bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Endocannabinoid Gene × Gene Interaction Association to Alcohol Use Disorder in Two Adolescent Cohorts
Authors: Elkrief Laurent , Spinney Sean , Vosberg Daniel E. , Banaschewski Tobias , Bokde Arun L. W. , Quinlan Erin Burke , Desrivières Sylvane , Flor Herta , Garavan Hugh , Gowland Penny , Heinz Andreas , Brühl Rüdiger , Martinot Jean-Luc , Paillère Martinot Marie-Laure , Nees Frauke , Papadopoulos Orfanos Dimitri , Poustka Luise , Hohmann Sarah , Millenet Sabina , Fröhner Juliane H. , Smolka Michael N. , Walter Henrik , Whelan Robert , Schumann Gunter , Pausova Zdenka , Paus Tomáš , Huguet Guillaume , Conrod Patricia ,   the IMAGEN consortium
Published: April 2021

Genetic markers of the endocannabinoid system have been linked to a variety of addiction-related behaviors that extend beyond cannabis use. In the current study we investigate the relationship between endocannabinoid (eCB) genetic markers and alcohol use disorder (AUD) in European adolescents (14–18 years old) followed in the IMAGEN study (n = 2,051) and explore replication in a cohort of North American adolescents from Canadian Saguenay Youth Study (SYS) (n = 772). Case-control status is represented by a score of more than 7 on the Alcohol Use Disorder Identification Test (AUDIT). First a set-based test method was used to examine if a relationship between the eCB system and AUDIT case/control status exists at the gene level. Using only SNPs that are both independent and significantly associated to case-control status, we perform Fisher's exact test to determine SNP level odds ratios in relation to case-control status and then perform logistic regressions as post-hoc analysis, while considering various covariates. Generalized multifactor dimensionality reduction (GMDR) was used to analyze the most robust SNP×SNP interaction of the five eCB genes with positive AUDIT screen. While no gene-sets were significantly associated to AUDIT scores after correction for multiple tests, in the case/control analysis, 7 SNPs were significantly associated with AUDIT scores of > 7 (p < 0.05; OR<1). Two SNPs remain significant after correction by false discovery rate (FDR): rs9343525 in CNR1 (pcorrected =0.042, OR = 0.73) and rs507961 in MGLL (pcorrected = 0.043, OR = 0.78). Logistic regression showed that both rs9353525 (CNR1) and rs507961 (MGLL) remained significantly associated with positive AUDIT screens (p < 0.01; OR < 1) after correction for multiple covariables and interaction of covariable × SNP. This result was not replicated in the SYS cohort. The GMDR model revealed a significant three-SNP interaction (p = 0.006) involving rs484061 (MGLL), rs4963307 (DAGLA), and rs7766029 (CNR1) predicted case-control status, after correcting for multiple covariables in the IMAGEN sample. A binomial logistic regression of the combination of these three SNPs by phenotype in the SYS cohort showed a result in the same direction as seen in the IMAGEN cohort (BETA = 0.501, p = 0.06). While preliminary, the present study suggests that the eCB system may play a role in the development of AUD in adolescents.
Clinical and Cognitive Functioning Changes After Partial Hospitalization in Patients With Anorexia Nervosa
Authors: Tenconi Elena , Collantoni Enrico , Meregalli Valentina , Bonello Elisa , Zanetti Tatiana , Veronese Angela , Meneguzzo Paolo , Favaro Angela
Published: April 2021

Introduction: Anorexia nervosa is usually associated with emotional and cognitive difficulties. Little knowledge is available about the changes in cognitive functioning in patients undergoing treatments. The aim of the present study was to longitudinally assess the impact of partial hospitalization on clinical and cognitive functioning in anorexia nervosa.

Materials and Methods: 56 women with anorexia nervosa according to DSM-5 criteria and 58 healthy women were enrolled in the study. At baseline, all participants underwent clinical, diagnostic and neuropsychological assessment (T0). Patients were also assessed at the end of the treatment program (T1; n = 56).

Results: BMI improved significantly throughout treatment. At baseline, patients showed significantly poorer executive abilities and less specific autobiographical memory. After the day-hospital program, decision-making abilities improved significantly. Response to treatment was predicted by BMI at admission and duration of illness, but neuropsychological performance did not contribute to the prediction model.

Discussion: Cognitive difficulties, mostly regarding executive functions, resulted differently affected by clinical improvement. In particular, while cognitive monitoring and cognitive inhibition appear to be mostly stable trait-like characteristics, decision-making is both more state-dependent and sensitive to clinical status. None of the cognitive variables added information about the response to day hospital treatment; patients with short duration of illness and a rapidly decreasing BMI would benefit more from intensive interventions than less “acute” patients. These observations, if confirmed by future studies, have important clinical implications in order to understand the impact of malnutrition on cognitive functioning and to provide individualized effective treatment for patients with anorexia nervosa.
State of Post-injury First Response Systems in Nepal—A Nationwide Survey
Authors: Banstola Amrit , Smart Gary , Raut Raju , Ghimire Krishna Prasad , Pant Puspa Raj , Joshi Prerita , Joshi Sunil Kumar , Mytton Julie
Published: April 2021

Injuries account for 9.2% of all deaths and 9.9% of the total disability-adjusted life years in Nepal. To date, there has not been a systematic assessment of the status of first response systems in Nepal. An online survey was cascaded through government, non-governmental organisations and academic networks to identify first response providers across Nepal. Identified organisations were invited to complete a questionnaire to explore the services, personnel, equipment, and resources in these organisations, their first aid training activities and whether the organisation evaluated their first response services and training. Of 28 organisations identified, 17 (61%) completed the questionnaire. The range of services offered varied considerably; 15 (88.2%) provided first aid training, 9 (52.9%) provided treatment at the scene and 5 (29.4%) provided full emergency medical services with assessment, treatment and transport to a health facility. Only 8 (47.1%) of providers had an ambulance, with 6 (35.3%) offering transportation without an ambulance. Of 13 first aid training providers, 7 (53.8%) evaluated skill retention and 6 (46.2%) assessed health outcomes of patients. The length of a training course varied from 1 to 16 days and costs from US$4.0 to 430.0 per participant. There was a variation among training providers in who they train, how they train, and whether they evaluate that training. No standardisation existed for either first aid training or provision of care at the scene of an injury. This survey suggests that coordination and leadership will be required to develop an effective first response system across the country.
Supervised Learning Computer Vision Benchmark for Snake Species Identification From Photographs: Implications for Herpetology and Global Health
Authors: Durso Andrew M. , Moorthy Gokula Krishnan , Mohanty Sharada P. , Bolon Isabelle , Salathé Marcel , Ruiz de Castañeda Rafael
Published: April 2021

We trained a computer vision algorithm to identify 45 species of snakes from photos and compared its performance to that of humans. Both human and algorithm performance is substantially better than randomly guessing (null probability of guessing correctly given 45 classes = 2.2%). Some species (e.g.,Boa constrictor) are routinely identified with ease by both algorithm and humans, whereas other groups of species (e.g., uniform green snakes, blotched brown snakes) are routinely confused. A species complex with largely molecular species delimitation (North American ratsnakes) was the most challenging for computer vision. Humans had an edge at identifying images of poor quality or with visual artifacts. With future improvement, computer vision could play a larger role in snakebite epidemiology, particularly when combined with information about geographic location and input from human experts.
The Future of Computational Linguistics: On Beyond Alchemy
Authors: Church Kenneth , Liberman Mark
Published: April 2021

Over the decades, fashions in Computational Linguistics have changed again and again, with major shifts in motivations, methods and applications. When digital computers first appeared, linguistic analysis adopted the new methods of information theory, which accorded well with the ideas that dominated psychology and philosophy. Then came formal language theory and the idea of AI as applied logic, in sync with the development of cognitive science. That was followed by a revival of 1950s-style empiricism—AI as applied statistics—which in turn was followed by the age of deep nets. There are signs that the climate is changing again, and we offer some thoughts about paths forward, especially for younger researchers who will soon be the leaders.
Aerial Swarm Defense by StringNet Herding: Theory and Experiments
Authors: Chipade Vishnu S. , Marella Venkata Sai Aditya , Panagou Dimitra
Published: April 2021

This paper studies a defense approach against one or more swarms of adversarial agents. In our earlier work, we employed a closed formation (“StringNet”) of defending agents (defenders) around a swarm of adversarial agents (attackers) to confine their motion within given bounds, and guide them to a safe area. The adversarial agents were assumed to remain close enough to each other, i.e., within a prescribed connectivity region. To handle situations when the attackers no longer stay within such a connectivity region, but rather split into smaller swarms (clusters) to maximize the chance or impact of attack, this paper proposes an approach to learn the attacking sub-swarms and reassign defenders toward the attackers. We use a “Density-based Spatial Clustering of Application with Noise (DBSCAN)” algorithm to identify the spatially distributed swarms of the attackers. Then, the defenders are assigned to each identified swarm of attackers by solving a constrained generalized assignment problem. We also provide conditions under which defenders can successfully herd all the attackers. The efficacy of the approach is demonstrated via computer simulations, as well as hardware experiments with a fleet of quadrotors.
Evidence for Transmission of Taenia solium Taeniasis/Cysticercosis in a Rural Area of Northern Rwanda
Authors: Acosta Soto Lucrecia , Parker Lucy Anne , Irisarri-Gutiérrez María José , Bustos Javier Arturo , Castillo Yesenia , Perez Erika , Muñoz-Antoli Carla , Esteban José Guillermo , García Héctor Hugo , Bornay-Llinares Fernando Jorge
Published: April 2021

Cysticercosis is a parasitic infection caused by the metacestode larval stage (cysticercus) of Taenia solium. In humans, cysticercosis may infect the central nervous system and cause neurocysticercosis, which is responsible for over 50,000 deaths per year worldwide and is the major cause of preventable epilepsy cases, especially in low-income countries. Cysticercosis infection is endemic in many less developed countries where poor hygiene conditions and free-range pig management favor their transmission. A cross-sectional study was conducted in 680 children from a rural primary school in Gakenke district (Northern province of Rwanda). Stool samples were collected from participants and analyzed using the Kato-Katz method (KK), formol-ether concentration (FEC), and/or copro-antigen enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (CoAg-ELISA) to detect taeniasis. Blood samples were collected and analyzed using enzyme-linked immunoelectrotransfer blot (EITB) and antigen enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (Ag-ELISA) to detect human cysticercosis. The overall proportion of taeniasis positivity was 0.3% (2/680), and both cases were also confirmed by CoAg-ELISA. A total of 13.3% (76/572) of the children studied were positive to cysticercosis (T. solium-specific serum antibodies detected by EITB), of whom 38.0% (27/71) had viable cysticercus (T. solium antigens by Ag-ELISA). This study provides evidence of the highest cysticercosis prevalence reported in Rwanda in children to date. Systematic investigations into porcine and human cysticercosis as well as health education and hygiene measures for T. solium control are needed in Gakenke district.
Earthquake Source Properties of a Lower Crust Sequence and Associated Seismicity Perturbation in the SE Carpathians, Romania, Collisional Setting
Authors: Placinta Anica Otilia , Borleanu Felix , Popescu Emilia , Radulian Mircea , Munteanu Ioan
Published: April 2021

Romanian seismicity is mainly confined to the Eastern Carpathians Arc bend (ECAB), where strong subcrustal earthquakes (magnitude up to 7.9) are generated in a narrow lithospheric body descending into the mantle. The seismic activity in the overlying crust is spread over a larger area, located mostly toward the outer side of the ECAB. It is significantly smaller than subcrustal seismicity, raising controversies about possible upper mantle-crust coupling. A significant earthquake sequence took place in the foreland of the ECAB triggered on 22 November 2014 by a mainshock of magnitude 5.7 (the greatest instrumentally recorded earthquake in this region) located in the lower crust. The mainshock triggered a significant increase in the number of small-magnitude events spread over an unusually large area in the ECAB. The paper’s goal is to compute the source parameters of the earthquakes that occurred during the aforementioned sequence, by empirical application of Green’s function and spectral ratio techniques. Fault plane solutions are determined using multiple methods and seismicity evolution at regional scale is investigated. Our results highlight a still active deformation regime at the edge of the EE Craton, while the source parameters reveal a complex fracture of the mainshock and a very high-stress drop.
A Feature Selection-Based Predictive-Learning Framework for Optimal Actuator Control in Smart Homes
Authors: Malik Sehrish , Shafqat Wafa , Lee Kyu-Tae , Kim Do-Hyeun
Published: April 2021

In today’s world, smart buildings are considered an overarching system that automates a building’s complex operations and increases security while reducing environmental impact. One of the primary goals of building management systems is to promote sustainable and efficient use of energy, requiring coherent task management and execution of control commands for actuators. This paper proposes a predictive-learning framework based on contextual feature selection and optimal actuator control mechanism for minimizing energy consumption in smart buildings. We aim to assess multiple parameters and select the most relevant contextual features that would optimize energy consumption. We have implemented an artificial neural network-based particle swarm optimization (ANN-PSO) algorithm for predictive learning to train the framework on feature importance. Based on the relevance of attributes, our model was also capable of re-adding features. The extracted features are then applied as input parameters for the training of long short-term memory (LSTM) and optimal control module. We have proposed an objective function using a velocity boost-particle swarm optimization (VB-PSO) algorithm that reduces energy cost for optimal control. We then generated and defined the control tasks based on the fuzzy rule set and optimal values obtained from VB-PSO. We compared our model’s performance with and without feature selection using the root mean square error (RMSE) metric in the evaluation section. This paper also presents how optimal control can reduce energy cost and improve performance resulting from lesser learning cycles and decreased error rates.
Hand–Eye Calibration Algorithm Based on an Optimized Neural Network
Authors: Hua Jiang , Zeng Liangcai
Published: April 2021

A robot can identify the position of a target and complete a grasping based on the hand–eye calibration algorithm, through which the relationship between the robot coordinate system and the camera coordinate system can be established. The accuracy of the hand–eye calibration algorithm affects the real-time performance of the visual servo system and the robot manipulation. The traditional calibration technique is based on a perfect mathematical model AX = XB, in which the X represents the relationship of (A) the camera coordinate system and (B) the robot coordinate system. The traditional solution to the transformation matrix has a certain extent of limitation and instability. To solve this problem, an optimized neural-network-based hand–eye calibration method was developed to establish a non-linear relationship between robotic coordinates and pixel coordinates that can compensate for the nonlinear distortion of the camera lens. The learning process of the hand–eye calibration model can be interpreted as B=fA, which is the coordinate transformation relationship trained by the neural network. An accurate hand–eye calibration model can finally be obtained by continuously optimizing the network structure and parameters via training. Finally, the accuracy and stability of the method were verified by experiments on a robot grasping system.
Ethical Leadership, Ethical Climate and Integrity Violation: A Comparative Study in Saudi Arabia and Malaysia
Authors: Hamoudah Manal Mohammed , Othman Zaleha , Abdul Rahman Rashidah , Mohd Noor Nor Azila , Alamoudi May
Published: April 2021

The primary aim of this study is to investigate the relationship among the ethical leadership, ethical climate and integrity violation of the local government of two countries, Saudi Arabia and Malaysia. Past studies indicate that ethical leadership and ethical climate influenced the integrity of local government. However, studies were mostly conducted in Western countries. Given the lack of comparative studies in Muslim-oriented countries, we intend to fill the gap by building upon previous studies on the relationship between ethical leadership and ethical climate and integrity violation of the local government. The study used survey to collect data from local authorities in the two nations. PLS-SEM was used to analyze the survey data. The findings demonstrated that the relationship between ethical leadership and integrity violation is not significant for Malaysians. Thus, the study assumption is not supported. By contrast, Saudi showed a different result in the relationship between ethical leadership and integrity violation; the relationship between ethical leadership and integrity violation in Saudi is negatively significant. Hence, the assumption is supported for Saudi participants. In regard to the ethical climate, results reveal that for Malaysia and Saudi, ethical climate negatively and significantly influence integrity violation. Thus, the assumption for both countries is supported. The findings of this study are useful for the practical development of local authorities as the findings provide information for the local government to safeguard against integrity violation. The findings also contribute social implications by educating organizations toward the role of ethical climate in preventing integrity violation. In addition, the study contributes to the growing interest in comparative studies.
A Breakdown of System of Systems Needs Using Architecture Frameworks, Ontologies and Description Logic Reasoning
Authors: Knöös Franzén Ludvig , Staack Ingo , Krus Petter , Jouannet Christopher , Amadori Kristian
Published: April 2021

Aerospace systems are connected with the operational environment and other systems in general. The focus in aerospace product development is consequently shifting from a singular system perspective to a System-of-Systems (SoS) perspective. This increasing complexity gives rise to new levels of uncertainty that must be understood and managed to produce aerospace solutions for an ever-changing future. This paper presents an approach to using architecture frameworks, and ontologies with description logic reasoning capabilities, to break down SoS needs into required capabilities and functions. The intention of this approach is to provide a consistent way of obtaining the functions to be realized in order to meet the overarching capabilities and needs of an SoS. The breakdown with an architecture framework results in an initial design space representation of functions to be performed. The captured knowledge is then represented in an ontology with description logic reasoning capabilities, which provides a more flexible way to expand and process the initial design space representation obtained from the architecture framework. The proposed approach is ultimately tested in a search and rescue case study, partly based on the operations of the Swedish Maritime Administration. The results show that it is possible to break down SoS needs in a consistent way and that ontology with description logic reasoning can be used to process the captured knowledge to both expand and reduce an available design space representation.
Drought Shocks and Gearing Impacts on the Profitability of Sheep Farming
Authors: Godfrey Sosheel S. , Nordblom Thomas , Ip Ryan H. L. , Robertson Susan , Hutchings Timothy , Behrendt Karl
Published: April 2021

The resilience and profitability of livestock production in many countries can be impacted by shocks, such as drought and market shifts, especially under high debt levels. For farmers to remain profitable through such uncertainty, there is a need to understand and predict a farming business’s ability to withstand and recover from such shocks. This research demonstrates the use of biophysical modelling linked with copula and Monte Carlo simulation techniques to predict the risks faced by a typical wool and meat lamb enterprise in South-Eastern Australia, given the financial impacts of different debt levels on a farming business’s profitability and growth in net wealth. The study tested five starting gearing scenarios, i.e., debt to equity (D:E) ratios to define a farm’s financial risk profiles, given weather and price variations over time. Farms with higher gearing are increasingly worse off, highlighting the implications of debt accumulating over time due to drought shocks. In addition to business risk, financial risk should be included in the analyses and planning of farm production to identify optimal management strategies better. The methods described in this paper enable the extension of production simulation to include the farmer’s management information to determine financial risk profiles and guide decision making for improved business resilience.
Effects of Various Quantities of Three Irrigation Water Types on Yield and Fruit Quality of ‘Succary’ Date Palm
Authors: Mattar Mohamed A. , Soliman Said S. , Al-Obeed Rashid S.
Published: April 2021

A field experiment was conducted on date palm trees (Phoenix dactylifera ‘Succary’) cultivated on sandy loam soil from 2017 to 2018. This study investigated the effects of providing water of three different qualities, namely freshwater (FR) and two saline water sources: reclaimed wastewater (RW) and well-water (WE) applied through three irrigation levels representing 50% (I50), 100% (I100), and 150% (I150) of crop evapotranspiration (ETc), on the soil water and salt distribution patterns, yield, water productivity (WP), and fruit quality of the ′Succary′ date palm. The electrical conductivity (ECw) of FR, RW, and WE were 0.18, 2.06, and 3.94 dS m−1, respectively. Results showed that WE applied by the I150 treatment had the highest soil water content, followed by RW used in the I100 irrigation level and FR with I50, whereas the soil salt content was high for WE applied in the I50 level and low for FR applied by the I150 treatment. Deficit irrigation (I50) of date palms with either RW or WE reduced date yields on average 86 kg per tree, whereas the yield increased under over-irrigation (I150) with FR to 123.25 kg per tree. High WP values were observed in the I50 treatments with FR, RW, or WE (on average 1.82, 1.68, and 1.67 kg m−3, respectively), whereas the I150 treatment with each of the three water types showed the lowest WP values. Fruit weight and size were the lowest in the full irrigation (I100) with WE, whereas the I150 treatment with RW showed the highest values. There were no significant differences in either total soluble solids (TSS) or acidity values when the irrigation level decreased from 100% to 50% ETc. Compared with both I50 and I100 treatments, reduced values of both TSS and acidity were observed in the I150 treatment when ECw decreased from 3.94 to 0.18 dS m−1,. Fruit moisture content decreased with the application of saline irrigation water (i.e., RW or WE). Total sugar and non-reducing sugar contents in fruits were found to be decreased in the combination of RW and I150, whereas the 50% ETc irrigation level caused an increment in both parameters. These results suggest that the application of deficit irrigation to date palm trees grown in arid regions, either with FR or without it, can sufficiently maximize WP and improve the quality of fruits but negatively affects yield, especially when saline water is applied. The use of saline water for irrigation may negatively affect plants because of salt accumulation in the soil in the long run.
Fusarium Head Blight and Associated Mycotoxins in Grains and Straw of Barley: Influence of Agricultural Practices
Authors: Drakopoulos Dimitrios , Sulyok Michael , Jenny Eveline , Kägi Andreas , Bänziger Irene , Logrieco Antonio F. , Krska Rudolf , Vogelgsang Susanne
Published: April 2021

Fusarium head blight (FHB) is a devastating fungal disease of small-grain cereals that causes significant yield losses and mycotoxin contamination, diminishing food and feed safety worldwide. In contrast to wheat, little is known about the agricultural practices that influence FHB and Fusarium mycotoxins in barley. Thus, a nationwide survey was conducted across Switzerland for harvest samples in 2016 and 2017, accompanied with a questionnaire to obtain information about the agricultural practices in each barley field. In total, 253 grain and 237 straw samples were analyzed. In both years, F. graminearum was the predominant Fusarium species in grains followed by F. avenaceum and F. poae. Growing maize before barley was associated with increased amount of F. graminearum DNA in grains and straw as well as with elevated concentrations of deoxynivalenol in grains of barley. On the other hand, growing pasture before barley resulted in increased incidence of F. poae and concentration of numerous mycotoxins in grains (e.g., enniatins) and straw (e.g., beauvericin). Reduced tillage practices were linked to increased incidence of F. graminearum and deoxynivalenol content in grains and straw. In contrast, conventional tillage was linked to higher incidence of F. poae. Moreover, use of spring barley was associated with decreased amount of F. graminearum DNA in grains and straw, but increased incidence of F. poae and F. avenaceum. Use of the spring variety Eunova was linked to increased concentrations of several Fusarium mycotoxins in grains (e.g., enniatins and nivalenol). Furthermore, the application of strobilurin-based fungicides was associated with higher deoxynivalenol and beauvericin contents in grains. The application of plant growth regulators was associated with increased concentration of some Fusarium mycotoxins in grains (e.g., culmorin), while absence of growth regulators application was linked to elevated concentration of some other mycotoxins (e.g., nivalenol). We conclude that individual agricultural practices can suppress some FHB causing species and reduce the associated mycotoxins, but can promote others. Hence, integrated control measures combining numerous prevention and intervention strategies should be applied for the sustainable management of mycotoxins in barley.
Integrated Effect of Deficit Irrigation and Sowing Methods on Weed Dynamics and System Productivity of Maize–Cowpea Sequence on Vertisols
Authors: Halli Hanamant M. , Angadi Sanganabasappa , Govindasamy Prabhu , Madar Raghavendra , Sannagoudar Manjanagouda S. , El-Sabrout Ahmed M. , Alataway Abed , Dewidar Ahmed Z. , O. Elansary Hosam
Published: April 2021

The aim of this study was to explore the effect of sowing methods and deficit irrigation on weed dynamics, yield and water-use efficiency (WUE) of the maize–cowpea system during the summer and monsoon seasons, respectively. The field experiment was carried out for two years (2015 and 2016) using a split design with three replicates under irrigated (maize) and rainfed (cowpea) conditions on vertisols of a semi-arid region. Treatments included three sowing methods [i.e., broad bed and furrow (BBF), corrugated furrow (CF) and ridges and furrow (RF)] and four irrigation levels [i.e., irrigation once in 10 days (I10D), irrigation at 40% (I40), at 50% (I50) and at 60% (I60) depletion]. The results indicated that, regardless of weed flora (monocots, dicots and sedges), the RF method produced higher weed density (2.09–2.98 No. m−2) compared to CF (2.00–2.80 No. m−2) and BBF (1.85–2.64 No. m−2) in maize at 30 and 60 days after sowing (DAS). The RF method with irrigation at I40 and I50 recorded significantly higher weed density, followed by the CF and BBF method. A similar trend was also observed with dry weight of weeds (monocot; 24.19%, dicot; 25.52%, and sedges; 29.80%) in maize at 30 and 60 DAS. Higher weed density and dry weight of weeds in the RF method with I40 was due to higher soil moisture availability and higher nutrient uptake due to larger lateral wetting of the soil and greater water use (29.27%). However, the BBF method favoured the growth of weeds (9.33–16.60%) in cowpea at 55 DAS and coped under rain-fed situation over CF and RF. The CF with moderate depletion (I50) method produced significantly higher maize equivalent yield (MEY) of cowpea (10,000 kg ha−1) with considerable reduction in the total water usage (19.33%). Therefore, under a water scarcity situation, growers can practice CF and I50 for higher yield and WUE of maize–cowpea sequence cropping.
Close Companions? A Zooarchaeological Study of the Human–Cattle Relationship in Medieval England
Authors: Holmes Matilda , Hamerow Helena , Thomas Richard
Published: April 2021

Across medieval Europe, cattle commanded a major, if shifting, economic and social value, and their use for meat, milk, and traction is well established. Although the changing roles of cattle throughout this period may have influenced relationships between humans and cattle, this has been largely neglected in historical and zooarchaeological studies. Data from nearly 700 archaeological assemblages of animal remains have been used to provide an overview of the herd structures (age and sex) of cattle populations for England between AD 450 and 1400. These have been analysed alongside pathological and sub-pathological changes in over 2800 lower limb bones of cattle from seventeen archaeological sites to provide a better understanding of the use of cattle for ploughing, hauling, and carting. The findings were considered alongside historical documents and ethnographic evidence to chart changing human–cattle relationships. Results indicate that human–cattle relations varied with changing economic, agricultural, and social practices. From the mid-fifth century, cattle were a form of portable wealth, however, by the mid-ninth century, they were perceived as a commodity with monetary value. From this period, close human–cattle bonds are likely to have been widespread between plough hands and working animals. Such bonds are may have diminished with the increasing number of young beef cattle kept to supply the urban population from the mid-eleventh century.
Isolation, Identification and Function of Pichia anomala AR2016 and Its Effects on the Growth and Health of Weaned Pigs
Authors: Ma Yajun , Sun Zhihong , Zeng Yan , Hu Ping , Sun Weizhong , Liu Yubo , Hu Hong , Rao Zebin , Tang Zhiru
Published: April 2021

This study isolates and identifies Pichia anomala (P. anomala) AR2016, and studies its effect on the growth and health of weaned pigs. A P. anomala strain from solid wine koji is isolated and identified using 26S rDNA analysis, and its culture conditions are optimized. Heat tolerance, bile salt tolerance, artificial gastric, and intestinal juice tolerance are evaluated. In our methodology, thirty 28 d Large White × Landrace × Rongchang weaned pigs were randomly divided into three groups with 10 barrows in each, and fed a maize-soybean meal diet and orally administered 0.85% saline (CK), 1 mL 1 × 109 cfu/mL Candida utilis (C. utilis), and 1 mL 1 × 109 cfu/mL P. anomala once daily for 28 days. A P. anomala strain was identified and named P. anomala AR2016. P. anomala AR2016 grew best in yeast extract peptone dextrose medium with pH 5.0 at 28 °C, 180 r/min and could tolerate 45 °C for 0.5 h, 0.2% pig bile salts, simulated gastric fluid, and 1.0% simulated intestinal fluid. Our results show that compared with the CK group, orally administered P. anomala AR2016 increases average daily gain, the ileal villus height, the ileal mucosal concentrations of occludin and zonula occluens-1, the serum glucose and total protein concentration, total superoxide dismutase, glutathione peroxidase, and total antioxidative capacity activity, the trypsin and lipase activity in jejunal and ileal contents, the jejunal and ileal mucosa mRNA levels of ALP, TNF-α, and TLR-2, and the relative abundance of Bacteroidetes, Actinobacteria, Succinivibrionaceae, Lachnospiraceae, and Prevotellaceae (p < 0.05). Compared with the CK group, oral administration of P. anomala AR2016 decreased the incidence of diarrhea, aspartate aminotransferase activity, alanine amino-transferase-activity, malondialdehyde, D-lactic acid and endotoxin content in serum, the mRNA level of aminopeptidase N of ileum mucosa, and the relative abundance of Proteobacteria, Clostridiaceae, Campylobacteraceae, Vibrionaceae, Bacillus, and Pseudon (p < 0.05). Collectively, the study indicates that P. anomala AR2016 can tolerate high acidity and high bile salts, and has high survivability in the artificial gastric intestinal juice environment. Oral administration of P. anomala AR2016 improves the growth performance, reduces the incidence of diarrhea, enhances intestinal barrier function, and improves microflora in weaned pigs.
Seasonal Influence on Rumen Microbiota, Rumen Fermentation, and Enteric Methane Emissions of Holstein and Jersey Steers under the Same Total Mixed Ration
Authors: Islam Mahfuzul , Kim Seon-Ho , Son A-Rang , Ramos Sonny C. , Jeong Chang-Dae , Yu Zhongtang , Kang Seung Ha , Cho Yong-Il , Lee Sung-Sill , Cho Kwang-Keun , Lee Sang-Suk
Published: April 2021

Seasonal effects on rumen microbiome and enteric methane (CH4) emissions are poorly documented. In this study, 6 Holstein and 6 Jersey steers were fed the same total mixed ration diet during winter, spring, and summer seasons under a 2 × 3 factorial arrangement for 30 days per season. The dry matter intake (DMI), rumen fermentation characteristics, enteric CH4 emissions and rumen microbiota were analyzed. Holstein had higher total DMI than Jersey steers regardless of season. However, Holstein steers had the lowest metabolic DMI during summer, while Jersey steers had the lowest total DMI during winter. Jersey steers had higher CH4 yields and intensities than Holstein steers regardless of season. The pH was decreased, while ammonia nitrogen concentration was increased in summer regardless of breed. Total volatile fatty acids concentration and propionate proportions were the highest in winter, while acetate and butyrate proportion were the highest in spring and in summer, respectively, regardless of breed. Moreover, Holstein steers produced a higher proportion of propionate, while Jersey steers produced a higher proportion of butyrate regardless of season. Metataxonomic analysis of rumen microbiota showed that operational taxonomic units and Chao 1 estimates were lower and highly unstable during summer, while winter had the lowest Shannon diversity. Beta diversity analysis suggested that the overall rumen microbiota was shifted according to seasonal changes in both breeds. In winter, the rumen microbiota was dominated by Carnobacterium jeotgali and Ruminococcus bromii, while in summer, Paludibacter propionicigenes was predominant. In Jersey steers, Capnocytophaga cynodegmi, Barnesiella viscericola and Flintibacter butyricus were predominant, whereas in Holstein steers, Succinivibrio dextrinosolvens and Gilliamella bombicola were predominant. Overall results suggest that seasonal changes alter rumen microbiota and fermentation characteristics of both breeds; however, CH4 emissions from steers were significantly influenced by breeds, not by seasons.
Neuroprotective Effects of Salicin in a Gerbil Model of Transient Forebrain Ischemia by Attenuating Oxidative Stress and Activating PI3K/Akt/GSK3β Pathway
Authors: Park Joon-Ha , Lee Tae-Kyeong , Kim Dae-Won , Sim Hyejin , Lee Jae-Chul , Kim Jong-Dai , Ahn Ji-Hyeon , Lee Choong-Hyun , Kim Young-Myeong , Won Moo-Ho , Choi Soo-Young
Published: April 2021

Salicin is a major natural compound of willow bark and displays diverse beneficial biological properties, such as antioxidant activity. However, little information available for the neuroprotective potential of salicin against ischemic brain injury has been reported. Thus, this study was performed to investigate the neuroprotective potential of salicin against ischemia and reperfusion (IR) injury and its mechanisms in the hippocampus using a gerbil model of 5-min transient ischemia (TI) in the forebrain, in which a massive loss (death) of pyramidal neurons cells occurred in the subfield Cornu Ammonis 1 (CA1) among the hippocampal subregions (CA1-3) at 5 days after TI. To examine neuroprotection by salicin, gerbils were pretreated with salicin alone or together with LY294002, which is a phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase (PI3K) inhibitor, once daily for 3 days before TI. Treatment with 20 mg/kg of salicin significantly protected CA1 pyramidal neurons against the ischemic injury. Treatment with 20 mg/kg of salicin significantly reduced the TI-induced increase in superoxide anion generation and lipid peroxidation in the CA1 pyramidal neurons after TI. The treatment also reinstated the TI-induced decrease in superoxide dismutases (SOD1 and SOD2), catalase, and glutathione peroxidase in the CA1 pyramidal cells after TI. Moreover, salicin treatment significantly elevated the levels of phosphorylation of Akt and glycogen synthase kinase-3β (GSK3β), which is a major downstream target of PI3K, in the ischemic CA1. Notably, the neuroprotective effect of salicin was abolished by LY294002. Taken together, these findings clearly indicate that salicin protects against ischemic brain injury by attenuating oxidative stress and activating the PI3K/Akt/GSK3β pathway.
Evaluation of Deformation Characteristic of Railway Subgrade Using Reinforced Rigid Walls with Short Reinforcement under Repetitive and Static Loads
Authors: Kim Ungjin , Kim Dae Sang
Published: April 2021

A full-scale reinforced subgrade for railways (RSR) was constructed, and repetitive and static load tests were performed to analyze the deformation characteristics of reinforced rigid walls with short reinforcements for railway subgrades that require strict displacement restrictions. Load test results were obtained for four sections, in which the reinforcement arrangement (vertical spacing and length) and wall-reinforcement connection method were applied differently, and the behavior of the reinforced rigid wall was observed according to each parameter. A repetitive load of 500 kPa and a static load of 1000 kPa were applied to the outside of the reinforcement area to evaluate the behavior of the subgrade when utilizing short reinforcement. The test results confirmed the reduction of the settlement and horizontal displacement of the wall, owing to the restraining effect of the short reinforcement and rigid wall. In addition, it was observed that the greater the applied load, the greater the influence of the reinforcement on the behavior of the subgrade; this pattern was more marked in loads above the yield of soil.
Preliminary Failure Frequency Analysis of Receiving Bins in Retention Bunkers Operated in Underground Copper Ore Mines
Authors: Szczerbakowicz Mateusz , Suchorab Natalia , Król Robert
Published: April 2021

Ore retention bunkers and receiving bins are important for continuous operation of transport system in a mine. Although the designs of the bins used in the KGHM PM S.A. mines have undergone modifications, their operating principle has remained unchanged since their initial commissioning. Their operation entails many problems, which are caused by the durability and functionality of the entire structure. Preventive actions and research into directions for possible modernizations require the type of damage and its reasons to be identified in the first place. This article presents an evaluation of the documented types of damage and an analysis of the repair works performed for the entire population of the receiving bins operated in one mine. The comparative evaluation of the bin failure rate is here proposed to be performed with the use of a number-based failure indicator and of a mass indicator. The key problem identified in the research was the wear and tear on steel elements due to abrasive processes. The linings of the bin elements were observed to undergo intensive abrasive wear. This abrasive wear of the analyzed bin elements is influenced by a combination of factors, the most important of which include variable physical and mechanical properties of the copper ore.
Two-Dimensional Digital Beam Steering Based on Liquid Crystal Phase Gratings
Authors: García de Blas Mario , Geday Morten Andreas , Otón Jose Manuel , Quintana Arregui Xabier
Published: April 2021

Electrically tunable phase gratings are able to steer an incoming light beam without employing movable parts. Here, we present the design and implementation of a 2D beam steering device by cascading two orthogonal 1D liquid crystal (LC) based phase gratings, each having an array of 72 rectangular individually controlled pixels and driven by a custom 12-bit Pulse-Width Modulation (PWM) electrical driver. High-resolution structures in glass wafers coated with transparent Indium-Tin Oxide (ITO) have been prepared using Direct Laser Writing (DLW) techniques. With DLW, a high number of pixels can easily be drawn with an interpixel space of less than 3 μm, leading to devices with a high fill factor. The active area of the cascaded device is 1.1 × 1.1 mm2. We present a 72 × 72 point efficiency map corresponding to a maximum diagonal steering angle of 1.65°. Special attention has been paid to make the device compatible with space application by avoiding electronics in the active area.
Comparative Assessment of the Basic Chemical Composition and Antioxidant Activity of Stevia rebaudiana Bertoni Dried Leaves, Grown in Poland, Paraguay and Brazil—Preliminary Results
Authors: Leszczyńska Teresa , Piekło Barbara , Kopeć Aneta , Zimmermann Benno F.
Published: April 2021

This study compares the content of basic nutrients (proteins, fats, digestible carbohydrates, dietary fiber and ash), steviol glycosides, selected antioxidants (vitamin C, total polyphenols) and antioxidant activity in dried leaves of Stevia rebaudiana Bertoni cultivated in Poland, Paraguay and Brazil and available in the direct sale. The basic chemical composition was determined by standard AOAC (Association of Official Analytical Chemists) methods. Content of steviol glycosides was determined by the UHPLC-UV chromatographic method. Total polyphenols content was expressed as gallic acid equivalent (GAE) and catechins equivalent (CE). Antioxidant activity was measured as ABTS●+ free radical scavenging activity. Dried leaves of S. rebaudiana grown in Poland had significantly higher contents of dietary fiber, and lower protein and ash content, compared to those derived from Paraguay and Brazil. The former had, however, considerably higher contents of total steviol glycosides, stevioside and rebaudioside D, compared to the remaining two plants. In the Paraguay-derived dried leaves, the content of rebaudioside A, C, E and rubusoside was found to be significantly lower. Dried leaves of S. rebaudiana Bertoni, cultivated in Poland, contained substantially more vitamin C and a similar content of total polyphenols, compared to those from Brazil and Paraguay. The examined material from Brazil and Paraguay plantations showed similar antioxidant activity, while that obtained from Polish cultivation was characterized by a significantly lower value of this parameter.
A Deep Learning Approach to Predict Autism Spectrum Disorder Using Multisite Resting-State fMRI
Authors: Subah Faria Zarin , Deb Kaushik , Dhar Pranab Kumar , Koshiba Takeshi
Published: April 2021

Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a complex and degenerative neuro-developmental disorder. Most of the existing methods utilize functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) to detect ASD with a very limited dataset which provides high accuracy but results in poor generalization. To overcome this limitation and to enhance the performance of the automated autism diagnosis model, in this paper, we propose an ASD detection model using functional connectivity features of resting-state fMRI data. Our proposed model utilizes two commonly used brain atlases, Craddock 200 (CC200) and Automated Anatomical Labelling (AAL), and two rarely used atlases Bootstrap Analysis of Stable Clusters (BASC) and Power. A deep neural network (DNN) classifier is used to perform the classification task. Simulation results indicate that the proposed model outperforms state-of-the-art methods in terms of accuracy. The mean accuracy of the proposed model was 88%, whereas the mean accuracy of the state-of-the-art methods ranged from 67% to 85%. The sensitivity, F1-score, and area under receiver operating characteristic curve (AUC) score of the proposed model were 90%, 87%, and 96%, respectively. Comparative analysis on various scoring strategies show the superiority of BASC atlas over other aforementioned atlases in classifying ASD and control.
Measurement of Gas Exchange on Excised Grapevine Leaves Does Not Differ from In Situ Leaves, and Potentially Shortens Sampling Time
Authors: Kar Suraj , Montague Thayne , Villanueva-Morales Antonio , Hellman Edward
Published: April 2021

Use of leaf gas exchange measurement enhances the characterization of growth, yield, physiology, and abiotic stress response in grapevines. Accuracy of a crop response model depends upon sample size, which is often limited due to the prolonged time needed to complete gas exchange measurement using currently available infra-red gas analyzer systems. In this experiment, we measured mid-day gas exchange of excised and in situ leaves from field grown wine grape (Vitis vinifera) cultivars. Depending upon cultivar, we found measuring gas exchange on excised leaves under a limited time window post excision gives similar accuracy in measurement of gas exchange parameters as in situ leaves. A measurement within a minute post leaf excision can give between 96.4 and 99.5% accuracy compared to pre-excision values. When compared to previous field data, we found the leaf excision technique reduced time between consecutive gas exchange measurements by about a third compared to in situ leaves (57.52 ± 0.39 s and 86.96 ± 0.41 s, for excised and in situ, respectively). Therefore, leaf excision may allow a 50% increase in experimental sampling size. This technique could solve the challenge of insufficient sample numbers, often reported by researchers worldwide while studying grapevine leaf gas exchange using portable gas exchange systems under field conditions.