bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Mapping the Corn Residue-Covered Types Using Multi-Scale Feature Fusion and Supervised Learning Method by Chinese GF-2 PMS Image
Authors: Tao Wancheng , Dong Yi , Su Wei , Li Jiayu , Xuan Fu , Huang Jianxi , Yang Jianyu , Li Xuecao , Zeng Yelu , Li Baoguo
Published: June 2022

The management of crop residue covering is a vital part of conservation tillage, which protects black soil by reducing soil erosion and increasing soil organic carbon. Accurate and rapid classification of corn residue-covered types is significant for monitoring crop residue management. The remote sensing technology using high spatial resolution images is an effective means to classify the crop residue-covered areas quickly and objectively in the regional area. Unfortunately, the classification of crop residue-covered area is tricky because there is intra-object heterogeneity, as a two-edged sword of high resolution, and spectral confusion resulting from different straw mulching ways. Therefore, this study focuses on exploring the multi-scale feature fusion method and classification method to classify the corn residue-covered areas effectively and accurately using Chinese high-resolution GF-2 PMS images in the regional area. First, the multi-scale image features are built by compressing pixel domain details with the wavelet and principal component analysis (PCA), which has been verified to effectively alleviate intra-object heterogeneity of corn residue-covered areas on GF-2 PMS images. Second, the optimal image dataset (OID) is identified by comparing model accuracy based on the fusion of different features. Third, the 1D-CNN_CA method is proposed by combining one-dimensional convolutional neural networks (1D-CNN) and attention mechanisms, which are used to classify corn residue-covered areas based on the OID. Comparison of the naive Bayesian (NB), random forest (RF), support vector machine (SVM), and 1D-CNN methods indicate that the residue-covered areas can be classified effectively using the 1D-CNN-CA method with the highest accuracy (Kappa: 96.92% and overall accuracy (OA): 97.26%). Finally, the most appropriate machine learning model and the connected domain calibration method are combined to improve the visualization, which are further used to classify the corn residue-covered areas into three covering types. In addition, the study showed the superiority of multi-scale image features by comparing the contribution of the different image features in the classification of corn residue-covered areas.
Metabolomics Analysis Revealed the Characteristic Metabolites of Hemp Seeds Varieties and Metabolites Responsible for Antioxidant Properties
Authors: Ning Kang , Hou Cong , Wei Xiuye , Zhou Yuxin , Zhang Shuanghua , Chen Yongzhong , Yu Haibin , Dong Linlin , Chen Shilin
Published: June 2022

Hemp seeds are rich in metabolites such as protein, lipids and flavonoids, which are beneficial to health and can be used as a nutritional supplement. Few studies have focused on the metabolites of different hemp seed varieties. In the current study, using widely targeted metabolomics based on UHPLC-QQQ-MS/MS, we compared the metabolomes of seeds from seven hemp varieties with different uses. A total of 1,001 metabolites, including 201 flavonoids, 86 alkaloids, and 149 phenolic acids, were identified. Flavonoids, organic acids, alkaloids, lipids, and fatty acids with high nutritional value are important to investigate the differences between hemp accessions. By using weighted gene co-expression network analysis (WGCNA), six modules of closely related metabolites were identified. And, we identified the metabolite characteristics and hub metabolites of each variety. Then, we experimentally determined antioxidant activity of seven varieties and demonstrated that alkaloids, flavonoids, phenolic acids, terpenes, and free fatty acids are responsible for the antioxidant activity of hemp seeds. Our research provides useful information for further investigation of the chemical composition of hemp seeds.
Measurement Invariance of the Bergen Social Media Addiction Scale Across Genders
Authors: Yue Heng , Zhang Xuemin , Cheng Xiangjuan , Liu Bo , Bao Hugejiletu
Published: June 2022

Social media addiction has been a hot issue in scientific research in recent years, its antecedents and consequences have been extensively studied. Among these studies, Bergen Social Media Addiction Scale (BSMAS) is one of the most commonly used instruments. However, little is known about whether this scale has the equivalent psychometric properties for men and women. The purpose of the current study is to examine the measurement invariance (including configural invariance, metric invariance, scalar invariance, and error variance invariance) of the BSMAS across genders. In total, 1,120 participants were recruited from 5 universities. R program was applied to conduct the single-group and multiple-group confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) based on the social media addiction symptom ratings. The results demonstrated that BSMAS was a valid and psychometrically robust instrument for assessing the risk of social media addiction among university students, and that the four types of measurement invariance of the BSMAS across genders were confirmed. Consequently, gender differences in the BSMAS scores are likely to reflect the genuine differences between men and women, and comparisons on the level of social media addiction of university students between gender groups can be interpreted meaningfully.
Socially Extended Scientific Knowledge
Authors: Pritchard Duncan
Published: June 2022

A three-tiered account of social cognition is set out—along with the corresponding variety of social knowledge that results from this social cognition—and applied to the special case of scientific collaboration. The first tier is socially-facilitated cognition, which results in socially-facilitated knowledge. This is a form of cognition which, while genuinely social (in that social factors play an important explanatory role in producing the target cognitive success), falls short of socially extended cognition. The second tier is socially extended cognition, which generates socially extended knowledge. This form of cognition is social in the specific sense of the information-processing of other agents forms part of the socially extended cognitive process at issue. It is argued, however, that the core notion of socially extended cognition is individual in nature, in that the target cognitive success is significantly creditable to the socially extended cognitive agency of the individual. Socially extended cognition, in its core sense, thus generates individual knowledge. Finally, there is distributed cognition, which generates distributed knowledge. This is where the cognitive successes produced by a research team are attributable to a group agent rather than to individuals within the team. Accordingly, where this form of social cognition generates knowledge (distributed knowledge), the knowledge is irreducibly group knowledge. It is argued that by making clear this three-tiered structure of social scientific knowledge aprima faciechallenge is posed for defenders of distributed scientific cognition and knowledge to explain why this form of social knowledge is being exhibited and not one of the two weaker (and metaphysically less demanding) forms of social knowledge.
Dynamics of Language Learning Motivation and Emotions: A Parallel-Process Growth Mixture Modeling Approach
Authors: Yu Hanjing , Peng Hongying , Lowie Wander M.
Published: June 2022

The present study adopted a novel parallel-process growth mixture modeling (GMM) technique to research the adaptive interaction between foreign language learners’ learning motivation and emotions, with a view to advancing our understanding of how language learning motivation and emotions (enjoyment and anxiety) adaptively interact with each other over time. The present study, situated in the Chinese English as a foreign language (EFL) learning context, collected learning motivation and emotion data from 176 Chinese EFL learners over a period of two semesters (12 months). The GMM technique adopted in the study identified three developmental profiles of motivation and two of emotions, respectively. The study further distilled salient patterns of motivation–emotion interaction over time, patterns significant for designing and implementing pedagogical interventions for motivation enhancement. The parallel-process GMM technique was also proven to be a useful approach to parsing learner variety and learning heterogeneity, efficiently summarizing the complex, dynamic processes of motivation and emotion development.
ReActLab: A Custom Framework for Sensorimotor Experiments “in-the-wild”
Authors: Balestrucci Priscilla , Wiebusch Dennis , Ernst Marc O.
Published: June 2022

Over the last few years online platforms for running psychology experiments beyond simple questionnaires and surveys have become increasingly popular. This trend has especially increased after many laboratory facilities had to temporarily avoid in-person data collection following COVID-19-related lockdown regulations. Yet, while offering a valid alternative to in-person experiments in many cases, platforms for online experiments are still not a viable solution for a large part of human-based behavioral research. Two situations in particular pose challenges: First, when the research question requires design features or participant interaction which exceed the customization capability provided by the online platform; and second, when variation among hardware characteristics between participants results in an inadmissible confounding factor. To mitigate the effects of these limitations, we developed ReActLab (Remote Action Laboratory), a framework for programming remote, browser-based experiments using freely available and open-source JavaScript libraries. Since the experiment is run entirely within the browser, our framework allows for portability to any operating system and many devices. In our case, we tested our approach by running experiments using only a specific model of Android tablet. Using ReActLab with this standardized hardware allowed us to optimize our experimental design for our research questions, as well as collect data outside of laboratory facilities without introducing setup variation among participants. In this paper, we describe our framework and show examples of two different experiments carried out with it: one consisting of a visuomotor adaptation task, the other of a visual localization task. Through comparison with results obtained from similar tasks in in-person laboratory settings, we discuss the advantages and limitations for developing browser-based experiments using our framework.
Job Demands, Resources, and Future Considerations: Academics' Experiences of Working From Home During the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) Pandemic
Authors: Karatuna Işıl , Jönsson Sandra , Muhonen Tuija
Published: June 2022

The coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic has severely affected workers, workplaces, and working practices. In the higher education setting, universities have shifted to distance learning, resulting in profound changes in academics' work. In this study, we aimed to describe academics' job demands and resources related to changes in working conditions during the pandemic, and to examine how these changes have affected the perceived occupational wellbeing of academics. Additionally, we aimed to investigate academics' expectations and concerns for future academic working practices following the pandemic. The data were collected through semi-structured interviews with 26 academics working at various universities in Sweden. A content analysis was used to identify the key themes from the transcribed interviews. The results indicated that academics experienced a lack of face-to-face communication, absence of an academic environment, work overload, and work-home interference as demanding during the pandemic. In relation to resources, online communication options, appropriate working conditions, organizational-social support, and individual factors were perceived as important. Most respondents perceived negative occupational wellbeing outcomes. However, academics who had the appropriate resources were less likely to be affected by job demands. Academics' expectations for future academic work included continuation of working online, flexibility in the choice of workspace, and strengthened digital capacity. Their concerns were related to a lack of face-to-face interaction, management actions and economic implications, and pure digital education. This paper contributes to the literature by illustrating the complexity and diversity of experiences and preferences among academics that are important for universities to consider when organizing and managing future academic work.
From a Novice Teacher to a Teacher Leader: An English-As-a-Foreign-Language (EFL) Teacher’s Cognitions About Her Professional Development
Authors: Gao Lori Xingzhen , Yang Jennifer Jie
Published: June 2022

In this paper, a qualitative study was conducted on Jennifer, an EFL teaching professional at the tertiary level in a Chinese context, to investigate her cognitions regarding her professional development and accompanying facilitating factors in her journey from a novice teacher to a teacher leader with Borg’s model of language teacher cognition as the conceptual basis for subsequent analysis. Jennifer’s written overview and verbal narration in interviews of her journey in professional development were gathered following guiding protocols. Collected data were processed with thematic analysis in NVivo 12. Findings suggest that Jennifer has clear cognitions about how she learned and improved, i.e., the positive changes, in her professional journey and the facilitating factors that mediated her improvement and progress. These facilitating factors were found to include her teaching experience, in-service training, administrative promotion, drawing wisdom from reading Chinese classics, and constant reflection upon her English as a foreign language (EFL) teaching, etc. The implications of the present study for language teacher cognition researchers, English language teacher educators, and EFL teachers in the Chinese context were also discussed.
Relating Sustainable Business Development Practices and Information Management in Promoting Digital Green Innovation: Evidence From China
Authors: Huang Wen , Chau Ka Yin , Kit Ip Yun , Nureen Naila , Irfan Muhammad , Dilanchiev Azer
Published: June 2022

Digital green innovations are being implemented in manufacturing to help organizations achieve sustainability by adopting sustainable development practices (SDPC). However, little is known about the impact of the information management process (IMP) on organizations’ digital green innovation. To address this gap, we devised a multidimensional framework based on the resource-based view (RBV) theory that serves as a basis for sculpting how the IMP captured and sustained organizational digital green innovation via SDPCs. 533 respondents from big and medium-sized manufacturing businesses in China were surveyed, and data were analyzed using the structural equation modeling (SEM) approach. The study makes numerous significant findings. Firstly, the SDPC’s dimensions (environment, economic, and social) are considerably improved by the IMP’ dimensions (acquisition, dissemination, and application). Secondly, SDPC’s dimensions are critical for attaining organizations’ digital green innovation. Thirdly, SDPCs’ implementation mediates the linkage between the IMP and organizations’ digital green innovation. Our findings suggest that investing in and implementing cutting-edge technology and sustainable practices are critical for long-term success. Still, soft issues, such as organizational information management, are equally critical in today’s information-based economy. Finally, in light of the study findings, we present theoretical and managerial implications.
Information and Communication Technology Use on New Generation Teachers’ Job Satisfaction and Psychological Emotion
Authors: Xu Pinglei , Jiang Ying
Published: June 2022

Despite the growing trend of Information and communication technology (ICT), little is known about its impact on job satisfaction and the mechanisms through which ICT operates. This study aimed to investigate new generation teachers’ ICT use on efficacy and job satisfaction. We conducted a cross-sectional survey on 234 new generation teachers in China. The Results revealed that ICT use had a positive direct impact on job satisfaction of new generation teachers. Teachers’ efficacy plays a partial mediating role and error aversion culture moderates the relationship between ICT use and teachers’ efficacy. This study complements our attempt to understanding the effect, mechanism and boundary condition of ICT use on new generation teachers’ work outcomes. It also provides a new direction for studying ICT use on employees belonging to other generations.
Whole Transcriptome Sequencing of Peripheral Blood Shows That Immunity/GnRH/PI3K-Akt Pathways Are Associated With Opioid Use Disorder
Authors: Dai Qi , Pu Shan-Shan , Yang Xue , Li Chang , He Yafei , Liu Xiaobo , Wang Gang
Published: June 2022

Background

Opioid use disorder (OUD), which is most commonly exhibited as addiction, is a persistent chronic disease that places a burden on families and society. Various peripheral traits have been linked to OUD in the past, but research on this topic is insufficient.

Methods

Seven male patients with OUD and 7 male healthy controls with matched demographic and clinical data were enrolled in this study. Peripheral blood RNA was used to construct an rRNA-removed library and a small RNA library. The peripheral transcriptomic differences between the two groups were investigated using RNA-seq. Differentially expressed messenger RNAs (mRNAs), long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs), circular RNAs (circRNAs) and microRNAs (miRNAs) were identified by bioinformatics methods, and functional enrichment analysis with differentially expressed RNAs was performed to investigate the potential biological mechanisms of OUD.

Results

A total of 229 mRNAs (115 upregulated, 114 downregulated), 416 lncRNAs (191 upregulated, 225 downregulated), 17 circRNAs (16 upregulated, 1 downregulated) and 74 miRNAs (42 upregulated, 32 downregulated) were differentially expressed between the OUD group and the healthy control group. Functional enrichment analysis with differentially expressed mRNAs showed that immunity, GnRH secretion, and PI3K-Akt signaling pathways were associated with OUD. Immunity-, JAK-STAT-, and insulin-related pathways were enriched in functional enrichment analysis of target genes predicted by differentially expressed miRNAs.

Conclusion

We identified hundreds of differentially expressed genes that were enriched in immunity, GnRH secretion and PI3K-Akt signaling pathways. Some genes with significant changes might be used as potential biomarkers for progression and treatment of OUD.
Molecular Epidemiology of AY.28 and AY.104 Delta Sub-lineages in Sri Lanka
Authors: Ranasinghe Diyanath , Jayathilaka Deshni , Jeewandara Chandima , Gunasinghe Dumni , Ariyaratne Dinuka , Jayadas Tibutius Thanesh Pramanayagam , Kuruppu Heshan , Wijesinghe Ayesha , Bary Fathima Farha , Madhusanka Deshan , Pushpakumara Pradeep Darshana , Guruge Dinuka , Wijayamuni Ruwan , Ogg Graham S. , Malavige Gathsaurie Neelika
Published: June 2022

Background

The worst SARS-CoV-2 outbreak in Sri Lanka was due to the two Sri Lankan delta sub-lineages AY.28 and AY.104. We proceeded to further characterize the mutations and clinical disease severity of these two sub-lineages.

Methods

705 delta SARS-CoV-2 genomes sequenced by our laboratory from mid-May to November 2021 using Illumina and Oxford Nanopore were included in the analysis. The clinical disease severity of 440/705 individuals were further analyzed to determine if infection with either AY.28 or AY.104 was associated with more severe disease. Sub-genomic RNA (sg-RNA) expression was analyzed using periscope.

Results

AY.28 was the dominant variant throughout the outbreak, accounting for 67.7% of infections during the peak of the outbreak. AY.28 had three lineage defining mutations in the spike protein: A222V (92.80%), A701S (88.06%), and A1078S (92.04%) and seven in the ORF1a: R24C, K634N, P1640L, A2994V, A3209V, V3718A, and T3750I. AY.104 was characterized by the high prevalence of T95I (90.81%) and T572L (65.01%) mutations in the spike protein and by the absence of P1640L (94.28%) in ORF1a with the presence of A1918V (98.58%) mutation. The mean sgRNA expression levels of ORF6 in AY.28 were significantly higher compared to AY.104 (p < 0.0001) and B.1.617.2 (p < 0.01). Also, ORF3a showed significantly higher sgRNA expression in AY.28 compared to AY.104 (p < 0.0001). There was no difference in the clinical disease severity or duration of hospitalization in individuals infected with these sub lineages.

Conclusions

Therefore, AY.28 and AY.104 appear to have a fitness advantage over the parental delta variant (B.1.617.2), while AY.28 also had a higher expression of sg-RNA compared to other sub-lineages. The clinical implications of these should be further investigated.
Knowledge, Attitude and Practices Toward Coronavirus Disease (COVID- 19) in Southeast and South Asia: A Mixed Study Design Approach
Authors: Rahman Mohammad Meshbahur , Marzo Roy Rillera , Chowdhury Shanjida , Qalati Sikandar Ali , Hasan Mohammad Nayeem , Paul Gowranga Kumar , Abid Khadijah , Sheferaw Wegayehu Enbeyle , Mariadass Angela , Chandran Divitra , Kanan Shasvini , Firdaus Ahmad Umar Shafie Bin Ahmad , Sabarin Fatimah Az Zahra' binti , Lin Yulan
Published: June 2022

Background

Coronavirus has spread to almost every country since its emergence in Wuhan, China and countries have been adopted an array of measures to control the rapid spread of the epidemic. Here, we aimed to assess the person's knowledge, attitude and practices (KAP) toward the COVID-19 epidemic in Southeast and South Asia applying the mixed study design (cross-sectional and systematic review).

Methods

In the cross-sectional study, 743 respondents' socio-demographic and KAP-related information was collected through an online population-based survey from the Malaysian population. In the systematic review, the database PubMed, Web of Science and Google Scholar search engine were searched and related published articles from South and Southeast Asia were included. Frequency distribution, Chi-square association test and binary logistic regression were fitted using cross-sectional data whereas random effect model and study bias were performed in meta-analysis. We used 95% confidence interval and P <0.05 as statistical significances.

Results

The prevalence of good knowledge, positive attitude and frequent practice toward COVID-19 epidemic were 52.6%, 51.8% and 57.1%, respectively, obtained by cross-sectional data analysis. The KAP prevalence were ranged from 26.53% (Thailand) to 95.4% (Nepal); 59.3% (Turkey) to 92.5% (Pakistan); and 50.2 (Turkey) to 97% (Afghanistan), respectively, obtained by 18 studies included in the meta-analysis. The prevalence of KAP was higher [84% vs. 79%, Pheterogeneity <0.001; 83% vs. 80%, Pheterogeneity <0.001; 85% vs. 83%, Pheterogeneity <0.001] in South Asia compared to Southeast Asia, obtained by subgroup analysis. Some studies reported mean level instead of the proportion of the KAP where the score varied from 8.15–13.14; 2.33–33.0; and 1.97–31.03, respectively. Having more knowledge and attitude were encouraged more likely to practice toward COVID-19. Study suggests age, gender, education, place of residence and occupation as the most frequent significant risk factors of KAP toward COVID-19.

Conclusion

The study sufficiently informs how other countries in Southeast and South Asia enriches their KAP behaviors during the pandemic which may help health professionals and policymakers to develop targeted interventions and effective practices.
Ultra-Processed Foods Elicit Higher Approach Motivation Than Unprocessed and Minimally Processed Foods
Authors: Lemos Thayane C. , Coutinho Guilherme M. S. , Silva Laiz A. A. , Stariolo Jasmin B. , Campagnoli Rafaela R. , Oliveira Leticia , Pereira Mirtes G. , Mota Bruna E. F. , Souza Gabriela G. L. , Canella Daniela S. , Khandpur Neha , David Isabel A.
Published: June 2022

Background

Ultra-processed foods (UPF) are becoming extensively available in the food environments. UPF are industrial formulations that are designed to maximize palatability and consumption through a combination of calorie-dense ingredients and chemical additives. UPFs are also aggressively marketed, which may make them more attractive than unprocessed/minimally processed foods (UMPF). Since consumers' purchase decisions are guided by food-evoked emotions, we aimed to provide evidence that UPF visual cues trigger higher emotional responses and approach motivation than UMPF visual cues, with potential impacts on individuals' intention to consume the UPF over the UMPF.

Methods

Participants (n = 174; 144 women; mean age = 20.7 years; standard deviation = 4.35) performed two tasks. In the first task, 16 pictures of foods (8 UPF and 8 UMPF), and 74 pictures from other affective categories, were presented. After viewing each picture, the participants rated it along two basic dimensions of emotion through the Self-Assessment Manikin scale: pleasantness and arousal. In the second task, the participants viewed the same food pictures, and they rated their intention to consume the foods depicted in the pictures. Each picture was plotted in terms of its mean pleasantness and arousal ratings in a Cartesian plane, which resulted in an affective space.

Results

Pictures of UPF and UMPF were positioned in the upper arm of the boomerang-shaped affective space that represents approach motivation. Pictures containing UPF triggered higher approach motivation and intention to consume than pictures containing UMPF. We also found a stronger association between emotional responses and intention to consume UPF relative to UMPF.

Conclusion

These results shed new light on the role of ultra-processed foods evoked emotions that contribute to less healthy and sustainable food environments.
Promotion of Meaning in Life and Wellbeing Among University Students During the COVID-19 Pandemic via a Service-Learning Subject
Authors: Zhu Xiaoqin , Chai Wenyu , Shek Daniel T. L. , Lin Li
Published: June 2022

Utilizing the principle of “learning by doing,” service-learning (SL) course provides a platform for university students to apply academic knowledge in serving the community, reflecting on the serving experiences, deepening their understanding of the knowledge, and further improving their competence, responsibility, wellbeing, and meaning in life (MIL). This study reported university students' changes in psychological wellbeing (positive youth development attributes), subjective wellbeing (life satisfaction), and MIL after taking a SL subject during the COVID-19 pandemic through a one-group pretest-posttest design. Based on the data collected from 229 students (mean age = 20.86 ± 1.56 years, 48.0% females), repeated-measures multivariate general linear model (GLM) analyses revealed that students showed significant positive changes in wellbeing and MIL. In addition, pretest MIL scores positively predicted posttest scores of the two wellbeing measures but not vice versa. As predicted, improvement in MIL among students was closely associated with the positive changes in both psychological and subjective wellbeing measures. These findings suggest that SL participation during the pandemic may promote students' life meaning and foster their wellbeing. Furthermore, MIL and wellbeing may improve simultaneously, and MIL enhancement may further contribute to improvement in psychological and subjective wellbeing. The findings further prove that SL is an effective pedagogy in higher education settings in promoting youth positive development.
miR-30d Inhibition Protects IPEC-J2 Cells Against Clostridium perfringens Beta2 Toxin-Induced Inflammatory Injury
Authors: Xie Kaihui , Yang Qiaoli , Yan Zunqiang , Gao Xiaoli , Huang Xiaoyu , Wang Pengfei , Zhang Juanli , Yang Jiaojiao , Li Jie , Gun Shuangbao
Published: June 2022

Clostridium perfringens beta2 (CPB2) toxin, one of the virulence factors of Clostridium perfringens (C. perfringens), can cause necrotizing enterocolitis in piglets. Accumulating pieces of evidence indicate that microRNAs (miRNAs) refer to the regulation of inflammatory processes. Previously, we have discovered that miR-30d was differentially expressed between the ileum of normal piglets and C. perfringens type C-infected diarrheal piglets. Here, we found that miR-30d expression was lowered in CPB2 toxin-treated intestinal porcine epithelial cells (IPEC-J2) at different time points. Subsequently, we determined that miR-30d inhibitor attenuated CPB2 toxin revulsive inflammatory damage in IPEC-J2 cells and promoted cell proliferation and cell cycle progression, whereas miR-30d mimic had opposite results. In addition, we confirmed that Proteasome activator subunit 3 (PSME3) was a downstream target gene of miR-30d via a dual luciferase reporter assay, qPCR, and western blot. We also found that overexpression of PSME3 suppressed CPB2 toxin-induced inflammatory damage and promoted cell proliferation and cycle progression. Our results demonstrate that miR-30d aggravates CPB2 toxin revulsive IPEC-J2 cells inflammatory injury via targeting PSME3, thereby providing a novel perspective for the prevention and treatment of piglet diarrhea at the molecular level.
Scale-Free Random SAT Instances
Authors: Ansótegui  Carlos , Bonet Maria Luisa , Levy Jordi
Published: June 2022

We focus on the random generation of SAT instances that have properties similar to real-world instances. It is known that many industrial instances, even with a great number of variables, can be solved by a clever solver in a reasonable amount of time. This is not possible, in general, with classical randomly generated instances. We provide a different generation model of SAT instances, called scale-free random SAT instances. This is based on the use of a non-uniform probability distribution P(i)∼i−β to select variable i, where β is a parameter of the model. This results in formulas where the number of occurrences k of variables follows a power-law distribution P(k)∼k−δ, where δ=1+1/β. This property has been observed in most real-world SAT instances. For β=0, our model extends classical random SAT instances. We prove the existence of a SAT–UNSAT phase transition phenomenon for scale-free random 2-SAT instances with β<1/2 when the clause/variable ratio is m/n=1−2β(1−β)2. We also prove that scale-free random k-SAT instances are unsatisfiable with a high probability when the number of clauses exceeds ω(n(1−β)k). The proof of this result suggests that, when β>1−1/k, the unsatisfiability of most formulas may be due to small cores of clauses. Finally, we show how this model will allow us to generate random instances similar to industrial instances, of interest for testing purposes.
MC-New: A Program to Calculate Newtonian Aerodynamic Coefficients Based on Monte-Carlo Integration
Authors: Furudate Michiko Ahn
Published: June 2022

A computer program, MC-New, to calculate Newtonian aerodynamics is presented. The aerodynamic coefficients of a geometry expressed by an analytic function are calculated in a Monte-Carlo integration manner, in which the local forces on the randomly chosen sample points are summed up. The verification study and the accuracy analysis show that the program can provide good approximations of exact solutions. The example results of the parametric study on the Apollo-like entry capsule geometry are presented, showing the potential capability of the MC-New program as an efficient open-source tool for designing hypersonic vehicles.
GrapeNet: A Lightweight Convolutional Neural Network Model for Identification of Grape Leaf Diseases
Authors: Lin Jianwu , Chen Xiaoyulong , Pan Renyong , Cao Tengbao , Cai Jitong , Chen Yang , Peng Xishun , Cernava Tomislav , Zhang Xin
Published: June 2022

Most convolutional neural network (CNN) models have various difficulties in identifying crop diseases owing to morphological and physiological changes in crop tissues, and cells. Furthermore, a single crop disease can show different symptoms. Usually, the differences in symptoms between early crop disease and late crop disease stages include the area of disease and color of disease. This also poses additional difficulties for CNN models. Here, we propose a lightweight CNN model called GrapeNet for the identification of different symptom stages for specific grape diseases. The main components of GrapeNet are residual blocks, residual feature fusion blocks (RFFBs), and convolution block attention modules. The residual blocks are used to deepen the network depth and extract rich features. To alleviate the CNN performance degradation associated with a large number of hidden layers, we designed an RFFB module based on the residual block. It fuses the average pooled feature map before the residual block input and the high-dimensional feature maps after the residual block output by a concatenation operation, thereby achieving feature fusion at different depths. In addition, the convolutional block attention module (CBAM) is introduced after each RFFB module to extract valid disease information. The obtained results show that the identification accuracy was determined as 82.99%, 84.01%, 82.74%, 84.77%, 80.96%, 82.74%, 80.96%, 83.76%, and 86.29% for GoogLeNet, Vgg16, ResNet34, DenseNet121, MobileNetV2, MobileNetV3_large, ShuffleNetV2_×1.0, EfficientNetV2_s, and GrapeNet. The GrapeNet model achieved the best classification performance when compared with other classical models. The total number of parameters of the GrapeNet model only included 2.15 million. Compared with DenseNet121, which has the highest accuracy among classical network models, the number of parameters of GrapeNet was reduced by 4.81 million, thereby reducing the training time of GrapeNet by about two times compared with that of DenseNet121. Moreover, the visualization results of Grad-cam indicate that the introduction of CBAM can emphasize disease information and suppress irrelevant information. The overall results suggest that the GrapeNet model is useful for the automatic identification of grape leaf diseases.
The Design and Test of the Chassis of a Triangular Crawler-Type Ratooning Rice Harvester
Authors: Liu Weijian , Luo Xiwen , Zeng Shan , Zeng Li , Wen Zhiqiang
Published: June 2022

Due to the high rolling rate of a regular crawler paddy harvester and the absence of mature first season harvester products of ratooning rice, combined with the planting mode and harvest requirements of ratooning rice, a triangular crawler ratooning rice harvester is specifically designed. The structure and steering principle of the triangular crawler chassis are described. The hydraulic system is simulated and analyzed by AMESim2020 (Guangzhou, China) to verify the rationality of its design; RecurDynV9R4 (Guangzhou, China) is used to simulate and analyze the field straight/turning situation of differential steering chassis and rear-axle steering chassis. The results show that the rear axle steering chassis has a smaller turning radius and lower rolling loss rate and the change of track tension is more stable during steering. The field test is conducted to verify the reliability of the simulation results. The field test shows that the rolling loss rate of the rear axle steering chassis is reduced by 27.9% compared with the differential steering chassis. The machine’s operating speed is 2.8 km/h, the minimum turning radius is 780 mm, and the straight rolling rate is 26.8%. The operating performance is stable, and the operational process is smooth. Compared with the existing conventional harvester, the linear rolling rate of the first harvest of ratooning rice is reduced by 26.1%, and the test results are consistent with the RecurDyn simulation results. The results are reliable, providing a reference for the theoretical research of the chassis of the later ratoon rice harvester.
Research on Comprehensive Operation and Maintenance Based on the Fault Diagnosis System of Combine Harvester
Authors: Zhang Weipeng , Zhao Bo , Zhou Liming , Wang Jizhong , Niu Kang , Wang Fengzhu , Wang Ruixue
Published: June 2022

In view of the difficulty in diagnosing and discriminating fault conditions during the operation of combine harvesters, difficulty in real-time processing of health status, and low timeliness of fault processing, a comprehensive operation and maintenance platform for combine harvesters was developed in this study which realized the functions of data monitoring and the full operation and maintenance of a combine harvester. At the same time, through the comprehensive operation and maintenance platform, the harvester information was obtained in real-time, the diagnosis results were obtained, and the maintenance service was effectively carried out through the platform. The IPSO-SVM fault diagnosis algorithm was proposed, and the performance of the fault diagnosis of the combine harvester was verified by the simulation test. The experimental verification showed that the system met the requirements of remote monitoring of combine harvesters, and the prediction accuracy of this method was 97.96%. Compared with SVM (87.51%), GA-SVM (89.44%), and PSO-SVM (92.56%), this system had better generalization ability and effectively improved the management level of the comprehensive operation and maintenance of the combine harvester. A theoretical basis and technical reference will be provided for the follow-up research for the comprehensive operation and maintenance platform of the combine harvester in this paper.
Replacing the Concentrate Feed Mixture with Moringa oleifera Leaves Silage and Chlorella vulgaris Microalgae Mixture in Diets of Damascus Goats: Lactation Performance, Nutrient Utilization, and Ruminal Fermentation
Authors: Kholif Ahmed E. , Gouda Gouda A. , Abu Elella Amgad A. , Patra Amlan K.
Published: June 2022

Exploring suitable alternatives for high-cost concentrate feeds is a critical factor for successful livestock production. The present experiment aimed to evaluate the dietary inclusion of Moringa oleifera silage and Chlorella vulgaris microalgae (at 1% of total diet, DM basis) in a quintuplicate 3 × 3 Latin square design for milk production performance, nutrient utilization and ruminal fermentation in Damascus goats. Fifteen lactating Damascus goats were divided into three groups to be fed a diet composed of a concentrate mixture and rice straw at 60:40 (DM basis) in the control group and fed for 30 days in each period. The concentrate mixture in the control treatment was replaced with M. oleifera silage and C. vulgaris microalgae at 20% (MA20 treatment) or 40% (MA40 treatment). Treatments did not affect total feed intake but increased (p < 0.01) crude protein (CP) and fiber intakes while decreasing nonstructural carbohydrates intake. The digestibility of CP and acid detergent fiber increased due to silage supplementation compared to the control treatment. Treatments increased (p < 0.05) ruminal pH and the concentrations of total volatile fatty acids, acetate, and propionate; however, they decreased (p < 0.05) the concentrations of ammonia-N. Treatments increased (p < 0.05) the concentrations of serum glucose and antioxidant capacity. Both MA20 and MA40 treatments increased the daily milk production, the concentrations of milk fat and lactose, and feed efficiency compared to the control treatment. Additionally, MA20 and MA40 treatments increased the proportions of total polyunsaturated fatty acids and total conjugated linoleic acids. It is concluded that the concentrate feed mixture in the diet of lactating goats can be replaced up to 40% (equals to 24% of total diet) with M. oleifera silage to improve feed intake and nutrient utilization, and milk production performance.
Effects of Dietary Fucoidan Supplementation on Serum Biochemical Parameters, Small Intestinal Barrier Function, and Cecal Microbiota of Weaned Goat Kids
Authors: Yang Weiguang , Guo Guangzhen , Chen Jiayi , Wang Shengnan , Gao Zhenhua , Zhao Zhihui , Yin Fuquan
Published: June 2022

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effects of fucoidan supplementation on serum biochemical parameters, small intestinal barrier function, and cecal microbiota of weaned goat kids. A total of 60 2-month-old weaned castrated male goat kids (Chuanzhong black goat) were used in this 30-day experiment. The goat kids were randomly divided into four groups: a control group (CON) fed the basal diet, and three other groups supplemented with 0.1%, 0.3%, and 0.5% fucoidan in the basal diet (denoted as F1, F2, and F3 groups, respectively). The results indicated that dietary fucoidan supplementation decreased (p < 0.05) the activity of lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) and the content of glucose (GLU) as measured on day 15. As measured on day 30, dietary fucoidan increased (p < 0.05) the content of total protein (TP) and decreased the activity of aspartate aminotransferase (AST), and supplementation with 0.3% and 0.5% fucoidan decreased (p < 0.05) the activity of LDH. Dietary fucoidan decreased (p < 0.05) the content of D-lactic acid (D-LA) and the activity of diamine oxidase (DAO). Dietary fucoidan increased (p < 0.05) the activity of catalase (CAT) in the duodenum. Dietary 0.3% and 0.5% fucoidan enhanced (p < 0.05) the activity of glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px) in the ileum, the activity of total superoxide dismutase (T-SOD) in the jejunum and ileum, and the activity of CAT in the ileum. Dietary 0.3% and 0.5% fucoidan reduced the contents of malondialdehyde (MDA) in the duodenum, jejunum, and ileum and the content of hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) in the duodenum. Dietary fucoidan increased (p < 0.05) the content of secretory immunoglobulin A (sIgA) in the duodenum. Supplementation of 0.3% and 0.5% fucoidan upregulated (p < 0.05) the gene expression of ZO-1 and claudin-1 in the duodenum, jejunum, and ileum, and dietary supplementation of 0.3% and 0.5% fucoidan upregulated (p < 0.05) the gene expression of occludin in the jejunum and ileum. The 16S rRNA high-throughput sequencing results showed that at the phylum level, dietary fucoidan increased (p < 0.05) the abundance of Bacteroidetes while decreasing (p < 0.05) the abundance of Firmicutes. At the genus level, dietary 0.3% and 0.5% fucoidan increased (p < 0.05) the abundances of Unspecified_Ruminococcaceae, Unspecified_Bacteroidale, Unspecified_Clostridiales, and Akkermansia. In conclusion, dietary fucoidan supplementation had positive effects on intestinal permeability, antioxidant capacity, immunity function, tight junctions, and the cecal microflora balance in weaned goat kids.
Companion Animals as Potential Reservoirs of Antibiotic Resistant Diarrheagenic Escherichia coli in Shandong, China
Authors: Cui Lulu , Zhao Xiaonan , Li Ruibo , Han Yu , Hao Guijuan , Wang Guisheng , Sun Shuhong
Published: June 2022

Antibiotic resistance genes of Escherichia coli (E. coli) from companion animals were still poorly understood. Here, we investigated the extended-spectrum β-lactamases (ESBLs) resistance genes of E. coli from companion animals in Shandong, China. A total of 79 isolates (80.6%) were recovered from 98 healthy or diarrheal companion animals in 2021, among which ESBLs-producing isolates accounted for 43.0% (34/79), and more than half of ESBL E. coli (ESBL-EC) strains (n = 19) were isolated from healthy companion animals. Diarrheagenic E. coli isolates (45.6%, n = 36) were represented by enterotoxigenic (ETEC) (32.9%), enteropathogenic (EPEC) (10.1%) and enteroinvasive (EIEC) (2.6%), 20 isolates of which were from healthy pets. Among tested antibiotics, resistance to tetracycline (64.6%) was the most commonly observed, followed by doxycycline (59.5%) and ampicillin (53.2%). Notably, all isolates were susceptible to meropenem. The multidrug-resistant (MDR) rate was 49.4%, 20 isolates of which were ESBLs producers; moreover, 23.4%, 16.4% of ESBL-EC strains were resistant to 5 or more, 7 or more antibiotics, respectively. Among the 5 β-lactamase resistance genes, the most frequent gene was blaCTX-M (60.76%), followed by blaSHV (40.51%). The plasmid-mediated quinolone resistance (PMQR) gene aac(6’)-Ib-cr was detected in 35 isolates. Additionally, ESBL-associated genes (i.e., blaCTX-M, blaSHV) were found in 76.5% ESBL-EC strains, with six isolates carrying blaCTX-M and blaSHV. The marker gene of high-pathogenicity island gene irp2 (encoding iron capture systems) was the most frequency virulence gene. Our results showed that ESBL-EC were widespread in healthy or diarrhea companion animals, especially healthy pets, which may be a potential reservoir of antibiotic resistance, therefore, enhancing a risk to public and animal health.
Antitubercular, Cytotoxicity, and Computational Target Validation of Dihydroquinazolinone Derivatives
Authors: Venugopala Katharigatta N. , Al-Shar’i Nizar A. , Dahabiyeh Lina A. , Hourani Wafa , Deb Pran Kishore , Pillay Melendhran , Abu-Irmaileh Bashaer , Bustanji Yasser , Chandrashekharappa Sandeep , Tratrat Christophe , Attimarad Mahesh , Nair Anroop B. , Sreeharsha Nagaraja , Shinu Pottathil , Haroun Michelyne , Kandeel Mahmoud , Balgoname Abdulmalek Ahmed , Venugopala Rashmi , Morsy Mohamed A.
Published: June 2022

A series of 2,3-dihydroquinazolin-4(1H)-one derivatives (3a–3m) was screened for in vitro whole-cell antitubercular activity against the tubercular strain H37Rv and multidrug-resistant (MDR) Mycobacterium tuberculosis (MTB) strains. Compounds 3l and 3m with di-substituted aryl moiety (halogens) attached to the 2-position of the scaffold showed a minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) of 2 µg/mL against the MTB strain H37Rv. Compound 3k with an imidazole ring at the 2-position of the dihydroquinazolin-4(1H)-one also showed significant inhibitory action against both the susceptible strain H37Rv and MDR strains with MIC values of 4 and 16 µg/mL, respectively. The computational results revealed the mycobacterial pyridoxal-5′-phosphate (PLP)-dependent aminotransferase (BioA) enzyme as the potential target for the tested compounds. In vitro, ADMET calculations and cytotoxicity studies against the normal human dermal fibroblast cells indicated the safety and tolerability of the test compounds 3k–3m. Thus, compounds 3k–3m warrant further optimization to develop novel BioA inhibitors for the treatment of drug-sensitive H37Rv and drug-resistant MTB.
Colorant Pigments, Nutrients, Bioactive Components, and Antiradical Potential of Danta Leaves (Amaranthus lividus)
Authors: Sarker Umakanta , Iqbal Md. Asif , Hossain Md. Nazmul , Oba Shinya , Ercisli Sezai , Muresan Crina Carmen , Marc Romina Alina
Published: June 2022

In the Indian subcontinent, danta (stems) of underutilized amaranth are used as vegetables in different culinary dishes. At the edible stage of the danta, leaves are discarded as waste in the dustbin because they are overaged. For the first time, we assessed the colorant pigments, bioactive components, nutrients, and antiradical potential (AP) of the leaves of danta to valorize the by-product (leaf) for antioxidant, nutritional, and pharmacological uses. Leaves of danta were analyzed for proximate and element compositions, colorant pigments, bioactive constituents, AP (DPPH), and AP (ABTS+). Danta leaves had satisfactory moisture, protein, carbohydrates, and dietary fiber. The chosen danta leaves contained satisfactory magnesium, iron, calcium, potassium, manganese, copper, and zinc; adequate bioactive pigments, such as betacyanins, carotenoids, betalains, β-carotene, chlorophylls, and betaxanthins; and copious bioactive ascorbic acid, polyphenols, flavonoids, and AP. The correlation coefficient indicated that bioactive phytochemicals and colorant pigments of the selected danta leaves had good AP as assessed via ABTS+ and DPPH assays. The selected danta leaves had good ROS-scavenging potential that could indicate massive possibilities for promoting the health of the nutraceutical- and antioxidant-deficit public. The findings showed that danta leaves are a beautiful by-product for contributing as an alternate origin of antioxidants, nutrients, and bioactive compounds with pharmacological use.