zhu Jianjun , Wu Kaihua , Zhou Shuiqin , Huang Yun
Published: December 2022

Dendrobium candidum (DC) is an agricultural product for both food and medicine. It has a variety of beneficial effects on the human body with antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, antitumor, enhancing immune function, and other pharmacological activities. Due to less natural distribution, harsh growth conditions, slow growth, low reproduction rate, and excessive logging, wild DC has been seriously damaged and listed as an endangered herbal medicine variety in China. At present, the quality of DC was uneven in the market, so it is very necessary to detect its quality. This article summarized the methods of DC quality detection with traditional and rapid nondestructive, and it also expounded the correlation between DC quality factor and endophytes, which provides a theoretical basis for a variety of rapid detection methods in macromolecules. At last, this article put forward a variety of rapid nondestructive detection methods based on the emission spectrum. In view of the complexity of molecular structure, the quality correlation established by spectral analysis was greatly affected by varieties and environment. We discussed the possibility of DC quality detection based on the molecular dynamic calculation and simulation mechanism. Also, a multimodal fusion method was proposed to detect the quality. The literature review suggests that it is very necessary to understand the structure performance relationship, kinetic properties, and reaction characteristics of chemical substances at the molecular level by means of molecular chemical calculation and simulation, to detect a certain substance more accurately. At the same time, several modes are combined to form complementarity, eliminate ambiguity, and uncertainty and fuse the information of multiple modes to obtain more accurate judgment results.
Analysis of codon usage bias of lumpy skin disease virus causing livestock infection
Authors: Rahman Siddiq Ur , Rehman Hassan Ur , Rahman Inayat Ur , Rauf Abdur , Alshammari Abdulrahman , Alharbi Metab , Haq Noor ul , Suleria Hafiz Ansar Rasul , Raza Sayed Haidar Abbas
Published: December 2022

Lumpy skin disease virus (LSDV) causes lumpy skin disease (LSD) in livestock, which is a double-stranded DNA virus that belongs to the genus Capripoxvirus of the family Poxviridae. LSDV is an important poxvirus that has spread out far and wide to become distributed worldwide. It poses serious health risks to the host and causes considerable negative socioeconomic impact on farmers financially and on cattle by causing ruminant-related diseases. Previous studies explained the population structure of the LSDV within the evolutionary time scale and adaptive evolution. However, it is still unknown and remains enigmatic as to how synonymous codons are used by the LSDV. Here, we used 53 LSDV strains and applied the codon usage bias (CUB) analysis to them. Both the base content and the relative synonymous codon usage (RSCU) analysis revealed that the AT-ended codons were more frequently used in the genome of LSDV. Further low codon usage bias was calculated from the effective number of codons (ENC) value. The neutrality plot analysis suggested that the dominant factor of natural selection played a role in the structuring of CUB in LSDV. Additionally, the results from a comparative analysis suggested that the LSDV has adapted host-specific codon usage patterns to sustain successful replication and transmission chains within hosts (Bos taurus and Homo sapiens). Both natural selection and mutational pressure have an impact on the codon usage patterns of the protein-coding genes in LSDV. This study is important because it has characterized the codon usage pattern in the LSDV genomes and has provided the necessary data for a basic evolutionary study on them.
Global Repeat Map (GRM) Application: Finding All DNA Tandem Repeat Units
Authors: Glunčić Matko , Vlahović Ines , Mršić Leo , Paar Vladimir
Published: December 2022

Tandem repeats (TRs) are important components of eukaryotic genomes; they have both structural and functional roles: (i) they form essential chromosome structures such as centromeres and telomeres; (ii) they modify chromatin structure and affect transcription, resulting in altered gene expression and protein abundance. There are established links between variations in TRs and incompatibilities between species, evolutionary development, chromosome mis-segregation, aging, cancer outcomes and different diseases. Given the importance of TRs, it seemed essential to develop an efficient, sensitive and automated application for the identification of all kinds of TRs in various genomic sequences. Here, we present our new GRM application for identifying TRs, which is designed to overcome all the limitations of the currently existing algorithms. Our GRM algorithm provides a straightforward identification of TRs using the frequency domain but avoiding the mapping of the symbolic DNA sequence into numerical sequence, and using key string matching, but avoiding the statistical methods of locally optimizing individual key strings. Using the GRM application, we analyzed human, chimpanzee and mouse chromosome 19 genome sequences (RefSeqs), and showed that our application was very fast, efficient and simple, with a powerful graphical user interface. It can identify all types of TRs, from the smallest (2 bp) to the very large, as large as tens of kilobasepairs. It does not require any prior knowledge of sequence structure and does not require any user-defined parameters or thresholds. In this way, it ensures that a full spectrum of TRs can be detected in just one step. Furthermore, it is robust to all types of mutations in repeat copies and can identify TRs with various complexities in the sequence pattern. From this perspective, we can conclude that the GRM application is an efficient, sensitive and automated method for the identification of all kinds of TRs.
Mixed Alternating Projections with Application to Hankel Low-Rank Approximation
Authors: Zvonarev Nikita , Golyandina Nina
Published: December 2022

The method of alternating projections for extracting low-rank signals is considered. The problem of decreasing the computational costs while keeping the estimation accuracy is analyzed. The proposed algorithm consists of alternating projections on the set of low-rank matrices and the set of Hankel matrices, where iterations of weighted projections with different weights are mixed. For algorithm justification, theory related to mixed alternating projections to linear subspaces is studied and the limit of mixed projections is obtained. The proposed approach is applied to the problem of Hankel low-rank approximation for constructing a modification of the Cadzow algorithm. Numerical examples compare the accuracy and computational cost of the proposed algorithm and Cadzow iterations.
Image Servo Tracking of a Flexible Manipulator Prototype with Connected Continuum Kinematic Modules
Authors: Hsu Ming-Hong , Nguyen Phuc Thanh-Thien , Nguyen Dai-Dong , Kuo Chung-Hsien
Published: December 2022

This paper presents the design and implementation of a flexible manipulator formed of connected continuum kinematic modules (CKMs) to ease the fabrication of a continuum robot with multiple degrees of freedom. The CKM consists of five sequentially arranged circular plates, four universal joints intermediately connecting five circular plates, three individual actuated tension cables, and compression springs surrounding the tension cables. The base and movable circular plates are used to connect the robot platform or the neighboring CKM. All tension cables are controlled via linear actuators at a distal site. To demonstrate the function and feasibility of the proposed CKM, the kinematics of the continuum manipulator were verified through a kinematic simulation at different end velocities. The correctness of the manipulator posture was confirmed through the kinematic simulation. Then, a continuum robot formed with three CKMs is fabricated to perform Jacobian-based image servo tracking tasks. For the eye-to-hand (ETH) experiment, a heart shape trajectory was tracked to verify the precision of the kinematics, which achieved an endpoint error of 4.03 in Root Mean Square Error (RMSE). For the eye-in-hand (EIH) plugging-in/unplugging experiment, the accuracy of the image servo tracking system was demonstrated in extensive tolerance conditions, with processing times as low as 58±2.12 s and 83±6.87 s at the 90% confidence level in unplugging and plugging-in tasks, respectively. Finally, quantitative tracking error analyses are provided to evaluate the overall performance.
Development and Analysis of a Novel Magnetic Levitation System with a Feedback Controller for Additive Manufacturing Applications
Authors: Kumar Parichit , Khamesee Mir Behrad
Published: December 2022

The primary goal of this study is to create a magnetic levitation system for additive manufacturing (AM) applications. The emphasis of this research is placed on Laser Directed Energy Deposition via Powder Feeding (LDED-PF). The primary benefit of using a magnetic levitation system for AM applications is that the levitated geometry is expected to be a portion of the final part manufactured, thus eliminating the need for a substrate and reducing the post-processing operation requirement. Two novel levitation systems were designed, optimized, and manufactured. The design, optimization, and analysis were first conducted in the simulation environment using ANSYS Maxwell and then tested with experiments. The newly developed systems depicted a much-improved performance compared to the first prototype developed in a previous article written by the authors. The newly developed systems had an increase in levitation height, the surface area for powder deposition activities, the time available for AM operations, and the ability to support additional mass within the limits of allowable inputs. The compatibility of the levitation system with AM applications was also verified by testing the impact of powder deposition and the ability of the levitated disc to support added mass as a function of time with minimal loss in performance. This article also highlights the development of a novel feedback PID controller for the levitation system. To improve the overall performance of the controller, a feedforward controller was added in conjunction with the PID controller. Finally, the levitation system was shown to highlight control over levitation height and maintain constant levitation height with the addition of an added mass using the feedback controller.
Life Analysis of Reusable Liquid Rocket Engine Thrust Chamber
Authors: Qi Yuanjie , Cheng Yuqiang , Zhang Yan
Published: December 2022

The thrust chamber’s inner wall suffers high temperature and pressure differences from the coolant channel, which limits the life of the rocket engine. Life prediction of the thrust chamber really plays an important role in reusable launch vehicle propulsion systems. The Porowski beam model is widely used in the life prediction of reusable liquid rocket engine thrust chambers, which calculates the life caused by fatigue, creep, and thinning after each firing cycle. In order to analyze the life of the thrust chamber, a LOX/Kerosene rocket engine is investigated in this paper. The life analysis consists of pressure and temperature differences and structural parameters. Two kinds of inner wall materials were chosen for comparison in this research: OFHC copper and Narloy-Z alloy. The results are presented to offer a reference for the design and manufacture of reusable rocket engine thrust chambers in the future.
An AEFA-Based Optimum Design of Fuzzy PID Controller for Attitude Control Flywheel with BLDC Motor
Authors: Zhang Zhizhou , Li Yang
Published: December 2022

A new method for optimizing the fuzzy PID controller, based on an artificial electric field algorithm (AEFA), is proposed in this paper, aiming at improving the stability indicator of the Brushless DC (BLDC) motor for the small satellite attitude control flywheel. The BLDC motor is the basic part of the small satellite attitude control flywheel. In order to accurately control the attitude of the small satellite, a good motor control system is very important. Firstly, the mathematical model of the BLDC motor is established and the BLDC motor speed control system using traditional PID control is designed. Secondly, considering that the small satellite speed control system is a nonlinear system, a fuzzy PID control is designed to solve the shortcomings of the fixed parameters of the traditional PID control. Finally, we find that the control accuracy of the fuzzy PID control will change with the range of the input. Therefore, we introduce the AEFA to optimize fuzzy PID to achieve high-precision attitude control of small satellites. By simulating the BLDC motor system, the proposed fuzzy PID controller based on AEFA is compared with the traditional PID controller and the fuzzy PID controller. Results from different controllers show that the proposed control method could effectively reduce steady state error. In addition, the proposed fuzzy PID–AEFA controller has the better anti-jamming capability.
Nonlinear Dynamics of a Space Tensioned Membrane Antenna during Orbital Maneuvering
Authors: Lu Yifan , Shao Qi , Lv Liangliang , Fang Guangqiang , Yue Honghao
Published: December 2022

Due to the super flexibility and strong nonlinearity of space membrane antennas, the dynamic response of a space membrane antenna will be affected by the rigid–flexible coupling effect in the process of orbital maneuvering. In this case, the dynamic model of a tensioned membrane antenna is significantly different from that under the general condition (fixed boundary). In this study, a nonlinear dynamic model of a tensioned space membrane antenna experiencing maneuvering is established, and the influence of the rigid–flexible coupling effect on structural stiffness and damping characteristics is described. Through a numerical solution, the effects of rigid body motion and structural natural frequency on the rigid–flexible coupling effect are discussed. The results show that the vibration frequency and amplitude of the antenna are positively correlated with the acceleration and initial velocity of rigid body motion. With the increase of the natural frequency of the antenna, the vibration frequency increases but the amplitude decreases. The rigid–flexible coupling nonlinear dynamic model proposed in this work is more applicable in intelligent vibration control compared to finite element software.
Sedimentary Nutrient Dynamics in Homestead Fishpond Systems from a Subtropical Coastal Area
Authors: Karmakar Anu Rani , Ullah Md. Akram , Hasan Md. Monjurul , Akter Liza , Sarker Md. Milon , Arai Takaomi , Sikder Mohammad Nurul Azim , Albeshr Mohammed Fahad , Hossain Mohammad Belal
Published: December 2022

Homestead ponds are small seasonal ponds that are rarely utilized for fish farming. Culturing fish in these small ponds can boost household fish consumption and cash inflow. The availability of nutrients in the water and sediment, however, plays a significant role in the pond’s natural productivity. This study was conducted to assess nutrient contents and some key physical parameters in the bottom sediments of 30 homestead ponds from the central coast along the Northern Bay of Bengal. Analyses of results showed the average values (±SD) of temperature, pH, electrical conductivity, organic matter (OM), organic carbon (°C), nitrogen (N), phosphorus (P) and sulphur (S) were 17.8 ± 1.12 °C, 7.29 ± 0.11, 0.41 ± 0.09 mS/cm, 29,615.48 ± 10,528.9 mg kg−1, 11,958 ± 6107 mg kg−1, 1030.6 ± 252 mg kg−1, 17.1 ± 13.5 mg kg−1 and 32.6 ± 19.7 mg kg−1 during winter and 27.2 ± 1.81 °C, 6.73 ± 0.12, 0.38 ± 0.17 mS/cm, 19,100.01 ± 13,739.07 mg kg−1, 11,079 ± 7969 mg kg−1, 955 ± 229.4 mg kg−1, 26.6 ± 20.2 mg kg−1 and 23.4 ± 15.9 mg kg−1 during pre-monsoon, respectively. One-way ANOVA revealed no significant differences in the mean value of sediment quality parameters among the selected ponds (p > 0.05) except for phosphorus in the winter season (p < 0.05). The sediment quality variables were found to be in the suitable range for fish culture. Pearson’s correlation coefficient values (r) showed that only organic carbon and nitrogen had a strong significant correlation with organic matter (p < 0.05). Based on Cluster Analysis (CA), two major associations among the nutrients were attained at a 15% similarity level: C, OM, and N in one cluster and P and S in another. The findings showed that the parameters were within the preferable range for aquaculture, and the homestead ponds are average productive ponds.
Salicylic Acid Pre-Treatment Reduces the Physiological Damage Caused by the Herbicide Mesosulfuron-methyl + Iodosulfuron-methyl in Wheat (Triticum aestivum)
Authors: Khatami Seyedeh Asieh , Barmaki Morteza , Alebrahim Mohammad Taghi , Bajwa Ali Ahsan
Published: December 2022

Chemical herbicides are the most common method of weed control in crops, but they can also negatively affect the host crops, such as wheat (Triticum aestivum L.). The damage caused to the crop plants is often temporary and minor, but sometimes, it can be more substantial, requiring remedial measures. Salicylic acid (SA) is a plant hormone widely used to promote plant growth and to mitigate oxidative stress through its exogenous application. We evaluated the role of exogenously applied SA (as a pre-treatment) in ameliorating the oxidative damage caused by the herbicide mesosulfuron-methyl + iodosulfuron-methyl in wheat plants. The herbicide disrupted the physiological function of plants by affecting several enzymatic antioxidants. The hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) and malondialdehyde (MDA) contents increased at herbicide concentrations higher than 18 g ai ha−1 compared with the untreated control. However, the SA decreased the H2O2 and MDA contents compared with plants that were not treated with SA prior to the herbicide application. The activity of superoxide dismutase (SOD) and polyphenol oxidase (PPO) enzymes increased with increasing rates of the herbicide, as well as over time, regardless of the SA treatment. The activity of catalase (CAT) increased up to the herbicide rate of 18 g ai ha−1 and then decreased at the higher rates, while SA pre-treatment enhanced the CAT activity. The activities of ascorbate peroxidase, peroxidase, and glutathione-S-transferase enzymes generally increased in response to the herbicide application and SA pre-treatment, but fluctuated across different days of sampling following the herbicide application. Herbicide stress also induced high levels of proline production in wheat leaves as compared with the untreated control, while SA pre-treatment decreased the proline contents. Overall, the pre-treatment with different concentrations of SA mitigated the herbicide damage to the physiological functions by regulating the enzymatic antioxidants.
Litchi Detection in a Complex Natural Environment Using the YOLOv5-Litchi Model
Authors: Xie Jiaxing , Peng Jiajun , Wang Jiaxin , Chen Binhan , Jing Tingwei , Sun Daozong , Gao Peng , Wang Weixing , Lu Jianqiang , Yetan Rundong , Li Jun
Published: December 2022

Detecting litchis in a complex natural environment is important for yield estimation and provides reliable support to litchi-picking robots. This paper proposes an improved litchi detection model named YOLOv5-litchi for litchi detection in complex natural environments. First, we add a convolutional block attention module to each C3 module in the backbone of the network to enhance the ability of the network to extract important feature information. Second, we add a small-object detection layer to enable the model to locate smaller targets and enhance the detection performance of small targets. Third, the Mosaic-9 data augmentation in the network increases the diversity of datasets. Then, we accelerate the regression convergence process of the prediction box by replacing the target detection regression loss function with CIoU. Finally, we add weighted-boxes fusion to bring the prediction boxes closer to the target and reduce the missed detection. An experiment is carried out to verify the effectiveness of the improvement. The results of the study show that the mAP and recall of the YOLOv5-litchi model were improved by 12.9% and 15%, respectively, in comparison with those of the unimproved YOLOv5 network. The inference speed of the YOLOv5-litchi model to detect each picture is 25 ms, which is much better than that of Faster-RCNN and YOLOv4. Compared with the unimproved YOLOv5 network, the mAP of the YOLOv5-litchi model increased by 17.4% in the large visual scenes. The performance of the YOLOv5-litchi model for litchi detection is the best in five models. Therefore, YOLOv5-litchi achieved a good balance between speed, model size, and accuracy, which can meet the needs of litchi detection in agriculture and provides technical support for the yield estimation and litchi-picking robots.
The True Costs and Benefits of Miscanthus Cultivation
Authors: Wagner Moritz , Winkler Bastian , Lask Jan , Weik Jan , Kiesel Andreas , Koch Mirjam , Clifton-Brown John , von Cossel Moritz
Published: December 2022

Agroecosystems provide numerous ecosystem services (ESs) such as provisioning, regulating, habitat and cultural services. At the same time, the management of these agroecosystems can cause various negative impacts on the environment such as the generation of greenhouse gas emissions. However, the way humans manage agroecosystems often focuses only on the production of agricultural goods, which yield monetary benefits in the short term but do not include the positive and negative external effects on ESs. In order to enable a holistic assessment of the economic and environmental costs and benefits, the current study combines the production costs, the monetary value of the ESs provided and the monetization of the environmental impacts caused by the management of agroecosystems using the perennial crop miscanthus as an example. Depending on the scenario assessed, the cultivation of miscanthus leads to a net benefit of 140 to 3051 EUR ha−1 yr−1. The monetary value of the ESs provided by the miscanthus cultivation thereby considerably outweighs the internal and external costs. The approach applied allows for a holistic assessment of the benefits and costs of agroecosystems and thus enables management decisions that are not only based on the biomass yield but include the various interactions with the environment.
Genetic Diversity Assessment of Sweetpotato Germplasm in China Using InDel Markers
Authors: Zhao Lukuan , Qi Zhanghua , Xiao Shizhuo , Tang Fen , Liu Yang , Deng Yitong , Dai Xibin , Zhou Zhilin , Ou Wenjun , Cao Qinghe
Published: December 2022

Sweetpotato (Ipomoea batatas (L.) Lam.), whose roots are rich in starch, is widely grown around the world and plays a prominent role in ensuring food security. At present, there are no reports on the genetic diversity of sweetpotato germplasm revealed by InDel markers. In this study, we developed a set of 30 InDel markers to evaluate the genetic diversity and relationships of 240 accessions, comprising 77 landraces, 80 introduced accessions, 82 improved varieties released in China, and a diploid wild relative Ipomoea trifida. A total of 94 reliable loci were obtained, with a mean of 3.13 loci per primer, and the PIC value ranged from 0.143 to 0.821. The whole population could be divided into three sub-populations according to a structure analysis based on the Bayesian model, which was consistent with the results of principal component analysis (PCA). A neighbor-joining tree was constructed based on Nei’s genetic distance ranging from 0 to 0.556 and discriminated the panel of the population into three main groups (Ⅰ, Ⅱ, Ⅲ). Group Ⅲ was further split into seven subgroups (ⅢA–ⅢG). The clustering pattern of the 240 accessions was unrelated to their geographic origins. Most of the accessions, whether landraces, improved varieties released in China or introduced germplasm, were mixed, which revealed the high level of genetic similarity among accessions from different regions. There was little difference in the level of genetic diversity between landraces and improved varieties, which was probably due to the exchange and utilization of accessions from different regions. More efforts should be made to collect and utilize sweetpotato germplasm resources and further broaden the genetic basis of sweetpotato cultivars.
Estrus Synchronization of Replacement Gilts Using Estradiol Cipionate and PGF2α and Its Effects on Reproductive Outcomes
Authors: Leal Diego Feitosa , Viana Carlos Henrique Cabral , Almond Glen William , Monteiro Matheus Saliba , Garbossa Cesar Augusto Pospissil , Carnevale Rafaella Fernandes , Muro Bruno Bracco Donatelli , Poor André Pegoraro , Pugliesi Guilherme , Nichi Marcílio , Watanabe Tatiane Terumi Negrão , Marques Mariana Groke
Published: December 2022

In this study, we evaluated the effectiveness of using estrogen-induced prolonged luteal function followed by prostaglandin F2 alpha (PGF2α) treatment to synchronize estrus in gilts. On day12 of the estrus cycle (D0 = first day of standing estrus), 52 gilts were assigned at random to two experimental groups: non-treated gilts (CON, n = 22), serving as controls, and prolonged luteal function group (CYP, n = 30), receiving a single treatment with 10 mg of estradiol cypionate intramuscularly Starting on day 12, blood samples were collected for estradiol and progesterone assays. Estrus detection started on day 17. Gilts from the CON group were inseminated at the onset of natural estrus. On day 28 CYP gilts were treated with PGF2α to induce luteolysis and inseminated at the onset of estrus. Gilts were slaughtered 5 d after the last insemination. A single treatment with estradiol cypionate prolonged luteal function in 90% of treated gilts. The duration of the estrous cycle was longer (p < 0.0001) for CYP gilts compared to CON gilts. CYP gilts showed synchronized estrus 3.96 ± 0.19 d after induction of luteolysis. The conception rate was similar (p = 0.10) for CON and CYP gilts. No difference was observed in the embryo recovery rate (p = 0.18) and total number of embryos per female (p = 0.06). The percentage of unfertilized oocytes, fragmented embryos and viable embryos was similar among females from CON and CYP groups (p > 0.05). The treatment of gilts with a single application of 10 mg of estradiol cypionate on day 12 of the estrous cycle was effective in prolonging luteal function and treatment with PGF2α resulted in synchronized estrus. Additionally, the synchronization protocol had no deleterious effect on fertility and embryonic development.
Diffusion Tensor Imaging in Syringomyelia Secondary to Chiari Malformation in Cavalier King Charles Spaniel—A Preliminary Study
Authors: Wrzosek Marcin Adam , Banasik Aleksandra Ewa , Owsińska-Schmidt Karolina , Zimny Anna
Published: December 2022

Syringomyelia secondary to Chiari-like malformation (so-called CM-SM syndrome) is a common disorder in Cavalier King Charles Spaniels (CKCS) that is diagnosed using standard structural MRI, though imaging findings often do not correlate with the severity of clinical symptoms. Diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) is a technique that defines subtle microstructural changes in the course of many brain and spinal cord diseases, that are not visible on standard MRI. The aim of the study was to identify the correlation between the presence of clinical symptoms and DTI parameters, such as apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC) and fractional anisotropy (FA) within the spinal cord in the course of CM-SM. Study subjects included 18 dogs, CKCS with MRI-confirmed SM (SM group), and 12 CKCS dogs without SM (non-SM group). The SM group was divided into SM-symptomatic group (n = 8) and SM-asymptomatic group, n = 10). All dogs underwent same clinical and neurological assessment followed by MRI examination. All MRI studies were performed on a 1.5T MRI scanner. The MRI spine protocol included: transverse and sagittal T2-weighted images followed by DTI performed in the sagittal plane. The measurements of FA and ADC values were performed manually using the region of interest (ROI) method at the level of three intervertebral discs between C1 and C4. Notable differences in age and body weight were found. No significant differences in FA and ADC values between the SM and non-SM groups were found, but between non-SM, SM-asymptomatic and SM-symptomatic groups significant differences were found in ADC values in all three ROIs and in FA values in ROI-1 and ROI-3. SM-symptomatic dogs compared to non-SM, showed decreased FA value in ROI-1 and ROI-3 also increased ADC value in ROI-1, ROI-2 and ROI-3. SM-symptomatic dogs compared to SM-asymptomatic showed also decreased FA value in ROI-1 and ROI-3, and also increased ADC value in ROI-1, ROI-2 and ROI-3. The results suggest that the values of DTI parameters correlate with the severity of clinical symptoms in the course of CM-SM in animals. The use of DTI evaluation of CM-SM patients carries a potential value as a clinically relevant protocol for an objective assessment of the spinal cord.
The Effect of Femur Positioning on Measurement of Tibial Plateau Angle: An In Vitro Study
Authors: Danielski Alan , Solano Miguel Angel , Yeadon Russell
Published: December 2022

Five canine cadaveric pelvic limbs with intact cranial cruciate ligaments were used to quantify the effect of variation in limb positioning on the radiographic measurement of the tibial plateau angle (TPA) with reference to the degree of femoral condyle superimposition. Intra-osseous pin placement and a custom jig design allowed the controlled three-dimensional manipulation of limbs. Medio-lateral digital radiographic projections were taken with perfect femoral hemicondylar superimposition to establish a “reference” TPA (difference in position = 0 mm), and subsequently in varying degrees of supination/pronation and abduction/adduction. The lack of femoral hemicondylar superimposition for each radiograph was quantified using a tangential line technique with reference to the long tibial axis. A total of 176 radiographs were each assessed by three observers. “True” TPA was measured and it ranged within 17–25° across all limbs assessed. Variation in femoral condylar positioning ranged from −13 mm to +13 mm proximo-distally, and −11 mm to +11 mm cranio-caudally. Moreover, 3 mm non-superimposition of the femoral condyles produced 90.6% of measurements with 1° difference between measured and “true” TPA, and a sensitivity of 97.9% for a 2° difference. Further reduction in femoral condylar superimposition to 4 mm reduced the frequency of 1° difference between measured and “true” TPA to 84.9%, and to 94.8% for a 2° difference. In conclusion, measurement of TPA in large breed dogs from radiographs with greater than 3 mm variation in femoral condylar superimposition should be interpreted with caution.
Effects of Supplemented Resveratrol on In Vitro Ruminal Fermentation and Growth Performance of Hanwoo Calves
Authors: Ryu Chae Hwa , Kim Byeong Hyeon , Lee Seul , Bang Han Tae , Baek Youl Chang
Published: December 2022

We investigated the effects of resveratrol supplementation on in vitro ruminal fermentation and growth performance of Hanwoo calves. Treatment with three resveratrol concentrations (0%, 0.1%, 0.3%, and 0.5%) was used for in vitro ruminal fermentation. Resveratrol concentrations and pH of rumen fluid were negatively correlated (p < 0.05); therefore, total gas production, total volatile fatty acids, and acetate, propionate, and butyrate levels were significantly higher in the treatments than in the control at all time periods (p < 0.05). The appropriate resveratrol concentration that could be added without negative effects on the rumen was 0.3%. In farm experiments, we divided 14 Korean cattle calves into control (C) and 0.3% resveratrol (T) groups. There were no significant differences in the daily weight gain, feed conversion, final body weight, body length, withers height, and height at hip cross in the resveratrol-fed Hanwoo calves. Immunoglobulin G level was significantly higher in the treatment than in the control (p < 0.05), but IgA and IgM levels did not differ. Supplemental feeding of resveratrol is beneficial to in vitro ruminal fermentation, but it is important to supplement it at 0.3%. Furthermore, resveratrol affects calf immunoglobulin G.
Pharmacokinetic/Pharmacodynamic Analysis of Continuous-Infusion Fosfomycin in Combination with Extended-Infusion Cefiderocol or Continuous-Infusion Ceftazidime-Avibactam in a Case Series of Difficult-to-Treat Resistant Pseudomonas aeruginosa Bloodstream Infections and/or Hospital-Acquired Pneumonia
Authors: Gatti Milo , Giannella Maddalena , Rinaldi Matteo , Gaibani Paolo , Viale Pierluigi , Pea Federico
Published: December 2022

Objectives: To perform a pharmacokinetic/pharmacodynamic (PK/PD) analysis of continuous-infusion (CI) fosfomycin combined with extended-infusion (EI) cefiderocol or CI ceftazidime-avibactam in a case series of severe difficult-to-treat Pseudomonas aeruginosa (DTR-PA) infections. Methods: A single-center retrospective study of patients who were treated with CI fosfomycin plus EI cefiderocol or CI ceftazidime-avibactam for severe DTR-PA infections and who underwent therapeutic drug monitoring (TDM), from 1 September 2021 to 30 June 2022 was performed. Concentrations were measured at steady-state (Css) for CI fosfomycin and ceftazidime-avibactam and at trough (Cmin) for EI cefiderocol. Joint PK/PD targets of combination therapy were analyzed (thresholds: area-under-the curve to minimum inhibitory concentration (AUC/MIC) ratio > 40.8 for fosfomycin; ceftazidime Css/MIC ratio ≥ 4 coupled with avibactam Css > 4 mg/L for ceftazidime-avibactam; Cmin/MIC ratio ≥ 4 for cefiderocol). Joint PK/PD targets of the combination therapy were analyzed and defined as optimal when both were achieved, quasi-optimal if only one of the two was achieved, and suboptimal if none of the two was achieved). The relationship between joint PK/PD target attainment and microbiological response was assessed. Results: Six patients (three pneumonia, two BSI + pneumonia, and one BSI) were included. The joint PK/PD targets were optimal in four cases and quasi-optimal in the other two. Microbiological eradication (ME) occurred in 4/4 of patients with optimal joint PK/PD targets and in one of the two patients with quasi-optimal joint PK/PD targets. Conclusions: Attaining optimal joint PK/PD targets with a combo-therapy of CI fosfomycin plus EI cefiderocol or CI ceftazidime-avibactam could represent an effective strategy for granting favorable microbiological outcomes in patients with DTR-PA pneumonia and/or BSI.
An Initial Report of the Antimicrobial Activities of Volatiles Produced during Rapid Volatilization of Oils
Authors: Ramamurthy Sangeetha , Kopel Jonathan , Westenberg David , Kapila Shubhender
Published: December 2022

Aerosols generated through volatilization and subsequent recondensation of oil vapors have been used as obscurant (smoke) screens during military operations since the early twentieth century. Specifically, a petroleum middle distillate known as the fog oil (FO) has been used in US military battlefields to create obscurant smoke screens. During a study on the feasibility of replacing petroleum-derived FO with vegetable oil-derived esters such as methyl soyate (MS), it was observed that that FO and MS aerosols and vapors did not exhibit detectable mutagenic activity but were lethal to Ames strains bacteria even after very short exposure periods. These results opened the potential use of oil-derived vapors as antimicrobial agents. Subsequent studies showed that optimal aerosol/vapor production conditions could further enhance disinfectant efficiency. For this purpose, we examined the antimicrobial activities of mineral oils and biogenic oil ester aerosols/vapors against a wide range of Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria. The results of the study showed that the aerosols/vapors obtained from mineral oil or vegetable oil ester under proper conditions can serve as an excellent antibacterial disinfectant.
Potential Nitrogen-Based Heterocyclic Compounds for Treating Infectious Diseases: A Literature Review
Authors: Aatif Mohammad , Raza Muhammad Asam , Javed Khadija , Nashre-ul-Islam Swah Mohd. , Farhan Mohd , Alam Mir Waqas
Published: December 2022

Heterocyclic compounds are considered as one of the major and most diverse family of organic compounds. Nowadays, the demand for these compounds is increasing day-by-day due to their enormous synthetic and biological applications. These heterocyclic compounds have unique antibacterial activity against various Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacterial strains. This review covers the antibacterial activity of different heterocyclic compounds with nitrogen moiety. Some of the derivatives of these compounds show excellent antibacterial activity, while others show reasonable activity against bacterial strains. This review paper aims to bring and discuss the detailed information on the antibacterial activity of various nitrogen-based heterocyclic compounds. It will be helpful for the future evolution of diseases to synthesize new and effective drug molecules.