bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Challenging power and unearned privilege in physiotherapy: lessons from Africa
Authors: Lurch Stephanie , Cobbing Saul , Chetty Verusia , Maddocks Stacy
Published: June 2023

Power and unearned privilege in the profession of physiotherapy (PT) reside in the white, Western, English-speaking world. Globally, rehabilitation curricula and practices are derived primarily from European epistemologies. African philosophies, thinkers, writers and ways of healing are not practiced widely in healthcare throughout the globe. In this invited perspectives paper, we discuss the philosophies of Ubuntu and Seriti, and describe how these ways of thinking, knowing, and being challenge Western biomedical approaches to healthcare. We believe implementing these philosophies in the West will assist patients in attaining the health outcomes they seek. Further we call for Western professionals and researchers to stand in solidarity with their African counterparts in order to move towards a diversity of practitioners and practices that help to ensure better outcomes for all.
The role of nurse-client relationships in maternal and child healthcare: a qualitative study in rural Tanzania
Authors: Isangula Kahabi , Mwasha Loveluck , Pallangyo Eunice , Ndirangu-Mugo Eunice
Published: June 2023

Background

The literature suggests that poor provider-client relationships in maternal and child healthcare (MCH) continue to impact healthcare service uptake, continuity of care, and MCH outcomes. However, there is a paucity of literature on the benefits of the nurse-client relationship for clients, nurses, and the health system, particularly in rural African contexts.

Objective

This study examined the perceived benefits and disadvantages of good and poor nurse-client relationships in rural Tanzania respectively. We present the findings of a community-driven inquiry that was the first step of a broader study that sought to co-design an intervention package for strengthening nurse-client relationships in MCH in rural contexts using a human-centred design approach.

Methods

This study used a qualitative descriptive design. Nine focus group discussions and 12 key informant interviews were conducted using semi-structured interview guides. Participants were purposefully selected nurses/midwives and clients attending MCH services, and MCH administrators. Data were managed using NVivo and analysed thematically.

Results

A range of perceived benefits of good nurse-client relationships and disadvantages of poor relationships emerged. Perceived benefits of good nurse-client relationships included: (i) benefits to clients (increased healthcare-seeking behaviours, disclosure, adherence, return to care, positive health outcomes, and referral tendencies); (ii) benefits to nurses (increased confidence, efficiency, productivity, job satisfaction, trust, and community reputation and support); and (iii) benefits to healthcare facilities/systems (increased client load and consequently income, fewer complaints and legal disputes, increased trust and facility delivery, and reduced maternal and child deaths). The disadvantages of poor nurse-client relationships were basically the opposite of their benefits.

Conclusion

The benefits of good nurse-client relationships and the disadvantages of poor relationships extend beyond patients and nurses to the healthcare system/facility level. Therefore, identifying and implementing feasible and acceptable interventions for nurses and clients could pave the way for good nurse-client relationships, leading to improved MCH outcomes and performance indicators.
How the driving behaviors and customer handling of public transportation operators have been impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia: the perspective of protection motivation theory?
Authors: Tareke Kassa Moges
Published: June 2023

The COVID-19 pandemic has had an impact on every aspect of human life and economic sectors such as transportation operations around the world. This paper tries to investigate how COVID-19 pandemic factors influenced the driving and customer handling behaviors of urban public transportation operators in Addis Ababa city, Ethiopia. To that end, a framework of mixed research, pre/post study design, and protection motivation theory (PMT) was used to guide the development, quantification, and analysis of the causal relationships of pandemic-related constructs on driving and customer handling behaviors. The examined driving behavior variables included harsh speeding, harsh braking, and drink-drive events concerning the time period before and during the COVID-19 pandemic outbreak. Customer handling was also operationalized in terms of the level of friendly handling and care provided to customers. As a result, primary data were collected through transport surveys on 143 randomly selected public transit operators, including city buses, midsize buses, minibuses, bajajs, and light rail transits. Furthermore, contingency indexes, likert scales, and binary logistic regression models were used to estimate and predict the most significant factors that affected driving and customer handling behavior. Findings showed that the new COVID-19 pandemic and response measure-related factors were the most significant factors impacting driving behavior during the pandemic. Driving frequencies and intentions, as well as driving decisions or choices, were significantly influenced and reduced. Due to the pandemic-related factors, harsh driving behaviors such as harsh speeding and braking became more frequent during the pandemic compared to the pre-COVID period. Additionally, the correlation between harsh driving behavior and other factors, mainly trip distance traveled, driving during risky nighttime hours, and driving requests, was significant. Furthermore, due to the impacts of COVID-19, government measures, and changes in driving behavior, customer handling and care behaviors were predominantly unfriendly. Findings revealed that the performance of PMT was relevant, and it could inform and guide studies to understand such an impact analysis. Thus, policymakers must learn from the harsh lessons of COVID-19 and make bold investments in preparedness, prevention, and response, including pandemic-sensitive strategies and customer-oriented strategies.
Myocarditis and sports in the young: data from a nationwide registry on myocarditis—“MYKKE-Sport”
Authors: Schöffl Isabelle , Holler Sophia , Dittrich Sven , Pickardt Thomas , Opgen-Rhein Bernd , Boehne Martin , Wannenmacher Bardo , Reineke Katja , Wiegand Gesa , Hecht Tobias , Kaestner Michael , Messroghli Daniel , Schubert Stephan , Seidel Franziska , Weigelt Annika
Published: June 2023

Background

Myocarditis represents one of the most common causes of Sudden Cardiac Death in children. Myocardial involvement during a viral infection is believed to be higher as a consequence of intensive exertion. Recommendations for return to sports are based on cohort and case studies only. This study aims to investigate the relationship between physical activity and myocarditis in the young.

Patient

Every patient in the MYKKE registry fulfilling criteria for suspicion of myocarditis was sent a questionnaire regarding the physical activity before, during and after the onset of myocarditis.

Method

This study is a subproject within the MYKKE registry, a multicenter registry for children and adolescents with suspected myocarditis. The observation period for this analysis was 93 months (September 2013–June 2021). Anamnestic, cardiac magnetic resonance images, echocardiography, biopsy and laboratory records from every patient were retrieved from the MYKKE registry database.

Results

58 patients (mean age 14.6 years) were enrolled from 10 centers. Most patients participated in curricular physical activity and 36% in competitive sports before the onset of myocarditis. There was no significant difference of heart function at admission between the physically active and inactive subjects (ejection fraction of 51.8 ± 8.6% for the active group vs. 54.4 ± 7.7% for the inactive group). The recommendations regarding the return to sports varied widely and followed current guidelines in 45%. Most patients did not receive an exercise test before returning to sports.

Conclusion

Sports before the onset of myocarditis was not associated with a more severe outcome. There is still a discrepancy between current literature and actual recommendations given by health care providers. The fact that most participants did not receive an exercise test before being cleared for sports represents a serious omission.
Integrated nutrient management for improving crop yields, soil properties, and reducing greenhouse gas emissions
Authors: Paramesh Venkatesh , Mohan Kumar R. , Rajanna G. A. , Gowda Sathish , Nath Arun Jyoti , Madival Yamanura , Jinger Dinesh , Bhat Shripad , Toraskar Sulekha
Published: June 2023

Recently, most agrarian countries have witnessed either declining or stagnant crop yields. Inadequate soil organic matter (SOM) due to the poor physical, chemical, and biological properties of the soil leads to an overall decline in the productivity of farmlands. Therefore, the adoption of integrated nutrient management (INM) practices is vital to revive sustainable soil health without compromising yield potential. Integrated nutrient management is a modified nutrient management technique with multifarious benefits, wherein a combination of all possible sources of plant nutrients is used in a crop nutrition package. Several studies conducted in various parts of the world have demonstrated the benefits of INM in terms of steep gain in soil health and crop yields and at the same time, reducing greenhouse gas emissions and other related problems. The INM practice in the cropped fields showed a 1,355% reduction in methane over conventional nutrient management. The increase in crop yields due to the adoption of INM over conventional nutrient management was as high as 1.3% to 66.5% across the major cropping systems. Owing to the integration of organic manure and residue retention in INM, there is a possibility of significant improvement in soil aggregates and microbiota. Furthermore, most studies conducted to determine the impact of INM on soil health indicated a significant increase in overall soil health, with lower bulk density, higher porosity, and water-holding capacity. Overall, practicing INM would enhance soil health and crop productivity, in addition to decreasing environmental pollution, greenhouse gas emissions, and production costs.
Physical and Chemical Properties of Silver-Containing Nanosorbent Obtained from Rice Straw Biochar
Authors: Smolyanichenko Alla
Published: June 2023

Improving the quality of natural water purification is one of the priority areas in the research conducted by scientific communities in the field of ecology. At the same time, the task is to achieve the optimal efficiency of the technological process at a low cost. The solution, in this case, is the use of materials necessary for cleaning, in particular, sorbents from natural raw materials, including agricultural waste. At present, a sufficient number of research results have been published confirming the effectiveness of the sorbent from biochar from various types of agricultural waste, as well as from rice straw biochar (RSB). This article proposes an innovative method for modifying biochar from rice straw, which allows the use of the material as a sorbent with a disinfecting effect. The method consists of processing biochar in a process activation plant (PAP) using a solution of silver nitrate, which is released in the form of a carbon nanomaterial with attached metallic silver ions on the surface of biochar particles. The biochar impregnated with a solution of silver nitrate was contacted with ferromagnetic particles under electromagnetic influence, followed by thermal treatment of the sample. The resulting silver-containing sorbent was subjected to a physicochemical analysis of its properties; photographs of electron microscopy were also obtained, and a bacteriological analysis of the effectiveness of the sorbent on natural water was carried out. The analysis was carried out on three indicators—total microbial count (TMC), total number of coliform bacteria (TCB), and thermotolerant coliform bacteria (TCB). According to the research results, the sorbent showed its disinfecting properties and confirmed its high efficiency (90.48–100%).
Maize On-Farm Stressed Area Identification Using Airborne RGB Images Derived Leaf Area Index and Canopy Height
Authors: Raj Rahul , Walker Jeffrey P. , Jagarlapudi Adinarayana
Published: June 2023

The biophysical properties of a crop are a good indicator of potential crop stress conditions. However, these visible properties cannot indicate areas exhibiting non-visible stress, e.g., early water or nutrient stress. In this research, maize crop biophysical properties including canopy height and Leaf Area Index (LAI), estimated using drone-based RGB images, were used to identify stressed areas in the farm. First, the APSIM process-based model was used to simulate temporal variation in LAI and canopy height under optimal management conditions, and thus used as a reference for estimating healthy crop parameters. The simulated LAI and canopy height were then compared with the ground-truth information to generate synthetic data for training a linear and a random forest model to identify stressed and healthy areas in the farm using drone-based data products. A Healthiness Index was developed using linear as well as random forest models for indicating the health of the crop, with a maximum correlation coefficient of 0.67 obtained between Healthiness Index during the dough stage of the crop and crop yield. Although these methods are effective in identifying stressed and non-stressed areas, they currently do not offer direct insights into the underlying causes of stress. However, this presents an opportunity for further research and improvement of the approach.
Estimation of Potato Canopy Nitrogen Content Based on Hyperspectral Index Optimization
Authors: Guo Faxu , Feng Quan , Yang Sen , Yang Wanxia
Published: June 2023

Potato canopy nitrogen content (CNC) is an imperative metric for assessing potato growth status and guiding field management. While the spectral index can be utilized to estimate CNC, its efficacy is influenced by the environment and crop type. To address this issue, we utilized hyperspectral indices (HIs) optimization for CNC estimation. Using the inverse and first-order differential (FD) transformations of the original data (OD), HIs comprising two-band combinations in 400–1000 nm, such as RSI, DSI, NDSI, SASI, and PSI, were constructed to analyze the correlation between CNC and HIs. Based on this analysis, prediction models for potato CNC were created using the most optimal HIs. The results showed that FD transformation significantly improved the correlations between CNC and HIs, among which FD−PSI(R654, R565) had the highest correlation with CNC. We further employed the optimal HIs as variables to establish univariate and multivariate regression models to estimate the potato CNC. Among the univariate models, the accuracy of the OD−DSI model was the highest, with an R2 of 0.79 and RMSE of 0.22. Meanwhile, the FD−MLR model demonstrated the highest accuracy compared to the other multivariate models, with an R2 of 0.84, an RMSE of 0.20 during validation, and a greater prediction accuracy than the OD−DSI model. FD−MLR can be used to map the CNC distribution map of monitored potato planting plots to guide precision fertilization.
Market Trends of Medicinal and Aromatic Plants in Italy: Future Scenarios Based on the Delphi Method
Authors: Spina Daniela , Barbieri Cinzia , Carbone Roberto , Hamam Manal , D’Amico Mario , Di Vita Giuseppe
Published: June 2023

The medicinal and aromatic plant (MAP) sector in Italy is a niche sector that is growing in terms of both primary production and consumption. These products seem to be important to address several global challenges, including climate change, biodiversity conservation, drought solutions, product diversification, product innovations, and the development of rural areas (rural tourism in primis). This study utilised the Delphi method to identify key factors and possible strategies that could be adopted for the future (the next 3–5 years) of the national MAP supply chain. The research involved the collaboration of 26 experts. Individual interviews, based on a semi-structured questionnaire, were carried out during the first round of the study. The information and the collected data were then analysed and depicted in a mental map. The Italian MAP sector suffers from competition from lower-cost imported products. Despite this, the experts predicted an expansion of the MAP sector regarding aromatic herbs and certain derivative products, such as dietary supplements, biocides, and essential oils. The experts anticipated the need to increase the adoption of digital innovations, of developing agreements among the actors of the supply chain, and of investing in the training of supply chain actors.
Equine Crofton Weed (Ageratina spp.) Pneumotoxicity: What Do We Know and What Do We Need to Know?
Authors: Shapter Frances Marie , Granados-Soler José Luis , Stewart Allison J. , Bertin Francois Rene , Allavena Rachel
Published: June 2023

Crofton weed (Ageratina adenophora) is a global and highly invasive weed, with ingestion causing severe respiratory disease in horses, leading to irreversible and untreatable pulmonary fibrosis and oedema. While reports of equine pneumotoxicity remain common in Australia and New Zealand, equine pneumotoxicity may be underdiagnosed in other countries where Crofton weed is endemic but poorly differentiated. The pathogenesis of Crofton weed toxicity following ingestion has been well described in a number of different animal models, including rodents, rabbits, and goats. However, induced toxicity is organ-selective across different animal species, and these vastly differ from the pathogenesis described in horses, both clinically and after experimental exposure. Sources of variation may include species-specific susceptibility to different toxins present in the plant, different mechanistic processes of toxicity, and species differences in toxin biotransformation and bioactivation across different organs. Considering disease severity and Crofton weed’s invasiveness globally, assessing published toxicological and exposure data is necessary to advance research, identify specific toxins for horses, and possible prophylactic and therapeutic strategies. This review presents an overview of the available literature on equine toxicity, parallels between toxicity in horses and other animal species, and important aspects to be included in the future research agenda.
The Increasing Role of Short-Term Sperm Storage and Cryopreservation in Conserving Threatened Amphibian Species
Authors: Anastas Zara M. , Byrne Phillip G. , O’Brien Justine K. , Hobbs Rebecca J. , Upton Rose , Silla Aimee J.
Published: June 2023

Multidisciplinary approaches to conserve threatened species are required to curb biodiversity loss. Globally, amphibians are facing the most severe declines of any vertebrate class. In response, conservation breeding programs have been established in a growing number of amphibian species as a safeguard against further extinction. One of the main challenges to the long-term success of conservation breeding programs is the maintenance of genetic diversity, which, if lost, poses threats to the viability and adaptive potential of at-risk populations. Integrating reproductive technologies into conservation breeding programs can greatly assist genetic management and facilitate genetic exchange between captive and wild populations, as well as reinvigorate genetic diversity from expired genotypes. The generation of offspring produced via assisted fertilisation using frozen–thawed sperm has been achieved in a small but growing number of amphibian species and is poised to be a valuable tool for the genetic management of many more threatened species globally. This review discusses the role of sperm storage in amphibian conservation, presents the state of current technologies for the short-term cold storage and cryopreservation of amphibian sperm, and discusses the generation of cryo-derived offspring.
Precision Livestock Farming Research: A Global Scientometric Review
Authors: Jiang Bing , Tang Wenjie , Cui Lihang , Deng Xiaoshang
Published: June 2023

Precision livestock farming (PLF) utilises information technology to continuously monitor and manage livestock in real-time, which can improve individual animal health, welfare, productivity and the environmental impact of animal husbandry, contributing to the economic, social and environmental sustainability of livestock farming. PLF has emerged as a pivotal area of multidisciplinary interest. In order to clarify the knowledge evolution and hotspot replacement of PLF research, based on the relevant data from the Web of Science database from 1973 to 2023, this study analyzed the main characteristics, research cores and hot topics of PLF research via CiteSpace. The results point to a significant increase in studies on PLF, with countries having advanced livestock farming systems in Europe and America publishing frequently and collaborating closely across borders. Universities in various countries have been leading the research, with Daniel Berckmans serving as the academic leader. Research primarily focuses on animal science, veterinary science, computer science, agricultural engineering, and environmental science. Current research hotspots center around precision dairy and cattle technology, intelligent systems, and animal behavior, with deep learning, accelerometer, automatic milking systems, lameness, estrus detection, and electronic identification being the main research directions, and deep learning and machine learning represent the forefront of current research. Research hot topics mainly include social science in PLF, the environmental impact of PLF, information technology in PLF, and animal welfare in PLF. Future research in PLF should prioritize inter-institutional and inter-scholar communication and cooperation, integration of multidisciplinary and multimethod research approaches, and utilization of deep learning and machine learning. Furthermore, social science issues should be given due attention in PLF, and the integration of intelligent technologies in animal management should be strengthened, with a focus on animal welfare and the environmental impact of animal husbandry, to promote its sustainable development.
Life History Traits and Longevity of the Invasive Asian Common Toad Duttaphrynus melanostictus (Schneider, 1799) in Madagascar
Authors: Guarino Fabio Maria , Andreone Franco , Mezzasalma Marcello , Licata Fulvio , Puoti Simona , Santos Bárbara , Cocca Walter , Solofoniaina Fidy Jean Francois , Ndriantsoa Serge Herilala , Noel Jean , Rakotonanahary Tsanta Fiderana , Harison Rodino Fetrarijahona , Odierna Gaetano , Crottini Angelica
Published: June 2023

We analyzed the body length, age structure, and age at sexual maturity of the invasive Asian common toad Duttaphrynus melanostictus from different sites in Toamasina, east Madagascar. We used skeletochronology as a proxy for age estimation, while gonads were histologically analyzed to determine the age of sexual maturity. The analysis of pooled age data from three sites investigated in 2016 showed that both sexes were larger, although not older, than those of native populations. For the individuals from Madagascar, the males were significantly smaller and younger (mean ± SD, SVL: 71.4 ± 1.6 mm; age: 1.8 ± 0.7 years) than the females (SVL: 78.42 ± 1.9 mm; age: 2.7 ± 1.3 years), when the data were pooled, but when the data were analyzed separately for each of the three sites, similar results were obtained only for one site. The oldest recorded male and female were 3 and 6 years old, respectively. Gonadal histology showed that the males and females reach sexual maturity after the first and second years of age, respectively. Further studies are needed to understand if the larger size and faster growth rates observed in the invasive population of D. melanostictus in Madagascar are a consequence of more favorable environmental conditions with respect to the native range (e.g., the availability of larger trophic niches, a lack of competitors, and lower predatory pressure), and we suggest to extend the monitoring of these life history traits to understand how they might influence the invasion.
Patterns and Factors Influencing Parrot (Order: Psittaciformes) Success in Establishing Thriving Naturalized Populations within the Contiguous United States
Authors: Dickinson Edwin , Young Melody W. , Tanis Daniel , Granatosky Michael C.
Published: June 2023

Parrots (Order: Psittaciformes) represent one of the most striking and ecomorphologically diverse avian clades, spanning more than two orders of magnitude in body size with populations occupying six continents. The worldwide diaspora of parrots is largely due to the pet trade, driven by human desire for bright, colorful, and intelligent animals as companions. Some introduced species have aptly inserted themselves into the local ecosystem and established successful breeding colonies all around the globe. Notably, the United States is home to several thriving populations of introduced species including red-masked parakeets (Psittacara erythrogenys), monk parakeets (Myiopsitta monachus), nanday conures (Aratinga nenday), and red-crowned amazons (Amazona viridigenalis). Their incredible success globally begs the question as to how these birds adapt so readily to novel environments. In this commentary, we trace parrots through evolutionary history, contextualize existent naturalized parrot populations within the contiguous United States, and provide a phylogenetic regression analysis of body mass and brain size based on success in establishing breeding populations. The propensity for a parrot species to become established appears to be phylogenetically driven. Notably, parrots in the family Cacatuidae and Neotropical Pyrrhua appear to be poor at establishing themselves in the United States once released. Although brain size among Psittaciformes did not show a significant impact on successful breeding in the continental United States, we propose that the success of parrots can be attributed to their charismatic nature, significant intelligence relative to other avian lineages, and behavioral flexibility.
Knowledge, Attitudes, and Practices in Antibiotic Dispensing amongst Pharmacists in Trinidad and Tobago: Exploring a Novel Dichotomy of Antibiotic Laws
Authors: Nagassar Rajeev P. , Carrington Amanda , Dookeeram Darren K. , Daniel Keston , Bridgelal-Nagassar Roma J.
Published: June 2023

The inappropriate consumption, use, and dispensing of antibiotics are problems faced globally, with a pattern of inappropriate consumption differing in higher-income countries due to the ease of accessibility of antibiotics. The main drivers of consumption and inappropriate use are the over-the-counter sales of antibiotics by pharmacies. Trinidad and Tobago (T&T), a twin island state in the Caribbean, has two Acts of Parliament that regulate antibiotics: the Antibiotics Act and the Food and Drug Act, yet the Over-the-Counter (OTC) sale of antibiotics still exists. This study sought to determine the knowledge, attitudes, and practices regarding the OTC dispensing of antibiotics in T&T. A cross-sectional study gathered data from pharmacists in both the private and public sectors of Trinidad over 7 months. The results showed that antibiotic resistance and antibiotic abuse were seen as significant problems. The level of experience, gender (female), and age (younger) were significantly associated with having good overall knowledge of good dispensing habits and antibiotic laws (p = 0.036, p = 0.047, and p = 0.001, respectively). Pharmacists generally agreed that antibiotics under the Food and Drug Act may have contributed to OTC dispensing in the private sector (p = 0.013) and that all antibiotics should be under the Antibiotic Act (p = 0.002). Additionally, it was found that the dispensing of antibiotics OTC in the private sector (p = 0.006) occurred: without doctors’ advice and without requesting prescriptions; because it was perceived as lawful (especially by older pharmacists); and because of the perceived motivation of profit. Regulation enforcement was perceived as deficient. OTC dispensing for reasons, such as misunderstanding of laws, occurs in T&T.
TRP Channels in Tumoral Processes Mediated by Oxidative Stress and Inflammation
Authors: Piciu Florentina , Balas Mihaela , Badea Madalina , Cucu Dana
Published: June 2023

The channels from the superfamily of transient receptor potential (TRP) activated by reactive oxygen species (ROS) can be defined as redox channels. Those with the best exposure of the cysteine residues and, hence, the most sensitive to oxidative stress are TRPC4, TRPC5, TRPV1, TRPV4, and TRPA1, while others, such as TRPC3, TRPM2, and TRPM7, are indirectly activated by ROS. Furthermore, activation by ROS has different effects on the tumorigenic process: some TRP channels may, upon activation, stimulate proliferation, apoptosis, or migration of cancer cells, while others inhibit these processes, depending on the cancer type, tumoral microenvironment, and, finally, on the methods used for evaluation. Therefore, using these polymodal proteins as therapeutic targets is still an unmet need, despite their draggability and modulation by simple and mostly unharmful compounds. This review intended to create some cellular models of the interaction between oxidative stress, TRP channels, and inflammation. Although somewhat crosstalk between the three actors was rather theoretical, we intended to gather the recently published data and proposed pathways of cancer inhibition using modulators of TRP proteins, hoping that the experimental data corroborated clinical information may finally bring the results from the bench to the bedside.
Cytosol Peroxiredoxin and Cell Surface Catalase Differentially Respond to H2O2 Stress in Aspergillus nidulans
Authors: Yan Yunfeng , Huang Xiaofei , Zhou Yao , Li Jingyi , Liu Feiyun , Li Xueying , Hu Xiaotao , Wang Jing , Guo Lingyan , Liu Renning , Takaya Naoki , Zhou Shengmin
Published: June 2023

Both catalase and peroxiredoxin show high activities of H2O2 decomposition and coexist in the same organism; however, their division of labor in defense against H2O2 is unclear. We focused on the major peroxiredoxin (PrxA) and catalase (CatB) in Aspergillus nidulans at different growth stages to discriminate their antioxidant roles. The dormant conidia lacking PrxA showed sensitivity to high concentrations of H2O2 (>100 mM), revealing that PrxA is one of the important antioxidants in dormant conidia. Once the conidia began to swell and germinate, or further develop to young hyphae (9 h to old age), PrxA-deficient cells (ΔprxA) did not survive on plates containing H2O2 concentrations higher than 1 mM, indicating that PrxA is an indispensable antioxidant in the early growth stage. During these early growth stages, absence of CatB did not affect fungal resistance to either high (>1 mM) or low (<1 mM) concentrations of H2O2. In the mature hyphae stage (24 h to old age), however, CatB fulfills the major antioxidant function, especially against high doses of H2O2. PrxA is constitutively expressed throughout the lifespan, whereas CatB levels are low in the early growth stage of the cells developing from swelling conidia to early growth hyphae, providing a molecular basis for their different contributions to H2O2 resistance in different growth stages. Further enzyme activity and cellular localization analysis indicated that CatB needs to be secreted to be functionalized, and this process is confined to the growth stage of mature hyphae. Our results revealed differences in effectiveness and timelines of two primary anti-H2O2 enzymes in fungus.
Chelation Therapy Associated with Antioxidant Supplementation Can Decrease Oxidative Stress and Inflammation in Multiple Sclerosis: Preliminary Results
Authors: Vezzoli Alessandra , Mrakic-Sposta Simona , Dellanoce Cinzia , Montorsi Michela , Vietti Daniele , Ferrero Maria Elena
Published: June 2023

An imbalance of oxy-inflammation status has been involved in axonal damage and demyelination in multiple sclerosis (MS). The aim of this study was to investigate the efficacy of an antioxidant treatment (calcium disodium ethylenediaminetetracetic acid—EDTA) chelation therapy associated with a micronutrient complex in MS patients. A total of 20 MS patients and 20 healthy subjects, enrolled as a control group (CTR), were recruited. We measured the plasma ROS production and total antioxidant capacity (TAC) by a direct assessment using Electron Paramagnetic Resonance; activities of the antioxidant system (thiols’ redox status and enzymes); and the urinary presence of biomarkers of oxidative stress by immunoenzymatic assays. We also evaluated the levels of inflammation by plasmatic cytokines (TNFα, IL-1β, and IL-6) and assessed the sICAM levels, as well as the nitric oxide (NO) catabolism and transthyretin (TTR) concentration. Comparing CTR and MS, in the latter ROS production, oxidative damage, inflammatory biomarkers, and NO metabolite concentrations results were significantly higher, while TAC was significantly lower. Treatment in MS induced significant (p < 0.05) down-regulating of pro-inflammatory sICAM1, TNF-α, IL6, as well as biomarkers of lipid peroxidation and DNA damage production. The protective effect exhibited may occur by decreasing ROS production and increasing antioxidant capacity, turning into a more reduced thiols’ status.
Transcriptional Regulation of the Acer truncatum B. Response to Drought and the Contribution of AtruNAC36 to Drought Tolerance
Authors: Li Jianbo , Guo Wei , Zhao Jinna , Meng Huijing , Yang Yanfei , Zheng Guangshun , Yuan Weijie
Published: June 2023

Drought stress is one of the major environmental factors severely restricting plant development and productivity. Acer truncatum B, which is an economically important tree species, is highly tolerant to drought conditions, but the underlying molecular regulatory mechanisms remain relatively unknown. In this study, A. truncatum seedlings underwent a drought treatment (water withheld for 0, 3, 7, and 12 days), after which they were re-watered for 5 days. Physiological indices were measured and a transcriptome sequencing analysis was performed to reveal drought response-related regulatory mechanisms. In comparison to the control, the drought treatment caused a significant increase in antioxidant enzyme activities, with levels rising up to seven times, and relative electrical conductivity from 14.5% to 78.4%, but the relative water content decreased from 88.3% to 23.4%; these indices recovered somewhat after the 5-day re-watering period. The RNA sequencing analysis identified 9126 differentially expressed genes (DEGs), which were primarily involved with abscisic acid responses, and mitogen-activated protein kinase signaling. These DEGs included 483 (5.29%) transcription factor genes from 53 families, including ERF, MYB, and NAC. A co-expression network analysis was conducted and three important modules were analyzed to identify hub genes, one of which (AtruNAC36) was examined to clarify its function. The AtruNAC36 protein was localized to the nucleus and had a C-terminal transactivation domain. Moreover, it bounded specifically to the NACRS element. The overexpression of AtruNAC36 in Arabidopsis thaliana resulted in increased drought tolerance by enhancing antioxidant enzyme activities. These findings provide important insights into the transcriptional regulation mediating the A. truncatum response to drought. Furthermore, AtruNAC36 may be relevant for breeding forest trees resistant to drought stress.
Load Balancing of Two-Sided Assembly Line Based on Deep Reinforcement Learning
Authors: Jia Guangpeng , Zhang Yahui , Shen Shuqi , Liu Bozu , Hu Xiaofeng , Wu Chuanxun
Published: June 2023

In the complex and ever-changing manufacturing environment, maintaining the long-term steady and efficient work of the assembly line is the ultimate goal pursued by relevant enterprises, the foundation of which is a balanced load. Therefore, this paper carries out research on the two-sided assembly line balance problem (TALBP) for load balancing. At first, a mathematical programming model is established with the objectives of optimizing the line efficiency, smoothness index, and completion time smoothness index of the two-sided assembly line (TAL). Secondly, a deep reinforcement learning algorithm combining distributed proximal policy optimization (DPPO) and the convolutional neural network (CNN) is proposed. Based on the distributed reinforcement learning agent structure assisted by the marker layer, the task assignment states of the two-sided assembly and decisions of selecting tasks are defined. Task assignment logic and reward function are designed according to the optimization objectives to guide task selection and assignment. Finally, the performance of the proposed algorithm is verified on the benchmark problem.
Glucocorticoid Receptor Polymorphism A3669G Is Associated with Airflow Obstruction in Mild-to-Severe Asthma
Authors: Mognetti Barbara , Giachino Daniela Francesca , Bertolini Francesca , Carriero Vitina , Sprio Andrea Elio , Ricciardolo Fabio Luigi Massimo
Published: June 2023

Background: Glucocorticoids (GCs) represent the mainstay therapy for asthmatics. A subset of severe asthmatics fails to respond to steroid-based therapies, leading to important healthcare costs. Single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) of glucocorticoid receptor genes were associated with a response to GC. We evaluate the possible relation of BclI and A3669G SNPs to clinical, biological and functional characteristics of asthmatics. Methods: We recruited 172 mild-to-severe asthmatic outpatients referring to the Severe Asthma and Rare Lung Disease Unit at San Luigi University Hospital. Clinical data were obtained at recruitment when spirometry tests and peripheral blood sampling were performed. Patients were genotyped for BclI and A3669G through the pyrosequencing assay results. Results: Patients with the A3669G AG genotype were younger, allergic and had higher IgE levels compared to AA genotype (p < 0.05). Moreover, asthmatics with the AA genotype had a lower post-bronchodilator FEV1/FVC ratio than the GG genotype (p < 0.05), and a higher RV/TLC ratio than the AG genotype (p < 0.05). Conclusions: The A3669G AG genotype might be related to type-2 allergic asthma; in particular, allele A of A3669G SNP was associated with GC response in our asthmatics. In conclusion, this observational cross-sectional study suggests a possible role of A3669G SNP as a predictor of asthma severity and phenotype.
PEiD: Precise and Real-Time LOS/NLOS Path Identification Based on Peak Energy Index Distribution
Authors: Xiao Yalong , Zhu Junfeng , Yan Shuping , Song Hong , Zhang Shigeng
Published: June 2023

Wireless sensing has emerged as an innovative technology that enables many smart applications such as indoor localization, activity recognition, and user tracking. However, achieving reliable and precise results in wireless sensing requires an accurate distinction between line-of-sight and non-line-of-sight transmissions. This paper introduces PEiD, a novel method that utilizes low-cost WiFi devices for transmission path identification, offering real-time measurements with high accuracy through the application of machine-learning-based classifiers. To overcome the deficiencies of commodity WiFi in bandwidth, PEiD explores the peak energy index distribution extracted from the channel impulse responses. Our approach effectively captures the inherent randomness of channel properties and significantly reduces the number of samples required for identification, thus surpassing previous methods. Additionally, to tackle the challenge of mobility, a sliding window technique is also adopted to achieve continuous monitoring of transmission path status. According to our extensive experiments, PEiD can attain a best path identification accuracy of 97.5% for line-of-sight scenarios and 94.3% for non-line-of-sight scenarios, with an average delay of under 300 ms (92% accuracy) even in dynamic environments.
Relationship of Force–Velocity Profile between Field Sprints and Lab Ballistic or Cycling Ergometer for Wheelchair Basketball Players
Authors: Brassart Florian , Faupin Arnaud , Hays Arnaud , Watelain Eric , Weissland Thierry
Published: June 2023

The upper limb force–velocity relationship (FVR) is a crucial aspect of athletic performance, particularly in para-sports where upper limb movements play a leading role in activities such as wheelchair propulsion. Athletes’ mechanical capacities can be evaluated on the field or in lab conditions. However, no studies have yet indicated a relationship between ergometers and field FVR or performances. Understanding para-athletes’ upper limb FVR can provide important insights for developing effective training programs and improving athletic performance in wheelchair basketball players. Twenty-three wheelchair basketball players (12 women and 11 men) from French national teams performed a battery of three tests consisting of a 20 m sprint (SP) with Inertial measurement units (IMU) on wheels, horizontal upper limb push-offs on a frictionless sled with two Kistler force plates (HBP), and a crank ergometer sprint test (CES) derived from arm ergometer sprints using Brachumera, Lode. For the SP test, the FVR was computed with an estimation of force from the acceleration, the rolling resistance, and an estimation of the air resistance. Correlations between each variable measured were computed via Pearson correlations in R, assuming a strong relationship when r = 0.7–1.0, moderate when r = 0.40–0.69, and weak when r < 0.1–0.39. Significant differences were assumed when p < 0.05. Strong correlations were found between the results of the three tests conducted. The correlation coefficient between maximal theoretical force (F0) data ranged from 0.85 to 0.88, and that between maximal theoretical power (P0) data ranged from 0.87 to 0.94. However, for maximal theoretical velocity (V0) data, the correlations between the three tests were less important. The performance variables showed a strong correlation with power measured in the HBP test without load. There was a significant relationship between the HBP, CES, and SP variables. There was a correlation between performance on the three tests in our population, especially for power. However, the V0 value of HBP was not representative of any performances. This work uses multiple protocols to assess para-athletes’ performance and shows that upper limb symmetry depends on the gesture of the task and the personal sports’ wheelchair.
Green Corrosion Inhibitors Based on Plant Extracts for Metals and Alloys in Corrosive Environment: A Technological and Scientific Prospection
Authors: de Souza Morais Williams Raphael , da Silva Jaceguai Soares , Queiroz Nathalia Marcelino Pereira , de Paiva e Silva Zanta Carmen Lúcia , Ribeiro Adriana Santos , Tonholo Josealdo
Published: June 2023

The use of inhibitors is one of the most efficient methods to protect metals against corrosion, which affects many sectors and generates a significant effect on the world economy. This paper presents a prospection using plant extracts as green corrosion inhibitors, aiming at the use of environmentally friendly input. For this, the authors used scientific articles and patents, with recovery of 335 articles and 42 patents related to the subject, as the source. Most technological solutions consist of extracts prepared from leaves of interest plant species, with tests carried out in acidic corrosive environments, with carbon steel (SAE1020) being the most researched material to be protected. Among the identified technologies, some point to corrosion inhibition greater than 80%. The scientific and patent literature points to the excellent performance of these compounds added to the other data collected in the present study, indicating that the exploration of this area is on the rise and very promising. Special highlight is given to the studies and development of green inhibitors in Brazil, considering the potentialities of its high vegetable biodiversity.
Cross-Modal Sentiment Analysis of Text and Video Based on Bi-GRU Cyclic Network and Correlation Enhancement
Authors: He Ping , Qi Huaying , Wang Shiyi , Cang Jiayue
Published: June 2023

Cross-modal sentiment analysis is an emerging research area in natural language processing. The core task of cross-modal fusion lies in cross-modal relationship extraction and joint feature learning. The existing research methods of cross-modal sentiment analysis focus on static text, video, audio, and other modality data but ignore the fact that different modality data are often unaligned in practical applications. There is a long-term time dependence among unaligned data sequences, and it is difficult to explore the interaction between different modalities. The paper proposes a sentiment analysis model (UA-BFET) based on feature enhancement technology in unaligned data scenarios, which can perform sentiment analysis on unaligned text and video modality data in social media. Firstly, the model adds a cyclic memory enhancement network across time steps. Then, the obtained cross-modal fusion features with interaction are applied to the unimodal feature extraction process of the next time step in the Bi-directional Gated Recurrent Unit (Bi-GRU) so that the progressively enhanced unimodal features and cross-modal fusion features continuously complement each other. Secondly, the extracted unimodal text and video features taken jointly from the enhanced cross-modal fusion features are subjected to canonical correlation analysis (CCA) and input into the fully connected layer and Softmax function for sentiment analysis. Through experiments executed on unaligned public datasets MOSI and MOSEI, the UA-BFET model has achieved or even exceeded the sentiment analysis effect of text, video, and audio modality fusion and has outstanding advantages in solving cross-modal sentiment analysis in unaligned data scenarios.
A Material-Recycling Unit for the Fused Deposition Modelling of Three-Dimensional Printing Systems
Authors: Nattukallingal Mohammed Nuwaid , Ran Ziying , Abass Ahmed
Published: June 2023

Fused deposition modelling (FDM) three-dimensional (3D) printing technology is one of the most common additive manufacturing (AM) technologies due to the relatively low cost of the printing units and materials. Although cost-effective, this technology is not conceived to convert 100% of the raw material into a complete product, creating a potential plastic waste problem. To recycle the plastic waste from the FDM machine into reusable filaments, the concept of a 3D printer material-recycling machine (3DP-MRM) was developed using CREO Parametric 9.0 software. A prototype with four systems, including a spooler system, extruder system, display system, and filament-positioning system, was manufactured in-house with complete run experiments. The tests of the 3DP-MRM were applied, and the machine worked successfully among all the designed functions with minor issues.