bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Psychometric properties of the traditional Chinese version of the COVID Stress Scales in Hong Kong
Authors: Ng Ting Kin , Chan Wai , Wang Kitty Wan Ching
Published: March 2023

Introduction

The COVID Stress Scales (CSS) assess six domains of COVID-19-related stress, including (a) COVID danger, (b) COVID socioeconomic consequences, (c) COVID xenophobia, (d) COVID contamination, (e) COVID traumatic stress symptoms, and (f) COVID compulsive checking. Although the CSS have been validated in various cultural contexts, their psychometric properties in Hong Kong have not been examined. This study endeavors to validate the traditional Chinese version of the 36-item CSS (CSS-36) and the 18-item CSS (CSS-18) in Hong Kong.

Method

Participants were 521 Hong Kong undergraduate students (61% female) aged from 18 to 26 years (M = 20.65, SD = 1.56). An online questionnaire was used for data collection.

Results

The results of confirmatory factor analyses supported a six-factor structure for both the CSS-36 and the CSS-18. Multiple-group confirmatory factor analyses established the gender invariance of the six-factor model for both the CSS-36 and the CSS-18. The CSS-36 and the CSS-18 exhibited good internal consistency reliability and concurrent validity with fear of COVID-19 and negative emotional states.

Discussion

The findings offer evidence for the psychometric properties of the traditional Chinese version of the CSS-36 and the CSS-18 in the Hong Kong context.
Evaluation of oral health-related quality of life and its association with mental health status of patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus in the post-COVID-19 pandemic era: A study from Central Saudi Arabia
Authors: Thirunavukkarasu Ashokkumar , Alharbi Majed Sonitan , Salahuddin Mohammad , Al-Hazmi Ahmad Homoud , ALruwaili Bashayer Farhan , Alsaidan Aseel Awad , Almutairi Ahmad Saeed , Almuhaydib Rayyanah Nasser , Alrashoudi Latifah Ibrahim
Published: March 2023

Background and objectives

The association between oral and mental health is reciprocal, in which poor oral health may lead to several mental health issues, especially among patients with diabetes. The present study evaluated oral health-related quality of life (OHRQOL) and its association with mental health conditions among patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) in central Saudi Arabia.

Methods

The Arabic version of the Oral Health Impact Profile-14 (OHIP-14) questionnaire and the Depression, Anxiety, and Stress Scale-21 Items (DASS-21) were used to assess the OHRQOL and mental health status of patients with diabetes. We utilized logistic regression analysis to identify the predictors of poor OHRQOL, and Spearman’s correlation test to identify any correlations between OHIP-14 and overall DASS-21 scores, as well as each subscale.

Results

Of the 677 patients included in the present study, 52.7% had a poor OHRQOL, which was significantly higher (positive association) among patients with a longer duration of diabetes (adjusted odds ratio [AOR] = 3.31; 95% confidence interval [CI] = 1.96–4.17) and those who did not periodically monitor their oral health (AOR = 2.85; 95% CI = 1.76–3.89). Some forms (mild, moderate, severe, or extremely severe) of depression, anxiety, and stress were observed in 59.7, 71.1, and 67.1% of the participants, respectively. Furthermore, we found that the total OHRQOL scores had a significant positive association with depression (AOR = 2.32, 95% CI = 1.34–3.71, p = 0.001), anxiety (AOR = 1.81, 95% CI = 1.22–2.79, p = 0.003), and stress (AOR = 1.43, 95% CI = 1.14–2.19, p = 0.026).

Conclusion

The results of the present study suggest the importance of appropriate and targeted health education programs for T2DM patients to ensure periodic dental examinations and oral health. Additionally, we recommend counseling sessions for all T2DM patients with trained healthcare providers to improve their mental health status during follow-up visits at outpatient diabetes care centers.
The long COVID research literature
Authors: Porter Alan L. , Markley Mark , Newman Nils
Published: March 2023

While the COVID-19 pandemic morphs into less malignant forms, the virus has spawned a series of poorly understood, post-infection symptoms with staggering ramifications, i. e., long COVID (LC). This bibliometric study profiles the rapidly growing LC research domain [5,243 articles from PubMed and Web of Science (WoS)] to make its knowledge content more accessible. The article addresses What? Where? Who? and When? questions. A 13-topic Concept Grid presents bottom-up topic clusters. We break out those topics with other data fields, including disciplinary concentrations, topical details, and information on research “players” (countries, institutions, and authors) engaging in those topics. We provide access to results via a Dashboard website. We find a strongly growing, multidisciplinary LC research domain. That domain appears tightly connected based on shared research knowledge. However, we also observe notable concentrations of research activity in different disciplines. Data trends over 3 years of LC research suggest heightened attention to psychological and neurodegenerative symptoms, fatigue, and pulmonary involvement.
An agroecological turn in intermediating sustainability transitions with continuous living cover
Authors: Conway Tara Maireid
Published: March 2023

Continuous living cover's (CLC) perennial and winter annual crop varieties present a novel opportunity to increase the diversity and resiliency of agroecological systems in the Mid-Continent of North America. However, transforming the predominant agri-food regime remains a complex and daunting undertaking. In the face of such complexity, a recent body of literature highlights the particular importance of intermediaries in facilitating sustainability transition processes, which CLC agriculture's proponents can draw upon. Intermediaries can be defined as actors or organizations that positively influence sustainability transition processes by linking diverse entities, networks, institutions, activities and their related skills, knowledges, and resources. Simultaneously, agroecology, in the more political understanding of the term, can serve as an evaluative framework for agri-food transition processes to augment our understanding of intermediaries in sustainability transitions. This mini-review presents an overview of the emerging sustainability transition intermediary literature, an introduction to CLC agriculture's transition intermediaries, and the research gaps highlighted from an agroecological perspective. Integrating an agroecological lens attentive to the science, practice, and politics of intermediating agricultural transitions, this review proposes an adapted framework to understand and assess CLC agriculture's intermediaries. Thus, CLC agriculture presents a unique opportunity to iteratively draw upon and advance the sustainability transition intermediary literature.
Food production potential and environmental sustainability of different integrated farming system models in northwest India
Authors: Fatima Ayesha , Singh Vinod Kumar , Babu Subhash , Singh Rajiv Kumar , Upadhyay Pravin Kumar , Rathore Sanjay Singh , Kumar Basant , Hasanain Mohammad , Parween Hena
Published: March 2023

Accelerated energy use, negative environmental outcomes, and poor economic returns questioned the sustainability of contemporary agricultural production systems globally. The task is much more daunting in the northwestern part of India where the over exploitation of natural resources is a major concern for sustainable agricultural planning. An integrated farming system (IFS) encompasses various enterprises such as crops, dairy, poultry, and fisheries can offer a myriad of benefits in terms of enhanced farm productivity, profitability, and environmental sustainability. Hence, the study hypothesized that the complementary interaction between the different enterprises would improve food production and reduce negative environmental outcomes. Therefore, production potential and environmental sustainability in terms of energy efficiency, greenhouse gas emissions, and eco-efficiency of nine IFS models, namely, crop enterprise (M2); crop + dairy (M3); crop + dairy + fishery (M4); crop + dairy + fishery + poultry (M5); crop + dairy + fishery + poultry + duckery (M6); crop + dairy + fishery + poultry + duckery + apiary (M7); crop + dairy + fishery + poultry + duckery + apiary + boundary plantation (M8); crop + dairy + fishery + poultry + duckery + apiary + boundary plantation + biogas unit (M9); crop + dairy + fishery + poultry + duckery + apiary + boundary plantation + biogas unit + vermicompost (M10), were compared with the rice–wheat system (M1; the existing system). All the IFS models were tested between 2018 and 2021. The results revealed that the highest food production (61.5 Mg ha−1) was recorded under M10 followed by M9 (59.9 Mg ha−1). Concerning environmental sustainability, the combination of crop + dairy + fishery + poultry + duckery + apiary + boundary plantation + biogas unit + vermicompost (M10) recorded considerably higher energy output (517.6 × 103MJ ha−1), net energy gain (488.5 × 103MJ ha−1), energy ratio (17.8), and energy profitability (16.8 MJ MJ−1) followed by M9. Furthermore, the M10 had the lowest greenhouse gas (GHG) intensity (0.164 kg CO2eq per kg food production). However, M9 had the highest eco-efficiency index (44.1 INR per kg GHG emission) followed by M10. Hence, an appropriate combination of diversified and complementary enterprises in a form of IFS model is a productive and environmentally robust approach for sustainable food production in the northwestern part of India.
Comprehensive microsurgical anatomy of the middle cranial fossa: Part II—neurovascular anatomy
Authors: Tayebi Meybodi Ali , Mignucci-Jiménez Giancarlo , Lawton Michael T. , Liu James K. , Preul Mark C. , Sun Hai
Published: March 2023

In order to master the surgical approaches to the middle cranial fossa, the surgeon needs to understand the relevant bony anatomy. However, she/he also needs to have a clear and sound understanding of the neural and vascular anatomy because, oftentimes, the osseous anatomy (except for the optic apparatus) should be removed to expose and protect the neurovascular anatomy. This is the second of a two-part article discussing the neurovascular anatomy of the middle cranial fossa. A brief discussion of the surgical approaches follows.
Interplay between cross sectional analysis of risk factors associated with Toxoplasma gondii infection in pregnant women and their domestic cats
Authors: Hassanen Eman A. A. , Makau Dennis N. , Afifi Mohamed , Al-Jabr Omar A. , Abdulrahman Alshahrani Mohammed , Saif Ahmed , Anter Reham G. A. , El-Neshwy Wafaa M. , Ibrahim Doaa , Abou Elez Rasha M. M.
Published: March 2023

Toxoplasmosis is a global zoonotic disease caused by Toxoplasma gondii (T. gondii). The primary aim of this study was to identify hygienic and cat management practices that could affect the occurrence of T. gondii in cats and their owners in Sharqia Governorate, Egypt. T. gondii infection was evaluated in 80 pregnant women and 29 domestic cats using Real-time PCR. A questionnaire was administered to obtain information regarding the risk factors associated with T. gondii infection. Blood samples were collected from enrolled pregnant women, and fecal samples were collected from their pet cats. Firth logistic regression model complemented with random forest (RF) analysis was used to evaluate the association of different hygiene and cat management practices with T. gondii infection in pregnant women. T. gondii infection was identified in 27.5% of pregnant women and 17% of domestic cats. Drinking raw milk and contacting stray and pet cats were significantly associated with higher odds of T. gondii infection. The proportion of T. gondii-positive women who ate raw meat (60.0%) was higher than those ate heat-cooked meat (25.3%). Moreover, women who did not wash their hands after contact with cats were 6 times (OR 6.12; CI: 3.03–9.21) more likely to experience T. gondii infection than those washed their hands after cat contact. The RF analysis showed that washing hands constitute a serious yet preventable public health concern that requires targeted, community-specific efforts. Cat owners, particularly pregnant women, need to be aware about the risk of T. gondii infection, while handling cat and pet's owner should be advised to take necessary hygienic measures to prevent its infection.
Factors affecting superovulation induction in goats (Capra hericus): An analysis of various approaches
Authors: Khan Samiullah , Jamal Muhammad Ameen , Khan Ibrar Muhammad , Ullah Irfan , Jabbar Abdul , Khan Nazir Muhammad , Liu Yong
Published: March 2023

Goats are generally called a “poor man's cow” because they not only provide meat and milk but also other assistance to their owners, including skins for leather production and their waste, which can be used as compost for fertilizer. Multiple ovulation and embryo transfer (MOET) is an important process in embryo biotechnology, as it increases the contribution of superior female goats to breeding operations. The field of assisted reproductive biotechnologies has seen notable progress. However, unlike in cattle, the standard use of superovulation and other reproductive biotechnologies has not been widely implemented for goats. Multiple intrinsic and extrinsic factors can alter the superovulatory response, significantly restricting the practicability of MOET technology. The use of techniques to induce superovulation is a crucial step in embryo transfer (ET), as it accelerates the propagation of animals with superior genetics for desirable traits. Furthermore, the conventional superovulation techniques based on numerous injections are not appropriate for animals and are labor-intensive as well as expensive. Different approaches and alternatives have been applied to obtain the maximum ovarian response, including immunization against inhibin and the day-0 protocol for the synchronization of the first follicular wave. While there are several studies available in the literature on superovulation in cattle, research on simplified superovulation in goats is limited; only a few studies have been conducted on this topic. This review describes the various treatments with gonadotropin that are used for inducing superovulation in various dairy goat breeds worldwide. The outcomes of these treatments, in terms of ovulation rate and recovery of transferrable embryos, are also discussed. Furthermore, this review also covers the recovery of oocytes through repeated superovulation from the same female goat that is used for somatic cell nuclear transfer (SCNT).
β-defensin-4 as an endogenous biomarker in cows with mastitis
Authors: Neumann Stephan , Siegert Stephan , Fischer Anneke
Published: March 2023

Introduction

Defensins are peptides with antimicrobial and immunomodulatory effects. Their concentration could be altered during infections and thus provide information on the prognosis and course of the disease. The aim of the present study was to investigate the defensin concentration in cows with mastitis in order to find correlations between clinical expression and course of the disease and the defensin concentration in milk and blood.

Methods

A total of 85 dairy cows were examined. Of these, 30 animals suffered from acute clinical mastitis, 25 animals were diagnosed with subclinical mastitis and 30 animals were considered a healthy comparison group. Beta-Defensin-4 (DEFB-4) was determined by a species-specific enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) (Bovine Defensin Beta 4 ELISA Kit, MyBioSource).

Results

The highest concentrations of DEFB-4 were detected in the animals with acute clinical mastitis. Values of 0 to 895 pg/mL (median: 115 pg/mL) were measured in milk and 40–1,016 pg/mL (median: 245 pg/mL) in serum. The concentrations of this group differed significantly from those of the animals with subclinical mastitis (p < 0.0001 serum; p = 0.015 milk). In this group, concentrations of 15–211 pg/mL (median: 46 pg/mL) were recorded in milk and 20-271 pg/mL (median: 85 pg/mL) in serum.

Discussion

Our results also show that in cases of acute mastitis after 12 days of treatment there is still an active inflammatory process in the tissue, because no significant reduction of somatic cells and defensin could be found after re-examination. Since the DEFB-4 concentrations of animals with clinical mastitis that had to be treated with antibiotics differed significantly from those of animals with subclinical mastitis that did not require antibiotic treatment, it can be assumed that bovine DEFB-4 is an important endogenous parameter for the defense against bacterial infections of the udder.
A Scenario-Based Model Comparison for Short-Term Day-Ahead Electricity Prices in Times of Economic and Political Tension
Authors: Baskan Denis E. , Meyer Daniel , Mieck Sebastian , Faubel Leonhard , Klöpper Benjamin , Strem Nika , Wagner Johannes A. , Koltermann Jan J.
Published: March 2023

In recent years, energy prices have become increasingly volatile, making it more challenging to predict them accurately. This uncertain market trend behavior makes it harder for market participants, e.g., power plant dispatchers, to make reliable decisions. Machine learning (ML) has recently emerged as a powerful artificial intelligence (AI) technique to get reliable predictions in particularly volatile and unforeseeable situations. This development makes ML models an attractive complement to other approaches that require more extensive human modeling effort and assumptions about market mechanisms. This study investigates the application of machine and deep learning approaches to predict day-ahead electricity prices for a 7-day horizon on the German spot market to give power plants enough time to ramp up or down. A qualitative and quantitative analysis is conducted, assessing model performance concerning the forecast horizon and their robustness depending on the selected hyperparameters. For evaluation purposes, three test scenarios with different characteristics are manually chosen. Various models are trained, optimized, and compared with each other using common performance metrics. This study shows that deep learning models outperform tree-based and statistical models despite or because of the volatile energy prices.
Toward Explainable AutoEncoder-Based Diagnosis of Dynamical Systems
Authors: Provan Gregory
Published: March 2023

Autoencoders have been used widely for diagnosing devices, for example, faults in rotating machinery. However, autoencoder-based approaches lack explainability for their results and can be hard to tune. In this article, we propose an explainable method for applying autoencoders for diagnosis, where we use a metric that maximizes the diagnostics accuracy. Since an autoencoder projects the input into a reduced subspace (the code), we define a theoretically well-understood approach, the subspace principal angle, to define a metric over the possible fault labels. We show how this approach can be used for both single-device diagnostics (e.g., faults in rotating machinery) and complex (multi-device) dynamical systems. We empirically validate the theoretical claims using multiple autoencoder architectures.
Wireless Piezoelectric Motor Drive
Authors: Koc Burhanettin , Kist Sebastian , Hamada Ammar
Published: March 2023

Nanopositioners with embedded piezoelectric motors are used in a variety of industries, from microscopy to laser processing or measurement systems. A concrete example would be fine-tuning of multiple mirror or lens units in a system. After fine adjustment of a mirror or lens, its position is expected to be maintained when the system is not energized. Features such as small size, direct drive, and maintaining position with high rigidity at power off make inertia-type piezoelectric motors suitable for such “set and go”-type applications. However, wiring with dedicated control electronics for each positioner can increase system complexity. In this study, a wireless driving method for piezoelectric inertia-type motors is introduced for the first time, to the best of our knowledge. In our approach, sawtooth signals for driving a two-phase piezoelectric inertia motor are converted into two complementary pulse-width-modulated (PWM) signals at 1.0 MHz and amplified by class-D amplifier topology, in which GaN transistors are implemented. The amplified complementary PWM signals are applied to a transmitter coil. A receiver coil, which forms an LC network with the capacitances of the piezoelectric multilayer actuators, picks up the driving signals. The filtered voltage waveform by the receiver coil is converted into a modified sawtooth signal, which can operate the piezoelectric inertia-type motor wirelessly. Initial measurements revealed that even a single driving pulse can be transmitted to the receiver coil and precise movements of the slider can be obtained. Mean step sizes for single pulse drive are 140 nm in one direction and 125 nm in the reverse direction.
Passability and Internode Mechanics Analysis of a Multisection Micro Pipeline Robot
Authors: Chen Shengtao , Teng Kai , Zhang Kang , Wang Xiaolu , Xia Lei , Zhang Meiyu , Zhang Yibo , Gong Yongjun
Published: March 2023

In submarine oil and gas pipelines, the movement of a differential pressure multisection pipeline robot mainly relies on the front and rear driving pressure difference of the fluid and the friction between the cup and the pipe wall. The passability of the pipeline is a key point to guarantee success in scanning and detecting the inner wall of a pipeline by robot. When the multisection pipeline robot moves, the force of the internode connection points changes the degree of freedom of the robot. The existence of the connection points causes speed fluctuations in the robot during the movement process which, in turn, affects the detection accuracy of the pipeline. Consequently, a systematic analysis of the connection point movement is of great importance. In this paper, a rigid–flexible, coupled, multibody, dynamic motion system is established, where a multisection micro pipeline robot is built. The cup of the robot is set as a flexible body. The motion law of the differential pressure multisection pipeline robot is analyzed through simulation, and the robot’s motion speed and internode stress of the different cabin sections are explored jointly in practice. Taking the transportation of an oil and gas pipeline into full consideration, the motion law and force of the multisection pipeline robot are analyzed by changing the bulge and turning the radius of the inner wall of the pipeline. A corresponding experimental bench is built to explore the effects of different numbers of cups and lengths of the cabin sections on the turning characteristics of the robot. Simulations and experiments results are highly similar and within the error range. To this end, the presented work provides significant information for the model selection of multisection micro pipeline robots in the fields of submarine oil and gas pipelines.
A Categorization of Resilience: A Scoping Review
Authors: Nieuwborg Alexander , Hiemstra-van Mastrigt Suzanne , Melles Marijke , Zekveld Jan , Santema Sicco
Published: March 2023

The COVID-19 pandemic exposed the existential public health and economic fragilities of the civil aviation industry. To prevent future public health disruptions, the civil aviation industry is gaining interest in becoming more “resilient” but rarely elaborates on its meaning, hampering decision-making and strategy development. When looking into the academic literature it seems that a proliferation of resilience-related concepts occurred. Although enriching resilience, it also dilutes its meaning and reduces its use for practice. This paper aims to create concept clarity regarding resilience by proposing a categorization of resilience. Based upon a scoping review, this categorization dissects resilience into four reoccurring aspects: fragility, robustness, adaptation, and transformation. This categorization is expected to support sensemaking in disruptive times while assisting decision-making and strategy development on resilience. When applying this categorization in the civil aviation and public health context, the transformative aspect seems underused. Further research will focus on maturing the categorization of resilience and its use as a sensemaking tool.
Time-Series-Data Interpolation Applied to Boundary-Layer Profiles Measured on Different Flights
Authors: Takahashi Hidemi , Kurita Mitsuru , Iijima Hidetoshi , Koga Seigo
Published: March 2023

Turbulent boundary-layer profiles on an aircraft surface were measured during flight by pitot rakes in an experiment at subsonic speeds. Because separate flights have different flight sequences in terms of time, it is not easy to compare boundary-layer profiles measured on different flights with the corresponding premised conditions directly. Using one flight as a reference, this paper proposes a method to find the closest flight condition for each time instance from data from other flights by calculating a residual norm in combinations of flight variables. The results show that the proposed method successfully finds the best matches of the time instances from the second flight with those of the first flight. In addition, applying the interpolation method using response surface methodology further improves the accuracy of evaluation in the flight range of Mach 0.4 to Mach 0.8. The total uncertainty level of the proposed interpolation method was found to be 5.7%. Although this level of uncertainty is expected to be reduced, the effectiveness of the proposed interpolation method was presented in conjunction with an evaluation of its applicability to determine the riblet effect in reducing skin-friction drag qualitatively.
Radiation Dose Detection on FY-4B Satellite
Authors: Sun Ying , Zhang Binquan , Zhang Xiaoxin , Shen Guohong , Jing Tao , Zhang Shenyi , Zhang Xianguo , Huang Cong , Li Jiawei , Zong Weiguo , Zhang Xin , Zhang Huanxin
Published: March 2023

The radiation damage effect is relatively serious during spacecraft operation in orbit. To know the real cumulative dose in orbit accurately, a radiation dose detector is carried on the FY-4B satellite. It comprises one electric control unit and three dose detectors, with a total of four payloads. Each dose detector includes five dose-monitoring points corresponding to different shielding thicknesses, which are mainly used for the measurement of the dose depth. Three dose detectors with the same function are installed in the X, Y and Z positions and can detect the total dose in different directions during the operation of the satellite. Each detector has the characteristics of small size, high integration and low power consumption. At present, the FY-4B satellite is in orbit. The detectors have been working normally since they were started up, and good preliminary detection results have been obtained. From the power-up of the detectors to April 2022, the maximum dose has reached 2.7 × 103 rad(Si). We conducted a preliminary analysis of the relationship between total dose and shielding thickness. In addition, the relationship between daily average dose and shielding thickness was further analyzed. These studies have application value for radiation protection design.
A Framework to Elaborate on the Requirements for Electrified Commuter and Regional Aircraft
Authors: Helmchen Fabian , Armanini Sophie F. , Hupfer Andreas
Published: March 2023

With increasing capabilities of electric motors and energy storage, aircraft designs for electrified commuter and regional aircraft become more relevant than ever. Design concepts are often derived and optimised according to existing, conventional reference aircraft; however, their characteristics differ and the underlying trade-offs are divergent. This work aims to derive and describe major external requirements for the design of proposed commuter and regional aircraft system. Therefore, a travel time benefit analysis was conducted that considered the European NUTS-3 regions, as well as the concentration of population. Total travel times for individual road, high-speed rail, commuter air services, and traditional airline services were compared. Travel time calculations were based mostly on third-party road and railway APIs, whereas airline services were based on air traffic management data. The data show a concentration of potential commuter connections on distances between 200 and 950 km. The majority of these connections are currently operated on airline flights, which involve extraordinarily long first/last mile transportation. The majority of regions are already well covered with airfields offering sufficient runway length; however, air traffic capacities and apron space could become major bottlenecks when considering a possible shift from airline to decentral commuter air services.
An Experimental and Numerical Study for Discrete Element Model Parameters Calibration: Gluten Pellets
Authors: Ben Zongyou , Zhang Xubo , Yang Duoxing , Chen Kunjie
Published: March 2023

Discrete element method (DEM) simulation is widely used to calculate the flow characteristics of particles under certain conditions. DEM input parameters are the prerequisite for the accurate modeling and simulation of particles. In order to explore the mechanical properties and breaking behavior of gluten pellets, the pellet material property, the interaction parameters of pellet–stainless steel and pellet–pellet (multi-spheres autofill model), and the bonding parameters (bonded particle model) were calibrated by experiments and simulations. The relative error of the angle of repose, the breaking displacement, and the breaking force between simulated and experimental values were 0.28%, 0.66%, and 1.09%, respectively. Based on the regression analysis in the Design-Expert 12.0 software, the relationships among evaluating indicators (angle of repose, breaking displacement, and breaking force) and their corresponding influencing factors were established, respectively. Meanwhile, the feasibility of applying the interaction parameters of the multi-spheres autofill model to the bonded particle model was verified through the free fall test, the inclined plane sliding test, and the inclined plane tumbling time test. This work can provide a reference for the design of pellet feed processing and transportation machinery.
Effect of Cymbopogon citratus on Enteric Methane Emission, Nutrients Digestibility, and Energy Partition in Growing Beef Cattle
Authors: Vázquez-Carrillo María Fernanda , Zaragoza-Guerrero Reynaldo , Corona-Gochi Luis , González-Ronquillo Manuel , Castillo-Gallegos Epigmenio , Castelán-Ortega Octavio Alonso
Published: March 2023

Methane production is a waste of energy for ruminants and contributes to greenhouse gas emissions. The objective of the present study was to evaluate the anti-methanogenic effect of increasing the supplementation levels of Cymbopogon citratus (CC) on the dry matter intake (DMI), digestibility, methane (CH4) production, and partitioning of the gross energy intake in growing beef heifers fed with a diet high in forage (68.6% forage: 31.4% concentrate). An experiment was conducted using Holstein × Charolais heifers distributed in a 4 × 4 Latin square design. The experimental treatments were: (1) control diet (CO), (2) CO + 30 g CC DM/d, (3) CO + 60 g CC DM/d CC, and (4) CO + 90 g CC DM/d. A reduction of 22.4% in methane yield (CH4 g/kg DMI) and a reduction of 21.2% in the Ym factor was observed with the 30 CC treatment (p ≤ 0.05). However, no significant differences (p > 0.05) were observed for the total daily CH4 production, DMI, nutrient digestibility, and gross energy intake partitioning in the heifers. Therefore, we concluded that the supplementation of 30 g CC DM/d reduced the CH4 yield without affecting the animal performance. However, the anti-methanogenic properties of Cymbopogon citratus deserve more investigation.
Effect of Storage Conditions on Freshness Indexes and Mold Count of Fishmeal
Authors: Geng Jie , Shao Yankai , Li Wuyingni , Jiang Shanchen , Niu Zhiyou , Liu Jing
Published: March 2023

To explore the effect of storage conditions on the freshness of fishmeal, the acid value (AV), volatile basic nitrogen (VBN), and pH value were used as freshness evaluation indexes to explore the changes in freshness during storage and the influence of mold count on these indexes. The effects of storage temperature and relative humidity (RH) on AV, VBN, pH value, and mold count were studied using a single-factor test, and grey relation analysis (GRA) was used to assess the association between mold count and freshness indexes. The appropriate storage conditions were determined using the technique for order preference by similarity to ideal solution (TOPSIS) method, which provides theoretical support for fishmeal storage. The results showed that the AV increased during the storage of fishmeal, while the VBN and pH value decreased; the pH value tended to be stable in the later storage stage. The VBN and pH values could not be used as evaluation indexes in the early stage of deterioration. Higher storage temperature was conducive to the storage of fishmeal, but higher RH was not. The results of the GRA showed that the mold count was correlated with each freshness index. The correlation between mold count and VBN was the largest, followed by AV, and the correlation with pH value was the smallest. The TOPSIS method finally determined the suitable storage conditions for fishmeal to be around 25 °C for storage temperature and 60% for RH. The results serve as a future reference for the storage of fishmeal.
Effect of Osmopriming with Melatonin on Germination, Vigor and Health of Daucus carota L. Seeds
Authors: Rosińska Agnieszka , Andrzejak Roman , Kakkerla Vignan
Published: March 2023

Carrot is one of the most frequently grown vegetables in Poland and in the world. Seed-borne pathogenic fungi negatively influence their quality as well as the quantity and quality of carrot root yield. Melatonin is a PGR, which includes protective effects against biotic and abiotic stress factors and antioxidant effects. The aim of this experiment was to determine the effect of osmopriming with melatonin on germination, vigor and carrot seeds health. Carrot seeds were osmoprimed in a solution of polyethylene glycol (PEG) with an osmotic potential of −1.5 MPa at 20 °C for 7 days; melatonin was added to the PEG solution at doses of 25, 50, 100 or 200 µM. Generally, osmopriming with the addition of melatonin significantly improved germination capacity at first and final counts (sample I about 7–14% and sample II 35–43%), reduced the incidence of Alternaria alternata, A. radicina and Fusarium spp. and increased the percentage of non-sporulating hyphae. Treating accelerated the germination of seeds at a significant rate in comparison with untreated seeds and treated with fungicide, especially at low dosage, i.e., 25–50 µM. MGT of primed seeds with the addition of melatonin at dose 25 µM shortened about 0.5 day (sample I) and 1 day (sample II) The effect of melatonin on seed quality parameters was comparable or better than treating with fungicide. The results suggest that melatonin could replace fungicides in the future, which are harmful to the environment.
Production Data Management of Smart Farming Based on Shili Theory
Authors: Li Shuyao , Wu Wenfu , Wang Yujia , Zhang Na , Sun Fanhui , Jiang Feng , Wei Xiaoshuai
Published: March 2023

The development of smart farming comes with a lot of data problems. Studies have shown this is due to insufficient cognition of the structural relationship between data and events. Shili Theory is an attractive concept. To embed intelligent agricultural technology in events and the natural environment, especially to unify and standardize agricultural production data, firstly, this paper has defined the concept of Shili Theory which researches the natural regularity of the event by Shili Mirrored Structure. Secondly, this paper has proposed a Shili Mirrored Structure based on the technology development path (from the human brain memory mechanism to the information storage mechanism to intelligent technology). Finally, the structure has been applied to develop an intelligent system of agricultural production data management. In rice production of Jilin Province, it forms the event chain of the whole plant 5T (seed, seeding, paddy shoot, grain, product period operation) and grain period 5T (harvesting, field stacking, drying, warehousing, storing). The system application shows that this management structure can reduce data flow, improve data utilization, and enhance the correlation between data and events. It can realize the quality improvement of the agricultural production process, especially revealing the 8.83% significant latent loss in rice harvest.
Multi-Omics and Genome Editing Studies on Plant Cell Walls to Improve Biomass Quality
Authors: Sirangelo Tiziana Maria , Ludlow Richard Andrew , Chenet Tatiana , Pasti Luisa , Spadafora Natasha Damiana
Published: March 2023

Biomass is one of the most important sources of renewable energy and plays an important role in reducing our reliance on fossil fuels. Efficient biomass production is essential to obtain large amounts of sustainable energy with minimal environmental cost. However, the biochemical and molecular processes behind the synthesis of the main components of biomass are still not fully understood. This review provides a comprehensive summary of the most relevant studies on cell wall biosynthesis and degradation mechanisms, focusing on the lignocellulosic component, in which the conversion process to fermentable sugars is expensive, due to its recalcitrant nature. A focus is placed on multi-omics research involving genomics, transcriptomics, proteomics, metabolomics, and phenomics, since multi-omics approaches offer a unique opportunity to investigate the biological pathways underlying the genotype traits characterizing cell wall energy crops. Furthermore, our study highlights the advances in genome editing approaches and proposes the modification of the genes that are involved in the complex cell wall structure as a feasible solution to an efficient biomass production. Several key points for future research activities based on these emerging technologies are also discussed, focusing on the combination of multi-omics and gene editing approaches, which offer potential for improved biomass valorization and the development of tangible bioproducts.
Zeolite and Ascophyllum nodosum-Based Biostimulant Effects on Spinach Gas Exchange and Growth
Authors: Castronuovo Donato , Comegna Alessandro , Belviso Claudia , Satriani Antonio , Lovelli Stella
Published: March 2023

Among the innovative practices of dry-farming in recent years, the possibility of the combined use of biostimulants and soil conditioners is assuming an important role. In a preliminary pot experiment, this study aimed to verify the combined effects of Ascophyllum nodosum-based biostimulant and zeolite applied to the soil on gas-exchange and spinach growth. We also monitored the soil water content to study the effect on spinach soil water uptake. Pots were filled with soil to which zeolite and an Ascophyllum nodosum-based biostimulant were added. Spinach plants grew into pots and were subjected to four treatments: (1) soil plus zeolite at a percentage of 1%, (2) soil plus the biostimulant, (3) soil plus zeolite at 1% and biostimulant, (4) bare soil as control. The use of the zeolite and the A. nodosum-based biostimulant led to a higher (+10%) soil water content, highlighting the positive role in allowing a good water uptake by the spinach plant. Plant growth was not changed, while only photosynthesis showed an increase equal to 6% in spinach plants. These results are discussed with the soil water content variation according to modification induced by treatments. The combined use of zeolite and A. nodosum-based biostimulant can be considered a strategy to improve water storage and, at the same time, improve spinach cultivation in terms of sustainability.
Predicting the Occurrence and Risk Damage Caused by the Two-Spotted Spider Mite Tetranychus urticae (Koch) in Dry Beans (Phaseolus vulgaris L.) Combining Rate and Heat Summation Models for Digital Decisions Support
Authors: Damos Petros , Papathanasiou Fokion , Tsikos Evaggelos , Kyriakidis Thomas , Louta Malamati
Published: March 2023

In this work, we use developmental rate models to predict egg laying activity and succession of generations of T. urticae populations under field conditions in the Prespa lakes region in Northern Greece. Moreover, the developmental rate model predictions are related to accumulated heat summations to be compared with actual bean damage and to generate pest-specific degree-day risk thresholds. The oviposition was predicted to start at 57.7 DD, while the first peak in egg laying was estimated to be at 141.8 DD. The second and third peak in egg production were predicted to occur at 321.1 and 470.5 DD, respectively. At the degree-day risk threshold, half development of the first summer generation was estimated at 187 DD and 234 DDm while for the second, it was estimated at 505 DD and 547 DD for 2021 and 2022, respectively. According to the model predictions, no significant differences were observed in the mean generation time (total egg to adult development) of T. urticae between the two observation years (t = 0.01, df = 15, p = 0.992). The total generation time was estimated at 249.3 (±7.7) and 249.2 (±6.7), for 2021 and 2022, respectively. The current models will contribute towards predictions of the seasonal occurrence and oviposition of T. urticae to be used in pest management decision-making. Moreover, the development of population model is a prerequisite for the buildup and implementation of smart plant protection solutions.
A New Method for Estimating Irrigation Water Use via Soil Moisture
Authors: Zhu Liming , Gu Zhangze , Tian Guizhi , Zhang Jiahao
Published: March 2023

The ability to obtain an accurate measure of irrigation water use is urgently needed in order to provide further scientific guidance for irrigation practices. This investigation took soil moisture and precipitation as the study objects and quantitatively analyzed their relationship by establishing four models: a linear model, a logarithmic model, a soil water balance model, and a similarity model. The results from building models on every site clearly revealed the relationship between soil moisture and precipitation and confirmed the feasibility of estimating irrigation water use when soil moisture data are known. Four models combined with soil moisture data were used to estimate irrigation water use. First, the 16 sites which monitor soil moisture conditions in Hebi City were identified as study objects, from which everyday meteorological data (temperature, precipitation, atmospheric pressure, wind speed, sunshine duration) and soil moisture data from 2015 to 2020 (totaling six years) were collected. Second, the eligible data from the first four years in the date range were used to create four kinds of models (linear model, logarithmic model, soil water balance model, and similarity model) to estimate the amount of water input to the soil surface based on soil moisture. Third, the eligible data from the last two years in the established date range were used to verify the established models on every site and then judge the accuracy of the models. For example, for site 53990, the RMSE of the linear model, logarithmic model, soil water balance model, and similarity model was 10,547, 10,302, 8619, and 7524, respectively. The results demonstrate that the similarity model proposed in this study can express the quantitative relationship between soil moisture and precipitation more accurately than the other three models. Based on this conclusion, the eligible soil moisture data known in the specific site were ultimately used to estimate the irrigation water use in the field by the relationship expressed in the similarity model. Compared with the amount of irrigation water data recorded, the estimated irrigation water use yielded by the similarity model in this study was 18.11% smaller. In a future study, microwave satellite remote sensing of soil moisture data, such as SMAP and SMOS soil moisture data, will be used to evaluate the performance of estimated regional irrigation water use.
Development of Integrated Farming System Model—A Step towards Achieving Biodiverse, Resilient and Productive Green Economy in Agriculture for Small Holdings in India
Authors: Shyam C. S. , Shekhawat Kapila , Rathore Sanjay Singh , Babu Subhash , Singh Rajiv Kumar , Upadhyay Pravin Kumar , Dass Anchal , Fatima Ayesha , Kumar Sandeep , Sanketh G. D. , Singh Vinod Kumar
Published: March 2023

The agrarian communities of South Asia are dominated by small and marginal farmers (<2.0 ha operational holdings) and are confronted with manifold challenges of lower productivity, income, and resource degradation. For optimized and efficient resource use, a shift from business as usual towards green economy is imperative. Therefore, a study to address these challenges, through integrating diverse crops and allied enterprises under an integrated farming system (IFS) model was carried out. We hypothesized that a standardized IFS model with appropriate location-specific modules will have higher system output, income, and lesser environmental footprints. Vegetable cultivation (VC), protected vegetable cultivation (PVC), field crops (FC), mushroom production (MP), and beekeeping (BK) were evaluated under the IFS model, with objectives to optimize the coherent use of available farm resources with enhancing system productivity and profitability. Among the FC module, the system productivity increased from 21–247% of different cropping systems, over the predominant rice–wheat system (RWS). The integration of different components, viz., VP + PVC + FC + AHS + MP + BK + VC in M10 resulted in achieving the maximum water productivity (6.72 kg/m3), energy productivity (1.50 kg/MJ), net return (9446 USD/ha), employment opportunities (792 man-days), sustainable livelihood index (70.2%), and nutrient cycling (138.12, 67.9, and 381.6 kg/ha of nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium, respectively). These findings can be a scientific basis for the optimization and sustainable management of natural resources under different modules of IFS for the less-endowed small and marginal farmers.
Investigation of Flower Yield and Quality in Different Color Safflower Genotypes
Authors: Erbaş Sabri , Mutlucan Murat
Published: March 2023

The present study was carried out to determine variations in flower and dye yield and chemical contents of safflower genotypes with different flower colors in 2017–2018. The flower and dyestuff yields of the genotype ranged between 6.6–12.0 kg da−1 and 218.1–421.7 g da−1, respectively. The TPC and high antioxidant capacity values were listed according to flower color as yellow > orange > red > white. Gallic, rosmarinic and chlorogenic acid were higher in orange-flowered genotypes, kaempferol in red-flowered and catechin in yellow and orange-flowered. The oil content ranged between 4.32–6.12%. In flowers, linoleic acid ranged between 32.77–48.27%, α-linolenic acid 1.85–3.38% and γ-linolenic acid 14.76–18.50%. According to the Headspace Solid Phase Microextraction (HS-SPME) technique; the main scent molecules of flowers were β-caryophyllene, α-pinene, 1-tetradecene, β-cedrene, α-cedrene and β-myrcene. The C* value of flowers was positively correlated with the total phenolic content and dyestuff content in both years, and genotypes with high C value showed high antioxidant activity. Askon-42 can be recommended for high flower yield, dyestuff content and yield among genotypes, and US-10 genotype for the total phenolic content and antioxidant activity. For further research, it will guide the use of different colored safflower flower extracts, which are natural dye sources, in natural cosmetic products.