bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Physiological Mechanism of Photosynthetic, Nutrient, and Yield Responses of Peanut Cultivars with Different Tolerances under Low K Stress
Authors: Liu Yingyan , Song Penghao , Zhang Yuanchun , Zhou Dongying , Dong Qiqi , Jia Peiyan , Liu Zhenhua , Zhao Xinhua , Yu Haiqiu
Published: January 2023

Potassium is one of the most important elements for crop growth and development. However, potassium deficiencies are common in the cultivated land of oil crops in the world, which limits the increase in their yields. The photosynthesis, fluorescence, and physiological indexes of peanut plants were affected by low K stress to varying degrees, and finally the yield decreased. However, the effect of low K stress on the photosynthetic physiological mechanism of peanut plants remains unclear. In this study, in order to explore the response mechanism of peanuts to low K stress, NH18 (tolerance to low K) and HY20 (intolerance to low K) were used to explore the effects of different peanut varieties under low K stress on the dry matter accumulation, protective enzyme activities, osmotic regulatory substance accumulation capacity, fluorescence characteristics, nutrient content, grain quality, and yield. The results of the 2-year experiment showed that under the stress of low K, the content of malondialdehyde in peanut leaves increased and the activities of NH18 superoxide dismutase (SOD) and peroxidase (POD) in the low-K-tolerant variety were higher than those in the low-K-intolerant variety HY20. The decrease in osmotic regulation caused by low K was compensated for by an increase in the soluble protein content. As a result, the chlorophyll content decreased significantly, F0 increased under dark adaptation, and Fm, Fv, and Fv/Fm decreased. The photosynthetic and fluorescence physiology of low-K-tolerant NH18 was less affected by low K stress. Furthermore, under low K stress, the dry matter accumulation of NH18 was reduced less, so that the final yield was less affected by low K stress than that of HY20. Under low K stress, the potassium content in the roots, stems, leaves, and fruit needles decreased significantly, and the decreasing range of stems and leaves gradually increased with the growth period, while that of the pod gradually decreased with the growth period. Under low K stress, the sodium content in the root system significantly increased and was significantly higher than that in the stem, leaf, pod, and fruit needle, indicating that the peanut plants actively absorbed more Na+ to replace the K+ function. This study clarified the mechanism of photosynthesis and the physiology of peanut plants under low K stress, which is of great significance for the breeding and cultivation of peanut resistance.
Genetic Variation for Cold Tolerance in Two Nested Association Mapping Populations
Authors: Revilla Pedro , Butrón Ana , Rodriguez Víctor Manuel , Rincent Renaud , Charcosset Alain , Giauffret Catherine , Melchinger Albrecht E. , Schön Chris-Carolin , Bauer Eva , Altmann Thomas , Brunel Dominique , Moreno-González Jesús , Campo Laura , Ouzunova Milena , Álvarez Ángel , Ruíz de Galarreta José Ignacio , Laborde Jacques , Malvar Rosa Ana
Published: January 2023

Cold reduces maize (Zea mays L.) production and delays sowings. Cold tolerance in maize is very limited, and breeding maize for cold tolerance is still a major challenge. Our objective was to detect QTL for cold tolerance at germination and seedling stages. We evaluated, under cold and control conditions, 919 Dent and 1009 Flint inbred lines from two nested association mapping designs consisting in 24 double-haploid populations, genotyped with 56,110 SNPs. We found a large diversity of maize cold tolerance within these NAM populations. We detected one QTL for plant weight and four for fluorescence under cold conditions, as well as one for plant weight and two for chlorophyll content under control conditions in the Dent-NAM. There were fewer significant QTL under control conditions than under cold conditions, and half of the QTL were for quantum efficiency of photosystem II. Our results supported the large genetic discrepancy between optimal and low temperatures, as the quantity and the position of the QTL were very variable between control and cold conditions. Furthermore, as we have not found alleles with significant effects on these NAM designs, further studies are needed with other experimental designs to find favorable alleles with important effects for improving cold tolerance in maize.
CFD Simulation and Uniformity Optimization of the Airflow Field in Chinese Solar Greenhouses Using the Multifunctional Fan–Coil Unit System
Authors: Lu Jiarui , Li He , He Xueying , Zong Chengji , Song Weitang , Zhao Shumei
Published: January 2023

Supplying homogenous and suitable airflow schemes were explored in Chinese solar greenhouses, which had a positive impact on the crop yield and quality. This paper provided a multifunctional fan–coil unit system (FCU) to assist in circulating air. This system could collect the surplus heat of daytime air and release it to heat the greenhouse at nighttime. However, the main problem to be faced was the nonuniform airflow distributions. Thus, this paper aimed to optimize and analyze the placement strategy of the FCU system for a Chinese solar greenhouse using the numerical methodology. The computational fluid dynamics model was constructed to evaluate the effect of the FCU system on the airflow field and to uphold its validation. The complex structure of the FCU system was simplified to a fan model by fitting the pressure jump and the air velocity to enhance the practicality of the simulation model. Finally, the coefficient of variation was used to optimize four parameters: the tilt angle, swing angle, height above the ground, and shape of the outlet baffle. The effective disturbance velocity percentage was proposed as the evaluation index to improve the turbulence characteristics. The mean absolute error (MAE) between the measured and simulated values of the air velocity for the two planes was 0.06 m/s and 0.09 m/s, and the root mean square error (RMSE) was 0.08 m/s and 0.11 m/s. The simulated results showed that the coefficient of variation before optimization was 0.76, and the effective disturbance velocity percentages of the planes at 0.7 m and 1.0 m from the ground were 42.73% and 41.02%, respectively. After optimization, the coefficient of variation was reduced to 0.33, and the effective disturbance velocity percentages of the two planes increased to 58.68% and 43.73%, respectively. These results significantly improved the uniformity of the interior airflow field. This paper provides a reference for the design and installation of the FCU system.
Discovery of 3-(1-Amino-2-phenoxyethylidene)-6-methyl-2H-pyran-2,4(3H)-dione Derivatives as Novel Herbicidal Leads
Authors: Wang Chao-Chao , Chen Ke , Li Na , Wang Xue-Kun , Wang Shi-Ben , Li Pan , Hua Xue-Wen , Lei Kang , Ji Lu-Sha
Published: January 2023

Natural products are one of the resources for discovering novel pesticide leads. Here, by molecular hybridization between the natural enamino diketone skeleton and the reported herbicide lead compound I, a series of 3-(1-aminoethylidene)-6-methyl-2H-pyran-2,4(3H)-dione derivatives (APD) were rationally designed, synthesized and tested for herbicidal activity in a greenhouse. The bioassay results showed that most of the target compounds possessed good herbicidal activity under pre-emergence conditions, of which the analog APD-II-15 displayed good pre-emergent herbicidal activity against Abutilon theophrasti Medicus, Amaranthus retroflexus L., Echinochloa crus-galli, Eragrostis curvula (Schrad.) Nees, Avena fatua L., Cyperus difformis L., Chenopodium album L., Ixeris denticulata, Plantago asiatica L., Capsella bursa-pastoris (Linn.) Medic and Flaveria bidentis (L.) Kuntze with > 60% inhibition even at a dosage of 187.5 g ha−1, and displayed good crop safety for wheat, soybean, millet and sorghum at a dosage of 375 g ha−1. The preliminary study of the molecular mode of action by RNA sequencing suggested that a growth inhibition of weeds by APD-II-15 might result from the disruptions of carbon metabolism and formation of a cytoskeleton. The present work indicated that APD-II-15 might be used as a novel herbicidal lead compound for further optimization.
Assessment of Resistance Mechanisms to Fall Armyworm, Spodoptera frugiperda in Tropical Maize Inbred Lines
Authors: Nuambote-Yobila Ovide , Bruce Anani Y. , Okuku Gerphas Ogola , Marangu Charles , Makumbi Dan , Beyene Yoseph , Mahungu Nzola-Meso , Maruthi Prasanna Boddupalli , Marion-Poll Frédéric , Calatayud Paul-André
Published: January 2023

The fall armyworm (FAW), Spodoptera frugiperda, a pest of maize native to the Americas first reported in West and Central Africa in 2016, severely threatens maize production and food security in Sub-Saharan Africa. Native genetic resistance is one of the best methods of control of insect pests as it is contained in the seed making it more amenable for use by farmers compared to other interventions and it is also compatible with other integrated pest management (IPM) options. An intensive screening against FAW was carried out by artificial infestation in greenhouse conditions in Kenya between 2017 and 2018 on about 3000 inbred lines available in the germplasm collection of the International Maize and Wheat Improvement Center (CIMMYT). Among these lines, only four showed to be resistant to FAW, but the mechanisms of resistance are not yet known. The objective of this study was to determine the resistance mechanisms specifically non-preference and antibiosis to S. frugiperda in these four selected resistant inbred lines. The studies were conducted under laboratory and net house conditions in Kenya from April 2020 to November 2021. Non-preference was assessed estimating the feeding preference by counting the number of FAW neonates found on each leaf portion, silk portion and grain using binary and multiple choice methods under laboratory conditions, while antibiosis was assessed through the relative growth rate (RGR) and developmental time of FAW larvae on leaves, silks and grains under both laboratory and net house conditions. Among the four resistant maize inbred lines tested, two, namely CML71 and CKSBL10008, exhibited the highest level of antibiosis resistance on leaves. Under laboratory conditions, the larval RGR reduced from 13 mg/d on the most susceptible line to 8 mg/d on CML71. CML71 also showed a good non-preference on leaves compared to other tested lines. Only 6% of neonates choose to feed on CML71 whereas more than 10% choose to feed on the other lines (and 15% on the most susceptible) in multiple choice tests. The non-preference for feeding and lower RGR of larvae on CML71 suggest a biochemical involvement resistance to FAW. Through this study, CML71 is revealed as a highly promising line for use in breeding for native genetic resistance to FAW in tropical maize.
Metabolomic and Transcriptomic Changes Underlying the Effects of L-Citrulline Supplementation on Ram Semen Quality
Authors: Zhao Guodong , Zhao Xi , Bai Jiachen , Dilixiati Airixiati , Song Yukun , Haire Aerman , Zhao Shangshang , Aihemaiti Aikebaier , Fu Xiangwei , Wusiman Abulizi
Published: January 2023

This study examined the effects of L-Cit supplementation on ram semen quality through metabolomics and transcriptomics. A total of 16 rams were randomly categorized into two groups. The control group was fed a basic diet, whereas the experimental group received feed supplemented with 12 g/d of L-Cit. Semen and blood were collected from the rams on days 0 and 72 to measure sugar, pyruvate, amino acid, and nontargeted metabolite contents. Additionally, hypothalamic and testicular tissues were collected for a transcriptomic analysis. We found 27 differential metabolites between the control and experimental groups, of which 21 were downregulated (p < 0.05) and 6 were upregulated (p < 0.05). Compared with the control group, xylose and pyruvate contents in seminal plasma increased by 43.86% and 162.71%, respectively (p < 0.01). Additionally, the levels of 11 amino acids showed a significant increase in seminal plasma (p < 0.01). Furthermore, 961 and 715 differentially expressed genes were detected in the hypothalamic and testicular tissues, respectively. The pathways of significant enrichment in the hypothalamus and testes were protein digestion, absorption, glycolysis/gluconeogenesis, and amino as well as nucleotide sugar metabolisms. In the present study, L-Cit improved protein synthesis and blood metabolism, consequently increasing the contents of most amino acids in ram seminal plasma. Specifically, the hypothalamus controlled the expression of glycolysis/gluconeogenesis-related genes in the testes through its metabolites released into the serum, thereby providing energy for sperm production, which led to a decrease in the sugar content of seminal plasma.
Broiler Age Influences the Apparent Metabolizable Energy of Soybean Meal and Canola Meal
Authors: Khalil Mahmoud M. , Abdollahi Mohammad Reza , Zaefarian Faegheh , Chrystal Peter V. , Ravindran Velmurugu
Published: January 2023

The effects of broiler age on the apparent metabolizable energy (AME) and nitrogen-corrected AME (AMEn) of soybean meal (SBM) and canola meal (CM) were examined. A corn-SBM basal diet was developed, and two test diets were formulated by substituting (w/w) 300 g/kg of the basal diet with SBM or CM. Six groups of broiler chickens, aged 1–7, 8–14, 15–21, 22–28, 29–35 or 36–42 d post-hatch, were utilized. Each diet, in pellet form, was randomly allocated to six replicate cages in each age group. Except for the 1–7 d age group, the birds were fed a starter (d 1–21) and/or a finisher (d 22–35) diet prior to the introduction of the experimental diets. The number of birds per cage was 10 (d 1–7), 8 (d 8–14) and 6 (d 15–42). The AME and AMEn of SBM and CM were determined by total excreta collection. The data for each protein source were subjected to orthogonal polynomial contrasts using the General Linear Models procedure. Bird age decreased the retention of dry matter quadratically (p < 0.001) for both SBM and CM. The retention of nitrogen decreased linearly (p < 0.001) with the advancing age of broilers for SBM and CM. The AMEn of SBM and CM decreased quadratically (p < 0.001) as the birds grew older. The highest AMEn was observed during week 1 for both SBM and CM, then declined until week 3, followed by increases thereafter. The current results showed that the age of broiler chickens influenced the AMEn of SBM and CM and supported the use of age-dependent AMEn of feed ingredients in diet formulations.
Feed Clusters According to In Situ and In Vitro Ruminal Crude Protein Degradation
Authors: Okon Paul , Bachmann Martin , Wensch-Dorendorf Monika , Titze Natascha , Rodehutscord Markus , Rupp Christiane , Susenbeth Andreas , Greef Jörg Michael , Zeyner Annette
Published: January 2023

Effective degradation (ED) of crude protein (CP) was estimated in vitro at 0.02, 0.05 and 0.08 h−1 assumed ruminal passage rates for a total of 40 feedstuffs, for which in situ ED was available and used as reference degradation values. For this, the Streptomyces griseus protease test was used. The differences between in vitro CP degradation and the in situ CP degradation values were lowest in legume grains and highest in cereal by-products and barley. The differences between in situ and in vitro ED were expressed using a degradation quotient (degQ), where degQ = (EDin vitro − EDin situ)/EDin situ. Among the tested feedstuffs, eight specific clusters were identified according to degQ for the assumed passage rates. The feedstuffs clustered in an unspecific way, i.e., feedstuffs of different nutrient composition, origin or treatment did not necessarily group together. Formaldehyde–treated rapeseed meal, soybean meal, wheat, a treated lupin, sunflower meal and barley could not be assigned to any of the clusters. Groupwise degradation (range of degQ for assumed passage rates are given in brackets) was detected in grass silages (−0.17, −0.11), cereal by-products together with sugar beet pulp (−0.47, −0.35) and partly in legume grains (−0.14, 0.14). The clustering probably based on different specific nutrient composition and matrix effects that influence the solubility of feed protein and limit the performance of the protease. The matrix can be affected by treatment (chemically, thermally or mechanically), changing the chemical and physical structure of the protein within the plant. The S. griseus protease test had reliable sensitivity to reflect differences between native feedstuffs and treatments (thermally or chemically) that were found in situ. The in situ results, however, are mostly underestimated. The clustering results do not allow a clear conclusion on the groupwise or feed-specific use of carbohydrate-degrading enzymes as pre- or co-inoculants as part of the S. griseus protease test and need to be tested for its potential to make this test more conform with in situ data.
Biomarkers of Intestinal Injury in Colic
Authors: Ludwig Elsa K. , Hobbs Kallie J. , McKinney-Aguirre Caroline A. , Gonzalez Liara M.
Published: January 2023

Biomarkers are typically proteins, enzymes, or other molecular changes that are elevated or decreased in body fluids during the course of inflammation or disease. Biomarkers pose an extremely attractive tool for establishing diagnoses and prognoses of equine gastrointestinal colic, one of the most prevalent causes of morbidity and mortality in horses. This topic has received increasing attention because early diagnosis of some forms of severe colic, such as intestinal ischemia, would create opportunities for rapid interventions that would likely improve case outcomes. This review explores biomarkers currently used in equine medicine for colic, including acute phase proteins, proinflammatory cytokines, markers of endotoxemia, and tissue injury metabolites. To date, no single biomarker has been identified that is perfectly sensitive and specific for intestinal ischemia; however, L-lactate has been proven to be a very functional and highly utilized diagnostic tool. However, further exploration of other biomarkers discussed in this review may provide the key to accelerated identification, intervention, and better outcomes for horses suffering from severe colic.
Damage to Sorubim cuspicaudus Sperm Cryopreserved with Ethylene Glycol
Authors: Atencio-García Víctor , Padilla-Izquierdo Denia , Robles-González Juana , Prieto-Guevara Martha , Pardo-Carrasco Sandra , Espinosa-Araujo José
Published: January 2023

The study aimed to evaluate cryo-injury during the cryopreservation in Sorubim cuspicaudus sperm with ethylene glycol (EG) at different rates (6, 8, 10%). Fresh, prefrozen, and post-thawed sperm quality as motility total, velocities, mitochondria damage (Mit-d), membrane damage (Mem-d), and DNA fragmentation (DNA-f), were examined. The Mit-d, Mem-d, and DNA-f were evaluated through flow cytometry. High motility (>95%) and a low percentage of Mem-d (1.0 ± 0.5%), Mit-d (1.4 ± 0.9%), and DNA-f (2.4 ± 0.8%) were recorded for fresh semen. Prefrozen semen increases in Mit-d and DNA-f were observed compared to fresh semen (p < 0.05). In thawed semen, increased Mit-d (2.6 to 3-fold), Mem-d (6 to 1-fold), and DNA-f (3.3 to 6.6-fold) compared to prefrozen was observed. Thawed semen showed Mit-d (34 to 37-fold), Mem-d (24.5 to 26.6-fold) and DNA-f (13 to 18.5-fold) increased high. In conclusion, the present study demonstrated that mitochondria, membrane, and DNA integrity undergo significant damage during both pre-freezing and freezing/thawing with EG inclusion percentages from 6 to 10% that affect its fertilizing capacity, which is reduced to half of that obtained with fresh semen. It is suggested that a cryoprotective solution composed of 6% EG, 6% glucose, and 5% skimmed milk powder is a useful protocol for the cryopreservation of S. cuspicaudus semen.
Comparative Genomics Revealed a Potential Threat of Aeromonas rivipollensis G87 Strain and Its Antibiotic Resistance
Authors: Fono-Tamo Esther Ubani K. , Kamika Ilunga , Dewar John Barr , Lekota Kgaugelo Edward
Published: January 2023

Aeromonas rivipollensis is an emerging pathogen linked to a broad range of infections in humans. Due to the inability to accurately differentiate Aeromonas species using conventional techniques, in-depth comparative genomics analysis is imperative to identify them. This study characterized 4 A. rivipollensis strains that were isolated from river water in Johannesburg, South Africa, by whole-genome sequencing (WGS). WGS was carried out, and taxonomic classification was employed to profile virulence and antibiotic resistance (AR). The AR profiles of the A. rivipollensis genomes consisted of betalactams and cephalosporin-resistance genes, while the tetracycline-resistance gene (tetE) was only determined to be in the G87 strain. A mobile genetic element (MGE), transposons TnC, was determined to be in this strain that mediates tetracycline resistance MFS efflux tetE. A pangenomic investigation revealed the G87 strain’s unique characteristic, which included immunoglobulin A-binding proteins, extracellular polysialic acid, and exogenous sialic acid as virulence factors. The identified polysialic acid and sialic acid genes can be associated with antiphagocytic and antibactericidal properties, respectively. MGEs such as transposases introduce virulence and AR genes in the A. rivipollensis G87 genome. This study showed that A. rivipollensis is generally resistant to a class of beta-lactams and cephalosporins. MGEs pose a challenge in some of the Aeromonas species strains and are subjected to antibiotics resistance and the acquisition of virulence genes in the ecosystem.
Federating Medical Deep Learning Models from Private Jupyter Notebooks to Distributed Institutions
Authors: Launet Laëtitia , Wang Yuandou , Colomer Adrián , Igual Jorge , Pulgarín-Ospina Cristian , Koulouzis Spiros , Bianchi Riccardo , Mosquera-Zamudio Andrés , Monteagudo Carlos , Naranjo Valery , Zhao Zhiming
Published: January 2023

Deep learning-based algorithms have led to tremendous progress over the last years, but they face a bottleneck as their optimal development highly relies on access to large datasets. To mitigate this limitation, cross-silo federated learning has emerged as a way to train collaborative models among multiple institutions without having to share the raw data used for model training. However, although artificial intelligence experts have the expertise to develop state-of-the-art models and actively share their code through notebook environments, implementing a federated learning system in real-world applications entails significant engineering and deployment efforts. To reduce the complexity of federation setups and bridge the gap between federated learning and notebook users, this paper introduces a solution that leverages the Jupyter environment as part of the federated learning pipeline and simplifies its automation, the Notebook Federator. The feasibility of this approach is then demonstrated with a collaborative model solving a digital pathology image analysis task in which the federated model reaches an accuracy of 0.8633 on the test set, as compared to the centralized configurations for each institution obtaining 0.7881, 0.6514, and 0.8096, respectively. As a fast and reproducible tool, the proposed solution enables the deployment of a cross-country federated environment in only a few minutes.
Fixed Flexible Spiral Wire Retainers and Unwanted Tooth Movements: A Case Report
Authors: Steegmans Pauline A. J. , Jonkman Ronald E. G. , de Lange Jan
Published: January 2023

This case report presents a study of unwanted tooth movements during the retention phase after orthodontic treatment. The early recognition of these unwanted tooth movements is paramount for patients and clinicians to prevent the associated negative consequences. A 21-year-old male presented with aesthetic complaints regarding his upper front teeth. He underwent orthodontic treatment at the age of 9 years and 11 months and finished his treatment 2 years and 11 months later. Flexible spiral wires (FSW) were bonded to the anterior segment of the upper and lower jaws to stabilize the end result. The failure of the fixed retainers had never occurred previously. The diagnostic assessment demonstrated a previously orthodontically treated class I malocclusion with excessive angulation and torque differences in the maxillary anterior segment. To correct the position of the maxillary anterior segment and prevent further misalignment, the patient received orthodontic re-treatment. Thereafter, the result was retained with fixed braided-rectangular-wire (BRW) retainers located at 12–22 and 33–43 and a vacuum-formed retainer (VFR) in the maxilla. The end result appeared to be stable after 28 months of retention. Unwanted tooth movements can occur during the orthodontic retention phase and might result from the use of fixed flexible spiral wire retainers. Follow-up appointments are recommended to monitor the stability and recognize these movements.
Graphic Model for Shop Floor Simulation and Control in the Context of Industry 5.0
Authors: Fernandes Nuno , Barros João-Paulo , Campos-Rebelo Rogerio
Published: January 2023

Industry 5.0 changes the paradigm of the current production model, with repercussions throughout the value chain, and opens up opportunities for new approaches that include reducing waste to optimize the use of the planet’s resources. This paper proposes a functional and executable model that implements a Holonic Manufacturing System (HMS) architecture inspired by the I5.0 guidelines. This architecture presents the factory floor as a service provider for the product to be built, intending to make the manufacturing process adaptable to changes. The model uses Reference nets as the modeling language, a high-level class of Petri nets, Java programming language as the annotation language, and free tool support. The model can be used to perform software-level simulations and can also be interconnected to existing physical devices using Internet of things technologies, enabling interactions between Cyber–Physical Systems (CPSs). It thus allows for the control of the shop floor and the reuse of the current machine park to make its adoption more sustainable. The model was used to generate several simulation results, which are presented and analyzed, thus demonstrating the model’s usefulness.
Forecasting PM10 Concentrations in the Caribbean Area Using Machine Learning Models
Authors: Plocoste Thomas , Laventure Sylvio
Published: January 2023

In the Caribbean basin, particulate matter lower or equal to 10 μm in diameter (PM10) has a huge impact on human mortality and morbidity due to the African dust. For the first time in this geographical area, the theoretical framework of artificial intelligence is applied to forecast PM10 concentrations. The aim of this study is to forecast PM10 concentrations using six machine learning (ML) models: support vector regression (SVR), k-nearest neighbor regression (kNN), random forest regression (RFR), gradient boosting regression (GBR), Tweedie regression (TR), and Bayesian ridge regression (BRR). Overall, with MBEmax = −2.8139, the results showed that all the models tend to slightly underestimate PM10 empirical data. GBR is the model that gives the best performance (r = 0.7831, R2 = 0.6132, MAE = 6.8479, RMSE = 10.4400, and IOA = 0.7368). By comparing our results to other PM10 ML studies in megacities, we found similar performance using only three input variables, whereas previous studies use many input variables with Artificial Neural Network (ANN) models. All these results showed the features of PM10 concentrations in the Caribbean area.
Seasonal Variations of Particulate Matter Capture and the Air Pollution Tolerance Index of Five Roadside Plant Species
Authors: Bui Huong-Thi , Jeong Na-Ra , Park Bong-Ju
Published: January 2023

Particulate matter (PM) is the most dangerous type of air pollutant and is harmful to human health. Plants can be used as a biofilter to remove PM from the atmosphere and improve air quality. In this study, we used the air pollution tolerance index and four leaf traits of five different plant species commonly used in landscaping in Korea to determine which plants are best suited to remove PM from the atmosphere in roadside areas in spring, summer, and autumn. We found that the PM concentrations in the atmosphere impacted the amount of PM accumulated in the plants, with increased PM accumulation during periods of increased environmental PM levels on the roadside. Euonymus japonicus, and Euonymus alatus accumulated the highest amount of PM and had the highest tolerance levels to air pollution. Thus, these species could be suitable for use in areas with high PM concentrations to improve air quality. We also found that shrubs were more effective in accumulating PM than trees and recommend that shrubs and trees be used together to further increase the amount of PM removed from the atmosphere in urban areas.
Investigation of Surface Bacterial Diversities and Compositions in the Global Subway Facilities
Authors: Kim Jeongwon , Bae Suyeon , Park Sena , Shukla Sudheer Kumar , Yoo Keunje
Published: January 2023

Indoor microbes are a key component of air contamination that causes human health risks. However, compared with the aquatic and soil environment, microbial diversity and taxonomic structure and composition in subway facility are not well characterized. This study tries to explore surface bacterial communities by using swabs collected from four global subway facilities, such as Busan, Boston, Mexico City, and Moscow using 16S rRNA gene amplicon sequencing. The alpha-diversities on bacterial communities were significantly different between Moscow and other samples, despite the different sample characteristics among Busan, Boston, Mexico City samples. For bacterial taxonomic composition, three phyla such as Actinobacteria (41.1%), Proteobacteria (27.7%), and Firmicutes (18.9%), were most dominant among all samples, indicating that there was no significance (p > 0.05). The subway station surface samples were mostly dominated by Gram-positive bacteria, including genera Corynebacterium, Staphylococcus, and Streptococcus. PCoA analysis also revealed that the Moscow bacterial communities were clearly separated from others. In addition, core genera were only shared 75 genera among all samples, but 486 genera were shared with three global stations, such as Busan, Boston and Mexico City. These results suggested that the human activity and geographical environment potentially affect the establishment of the bacterial community. Although this study provided basic information on surface bacterial communities in the subway system, there is a remaining unknown microbiome in the indoor air environment. Therefore, we consistently try to understand the indoor environment’s microbial ecology in the subway system.
Estimating Site-Specific Wind Speeds Using Gridded Data: A Comparison of Multiple Machine Learning Models
Authors: Zhou Jintao , Feng Jin , Zhou Xin , Li Yang , Zhu Fuxin
Published: January 2023

Accurate site-specific estimations of surface wind speeds (SWS) would greatly aid clean energy development. The quality of estimation depends on the method of interpolating gridded SWS data to derive the wind speed at a given location. This work uses multiple machine learning (ML) and deep learning (DL) methods to estimate wind speeds at locations across eastern China using the gridded fifth-generation data from the European Centre for Medium-Range Weather Forecasts. The root-mean-square error (RMSE) of these models’ estimates for summer and winter are, respectively, reduced by 23% and 16% on average against simple linear interpolation. A deep convolution neural network (DCNN) consistently performs best among the considered models, reducing the RMSE by 26% and 23% for summer and winter data, respectively. We further examine the dependence of the models’ estimations on altitude, land use category, and local mean SWS. And found that the DCNN can reflect the nonlinear relationships among these variables and SWS. Threfore, it can be used for site-specific wind speed estimates over a large area like eastern China.
Analysis of Climate Variability and Climate Change in Sub-Daily Maximum Intensities: A Case Study in Cartagena, Colombia
Authors: Arrieta-Pastrana Alfonso , Saba Manuel , Puello Alcázar Adriana
Published: January 2023

The present work analyses a time series of maximum intensities for sub-daily durations of 10 min, 20 min, up to 100 min, and their relationship with the maximum rainfall observations in twenty-four hours (P24), the total annual rainfall (PT), and the maximum, average, and minimum temperatures, using the records of the Rafael Núñez Airport station in the city of Cartagena de Indias, recorded from 1970 to 2015. The series of maximum intensities were obtained from the pluviographic records existing in the station. The analysis seeks to find evidence of climate change and climate variability. The series were tested for homogeneity, stationarity, trend, and periodicity. The degree of cross-correlation and temporal correlation between the different series were determined. Temperature series show homogeneity problems, while no correlation was found between the temperatures and the maximum sub-daily intensities, with the maximum rainfall observations in twenty-four hours and the total annual rainfall. The presence of marked periodicities was found in all the series, with a greater signal in the maximum. No significant trends were found in any of the series. Intensities and maximum rainfall observations in 24 h were found. In general, the series are stationary and do not show trends. Non-homogeneities in the series and the presence of periodicities can lead to an interpretation of non-stationarity and trend.
Landscape of Push Funding in Antibiotic Research: Current Status and Way Forward
Authors: Wasan Himika , Singh Devendra , Reeta K.H. , Gupta Yogendra Kumar
Published: January 2023

The growing need for effective antibiotics is attributed to the intrinsic ability of bacteria to develop survival mechanisms. The speed at which pathogens develop resistance is at par or even faster than the discovery of newer agents. Due to the enormous cost of developing an antibiotic and poor return on investment, big pharmaceutical companies are stepping out of the antibiotic research field, and the world is now heading towards the silent pandemic of antibiotic resistance. Lack of investment in research has further led to the anemic antibiotic pipeline. To overcome these challenges, various organizations have come forward with push funding to financially assist antibiotic developers. Although push funding has somewhat reinvigorated the dwindled field of antibiotic development by bearing the financial risks of failure, the landscape is still large and staggered. Most of the funding is funneled towards the early stages; however, to carry the promising compounds forward, equal or more funding is required formid- and late-stage research. To some extent, the complexity associated with accessing the funding mechanisms has led to their underutilization. In the present review, we discuss several major push funding mechanisms, issues in their effective utilization, recent strategies adopted, and a way forward to streamline funding in antibiotic research.
The Feature, Performance, and Prospect of Advanced Electrodes for Electroencephalogram
Authors: Liu Qing , Yang Liangtao , Zhang Zhilin , Yang Hui , Zhang Yi , Wu Jinglong
Published: January 2023

Recently, advanced electrodes have been developed, such as semi-dry, dry contact, dry non-contact, and microneedle array electrodes. They can overcome the issues of wet electrodes and maintain high signal quality. However, the variations in these electrodes are still unclear and not explained, and there is still confusion regarding the feasibility of electrodes for different application scenarios. In this review, the physical features and electroencephalogram (EEG) signal performances of these advanced EEG electrodes are introduced in view of the differences in contact between the skin and electrodes. Specifically, contact features, biofeatures, impedance, signal quality, and artifacts are discussed. The application scenarios and prospects of different types of EEG electrodes are also elucidated.
Recent Advances in Sensing Materials Targeting Clinical Volatile Organic Compound (VOC) Biomarkers: A Review
Authors: Pathak Akhilesh , Swargiary Kankan , Kongsawang Nuntaporn , Jitpratak Pannathorn , Ajchareeyasoontorn Noppasin , Udomkittivorakul Jade , Viphavakit Charusluk
Published: January 2023

In general, volatile organic compounds (VOCs) have a high vapor pressure at room temperature (RT). It has been reported that all humans generate unique VOC profiles in their exhaled breath which can be utilized as biomarkers to diagnose disease conditions. The VOCs available in exhaled human breath are the products of metabolic activity in the body and, therefore, any changes in its control level can be utilized to diagnose specific diseases. More than 1000 VOCs have been identified in exhaled human breath along with the respiratory droplets which provide rich information on overall health conditions. This provides great potential as a biomarker for a disease that can be sampled non-invasively from exhaled breath with breath biopsy. However, it is still a great challenge to develop a quick responsive, highly selective, and sensitive VOC-sensing system. The VOC sensors are usually coated with various sensing materials to achieve target-specific detection and real-time monitoring of the VOC molecules in the exhaled breath. These VOC-sensing materials have been the subject of huge interest and extensive research has been done in developing various sensing tools based on electrochemical, chemoresistive, and optical methods. The target-sensitive material with excellent sensing performance and capturing of the VOC molecules can be achieved by optimizing the materials, methods, and its thickness. This review paper extensively provides a detailed literature survey on various non-biological VOC-sensing materials including metal oxides, polymers, composites, and other novel materials. Furthermore, this review provides the associated limitations of each material and a summary table comparing the performance of various sensing materials to give a better insight to the readers.
Prevalence and Risk Factors for Absconding from an Open-Door, No-Restraint Inpatient Psychiatric Unit: A Single-Center Study in Italy
Authors: Napoli Giovanni , Cannone Marcella , Garzitto Marco , Colizzi Marco , Balestrieri Matteo
Published: January 2023

Absconding from inpatient psychiatric services has been associated with poor outcomes, putting the patient and community at risk and prolonging the recovery process. A retrospective study investigated the absconding rates and risk factors among patients admitted to an open-door, no-restraint inpatient psychiatric unit. Overall, the absconding rate was 4.5%, and the relative risk of absconding was higher for male, younger, and non-Caucasian patients as well as for those who had already absconded, were unknown to health services, compulsorily admitted, admitted for substance abuse, and in the first days of hospitalization. The findings of this study may have important public health implications.
Dynamic Interaction between Student Learning Behaviour and Learning Environment: Meta-Analysis of Student Engagement and Its Influencing Factors
Authors: Li Jian , Xue Eryong
Published: January 2023

Student engagement plays a significant role in promoting student learning outcomes in the higher education context. The goal of this meta-analysis was to investigate factors influencing student engagement in higher education institutions in different contexts. The meta-analysis integrated data from 93,188 participants and 148 effects across studies to address this issue. The meta-analysis revealed 14 factors affecting students’ learning participation. The classification was based on internal and external factors, aiming to explore the main factors influencing students’ intention, behavior, and process of learning participation. The external influencing factors with moderate correlations were the teacher-student relationship (R = 0.456, p < 0.001) and positive teacher behavior (R = 0.419, p < 0.001). Additionally, the main external influencing factors were partnership (R = 0.174, p < 0.001), environmental support (R = −0.028), negative teacher behavior (R = −0.064), and negative learning behavior (R = −0145), which were all negatively correlated with learning participation. The results also indicated that factors influencing student engagement can be divided into two categories: promoting factors and hindering factors. The promoting factors include students’ positive emotion, positive learning behavior, positive teacher behavior, the teacher-student relationship and partnership, students’ learning and thinking ability, the support of learning resources, students’ individual and personality characteristics, and teaching factors. The hindering factors include lack of environmental support, negative student behavior, and negative teacher behavior. Further, conceptual and practical implications are discussed in relation to these findings.
Effects of Bio-Based Polyelectrolyte Complex on Thermal Stability, Flammability, and Mechanical Properties Performance Utilization in PLA/PBS Composites
Authors: Shih Yeng-Fong , Lin Ching-Wei , Cai Yu-Liang , Jahan Kousar , Chen Ying-Hsiao
Published: January 2023

In this study, the two eco-friendly flame retardants of the polymeric type (PA-PEI) and monomeric type (PA-Arg) phytate amine complexes were prepared via the ionic reaction of polyethylenimine (PEI) or arginine (Arg), respectively, with phytic acid in an aqueous solution. The chemical structure and thermal stability of PA-PEI and PA-Arg were characterized by Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) and thermogravimetric analysis (TGA). In order to improve the flame retardancy of the polylactic acid (PLA)/polybutylene succinate (PBS) biocomposites (P/15B-based biocomposites), the flame retardants PA-PEI and PA-Arg were embedded into P/15B by thermal blending procedures, respectively, to obtain P/15B/PA-PEI series and P/15B/PA-Arg series biocomposites. The TGA analyses demonstrated that incorporating PA-PEI or PA-Arg into the P/15B polymer enhances the char residues in these P/15B biocomposites. The XRD and SEM analyses of the P/15B/PA-PEI series and P/15B/PA-Arg series suggested the PA-PEI and PA-Arg were embedded into the P/15B polymer matrixes, respectively. The mechanical results showed that P/15B/PA-Arg series exhibited higher values than the P/15B/PA-PEI series biocomposite, which were associated with less roughness of P/15B/PA-Arg than that of the P/15B/PA-PEI series. The flammability results of the P/15B/PA-PEI series and P/15B/PA-Arg series biocomposites exhibited a V-2 level in UL94 vertical test. Further, the fire resistance performance of P/15B-based biocomposites was enhanced by incorporating PA-PEI or PA-Arg into the P/15B matrix through the analyses of the Cone calorimeter test (CCT), as a comparison with neat P/15B. The peak heat release rate (pHRR), the total heat release rate (THR), and char residues of P/15B/15PA-Arg biocomposite were significantly improved to 280.26 kW/m2, 107.89 MJ/m2, and 10.4%, respectively. The enhancement of the P/15B-based composites’ fire resistance is attributed to the interplay effect on the catalytic and condensed effect on the thermal decomposition of PA-PEI or PA-Arg in P/15B biocomposites. The resultant eco-friendly flame-retardant P/15B biocomposites reported in this study can be widely applied in various fields, including construction, electronic appliances, and other fields.
Timber Buildings Deconstruction as a Design Solution toward Near Zero CO2e Emissions
Authors: Di Ruocco Giacomo , Melella Roberta , Sabatano Laura
Published: January 2023

The overall reduction in the environmental impacts of the construction industry is a complex process that requires methodological and applicative studies on the evaluation of the sustainability of the life cycle, related to both individual product and of the building system as a whole. In this context, with reference to the end-of-life phase of the building, the management of the disassembly and selective demolition plan of the building, allowing the reuse or recycling of the materials as well as of the building components and prefabricated elements used is fundamental. This research aimed to develop a methodology, applied to timber building systems, to mitigate CO2e emissions during the decommissioning and disposal of the building. The quantitative model developed considers the rates of the CO2e emissions involved in C (end-of-life) and D (benefits and loads beyond the system boundary) phases of building sustainability assessment. The model was applied to two wooden buildings: one with an XLAM structure and another one with a framed structure. In both cases, from the perspective of reusing the wood components for a subsequent life cycle, C and D phases of the process achieved an overall negative CO2e emission rate thanks to the offsetting from the carbon storage property of wood. This research has thus demonstrated the possibility of making the wood construction process circular through a zero-emission approach.
Energy Consumption of Apartment Conversion into Passive Houses in Hot-Summer and Cold-Winter Regions of China
Authors: Li Yonghan , Yin Wei , Zhong Yawen , Zhu Mingqiao , Hao Xiaoli , Li Yongcun , Ouyang Yuwen , Han Jie
Published: January 2023

Passive houses have strong thermal insulation and airtightness of doors and windows, and they are generally used in cold climates. This case study aims to evaluate the energy-saving potential of this technology in the hot-summer and cold-winter areas (Cf in Köppen climate classification) of China. The results show that after enhancing the thermal insulation and airtightness, the energy consumption in winter significantly decreased by 62% overall. However, the energy consumption of cooling in the transition season and summer increased, which is caused by overheating. Hybrid ventilative cooling and shading can solve this problem. In particular, when the indoor temperature range is set to the adaptive thermal comfort of natural ventilation, the energy consumption from air conditioner cooling can be greatly reduced by 81% overall. Passive houses combined with ventilative cooling has significant application value in this climate zone.