bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Senses and repercussions of student assistance on the eating practices of students from a Brazilian public university during the COVID-19 pandemic
Authors: Mota Lara Vieira Constâncio , Santos Cláudia Roberta Bocca , Campos Flávia Milagres
Published: June 2023

Student assistance (SA), regulated through the National Student Assistance Program (PNAES), seeks to meet the basic social needs of university students and is inserted in the field of public policies for higher education in federal institutions in Brazil. The program allocates financial resources in order to provide scholarships, housing, food, transport, physical and mental health, and accessibility for disabled students. The present study aims to identify the senses attributed by students of a federal public university to AE and the relationship between SA and their eating practices during the COVID-19 pandemic. A qualitative approach was used. Online questionnaire and focus groups were employed for data collection. The study public consisted of undergraduate students. Descriptive statistics and content analysis were used, opting for thematic analysis, with the support of the MAXQDA software. The core meanings were organized into two categories: (i) food during pandemic and (ii) role of student assistance. A total of 55 responses were obtained, and three focus groups were carried out. About 45% reported that the pecuniary aid offered by the university was the family’s only source of income during the pandemic and 65% used it to buy food. More than half described worsening in food quality, related to food prices. Although no specific evaluation instrument was used, it is plausible to admit that the students experienced a situation of food insecurity, given the uncertainty in regular access to food, the compromised quality of food, and the strategies mobilized to guarantee a minimum amount of food for all members of the family. Among the reported strategies were changing the location and mode of acquisition (receiving donations, buying in groups or in wholesalers) and choosing cheaper genres. Although students consider SA essential for access and maintenance at the university, a sense assigned to SA was the role of “help.” In general, students did not link SA to social rights, as part of public educational policy and as a mechanism for food and nutrition security. SA actions developed during the pandemic were essential for keeping students at the university, also functioning, albeit unintentionally, as a food and nutritional security mechanism.
AgRIS: wind-adaptive wideband reconfigurable intelligent surfaces for resilient wireless agricultural networks at millimeter-wave spectrum
Authors: Nie Shuai , Vuran Mehmet Can
Published: June 2023

Wireless networks in agricultural environments are unique in many ways. Recent measurements reveal that the dynamics of crop growth impact wireless propagation channels with a long-term seasonal pattern. Additionally, short-term environmental factors, such as strong wind, result in variations in channel statistics. Next-generation agricultural fields, populated by autonomous tractors, drones, and high-throughput sensing systems, require high-throughput connectivity infrastructure, resulting in the future deployment of high-frequency networks, where they have not been deployed before. More specifically, when millimeter-wave (mmWave) communication systems, a viable candidate for 5G and 6G high-throughput solutions, are deployed for higher throughput, these issues become more prominent due to the relatively small wavelength at this frequency band. To improve coverage in the mmWave spectrum in agricultural settings, reconfigurable intelligent surfaces (RISs) are a promising solution with low energy consumption and high cost efficiency when compared to half-duplex active relays with multiple antennas. To ensure link resiliency under dynamic channel behavior, an adaptive RIS for broadband wireless agricultural networks (AgRIS) at mmWave band is designed in this work. AgRIS relies on output from a time-series model that forecasts the short-term wind speed based on measured wind data, which is readily available in most farms. The temporal correlation between link reliability and wind speed is demonstrated through extensive field experiments. Our simulation results demonstrate that AgRIS with a small footprint of 11 × 11 elements can help mitigate the adversarial effects of wind-induced signal level drop by up to 8 dB and provides high energy efficiency of 1 Gbits/joule.
Exercise repetition rate measured with simple sensors at home can be used to estimate Upper Extremity Fugl-Meyer score after stroke
Authors: Swanson Veronica A. , Johnson Christopher A. , Zondervan Daniel K. , Shaw Susan J. , Reinkensmeyer David J.
Published: June 2023

Introduction

It would be valuable if home-based rehabilitation training technologies could automatically assess arm impairment after stroke. Here, we tested whether a simple measure—the repetition rate (or “rep rate”) when performing specific exercises as measured with simple sensors—can be used to estimate Upper Extremity Fugl-Meyer (UEFM) score.

Methods

41 individuals with arm impairment after stroke performed 12 sensor-guided exercises under therapist supervision using a commercial sensor system comprised of two pucks that use force and motion sensing to measure the start and end of each exercise repetition. 14 of these participants then used the system at home for three weeks.

Results

Using linear regression, UEFM score was well estimated using the rep rate of one forward-reaching exercise from the set of 12 exercises (r2 = 0.75); this exercise required participants to alternately tap pucks spaced about 20 cm apart (one proximal, one distal) on a table in front of them. UEFM score was even better predicted using an exponential model and forward-reaching rep rate (Leave One Out Cross Validation (LOOCV) r2 = 0.83). We also tested the ability of a nonlinear, multivariate model (a regression tree) to predict UEFM, but such a model did not improve prediction (LOOCV r2 = 0.72). However, the optimal decision tree also used the forward-reaching task along with a pinch grip task to subdivide more and less impaired patients in a way consistent with clinical intuition. At home, rep rate for the forward-reaching exercise well predicted UEFM score using an exponential model (LOOCV r2 = 0.69), but only after we re-estimated coefficients using the home data.

Discussion

These results show how a simple measure—exercise rep rate measured with simple sensors—can be used to infer an arm impairment score and suggest that prediction models should be tuned separately for the clinic and home environments.
Results of Lung Transplantation for Cystic Fibrosis With Selected Donors Over 65 Years Old
Authors: Glorion Matthieu , Sarsam Matthieu , Roux Antoine , Stern Marc , Belousova Natalia , Fessler Julien , Pricopi Ciprian , De Wolf Julien , Picard Clement , Brugière Olivier , De Miranda Sandra , Grenet Dominique , Tachon Guillaume , Cerf Charles , Parquin Francois , Le Guen Morgan , Chapelier Alain , Vallée Alexandre , Sage Edouard
Published: June 2023

Lung transplantation is limited by the shortage of suitable donors. Many programs have begun to use extended criteria donors. Donors over 65 years old are rarely reported, especially for young cystic fibrosis recipients. This monocentric study was conducted for cystic fibrosis recipients from January 2005 to December 2019, comparing two cohorts according to lung donor age (<65 years or ≥65 years). The primary objective was to assess the survival rate at 3 years using a Cox multivariable model. Of the 356 lung recipients, 326 had donors under 65 years, and 30 had donors over 65 years. Donors’ characteristics did not differ significantly in terms of sex, time on mechanical ventilation before retrieval, and partial pressure of arterial oxygen/fraction of inspired oxygen ratio. There were no significant differences in post-operative mechanical ventilation duration and incidence of grade 3 primary graft dysfunction between the two groups. At 1, 3, and 5 years, the percentage of predicted forced expiratory volume in 1 s (p = 0.767) and survival rate did not differ between groups (p = 0.924). The use of lungs from donors over 65 years for cystic fibrosis recipients allows extension of the donor pool without compromising results. Longer follow-up is needed to assess the long-term effects of this practice.
Optimized Workflow Framework in Construction Projects to Control the Environmental Properties of Soil
Authors: Lindh Per , Lemenkova Polina
Published: June 2023

To optimize the workflow of civil engineering construction in a harbour, this paper developed a framework of the contaminant leaching assessment carried out on the stabilized/solidified dredged soil material. The specimens included the sampled sediments collected from the in situ fieldwork in Arendal and Kongshavn. The background levels of the concentration of pollutants were evaluated to assess the cumulative surface leaching of substances from samples over two months. The contamination of soil was assessed using a structured workflow scheme on the following toxic substances, heavy metals—As, Pb, Cd, Cr, Hg, Ni, and Zn; organic compounds—PAH-16 and PCB; and organotin compounds—TBT. The numerical computation and data analysis were applied to the results of geochemical testing creating computerised solutions to soil quality evaluation in civil engineering. Data modelling enabled the estimation of leaching of the contaminants in one year. The estimated leaching of As is 0.9153 mg/m2, for Ni—2.8178 mg/m2, for total PAH-16 as 0.0507 mg/m2, and for TBT—0.00061 mg/m2 per year. The performance of the sediments was examined with regard to permeability through a series of the controlled experiments. The environmental engineering tests were implemented in the Swedish Geotechnical Institute (SGI) in a triplicate mode over 64 days. The results were compared for several sites and showed that the amount of As is slightly higher in Kongshavn than for Arendal, while the content of Cd, Cr, and Ni is lower. For TBT, the levels are significantly lower than for those at Arendal. The algorithm of permeability tests evaluated the safety of foundation soil for construction of embankments and structures. The optimized assessment methods were applied for monitoring coastal areas through the evaluated permeability of soil and estimated leaching rates of heavy metals, PHB, PACs, and TBT in selected test sites in harbours of southern Norway.
Study of Potential Application Air Curtains in Livestock Premises at Cattle Management Farms
Authors: Kuzmichev Aleksey , Khimenko Aleksei , Tikhomirov Dmitry , Budnikov Dmitry , Jasiński Marek , Bolshev Vadim , Ignatkin Ivan
Published: June 2023

Recommendations on the selection of air curtains and the calculation of their parameters for livestock premises in cattle management farms are made. The air curtain functioning principle is analyzed from the air jet theory point of view. The block diagram and modular design of air curtains with a variable air jet direction vector and with controlled slit width are designed. Laboratory tests of the newly designed air curtain structure are performed in accordance with the microclimate requirements for the cattle management farm premises. Based on the experimental results, the major air curtain parameters are calculated for the range from 10° to 60° of angle α between the direction of the air jet outward from the air curtain slit and aperture plane, and for the air curtain slit width b0 in the range from 0.05 m to 0.15 m with the account of the wind speed Vw variations. Calculated values for amounts of energy that have to be consumed to ensure the required air jet velocity, in the output from the air curtain, and those for the quantity of thermal energy required to heat the air supplied to the air curtain, depending on the angle α and on the slit width b0, can be helpful for selecting the power capacity of both the air curtain fan and electric heater. A block diagram of the air curtain control for cattle management farm premises is designed, enabling automatic control of the airflow rate, the angle of the air jet output from the air curtain slit, and the temperature of the heated air supplied to the air curtain, considering particular climate conditions. According to the preliminary estimate, applications of the newly designed air curtain will make it possible to reduce the energy consumed to maintain the required microclimate conditions in cattle management premises by 10% to 15% in the cold period.
Design and Implementation of Evaluation Method for Spraying Coverage Region of Plant Protection UAV
Authors: Zhang Kun , Zhao Long , Cui Jingying , Mao Pengjun , Yuan Bohan , Liu Yuyang
Published: June 2023

Plant protection UAVs are becoming the preferred plant protection method for agricultural pest control. At present, the evaluation of droplet distribution in aerial spraying is collected and evaluated after the completion of prevention and control operations, and there is a lack of real-time evaluation methods. Based on the flight parameter during the UAV plant protection process, real-time estimation of droplet distribution is the key to solving this problem and further improving the effectiveness of aerial spraying. This study proposes a merging algorithm for arbitrary polygonal regions, meshing the boundaries of the region, divide the mesh segments based on the overlapping meshes between the two regions, and connect the valid mesh connection segments of the two regions according to certain rules to obtain the intersection, union, and residual operation results between the regions. Afterwards, software based on this algorithm was developed and applied to generate spraying coverage regions, leakage spray regions, and repeated spray regions. The experimental results on theoretical and irregular routes show that the algorithm can accurately generate droplet distribution regions. The error of the calculation results with a mesh scale of 0.05 m is within 7‰, and the operating speed is above 30 Hz, meeting the real-time requirements. The smaller the mesh scale is, the higher the accuracy of the calculation results is, but the slower the calculation speed. Therefore, in practical applications, it is necessary to choose an appropriate mesh scale based on hardware computing power and accuracy level requirements. This study solves the problem of cumulative calculation of droplet distribution during the operation of plant protection UAVs, providing a basis for objectively evaluating the operation quality of plant protection UAVs and optimizing the setting of operation parameters.
Identification of Terpene-Related Biosynthetic Gene Clusters in Tobacco through Computational-Based Genomic, Transcriptomic, and Metabolic Analyses
Authors: Rabara Roel C. , Kudithipudi Chengalrayan , Timko Michael P.
Published: June 2023

Terpenes and terpenoids contribute aroma and flavor that influence consumer preferences in selecting plant-based products. Computational identification of biosynthetic gene clusters (BGCs) in plants can pave the way for future biosynthetic genetic engineering. Using integrative genomic, transcriptomic, and metabolic pathway annotation analyses, 35 BGCs were identified in tobacco with high confidence. Among the 35 BGCs identified, 7 were classified as terpene biosynthesis-related BGCs. Two BGCs found on C13 and C14 chromosomes belonged to terpene and saccharide-terpene biosynthetic classes that were only 93 Mb and 189 Kb apart, respectively. Other clusters have lengths ranging from 120 Kb (Cluster 9) to 1.6 Mb (Cluster 18). Each cluster contained five (Cluster 21) to twenty genes (Cluster 32), and the number of terpene synthase genes present in the clusters also varied from one (Clusters 18 and 21) to eight (Cluster 32). Gene expression profiling using diurnal and topping transcriptome datasets identified co-expressing genes within modules and varying levels of expression among modules as represented by the normalized enrichment score measured in each module. The positions pinpointed from these computational analyses will allow for the more efficient modifications of specific genes and BGCs for the development of tobacco-based products with improved aroma and flavor.
Forage Radish Cover Crops Improve Soil Quality and Fruit Yield of Lycium barbarum L. in an Arid Area of Northwest China
Authors: Wang Fang , Li Wenhui , Chen Haonan , Weil Ray R. , Zhu Lizhen , Nan Xiongxiong
Published: June 2023

Intercropping orchards with cover crops is an important practice for achieving sustainable soil management. However, little research has addressed the development of a soil quality index (SQI) to evaluate cover crop effects on orchard soil quality. The aim of this study was to ascertain whether cover cropping improves soil quality and fruit yield of Goji (Lycium barbarum L.) while reducing or replacing organic fertilizer application. The main treatments were the traditional management of L. barbarum as a monocrop (M) and intercropping Goji with radish (Raphanus sativus L.) as an annual cover crop (I). Within the main treatments, different levels of organic fertilizer were applied at 0 kg·plant−1 (M0), 2 kg·plant−1 (M1), and 4 kg·plant−1 (M2). After six years of planting, we analyzed the changes in soil quality caused by cover cropping with different organic fertilizer levels based on the SQI method. Goji yields were used for validation of the SQI derived from a minimum data set of soil quality indicators. In contrast with traditional monocropping, cover cropping increased soil total nitrogen, available nitrogen, and available phosphorus contents (by 78.60%, 30.30%, and 138.08%, respectively). There were also increased microbial biomass carbon and nitrogen contents (by 79.01% and 184.01%, respectively), enhanced urease and sucrase activities (by 41.02% and 56.81%, respectively), and reduced bulk density (by 1.92%) in the soil as a result of cover cropping. Compared with IM0 treatment, soil microbial biomass carbon and nitrogen contents considerably increased under IM1 treatment, whereas soil available nitrogen and potassium contents as well as electrical conductivity increased under IM2 treatment. The SQI, which varied among treatments in the order IM1 > IM2 > MM2 > MM1 > IM0 > MM0, was positively correlated with Goji yield. From the soil quality and Goji yield perspective, cover cropping with a medium level of organic fertilizer is the optimal soil management practice for the L. barbarum planting system in arid areas of Ningxia, Northwest China.
Carbon Sources for Anaerobic Soil Disinfestation in Southern California Strawberry
Authors: Daugovish Oleg , Valdes-Berriz Maripaula , Muramoto Joji , Shennan Carol , Zavatta Margherita , Henry Peter
Published: June 2023

Anaerobic soil disinfestation (ASD) has been adopted in over 900 ha in California strawberry production as an alternative to chemical fumigation. Rice bran, the predominant carbon source for ASD, has become increasingly expensive. In 2021–22 and the 2022–23 field studies, we evaluated 20–30% lower-priced wheat middlings (Midds) and dried distillers’ grain (DDG) at 21,800 kg ha−1 (in 2021) and 17,000 kg ha−1 (in 2022) as alternative carbon sources to rice bran. The study was placed at Santa Paula, California in September of each season in preparation for strawberry planting in October. Soil and air temperatures were 18–26 °C during that time. After the incorporation of carbon sources into the top 30 cm of bed soil, beds were reshaped, and irrigation drip lines were installed and covered with totally impermeable film (TIF) to prevent gas exchange. Beds were irrigated to saturate the bed soil within 48 h after TIF installation. Anaerobic conditions were measured with soil redox potential (Eh) sensors placed at 15 cm depth in all plots. Both DDG and Midds plots maintained Eh at −180 to 0 mV during the two ASD weeks, while untreated soil was aerobic at 200 to 400 mV. Permeable bags with inocula of Macrophomina phaseolina, a lethal soil-borne pathogen of strawberry, and tubers of a perennial weed Cyperus esculentus were placed 15 cm deep in the soil at ASD initiation and retrieved two weeks later for analyses. Two weeks after that, holes were cut to aerate beds and ‘Victor’ or ‘Fronteras’ bare-root strawberries were transplanted into them. ASD with DDG reduced viable microsclerotia of M. phaseolina by 49% in the first season and 75 to 85% with both carbon sources in the second season. Both ASD treatments reduced tuber germination of C. esculentus 86–90% compared to untreated soil in one of two years. Additionally, Midds and DDG provided greater sufficiency of plant-available nitrogen and phosphorus compared to untreated soil with synthetic pre-plant fertilizer and improved fruit yields by 11–29%. ASD with these carbon sources can suppress soil pathogens and weeds and help sustain organic strawberry production in California.
Risk Management of Methane Reduction Clean Development Mechanism Projects in Rice Paddy Fields
Authors: Jang Eun-Kyung , Lim Emily Marie , Kim Jumi , Kang Moon-Jung , Choi Gayoung , Moon Jooyeon
Published: June 2023

Agriculture accounts for the largest share of anthropogenic methane emissions. Rice paddy fields emit a significant amount of methane gas worldwide. Changing paddy water management practices has an enormous potential to reduce greenhouse gases. The clean development mechanism (CDM) project uses a market mechanism to reduce methane through private participation. There are various risks associated with private investment in CDM projects, although carbon credits as an economic incentive assist in mitigating some of these risks. Farmer participation plays a key role in the success of paddy water management projects in rural areas; however, despite the significant potential to reduce global methane emissions, very few projects have been implemented. When designing a Sustainable Development Mechanism (SDM) system, it is crucial to understand why the market mechanism in the existing CDM projects has failed. This study identifies and categorizes the risks and barriers to paddy water management in CDM projects and analyzes risk management options in CDM projects in India, Indonesia, and Mozambique. The results of this study showed that aside from economic risks, barriers to the application of technology in the field pose critical risks. The lack of knowledge and implementation experiences in rural areas increases barriers to practice. This in turn causes risk of difficulties in technology transfer which can be alleviated by improving awareness and introducing new knowledge through education and training in rural project implementation. Additionally, we highlight the importance of international efforts to build governance between the private and public sectors and promote technology transfers through multi-stakeholder engagement. This study provides specific information to encourage methane reduction worldwide and vitalize rice paddy water management in carbon reduction projects.
Meta-Analysis of the Effects of Organic Chromium Supplementation on the Growth Performance and Carcass Quality of Weaned and Growing-Finishing Pigs
Authors: He Tao , Wei Chunbo , Lin Xiuwei , Wang Baoyin , Yin Guoan
Published: June 2023

Many factors influence the effects of exogenous organic chromium (EO-Cr) on the growth performance and carcass qualities of weaned and growing-finishing pigs, such as pig growth stages, types of EO-Cr, period of supplementation, and farm management. However, it is challenging to comprehensively consider all factors in one study. To solve this problem, we searched all relative literature published from 1 January 2000 to 1 January 2023, to systematically analyze and review the effects of EO-Cr on pig growth performance and carcass qualities via meta-analysis. Thirty-five papers were filtered and analyzed, which involved 4366 pigs. The results showed that, for weaned piglets, EO-Cr diets significantly increased the average daily gain (ADG, p < 0.001) and average daily feed intake (ADFI, p = 0.022) but reduced the feed–gain ratio (p = 0.004). In addition, for growing-finishing pigs, EO-Cr supplementation significantly increased the ADG (p < 0.001), carcass lean ratio (p = 0.020), and loin muscle area (p < 0.001), but had no significant effect on the ADFI (p = 0.071), feed–gain ratio (p = 0.692), dressing percent (p = 0.989), or back fat thickness (p = 0.142). Moreover, the effect of EO-Cr was greater in weaned piglets than in growing-finishing pigs. In terms of the dose effect of the supplement, chromium nicotinate is the most suitable EO-Cr type for weaned piglets with an optimal dosage range of 0.125–0.150 mg/kg. On the other hand, chromium picolinate is the most suitable EO-Cr type for growing-finishing pigs with an optimal dosage range of 0.250–0.300 mg/kg. In conclusion, EO-Cr supplementation is beneficial for enhancing the growth performance and carcass qualities of both weaned and growing-finishing pigs.
Multiview Monitoring of Individual Cattle Behavior Based on Action Recognition in Closed Barns Using Deep Learning
Authors: Fuentes Alvaro , Han Shujie , Nasir Muhammad Fahad , Park Jongbin , Yoon Sook , Park Dong Sun
Published: June 2023

Cattle behavior recognition is essential for monitoring their health and welfare. Existing techniques for behavior recognition in closed barns typically rely on direct observation to detect changes using wearable devices or surveillance cameras. While promising progress has been made in this field, monitoring individual cattle, especially those with similar visual characteristics, remains challenging due to numerous factors such as occlusion, scale variations, and pose changes. Accurate and consistent individual identification over time is therefore essential to overcome these challenges. To address this issue, this paper introduces an approach for multiview monitoring of individual cattle behavior based on action recognition using video data. The proposed system takes an image sequence as input and utilizes a detector to identify hierarchical actions categorized as part and individual actions. These regions of interest are then inputted into a tracking and identification mechanism, enabling the system to continuously track each individual in the scene and assign them a unique identification number. By implementing this approach, cattle behavior is continuously monitored, and statistical analysis is conducted to assess changes in behavior in the time domain. The effectiveness of the proposed framework is demonstrated through quantitative and qualitative experimental results obtained from our Hanwoo cattle video database. Overall, this study tackles the challenges encountered in real farm indoor scenarios, capturing spatiotemporal information and enabling automatic recognition of cattle behavior for precision livestock farming.
Genetic Diversity and Maternal Phylogenetic Relationships among Populations and Strains of Arabian Show Horses
Authors: Machmoum Mohamed , Badaoui Bouabid , Petit Daniel , Germot Agnès , El Alaoui Moulay Abdelaziz , Boujenane Ismaïl , Piro Mohammed
Published: June 2023

Genetic diversity and phylogenetic relationships within the Arabian show horse populations are of particular interest to breeders worldwide. Using the complete mitochondrial DNA D-loop sequence (916 pb), this study aimed (i) to understand the genetic relationship between three populations, the Desert-Bred (DB), a subset of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA), United Arab Emirates (UAE) and Bahrain (BAH), the Straight Egyptian (EG) and the Polish bloodline (PL), and (ii) to assess the accuracy of the traditional strain classification system based on maternal lines, as stated by the Bedouin culture. To that end, we collected 211 hair samples from stud farms renowned for breeding Arabian show horses from Nejd KSA, Bahrain, Egypt, Qatar, Morocco, UAE, and Poland. The phylogenetic and network analyses of the whole mitochondrial DNA D-loop sequence highlighted a great genetic diversity among the Arabian horse populations, in which about 75% of variance was assigned to populations and 25% to strains. The discriminant analysis of principal components illustrated a relative distinction between those populations. A clear subdivision between traditional strains was found in PL, in contrast to the situation of DB and EG populations. However, several Polish horse individuals could not be traced back to the Bedouin tribes by historical documentation and were shown to differ genetically from other studied Bedouin strains, hence motivating extended investigations.
Effect of Dietary Ensiled Olive Cake Supplementation on Performance and Meat Quality of Apulo-Calabrese Pigs
Authors: Caparra Pasquale , Chies Luigi , Scerra Manuel , Foti Francesco , Bognanno Matteo , Cilione Caterina , De Caria Paolo , Claps Salvatore , Cifuni Giulia Francesca
Published: June 2023

The aim of this study was to evaluate the inclusion of different amounts of ensiled olive cake, a major pollutant from olive oil production, in the fattening diets of 30 Apulo-Calabrese pigs as a strategy to partially substitute the traditional cereal-based diet and improve animal performance and meat fatty acid composition. The animals, during a fattening period of 120 days, were fed with three dietary treatments containing increasing levels of ensiled olive cake: 0% (C), 20% (OC20) and 40% (OC40) on dry matter. No effect of the dietary treatment was found on the animal performance and proximate meat analysis results. The inclusion of ensiled olive cake in the diet led to differences in the fatty acid (FA) profile of intramuscular fat, with a higher proportion of monounsaturated fatty acid (MUFA; p < 0.001) and oleic acid (C8:1n-9, p < 0.001) and a lower concentration of polyunsaturated (PUFA, p < 0.001) and linoleic acid (C18:2n-6, p < 0.001). In conclusion, the supplementation of ensiled olive cake at up to 40% in the diets of fattening pigs could represent a useful strategy in Mediterranean areas to naturally improve the nutritional value of meat and valorise a by-product of the olive industry, reducing its environmental impact and promoting the exploitation of this local feed resource according to the principles of the circular economy.
Decomposing the Spatial and Temporal Effects of Climate and Habitat on a Hazel Grouse (Tetrastes bonasia) Population in Northeastern Chinese Mountains
Authors: Xing Xiaoying , Zhang Yuesen , Li Xiang , Jiang Guangshun
Published: June 2023

Habitat, climate, and human disturbances have important effects on wildlife, and these are especially critical for threatened species. In this study, we used infrared camera traps to monitor the population dynamics of the hazel grouse (Tetrastes bonasia) from 2012 to 2021 in northeast China and explore the effects of habitat, climate, and human disturbance on their distribution. We analyzed 16 environmental variables related to significant differences between presence recordings and absence recordings within and between seasons. Temperatures and roads influenced the distribution of the hazel grouse, but topography and vegetation types did not. The hazel grouse preferred deciduous forest and oak forest from spring to autumn. This study provides ecological information to help guide the mountain habitat management of the hazel grouse in national parks.
Microbial Profiling of Amniotic Fluid, Umbilical Blood and Placenta of the Foaling Mare
Authors: Hemberg Elisabeth , Niazi Adnan , Guo Yongzhi , Debnár Viktória J. , Vincze Boglarka , Morrell Jane M. , Kútvölgyi Gabriella
Published: June 2023

The presence of a microbiome/microbiota in the placenta is hotly debated. In previous studies, the presence of bacteria in equine amniotic fluid and umbilical blood was independent of foal health. The objective of the present study was to determine if the same bacteria are present in the equine placenta as in amniotic fluid and umbilical blood. Samples were obtained from 24 parturient mares and foals. Placental bacterial DNA was extracted, and the microbiome was identified using 16S rRNA sequencing. All amniotic fluid samples contained some polymorphonucleocytes; bacteria were isolated from four samples. Aerobic or anaerobic growth was found in 18 and 3 umbilical blood samples, respectively. Serum amyloid A was <5 mg/L in all 24 samples, total WBC varied between 2900 and 10,700/µL, and fibrinogen varied between 0 and 5.16 g/L. In jugular blood, serum amyloid A was <5 mg/L in all 24 foals, total white blood count was 3200 to 8100/µL, and fibrinogen was 0.44 to 4.42 g/L. The diversity of bacterial microbiota was similar in all placental regions at the phylum level but differed at the genus level; the most abundant phyla were Proteobacteria (42–46.26%) and Actinobacteria (26.91–29.96%). In conclusion, bacteria were found in the fetal compartments and placenta of healthy equine pregnancies; however, we can neither prove nor disprove the hypothesis that the placenta has its own microbiome.
Use of Newer and Repurposed Antibiotics against Gram-Negative Bacteria in Neonates
Authors: Kontou Angeliki , Kourti Maria , Iosifidis Elias , Sarafidis Kosmas , Roilides Emmanuel
Published: June 2023

Antimicrobial resistance has become a significant public health problem globally with multidrug resistant Gram negative (MDR-GN) bacteria being the main representatives. The emergence of these pathogens in neonatal settings threatens the well-being of the vulnerable neonatal population given the dearth of safe and effective therapeutic options. Evidence from studies mainly in adults is now available for several novel antimicrobial compounds, such as new β-lactam/β-lactamase inhibitors (e.g., ceftazidime–avibactam, meropenem–vaborbactam, imipenem/cilastatin–relebactam), although old antibiotics such as colistin, tigecycline, and fosfomycin are also encompassed in the fight against MDR-GN infections that remain challenging. Data in the neonatal population are scarce, with few clinical trials enrolling neonates for the evaluation of the efficacy, safety, and dosing of new antibiotics, while the majority of old antibiotics are used off-label. In this article we review data about some novel and old antibiotics that are active against MDR-GN bacteria causing sepsis and are of interest to be used in the neonatal population.
Effect of Marinating Temperature of Atlantic Herring on Meat Ripening, Peptide Fractions Proportion, and Antioxidant Activity of Meat and Brine
Authors: Szymczak Mariusz , Kamiński Patryk , Turło Marta , Bucholska Justyna , Mogut Damir , Minkiewicz Piotr , Mizielińska Małgorzata , Stobińska Magdalena
Published: June 2023

The temperature has a significant effect on cathepsin activity, but the effect of temperature on the ripening of marinades, and the formation of protein hydrolysis products, is less studied than other technological factors. The results of this study showed that herring marinated at 2 °C showed a higher mass yield, but lower non-protein nitrogen (NPN), peptides, and free amino acid fraction content, than after marinating at 7 and 12 °C. The higher temperature increased the free amino acid content the most, and decreased the hardness, as measured via sensory assessment, of the marinated meat. This was confirmed by the hardness measurement in the texture profile analysis. The highest activity of cathepsins D and B in the meat was found at 7 °C, while cathepsin L was found at 2 °C. Increasing the temperature by 10 °C increased the diffusion/loss of nitrogenous substances from the meat to the brine by 36%. The meat and brine showed high antioxidant activity, which depended on the marinating temperature, and originated mainly from the 5–10 or <5 kDa fraction. The meat had a higher ABTS (2,2′-azinobis-3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulfonate) activity than the brine, opposite to the DPPH (2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl radical) activity, while the FRAP (Ferric Reducing Antioxidant Power) capacity was similar for meat and brine. The fractionation of the meat and brine extracts increased the antioxidant potential of FRAP and ABTS only for the brine. The most hydrophobic peptides were released during marinating at 7 °C. The meat and brine were dominated by 2–4 kDa peptides, followed by 4–6 and 0.5–2 kDa. The higher temperature favored a higher proportion of <4 kDa than >4 kDa peptides in the brine.
Personalization of the 3D-Printed Upper Limb Exoskeleton Design—Mechanical and IT Aspects
Authors: Mikołajewski Dariusz , Rojek Izabela , Kotlarz Piotr , Dorożyński Janusz , Kopowski Jakub
Published: June 2023

The human hand is the most precise and versatile tool that nature has given man, and any deficits in this area affect the functional capabilities and quality of human life. Scientists, engineers and clinicians are constantly looking for solutions in the field of diagnosis, treatment, rehabilitation and care of patients with hand function deficits. One such solution is a hand exoskeleton. In the process of designing and testing the hand exoskeleton, emphasis should be placed on the full usability and comfort of the system; hence, the issues of personalization, matching and testing are crucial for the development of the discussed group of solutions. The aim of this paper is to present the possibilities of personalizing 3D-printed medical devicesbased on our own experience in functional user assessment andthe material selection, design, optimization using artificial intelligence and production and testing of several generations of different upper limb exoskeletons, incorporatingthe considerations of the Medical Device Regulation (MDR), ISO 13485 and ISO 10993 standards.The novelty and possible contribution of the proposed approach consist of the possibilities and limitations of the personalization of the upper limb exoskeleton discussed in the article as well as the directions of further development of significant scientific, technical and clinical importance.
Investigation on the Value-Added Production of Silicon Dioxide and Synthesizing Zeolites as well as Extraction of Rare Earth Elements from Fly Ash
Authors: Sun Zhe , Li Heyu , Tao Zuimiao , Wang Baochuan , Gao Lei , Xu Yusheng , Cao Yan
Published: June 2023

Coal fly ash is one of the most promising secondary sources for extracting high value-added rare earth elements. Nevertheless, the majority of rare earth elements in coal fly ash are associated with the aluminosilicate glassy phase, hindering their solubility during the acid leaching process and resulting in the traditional rare earth elements extraction method, which is unavoidably complex in operation and poor in the economy. In this study, prior to the conventional acid leaching, the realization of the coal fly ash activation was considered. This consisted of two steps involving the coal fly ash calcination at the elevated temperatures using recyclable Na2CO3 and the water and alkali washing. It helped in developing the pore structures in coal fly ash, facilitating the leaching solution to rare earth elements, and reducing the acid consumption of rare earth elements leaching. Simultaneously, the generated aqueous solutions could precipitate two new valuable products, the purified silica oxide powder (257.58 g·kg−1, 338.1 m2·g−1 BET, 40 nm grain size, 93.43% purity) and porous zeolites (410.3 g·kg−1). The residual rare earth elements in the pretreated solid residue can be easily extracted, with an extraction efficiency of 91.24% and an acid saving rate of 74.5%. Therefore, a multiple of value-added products can be obtained by this new extraction method with great economic significance.
A Numerical Analysis for Ball End Milling Due to Coupling Effects of a Flexible Rotor-Bearing System Using GPEM
Authors: Huang Chun-Jung , Chang Jer-Rong , Shiau Ting-Nung , Chen Kuan-Hung
Published: June 2023

In this paper, the tool-tip responses for ball end milling, due to the coupling effects of a flexible rotor-bearing system, are investigated numerically. The milling machine tool spindle is modelled as the flexible rotor-bearing system. The critical speeds, natural modes, and unbalance responses of the system are calculated by applying the generalized polynomial expansion method. This generalized polynomial expansion method expresses the displacement as a series formed by the product of generalized coordinates and axial coordinate polynomials. According to the dynamic cutting force obtained by some scholars in the past, combined with the characteristics of the flexible rotor, the dynamic response of the tool-tip for ball end milling is numerically analyzed. The responses, including time histories, orbits, and FFT diagrams, are plotted to analyze the dynamic behaviors of the tool-tip. The coupling effects of the flexible rotor-bearing system on the system for ball end milling are first studied using the generalized polynomial expansion method. Unlike previous studies, the natural frequency varies with spindle speed and which of the different modes are included in the tool-tip response depends mainly on the spindle speed. Thanks to the gyroscopic effect, the critical speeds and responses of tool-tips can be discussed with respect to various spindle speed and tool flutes. The natural modes are accurately determined, and will excite critical speeds for certain modes, including forward and backward modes, thereby significantly affecting tool-tip response. In addition, the cutting force component associated with the tool-tip response affects the rotor-bearing system parameters, complicating the issue. Milling at higher spindle speed (2160–19,950 rpm), an important new result is found that the tool-tip oscillates with the cutting-force frequency, accompanied by a longer period vibration of the first backward mode of the rotor-bearing system. It can also be seen from the frequency spectrum analysis that, as the spindle speed increases, the peak amplitude of the first backward mode becomes larger. Milling at lower spindle speed (960, 1320 rpm), the in-plane vibration trajectory of the tool-tip gradually expands outwards clockwise around the origin until a stable loop is reached. This is because only the first backward mode of the rotor-bearing system is excited. Considering the coupling effect of the rotor-bearing system to perform the vibration analysis of the milling machine system, the parameters of the system can be designed or the spindle speed can be selected to avoid severe vibration during machining.
Optimal Thresholding for Multi-Window Computed Tomography (CT) to Predict Lung Cancer
Authors: Nasir Muflah , Farid Muhammad Shahid , Suhail Zobia , Khan Muhammad Hassan
Published: June 2023

Lung cancer is the world’s second-largest cause of cancer mortality. Patients’ lives can be saved if this malignancy is detected early. Doctors, however, encounter difficulties in detecting cancer in computed tomography (CT) images. In recent years, significant research has been devoted to producing automated lung nodule detection methods that can help radiologists. Most of them use only the lung window in their analysis and generally do not consider the mediastinal windows, which, according to recent research, carry important information. In this paper, we propose a simple yet effective algorithm to analyze multi-window CT images for lung nodules. The algorithm works in three steps. First, the CT image is preprocessed to suppress any noise and improve the image quality. Second, the lungs are extracted from the preprocessed image. Based on the histogram analysis of the lung windows, we propose a multi-Otsu-based approach for lung segmentation in lung windows. The case of mediastinal windows is rather difficult due to irregular patterns in the histograms. To this end, we propose a global–local-mean-based thresholding technique for lung detection. In the final step, the nodule candidates are extracted from the segmented lungs using simple intensity-based thresholding. The radius of the extracted objects is computed to separate the nodule from the bronchioles and blood vessels. The proposed algorithm is evaluated on the benchmark LUNA16 dataset and achieves accuracy of over 94% for lung tumor detection, surpassing that of existing similar methods.
Urban Logistics through River: A Two-Echelon Distribution Model
Authors: Ramirez-Villamil Angie , Montoya-Torres Jairo R. , Jaegler Anicia
Published: June 2023

Studies that use rivers in a last-mile delivery context are scarce. This research considers the first multimodal alternative based on a barge for parcel delivery activities. It proposes two sustainable network designs for a two-echelon distribution. The efficiency of scenarios is assessed through performance indicators. A three-stage decomposition heuristic is used. Allocation of the customers to the closest satellite at the first stage uses a non-supervised machine learning clustering method, 2D-k-means. The last two stages, comprising the two echelons routing, are solved using a heuristic based on the nearest neighbor procedure. The fixed costs decrease by 41% and energy consumption by 92% when applying a river transportation mode and e-cargo bikes in the distribution network’s first and second echelon, respectively. Future research avenues are to render the results more realistic with the consideration of other costs and a larger network.
Tectonic Subsidence and Its Response to Geological Evolution in the Xisha Area, South China Sea
Authors: Yang Zhen , Zhang Guangxue , Fan Guozhang , Lu Yintao , Shao Dali , Liu Songfeng , Wang Weiwei
Published: June 2023

The evolution and mechanisms of tectonic subsidence in the Xisha area are poorly investigated, especially the spatiotemporal distribution features and reasons for the variations in tectonic subsidence. In this study, multi-channel seismic data and stratigraphic and lithologic features of wells are used to examine tectonic subsidence in the Xisha area from the Paleogene to Quaternary. The largest tectonic subsidence in the Xisha area is located in the Changchang Depression, with a maximum subsidence of 5.4 km, while the smallest tectonic subsidence is located on the Guangle Uplift and Xisha Uplift, which are close to 1.0 km and 1.5 km, respectively. Two rapid tectonic subsidence phases were mainly in the Oligocene, and from Middle to Late Miocene, with maximum subsidence rates of 0.45 m/ky and 0.32 m/ky, respectively. Five phases for the tectonic subsidence are proposed since the Paleogene based on our data. (1) The slow subsidence phase during the Eocene (53.5–32 Ma) was due to the transchronicity of the basement in the pro-rifted stage. (2) The rapid subsidence phase was common in the south and north margins of Qiongdongnan Basin, because of the faults triggered by the inherited stretched and thinned of crust in the Oligocene from 32 to 23.3 Ma. (3) The interim phase followed the rapid subsidence phase was in the Early Miocene (23.3–15.5 Ma) and marked the end of the rifted stage. (4) The accelerated rise phase started from the Middle Miocene (15.5 Ma) to the Late Miocene (5.5 Ma), and the reversal of the Red River Fault Zone may be tied to the acceleration of the tectonic subsidence. (5) The transitional phase started in the Pliocene (5.5 Ma) and lasts to the present. As the Red River Fault Zone changed from sinistral to dextral movement, the stress field of the study area has changed. Our results are helpful to better understand the spatiotemporal coupling relationship between tectonic subsidence and regional geological evolution in the Xisha area, South China Sea.