bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Bronchoscopy using a head-mounted mixed reality device—a phantom study and a first in-patient user experience
Authors: Kildahl-Andersen Arne , Hofstad Erlend Fagertun , Sorger Hanne , Amundsen Tore , Langø Thomas , Leira Håkon Olav , Kiss Gabriel
Published: June 2023

Background: Bronchoscopy for peripheral lung lesions may involve image sources such as computed tomography (CT), fluoroscopy, radial endobronchial ultrasound (R-EBUS), and virtual/electromagnetic navigation bronchoscopy. Our objective was to evaluate the feasibility of replacing these multiple monitors with a head-mounted display (HMD), always providing relevant image data in the line of sight of the bronchoscopist.

Methods: A total of 17 pulmonologists wearing a HMD (Microsoft® HoloLens 2) performed bronchoscopy with electromagnetic navigation in a lung phantom. The bronchoscopists first conducted an endobronchial inspection and navigation to the target, followed by an endobronchial ultrasound bronchoscopy. The HMD experience was evaluated using a questionnaire. Finally, the HMD was used in bronchoscopy inspection and electromagnetic navigation of two patients presenting with hemoptysis.

Results: In the phantom study, the perceived quality of video and ultrasound images was assessed using a visual analog scale, with 100% representing optimal image quality. The score for video quality was 58% (95% confidence interval [CI] 48%–68%) and for ultrasound image quality, the score was 43% (95% CI 30%–56%). Contrast, color rendering, and resolution were all considered suboptimal. Despite adjusting the brightness settings, video image rendering was considered too dark. Navigation to the target for biopsy sampling was accomplished by all participants, with no significant difference in procedure time between experienced and less experienced bronchoscopists. The overall system latency for the image stream was 0.33–0.35 s. Fifteen of the pulmonologists would consider using HoloLens for navigation in the periphery, and two would not consider using HoloLens in bronchoscopy at all. In the human study, bronchoscopy inspection was feasible for both patients.

Conclusion: Bronchoscopy using an HMD was feasible in a lung phantom and in two patients. Video and ultrasound image quality was considered inferior to that of video monitors. HoloLens 2 was suboptimal for airway and mucosa inspection but may be adequate for virtual bronchoscopy navigation.
Lab Culture: How do Scientists Grow and Study Bacteria?
Authors: Hare Patricia J. , Mok Wendy W. K.
Published: June 2023

Bacteria are the microorganisms all around us—on our bodies, in our food, and in the environment. Some bacteria are helpful, but others can cause disease. To learn how bacteria protect or hurt us, researchers usually grow the bacteria in their labs so that they have many of them to study. In this article, you will learn about how we “culture” bacteria in the lab and how different culture methods can affect bacterial behavior. We will tell the story of a new culture system that our research lab developed for studying interactions between different types of bacteria. Finally, you will learn about the clever ways that scientists separate out different types of bacteria, using a method called selective plating. Learning these methods is a fundamental first step for researchers who study how to nurture bacteria that are good for us and fight disease-causing bacteria!
Food safety in the horticultural sector in Ghana: challenges, risk factors and interventions
Authors: Essilfie Gloria Ladjeh , Lamptey Samuel , Baddoo Rosalyne Naa Norkor , Amenorpe Godwin , Hevi Walter , Owusu Margaret , Atupra Faustina
Published: June 2023

The fruit and vegetable industry remains one of Ghana’s most promising agricultural sectors mainly because of heightened awareness of the health benefits associated with their consumption. However, food safety is of ultimate concern due to the association of foodborne hazards resulting in escalation of foodborne illness. This report is a review of key foodborne hazards in Ghana’s horticultural value chain. The study identified the risk factors and hazards that contaminate fruits and vegetables in addition to existing methods for mitigating health risks and reducing pathogen levels in the produce. The study revealed that enteric pathogens such as Escherichia coli and Salmonella spp. mainly contaminate produce through fresh manure and contaminated irrigation water used during the production of vegetables. Chemical hazards identified included pesticides (organochlorine pesticides) and heavy metals such as cadmium, arsenic, chromium, and lead. Physical hazards identified included twigs, roots, sand, and stones. Washing fruits and vegetables thoroughly with potable water and sanitizing with vinegar and Chlorine solutions were among the common practices stakeholders adopted to reduce microbial levels. Soil remediation was also reported as a common approach for reducing chemical contaminants in agricultural fields. The study, therefore, recommends establishing a traceability system as well as appropriate measures and standards for hygienic practices for fresh fruits and vegetables produced and sold on the local market in Ghana. Value chain actors should be sensitized regularly on measures and interventions that can be employed to significantly reduce the levels of foodborne hazards and associated risks.
Effects of varied nutrient regimes on soil health and long-term productivity in a rice–wheat system: insights from a 29-year study in the mollisols of the Himalayan Tarai region
Authors: Bhatt Manoj Kumar , Singh D. K. , Raverkar K. P. , Chandra Ramesh , Pareek Navneet , Dey Prithwiraj , Pramanick Biswajit , Joshi Hem Chandra , Kumar Mukesh , Gaber Ahmed , Alsuhaibani Amnah Mohammed , Hossain Akbar
Published: June 2023

The maintenance of sustainability and quantification of soil health in the rice–wheat system in the Himalayan tarai region is of utmost importance, and a long-term study can properly demonstrate what needs to be done to achieve this. The current study was conducted after the completion of a 29-year crop cycle in the rice–wheat system in 2015 at Pantnagar. Since the beginning of the experiment in 1984, various NPK combinations with or without Zn and farmyard manure (FYM) applications were maintained in a fixed layout along with an absolute control plot without any external nutrition. FYM at 5 mg ha−1 and Zn at 5 kg ha−1 were applied in only rice, and NPK-chemical fertilizers were applied both in rice and wheat. The results revealed that the application of N at 120 kg ha−1 + P at 40 kg ha−1 + K at 40 kg ha−1 + FYM at 5 mg ha−1 + Zn at 5 kg ha−1 (NPK + FYM + Zn) resulted in the maximum attainment of long-term system productivity and the sustainable yield index (SYI), which were 22% higher than those with NPK application. NPK + FYM + Zn and NPK + FYM also improved the soil's overall physical, chemical, and biological parameters. Soil organic carbon, dehydrogenase activity, soil available P and K, phosphate solubilizing bacteria, and actinomycetes were found to be the most important soil quality parameters in Mollisols. From this study, it can be concluded that the application of the recommended NPK along with FYM and Zn can improve soil health and sustain the system productivity of the rice–wheat system in Mollisols of the Himalayan tarai region.
Tox21Enricher-Shiny: an R Shiny application for toxicity functional annotation analysis
Authors: Combs Parker , Erickson Jeremy , Hsieh Jui-Hua , Guo Kai , Nolte Sue , Schmitt Charles , Auerbach Scott , Hur Junguk
Published: June 2023

Inference of toxicological and mechanistic properties of untested chemicals through structural or biological similarity is a commonly employed approach for initial chemical characterization and hypothesis generation. We previously developed a web-based application, Tox21Enricher-Grails, on the Grails framework that identifies enriched biological/toxicological properties of chemical sets for the purpose of inferring properties of untested chemicals within the set. It was able to detect significantly overrepresented biological (e.g., receptor binding), toxicological (e.g., carcinogenicity), and chemical (e.g., toxicologically relevant chemical substructures) annotations within sets of chemicals screened in the Tox21 platform. Here, we present an R Shiny application version of Tox21Enricher-Grails, Tox21Enricher-Shiny, with more robust features and updated annotations. Tox21Enricher-Shiny allows users to interact with the web application component (available at http://hurlab.med.und.edu/Tox21Enricher/) through a user-friendly graphical user interface or to directly access the application’s functions through an application programming interface. This version now supports InChI strings as input in addition to CASRN and SMILES identifiers. Input chemicals that contain certain reactive functional groups (nitrile, aldehyde, epoxide, and isocyanate groups) may react with proteins in cell-based Tox21 assays: this could cause Tox21Enricher-Shiny to produce spurious enrichment analysis results. Therefore, this version of the application can now automatically detect and ignore such problematic chemicals in a user’s input. The application also offers new data visualizations, and the architecture has been greatly simplified to allow for simple deployment, version control, and porting. The application may be deployed onto a Posit Connect or Shiny server, and it uses Postgres for database management. As other Tox21-related tools are being migrated to the R Shiny platform, the development of Tox21Enricher-Shiny is a logical transition to use R’s strong data analysis and visualization capacities and to provide aesthetic and developmental consistency with other Tox21 applications developed by the Division of Translational Toxicology (DTT) at the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences (NIEHS).
Asbestos accelerates disease onset in a genetic model of malignant pleural mesothelioma
Authors: Farahmand Pooyeh , Gyuraszova Katarina , Rooney Claire , Raffo-Iraolagoitia Ximena L. , Jayasekera Geeshath , Hedley Ann , Johnson Emma , Chernova Tatyana , Malviya Gaurav , Hall Holly , Monteverde Tiziana , Blyth Kevin , Duffin Rodger , Carlin Leo M. , Lewis David , Le Quesne John , MacFarlane Marion , Murphy Daniel J.
Published: June 2023

Hypothesis: Asbestos-driven inflammation contributes to malignant pleural mesothelioma beyond the acquisition of rate-limiting mutations.

Methods: Genetically modified conditional allelic mice that were previously shown to develop mesothelioma in the absence of exposure to asbestos were induced with lentiviral vector expressing Cre recombinase with and without intrapleural injection of amosite asbestos and monitored until symptoms required euthanasia. Resulting tumours were examined histologically and by immunohistochemistry for expression of lineage markers and immune cell infiltration.

Results: Injection of asbestos dramatically accelerated disease onset and end-stage tumour burden. Tumours developed in the presence of asbestos showed increased macrophage infiltration. Pharmacological suppression of macrophages in mice with established tumours failed to extend survival or to enhance response to chemotherapy.

Conclusion: Asbestos-driven inflammation contributes to the severity of mesothelioma beyond the acquisition of rate-limiting mutations, however, targeted suppression of macrophages in established epithelioid mesothelioma showed no therapeutic benefit.
A review of frailty instruments in human medicine and proposal of a frailty instrument for dogs
Authors: Melvin Rachel L. , Ruple Audrey , Pearson Elizabeth B. , Olby Natasha J. , Fitzpatrick Annette L. , Creevy Kate E.
Published: June 2023

Over the last few decades, frailty has become a pillar of research and clinical assessment in human gerontology. This complex syndrome, characterized by loss of physiologic reserves leading to decreased resilience to stressors, is of critical importance because it predicts higher risks of poor health outcomes, including mortality. Thus, identifying frailty among the elderly human population has become a key focus of gerontology. This narrative review presents current scientific literature on frailty in both humans and animals. The authors discuss the need for an accessible frailty instrument for companion dogs suitable for general use in veterinary medicine and the advances that would be facilitated by this instrument. A phenotypic frailty instrument for companion dogs, utilizing components that are easily collected by owners, or in the general practice setting, is proposed. The authors elaborate on the domains (physical condition, physical activity, mobility, strength, cognitive task performance, and social behavior), factors that will be included, and the data from the Dog Aging Project that inform each domain.
Prognostic value of pretreatment Controlling Nutritional Status score in esophageal cancer: a meta-analysis
Authors: Lv Jing , Chen Peirui , Wu Jianqiang , Hu Caihong
Published: June 2023

Background and purpose: The association between the pretreatment Controlling Nutritional Status (CONUT) score and the prognosis of esophageal cancer patients remains unclear. The aim of this meta-analysis was to further elucidate the prognostic role of the pretreatment CONUT score in esophageal cancer based on current evidence.

Methods: The PubMed, Embase, Web of Science and CNKI databases were searched up to 27 September 2022. The primary and secondary outcomes were overall survival (OS) and progression-free survival (PFS)/cancer-specific survival (CSS), and the hazard ratio (HR) and 95% confidence interval (CI) were pooled for analysis.

Results: A total of 11 retrospective studies involving 3,783 participants were included. The pooled results demonstrated that a higher pretreatment CONUT score was significantly related to poor OS (HR = 1.82, 95% CI: 1.31–2.54, p < 0.001), and subgroup analysis stratified by pathological type showed similar results. In addition, the pretreatment CONUT score was associated with poor PFS (HR = 1.19, 95% CI: 1.10–1.28, p < 0.001) and CSS (HR = 2.67, 95% CI: 1.77–4.02, p < 0.001).

Conclusion: The pretreatment CONUT score was predictive of worse prognosis in esophageal cancer, and patients with a higher CONUT score showed worse survival.
Morphological and Structural Responses of Albizia lebbeck to Different Lead and Nickel Stress Levels
Authors: Naveed Mahak , Ghaffar Maria , Khan Zafran , Gul Nimra , Ijaz Iram , Bibi Amir , Pervaiz Soha , Alharby Hesham F. , Tariq Muhammad Sayyam , Ahmed Syed Riaz , Hakeem Khalid Rehman , Tan Daniel K. Y.
Published: June 2023

Lead (Pb) and nickel (Ni) are serious soil pollutants that adversely affect plant growth and development and need to be removed through phytoremediation. The present study aimed to assess the morphological indices of Albizia lebbeck (L.) (Benth.) in relation to anatomical modifications for survival under both Pb and Ni stress. The seedlings of A. lebbeck were established and then subjected to four different concentrations, viz. 0 mM, 25 mM, 50 mM and 75 mM, of Pb and Ni for 14 days in two phases. Morphological traits such as shoot length (70.93%), fresh weight (79.27%), dry weight (83.9%), number of root hairs (65.7%), number of leaves per plant (67.4%) and number of leaflets per plant greatly reduced under Pb or Ni stress. Surprisingly, root length increased rather than decreased with the increase in Pb or Ni concentrations, along with an increase in leaflet width, leaflet length and leaflet area. Moreover, root cortical cell area, metaxylem area and phloem area decreased at 75 mM of Pb and Ni while epidermal thickness and cell area increased. Stem epidermal thickness, cell area and phloem area significantly decreased with the consistent increase in metaxylem area and cortical region thickness under both Pb and Ni stress. Leaf anatomical traits such as midrib thickness, abaxial epidermal thickness and stomatal density and adaxial epidermal thickness and stomatal area significantly increased with increasing Pb or Ni stress. Correlation analysis revealed close relations among morphological and anatomical traits (such as root length with cortical region thickness) for better plant survival under Pb or Ni stress, and a PCA-biplot further verified these correlation analyses. Cluster analyses demonstrated the associations among the morphological and anatomical traits based on different stress levels. Furthermore, we found that the longer exposure (from phase 1 to phase 2) of heavy metals stress is more dangerous for plant survival and can ultimately lead to plant death. Moreover, our results also confirmed that Ni is more harmful or dangerous to plants than Pb at high and moderate concentrations. The anatomical modifications ensured the survival of A. lebbeck in extreme heavy metals stress and therefore unlocked its potential to be used as a natural source of phytoremediation. We also recommend that the genetic potential of A. lebbeck associated with its survival under heavy metal stress be investigated.
Fine-Mapping of qECL7.1, a Quantitative Trait Locus Contributing to Epicotyl Length in Adzuki Bean (Vigna angularis)
Authors: Kachapila Modester , Horiuchi Yuki , Nagasawa Hidetaka , Michihata Noe , Yoshida Toru , Kato Yuta , Bethke Paul C. , Kato Kiyoaki , Mori Masahiko
Published: June 2023

Increasing the epicotyl length (ECL) of adzuki bean cultivars enhances the suitability for mechanical weeding during the vegetative stages and harvesting at pod maturity. To explore the genetic control of ECL, and to identify molecular markers that could facilitate breeding for increased ECL, recombinant inbred lines (RILs) were developed from a cross between Toiku161 (long epicotyls) and Chihayahime (ordinary length epicotyls). In this study, four quantitative trait loci (QTLs) were identified for ECL by QTL-seq analysis, one each on chromosomes 2, 7, 10 and 11. Insertion and deletion (InDel)-based mapping also detected QTLs on chromosomes 7, qECL7.1, and 10, qECL10.1. Substitution mapping using InDel, cleaved amplified polymorphic sequence (CAPS), derived cleaved amplified polymorphic sequence (dCAPS), and single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) markers narrowed the chromosomal location of qECL7.1 to a 418 kb region flanked by DNA markers TC99_10,211,134 bp and TC102_10,628,880 bp. A total of 35 genes were predicted within the qECL7.1 region. The ECL QTLs and molecular markers identified here will contribute towards marker-assisted selection of desirable long ECL genotypes that allow for increased mechanization and more efficient adzuki bean production.
Effect of Selected Mechanical/Physical Pre-Treatments on Chlorella vulgaris Protein Solubility
Authors: Spínola Maria P. , Costa Mónica M. , Prates José A. M.
Published: June 2023

Chlorella vulgaris has been recognized as an interesting alternative feeding source since it contains a good amount of high-quality protein. However, the presence of a recalcitrant cell wall strongly affects the nutrients’ digestibility, bioaccessibility, and bioavailability. The present study aimed to determine the influence of different pre-treatments (bead milling, extrusion, freeze-drying, heating, microwave, and sonication) on C. vulgaris’ protein solubility. For total protein content and solubility, the Bradford method and sodium dodecyl sulphate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (SDS-PAGE) quantification were used, respectively, and protein degradation was assessed by SDS-PAGE through quantification of protein fractions (26 kDa, 32–40 kDa, 66–96 kDa, and others). The o-phthaldialdehyde assay was used for peptide formation. While there were no statistically significant differences for total soluble protein measurements in the supernatant fractions, the results showed an increase in larger proteins following bead milling and microwave pre-treatments, and sonication led to higher fractions of the remaining protein (mostly of low molecular weight). Nevertheless, extrusion significantly increased the release of peptides in the soluble fractions, and, considering industrial applicability, this method may be a better choice for improving C. vulgaris protein bioaccessibility in monogastric diets.
Arbuscular Mycorrhizal Fungi and Diazotrophic Diversity and Community Composition Responses to Soybean Genotypes from Different Maturity Groups
Authors: Wu Mandi , Li Shengzhican , Bai Jie , Wang Kezhen , Qu Yang , Long Mingxiu , Yang Peizhi , Hu Tianming , He Shubin
Published: June 2023

Soybeans can simultaneously form tripartite symbiotic associations with arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) and diazotrophs. However, no studies have explored whether soybean genotypes differing in their maturity groups (MGs) may have implications for the recruitment of rhizosphere soil AMF and diazotrophs. We investigated the diversity and community compositions of AMF and diazotrophs in three soybean genotypes differing in their maturity groups (MG) using high-throughput sequencing. The soybean MGs were MG1.4, MG2.2, and MG3.8, representing early, standard, and late maturity, respectively, for the study region. Soil chemical properties and yield-related traits were determined, and co-occurrence network patterns and drivers were also analyzed. The results obtained demonstrated that AMF richness and diversity were relatively stable in the three soybean genotypes, but noticeable differences were observed in diazotrophs, with late maturity being significantly higher than early maturity. However, there were differences in AMF and diazotrophic composition among different MG genotypes, and the changes in the proportion of dominant species in the community were necessarily related to MG genotypes. Co-occurrence network analysis showed that the positive correlation between AMF and diazotrophs gradually decreased in earlier MG genotypes than in the other later MG genotypes. The results of the structural equation model analysis showed that soil organic carbon, AMF, diversity of soil nutrients, and extracellular enzyme activities were important factors driving soybean yield change, with organic carbon accounting for more than 80% of the pathways analyzed. These results suggest that soybean genotype selection based on MG plays an important role in recruiting both AMF and diazotrophic communities, and in comparison to AMF, diazotrophs are more responsive to the different MG genotypes.
An Optimisation–Evaluation Framework for the Sustainable Management of the Water–Energy–Food Nexus for an Irrigation District under Uncertainty
Authors: Zhou Yan , Zhang Xinrui , Chen Yingshan , Li Heng
Published: June 2023

The synergistic regulation of the water–energy–food nexus in irrigation districts is important for promoting the sustainable management of agricultural resources in irrigation districts. In this paper, a new integrated optimization–evaluation modelling framework for the water–energy–food nexus in agricultural irrigation areas is developed. It can measure the synergistic effects of economic, social and environmental multidimensional objectives on the sustainable management of agricultural resources in irrigation areas. The model couples an optimisation module and an evaluation module, combines a multiobjective nonlinear planning model with an opportunity-constrained planning model and uses an entropy-weighted TOPSIS assessment approach to sustainably assess the multidimensional indicators of the water–energy–food nexus in irrigation districts, with full consideration given to the effects of uncertainty in agricultural water and soil resources and social systems. The feasibility of the constructed model is verified through a study of the Jinxi irrigation district. The results show that compared to the actual area, the optimised surface water and groundwater availability increased by 23.5% and 22.7%; the optimised total area increased by 4%, whereas corn decreased by 40%, rice increased by 34.6% and soybean decreased by 33.8%; the energy consumption decreased by 17.6% and the total recycled resources amounted to 8.97 × 109 kg, with a combined net economic benefit of CNY 1.25 × 109 more than the actual current amount. The synergistic development of the water–energy–food nexus (WEFN) in the district is relatively harmonious, suggesting that the district should focus on developing agricultural mechanisation and balancing economic benefits with environmental and ecological protection; furthermore, the model constructed should provide decision-making support for the efficient use of agricultural resources in the irrigation district.
Chemical Stoichiometry and Enzyme Activity Changes during Mixed Decomposition of Camellia sinensis Pruning Residues and Companion Tree Species Litter
Authors: Zhao Hongjiu , Yang Rui , Yuan Congjun , Liu Shaqian , Hou Chunlan , Wang Haodong
Published: June 2023

(1) Background: In managing ecological tea gardens, litter composed of pruned and fallen tea leaves from companion tree species is an important component of tea garden soil. The decomposition of litter plays a crucial role in regulating nutrient cycling in tea garden ecosystems. (2) Methods: This study employed the litterbag method to investigate chemical stoichiometry characteristics and enzyme activity changes during the decomposition process of pruned and fallen Camellia sinensis leaves from companion tree species in an ecological tea garden located in central Guizhou Province. (3) Results: With decomposition duration, the general trend of changes in the C/N and C/P ratios showed a decrease in the activity of UE (urease), AP (acid phosphatase), and PPO (polyphenol oxidase) followed by an increase, while CAT (catalase) and CEL (cellulase) activity decreased, then increased, and then decreased again. On the other hand, the N/P and the activity of SC (sucrase) first increased and then decreased. The C/N and the activities of UE, PPO, and AP generally reached their maximum values during the late decomposition stage (366–428 d), while the N/P and the CAT activity peaked during the mid-decomposition stage (305 d). In contrast, the activity of SC and CEL reached its maximum value during the early decomposition stage (123 d). The N/P ratios were significantly higher than those of the CS (C. sinensis) litter in the mixed treatment, while C/N and C/P ratios were significantly lower than those in the CS during decomposition for 184–366 days. The UE, CAT, AP, and SC activities of CBL (C. sinensis + B. luminifera) litter were significantly higher than those of the CS litter during decomposition. During the experiment, antagonistic effects were observed in the C/N and C/P ratios of the different litter types. Most mixed litter exhibited additive effects on enzyme activity, while a few showed nonadditive effects. For the nonadditive effects, most were antagonistic effects, mainly in the CPM (C. sinensis + C. glanduliferum) litter. A small portion, mainly observed in the CBL and CCG (C. sinensis + C. glanduliferum) litter, showed synergistic effects. (4) Conclusions: Selecting B. luminifera and C. glanduliferum to be part of the tree species composition in ecological tea gardens can produce positive mixed effects on enzyme activity during litter decomposition, increase nutrient return capacity, maintain tea garden fertility, and achieve the ecological development of tea gardens.
Plot-Level Maize Early Stage Stand Counting and Spacing Detection Using Advanced Deep Learning Algorithms Based on UAV Imagery
Authors: Wang Biwen , Zhou Jing , Costa Martin , Kaeppler Shawn M. , Zhang Zhou
Published: June 2023

Phenotyping is one of the most important processes in modern breeding, especially for maize, which is an important crop for food, feeds, and industrial uses. Breeders invest considerable time in identifying genotypes with high productivity and stress tolerance. Plant spacing plays a critical role in determining the yield of crops in production settings to provide useful management information. In this study, we propose an automated solution using unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) imagery and deep learning algorithms to provide accurate stand counting and plant-level spacing variabilities (PSV) in order to facilitate the breeders’ decision making. A high-resolution UAV was used to train three deep learning models, namely, YOLOv5, YOLOX, and YOLOR, for both maize stand counting and PSV detection. The results indicate that after optimizing the non-maximum suppression (NMS) intersection of union (IoU) threshold, YOLOv5 obtained the best stand counting accuracy, with a coefficient of determination (R2) of 0.936 and mean absolute error (MAE) of 1.958. Furthermore, the YOLOX model subsequently achieved an F1-score value of 0.896 for PSV detection. This study shows the promising accuracy and reliability of processed UAV imagery for automating stand counting and spacing evaluation and its potential to be implemented further into real-time breeding decision making.
The Exploitation of Toxic Fish from the Terminal Pleistocene in Maritime Southeast Asia: A Case Study from the Mindoro Archaeological Sites, Philippines
Authors: Boulanger Clara , Pawlik Alfred , O’Connor Sue , Sémah Anne-Marie , Reyes Marian C. , Ingicco Thomas
Published: June 2023

Representatives of the Diodontidae family (porcupinefish) are known to have been fished by prehistoric Indo-Pacific populations; however, the antiquity of the use of this family is thus far unknown. We report here on the presence of Diodontidae in the archaeological sites of Bubog I, II, and Bilat in Mindoro, Philippines, dating back to c. 13,000 BP (Before Present). This evidence demonstrates the early exploitation by islanders of poisonous fish. Every part of porcupinefish can be toxic, but the toxicity is mostly concentrated in some organs, while other parts are edible. The continuous presence of Diodontidae remains throughout the stratigraphic record of these Philippines shell middens suggests that porcupinefish were prepared by human inhabitants of the sites to render them safe for consumption, indicating an advanced cultural knowledge of the preparation needed to separate the toxic principle from the edible parts. This constitutes one of the rare examples of poison processing by humans, aside from the contentious wooden stick poison applicator from Border Cave (South Africa).
Effects of Interactions with Cats in Domestic Environment on the Psychological and Physiological State of Their Owners: Associations among Cortisol, Oxytocin, Heart Rate Variability, and Emotions
Authors: Nagasawa Takumi , Kimura Yuichi , Masuda Koji , Uchiyama Hidehiko
Published: June 2023

Interactions with animals, including cats, is believed to influence human health. However, studies that investigate the psychological and physiological effects of interacting with cats in their household environment are limited. In this remote study, 32 cat owners in Japan participated from June to October 2021. They completed two tasks, each on separate days in their homes: one simulating daily cat communication (Interaction condition) and another with no interactions (Rest condition). We quantified emotions (arousal level and pleasure level) before and after each condition using the Two-Dimensional Mood Scale Short-term as well as salivary cortisol and oxytocin levels of owners using enzyme-linked immune-sorbent assay. Autonomic nervous activity (sympathetic and parasympathetic) was also quantified by heart rate variability analysis. The free interaction with cats decreased emotional arousal and parasympathetic activity, and lead to increased heart rates in owners. There was a positive correlation between heart rate and cortisol concentration, and between cortisol and oxytocin concentration. Furthermore, the frequency of petting the cats was negatively correlated with the rate of change in the parasympathetic activity. In contrast, the parasympathetic nerves in the owners were activated under the Rest condition. Hence, the mechanism of health-enhancing effects of cat ownership includes an arousing effect, in contrast to the previously proposed stress-reduction effect. This result can aid in future developments in cat–human relationship studies. However, a detailed study with a larger sample size is needed to draw definite conclusions.
Effects of Two Environmental Enrichment Methods on Cognitive Ability and Growth Performance of Juvenile Black Rockfish Sebastes schlegelii
Authors: Shen Fengyuan , Zhang Zonghang , Guo Haoyu , Fu Yiqiu , Zhang Dong , Zhang Xiumei
Published: June 2023

A widely used approach to restoring marine fishery resources is stock enhancement using hatchery-reared fish. However, artificial rearing environments, which are often lacking in enrichment, may negatively affect the cognition, welfare, and adaptive capacity to new environments of juvenile fish, thereby leading to low post-release survival rates. This study examined the effects of habitat and social enrichment on the growth performance and cognitive ability of Sebastes schlegelii. Following seven weeks of environmental enrichment, a T-maze experiment was conducted, and the telencephalon and visceral mass of the fish were sampled to measure the growth (growth hormone: GH; insulin-like growth factor-1: IGF-1; and somatostatin: SS) and cognitive abilities (brain-derived neurotrophic factor: BDNF; and nerve growth factor: NGF)-related indicator levels. The results indicated that, although the final body length, final body weight, and specific growth rate of both enrichment groups were lower than those of the control group, both methods of enrichment had a positive impact on growth-related factors (increased GH, increased IGF-1, and decreased SS). The enrichment groups demonstrated a stronger learning ability in the T-maze test, and the levels of BDNF and NGF in the telencephalon were significantly higher in the enrichment groups than those in the control group. Additionally, there was a significant interaction between the two enrichment methods on the NGF level. This study confirms that a more complex and enriching environment is beneficial for cultivating the cognitive abilities of cultured juvenile S. schlegelii, and the result can provide a reference for the improvement of the stock enhancement of this species.
Detection of Antibody-Dependent Cell-Mediated Cytotoxicity—Supporting Antibodies by NK-92-CD16A Cell Externalization of CD107a: Recognition of Antibody Afucosylation and Assay Optimization
Authors: Cruz Amaya Judith , Walcheck Bruce , Smith-Gagen Julie , Lombardi Vincent C. , Hudig Dorothy
Published: June 2023

Antibody-dependent cell-mediated cytotoxicity (ADCC) by natural killer (NK) lymphocytes eliminates cells infected with viruses. Anti-viral ADCC requires three components: (1) antibody; (2) effector lymphocytes with the Fc-IgG receptor CD16A; and (3) viral proteins in infected cell membranes. Fc-afucosylated antibodies bind with greater affinity to CD16A than fucosylated antibodies; individuals’ variation in afucosylation contributes to differences in ADCC. Current assays for afucosylated antibodies involve expensive methods. We report an improved bioassay for antibodies that supports ADCC, which encompasses afucosylation. This assay utilizes the externalization of CD107a by NK-92-CD16A cells after antibody recognition. We used anti-CD20 monoclonal antibodies, GA101 WT or glycoengineered (GE), 10% or ~50% afucosylated, and CD20-positive Raji target cells. CD107a increased detection 7-fold compared to flow cytometry to detect Raji-bound antibodies. WT and GE antibody effective concentrations (EC50s) for CD107a externalization differed by 20-fold, with afucosylated GA101-GE more detectable. The EC50s for CD107a externalization vs. 51Cr cell death were similar for NK-92-CD16A and blood NK cells. Notably, the % CD107a-positive cells were negatively correlated with dead Raji cells and were nearly undetectable at high NK:Raji ratios required for cytotoxicity. This bioassay is very sensitive and adaptable to assess anti-viral antibodies but unsuitable as a surrogate assay to monitor cell death after ADCC.
Real-World Data in Pharmacovigilance Database Provides a New Perspective for Understanding the Risk of Clostridium difficile Infection Associated with Antibacterial Drug Exposure
Authors: Li Dongxuan , Song Yi , Bai Zhanfeng , Xi Xin , Liu Feng , Zhang Yang , Qin Chunmeng , Du Dan , Du Qian , Liu Songqing
Published: June 2023

Antibacterial drug exposure (ADE) is a well-known potential risk factor for Clostridium difficile infection (CDI), but it remains controversial which certain antibacterial drugs are associated with the highest risk of CDI occurrence. To summarize CDI risk associated with ADE, we reviewed the CDI reports related to ADE in the FDA Adverse Event Reporting System database and conducted disproportionality analysis to detect adverse reaction (ADR) signals of CDI for antibacterial drugs. A total of 8063 CDI reports associated with ADE were identified, which involved 73 antibacterial drugs. Metronidazole was the drug with the greatest number of reports, followed by vancomycin, ciprofloxacin, clindamycin and amoxicillin. In disproportionality analysis, metronidazole had the highest positive ADR signal strength, followed by vancomycin, cefpodoxime, ertapenem and clindamycin. Among the 73 antibacterial drugs, 58 showed at least one positive ADR signal, and ceftriaxone was the drug with the highest total number of positive signals. Our study provided a real-world overview of CDI risk for AED from a pharmacovigilance perspective and showed risk characteristics for different antibacterial drugs by integrating its positive–negative signal distribution. Meanwhile, our study showed that the CDI risk of metronidazole and vancomycin may be underestimated, and it deserves further attention and investigation.
Comparison of Land Cover Categorical Data Stored in OSM and Authoritative Topographic Data
Authors: Borkowska Sylwia , Bielecka Elzbieta , Pokonieczny Krzysztof
Published: June 2023

This study aims at a comparative analysis of quantitative data, namely, OSM and BDOT10k. Analyses were conducted in a 1 km2 hexagonal grid, in seven test counties located in different regions of Poland, differing in the degree of urbanization, land cover and natural environment. It is assumed that the authors’ consolidated regional classification of the Compound Correspondence Index CCIRn is attributed to the geometric mapping unit based on TOPSIS values, and their statistical measure of dispersion enables the comparison of datasets for individual geographically disjointed areas according to uniform criteria, e.g., the number of topographic features stored in analyzed datasets, both polygonal (buildings, forests, surface water) and linear (roads, watercourses, railroads). The final results of the regional assessment outperform the local classification giving a higher level of data compliance. Overestimation of regional concordance ranges from 9 to 20% of the county area, with an average of 3% reduction in the area where the two datasets (BDOT10k and OSM) have comparable information ranges. Areas of medium and high nonconformity are decreased by an average of 2.4%.
Image Copy-Move Forgery Detection Based on Fused Features and Density Clustering
Authors: Fu Guiwei , Zhang Yujin , Wang Yongqi
Published: June 2023

Image copy-move forgery is a common simple tampering technique. To address issues such as high time complexity in most copy-move forgery detection algorithms and difficulty detecting forgeries in smooth regions, this paper proposes an image copy-move forgery detection algorithm based on fused features and density clustering. Firstly, the algorithm combines two detection methods, speeded up robust features (SURF) and accelerated KAZE (A-KAZE), to extract descriptive features by setting a low contrast threshold. Then, the density-based spatial clustering of applications with noise (DBSCAN) algorithm removes mismatched pairs and reduces false positives. To improve the accuracy of forgery localization, the algorithm uses the original image and the image transformed by the affine matrix to compare similarities in the same position in order to locate the forged region. The proposed method was tested on two datasets (Ardizzone and CoMoFoD). The experimental results show that the method effectively improved the accuracy of forgery detection in smooth regions, reduced computational complexity, and exhibited strong robustness against post-processing operations such as rotation, scaling, and noise addition.
Investigation of a Precise Control Scheme for Rice Quality
Authors: Jin Yi , Yin Jun , Xie Huihuang , Zhang Zhongjie
Published: June 2023

Rice drying is a complex and nonlinear process, with product quality being easily influenced by numerous factors. This study aimed to investigate the characteristics causing variation in rice quality and provide novel insights for regulating and controlling rice drying operations. To this end, response surface methodology was employed to examine the hot air drying of rice. The study was centered on investigating the impact of different levels of drying temperature (35–55 °C), relative humidity (30–50%), initial moisture content (20–28%), air velocity (0.36–0.84 m/s), and tempering ratio (1–4) on the process. The measured parameters included the net drying time, total drying time, additional crack percentage, and head rice yield. The experimental data were analyzed using Design–Expert, and the results indicated that all the response quadratic polynomial models were statistically significant. All the linear terms had a significant impact on the response variables except for the impact of air velocity on head rice yield. Finally, process reference charts of actual drying operating conditions were established based on the regression models to provide a scientific reference for guiding the control of rice drying quality and integrating into intelligent grain drying control systems in the future.
Experimental Study on Femtosecond Laser Processing Performance of Single-Crystal Silicon Carbide
Authors: Zhang Ru , Wang Quanjing , Chen Qingkui , Tang Aijun , Zhao Wenbo
Published: June 2023

Femtosecond laser processing technology offers a promising technique for the preparation of micro and nanostructures of single-crystal silicon carbide (SiC), thanks to its high precision and non-destructive processing. However, further research is needed to optimize processing parameters, as well as improve efficiency and quality of the process. This study conducts experiments to explore the effects of femtosecond laser ablation on single-crystal SiC. The influence and significance of parameters, such as fluence (F), repetition rate, scan speed (S), multipass scanning (c) and numerical aperture on the performance of grooves, including groove depth, groove width, heat-affected zone (HAZ) width, material removal rate (MRR) and side wall inclination angle, were studied. The results show that the influence of fluence and numerical aperture on groove depth, groove width, HAZ width, MRR and side wall inclination angle is very significant. The scan speed has a very significant effect on the groove depth, groove width, HAZ width and side wall inclination angle but has insignificant effect on the MRR. Repetition rate and multipass scanning have a very significant effect on groove depth, HAZ width, MRR and side wall inclination angle and a moderately significant effect on groove width. The experimental methods of increasing the aspect ratio and reducing the HAZ width were studied, and a significance analysis was carried out. Fluence, multipass scanning and z-layer feed have significant effects on groove depth, groove width, aspect ratio, HAZ width and MRR. The influence of polarization angle on groove depth, groove width, aspect ratio and MRR is insignificant.
Trawl Grid Structure Design and Analysis Using the Finite Element Method
Authors: Nguyen Nghia-Danh , Huang Shyh-Chour
Published: June 2023

The structure of fishnet knots has been simplified in previous studies to facilitate the construction of numerical equations of the fishnet structure. This leads to errors in the dynamic analysis of the trawl mesh structure with water flow. In this study, the finite element method was used to analyze the interaction of the trawl mesh structure with the solid object in a dynamic explicit environment. At the same time, design variables were optimized through impact assessment and the displacement of grid cells. The results show that the polyamide (PA) material, a 0.4 mm cross-section, and a 25 mm mesh size are the optimal choices. When the displacement speed of the solid body increased, the displacement and collision values of the mesh structure tended to increase gradually along the quadratic curve. Confirmation tests performed on the tensile tester machine showed a good load-carrying capacity of up to 1280 MPa for trawl mesh structures using the PA material. The characteristic curve for the stress of the trawl mesh structure is shown through the higher-order curve.
Biomechanical Performance of a Novel Implant Design in Simulated Extraction Sites and Sinuslift Procedures
Authors: Klär Virgilia , Zimmerer Rüdiger , Schulz Annika , Lethaus Bernd
Published: June 2023

With increasing experience and in an attempt to shorten overall treatment times, implant placement in combination with tooth extractions and sinus lift procedures has become popular. In both cases, primary stability has to be achieved by either engaging apical and oral regions of trabecular bone or by engaging residual host bone beneath the sinus cavity. Extraction sites were formed by pressing a root analog into homogeneous low density polyurethane foam which was used as bone surrogate while a 3 mm thick sheet of medium density foam was used for mimicking a sinus lift situation. Two types (n = 10) of bone level implants with a conventional tapered design and a cervical back taper (NobelActive; control) and a novel design characterized by a shift in core diameter and thread geometry (AlfaGate; test) were placed in these models following conventional osteotomy preparation. Insertion torque was measured using a surgical motor and primary stability was determined by resonance frequency analysis. Statistical analysis was based on Welch two sample t tests with the level of significance set at α = 0.05. In sinuslifting, NobelActive implants required significantly higher insertion torques as compared to AlfaGate (p = 0.000) but did not achieve greater implant stability (p = 0.076). In extraction sites, AlfaGate implants showed both, significantly higher insertion torques (p = 0.004) and significantly greater implant stability (p = 0.000). The novel implant design allowed for greater primary stability when being placed in simulated extraction sockets and sinuslift situations. While in extraction sockets the position of condensing threads in combination with an increase in core diameter is beneficial, the deep cervical threads of the novel implant lead to superior performance in sinuslift situations.
Transmission and Reflection Spectra of a Bragg Microcavity Filled with a Periodic Graphene-Containing Structure
Authors: Fedorova Irina V. , Eliseeva Svetlana V. , Sementsov Dmitrij I.
Published: June 2023

The transmission and reflection spectra of a one-dimensional microresonator structure with dielectric Bragg mirrors, the working cavity of which is filled with several “dielectric-graphene” or “semiconductor-graphene” periods with controlled material parameters, were obtained using transfer matrices and numerical methods. Carrier drift in graphene monolayers is created to achieve amplification, which makes it possible to use the hydrodynamic approximation to represent graphene conductivity in the terahertz range. The transformation of spectra is achieved both by changing the energy state of the graphene monolayers and by changing the external magnetic field. It is shown that amplification is observed in the region where the real part of the conductivity is negative as the chemical potential (Fermi energy) increases, and the coefficients T and R become substantially greater than unity. The results of the work may be of interest to developers of graphene-based controlled photonic devices.