bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
The Altruistic Behaviour of Consumers Who Prefer a Local Origin of Organic Food
Authors: Czudec Adam
Published: April 2022

Despite the fact that consumer behaviour in the organic foods market has been the subject of numerous studies in various countries around the world, little research has been devoted to the assessment of the importance of the altruistic behaviour of consumers who prefer a local origin of such food. Therefore, the aim of this paper was to determine the motives of organic food consumers for their interest in the local origin of food in the context of behaviour defined as either altruistic or egoistic. The study was carried out among 850 consumers of organic foods in Poland. The Kruskal–Wallis test and Dunn’s post hoc test were used for the analysis of empirical data. This study shows that the emphasis on the importance of the local origin of this kind of food by organic food consumers is related to their awareness of the needs of other people; specifically, this is demonstrated by these consumers taking into account the importance of caring for the natural environment in their purchasing decisions. Therefore, this is an example of altruistic behaviour which also fits into the concept of reflexive localism. It was further determined that this consumer group has a stronger and more robust relationship with the organic food market than the market’s other members.
Mapping of Quantitative Trait Loci Underlying Nodule Traits in Soybean (Glycine max (L.) Merr.) and Identification of Genes Whose Expression Is Affected by the Sinorhizobium fredii HH103 Effector Proteins NopL and NopT
Authors: Ni Hejia , Peng Yang , Wang Jinhui , Wang Jing , Yuan Yantong , Fu Tingting , Zhu Zikun , Zhang Jialin , Pan Xipeng , Cui Zhuoling , Liu Chunyan , Chen Qingshan , Xin Dawei
Published: April 2022

Symbiotic nitrogen fixation provides most of the nitrogen required for soybean growth. Rhizobial nodulation outer proteins (Nops) have been reported to influence host specificity during symbiosis establishment. However, the host proteins that interact with Nops remain unknown. In this study, we generated Sinorhizobium fredii HH103 mutants (HH103ΩNopL, HH103ΩNopT, and HH103ΩNopLΩNopT) and analysed the nodule number (NN) and nodule dry weight (NDW) of 12 soybean germplasms after inoculation with wild-type S. fredii HH103 or the mutant strains. The analysis of chromosome segment substitution lines revealed quantitative trait loci (QTLs) associated with NopL and NopT interactions. A total of 22 QTLs for the 2 nodule traits were detected and mapped to 12 different chromosomes in the soybean genome. Eight and fifteen QTLs were found to be associated with NN and NDW, respectively. Furthermore, 17 candidate genes were selected for further analyses. Considering the results of reverse-transcription quantitative PCR, we propose that the protein products of these 17 candidate genes interact with NopL and NopT.
Identification of Aluminum Tolerance in Ethiopian Chickpea (Cicer arietinum L.) Germplasm
Authors: Negusse Hawi , Cook Douglas R. , Haileselassie Teklehaimanot , Tesfaye Kassahun
Published: April 2022

Aluminum (Al) toxicity is a major abiotic stress that negatively impacts plant growth and crop productivity. Al ions are released into soil solutions as a function of soil pH, which is in turn determined by a combination of factors, including local geology, historic vegetation and land-use patterns. Selection and use of Al-tolerant crops is a preferred method to address the problem of Al toxicity. The present study evaluated a combination of modern cultivars, advanced breeding lines and a local landrace for Al tolerance using a seedling-based hydroponic assay. Two sequential experiments were conducted to score root and shoot traits in the presence of aluminum. Initially, six Al concentrations (0, 50, 100, 120, 150 and 200 µM) were tested on six chickpea genotypes to identify the single Al concentration that best discriminates among genotypes. Subsequently, 31 chickpea genotypes were evaluated at 0 and 120 µM Al. Progressive declines in trait values were observed in all genotypes with increasing Al, although the degree of sensitivity varied significantly among genotypes. Genotypes were evaluated both for total root length under 120 µM Al and for relative root growth compared to a 0 µM Al control treatment. Considering both parameters, we identified four tolerant chickpea genotypes (DZ-2012-CK-0237, Wollega LV, DZ-2012-CK-0233 and Natoli) and two sensitive genotypes (Akaki and Fetenech). Wollega LV is a local landrace obtained from acidic soil regions of Western Ethiopia, presenting the possibility that historical selection during cultivation on acidic soils might underlie its unusual tolerance. The aluminum tolerance traits identified here are candidates for introgression breeding of new Ethiopian chickpea varieties with potential to increase yield and expand the area of cultivation.
Effects of Growth Stage-Based Limited Irrigation Management on Soil CO2 and N2O Emissions, Winter Wheat Yield and Nutritional Quality
Authors: Cao Yuxin , Cai Huanjie
Published: April 2022

Water scarcity and poor irrigation practices limit crop productivity and increase greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions in arid Northwest China. Therefore, we investigated the effects of five growth stage-based deficit irrigation strategies on the yield, quality, and greenhouse gas emissions of winter wheat. Across treatments, CO2 emissions ranged from 3824.93 to 4659.05 kg ha−1 and N2O emissions from 3.96 to 4.79 kg ha−1. Compared with CK (irrigation in all growth stages), GHG emissions decreased significantly in T1, T2, T3, and T4 (p < 0.05). Water stress reduced the wheat yield, compared with CK, but the decrease depended on the stage without irrigation. Across treatments, the wheat yield was between 5610 and 6818 kg ha−1. The grain protein content decreased in the order T4 > T3 > T1 > T2 > CK. On the basis of a catastrophe progression method evaluation, we recommend T1 as the irrigation practice for winter wheat, because it maintained a high grain yield and quality and reduced GHG emissions. Thus, in practice, soil moisture should be sufficient before sowing, and adequate water should be supplied during the heading and filling stages of winter wheat. This study provides a theoretical basis for exploring the irrigation strategies of high-yield, good-quality, and emission reduction of winter wheat.
Long Term Effects of Tillage–Crop Rotation Interaction on Soil Organic Carbon Pools and Microbial Activity on Wheat-Based System in Mediterranean Semi-Arid Region
Authors: Jaziri Sayda , M’hamed Hatem Cheikh , Rezgui Mohsen , Labidi Sonia , Souissi Amir , Rezgui Mounir , Barbouchi Mariem , Annabi Mohamed , Bahri Haithem
Published: April 2022

Conservation agriculture based on no-tillage (NT) and crop rotation allows to enhance soil health. Based on data collected from long-term trials in a semi-arid region of Tunisia, results showed that NT increased significantly soil organic carbon stock (SOCS), soil microbial biomass carbon (SMBC), arbuscular mycorrhizal fungal (AMF) root colonization, and soil microbial respiration (CO2) at 0–20 cm topsoil layer compared to conventional tillage (CT). Moreover, triennial rotation (TRI), based on annual succession of Faba bean-Durum wheat-Barley, and biennial rotation (BI), based on annual succession of Faba bean-Durum wheat, increased significatively SMBC, AMF, and CO2. Likewise, a significant benefit of the two-way interactions Tillage × Rotation was observed. Furthermore, NT combined with TRI recorded the highest SOCS (2181 g C m−2), SMBC (515 mg C kg−1 soil), AMF (14%), and CO2 which is an indicator of soil microbial respiration (1071 mg CO2 kg−1 soil). The current results highlight the benefit adoption of minimum or (NT)combined with crop diversification on soil health.
High-Resolution Indicators of Soil Microbial Responses to N Fertilization and Cover Cropping in Corn Monocultures
Authors: Kim Nakian , Riggins Chance W. , Zabaloy María C. , Allegrini Marco , Rodriguez-Zas Sandra L. , Villamil María B.
Published: April 2022

Cover cropping (CC) is the most promising in-field practice to improve soil health and mitigate N losses from fertilizer use. Although the soil microbiota play essential roles in soil health, their response to CC has not been well characterized by bioindicators of high taxonomic resolution within typical agricultural systems. Our objective was to fill this knowledge gap with genus-level indicators for corn [Zea mays L.] monocultures with three N fertilizer rates (N0, N202, N269; kg N ha−1), after introducing a CC mixture of cereal rye [Secale cereale L.] and hairy vetch [Vicia villosa Roth.], using winter fallows (BF) as controls. A 3 × 2 split-plot arrangement of N rates and CC treatments was studied in a randomized complete block design with three replicates over two years. Bacterial and archaeal 16S rRNA and fungal ITS regions were sequenced with Illumina MiSeq system. Overall, our high-resolution bioindicators were able to represent specific functional or ecological shifts within the microbial community. The abundances of indicators representing acidophiles, nitrifiers, and denitrifiers increased with N fertilization, while those of heterotrophic nitrifiers, nitrite oxidizers, and complete denitrifiers increased with N0. Introducing CC decreased soil nitrate levels by up to 50% across N rates, and CC biomass increased by 73% with N fertilization. CC promoted indicators of diverse functions and niches, including N-fixers, nitrite reducers, and mycorrhizae, while only two N-cycling genera were associated with BF. Thus, CC can enhance the soil biodiversity of simplified cropping systems and reduce nitrate leaching, but might increase the risk of nitrous oxide emission without proper nutrient management. This primary information is the first of its kind in this system and provided valuable insights into the limits and potential of CC as a strategy to improve soil health.
Remote Sensing of Maize Plant Height at Different Growth Stages Using UAV-Based Digital Surface Models (DSM)
Authors: Oehme Leon Hinrich , Reineke Alice-Jacqueline , Weiß Thea Mi , Würschum Tobias , He Xiongkui , Müller Joachim
Published: April 2022

Plant height of maize is related to lodging resistance and yield and is highly heritable but also polygenic, and thus is an important trait in maize breeding. Various manual methods exist to determine the plant height of maize, yet they are labor-intensive and time consuming. Therefore, we established digital surface models (DSM) based on RGB-images captured by an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) at five different dates throughout the growth period to rapidly estimate plant height of 400 maize genotypes. The UAV-based estimation of plant height (PHUAV) was compared to the manual measurement from the ground to the highest leaf (PHL), to the tip of the manually straightened highest leaf (PHS) and, on the final date, to the top of the tassel (PHT). The best results were obtained for estimating both PHL (0.44 ≤ R2 ≤ 0.51) and PHS (0.50 ≤ R2 ≤ 0.61) from 39 to 68 days after sowing (DAS). After calibration the mean absolute percentage error (MAPE) between PHUAV and PHS was in a range from 12.07% to 19.62%. It is recommended to apply UAV-based maize height estimation from 0.2 m average plant height to maturity before the plants start to senesce and change the leaf color.
Morphophysiological Responses of Two Cool-Season Turfgrasses with Different Shade Tolerances
Authors: Dong Lili , Xiong Liangbing , Sun Xiaoyang , Shah Saud , Guo Zhixin , Zhao Xueying , Liu Lizhi , Cheng Lintao , Tian Zhi , Xie Fuchun , Chen Yajun
Published: April 2022

Understanding the differences in cool-season turfgrass responses to shade is critical for future turfgrass management and breeding for improved shade tolerance. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the shade-tolerance mechanisms of two cool-season turfgrass species in terms of turf performance, growth, and physiological characteristics. Two turfgrass species, namely, ’SupraNova’ (Poa. supina Schrad.) and ‘Lark’ (Lolium perenne L.), were subjected to 0 (CK, unshaded), 35% (LS), 70% (MS), and 92% (HS) shade, respectively. Compared with ‘Lark’, ‘SupraNova’ showed better turf quality (TQ) and turf color intensity (TCI) under shade. The total length and surface area of the roots of ‘Lark’ gradually decreased as the shade increased, while those of ‘SupraNova’ increased and then decreased with increasing shade. The chlorophyll fluorescence photochemical quenching coefficient (qP), electron transport rate (ETR), and maximum quantum yield of primary photosystem II (PSII) photochemistry (Fv/Fm) decreased significantly under HS; however, these decreases were more significant in ‘Lark’ than in ‘SupraNova’. The leaf reflectance of the two turfgrasses under shade was lower than that under CK, but the leaf reflectance of ‘Lark’ was higher than that of ‘SupraNova’ in the visible light band. The normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI) of the two grasses first decreased and then increased. The NDVI of ‘Lark’ under shade was slightly higher than that under CK. ‘SupraNova’ showed strong tolerance on the basis of malondialdehyde (MDA), hydrogen peroxide (H2O2), superoxide anion (O2·−), and ascorbic acid (AsA) contents and superoxide dismutase (SOD), peroxidase (POD), and catalase (CAT) activity. The MDA, H2O2, O2·−, and AsA contents and SOD, POD, and CAT activity (which represent indicators) changed the most under MS. Taken together, the results indicated that the adaptability of ‘SupraNova’ to shade was better than that of ‘Lark’.
Herbicidal Effect of Different Alternative Compounds to Control Conyza bonariensis in Vineyards
Authors: Cabrera-Pérez Carlos , Royo-Esnal Aritz , Recasens Jordi
Published: April 2022

Conyza bonariensis (L.) Cronquist is a widespread noxious weed with high fecundity, associated with no-till systems such as vineyards and other perennial crops in Mediterranean climates. Seeds germinate in staggered flushes, which leads to a great variation in the growth stage between individuals in the same field, and chemical control becomes challenging. Besides, Conyza species have evolved resistance to herbicides worldwide, particularly to glyphosate. Even though tillage is expected to provide weed-free fields, it negatively affects vineyards, causing erosion, loss of soil structure and a reduction in organic matter or vine growth (shallow roots can be affected), among other effects. Fuel consumption of this management is also very high because recurrent interventions of in-row tiller are required. In this context, bioherbicides, defined as environmentally friendly natural substances intended to reduce weed populations, are a potential tool for integrated weed management (IWM). In this work, the herbicidal effect of the following six products is tested on a glyphosate-resistant C. bonariensis population present in commercial vineyards: T1, mixture of acetic acid 20% and the fertilizer N32; T2, mixture of potassium metabisulfite and pelargonic acid 31%; T3, pelargonic acid 68%; T4, humic-fulvic acid 80%; T5, hydroxy phosphate complex; and T6, potassium metabisulfite. The results showed high field efficacy for T1 and T4 (>80% biomass reduction). For the rest of the products, high efficacy was obtained only in dose–response greenhouse experiments. The present work demonstrates the potential of certain bioherbicide compounds to manage herbicide-resistant weed species, such as C. bonariensis. Therefore, bioherbicides could be successfully incorporated into vineyards for IWM.
Prediction of Strawberries’ Quality Parameters Using Artificial Neural Networks
Authors: Amoriello Tiziana , Ciccoritti Roberto , Ferrante Patrizia
Published: April 2022

Strawberry is a very popular fruit, appreciated for its unique flavor and many beneficial traits such as antioxidants and useful amino acids, which strongly contribute to the overall quality of the product. Indeed, the quality of fresh fruit is a fundamental aspect for consumers, and it is crucial for the success of breeding activities as well as for enhancing the competitiveness and profitability of the fruit industry. Nowadays, the entire supply chain requires simple and fast systems for quality evaluation. In this context, the pomological and chemical traits (i.e., soluble solids, firmness, titratable acidity, dry matter) as well as nutritional ones such as total phenols, total anthocyanins and antioxidant potential were evaluated and compared for seven strawberry cultivars and three harvest times. The prediction of the qualitative traits was carried out using color space coordinates (L*, a* and b*) and two statistical techniques, i.e., the multiple linear regression models (MLR) and artificial neural networks (ANNs). Unsatisfactory prediction performances were obtained for all parameters when MLR was applied. On the contrary, the good prediction of the internal quality attributes, using ANN, was observed, especially for both antioxidant activity and the total monomeric anthocyanin (R2 = 0.906, and R2 = 0.943, respectively). This study highlighted that color coordinates coupled with ANN can be successfully used to evaluate the quality of strawberry.
Hippocampal Dentation in Children and Adolescents: A Cross-Sectional Analysis from Birth to 18 Years Old
Authors: Beattie Julia F. , Martin Roy C. , Cook Edwin W. , Thompson Matthew D. , Kana Rajesh K. , Jacobs Ruth Q. , Correya Tanya A. , Ramaniharan Anandh K. , Ver Hoef Lawrence W.
Published: April 2022

The degree of hippocampal dentation, a morphologic feature of the inferior surface of the human hippocampus, has been positively associated with episodic memory performance in healthy adults. This study examined hippocampal dentation in healthy children and adolescents. The Cincinnati MR Imaging of NeuroDevelopment (C-MIND) dataset was used to examine the relationship between age and hippocampal dentation in 90 healthy children, age < 1 to 18 years old, using T1-weighted MPRAGE scans. Hippocampal dentation was assessed by counting the number of dentes for the left and right hippocampi. Participants had slightly more left than right hippocampal dentes, on average. Dentation did not differ significantly between males and females. Correlational analyses revealed that the numbers of left, right, and total dentes were positively associated with age in this sample. Interestingly, these data highlight the wide variability of dentation in older age groups. While younger children tended to have absent or few dentes, a range of dentation was present in older children and adolescents (ranging from absent to numerous, bilaterally). This is consistent with previous research in a healthy adult cohort, where a range of dentation was also observed. This study is the first to examine hippocampal dentation in children.
Occurrence and Molecular Characterization of Cryptosporidium spp. in Dairy Cattle and Dairy Buffalo in Yunnan Province, Southwest China
Authors: Meng Ying-Wen , Shu Fan-Fan , Pu Li-Hua , Zou Yang , Yang Jian-Fa , Zou Feng-Cai , Zhu Xing-Quan , Li Zhao , He Jun-Jun
Published: April 2022

Cryptosporidium spp. are important foodborne and waterborne pathogens in humans and animals, causing diarrheal diseases. Cattle are one of the reservoirs of Cryptosporidium infection in humans. However, data on the occurrence of Cryptosporidium spp. in cattle in Yunnan Province remains limited. A total of 700 fecal samples were collected from Holstein cows (n = 442) and dairy buffaloes (n = 258) in six counties of Yunnan Province. The occurrence and genotypes of Cryptosporidium spp. were analyzed using nested PCR and DNA sequencing. Furthermore, the C. andersoni isolates were further analyzed using multilocus sequence typing (MLST) at four gene loci (MS1, MS2, MS3, and MS16), and the C. parvum isolate was subtyped by 60-kDa glycoprotein (gp60) loci. The occurrence of Cryptosporidium spp. in Holstein cows and dairy buffaloes was 14.7% (65/442) and 1.1% (3/258), respectively. Of these positive samples, 56 Holstein cow samples represented C. andersoni, four Holstein cow samples represented C. bovis, three Holstein cow samples represented C. ryanae, and one represented C. parvum. Meanwhile, only three dairy buffalo samples represented C. ryanae. MLST analysis of subtypes of C. andersoni detected four subtypes, including A5A4A2A1 (n = 7), A4A4A4A1 (n = 7), A1A4A4A1 (n = 2), and A4A4A2A1 (n = 1). One C. parvum isolate was identified as the IIdA18G1 subtype. These results revealed the high occurrence and high genetic diversity of Cryptosporidium spp. in Holstein cows in Yunnan Province, enriching the knowledge of the population genetic structure of Cryptosporidium spp. in Yunnan Province.
Serological Survey of Small Ruminant Lentivirus Infections in Free-Ranging Mouflon and Chamois in Slovenia
Authors: Kuhar Urška , Vengušt Diana Žele , Vengušt Gorazd
Published: April 2022

Small ruminant lentiviruses (SRLVs) belong to the genus Lentivirus in the Retroviridae family, which are responsible for the diseases maedi-visna and caprine arthritis-encephalitis in sheep and goats worldwide and are also widespread in Slovenian sheep and goats. SRLVs cause lifelong infections with chronic inflammatory lesions in various organ systems. Cross-species transmission of SRLV strains in sheep and goats is well documented, but there are few data on the ability of these viruses to infect wild ruminants. The objective of this study was to investigate whether SRLVs circulate among wild small ruminants in Slovenia. During the 2017–2018 hunting season, a total of 38 blood samples were collected from free-ranging chamois (Rupicapra rupicapra) and European mouflon (Ovis ammon musimon). The serum samples were tested for antibodies against SRLV by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). The serological tests revealed that of all tested mouflons, 1 animal (11.1%) was seropositive, while all samples from chamois were negative. Based on the results of this study and considering the results of previous studies in which SRLV infections were detected in mouflons with low seroprevalence, it is very likely that the detected seropositive animal was an incidental spillover host for SRLV. Although no seropositive samples were found in chamois, we cannot speculate on whether chamois may not be a host for SRLV infection because of the small sample size and the disadvantages of the ELISA assay used when applied to samples from chamois.
Race-Level Reporting of Incidents during Two Seasons (2015/16 to 2016/17) of Thoroughbred Flat Racing in New Zealand
Authors: Gibson Michaela J. , Bolwell Charlotte F. , Gee Erica K. , Legg Kylie A. , Rogers Chris W.
Published: April 2022

The objective of this study was to describe the incident and non-incident reports of Thoroughbred flat racing in New Zealand. Retrospective stipendiary stewards’ reports of race day events during the 2015/2016 and 2016/2017 racing season were examined. The primary injury and reporting outcomes were analysed to assess the horse- and race-level risk factors associated with the occurrence of incident and non-incident reports. The number of incident and non-incident events and binomial exact 95% confidence intervals were calculated per 1000 horse starts. Most reports were for non-incidents and examinations were requested for poor performance (10.3 per 1000 races, 95% CI = 9.5–11.1). Horses running in open-class races had greater odds of having an incident than horses in lower-rating classes. The incidence of musculoskeletal injuries (1.3 per 1000 races, 95% CI = 1.13–1.40) and fractures (0.6 per 1000 races, 95% CI = 0.39–0.74) were low and similar to previous New Zealand reports. There was a low incidence of epistaxis (0.8 per 1000 races, 95% CI = 0.69–0.92) possibly due to trainers screening susceptible horses before entering them in races, due to the regulatory consequences of an episode of epistaxis during a race.
Parasympathetic Tone Changes in Anesthetized Horses after Surgical Stimulation, and Morphine, Ketamine, and Dobutamine Administration
Authors: Ruíz-López Patricia , Morgaz Juan , Quirós-Carmona Setefilla , Navarrete-Calvo Rocío , Domínguez Juan Manuel , Gómez-Villamandos Rafael Jesús , Granados M. M.
Published: April 2022

Autonomic nervous system (ANS) activity can modify cardiovascular parameters in response to nociceptive stimuli or drugs in anesthetized animals. The aim of this study was to determine if a surgical nociceptive stimulus and morphine, ketamine, and dobutamine administration would modify ANS activity observed as a change in the mean parasympathetic tone activity (PTAm) in anesthetized horses. In 20 anesthetized horses, heart rate (HR), mean arterial pressure (MAP), and PTAm were monitored before and 1, 3, and 5 min after surgical incision, and before and 10 min after the administration of morphine (0.2 mg/kg IV). If nystagmus or spontaneous ventilation was observed, ketamine (0.5 mg/kg IV) was given, and the three variables were registered before and 3 and 5 min afterward. If MAP reached ≤62 mmHg, a dobutamine infusion was administered, and the three variables were recorded before and 5 min after starting/increasing the infusion (0.25 μg/kg/min IV every 5 min). The three variables were registered before and 1, 3, and 5 min after a PTAm decrease of ≥20%, HR increase of ≥10%, or MAP increase of ≥20%. The PTAm decreased 3 min after the administration of ketamine and 1 min after a PTA event. The surgical incision, dobutamine, and morphine did not modify PTAm. The absence of changes in ANS activity after the nociceptive stimulus and lack of correlation between PTAm and HR or MAP suggest that PTAm is a poor indicator of sympathetic activation under the study conditions. Ketamine seems to affect ANS activity by decreasing PTAm.
Forecasting Milking Efficiency of Dairy Cows Milked in an Automatic Milking System Using the Decision Tree Technique
Authors: Aerts Joanna , Kolenda Magdalena , Piwczyński Dariusz , Sitkowska Beata , Önder Hasan
Published: April 2022

In barns equipped with an automatic milking system, the profitability of production depends primarily on the milking efficiency of a cow (ME; kg/min) defined as cow milk yield per minute of box time. This study was carried out on 1823 Polish Holstein–Friesian cows milked by the automatic milking system (AMS) in 20 herds. Selected milking parameters recorded by the AMS were analyzed in the research. The aim of the study was to forecast ME using two statistical techniques (analysis of variance and decision trees). The results of the analysis of variance showed that the average ME was 1.67 kg/min. ME was associated with: year of AMS operation (being the highest in the first year), number of cows per robot (the highest in robots with 61–75 cows), lactation number (highest for multiparas), season of calving (the highest in spring), age at first calving (>36 months), days in milk (151–250 days) and finally, rear quarter to total milk yield ratio (the highest between 51% and 55%). The decision tree predicted that the highest ME (2.01 kg/min) corresponded with cows that produced more than 45 kg of milk per day, were milked less than four times/day, had a short teatcup attachment time (<7.65 s) and were milked in robots that had an occupancy lower than 56 cows.
Evaluation of a Water-Based Medium-Expansion Foam Depopulation Method in Suckling and Finisher Pigs
Authors: Kieffer Justin D. , Campler Magnus R. , Cheng Ting-Yu , Arruda Andréia G. , Youngblood Brad , Moeller Steven J. , Bowman Andrew S.
Published: April 2022

The threat of foreign animal disease introduction through contaminated animal products, feed ingredients, and wildlife vectors have highlighted the need for additional approved methods for mass depopulation of swine under emergency scenarios, especially methods that can be applied to pigs across all production phases. The market disruption within the swine industry due to the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic has demonstrated this lack of preparation. The objective of this study was to validate water-based foam as a mass depopulation method for suckling (18 to 24 days of age) and finisher stage (63 to 100 days of age) pigs. Finisher pigs (n = 31, originally 32 but one finisher pig died prior to foaming), allocated as 9 triads and 1 set of 4 pigs, in 10 total replicates, and suckling pigs (n = 32), randomly allocated to two replicates, were completely covered in water-based medium-expansion foam for a 15-min dwell time in a bulk container. Container fill time for the trials were 6.5 ± 0.68 s and 5.3 ± 0.03 s for finisher and suckling pig replicates, respectively. Average (± SD) time for cessation of movement was 105 ± 39.1 s (s) for finisher pigs and 79.5 ± 10.5 s for suckling pigs. After completion of the 15-min dwell time in the foam, all pigs were confirmed dead upon removal from the container. The results from the present study suggest that the use of water-based foam can be an effective means of mass depopulation for suckling and finisher stage pigs, supporting previous research on the application to adult swine.
Knowledge of Animal Welfare and Consumers’ Behavioral Intentions in China: A Moderated Mediation Model of Product Cognition and Empathy
Authors: Liang Yaoming , Hua Gengrong , Cai Weiyou , Li Gen , Wang Hao , Li Hui
Published: April 2022

As purchase power and consumption knowledge increase, consumers gradually demand safer and healthier products. Animal welfare is expected to be an important attribute of high-end food in the future and a major concern for the high-quality development of the livestock industry. The objective was to shed new light on our understanding of consumers’ perceptions and behavioral intentions toward animal-friendly food. Using sample data of 1499 food consumers in Guangdong province, China, this study explored the role of product cognition and empathy in the relationship between consumers’ knowledge and behavioral intentions. Results indicate that knowledge of animal welfare significantly influences consumers’ behavioral intentions, and there is a mediating effect on cognition. Meanwhile, empathy moderates the relationship between product cognition and consumers’ intentions to purchase or recommend animal-friendly products. Improving consumers’ knowledge of animal welfare and cognitive levels of animal-friendly products may contribute to promoting animal-friendly product consumption and sustainable development of the livestock industry.
Antioxidant and Anticancer Activities of Synthesized Methylated and Acetylated Derivatives of Natural Bromophenols
Authors: Dong Hui , Wang Li , Guo Meng , Stagos Dimitrios , Giakountis Antonis , Trachana Varvara , Lin Xiukun , Liu Yankai , Liu Ming
Published: April 2022

Natural bromophenols are important secondary metabolites in marine algae. Derivatives of these bromophenol are potential candidates for the drug development due to their biological activities, such as antioxidant, anticancer, anti-diabetic and anti-inflammatory activity. In our present study, we have designed and synthesized a series of new methylated and acetylated bromophenol derivatives from easily available materials using simple operation procedures and evaluated their antioxidant and anticancer activities on the cellular level. The results showed that 2.,3-dibromo-1-(((2-bromo-4,5-dimethoxybenzyl)oxy)methyl)-4,5-dimethoxybenzene (3b-9) and (oxybis(methylene))bis(4-bromo-6-methoxy-3,1-phenylene) diacetate (4b-3) compounds ameliorated H2O2-induced oxidative damage and ROS generation in HaCaT keratinocytes. Compounds 2.,3-dibromo-1-(((2-bromo-4,5-dimethoxybenzyl)oxy)methyl)-4,5-dimethoxybenzene (3b-9) and (oxybis(methylene) )bis(4-bromo-6-methoxy-3,1-phenylene) diacetate (4b-3) also increased the TrxR1 and HO-1 expression while not affecting Nrf2 expression in HaCaT. In addition, compounds (oxybis(methylene)bis(2-bromo-6-methoxy-4,1-phenylene) diacetate (4b-4) inhibited the viability and induced apoptosis of leukemia K562 cells while not affecting the cell cycle distribution. The present work indicated that some of these bromophenol derivatives possess significant antioxidant and anticancer potential, which merits further investigation.
Neonatal Anesthesia and Oxidative Stress
Authors: Gascoigne David A. , Minhaj Mohammed M. , Aksenov Daniil P.
Published: April 2022

Neonatal anesthesia, while often essential for surgeries or imaging procedures, is accompanied by significant risks to redox balance in the brain due to the relatively weak antioxidant system in children. Oxidative stress is characterized by concentrations of reactive oxygen species (ROS) that are elevated beyond what can be accommodated by the antioxidant defense system. In neonatal anesthesia, this has been proposed to be a contributing factor to some of the negative consequences (e.g., learning deficits and behavioral abnormalities) that are associated with early anesthetic exposure. In order to assess the relationship between neonatal anesthesia and oxidative stress, we first review the mechanisms of action of common anesthetic agents, the key pathways that produce the majority of ROS, and the main antioxidants. We then explore the possible immediate, short-term, and long-term pathways of neonatal-anesthesia-induced oxidative stress. We review a large body of literature describing oxidative stress to be evident during and immediately following neonatal anesthesia. Moreover, our review suggests that the short-term pathway has a temporally limited effect on oxidative stress, while the long-term pathway can manifest years later due to the altered development of neurons and neurovascular interactions.
Loss and Recovery of Glutaredoxin 5 Is Inducible by Diet in a Murine Model of Diabesity and Mediated by Free Fatty Acids In Vitro
Authors: Petry Sebastian Friedrich , Römer Axel , Rawat Divya , Brunner Lara , Lerch Nina , Zhou Mengmeng , Grewal Rekha , Sharifpanah Fatemeh , Sauer Heinrich , Eckert Gunter Peter , Linn Thomas
Published: April 2022

Free fatty acids (FFA), hyperglycemia, and inflammatory cytokines are major mediators of β-cell toxicity in type 2 diabetes mellitus, impairing mitochondrial metabolism. Glutaredoxin 5 (Glrx5) is a mitochondrial protein involved in the assembly of iron–sulfur clusters required for complexes of the respiratory chain. We have provided evidence that islet cells are deprived of Glrx5, correlating with impaired insulin secretion during diabetes in genetically obese mice. In this study, we induced diabesity in C57BL/6J mice in vivo by feeding the mice a high-fat diet (HFD) and modelled the diabetic metabolism in MIN6 cells through exposure to FFA, glucose, or inflammatory cytokines in vitro. qRT-PCR, ELISA, immunohisto-/cytochemistry, bioluminescence, and respirometry were employed to study Glrx5, insulin secretion, and mitochondrial biomarkers. The HFD induced a depletion of islet Glrx5 concomitant with an obese phenotype, elevated FFA in serum and reactive oxygen species in islets, and impaired glucose tolerance. Exposure of MIN6 cells to FFA led to a loss of Glrx5 in vitro. The FFA-induced depletion of Glrx5 coincided with significantly altered mitochondrial biomarkers. In summary, we provide evidence that Glrx5 is regulated by FFA in type 2 diabetes mellitus and is linked to mitochondrial dysfunction and blunted insulin secretion.
Preparing and Characterizing Novel Biodegradable Starch/PVA-Based Films with Nano-Sized Zinc-Oxide Particles for Wound-Dressing Applications
Authors: Delavari Mohammad Mohsen , Stiharu Ion
Published: April 2022

Given recent worldwide environmental concerns, biodegradability, antibacterial activity, and healing properties around the wound area are vital features that should be taken into consideration while preparing biomedical materials such as wound dressings. Some of the available wound dressings present some major disadvantages. For example, low water vapor transmission rate (WVTR), inadequate exudates absorption, and the complex and high environmental cost of the disposal/recycling processes represent such drawbacks. In this paper, starch/polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) material with inserted nano-sized zinc-oxide particles (nZnO) (average size ≤ 100 nm) was made and altered using citric acid (CA). Both ensure an efficient antibacterial environment for wound-dressing materials. The film properties were assessed by UV–Vis spectrometry and were validated against the UV light transmission percentage of the starch/ polyvinyl alcohol (PVA)/ zinc-oxide nanoparticles (nZnO) composites. Analyses were conducted using X-ray Spectroscopy (EDX) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) to investigate the structure and surface morphology of the materials. Moreover, to validate an ideal moisture content around the wound area, which is necessary for an optimum wound-healing process, the water vapor transmission rate of the film was measured. The new starch-based materials exhibited suitable physical and chemical properties, including solubility, gel fraction, fluid absorption, biodegradability, surface morphology (scanning electron microscopy imaging), and mechanical properties. Additionally, the pH level of the starch-based/nZnO film was measured to study the prospect of bacterial growth on this wound-dressing material. Furthermore, the in vitro antibacterial activity demonstrated that the dressings material effectively inhibited the growth and penetration of bacteria (Escherichia coli, Staphylococcus aureus).
Intermediate Model Design in the Progressive Stamping Process of a Truss Core Lightweight Panel
Authors: Tian Zhilei , Kong Chenghai , Zhao Wei , Guan Jingchao , Zhao Xilu
Published: April 2022

The truss core panel has been verified to be effective for structural weight reduction in former research studies. However, it is difficult to manufacture using the sheet metal pressing method because the forming height of the truss core panel is limited by the physical properties of the material. Although progressive stamping has been used to solve this problem, it is still difficult to practically use the truss core panel. In this study, the author proposed a manufacturing method and a hexagonal frustum intermediate structure to improve the forming quality of truss core panels using a progressive stamping method and verified its effectiveness through numerical analysis and prototype experiments. Compared to the conventional hemispherical intermediate model, the manufacturing process of the truss core panel using the proposed method was significantly improved.
Study of Antioxidant Activity of Garden Blackberries (Rubus fruticosus L.) Extracts Obtained with Different Extraction Solvents
Authors: Albert Csilla , Codină Georgiana Gabriela , Héjja Melinda , András Csaba Dezső , Chetrariu Ancuța , Dabija Adriana
Published: April 2022

Blackberries are rich in antioxidants due to their high polyphenol and vitamin content, making them an excellent source of health protection. It is well known that good quality juices and fruit extracts can be obtained only from high quality fruits. The aim of this research is to characterize the antioxidant properties of garden blackberries fruits grown in Turia (Romania). Extracts were made from blackberry fruits with four different solvents, and the antioxidant capacity was studied by applying DPPH and FRAP assay. The total phenolic content (with Folin–Ciocâlteu reagent), total anthocyanin content (with the pH differential method), and total flavonoid content (with aluminum chloride colorimetric method) were also measured. The quercetin and gallic acid content were also determined by HPLC-DAD. As the best results were obtained with 90% v/v acidified acetonitrile, the Hansen parameters analysis was performed for the acetonitrile-water solvent mixture as a solvent and cyanidin-3-O-glucoside as a solute.
Antagonistic Activity of Lactic Acid Bacteria and Rosa rugosa Thunb. Pseudo-Fruit Extracts against Staphylococcus spp. Strains
Authors: Klewicka Elżbieta , Piekarska-Radzik Lidia , Milala Joanna , Klewicki Robert , Sójka Michał , Rosół Natalia , Otlewska Anna , Matysiak Bożena
Published: April 2022

Staphylococcus bacteria are ubiquitous microorganisms. They occur in practically all environments. They also show the ability to colonize the skin and mucous membranes of humans and animals. The current trend is to look for new natural factors (e.g., plant extracts rich in polyphenols) limiting the growth of undesirable bacteria in food and cosmetics or use as an adjunct in antibiotic therapy. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of extracts from Rosa rugosa Thunb. on the antagonistic properties of selected lactic acid bacteria strains in relation to Staphylococcus spp. isolates. The biological material consisted of seven strains of lactic acid bacteria (LAB) and seven strains of bacteria of the Staphylococcus genus. The anti-staphylococcal properties of the Rosa rugosa Thunb. pomace extracts (the tested extracts were characterized by a high content of polyphenols, namely 8–34 g/100 g DM/dm) were tested using the well method. The conducted research showed that the pomace extracts of the pseudo-fruit (Rosa rugosa Thunb.) had the ability to inhibit the growth of Staphylococcus spp. bacteria. The minimum concentration of polyphenols inhibiting the growth of staphylococci was in the range of 0.156–0.625 mg/mL. The conducted research showed that combined lactic acid bacteria and extracts from the pomace from the pseudo-fruit Rosa rugosa Thunb. (LR systems) may be factors limiting the growth of Staphylococcus spp. bacteria. As a result of the research, two-component antagonist systems consisting of LAB cultures and extracts from Rosa rugosa Thunb. pomace were developed, which effectively limited the growth of the test strains of Staphylococcus spp. In 41% of all tested cases, the zone of inhibition of growth of bacteria of the genus Staphylococcus spp. after the use of two-component antagonist systems was higher than that as a result of the control culture (without the addition of extracts).
Fast and Efficient Two-Dimensional DOA Estimation for Signals with Known Waveforms Using Uniform Circular Array
Authors: Hu Zepeng , Wu Qi , Zou Jifeng , Wan Qun
Published: April 2022

This paper addresses the two-dimensional (2D) direction-of-arrival (DOA) estimation issue for signals with known waveforms but unknown amplitudes using uniform circular array (UCA). Unlike maximum likelihood (ML) methods such as decoupled maximum likelihood (DEML), parallel decomposition (PADEC) and so forth, which estimate DOA by spectrum peak search, we propose an efficient interferometer-based method with known waveforms. The proposed method first estimates spatial signature matrix based on ML method whose each column contains 2D DOA information corresponding to a source. Then, an interferometer procedure is performed to obtain 2D DOA estimate of each source from a closed-form solution separately and in parallel. Several simulation results show that the proposed method can achieve a significantly improvement in performance that coincides with the ML method as well as Cramér-Rao Bound (CRB), especially under some poor conditions, such as low SNR, fewer sensors or small snapshots. In addition, the performance will not degrade as the number of sources increases if the source signals are uncorrelated with each other. Meanwhile, it reduces a great amount of computational complexity without loss of too much accuracy. Thus, the proposed method is quite suitable for 2D DOA estimation with known waveforms in practice.
Real-Time 3D Reconstruction Method for Holographic Telepresence
Authors: Fadzli Fazliaty Edora , Ismail Ajune Wanis , Abd Karim Ishigaki Shafina , Nor’a Muhammad Nur Affendy , Aladin Mohamad Yahya Fekri
Published: April 2022

This paper introduces a real-time 3D reconstruction of a human captured using a depth sensor and has integrated it with a holographic telepresence application. Holographic projection is widely recognized as one of the most promising 3D display technologies, and it is expected to become more widely available in the near future. This technology may also be deployed in various ways, including holographic prisms and Z-Hologram, which this research has used to demonstrate the initial results by displaying the reconstructed 3D representation of the user. The realization of a stable and inexpensive 3D data acquisition system is a problem that has yet to be solved. When we involve multiple sensors we need to compress and optimize the data so that it can be sent to a server for a telepresence. Therefore the paper presents the processes in real-time 3D reconstruction, which consists of data acquisition, background removal, point cloud extraction, and a surface generation which applies a marching cube algorithm to finally form an isosurface from the set of points in the point cloud which later texture mapping is applied on the isosurface generated. The compression results has been presented in this paper, and the results of the integration process after sending the data over the network also have been discussed.
Aerodynamic Effects of Ceiling and Ground Vicinity on Flapping Wings
Authors: Meng Xueguang , Han Yinghui , Chen Zengshuang , Ghaffar Anas , Chen Gang
Published: April 2022

The combined ceiling and ground effect on the aerodynamics of a hovering flapping wing is investigated using numerical simulations. In the simulations, the wing was located between the ceiling and the ground. Simulations were carried out for different wall clearances at two Reynolds numbers (Re = 10 and 100). Special efforts were paid to whether there exists aerodynamic coupling between the ceiling effect and the ground effect. At Re = 10, the combined ceiling and ground effect increases the aerodynamic forces monotonically through two effects, namely the narrow-channel effect and the downwash-reducing effect. Additionally, there exists a coupling effect of the ceiling and the ground for the combined case at Re = 10, where the force enhancement of the combined effect is much more significant than the sum of the ceiling-only effect and the ground-only effect. At Re = 100, the combined effect of ceiling and ground causes three non-monotonic force regimes (force enhancement, reduction and recovery) with increasing wall clearance. The narrow-channel effect at Re = 100 leads to a monotonic force trend, while the downwash-reducing effect results in a non-monotonic force trend. The two effects eventually lead to the three force regimes at Re = 100. Unlike the Re = 10 case, the coupling effect at Re = 100 is small.
Maximization of the Power Production of an Offshore Wind Farm
Authors: Balakrishnan Raj Kiran , Hur Sung-ho
Published: April 2022

Operating wind turbines together as a wind farm can be more advantageous and economical. As a result, onshore and offshore wind farms are being built at a rapid pace around the world. Wake effects, which have a negative impact on overall wind farm electricity generation, are one of the key concerns in wind farms. This work concentrates on the maximization of power output from wind farms by ameliorating the wake effect. This work introduces a dynamic wind farm controller that adjusts turbines’ yaw angles or axial induction factors following the flow field conditions to maximize the overall power output of the wind farm. This research examines a real-life offshore wind farm in South Korea and the wind farm controller is evaluated in Wind Farm Simulator (WFSim), a control-oriented dynamic wind farm model environment built by Delft University of Technology. The main contribution of this work includes investigating the impact of wind farm control methods on the power production of a wind farm model that simulates a real-life wind farm.