bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Maternal nano-titanium dioxide inhalation alters fetoplacental outcomes in a sexually dimorphic manner
Authors: Griffith Julie A. , Dunn Allison , DeVallance Evan , Schafner Kallie J. , Engles Kevin J. , Batchelor Thomas P. , Goldsmith William T. , Wix Kimberley , Hussain Salik , Bowdridge Elizabeth C. , Nurkiewicz Timothy R.
Published: March 2023

The placenta plays a critical role in nutrient-waste exchange between the maternal and fetal circulations, thus functioning as an interface that profoundly impacts fetal growth and development. The placenta has long been considered an asexual organ, but, due to its embryonic origin it shares the same sex as the fetus. Exposures to toxicant such as diesel exhaust, have been shown to result in sexually dimorphic outcomes like decreased placental mass in exposed females. Therefore, we hypothesize that maternal nano-TiO2 inhalation exposure during gestation alters placental hemodynamics in a sexually dimorphic manner. Pregnant Sprague-Dawley rats were exposed from gestational day 10–19 to nano-TiO2 aerosols (12.17 ± 1.69 mg/m3) or filtered air (sham-control). Dams were euthanized on GD20, and fetal tissue was collected based on fetal sex: whole placentas, placental junctional zone (JZ), and placental labyrinth zone (LZ). Fetal mass, placental mass, and placental zone percent areas were assessed for sex-based differences. Exposed fetal females were significantly smaller compared to their exposed male counterparts (2.65 ± 0.03 g vs 2.78 ± 0.04 g). Nano-TiO2 exposed fetal females had a significantly decreased percent junctional zone area compared to the sham-control females (24.37 ± 1.30% vs 30.39 ± 1.54%). The percent labyrinth zone area was significantly increased for nano-TiO2 females compared to sham-control females (75.63 ± 1.30% vs 69.61 ± 1.54%). Placental flow and hemodynamics were assessed with a variety of vasoactive substances. It was found that nano-TiO2 exposed fetal females only had a significant decrease in outflow pressure in the presence of the thromboxane (TXA2) mimetic, U46619, compared to sham-control fetal females (3.97 ± 1.30 mm Hg vs 9.10 ± 1.07 mm Hg) and nano-TiO2 fetal males (9.96 ± 0.66 mm Hg). Maternal nano-TiO2 inhalation exposure has a greater effect on fetal female mass, placental zone mass and area, and adversely impacts placental vasoreactivity. This may influence the female growth and development later in life, future studies need to further study the impact of maternal nano-TiO2 inhalation exposure on zone specific mechanisms.
Knowledge, attitudes and practices related to neglected tropical diseases (schistosomiasis and fascioliasis) of public health importance: A cross-sectional study
Authors: Riaz Sajida , Ahmed Haroon , Kiani Sana Azeem , Afzal Muhammad Sohail , Simsek Sami , Celik Figen , Wasif Samia , Bangash Nazneen , Naqvi Syed Kamran , Zhang Jing , Cao Jianping
Published: March 2023

Background

Snails play an important role as an intermediate host in various parasitic diseases, which are referred to as snail-borne parasitic diseases (SBPDs). The prevalence of the SBPDs, schistosomiasis and fascioliasis is low in Pakistan compared to other countries. The present study investigated knowledge, attitudes, and practices related to these two SPBDs and risk factors associated with them among the humans living in close contact with livestock and pets from three regions of Pakistan: Punjab, Islamabad and Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK).

Methods

A cross-sectional survey was conducted using a structured questionnaire to assess participants' knowledge, attitude and practices related to schistosomiasis and fascioliasis during 2021–2022.

Results

The majority of the 507 participants who were interviewed had good knowledge of schistosomiasis and fascioliasis: 43% were aware of schistosomiasis and 57% were aware of fascioliasis, but only 25% knew about snails as an intermediate host. Most respondents had a positive attitude toward treatment, prevention and control of the diseases but they did not have any healthcare facilities.

Conclusion

This study highlights the importance of the public's awareness for the need to control SBPDs. It also draws attention to the need for health education for risk reduction and the prevention of SBPDs in endemic areas.
Tissue-specific assessment of oxidative status: Wild boar as a case study
Authors: Aleuy O. Alejandro , Gassó Diana , Tvarijonaviciute Asta , Risco David , Garcia Waldo , Gonçalves Pilar , Fernández-Llario Pedro , Mentaberre Gregorio , Velarde Roser , Serrano Emmanuel , Cuenca Rafaela
Published: March 2023

In recent decades, there has been a fast-growing interest in using biomarkers of oxidative stress (BOS) in conservation programs of many vertebrate species. Biomarkers of oxidative stress can be measured in different biological samples (e.g., body fluids and tissues). However, since comparisons of the same battery of BOS among tissues of the same individual are scarce in the literature, the chosen target tissues regularly rely on arbitrary decisions. Our research aimed to determine if the oxidative status of free-ranging wild boar (Sus scrofa) naturally infected with Mycobacterium spp (etiological agent of tuberculosis, TB), varies depending on the sample where it was quantified. We compared antioxidant p-nitrophenyl esterase activity (EA), glutathione peroxidase (GPX) concentrations, and total oxidative status (TOS) in serum, lung, spleen, kidney, and muscle of 63 wild boar hunter-harvested in central Spain. Biomarkers of oxidative stress in serum had higher concentrations than in other tissues. The poor agreement between serum and other tissues highlights the importance of running complete BOS assessments in the same fluid or tissue. Further, low concentrations of BOS in tissues of TB-affected individuals were observed, and significant differences between healthy and sick boar were only detected in the serum of individuals developing mild TB and in the muscle of individuals with mild or severe disease status. However, all organs from wild boars affected with mild TB were not in oxidative imbalance compared to healthy control animals, suggesting that wild boars may cope well with TB. Our data indicate that serum and other tissues can be used as BOS in field conservation programs to monitor wildlife population health. Still, context-specific validations are needed to determine the most appropriate samples to use.
Molecular detection and genetic characterization of bovine hepacivirus identified in ticks collected from cattle in Harbin, northeastern China
Authors: Yuan Sheng , Yao Xin-Yan , Lian Chun-Yang , Kong Sa , Shao Jian-Wei , Zhang Xue-Lian
Published: March 2023

Bovine hepacivirus (BovHepV) is a member of the genus Hepacivirus of the family Flaviviridae, which can cause acute or persistent infections in cattle. Currently, BovHepV strains identified in cattle populations worldwide can be classified into two genotypes with eight subtypes in genotype 1. BovHepV has been identified in a wide geographic area in China. Interestingly, the viral RNA of BovHepV has also been detected in ticks in Guangdong province, China. In this study, Rhipicephalus microplus tick samples were collected in Heilongjiang province, northeastern China, and BovHepV was screened with an overall positive rate of 10.9%. Sequence comparison and phylogenetic analysis showed that the BovHepV strains detected in this study belong to the subtype G. This is the first report about the detection of BovHepV in ticks in Heilongjiang province, China, which expands our knowledge that ticks may be a transmission vector of BovHepV.
Energy-Efficient and Real-Time Wearable for Wellbeing-Monitoring IoT System Based on SoC-FPGA
Authors: Frutuoso Maria , Neto Horácio , Véstias Mário , Duarte Rui
Published: March 2023

Wearable devices used for personal monitoring applications have been improved over the last decades. However, these devices are limited in terms of size, processing capability and power consumption. This paper proposes an efficient hardware/software embedded system for monitoring bio-signals in real time, including a heart rate calculator using PPG and an emotion classifier from EEG. The system is suitable for outpatient clinic applications requiring data transfers to external medical staff. The proposed solution contributes with an effective alternative to the traditional approach of processing bio-signals offline by proposing a SoC-FPGA based system that is able to fully process the signals locally at the node. Two sub-systems were developed targeting a Zynq 7010 device and integrating custom hardware IP cores that accelerate the processing of the most complex tasks. The PPG sub-system implements an autocorrelation peak detection algorithm to calculate heart rate values. The EEG sub-system consists of a KNN emotion classifier of preprocessed EEG features. This work overcomes the processing limitations of microcontrollers and general-purpose units, presenting a scalable and autonomous wearable solution with high processing capability and real-time response.
Hybrid Inspection Robot for Indoor and Outdoor Surveys
Authors: Rea Pierluigi , Ottaviano Erika
Published: March 2023

In this paper, simulation and experimental tests are reported for a hybrid robot being used for indoor and outdoor inspections. Automatic or tele-operated surveys can be performed by mobile robots, which represent the most efficient solution in terms of power consumption, control, robustness, and overall costs. In the context of structures and infrastructure inspection, robots must be able to move on horizontal or sloped surfaces and overpass obstacles. In this paper, the mechatronic design, simulations, and experimental activity are proposed for a hybrid robot being used for indoor and outdoor inspections, when the environmental conditions do not allow autonomous navigation. In particular, the hybrid robot is equipped with external and internal sensors to acquire information on the main structural elements, avoiding the need for experienced personnel being directly inside the inspection site, taking information from the environment and aiding the pilot to understand the best maneuvers/decisions to take. Given the current state of research and shortcomings worldwide, this paper discusses inspection robots taking into account the main issues in their use, functionality and standard systems, and how internal sensors can be set in order to improve inspection robots’ performances. On this basis, an illustrative study case is proposed.
Robotic Arm Position Computing Method in the 2D and 3D Spaces
Authors: Szabo Roland , Ricman Radu-Stefan
Published: March 2023

This paper presents a method on how to compute the position of a robotic arm in the 2D and 3D spaces. This method is slightly different from the well-known methods, such as forward or inverse kinematics. The method presented in this paper is an optical method, which uses two video cameras in stereo vision configuration to locate and compute the next move of a robotic arm in space. The method recognizes the coordinates of the markers placed at the joints of the robotic arm using the two video cameras. The coordinate points of these markers are connected with straight lines. Around certain points, circles are drawn. From the tangent to the circles, a non-Cartesian (orthogonal) coordinate system is drawn, which is enough to compute the target position of the robotic arm. All of these drawings are overlaid on the live video feed. This paper also presents another method for calculating the stereo distance using the triangulation method. An alternative method is also presented when a non-Cartesian (orthogonal) 3D coordinate system is created, which is used to compute the target position of the robotic arm in the 3D space. Because the system is in a loop, it can make micro-adjustments of the robotic arm, in order to be exactly in the desired position. In this way, there is no need to make calibrations for the robotic arm. In an industrial system, there is no need to stop the production line, which can be a really big cost saver.
A Bibliometric Analysis of Social Entrepreneurship and Entrepreneurial Ecosystems
Authors: Trabskaia Iuliia , Gorgadze Aleksei , Raudsaar Mervi , Myyryläinen Heidi
Published: March 2023

Social entrepreneurship plays an important role in the maintenance of economic prosperity and brings benefits to society. The role of social entrepreneurship is growing in the light of challenges of the global economy, increasing uncertainty of the environment, the growth of social problems, and the emergence of crises in the 2020s. These derive an increase in economic and psychological challenges. Social entrepreneurship is known as the driver for solving global problems of society. The entrepreneurial ecosystem serves as a source of entrepreneurial opportunity, as a breeding ground for entrepreneurship. Therefore, exploring the topic of social entrepreneurship in the context of the entrepreneurial ecosystem becomes relevant. Social entrepreneurship, with respect to the entrepreneurial ecosystem, has been extensively explored. However, despite a growing body of publications, to the best of our knowledge, no bibliometric analysis is available on the topic. This analysis is important to understand what trends in the development of social entrepreneurship and the ecosystem exist, what further research directions can be recommended, and how the relationship between social entrepreneurship and the entrepreneurial ecosystem has been studied. This study aims to close the gap, consolidate research, and identify the state of the art in the field. In total, 357 publications from the Scopus database were selected for the period of 2009–2022. The study used social network analysis (bibliographic coupling network, co-citation network, citation network, and co-authorship network) and semantic analysis (semantic network) through VOSviewer version 1.6.19 and Gephi version 0.10.1 software. The results showed a growth of publications during this period, allowing us to observe influential journals, the most productive and cited authors, leading countries and universities, impactful papers, networks of collaborations, and co-citations of scholars. The paper with the highest degree of centrality is “Ecosystems in Support of Social Entrepreneurs: A Literature Review” while Sustainability is the most influential journal in the field. The analysis identified six thematic clusters within the research topic. The study contributes to the literature by presenting the research agenda, structure, characteristics of social entrepreneurship, and entrepreneurial ecosystem research.
An Efficient Task Synthesis Method Based on Subspace Differential Patterns for Arrangements of Event Intervals Mining in the Avionics Cloud System Architecture
Authors: Dong Xiaoxu , Wang Xin , Peng Ling , Wang Miao , Wang Guoqing
Published: March 2023

Avionics Cloud is a new multi-platform avionics system architecture that provides dynamic access, resource pooling, intelligent scheduling, on-demand service and other cloud computing features. Using Avionics Cloud to rationalize the order of multi-flight platform task execution and realize multitask synthesis is a challenging problem. In this paper, we propose an Efficient Task Synthesis Method based on Subspace Differential Patterns for Arrangements of Event Intervals Mining-DiMining. For tasks executed in a multi-platform Avionics Cloud system with dynamic characteristics of time intervals, DiMining is proposed. The algorithm mines the differential frequent task execution event interval patterns related to execution efficiency from the scenario dataset with high execution efficiency and the scenario dataset with low execution efficiency in order to identify key task patterns related to execution efficiency and improve the task synthesis design efficiency of the multi-platform Avionics Cloud system. Furthermore, in order to improve the mining efficiency of the algorithm, this algorithm designs a variety of pruning strategies to ensure that two differential time interval patterns with high and low functional execution efficiency are mined at one time without preserving the set of candidate items. The experimental results show that the DiMining algorithm is more efficient than the traditional algorithm on the open dataset. The DiMining algorithm is used to mine the 350-field high-efficiency operation scenario dataset and the 350-field efficiency operation scenario dataset under the constructed typical UAV cluster co-detection task scenarios. Based on the simulation results, the DiMining algorithm is able to effectively support the design of multi-platform Avionics Cloud system task synthesis architecture and improve the efficiency of UAV cluster collaborative detection.
A Self-Supervised Fault Detection for UAV Based on Unbalanced Flight Data Representation Learning and Wavelet Analysis
Authors: Zhou Shenghan , Wang Tianhuai , Yang Linchao , He Zhao , Cao Siting
Published: March 2023

This paper aims to build a Self-supervised Fault Detection Model for UAVs combined with an Auto-Encoder. With the development of data science, it is imperative to detect UAV faults and improve their safety. Many factors affect the fault of a UAV, such as the voltage of the generator, angle of attack, and position of the rudder surface. A UAV is a typical complex system, and its flight data are typical high-dimensional large sample data sets. In practical applications such as UAV fault detection, the fault data only appear in a small part of the data sets. In this study, representation learning is used to extract the normal features of the flight data and reduce the dimensions of the data. The normal data are used for the training of the Auto-Encoder, and the reconstruction loss is used as the criterion for fault detection. An Improved Auto-Encoder suitable for UAV Flight Data Sets is proposed in this paper. In the Auto-Encoder, we use wavelet analysis to extract the low-frequency signals with different frequencies from the flight data. The Auto-Encoder is used for the feature extraction and reconstruction of the low-frequency signals with different frequencies. To improve the effectiveness of the fault localization at inference, we develop a new fault factor location model, which is based on the reconstruction loss of the Auto-Encoder and edge detection operator. The UAV Flight Data Sets are used for hard-landing detection, and an average accuracy of 91.01% is obtained. Compared with other models, the results suggest that the developed Self-supervised Fault Detection Model for UAVs has better accuracy. Concluding this study, an explanation is provided concerning the proposed model’s good results.
A Comprehensive Strategy Combining Feature Selection and Local Optimization Algorithm to Optimize the Design of Low-Density Chip for Genomic Selection
Authors: Mao Ruihan , Zhou Lei , Wang Zhaojun , Wu Jianliang , Liu Jianfeng
Published: March 2023

Design of low-density SNP chips provides an opportunity for wide application of genomic selection at lower cost. A novel strategy referred to as the “block-free” method is proposed in this study to select a subset of SNPs from a high-density chip to form a low-density panel. In this method, Feature Selection using a Feature Similarity (FSFS) algorithm was first performed to remove highly correlated SNPs, and then a Multiple-Objective, Local-Optimization (MOLO) algorithm was used to pick SNPs for the low-density panel. Two other commonly used methods called the “uniform” method and the “block-based” method were also implemented for comparison purposes. A real pig dataset with 7967 individuals from three breeds containing 43,832 SNPs was used for comparison of the methods. In terms of genotype imputation accuracy and genomic prediction accuracy, our strategy was superior in most cases when the densities were lower than 1K. The genotype imputation accuracy from the low-density chip compared to the original high-density chip was higher than 90% in all pig breeds as the density increased to 1K. In addition, the accuracies of predicted genomic breeding values (GEBV) calculated using the imputed panel were nearly 90% of estimates from the original chip for all traits and breeds. Our strategy is effective to design low-density chips by making full use of information of close relationships for genomic selection in animals and plants.
Automated Visual Identification of Foliage Chlorosis in Lettuce Grown in Aquaponic Systems
Authors: Abbasi Rabiya , Martinez Pablo , Ahmad Rafiq
Published: March 2023

Chlorosis, or leaf yellowing, in crops is one of the quality issues that primarily occurs due to interference in the production of chlorophyll contents. The primary contributors to inadequate chlorophyll levels are abiotic stresses, such as inadequate environmental conditions (temperature, illumination, humidity, etc.), improper nutrient supply, and poor water quality. Various techniques have been developed over the years to identify leaf chlorosis and assess the quality of crops, including visual inspection, chemical analyses, and hyperspectral imaging. However, these techniques are expensive, time-consuming, or require special skills and precise equipment. Recently, computer vision techniques have been implemented in the agriculture field to determine the quality of crops. Computer vision models are accurate, fast, and non-destructive, but they require a lot of data to achieve high performance. In this study, an image processing-based solution is proposed to solve these problems and provide an easier, cheaper, and faster approach for identifying the chlorosis in lettuce crops grown in an aquaponics facility based on their sensory property, foliage color. The ‘HSV space segmentation’ technique is used to segment the lettuce crop images and extract red (R), green (G), and blue (B) channel values. The mean values of the RGB channels are computed, and a color distance model is used to determine the distance between the computed values and threshold values. A binary indicator is defined, which serves as the crop quality indicator associated with foliage color. The model’s performance is evaluated, achieving an accuracy of 95%. The final model is integrated with the ontology model through a cloud-based application that contains knowledge related to abiotic stresses and causes responsible for lettuce foliage chlorosis. This knowledge can be automatically extracted and used to take precautionary measures in a timely manner. The proposed application finds its significance as a decision support system that can automate crop quality monitoring in an aquaponics farm and assist agricultural practitioners in decision-making processes regarding crop stress management.
Analysis of the Determinants of Agriculture Performance at the European Union Level
Authors: Coca Oana , Creangă Diana , Viziteu Ștefan , Brumă Ioan Sebastian , Ștefan Gavril
Published: March 2023

In the context of the increase in energy prices and, as a consequence, on other inputs on the global and European market, the study aims to analyze the performance of the European Union’s agriculture through the lens of the correlations and links that are established between different determinants/factors and which provide a much clearer picture of the agricultural sector than the analysis of the result/output and its contribution to GDP. The working methodology consisted in the comparative analysis of the statistical data related to the Member States and the aggregated general data for the EU 27 using the EUROSTAT data by processing them in order to achieve the proposed goal. The results indicate a high level of performance for a number of states that are not considered very important in this area and, in contrast, a lower level of performance for a number of states considered at the top of the pyramid in terms of performance. The derived indicators used and calculated within the research can represent basic elements in the fundamental analysis of the agricultural activity performance of a country and the European Union as a whole.
Optimization and Experiment of Hot Air Drying Process of Cyperus esculentus Seeds
Authors: Xia Xiaomeng , Jin Yvhan , Zhao Huiyan , Wang Gang , Huang Dongyan
Published: March 2023

To improve the drying efficiency, drying uniformity and germination rate after hot air drying of Cyperus esculentus seeds, this paper proposed a drying method that combines tempering and hot air drying. The drying curve of Cyperus esculentus was obtained by experiment. The influence of the drying method on the drying quality of Cyperus esculentus seeds and the trend of drying quality with the tempering process parameters (the tempering temperature, the moisture content of Cyperus esculentus at the beginning of tempering and the tempering duration) were analyzed by single-factor experiments. The regression models were established by star point design response surface methodology, and the relationships between the tempering process parameters and seed production quality indexes were analyzed. The results showed that the optimal combination of tempering process parameters was a tempering temperature of 24 °C, a moisture content of Cyperus esculentus at the beginning of tempering of 23%, and a tempering duration of 3 h. Under this combination, the tempering process increased the drying uniformity, germination rate and drying efficiency of Cyperus esculentus seeds by 21.122%, 4.205% and 22.832%, respectively. The error between the verification test value and the software optimization parameter value was acceptable. The study showed that the optimized tempering drying process significantly improved the drying quality of Cyperus esculentus seed production, and the results could provide a theoretical basis for production practices.
Differences in CO2 Emissions on a Bare-Drained Peat Area in Sarawak, Malaysia, Based on Different Measurement Techniques
Authors: Mos Hasimah , Harun Mohd Haniff , Jantan Nur Maisarah , Hashim Zulkifli , Ibrahim Anis Suriani , Yusup Yusri
Published: March 2023

The drainage and cultivation of peatlands will lead to subsidence and mineralisation of organic matter, increasing carbon (C) loss as more CO2 is emitted. There is little information about carbon emissions from bare peat soil. A study was undertaken to measure the CO2 emissions from a logged-over peat swamp area that was purposely vegetation-free. We aimed to report CO2 emissions from a bare, drained peatland developed for an oil palm plantation. For 12 months, we used eddy covariance (EC), closed chambers, and soil subsidence measurements to derive CO2 emissions from a logged-over peat swamp area. Significant variations in the estimated soil CO2 efflux were observed in the three tested measurement techniques. The average CO2 flux rate measured by the EC technique was 4.94 ± 0.12 µmol CO2 m−2 s−1 (or 68.55 tonnes CO2 ha−1 year−1). Meanwhile, the soil CO2 efflux rate measured by the closed chamber technique was 4.19 ± 0.22 µmol CO2 m−2 s−1 (or 58.14 tonnes CO2 ha−1 year−1). Subsidence amounted to 1.9 cm year−1, corresponding to 36.12 tonnes CO2 ha−1 year−1. The estimation of the C loss was found to be highest by the EC technique, lower by the soil chamber technique, and lowest by the peat subsidence rate technique. The higher CO2 emission rate observed in the EC technique could be attributed to soil microbial respiration and decomposing woody residues in the nearby stacking rows due to the large EC footprint. It could also be affected by CO2 advection from oil palms adjacent to the study site. Despite the large differences in the CO2 emission rates by the different techniques, this study provides valuable information on the soil heterotrophic respiration of deep peat in Sarawak. Carbon emissions from a bare peat area cover only a fraction of the soil CO2 respiration component, i.e., the soil heterotrophic respiration. Further investigations are needed to determine the CO2 emissions by soil microbial activities and plant roots from other peat areas in Sarawak.
Meat Quality of Male Layer-Type Chickens Slaughtered at Different Ages
Authors: Popova Teodora , Petkov Evgeni , Ignatova Maya , Vlahova-Vangelova Desislava , Balev Desislav , Dragoev Stefan , Kolev Nikolay , Dimov Krasimir
Published: March 2023

An experiment with male layer-type chickens of the Lohmann Brown Classic breed was carried out at the Institute of Animal Science-Kostinbrod, Bulgaria, aiming to investigate the effect of age at slaughter on the meat quality. The birds were reared in a controlled microclimate, with an initial stocking density of 22 birds/m2. At five weeks of age, fragmentation of the stocking density was applied, decreasing the number to seven birds/m2. Chickens were slaughtered at five and nine weeks of age at an average live weight of 329 g and 1096 g, respectively. After slaughter, 10 chickens from each age group were subjected to analysis to determine the quality of breast and thigh meat. The results of the study showed that the age affected the meat quality parameters of the male layer-type chickens and its effect differed between the breast and thigh. The chickens slaughtered at nine weeks of age displayed a lower pH but darker meat color (p < 0.001) than those slaughtered at five weeks. Furthermore, the older birds showed a significant decrease in the intramuscular fat content in thigh meat (p < 0.01) and a tendency for diminishing in breast meat. This decrease corresponded to the lower percentage of monounsaturated fatty acids (MUFA) in the meat of the nine-week-old chickens (p < 0.01). On the other hand, the meat of the older chickens displayed a higher content (p < 0.01) of polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA), especially n-6, leading to a considerably higher n-6/n-3 ratio.
Effect of SOD-Rich Melon Supplement on Performance, Serum Biochemical, Antioxidant and Meat Quality Characteristics of Tuj Lambs
Authors: Ölmez Mükremin , Riaz Roshan , Karadağoğlu Özlem , Şahin Tarkan , Şerbetçi İdil , Yılmaz Benian , Uysal Soner , Yörük Mehmet Akif
Published: March 2023

The present study aimed to evaluate the effects of SOD (superoxide dismutase)-rich melon feed supplement on some performance parameters, serum biochemical and antioxidant indexes, and meat quality characteristics of weaned Tuj lambs. An independent measures design (between groups) was used to determine these effects of treatment. After one week of the adaptation period, twenty-four weaned lambs at the age of 60 ± 5.0 days with a body weight of 23.14 ± 0.5 kg were divided into two groups, i.e., the control group (CON) fed basal diet and experimental group (EXP) fed with basal diet + SOD-rich melon (n = 12 per group). The results revealed a decrement in the (p < 0.05) feed efficiency ratio (5.88 ± 0.40 vs. 6.59 ± 0.86 kg weight gain/kg feed) and higher carcass yield (61.76 ± 0.80 vs. 60.11 ± 1.07%) in the EXP group as compared to the CON group. Additionally, the EXP group showed a significant increase (p < 0.05) in serum glucose and high-density lipoprotein levels, while there was a reduction in cholesterol, triglyceride, and low-density lipoprotein levels when compared to the CON group. The serum malondialdehyde was lowered (5.53 ± 0.47 vs. 5.98 ± 0.79 mmol/L) significantly (p < 0.05), while glutathione concentration was higher (p < 0.05) in the EXP group (17.82 ± 1.51 mmol/L) when compared to the CON group (16.54 ± 1.59 mmol/L). The cooking loss was also significantly (p < 0.05) lower in the EXP group when compared to the CON group. In conclusion, the results indicate that SOD-rich melon supplement (30 g/ton of the concentrate feed) can considerably improve carcass yield, some serum biochemical parameters, and meat quality characteristics in Tuj lambs. Thus, the supplementation of lamb diets with a SOD-rich melon additive may be used as an effective nutritional approach to improve their performance and health.
Fungicidal Activity of Caproate Produced by Clostridium sp. strain E801, a Bacterium Isolated from Cocopeat Medium Subjected to Anaerobic Soil Disinfestation
Authors: Shirane Shota , Momma Noriaki , Usami Toshiyuki , Suzuki Chiharu , Hori Tomoyuki , Aoyagi Tomo , Amachi Seigo
Published: March 2023

Anaerobic soil disinfestation (ASD) consists of the application of labile organic materials to soil, flooding, and covering the soil surface with plastic film. Anaerobic soil disinfestation is a widely used ecofriendly alternative to chemical fumigation for eliminating soil-borne plant pathogens. However, the exact mode of action of ASD has not been elucidated. In particular, the potential role of anaerobic soil bacteria in disinfestation is unclear. In this study, we isolated a predominant bacterium designated as strain E801 from cocopeat medium after laboratory-scale ASD with ethanol as the carbon source. The strain was closely related with Clostridium kluyveri, and fermentatively produced butyrate and caproate from ethanol and acetate. Interestingly, the culture supernatant of strain E801 strongly suppressed the growth of Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. lycopersici (Fol) in a pH-dependent manner. Among the volatile fatty acids produced by E801, only caproate showed significant growth suppression at pHs below 5.5. In addition, caproate eliminated Fol conidia completely at pHs 5.5 and 5.0 and suppressed Fol growth even at a low temperature (15 °C). Furthermore, cocopeat medium amended with caproate eliminated Fol conidia completely within 6 days. These results suggest that caproate is one of the key disinfestation factors in ethanol-based ASD and that the direct application of caproate to soil could be a promising strategy for rapid and stable soil disinfestation.
Accurate Phenotypic Identification and Genetic Analysis of the Ear Leaf Veins in Maize (Zea mays L.)
Authors: Guo Shangjing , Zhu Mingyi , Du Jianjun , Wang Jinglu , Lu Xianju , Jin Yu , Zhang Minggang , Guo Xinyu , Zhang Ying
Published: March 2023

The ear leaf veins are an important transport structure in the maize "source" organ; therefore, the microscopic phenotypic characteristics and genetic analysis of the leaf veins are particularly essential for promoting the breeding of ideal maize varieties with high yield and quality. In this study, the microscopic image of the complete blade cross section was realized using X-ray micro-computed tomography (micro-CT) technology with a resolution of 13.5 µm. Moreover, the veins’ phenotypic traits in the cross section of the complete maize leaf, including the number of leaf veins, midvein area, leaf width, and density of leaf veins, were automatically and accurately detected by a deep-learning-integrated phenotyping pipeline. Then, we systematically collected vein phenotypes of 300 inbred lines at the silking stage of the ear leaves. It was found that the leaf veins’ microscopic characteristics varied among the different subgroups. The number of leaf veins, the density of leaf veins, and the midvein area in the stiff-stalk (SS) subgroup were significantly higher than those of the other three subgroups, but the leaf width was the smallest. The leaf width in the tropical/subtropical (TST) subgroup was the largest, but there was no significant difference in the number of leaf veins between the TST subgroup and other subgroups. Combined with a genome-wide association study (GWAS), 61 significant single-nucleotide polymorphism markers (SNPs) and 29 candidate genes were identified. Among them, the candidate gene Zm00001d018081 regulating the number of leaf veins and Zm00001d027998 regulating the midvein area will provide new theoretical support for in-depth analysis of the genetic mechanism of maize leaf veins.
Developing a Safety Management Method for Endosulfan Using Biochar in Ginseng Fields
Authors: Jung Gun-Hee , Lee Hyo-Sub , Choi Geun-Hyoung , Park Sang-Won , Kim Jin-Hyo , Cho Jae-Young , Choi Hoon
Published: March 2023

Endosulfan is an endocrine disruptor that negatively affects the human central nervous system. Although perennial root vegetable crops have high risks of endosulfan absorption and transfer in soil, safety management studies addressing this problem are lacking. We evaluated endosulfan absorption and transition, as well as plant growth in ginseng cultivation soil, and developed a safety management method for field application. Total endosulfan residual concentrations in the soil and biochar 0.1–1.0% treatment groups were 52–73% after 532 d of spraying, and there was no reduction effect owing to biochar treatment. However, the endosulfan sulfate conversion rate decreased by 21.6–47.1% as the biochar amount increased. Further, there was a 47–95% reduction in the absorption and migration of endosulfan into ginseng in the biochar treatment compared to the control, demonstrating a reduction effect (p < 0.05). Ginseng grown in soil treated with 0.1% biochar showed no growth parameter differences compared to the control (p > 0.05); however, germination rates decreased to <59% when the soil was treated with ≥0.3% biochar. Soil treatment with 0.1% biochar can reduce endosulfan absorption and migration without adversely affecting crop growth. This treatment can be used at the cultivation site, depending on soil conditions.
Linking Climate Change Awareness, Climate Change Perceptions and Subsequent Adaptation Options among Farmers
Authors: Mustafa Ghulam , Alotaibi Bader Alhafi , Nayak Roshan K.
Published: March 2023

Several studies have reported farmers’ perceptions of climate change, but there is inadequate knowledge available on the farm households’ climate change awareness (CCA) in Pakistan. This study was undertaken to assess farmers’ CCA. For this purpose, the study collected the data from southern and central Punjab, Pakistan, through a purposively multistage random sampling technique. Binary logit and odds ratio were used to analyse the data. The analysis of the study shows that the majority of respondents were aware of climate change but had differing perceptions of climate change. This research showed that 70.8% of farmers are aware of climate change and reported their awareness level on winter and summer rainfall and temperature, the growing season length (GSL) of crops, the sea level rise, and the causes of climate changes and conceptual understanding of it while persistently denying climate change. However, many farmers did not perceive decreasing winter (48%) and summer (31.2%) precipitation, the majority of the farmers could not perceive in the GSL of summer (63.2%) and winter (64.4%) crops, while few did not notice increased winter (36.4%) and summer (33.6%) temperature, respectively. Financial and non-financial factors such as education (1.16), experience (1.07), distance to markets (1.07), non-agricultural income (2.83), access to agricultural credit (0.29) and marketing of produce (6.10), access to extension services (3.87) and the number of adaptation strategies (1.30) were pointedly related to farm households’ CCA. These odds values in the parenthesis show that the likelihood of CCA increases/decreases as these determinants increase. Moreover, the results of the study show that CCA is a significant predictor of adaptation to climate change. Main adaptation strategies opted for by farmers include changing crop variety and type, changing planting dates, tree plantation, increasing/changing fertilizer, soil and water conservation, off-farm income and diversification. Further, the study finds that some farmers did not perceive climate change as it takes time to be visible, but they are aware of climate change. Therefore, there is a need to reshape the households’ perception of climate change and enhance farmers’ CCA through existing extension services.
Rhizosphere Microbiomes of Amaranthus spp. Grown in Soils with Anthropogenic Polyelemental Anomalies
Authors: Muratova Anna , Gorelova Svetlana , Golubev Sergey , Kamaldinova Dilyara , Gins Murat
Published: March 2023

Study of rhizospheric microbial communities of plants growing under different environmental conditions is important for understanding the habitat-dependent formation of rhizosphere microbiomes. The rhizosphere bacterial communities of four amaranth cultivars were investigated in a laboratory pot experiment. Amaranthus tricolor cv. Valentina, A. cruentus cv. Dyuimovochka, and A. caudatus cvs. Bulava and Zelenaya Sosulka were grown for six months in three soils with different anthropogenic polyelemental anomalies and in a background control soil. After the plant cultivation, the rhizosphere soils were sampled and subjected to metagenomic analysis for the 16S rRNA gene. The results showed that the taxonomic structure of the amaranth rhizosphere microbiomes was represented by the dominant bacterial phyla Actinobacteriota and Proteobacteria. A feature of the taxonomic profile of the rhizobiomes of A. tricolor cv. Valentina and A. cruentus cv. Dyuimovochka was a large abundance of sequences related to Cyanobacteria. The formation of the amaranth rhizosphere microbiomes was largely unaffected by soils, but cultivar differences in the formation of the amaranth rhizosphere microbial structure were revealed. Bacterial taxa were identified that are possibly selected by amaranths and that may be important for plant adaptation to various habitat conditions. The targeted enrichment of the amaranth rhizosphere with members of these taxa could be useful for improving the efficacy of amaranth use for agricultural and remediation purposes.
Human Milk: Fast Determination of Docosahexaenoic Acid (DHA)
Authors: Kus-Yamashita Mahyara Markievicz Mancio , Cano Cristiane Bonaldi , Monteiro Vânia Claudia Barros , Catarino Regina Maria
Published: March 2023

Human milk provides all the nutrients required by babies during the first six months of their life. Human milk lipids represent the main source of energy, contributing almost 50% of the total energy content. Additionally, fatty acids ensure the correct development of children in the prenatal, postnatal, and infant phases. Docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) is essential for visual and cognitive development, and its presence during childhood can affect long-term health. This study aimed to optimize and validate a methodology for the direct determination of DHA in human milk. We used 20 samples of human milk from lactating women living in the city of Itu, São Paulo, who attended Basic Health Units from September 2019 to September 2020, and a sample of certified reference material from the National Institute of Standards and Technology. The proposed methodology consists of a validated mixed transesterification process without prior lipid extraction, optimized by factorial design. This methodology can be successfully used in human milk samples as it is both precise and accurate. The values of DHA in the sampled milks were similar to those in European countries and lower than those in Asian countries due to diet.
Comparative Analyses of the Fecal Microbiome of Five Wild Black-Billed Capercaillie (Tetrao parvirostris) Flocks
Authors: Gao Xiaodong , Wang Xibao , Wu Xiaoyang , Shang Yongquan , Mei Xuesong , Zhou Shengyang , Wei Qinguo , Sun Guolei , Dong Yuehuan , Cui Weijia , Zhang Honghai
Published: March 2023

Black-billed capercaillie (Tetrao parvirostris) was listed as a first-class state-protected animal because it was endangered in China (Category I). This study is the first to examine the diversity and composition of T. parvirostris gut microbiome in the wild. We collected fecal samples from five black-billed capercaillie flock roosting sites (each 20 km apart) in one day. Thirty fecal samples were sequenced with 16S rRNA gene amplicons on the Illumina HiSeq platform. This study is the first to analyze the fecal microbiome composition and diversity of black-billed capercaillie in the wild. At the phylum level, Camplyobacterota, Bacillota, Cyanobacteria, Actinomycetota, and Bacteroidota were the most abundant in the fecal microbiome of black-billed capercaillie. At the genus level, unidentified Chloroplast, Escherichia−Shigella, Faecalitalea, Bifidobacterium, and Halomonas were the dominant genera. Based on alpha and beta diversity analyses, we found no significant differences in the fecal microbiome between five flocks of black-billed capercaillie. Protein families: genetic information processing; protein families: signaling and cellular processes, carbohydrate metabolism; protein families: metabolism and energy metabolism are the main predicted functions of the black-billed capercaillie gut microbiome through the PICRUSt2 method. This study reveals the composition and structure of the fecal microbiome of the black-billed capercaillie under wild survival conditions, and this study provides scientific data for the comprehensive conservation of the black-billed capercaillie.
Transcriptome-Based Evaluation of Optimal Reference Genes for Quantitative Real-Time PCR in Yak Stomach throughout the Growth Cycle
Authors: Min Qi , Yang Lu , Wang Yu , Liu Yili , Jiang Mingfeng
Published: March 2023

Efficient nutritional assimilation and energy metabolism in the stomachs of yaks contribute to their adaption to harsh environments. Accurate gene expression profile analysis will help further reveal the molecular mechanism of nutrient and energy metabolism in the yak stomach. RT-qPCR is regarded as an accurate and dependable method for analyzing gene expression. The selection of reference genes is essential to obtain meaningful RT-qPCR results, especially in longitudinal gene expression studies of tissues and organs. Our objective was to select and validate optimal reference genes from across the transcriptome as internal controls for longitudinal gene expression studies in the yak stomach. In this study, 15 candidate reference genes (CRGs) were determined according to transcriptome sequencing (RNA-seq) results and the previous literature. The expression levels of these 15 CRGs were quantified using RT-qPCR in the yak stomach, including the rumen, reticulum, omasum and abomasum at five stages: 0 days, 20 days, 60 days, 15 months and three years old (adult). Subsequently, the expression stabilities of these 15 CRGs were evaluated via four algorithms: geNorm, NormFinder, BestKeeper and the comparative CT method. Furthermore, RefFinder was employed to obtain a comprehensive ranking of the stability of CRGs. The analysis results indicate that RPS15, MRPL39 and RPS23 are the most stable genes in the yak stomach throughout the growth cycle. In addition, to verify the reliability of the selected CRGs, the relative expression levels of HMGCS2 were quantified via RT-qPCR using the three most stable or the three least stable CRGs. Overall, we recommend combining RPS15, MRPL39 and RPS23 as reference genes for the normalization of RT-qPCR data in the yak stomach throughout the growth cycle.
Parameters of Metabolic Response to Surgical Trauma Induced via Unilateral Total Mastectomy Associated or Not to Ovariohysterectomy in Dogs
Authors: Rodigheri Sabrina Marin , Paiva Felipe Noleto de , Firmo Bruna Fernanda , Fuchs Taise , Mani Cynthia Bueno , Nardi Andrigo Barboza de
Published: March 2023

Surgical excision of solid tumors is required for local control of neoplasms. However, surgical trauma can stimulate the release of proangiogenic growth factors, suppressing cell-mediated immunity and favoring the development of micrometastases and progression of residual disease. The present study aimed to evaluate the intensity of the metabolic response to trauma induced via unilateral mastectomy in bitches with mammary neoplasia, the consequences of its joint performance with ovariohysterectomy, and their respective effects on the organic response. Two groups of animals were evaluated in seven perioperative moments, namely, unilateral mastectomy (G1) and unilateral mastectomy associated with ovariohysterectomy (G2). Thirty-two female dogs were selected, ten clinically healthy, and twenty-two diagnosed with mammary neoplasia. Surgical trauma reduced serum concentrations of albumin and interleukin-2 but increased blood levels of glucose and interleukin-6 in the postoperative of G1 and G2 patients. Moreover, serum cortisol levels increased after unilateral mastectomy associated with ovariohysterectomy. Our findings allowed us to conclude that unilateral mastectomy induces significant metabolic alterations in female dogs with mammary neoplasms and its joint performance with ovariohysterectomy increases the organic response to trauma.