bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Evaluation of Farmers’ Ecological Cognition in Responses to Specialty Orchard Fruit Planting Behavior: Evidence in Shaanxi and Ningxia, China
Authors: Chen Zhe , Sarkar Apurbo , Hasan Ahmed Khairul , Li Xiaojing , Xia Xianli
Published: October 2021

Developing specialties in orchard fruits productions with ecological and economic benefits is a practical and effective way to guarantee eco-friendliness and increase farmers’ income in the Loess Plateau area. Therefore, to understand these factors, the study constructs an agriculture ecological cognition index from three dimensions of eco-agriculture cognitions (increase income cognition, water conservation cognition and eco-product price cognition). Our analysis was based on micro survey data from 416 farmers in Shaanxi and Ningxia, China. The study used two main econometric models, double-hurdle and Interpretative Structural Modeling (ISM), to examine the relationship and influence pathways between cognition of ecological agriculture and farmers’ specialty orchard fruit planting behavior. The results show that: (i) the cognition of eco-agriculture affects whether farmers plant specialty fruits (participation decision). The cognition of eco-agriculture increases income and the cognition of eco-product price significantly affect the scale of specialty orchard fruits planting (quantity decision). (ii) Household resource endowments influence specialty orchard fruit planting responses through ecological farming cognitions. (iii) The factors influencing the participation and quantity decisions of orchard fruit planting are significantly different. Therefore, when the government actively encourages farmers to participate in specialty orchard planting, it should fully consider the cognitive factors of ecological agriculture of the growers and develop targeted training strategies.
Use of Recovered Struvite and Ammonium Nitrate in Fertigation in Tomato (Lycopersicum esculentum) Production for boosting Circular and Sustainable Horticulture
Authors: Carreras-Sempere Mar , Caceres Rafaela , Viñas Marc , Biel Carmen
Published: October 2021

Struvite and ammonium nitrate are products obtained from widely studied processes to remove phosphorus (P) and nitrogen (N) from waste streams. To boost circularity in horticulture, these recovered products should be applied to edible crops. Particularly, struvite has not been implemented in fertigation as the unique source of P fertilizer. Therefore, a soilless system greenhouse experiment was conducted for tomato crops during two growing seasons. This study aims to compare the agronomic and environmental effectiveness of recovered products used in a nutrient solution for fertigation (NS) to synthetic fertilizer treatment. Moreover, two different N concentrations of the NS were tested to evaluate the impact on the N-leaching. Additionally, struvite dissolution tests were performed to ensure its solubility. Satisfactory results of struvite solubilization were obtained. Results show that both nutrient-recovered products can be used as fertilizers in NS, due to their non-statistical significance in total yield production and fruit quality. However, ammonium nitrate treatment, depending on the crop variety, showed a lower marketable yield. Moreover, the variation on N concentration input exhibited leachate concentration differences, with N leached percentage values from 36 to 13%. These results give deeper insights into the future potential utilization of nutrient-recovered products and technical data to optimize fertigation strategies.
Influence of Sowing Time on Yield and Yield Components of Spring Rapeseed in Lithuania
Authors: Butkevičienė Lina Marija , Kriaučiūnienė Zita , Pupalienė Rita , Velička Rimantas , Kosteckienė Silvija , Kosteckas Robertas , Klimas Evaldas
Published: October 2021

Sowing time, as an element, is important to improving the adaptation of cultivars to environmental conditions and to achieving high seed yields. The field experiment was conducted from 2018–2019 at the Experimental Station of Vytautas Magnus University Agriculture Academy. The experimental design included treatments with different sowing dates: eight sowing dates in 2018 and 10 sowing dates in 2019. The first sowing of spring rapeseed was carried out when the soil reached its physical maturity, i.e., it did not stick to agricultural implements and it crumbled well. The other sowing dates were every seven subsequent days. From 2018–2019, the rapeseed emerged as best in early May (3 and 4 May), and later sowing reduced the emergence of rapeseed. In 2018, most pods were formed on one plant when the rapeseed was sown (on 1 June), compared to other sowings, on average 2.8 times more. In 2019, most pods were formed by the latest-sown rapeseed (7 June), from 1.4 to 2.7 times more compared to previously sown crops. In 2018, the sowing time of spring rapeseed did not have a significant effect on the number of seeds in one pod. In 2019, it was found that the rapeseed formed most of the seeds in the pod at a similar time as in 2018: the sowings of 19 April and 7 June. The average number of seeds in the pod was significantly reduced by early sowing (5 April). In 2019, the highest 1000-seed weight was found at the earliest-sown crop (5 April), which was on average 18.0% higher compared to the later sowings. The 1000-seed weight of the last-sown rapeseed (7 June) was the lowest. In 2018, the yields of early-sown (20 April) spring rapeseed were the highest. Later sowing significantly reduced the yields by 20.7 to 48.2%. In 2019, the highest seed yield was obtained after sowing spring rapeseed in late April (26 April); it was significant, on average, 1.9 times higher than the yields of spring rapeseed sown from 3 May to 7 June. Meteorological conditions had a stronger effect on the field emergence and yield components of spring rapeseed than the sowing date.
Effects of Multifunctional Margins Implementation on Biodiversity in Annual Crops
Authors: Moreno-García Manuel , Repullo-Ruibérriz de Torres Miguel Ángel , Carbonell-Bojollo Rosa , López-Tirado Javier , Aguado-Martín Luis Óscar , Rodríguez-Lizana Antonio , Ordóñez-Fernández Rafaela
Published: October 2021

The most suitable land for agricultural use has been gradually occupied by crops around the world. Large, uninterrupted croplands have been created, while disproportionate amounts of fertilizers, insecticides, fungicides and herbicides are applied on them. As a result, agricultural activity has a negative impact on biodiversity the ecological intensification of cultivated lands has become necessary. Multifunctional Margins (MFM), the establishment of native flora margins adjacent to croplands, provide a semi-natural habitat for food and wildlife refuge. Three different species mixtures sown in MFM were studied in this paper. The large capacity of six species used in MFM (Borago officinalis, Glebionis coronaria, Coriandrum sativum, Sinapis alba, Trifolium resupinatum and Vicia sativa) was determined. Reductions of up to 65% in the appearance of weeds and increases of 36% in pollinator biodiversity in sown MFM with respect to the MFM of spontaneous flora were observed. The biodiversity of the epigeal fauna increased by 15% in the MFM of spontaneous flora and by 32% in sown MFM, with respect to annual crops.
Effects of Damaged Levels and Pruning of Peach and Japanese Apricot Trees by Hailstorms on the Performance
Authors: Kim Byeong-Sam , Cho Hye-Sung , Cho Kyung-Chul , Kim Hyo-Jung , Lee Bo-Bae , Gu Mengmeng , Choi Hyun-Sug
Published: October 2021

Defoliation (DF) on peach (Prunus persica L.) and Japanese apricot (Prunus mume Sieb. et Zucc.) trees caused by a hailstorm in 2017, year 1, was investigated for its effects on growth and fruit yield in South Korea over four years, comparing with recovery effects of the DF trees treated with repeated immediate pruning (IP) right after the storm. Treatments included 0–10, 10–40, 40–70, and 70–100% of DF trees, with 0–10, 10–40, 40–70, and 70–100% of DF + IP trees. The hailstorms increased the damages to shoots for peaches and to shoots and scaffold for Japanese apricot trees in year 1, with fruit yield reduced more than 80% observed on 10–100 DF of both fruit species. The IP treatment increased the number of new shoots in years 2–4 but reduced shoot length and diameter of peach and Japanese apricot trees. Tree canopy in years 2–4 was reduced on 40–100 DF of peach trees and on 70–100 of DF and DF + IP of Japanese apricot trees. The 40–100 DF Japanese apricot trees resulted in a fruit yield index of less than 90% for years 2–4, which was observed on 40–100 DF+IP trees only in year 2 due to balanced tree vegetative and reproductive growth.
Drought Tolerant Varieties of Common Beans (Phaseolus vulgaris) in Central Afghanistan
Authors: Hussaini Sayed Muhammad Baqer , Sidle Roy C. , Kazimi Zaigham , Khan Aziz Ali , Rezaei Abdul Qayum , Ghulami Zahra , Buda Taher , Rastagar Rahmatullah , Fatimi Ali Aqa , Muhmmadi Zahra
Published: October 2021

Legume crops have played a significant role in the historical dietary regime of Afghan peoples. Recently, production of common beans has increased on Afghan farms relative to other leguminous crops. However, compared with other pulse crops, common beans are more prone to water stress. To select drought resistant common beans, several varieties were assessed in the field during a sequence of restricted water supplies for two years and the local drought regime was analyzed for a 12-years period. The first experiment in 2018 compared five bean varieties under four irrigation regimes. White and black beans with long maturation periods and climber habits, and motley beans, characterized by moderate maturity and semi-climber structures, were susceptible to drought and did not mature well under restricted irrigation and ambient climate conditions. The other two varieties, red and pied beans, adapted to restricted water supplies and the long dry summers; these two varieties were assessed again in 2019. Statistical analyses and inferences based on the 2019 study suggest that red beans are more adaptable to water deficit treatments compared to pied beans. Therefore, red beans are considered a better option given the frequent mid- to late-summer droughts that occur in this region, together with the generally harsh mountain climate and short growing season of the central Afghanistan highlands. As a second varietal choice, pied beans are reasonably drought tolerant based on our findings.
Predictive Machine Learning of Objective Boundaries for Solving COPs
Authors: Spieker Helge , Gotlieb Arnaud
Published: October 2021

Solving Constraint Optimization Problems (COPs) can be dramatically simplified by boundary estimation, that is providing tight boundaries of cost functions. By feeding a supervised Machine Learning (ML) model with data composed of the known boundaries and extracted features of COPs, it is possible to train the model to estimate the boundaries of a new COP instance. In this paper, we first give an overview of the existing body of knowledge on ML for Constraint Programming (CP), which learns from problem instances. Second, we introduce a boundary estimation framework that is applied as a tool to support a CP solver. Within this framework, different ML models are discussed and evaluated regarding their suitability for boundary estimation, and countermeasures to avoid unfeasible estimations that avoid the solver finding an optimal solution are shown. Third, we present an experimental study with distinct CP solvers on seven COPs. Our results show that near-optimal boundaries can be learned for these COPs with only little overhead. These estimated boundaries reduce the objective domain size by 60-88% and can help the solver find near-optimal solutions early during the search.
Assessing Allostatic Load in Ring-Tailed Lemurs (Lemur catta)
Authors: Seeley Kathryn E. , Proudfoot Kathryn L. , Wolfe Barbara , Crews Douglas E.
Published: October 2021

Responses to stress are unavoidable, adaptive mechanisms in humans and non-human animals. However, in humans, chronic stress has been linked to poor health outcomes and early mortality. Allostatic load, the physiologic dysregulation that occurs when an organism is exposed to chronic stressors, has been used to assess stress in humans; less work has been done using non-human primates. Our aim was to determine the relationship between allostatic load in ring-tailed lemurs (Lemur catta) under human care and potentially stressful individual, social, medical and husbandry factors, as well a sex and age. An allostatic load index (ALI) was calculated for 38 lemurs using six biomarkers measured in serum (albumin, cortisol, dehydroepiandrosterone-sulfate, DNA damage, glucose and prostaglandin E2). Potentially stressful factors were recorded over the lifetime of each lemur using medical and husbandry records. Animals with a higher percentage of time spent indoors, those kept in smaller average group sizes, and those with fewer minor group composition changes had, or tended to have, higher ALI. There was no relationship between ALI and sex or age. Some social and husbandry factors were associated with allostatic load in lemurs, indicating that this index may be a useful tool in assessing and determining factors contributing to stress of lemurs and other animals under human care.
New Alternative Mixtures of Cryoprotectants for Equine Immature Oocyte Vitrification
Authors: Angel-Velez Daniel , De Coster Tine , Azari-Dolatabad Nima , Fernandez-Montoro Andrea , Benedetti Camilla , Bogado Pascottini Osvaldo , Woelders Henri , Van Soom Ann , Smits Katrien
Published: October 2021

Equine oocyte vitrification would benefit the growing in vitro embryo production programs, but further optimization of the protocol is necessary to reach clinical efficiency. Therefore, we aimed to perform a direct comparison of non-permeating and permeating cryoprotective agents (CPAs) during the vitrification and warming of equine immature oocytes. In the first experiment, cumulus oocytes complexes (COCs) were vitrified comparing sucrose, trehalose, and galactose in combination with ethylene glycol (EG) and dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO). In the second experiment, the COCs were vitrified using three mixtures of permeating CPAs in a 50:50 volume ratio (ethylene glycol-dimethyl sulfoxide (ED), propylene glycol-ethylene glycol (PE), and propylene glycol-dimethyl sulfoxide (PD)) with galactose and warmed in different galactose concentrations (0.3 or 0.5 mol/L). Overall, all the treatments supported blastocyst formation, but the developmental rates were lower for all the vitrified groups in the first (4.3 to 7.6%) and the second (3.5 to 9.4%) experiment compared to the control (26.5 and 34.2%, respectively; p < 0.01). In the first experiment, the maturation was not affected by vitrification. The sucrose exhibited lower cleavage than the control (p = 0.02). Although the galactose tended to have lower maturation than trehalose (p = 0.060) and control (p = 0.069), the highest numerical cleavage and blastocyst rates were obtained with this CPA. In the second experiment, the maturation, cleavage, and blastocyst rates were similar between the treatments. Compared to the control, only the ED reached similar maturation (p = 0.02) and PE similar cleavage (p = 0.1). The galactose concentration during warming did not affect the maturation, cleavage, or blastocyst rates (p > 0.1), but the PE-0.3 exhibited the highest blastocyst rate (15.1%) among the treatments, being the only one comparable to the control (34.2%). As such, PE–galactose provides a valuable option for equine immature oocyte vitrification and should be considered for the future optimization of the protocol.
Bioconversion of Digestate, Pig Manure and Vegetal Residue-Based Waste Operated by Black Soldier Fly Larvae, Hermetia illucens L. (Diptera: Stratiomyidae)
Authors: Veldkamp Teun , van Rozen Klaas , Elissen Hellen , van Wikselaar Piet , van der Weide Rommie
Published: October 2021

Insects can play an important role to upgrade waste streams into high-grade proteins and fats as food and feed ingredients or non-food products. The aim of this research was to assess the feasibility to use waste streams with a low value for direct application as animal feed as substrates to grow BSF larvae in terms of larval growth rate, waste reduction index, and efficiency of conversion of ingested feed. The growth of black soldier fly (BSF), Hermetia illucens larvae and conversion of biowaste was assessed in triplicate in biowaste substrates: chicken feed (CF; reference diet), pig manure solid (PMS), Betafert® solid (BTFS), swill (SW), olive pulp (OP), pig manure liquid mixed with chicken feed (PMLCF), and silage grass (SG). Per kilogram fresh substrate 2500 starter (8-days-old, second instar) larvae were incubated in 21 plastic containers (75 × 47 × 15 cm). The BSF larvae were fed according to a batch feeding system. Highest growth rate was found in larvae reared on SW (13.4 mg/d). Larval growth rate was even higher than in larvae reared on the reference substrate CF (7.2 mg/d). Growth rate in larvae reared on PMLCF (7.3 mg/d) did not differ from CF, whereas growth rate of larvae reared on PMS (3.2 mg/d) was lower than on CF. Growth rate of larvae reared on BTFS, OP and SG was very low (0.6, 0.2 and 0.7 mg/d, respectively). Waste Reduction Index (WRI) was highest on SW (11.3), followed by PMLCF (9.3), and both were higher than WRI on CF (8.5). Waste Reduction Index further decreased in descending order from PMS, SG, BTFS to OP (7.6, 4.0, 2.9 and 1.7, respectively). The Efficiency of Conversion of Ingested substrate (ECI) was highest on SW (0.31), followed in descending order by PMLCF, CF and PMS (0.25, 0.21 and 0.18, respectively). The substrates OP, BTFS and SG (0.16, 0.15 and 0.14, respectively) resulted in a lower ECI than other substrates. Highest CO2 and lowest NH3 concentrations were found above substrates with the highest larval growth performances. This study showed that BSF larvae can be reared on different biowaste substrates; the growth rate of the larvae was extremely high on SW. The effects of chemical composition and physical properties of the substrates on larval growth and gas emissions should be further considered.
Pharmacokinetics and Pharmacokinetic/Pharmacodynamic Integration of Enrofloxacin Following Single Oral Administration of Different Doses in Brown Trout (Salmo trutta)
Authors: Uney Kamil , Terzi Ertugrul , Durna Corum Duygu , Ozdemir Rahmi Can , Bilen Soner , Corum Orhan
Published: October 2021

The pharmacokinetic of enrofloxacin was investigated in brown trout (Salmo trutta) following oral administration of 10, 20, and 40 mg/kg doses at 11 ± 1.5 °C. Furthermore, MICs of enrofloxacin against Aeromonas hydrophila and A. sobria were determined. The plasma concentrations of enrofloxacin and ciprofloxacin were determined using HPLC–UV and analyzed by non-compartmental method. Following oral administration at dose of 10 mg/kg, total clearance (CL/F), area under the concentration–time curve (AUC0−∞) and peak plasma concentrations (Cmax) were 41.32 mL/h/kg, 242.02 h*μg/mL and 4.63 μg/mL, respectively. When compared to 10 mg/kg dose, the dose-normalized AUC0–∞ and Cmax were increased by 56.30% and 30.08%, respectively, while CL/F decreased by 38.4% at 40 mg/kg dose, suggesting the non-linearity. Ciprofloxacin was not detected in the all of plasma samples. The MIC values of enrofloxacin were ranged 0.0625–4 μg/mL for A. hydrophila and 0.0625–2 μg/mL for A. sobria. The oral administration of enrofloxacin at 10 (for 192 h) and 20 (for 240 h) mg/kg doses provided the AUC of enrofloxacin equal to 1.23 and 1.96-fold MICs, respectively, for A. hydrophila and A. sobria with the MIC90 values of 1 µg/mL. However, further researches are needed on the PK/PD study of enrofloxacin for the successful treatment of infections caused by A. hydrophila and A. sobria in brown trout.
Microbicidal Activity of Hypothiocyanite against Pneumococcus
Authors: Yassine Edriss , Rada Balázs
Published: October 2021

Infections caused by Streptococcus pneumoniae (pneumococcus, Spn) manifest in several forms such as pneumonia, meningitis, sinusitis or otitis media and are associated with severe morbidity and mortality worldwide. While current vaccines and antibiotics are available to treat Spn infections, the rise of antibiotic resistance and limitations of the vaccines to only certain Spn serotypes urge the development of novel treatments against Spn. Hypothiocyanite (OSCN-) is a natural antimicrobial product produced by the body’s own innate immune system to fight a variety of pathogens. We recently showed that OSCN- is also capable of killing Spn in vitro. OSCN- is an oxidative agent attacking microbes in a nonspecific manner, is safe for the host and also has anti-inflammatory effects that make it an ideal candidate to treat a variety of infections in humans. However, OSCN- has a short life span that makes its use, dosage and administration more problematic. This minireview discusses the antimicrobial mechanism of action of OSCN- against Spn and elaborates on the potential therapeutic use of OSCN- against Spn and other infectious agents, either alone or in combination with other therapeutic approaches.
Photofungizides Based on Curcumin and Derivates Thereof against Candida albicans and Aspergillus niger
Authors: Schamberger Barbara , Plaetzer Kristjan
Published: October 2021

Fungal infections in humans, contamination of food and structural damage to buildings by fungi are associated with high costs for the general public. In addition, the increase in antifungal resistance towards conventional treatment raises the demand for new fungicidal methods. Here, we present the antifungal use of Photodynamic Inactivation (PDI) based on the natural photosensitizer curcumin and a water-soluble positively charged derivative thereof (SA-CUR 12a) against two different model organisms; Candida albicans grown in a liquid culture and photo treated with a 435 nm LED light followed by counting of the colony-forming units and photoinactivation of tissue-like hyphal spheres of Aspergillus niger (diameter ~5 mm) with subsequent monitoring of colony growth. Curcumin (50 µM, no incubation period, i.p.) supplemented with 10% or 0.5% DMSO as well as SA-CUR 12a (50 µM no i.p or 5 min i.p.) triggered a photoantifungal effect of >4 log units towards C. albicans. At 100 µM, SA-CUR 12a (0 min or 5 min i.p.) achieved a reduction of >6 log units. Colonies of A. niger shrunk significantly during PDI treatment. Photoinactivation with 50 µM or 100 µM curcumin (+0.5% DMSO) resulted in complete growth inhibition. PDI using 20, 50 or 100 µM SA-CUR 12a (with or without 10% DMSO) also showed a significant reduction in colony area compared to the control after 48 h, although less pronounced compared to curcumin. In summary, PDI using curcumin or SA-CUR 12a against C. albicans or A. niger is a promising alternative to currently used fungicides, with the advantage of being very unlikely to induce resistance.
Oxidative Stress and Energy Metabolism in the Brain: Midlife as a Turning Point
Authors: Lushchak Volodymyr I. , Duszenko Michael , Gospodaryov Dmytro V. , Garaschuk Olga
Published: October 2021

Neural tissue is one of the main oxygen consumers in the mammalian body, and a plentitude of metabolic as well as signaling processes within the brain is accompanied by the generation of reactive oxygen (ROS) and nitrogen (RNS) species. Besides the important signaling roles, both ROS and RNS can damage/modify the self-derived cellular components thus promoting neuroinflammation and oxidative stress. While previously, the latter processes were thought to progress linearly with age, newer data point to midlife as a critical turning point. Here, we describe (i) the main pathways leading to ROS/RNS generation within the brain, (ii) the main defense systems for their neutralization and (iii) summarize the recent literature about considerable changes in the energy/ROS homeostasis as well as activation state of the brain’s immune system at midlife. Finally, we discuss the role of calorie restriction as a readily available and cost-efficient antiaging and antioxidant lifestyle intervention.
Resveratrol Targets a Variety of Oncogenic and Oncosuppressive Signaling for Ovarian Cancer Prevention and Treatment
Authors: Xu Xue-Ling , Deng Shou-Long , Lian Zheng-Xing , Yu Kun
Published: October 2021

Ovarian cancer is a heterogeneous disease and is also the major cause of death among women from gynecologic malignancies. A combination of surgery and chemotherapy is the major therapy for ovarian cancer. Unfortunately, despite good response rates to initial surgery and chemotherapy, most patients relapse and have a generally poor survival rate. The present research sheds light on the therapeutic effects of multiple natural products in patients with ovarian cancer. Notably, these natural ingredients do not have adverse effects on healthy cells and tissues, indicating that natural products can serve as a safe alternative therapy for ovarian cancer. Trans-3,4,5′-Trihydroxystibene (resveratrol) is a natural product that is commonly found in the human diet and that has been shown to have anticancer effects on various human cancer cells. This review summarizes current knowledge regarding the progress of resveratrol against tumor cell proliferation, metastasis, apoptosis induction, autophagy, sensitization, and antioxidation as well as anti-inflammation. It also provides information regarding the role of resveratrol analogues in ovarian cancer. A better understanding of the role of resveratrol in ovarian cancer may provide a new array for the prevention and therapy of ovarian cancer.
Aminoguanidine Prevents the Oxidative Stress, Inhibiting Elements of Inflammation, Endothelial Activation, Mesenchymal Markers, and Confers a Renoprotective Effect in Renal Ischemia and Reperfusion Injury
Authors: Pasten Consuelo , Lozano Mauricio , Rocco Jocelyn , Carrión Flavio , Alvarado Cristobal , Liberona Jéssica , Michea Luis , Irarrázabal Carlos E.
Published: October 2021

Oxidative stress produces macromolecules dysfunction and cellular damage. Renal ischemia-reperfusion injury (IRI) induces oxidative stress, inflammation, epithelium and endothelium damage, and cessation of renal function. The IRI is an inevitable process during kidney transplantation. Preliminary studies suggest that aminoguanidine (AG) is an antioxidant compound. In this study, we investigated the antioxidant effects of AG (50 mg/kg, intraperitoneal) and its association with molecular pathways activated by IRI (30 min/48 h) in the kidney. The antioxidant effect of AG was studied measuring GSSH/GSSG ratio, GST activity, lipoperoxidation, iNOS, and Hsp27 levels. In addition, we examined the effect of AG on elements associated with cell survival, inflammation, endothelium, and mesenchymal transition during IRI. AG prevented lipid peroxidation, increased GSH levels, and recovered the GST activity impaired by IRI. AG was associated with inhibition of iNOS, Hsp27, endothelial activation (VE-cadherin, PECAM), mesenchymal markers (vimentin, fascin, and HSP47), and inflammation (IL-1β, IL-6, Foxp3, and IL-10) upregulation. In addition, AG reduced kidney injury (NGAL, clusterin, Arg-2, and TFG-β1) and improved kidney function (glomerular filtration rate) during IRI. In conclusion, we found new evidence of the antioxidant properties of AG as a renoprotective compound during IRI. Therefore, AG is a promising compound to treat the deleterious effect of renal IRI.
Nanodiamond—Carbon Black Hybrid Filler System for Demanding Applications of Natural Rubber—Butadiene Rubber Composite
Authors: Poikelispää Minna , Shakun Alexandra , Sarlin Essi
Published: October 2021

The objective of the study was to investigate the effect of the partial replacement of carbon black (CB) by nanodiamonds (NDs) on the vulcanization, mechanical and dynamic properties of a natural rubber—butadiene rubber compound, a typical elastomer compound found in several applications (the tire and mining industry, for example). A studied hybrid filler system resulted in a 28% increase in tensile strength and 29% increase in 300% modulus at low ND loadings even though the total weight fraction of the filler system was kept constant at 25 parts per hundred rubber. The hybrid filler system improved dispersion of both fillers as was proven by scanning electron microscopy and the Payne effect study. In addition, the replacement of 2.5 and 5 phr CB by NDs resulted in 62% improvement in wear resistance. The DMA study showed that a certain ND-CB filler combination has a positive effect on tire properties such as wet grip and rolling resistance.
Environmental pH Evaluation in Exhibition Halls of Museo Nacional de Ciencias Naturales (CSIC, Madrid)
Authors: Morales-Martín Daniel , Agua Fernando , Barreiro Josefina , Garvía Angel Luis , García-Heras Manuel , Villegas Maria Angeles
Published: October 2021

Optical sol-gel environmental pH sensors have been applied for air evaluation in exhibition halls of the Museo Nacional de Ciencias Naturales (Madrid, Spain). Sensor synthesis and calibration was undertaken following a previous patent by some of the present authors. Monitoring was carried out for one full year to check the influence of meteorological seasons as well as quality of surrounding outdoor air to a big avenue located in downtown Madrid and close to the museum. Particular sites selected for sensor positions were inside showcases, under the free environment of exhibition halls, and outdoor façades of the building, for comparison purposes. pH recordings showed that exhibition halls near the outdoor air entrance had slightly low pH values, which can be attributed to outdoor pollution. However, halls located far from air entrance had neutral conditions. Concerning showcases tested, some of them showed slightly acidic pH while others were moderately acidic due to natural goods exhibited and/or to materials with which showcases were made. pH values recorded allowed the museum to make some decisions on its preventive conservation strategy.
Edible Flowers’ Antioxidant Properties and Polyphenols Content Reflect Their Applicability for Household and Craft Tincture Production
Authors: Śmiechowska Maria , Dmowski Przemysław , Skowierzak Larysa
Published: October 2021

The growing interest of consumers in regional and traditional products drew our attention to innovative products manufactured at home and using craft methods, which include, among others, alcohol tinctures of edible flowers. The aim of this paper is to present selected tinctures of edible flowers from home and craft production, their phenol content, antioxidant properties and colour. Novel alcoholic beverages obtained from edible flowers are characterized. The tinctures from wild rose flowers, elderberry, marigold and cornflower were studied. The content of phenolic compounds, the antioxidant properties and the colour of tinctures in the CIE L*a*b* system were analysed. The study showed that edible flower tinctures are characterized by an intense colour, which is not adversely affected by the maceration process. The determined parameters were influenced by the form of flowers (fresh or dried). The total content of polyphenolic compounds and antioxidant activity in the studied tinctures were lower than in the fresh flowers. Edible flower tinctures can be an interesting alternative for both consumers looking for product innovations and alcohol connoisseurs.
A Study of the Effects of Geological Conditions on Korean Tunnel Construction Time Using the Updated NTNU Drill and Blast Prediction Model
Authors: Kim Yangkyun , Lee Sean Seungwon
Published: October 2021

This paper analyses the construction time and advance rate of a 3 km long drill and blast tunnel under various geological conditions using an upgraded NTNU drill and blast prediction model. The analysis was carried out for the five types of Korean tunnel supports according to the rock mass quality (from Type 1, meaning a very good rock mass quality; to Type 5, meaning a very poor rock mass quality). Four kinds of rock properties, as well as the rock mass quality, for each tunnel support type were applied to simulate different geological conditions based on previous studies and the NTNU model. The construction time was classified into five categories: basic, standard, gross, tunnel and total, according to the operation characteristics to more effectively analyse the time. In addition, to consider the actual geological conditions in tunnelling, the construction times for the three mixed geological cases were analysed. It was found that total construction time of a tunnel covering all the operations and site preparations with a very poor rock mass quality was more than twice that of a tunnel with a very good rock mass quality for the same tunnel length. It is thought that this study can be a useful approach to estimating the construction time and advance rate in the planning or design stage of a drill and blast tunnel.
Micro-Nano Machining TiO2 Patterns without Residual Layer by Unconventional Imprinting
Authors: Zeng Zhoufang , Shi Gang , Petrescu Florian Ion Tiberiu , Ungureanu Liviu Marian , Li Ying
Published: October 2021

Usually, the residual layer remains after patterning TiO2 sol. The existence of the TiO2 residual layer in the non-pattern region affects its application in microelectronic devices. Here, a simple method, based on room-temperature imprinting, to fabricate a residual-free TiO2 pattern is proposed. The thermoplastic polymer with Ti4+ salt was fast patterned at room temperature by imprinting, based on the different interfacial force. Then, the patterned thermoplastic polymer with Ti4+ salt was induced into the TiO2 lines without residual layer under the hydrothermal condition. This method provides a new idea to pattern metal oxide without residual layer, which is potentially applied to the gas sensor, the optical detector and the light emitting diode.
Wavelet Packet Method for Locating Critical Slip Surface Using the Strength Reduction Method
Authors: Cheng Yongfeng , Nie Zhibao , Han Chao , Ding Shijun , Liu Kaiyuan
Published: October 2021

When the finite element-strength reduction method is used for two-dimensional slope stability analysis for elastic-perfectly plastic material, the failure criterion usually adopts the criterion of plastic zone penetration. That is, when the slope is in the limit equilibrium state, the plastic zone goes through the slope from the toe to the top. Meanwhile, the critical slip surface is composed of a series of points of maximum equivalent plastic strain along the depth direction. By deploying a set of parallel lines approximately perpendicular to the slope surface and picking out the points of these lines with the maximum equivalent strain points, we obtain a series of points taking on a wave shape, which constitutes a signal function. Subsequently, the wavelet packet analysis is used to smooth these points, i.e., locating the critical slip surface. The analysis of classic examples and comparison with Spencer’s method show that the proposed method in this paper is reasonable and effective.
CFD Simulation of Dry Pressure Drop in a Cross-Flow Rotating Packed Bed
Authors: Zhang Chao , Jiao Weizhou , Liu Youzhi , Qi Guisheng , Yuan Zhiguo , Zhang Qiaoling
Published: October 2021

The cross-flow rotating packed bed (RPB) has attracted wide attention in recent years because of its advantages of large gas capacity, low pressure drop and lack of flooding limitation. However, the complex structure of the packing makes it difficult to obtain the gas flow characteristics in the cross-flow RPB by experiments. In this study, the dry pressure drop in the cross-flow RPB was investigated by computational fluid dynamics (CFD). The packing was modeled by the porous media model and the rotation of the packing was simulated by the sliding mesh model. The simulation results obtained by three turbulence models were compared with experimental results, and the RNG k-ε model was found to best describe the turbulence behaviors in the cross-flow RPB. Then, the effects of gas flow rate and rotating speed on dry pressure drop in different parts of the cross-flow RPB were analyzed. The results of this study can provide important insights into the design and scale-up of cross-flow RPB.
A Hybrid Bat Algorithm for Solving the Three-Stage Distributed Assembly Permutation Flowshop Scheduling Problem
Authors: Zheng Jianguo , Wang Yilin
Published: October 2021

In this paper, a hybrid bat optimization algorithm based on variable neighbourhood structure and two learning strategies is proposed to solve a three-stage distributed assembly permutation flowshop scheduling problem to minimize the makespan. The algorithm is firstly designed to increase the population diversity by classifying the populations, which solves the difficult trade-off between convergence and diversity of the bat algorithm. Secondly, a selection mechanism is used to update the bat’s velocity and location, solving the difficulty of the algorithm to trade-off exploration and mining capacity. Finally, the Gaussian learning strategy and elite learning strategy assist the whole population to jump out of the local optimal frontier. The simulation results demonstrate that the algorithm proposed in this paper can well solve the DAPFSP. In addition, compared with other metaheuristic algorithms, IHBA has better performance and gives full play to its advantage of finding optimal solutions.
Data-Driven Health Assessment in a Flight Control System under Uncertain Conditions
Authors: Chen Jie , Zhao Yuyang , Xue Xiaofeng , Chen Runfeng , Wu Yingjian
Published: October 2021

PHM technology plays an increasingly significant role in modern aviation condition-based maintenance. As an important part of prognostics and health management (PHM), a health assessment can effectively estimate the health status of a system and provide support for maintenance decision making. However, in actual conditions, various uncertain factors will amplify assessment errors and cause large fluctuations in assessment results. In this paper, uncertain factors are incorporated into flight control system health assessment modeling. First, four uncertain factors of health assessment characteristic parameters are quantified and described by the extended λ-PDF method to acquire their probability distribution function. Secondly, a Monte Carlo simulation (MCS) is used to simulate a flight control system health assessment process with uncertain factors. Thirdly, the probability distribution of the output health index is solved by the maximum entropy principle. Finally, the proposed model was verified with actual flight data. The comparison between assessment results with and without uncertain factors shows that a health assessment conducted under uncertain conditions can reduce the impact of the uncertainty of outliers on the assessment results and make the assessment results more stable; therefore, the false alarm rate can be reduced.
Microplastics in Wastewater and Drinking Water Treatment Plants: Occurrence and Removal of Microfibres
Authors: Sol Daniel , Laca Amanda , Laca Adriana , Díaz Mario
Published: October 2021

Microplastics (MPs), and specifically microfibres (MPFs), are ubiquitous in water bodies, including wastewater and drinking water. In this work, a thorough literature review on the occurrence and removal of MPs, and specifically MPFs in WWTPs and DWTPs, has been carried out. When the water is treated, an average microfiber removal efficiency over 70% is achieved in WWTPs and DWTPs. These high percentages are still inefficient for avoiding the presence of a large number of microfibres in treated wastewater and also in tap water. RSF, DAF, oxidation ditch and CAS processes have been described as the most efficient treatments for eliminating MPFs from wastewater treatment. It is remarkable the wide range of the data reported on this topic; for example, treated wastewater contains between not detected and 347 MPFs/L, whereas tap water contains between not detected and 168 MPFs/L. Microfibres constitute more than half of the MPs found in treated wastewater and sewage sludge, whereas in DWTP effluents the percentage of MPFs is around 32%. Nevertheless, the relative amount of MPFs reported in tap water is notably higher (71%). Microfibres from WWTPs are discharged to the environment, being a source of MP pollution. Additionally, MPs released by DWTPs directly enter the drinking water lines, which constitute a direct route for MP human consumption, so that it has been estimated that an adult may ingest an average value of 7500 MPFs per year only via tap water. Thus, this review provides an update on the performance of WWTPs and DWTPs in removing MPs from water, which is an issue of great interest.
Design of a Self-Expanding Stent Mechanism Enacted by Fluid Pressure Difference
Authors: Chang Ming-Yen , Huang Hsing-Hui , Lu Chia-Kai
Published: October 2021

In this study, the design of a metal stent which expands under the influence of a difference in hydraulic pressure is presented. Using the action of existing stents as a reference, the joint of the metal stent model is joined, to lock its own elastic force. The maximum energy storage formula was applied to determine if the joint could withstand the elastic force that is integral to the stent model. Simulations of the stent, under the influence of differences in hydraulic pressure, were performed. During simulation, the fluid pressure, the width of the joint of the stent, the angle of the pipe model, and some other parameters, were changed to determine their impact on the stent joint and to explore the differences.
A Novel Methodology for Assessing and Modeling Manufacturing Processes
Authors: Reschke Jan , Gallego-García Sergio
Published: October 2021

Historically, researchers and practitioners have often failed to consider all the areas, factors, and implications of a process within an integrated manufacturing model. Thus, the aim of this research was to propose a holistic approach to manufacturing processes in order to assess their status and performance to improve target indicators such as product quality. For this purpose, a conceptual model is designed by identifying areas, flows, and indicators that are relevant to the assessment of a manufacturing system. Moreover, using the conceptual model, manufacturing systems can be modeled considering all related flows and decision-making options in the respective areas of production, maintenance, and quality. As a result, this model serves as the basis for the integral management and control of manufacturing systems in digital twin models for the regulation of process stability and quality with maintenance strategies. Thus, an assessment based on the conceptual model improves the knowledge level of all elements involved in the manufacturing of a product according to the desired quality specifications. The continuous monitoring of all areas and flows together with the optimal strategies in the quality and maintenance areas can enable companies to increase their profitability and customer service level. In this context, the discussion section lists key decision aspects for the assessment and improvement of manufacturing systems, while also providing a methodological sequence to evaluate and improve manufacturing systems. In conclusion, the conceptual approach allows better decision making, ensuring continuous optimization along the manufacturing asset lifecycle and providing a unique selling proposition for equipment producers and service engineering suppliers, as well as for production and assembly companies.
Effect of Non-Thermal Atmospheric Pressure Plasma on Differentiation Potential of Human Deciduous Dental Pulp Fibroblast-like Cells
Authors: Okuno Masae , Aoki Sho , Kawai Saki , Imataki Rie , Abe Yoko , Harada Kyoko , Arita Kenji
Published: October 2021

Human mesenchymal stem cells can differentiate into various cell types and are useful for applications in regenerative medicine. Previous studies indicated that dental pulp exfoliated from deciduous teeth is a valuable alternative for dental tissue engineering because it contains stem cells with a relatively high proliferation rate. For clinical application, it is necessary to rapidly obtain a sufficient number of cells in vitro and maintain their undifferentiated state; however, the abundance of stem cells in the dental pulp tissue is limited. Non-thermal atmospheric pressure plasma (NTAPP) has been applied in regenerative medicine because it activates cell proliferation. Here, we examined the effects of NTAPP to activate the proliferation of human deciduous dental pulp fibroblast-like cells (hDDPFs) in vitro. Compared with untreated cells, NTAPP increased cell proliferation by 1.3-fold, significantly upregulated well-known pluripotent genes for stemness (e.g., Oct4, Sox2, and Nanog), and activated the expression of stem cell-specific surface markers (e.g., CD105). Overall, NTAPP activated the proliferation of various mesodermal-derived human adult stem cells while maintaining their pluripotency and stemness. In conclusion, NTAPP is a potential tool to expand the population of various adult stem cells in vitro for medical applications.
Power Quality Enhancement in a Grid-Integrated Photovoltaic System Using Hybrid Techniques
Authors: Bandahalli Mallappa Prasad Kumar , Garcia Herminio Martinez , Quesada Guillermo Velasco
Published: October 2021

In recent years, the photovoltaic (PV) system was designed to supply solar power through photovoltaic arrays. The PV generator exhibits nonlinear voltage–current characteristics and its maximum power point tracking (MPPT), which varies with temperature and radiation. In the event of non-uniform solar insolation, several multiple maximum power points (MPPs) appear in the power–voltage characteristic of the PV module. Thus, a hybrid combination of binary particle swarm optimization (BPSO) and grey wolf optimization (GWO) is proposed herein to handle multiple MPPs. This combination is nowhere found in the literature, so the author chose this hybrid technique; and the main advantage of the proposed method is its ability to predict the global MPP (GMPP) in a very short time and to maintain accurate performance, even under different environmental conditions. Moreover, a 31-level multilevel inverter (MLI) was designed with a lower blocking voltage process to reduce the complexity of the circuit design. The entire system was executed in the MATLAB platform to examine the performance of the PV system, which was shown to extract a maximum power of 92.930 kW. The simulation design clearly showed that the proposed method with a 31-level MLI achieved better results in terms of total harmonic distortion (THD) at 1.60%, which is less when compared to the existing genetic algorithm (GA) and artificial neural networks (ANNs).
Effect of Al, Ga, and In Doping on the Optical, Structural, and Electric Properties of ZnO Thin Films
Authors: Porcar Samuel , González Jaime , Fraga Diego , Stoyanova Lyubenova Teodora , Soraca Gina , Carda Juan B.
Published: October 2021

ZnO thin films with oxygen vacancies and doped with Al, Ga, and In (Zn1-xMxO1−y (x = 0.03)) have been successfully deposited on soda-lime glass substrates using a simple soft chemical method. The crystalline structure shows a single hexagonal phase of wurtzite with preferred crystal growth along the 002 plane. The surface morphology, characterized by SEM, revealed that the grain shape varies depending on the dopant agent used. Optical measurements displayed an increase in the bandgap values for doped films from 3.29 for ZnO to 3.35, 3.32, and 3.36 for Al, Ga, and In doped films, respectively, and an average transmittance superior to 90% in some cases (in the range between 400 and 800 nm). The electrical response of the films was evaluated with a four-point probe being 229.69, 385.71, and 146.94 Ω/sq for aluminium, gallium, and indium doped films, respectively.