bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Elucidation of the potential antioxidant compound and mechanism of mung bean using network pharmacology and in vitro anti-oxidative activity
Authors: Kong Feng , Li Yue , Zhang Yuping , Zeng Qinghua , Guo Xingfeng
Published: October 2022

Mung bean is rich in bioactive components, but the main compound and pharmacological mechanism in reducing oxidative and free radical damage are unclear. Network pharmacology and 2,2′-azino-bis-3-ethylbenzthiazoline-6-sulfonic acid (ABTS) radical scavenging activities were employed to uncover the antioxidant mechanism of potentially active compounds, considering the interactions between mung bean targets and oxidative and free radical damage. These key targets were analyzed by protein–protein interactions (PPIs), and key genes were used to find the biological pathway and therapeutic mechanism by Gene Ontology (GO) and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) analyses. The results showed that five antioxidant components and 18 mung bean targets were screened. β-carotene and vitexin both played a crucial role in mung bean against oxidative and free radical damage, and the ABTS radical scavenging activities of β-carotene and vitexin were 94.84 and 87.79%, which were equivalent to those of vitamin C. Key targets may be AR, HSP90AA1, MYC, and CASP3 for mung bean to exert antioxidant activity. GO and KEGG indicated that mung bean may mainly act on thyroid hormone signaling pathway, estrogen signaling pathway, p53 signaling pathway, etc. In vitro antioxidant activity tests showed that the bioactive ingredients of mung beans had great antioxidant activity. Network pharmacology analysis also revealed the underlying molecular mechanisms of oxidative and free radical damage. This study provides new insights and evidence to explore the bioactive compounds and biological functions of food cereals and legumes, as well as a reference for the functional evaluation of food ingredients and the development of functional foods.
Phosphorus retention and agronomic efficiency of refined manure-based digestate—A review
Authors: Persson Tomas , Rueda-Ayala Victor
Published: October 2022

Digestate, a by-product from anaerobic digestion of organic materials such as animal manure, is considered a suitable plant fertilizer. However, due to its bulkiness and low economic value, it is costly to transport over long distances and store for long periods. Refinement processes to valorize digestate and facilitate its handling as a fertilizer include precipitation of phosphorus-rich mineral compounds, such as struvite and calcium phosphates, membrane filtration methods that concentrate plant nutrients in organic products, and carbonization processes. However, phosphorus retention efficiency in output products from these processes can vary considerably depending on technological settings and characteristics of the digestate feedstock. The effects of phosphorus in plant fertilizers (including those analogous or comparable to refined digestate products) on agronomic productivity have been evaluated in multiple experiments. In this review, we synthesized knowledge about different refinement methods for manure-based digestate as a means to produce phosphorus fertilizers, thereby providing the potential to increase phosphorus retention in the food production chain, by combining information about phosphorus flows in digestate refinement studies and agronomic fertilizer studies. It was also sought to identify the range, uncertainty, and potential retention efficiency by agricultural crops of the original phosphorus amount in manure-based digestate. Refinement chains with solid/wet phase separation followed by struvite or calcium phosphate precipitation or membrane filtration of the wet phase and carbonization treatments of the solid phase were included. Several methods with high potential to extract phosphorus from manure-based wet phase digestate in such a way that it could be used as an efficient plant fertilizer were identified, with struvite precipitation being the most promising method. Synthesis of results from digestate refinement studies and agronomic fertilizer experiments did not support the hypothesis that solid/wet separation followed by struvite precipitation, or any other refinement combination, results in higher phosphorus retention than found for unrefined digestate. Further studies are needed on the use of the phosphorus in the solid phase digestate, primarily on phosphorus-rich soils representative of animal-dense regions, to increase understanding of the role of digestate refinement (particularly struvite precipitation) in phosphorus recycling in agricultural systems.
Case report: Hydrometrocolpos conditioning recurrent urinary tract infections
Authors: Malanowska Ewelina , Krzyścin Mariola , Sowińska-Przepiera Elzbieta , Starczewski Andrzej , Sulikowski Tadeusz , Balzarro Matteo , Rubilotta Emanuele
Published: October 2022

We present a case of a 12.5-year-old girl who has suffered from recurrent urinary tract infections for many years but has never undergone a detailed diagnostic process. Only as a teenager did she complain of acute pain in her lower abdomen and it turned out that her genital organs had not properly developed. She had an obstructive defect in the reproductive tract. When there was a significant amount of discharge collected in the lumen of the genital tract and the organs had distended, acute pain appeared, which allowed us to make the diagnosis. In the diagnostic process, transperineal ultrasonography turned out to be extremely helpful, allowing us to establish the type and thickness of the obstruction. The patient underwent excision of transverse vaginal septum, and postoperative silicon dilators were used to prevent the recurrence of the obstruction. There was no recurrence of urinary infection or complications during the 11 months of follow-up.
Performing percutaneous nephrolithotomy under modified local anesthesia
Authors: Yu Yue , Hu Jieping , Liu Wei , Peng Zhixiong , Wang Mengzhen , Zhou Xiaochen , Xi Haibo
Published: October 2022

Objective

This pilot study aimed to assess the practicability and effectiveness of percutaneous nephrolithotomy (PCNL) with vacuum-assisted nephrostomy sheaths for patients under modified local anesthesia (m-LA).

Methods

PCNL with a vacuum-assisted nephrostomy sheath under m-LA was performed in 83 patients between November 2020 and May 2021. An 18F or 20F ClearPetra Nephrostomy Sheath connected vacuum aspiration was used in surgery to keep low pressure in the renal pelvis. For LA, lidocaine and ropivacaine hydrochloride were 1:1 mixed and instilled under ultrasound guidance through the percutaneous nephrolithotomy channel directed toward the design calix. Demographic characteristics, stone characteristics, visual analogue scale (VAS) score, vital signs, operation time, complications, and stone clear rate were recorded and analyzed.

Results

All operations were completed. The mean VAS score was 3.9 ± 1.0. The mean operation time was 55.1 ± 23.6 min. The changes for systolic blood pressure, diastolic blood pressure, and heart rate were 3 ± 21 mmHg, 1 ± 14 mmHg, and −6 ± 14 beats/min, respectively. The change for hemoglobin was −10.7 ± 10.9 g/L. The change for C-reactive protein was 5.39 ± 43.1 mg/L. The total stone-free rate was 69.9% (93.8% for simple stones and 54.9% for complex stones).

Conclusion

Performing PCNL with vacuum-assisted nephrostomy sheaths under modified local anesthesia under ultrasound guidance was found to be strongly practical and effective.
Research status and hot topics of the effects of skin innervation on wound healing from 1959 to 2022: A bibliometric analysis
Authors: Song Ru , Wu Zhenjie , Ma Jiaxu , Yin Siyuan , Liu Chunyan , Sun Rui , Cao Guoqi , Lu Yongpan , Chen Aoyu , Zhang Guang , Liu Jian , Wang Yibing
Published: October 2022

Background

Skin innervation plays an important role in wound healing by either direct contact with or indirect secretions that impact skin cells. Many studies in this field have been published; however, there is a lack of bibliometric analyses focusing on the effect of skin innervation on skin wound healing. In this study, we aimed to analyse the research trends, status, and hotspots in this field.

Methods

Reviews and articles published in English were extracted from the Web of Science Core Collection (WoSCC) database based on subject term searches. Microsoft Office Excel, VOSviewer, and CiteSpace were used to analyse publication date, country or region, institution, author, and author keywords.

Results

A total of 368 papers published between 1959 and 2022 were included in the analysis. Although there was a pulsation during this period, there was an overall upward trend in studies related to the effect of skin innervation on wound healing. The United States, particularly the University of Washington, and Gibran, Nicole S. from the University of Washington, was the most active in this field. Wound Repair and Regeneration published the most relevant literature, and “Calcitonin gene-related peptide: physiology and pathophysiology” had the highest total number of citations. “Diabetic foot ulcer,” “epidermal stem cells,” “mesenchymal stem cells,” and “mast cells” are current and potential future research hotspots.

Conclusion

This bibliometric analysis will inform the overall trends in research related to the effect of skin innervation on wound healing, summarise relevant research hotspots, and guide future work.
Molecular characterization of Brucella spp. from seropositive herds of cattle farmed at the wildlife–livestock–human interface in Rwanda
Authors: Ntivuguruzwa Jean Bosco , Kolo Francis Babaman , Gashururu Richard , Uwibambe Evodie , Musanayire Vestine , Ingabire Angelique , Umurerwa Lydia , Mwikarago Emil Ivan , van Heerden Henriette
Published: October 2022

Seroprevalence studies showed that brucellosis is prevalent in cattle in Rwanda with no recent study on the characterization of Brucella spp. Therefore, this study aimed to characterize Brucella spp. in seropositive herds of cattle farmed at the wildlife–livestock–human interface. Whole blood samples (n = 118), milk (n = 41), and vaginal swabs (n = 51) were collected from 64 seropositive herds. All samples (n = 210) were inoculated onto modified Centro de Investigacion y Tecnologia Agroalimentaria (CITA) selective medium. Cultures were analyzed to detect Brucella spp. using 16S−23S ribosomal DNA interspacer region (ITS) PCR, the Brucella cultures were speciated using AMOS and Bruce-ladder PCR assays. Brucella spp. were detected in 16.7% (35/210) of the samples established from the samples using ITS-PCR. The AMOS PCR assay identified mixed Brucella abortus and B. melitensis (n = 6), B. abortus (n = 7), and B. melitensis (n = 1) from cultures from blood samples; mixed B. abortus and B. melitensis (n = 1) and B. abortus (n = 4) from cultures from milk samples; mixed B. abortus and B. melitensis (n = 6), B. abortus (n = 8), and B. melitensis (n = 1) from cultures from vaginal swabs. Bruce-ladder PCR assay confirmed B. abortus and B. melitensis cultures. The isolation of Brucella spp. was significantly associated with districts, with the Nyagatare district having more isolates than other districts (p = 0.01). This study identified single or mixed B. abortus and B. melitensis infections in cattle samples in Rwanda, which emphasizes the need to improve brucellosis control at the wildlife–livestock–human interface and raise the awareness of cattle keepers, abattoir workers, laboratory personnel, and consumers of cattle products.
Integrative analysis identifies potential ferroptosis-related genes of hypoxia adaptation in yak
Authors: Zhang Jian , Cui Yan
Published: October 2022

There are studies on the hypoxia adaptation in yak, but there are few studies on the regulation of ferroptosis by hypoxia. This study was the first time to explore ferroptosis-related genes about hypoxia in yak. In this study, the oviduct epithelial cells between yak and bovine are performed by integrative analysis for functions, regulating network and hub genes. The results showed 29 up-regulated ferroptosis genes and 67 down-regulated ferroptosis genes, and GO-KEGG analysis showed that up-regulated differentially expressed genes (DEGs) were significantly enriched in ribosome pathway and oxidative phosphorylation pathway. Down-regulated DEGs were significantly enriched in longevity regulating pathway-mammal pathway. Mitophagy-Animal Pathway was a significant enrichment pathway for the up-regulated differentially expressed ferroptosis genes (DE-FRGs). HIF-1 signaling pathway is a significant pathway for the down-regulated DE-FRGs. By constructing DE-FRGs protein-protein interaction (PPI) network, 10 hub DE-FRGs (Jun, STAT3, SP1, HIF1A, Mapk1, Mapk3, Rela, Ulk1, CDKN1A, EPAS1) were obtained. The bta-mir-21-5p, bta-mir-10a and bta-mir-17-5p related to STAT3 were predicted. The results of this study indicated the important genes and pathways of the hypoxia in yak, and it was the first time to study ferroptosis genes and pathways related to the hypoxia adaptation by bulk-seq in yak. This study provided sufficient transcriptome datas for hypoxia adaptation.
An Application of a Decision Support System Enabled by a Hybrid Algorithmic Framework for Production Scheduling in an SME Manufacturer
Authors: Spanos Athanasios C. , Gayialis Sotiris P. , Kechagias Evripidis P. , Papadopoulos Georgios A.
Published: October 2022

In this research, we present a hybrid algorithmic framework and its integration into the precise production scheduling system of a Greek metal forming factory. The system was created as a decision support tool to assist production planners in arranging weekly production orders to work centers and other manufacturing cells. The functionality offered includes dispatching priority rules, bottleneck identification for capacity planning, production order reallocation to alternate work centers and planning periods, interchangeable scheduling scenarios, and work-in-process availability checks based on bill of materials (BOM) precedence constraints. As a consequence, a solid short-term production plan is created, capable of absorbing shop floor risks such as machine failures and urgent orders. The primary design ideas are simplicity, ease of use, a flexible Gantt-chart-based graphical user interface (GUI), controllable report creation, and a modest development budget. The practical application takes place in a make-to-stock (MTS) environment with a complicated multi-level production process, defined due dates, and parallel machines. A critical component is the integration with legacy applications and the existing enterprise resource planning (ERP) system. The method adopted here avoids both overburdening the existing information system architecture with software pipeline spaghetti, as is common with point-to-point integration, and overshooting implementation costs, as is often the case with service-oriented architectures.
One-Way Wave Operator
Authors: Raida Hans-Joachim
Published: October 2022

The second-order partial differential wave Equation (Cauchy’s first equation of motion), derived from Newton’s force equilibrium, describes a standing wave field consisting of two waves propagating in opposite directions, and is, therefore, a “two-way wave equation”. Due to the second order differentials analytical solutions only exist in a few cases. The “binomial factorization” of the linear second-order two-way wave operator into two first-order one-way wave operators has been known for decades and used in geophysics. When the binomial factorization approach is applied to the spatial second-order wave operator, this results in complex mathematical terms containing the so-called “Dirac operator” for which only particular solutions exist. In 2014, a hypothetical “impulse flow equilibrium” led to a spatial first-order “one-way wave equation” which, due to its first order differentials, can be more easily solved than the spatial two-way wave equation. To date the conversion of the spatial two-way wave operator into spatial one-way wave operators is unsolved. By considering the one-way wave operator containing a vector wave velocity, a “synthesis” approach leads to a “general vector two-way wave operator” and the “general one-way/two-way equivalence”. For a constant vector wave velocity the equivalence with the d’Alembert operator can be achieved. The findings are transferred to commonly used mechanical and electromagnetic wave types. The one-way wave theory and the spatial one-way wave operators offer new opportunities in science and engineering for advanced wave and wave field calculations.
Diversity Management: Homosexuality and the Labor Market
Authors: Machado Carolina Feliciana , Costa Ana Luísa
Published: October 2022

The main aim of this article is the study of the relationship between homosexuality and the labor market. Studies on minorities have gained a lot of emphasis; however, about sexual minorities, these are still not very expressive, especially regarding the labor context. Although sexual orientation is not professionally related, homosexual workers still suffer discrimination, the impact of which is reflected in their health, wages, and job opportunities. Thus, workers may decide to limit the disclosure of their sexual orientation at work or to assume it, decisions that vary according to their working environments. Inclusive organizational environments and policies are relevant tools that organizations need to adopt, to create safety and happiness at work. To achieve the study aims, an ethnographic approach was taken. An interview guide was elaborated and interviews conducted with homosexual workers to analyze their realities and professional experiences. The results allow us to conclude that homosexuality not only negatively influences the hiring of workers, who see their access to the labor market restricted, but also influences the daily lives of many of them, affecting their physical and mental wellbeing. Identity management differs according to the found working context. Most of the non-assumed workers are doing so as a form of protection, and those who are assumed do so due to the good environment that surrounds them as well as the friendly relationships created. Although it is a reality still far from desirable, the existence of policies to protect against discrimination and awareness of equal treatment are measures that stand out, manifesting themselves in more genuine labor relations and greater organizational satisfaction and commitment.
Three-Dimensional Analytical Solutions for Acoustic Transverse Modes in a Cylindrical Duct with Axial Temperature Gradient and Non-Zero Mach Number
Authors: Nan Jiaqi , Li Jingxuan , Yang Lijun
Published: October 2022

Cylindrical ducts with axial mean temperature gradient and mean flows are typical elements in rocket engines, can combustors, and afterburners. Accurate analytical solutions for the acoustic waves of the longitudinal and transverse modes within these ducts can significantly improve the performance of low order acoustic network models for analyses of acoustic behaviours and combustion instabilities in these kinds of ducts. Here, we derive an acoustic wave equation as a function of pressure perturbation based on the linearised Euler equations (LEEs), and the modified WKB approximation method is applied to derive analytical solutions based on very few assumptions. The eigenvalue system is built based on the proposed solutions and applied to predict the resonant frequencies and growth rate for transverse modes. Validations of the proposed solutions are performed by comparing them to the numerical results directly calculated from the LEEs. Good agreements are found between analytical reconstruction and numerical results of three-dimensional transverse modes. The system with both mean temperature profile and mean flow presents a larger absolute value of the growth rate than the condition of either uniform mean temperature or no mean flow.
Experimental Study on the Adhesion Strength of the Frozen Ice for Aircraft Moving Parts
Authors: Xue Xiaofeng , Qiang Guoyan , Feng Yunwen , Luo Tiansu
Published: October 2022

At alpine regional airports, aircraft are covered with frozen ice when they encounter extreme weather such as heavy snow or frost. The movement parts of aircraft cabin doors, flaps and landing gear may be affected due to the infiltration of freezing ice, and the movement stagnation may occur when the the accumulation of ice is more serious. This paper sets up a mechanical performance test of frozen ice for this engineering problem to provide data that is beneficial to the selection of the mechanism drive and the determination of ice-breaking loads. The test is conducted based on the standard tensile shear test. In order to overcome problems such as the poor icing effect of the traditional specimen or the easy damage of the specimen ice, we improved the structure of the specimen and the method of the test. According to the characteristics of growth of frozen ice, we introduced freezing time, type of water quality and adhesion materials as test variables. The results show that: the ice adhesion strength of frozen ice increases and then decreases (−15 ∘C∼−55 ∘C). At the ambient temperature of −15 ∘C∼−55 ∘C and freezing for 2 h∼6 h, the ice adhesion strength of aluminum alloy surface ranges from 0.009 MPa to 0.568 MPa, and that of frozen ice on a silicone rubber surface is 0.005 MPa∼0.147 MPa. The duration of freezing did not significantly affect the adhesion strength of frozen ice. Among the three water qualities, the frozen ice from distilled water has the greatest adhesion strength, the lake water is the most medium, and the sea water is the smallest. The results of this test can be widely used in the determination of the ice-breaking load of civil aircraft, amphibious aircraft, ships, and the design of anti-ice/de-icing systems.
Early Estimation of Tomato Yield by Decision Tree Ensembles
Authors: Lillo-Saavedra Mario , Espinoza-Salgado Alberto , García-Pedrero Angel , Souto Camilo , Holzapfel Eduardo , Gonzalo-Martín Consuelo , Somos-Valenzuela Marcelo , Rivera Diego
Published: October 2022

Crop yield forecasting allows farmers to make decisions in advance to improve farm management and logistics during and after harvest. In this sense, crop yield potential maps are an asset for farmers making decisions about farm management and planning. Although scientific efforts have been made to determine crop yields from in situ information and through remote sensing, most studies are limited to evaluating data from a single date just before harvest. This has a direct negative impact on the quality and predictability of these estimates, especially for logistics. This study proposes a methodology for the early prediction of tomato yield using decision tree ensembles, vegetation spectral indices, and shape factors from images captured by multispectral sensors on board an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) during different phenological stages of crop development. With the predictive model developed and based on the collection of training characteristics for 6 weeks before harvest, the tomato yield was estimated for a 0.4 ha plot, obtaining an error rate of 9.28%.
Influence of Biocontrol and Integrated Strategies and Treatment Timing on Plum Brown Rot Incidence and Fungicide Residues in Fruits
Authors: Palmieri Davide , Ianiri Giuseppe , Conte Thomas , Castoria Raffaello , Lima Giuseppe , De Curtis Filippo
Published: October 2022

Brown rot caused by Monilinia spp. is the main disease of stone fruits. Our research aimed to identify an appropriate strategy to control plum brown rot and reduce fungicides residues in fruit through targeted application of the biocontrol agents (BCAs) Papiliotrema terrestris and Bacillus subtilis, alone or in combination with synthetic fungicides. The following treatments were evaluated: Biological (BIO1, BIO2), Integrated (INT1, INT2, INT3), and Combined (COMB), all compared with Chemical strategy. Five key treatments (seven for BIO2) were performed in the crucial phenological stages for the disease cycle: INT1, INT2, and INT3 approaches consisted, from the beginning of the season, of one, two, or three treatments, respectively, alternately with boscalid or cyprodinil followed by applications of BCA until the fruit harvest. After harvest, plums were subjected to an additional treatment with the two BCAs and the fruits were stored at 20 °C for 15 days. The results obtained by applying our BCA PT22AV, revealed, in the field and in postharvest, the highest level of disease protection with management strategies BIO2 (94.8–97.2% in field; 65–84% in postharvest) and INT3 (95.5–97% in field and 63% to 91% in postharvest). The level of fungicide residues in fruit was zero in BIO strategies and lower in INT strategies as compared to chemical strategy.
Wild Blueberry Harvesting Losses Predicted with Selective Machine Learning Algorithms
Authors: Khan Humna , Esau Travis J. , Farooque Aitazaz A. , Abbas Farhat
Published: October 2022

The production of wild blueberries (Vaccinium angustifolium) contributes 112.2 million dollars yearly to Canada’s revenue, which can be further increased by reducing harvest losses. A precise prediction of blueberry harvest losses is necessary to mitigate such losses. The performance of three machine learning (ML) algorithms was assessed to predict the wild blueberry harvest losses on the ground. The data from four commercial fields in Atlantic Canada (including Tracadie, Frank Webb, Small Scott, and Cooper fields) were utilized to achieve the goal. Wild blueberry losses (fruit loss on ground, leaf losses, blower losses) and yield were measured manually from randomly selected plots during mechanical harvesting. The plant height of wild blueberry, field slope, and fruit zone readings were collected from each of the plots. For the purpose of predicting ground loss as a function of fruit zone, plant height, fruit production, slope, leaf loss, and blower damage, three ML models i.e., support vector regression (SVR), linear regression (LR), and random forest (RF)—were used. Statistical parameters i.e., mean absolute error (MAE), root mean square error (RMSE), and coefficient of determination (R2), were used to assess the prediction accuracy of the models. The results of the correlation matrices showed that the blueberry yield and losses (leaf loss, blower loss) had medium to strong correlations accessed based on the correlation coefficient (r) range 0.37–0.79. The LR model showed the foremost predictions of ground loss as compared to all the other models analyzed. Tracadie, Frank Webb, Small Scott, and Cooper had R2 values of 0.87, 0.91, 0.91, and 0.73, respectively. Support vector regression performed comparatively better at all the fields i.e., R2 = 0.93 (Frank Webb field), R2 = 0.88 (Tracadie), and R2 = 0.79 (Cooper) except Small Scott field with R2 = 0.07. When comparing the actual and anticipated ground loss, the SVR performed best (R2 = 0.79–0.93) as compared to the other two algorithms i.e., LR (R2 = 0.73 to 0.92), and RF (R2 = 0.53 to 0.89) for the three fields. The outcomes revealed that these ML algorithms can be useful in predicting ground losses during wild blueberry harvesting in the selected fields.
A Synthetic Angle Normalization Model of Vegetation Canopy Reflectance for Geostationary Satellite Remote Sensing Data
Authors: Lin Yinghao , Tian Qingjiu , Qiao Baojun , Wu Yu , Zuo Xianyu , Xie Yi , Lian Yang
Published: October 2022

High-frequency imaging characteristics allow a geostationary satellite (GSS) to capture the diurnal variation in vegetation canopy reflectance spectra, which is of very important practical significance for monitoring vegetation via remote sensing (RS). However, the observation angle and solar angle of high-frequency GSS RS data usually differ, and the differences in bidirectional reflectance from the reflectance spectra of the vegetation canopy are significant, which makes it necessary to normalize angles for GSS RS data. The BRDF (Bidirectional Reflectance Distribution Function) prototype library is effective for the angle normalization of RS data. However, its spatiotemporal applicability and error propagation are currently unclear. To resolve this problem, we herein propose a synthetic angle normalization model (SANM) for RS vegetation canopy reflectance; this model exploits the GSS imaging characteristics, whereby each pixel has a fixed observation angle. The established model references a topographic correction method for vegetation canopies based on path-length correction, solar zenith angle normalization, and the Minnaert model. It also considers the characteristics of diurnal variations in vegetation canopy reflectance spectra by setting the time window. Experiments were carried out on the eight Geostationary Ocean Color Imager (GOCI) images obtained on 22 April 2015 to validate the performance of the proposed SANM. The results show that SANM significantly improves the phase-to-phase correlation of the GOCI band reflectance in the morning time window and retains the instability of vegetation canopy spectra in the noon time window. The SANM provides a preliminary solution for normalizing the angles for the GSS RS data and makes the quantitative comparison of spatiotemporal RS data possible.
An Attention Mechanism-Improved YOLOv7 Object Detection Algorithm for Hemp Duck Count Estimation
Authors: Jiang Kailin , Xie Tianyu , Yan Rui , Wen Xi , Li Danyang , Jiang Hongbo , Jiang Ning , Feng Ling , Duan Xuliang , Wang Jianjun
Published: October 2022

Stocking density presents a key factor affecting livestock and poultry production on a large scale as well as animal welfare. However, the current manual counting method used in the hemp duck breeding industry is inefficient, costly in labor, less accurate, and prone to double counting and omission. In this regard, this paper uses deep learning algorithms to achieve real-time monitoring of the number of dense hemp duck flocks and to promote the development of the intelligent farming industry. We constructed a new large-scale hemp duck object detection image dataset, which contains 1500 hemp duck object detection full-body frame labeling and head-only frame labeling. In addition, this paper proposes an improved attention mechanism YOLOv7 algorithm, CBAM-YOLOv7, adding three CBAM modules to the backbone network of YOLOv7 to improve the network’s ability to extract features and introducing SE-YOLOv7 and ECA-YOLOv7 for comparison experiments. The experimental results show that CBAM-YOLOv7 had higher precision, and the recall, mAP@0.5, and mAP@0.5:0.95 were slightly improved. The evaluation index value of CBAM-YOLOv7 improved more than those of SE-YOLOv7 and ECA-YOLOv7. In addition, we also conducted a comparison test between the two labeling methods and found that the head-only labeling method led to the loss of a high volume of feature information, and the full-body frame labeling method demonstrated a better detection effect. The results of the algorithm performance evaluation show that the intelligent hemp duck counting method proposed in this paper is feasible and can promote the development of smart reliable automated duck counting.
Research on the End Effector and Optimal Motion Control Strategy for a Plug Seedling Transplanting Parallel Robot
Authors: Zhao Xiong , Cheng Di , Dong Wenxun , Ma Xingxiao , Xiong Yongsen , Tong Junhua
Published: October 2022

Due to the phenomenon of holes and inferior seedlings in trays, it is necessary to remove and replenish unqualified seedlings. The traditional operation is labor-intensive, and the degree of mechanization is low. This paper took broccoli seedlings as the research object and developed an image recognition system suitable for seedling health recognition and pose judgement, researched and designed a plug-in end effector that reduces leaf damage, and conducted orthogonal tests to obtain a substrate parameter combination containing the moisture content, seedling age, and transplanting acceleration suitable for culling operations. A parallel robot kinematics and dynamics model was built. The fifth degree B-spline curve was used to construct the joint space motion curve for seven nodes, and the motor speed, torque, and end-effector acceleration were used to construct the joint space motion curves. The end-effector acceleration was the constraint condition to plan the optimal trajectory of the joint space in time, and the optimal time was obtained using the artificial fish swarm–particle swarm hybrid optimization algorithm. A single operation time was greatly reduced; the whole machine was systematically built; the average time of single-time seedling removal was measured; and the transplanting efficiency of the whole machine was high. In the seedling damage rate gap test, the leaf damage rate was low. This research provides a reference for the localized development of greenhouse high-speed and low-loss seedling removal equipment.
Ammonia Emissions, Exposed Surface Area, and Crop and Weed Responses Resulting from Three Post-Emergence Slurry Application Strategies in Cereals
Authors: McCollough Margaret R. , Pedersen Johanna , Nyord Tavs , Sørensen Peter , Melander Bo
Published: October 2022

Ammonia (NH3) emissions resulting from the field application of livestock slurry has both negative human health and environmental impacts. However, decreasing the exposed surface area (ESA) of slurry upon application can reduce NH3 volatilization by limiting its atmospheric exposure. In the present study, three strategies for depositing slurry within a growing crop were studied, including: 1. standard trailing hoses (SAhose), 2. trailing shoes (SAshoes), and 3. the combination of rigid tines and trailing shoes (SAtines+shoes). Application methods interact with the soil to varying degrees and were evaluated within the context of contemporary weed management practices, namely in cereals receiving inter-row hoeing. SAhose, SAshoes, and SAtines+shoes were compared in three coinciding experiments that assessed slurry ESA, NH3 emissions, and crop and weed effects. SAtines+shoes resulted in smallest ESA, 70–72% and 61–66% less than SAhose and SAshoes, respectively. However, in only one of three site–years did SAshoes and SAtines+shoes reduce NH3 emissions compared to SAhose, by 46% and 29%, respectively. Crop yields, nitrogen (N) accumulation in crop biomass, and intra-row weed biomass were unaffected by the placement method. In heavily crusted soils, the SAtines+shoes prototype worked well; however, the functional differences among placement strategies were not great enough to detect crop and NH3 effects.
Crop Yield Prediction in Precision Agriculture
Authors: Nyéki Anikó , Neményi Miklós
Published: October 2022

Predicting crop yields is one of the most challenging tasks in agriculture. It plays an essential role in decision making at global, regional, and field levels. Soil, meteorological, environmental, and crop parameters are used to predict crop yield. A wide variety of decision support models are used to extract significant crop features for prediction. In precision agriculture, monitoring (sensing technologies), management information systems, variable rate technologies, and responses to inter- and intravariability in cropping systems are all important. The benefits of precision agriculture involve increasing crop yield and crop quality, while reducing the environmental impact. Simulations of crop yield help to understand the cumulative effects of water and nutrient deficiencies, pests, diseases, and other field conditions during the growing season. Farm and in situ observations (Internet of Things databases from sensors) together with existing databases provide the opportunity to both predict yields using “simpler” statistical methods or decision support systems that are already used as an extension, and also enable the potential use of artificial intelligence. In contrast, big data databases created using precision management tools and data collection capabilities are able to handle many parameters indefinitely in time and space, i.e., they can be used for the analysis of meteorology, technology, and soils, including characterizing different plant species.
Computer Vision and Deep Learning for Precision Viticulture
Authors: Mohimont Lucas , Alin François , Rondeau Marine , Gaveau Nathalie , Steffenel Luiz Angelo
Published: October 2022

During the last decades, researchers have developed novel computing methods to help viticulturists solve their problems, primarily those linked to yield estimation of their crops. This article aims to summarize the existing research associated with computer vision and viticulture. It focuses on approaches that use RGB images directly obtained from parcels, ranging from classic image analysis methods to Machine Learning, including novel Deep Learning techniques. We intend to produce a complete analysis accessible to everyone, including non-specialized readers, to discuss the recent progress of artificial intelligence (AI) in viticulture. To this purpose, we present work focusing on detecting grapevine flowers, grapes, and berries in the first sections of this article. In the last sections, we present different methods for yield estimation and the problems that arise with this task.
Salt Stress Induces Changes in Physiological Characteristics, Bioactive Constituents, and Antioxidants in Kenaf (Hibiscus cannabinus L.)
Authors: Birhanie Ziggiju Mesenbet , Yang Dawei , Luan Mingbao , Xiao Aiping , Liu Liangliang , Zhang Chao , Biswas Ashok , Dey Susmita , Deng Yong , Li Defang
Published: October 2022

Salinity stress is a major environmental threat in agricultural systems. Kenaf is a promising crop for the future for cultivation in salinity-affected soils because of its high phytoremediation potential. The current study aimed to investigate the effects of salt stress using six different sodium chloride (NaCl) concentrations (0, 50, 100, 150, 200, and 250 mM) on the plant growth, physiological characteristics, bioactive constituents, and antioxidant capacity of H. cannabinus. The results indicated that the NaCl stress induced significant reductions in plant height and in the dry and fresh weights of the leaf tissue. In addition, the K, Ca, Mg, and P concentrations in this tissue also decreased under NaCl stress treatment conditions. In contrast, the NaCl stress led to the accumulation of hydrogen peroxide (H2O2), superoxide anion (O2•−), malondialdehyde (MDA), proline, total soluble sugar, and total soluble protein. Under NaCl stress, the levels of antioxidants, including phenolics and flavonoids, also increased. The gas chromatography–mass spectrometry (GC-MS) results showed that the volatile compounds, including heptacosane, 1-octadecanesulphonyl chloride, and tetratetracontane, were induced under the NaCl stress treatment. Furthermore, the salt stress significantly improved the antioxidant capacity of the leaf extracts. These findings may provide insight into how H. cannabinus plants respond to salt stress and may help improve its medicinal value under salt stress.
Antiglycation and Antioxidant Effect of Nitroxyl towards Hemoglobin
Authors: Kosmachevskaya Olga V. , Nasybullina Elvira I. , Pugachenko Igor S. , Novikova Natalia N. , Topunov Alexey F.
Published: October 2022

Donors of nitroxyl and nitroxyl anion (HNO/NO−) are considered to be promising pharmacological treatments with a wide range of applications. Remarkable chemical properties allow nitroxyl to function as a classic antioxidant. We assume that HNO/NO− can level down the non-enzymatic glycation of biomolecules. Since erythrocyte hemoglobin (Hb) is highly susceptible to non-enzymatic glycation, we studied the effect of a nitroxyl donor, Angeli’s salt, on Hb modification with methylglyoxal (MG) and organic peroxide―tert-butyl hydroperoxide (t-BOOH). Nitroxyl dose-dependently decreased the amount of protein carbonyls and advanced glycation end products (AGEs) that were formed in the case of Hb incubation with MG. Likewise, nitroxyl effectively protected Hb against oxidative modification with t-BOOH. It slowed down the destruction of heme, formation of carbonyl derivatives and inter-subunit cross-linking. The protective effect of nitroxyl on Hb in this system is primarily associated with nitrosylation of oxidized Hb and reduction of its ferryl form, which lowers the yield of free radical products. We suppose that the dual (antioxidant and antiglycation) effect of nitroxyl makes its application possible as part of an additional treatment strategy for oxidative and carbonyl stress-associated diseases.
Carbon Black Functionalized with Naturally Occurring Compounds in Water Phase for Electrochemical Sensing of Antioxidant Compounds
Authors: Silveri Filippo , Della Pelle Flavio , Scroccarello Annalisa , Mazzotta Elisabetta , Di Giulio Tiziano , Malitesta Cosimino , Compagnone Dario
Published: October 2022

A new sustainable route to nanodispersed and functionalized carbon black in water phase (W-CB) is proposed. The sonochemical strategy exploits ultrasounds to disaggregate the CB, while two selected functional naturally derived compounds, sodium cholate (SC) and rosmarinic acid (RA), act as stabilizing agents ensuring dispersibility in water adhering onto the CB nanoparticles’ surface. Strategically, the CB-RA compound is used to drive the AuNPs self-assembling at room temperature, resulting in a CB surface that is nanodecorated; further, this is achieved without the need for additional reagents. Electrochemical sensors based on the proposed nanomaterials are realized and characterized both morphologically and electrochemically. The W-CBs’ electroanalytical potential is proved in the anodic and cathodic window using caffeic acid (CF) and hydroquinone (HQ), two antioxidant compounds that are significant for food and the environment. For both antioxidants, repeatable (RSD ≤ 3.3%; n = 10) and reproducible (RSD ≤ 3.8%; n = 3) electroanalysis results were obtained, achieving nanomolar detection limits (CF: 29 nM; HQ: 44 nM). CF and HQ are successfully determined in food and environmental samples (recoveries 97–113%), and also in the presence of other phenolic classes and HQ structural isomers. The water dispersibility of the proposed materials can be an opportunity for (bio) sensor fabrication and sustainable device realization.
Graph Convolutional Networks with POS Gate for Aspect-Based Sentiment Analysis
Authors: Kim Dahye , Kim YoungJin , Jeong Young-Seob
Published: October 2022

We make daily comments on online platforms (e.g., social networks), and such natural language texts often contain sentiment (e.g., positive and negative) for certain aspects (e.g., food and service). If we can automatically extract the aspect-based sentiment from the texts, then it will help many services or products to overcome their limitations of particular aspects. There have been studies of aspect sentiment classification (ASC) that finds sentiment towards particular aspects. Recent studies mostly adopt deep-learning models or graph neural networks as these techniques are capable of capturing linguistic patterns that contributed to performance improvement in various natural language processing tasks. In this paper, for the ASC task, we propose a new hybrid architecture of graph convolutional network (GCN) and recurrent neural network. We design a gate mechanism that jointly models word embeddings and syntactic representation of sentences. By experimental results on five datasets, we show that the proposed model outperforms other recent models and also verify that the gate mechanism contributes to the performance improvement. The overall F1 scores that we achieved is 66.64∼76.80%.
Dairy Product Consumption and Preferences of Polish and Taiwanese Students—NPD Case Study
Authors: Świąder Katarzyna , Banach Renata , Tan Fa-Jui
Published: October 2022

The present study determined the consumption and preferences of dairy products, especially fermented products, in respect of Polish and Taiwanese students, through their answers to seven research questions (RQs) as part of the design process. The research for the study was conducted in two countries: in Poland at WULS and in Taiwan at NCHU. Two-hundred students in total (19–25 years old) were selected for the study. Responses to the research questions were collected using Paper & Pen Personal Interview (PAPI). The results indicate that Taiwanese students were less likely to declare consuming dairy products daily compared to Polish students (p < 0.0001). Poles declared consuming dairy products every day, or once or several times a week, while Taiwanese declared several times a week or several times a month. A total of 89% of Polish students indicated milk as their most commonly consumed dairy product, followed by yoghurts (80%) and ripened cheeses (69%). A total of 95% of Taiwanese students also mentioned milk as their most consumed dairy product, then yoghurt (especially drinking yoghurt) (81%), milk desserts (70%) and Yakult (69%). In the case of fat content preference in yoghurt, Poles significantly preferred yoghurts with regular fat content, while Taiwanese significantly preferred fatty yoghurts (p < 0.0001). The most common characteristic of yoghurt that influenced Polish students’ purchase decisions was its composition, followed by its consistency, appearance and its sour taste. However, for Taiwanese, the most important factors were the consistency, price and sweetness of the yoghurt. Polish students were significantly more willing to pay a higher price for a dairy functional product than Taiwanese students (p = 0.0009). The responses obtained show differences and similarities in the preferences and consumption of these products between Polish and Taiwanese students. The results of this study were used to direct the next stage of the project’s development research, the goal of which was to develop a functional dairy product that meets the preferences of consumers.
Study on Mechanical Characteristics of Deformation and the Failure of Gas-Containing Coal in the Wuhai Mining Area of China under Different Gas Pressure Conditions
Authors: Liu Yejiao , Xing Hui , Duan Zeyu , Yu Chaoyun , Tian Zhichao , Teng Ting
Published: October 2022

The mechanical properties of gas-containing coal and rock mass play important roles in controlling the occurrence and development of coal and gas outbursts. The gradual increase in mining depth will change the failure mechanism of gas-containing coal and rock mass. In order to further study the failure mechanism of gas-containing coal and rock mass, samples were taken from the gas-containing coal seam in the Wuhushan Coal Mine of the Wuhai Mining area of China. The mechanical parameters of coal samples during the failure process under different gas pressure conditions were measured and analyzed with the SAW-2000 rock mechanics testing machine, the gas-containing coal uniaxial compression device and inflation system. Meanwhile, the failure process and mechanical parameters of coal samples under different gas pressure were simulated by RFPA2D gas plate numerical simulation software. The results show that with increasing gas pressure in the coal there is decrease in Compressive strength, Elastic modulus, Strain, Peak strength and Bearing capacity and increase in Poisson’s ratio. When the failure state appears in the coal, the cracks are longer and wider, more random cracks are genareted, and the damage degree of the coal is greater. The numerical analysis’ results are in good agreement with experimental results. The research results are applicable to the gas bearing coal with the same or similar gas geological conditions. The tests can be carried out repeatedly and reasonable results can be obtained according to the physical and mechanical parameters of the actual coal seam and the occurrence of gas. On this basis, physical experiments and numerical simulations of triaxial compression can also be carried out to further study the mechanical characteristics of deformation and the failure of gas-containing coal under gas pressure and provide technical support for revealing the mechanism of coal and gas outbursts.