bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
EFEKTIVITAS PEMUNGUTAN PAJAK KENDARAAN BERMOTOR DALAM RANGKA MENINGKATKAN PENERIMAAN PAJAK DAERAH PADA SAMSAT UPT PANGURURAN
Authors: Simatupang Eva Malina
Published: July 2022

This research is entitled "Effectiveness of Motor Vehicle Tax Collection in the Context of Increasing Regional Tax Revenue at SAMSAT UPT Pangururan 2015/2020 Period". The method used in this research is a qualitative description method. The purpose of this research is to analyze whether the implementation of Motor Vehicle Tax collection carried out by SAMSAT UPT Pangururan has been effective in increasing regional tax revenues and what obstacles and efforts are faced in increasing Motor Vehicle Tax receipts. The results of this study indicate that the receipt of Vehicle Taxes in Samosir Regency in 2015-2020 has been very effective in increasing Regional Taxes. This shows that the SAMSAT UPT Pangururan has worked well in managing the receipt of Motor Vehicle Tax, However, SAMSAT UPT Pangururan has not been serious in optimizing its tax revenue potential. The efforts made by SAMSAT UPT Pangururan have been able to increase the amount of Motor Vehicle Tax receipts. Although in 2019 and 2020 there were several obstacles that resulted in a decrease in the amount of Motor Vehicle Tax receipts
PENGARUH DISIPLIN KERJA DAN MOTIVASI KERJA TERHADAP KINERJA KARYAWAN PADA PT TRI PENAMAS
Authors: Harry Mardika Nanda
Published: July 2022

Penelitian ini bertujuan untuk mengetahui pengaruh displin kerja dan motivasi kerja terhadap kinerja karyawan pada PT. Tri Penamas baik secara parsial maupun simultan. Variabel bebas dalam penelitian ini adalah disiplin kerja dan motivasi kerja serta variabel terikatnya yaitu  kinerja. Populasi penelitian adalah seluruh karyawan pada PT. Tri Penamas dengan menggunakan teknik pengambilan total sampling. Pengumpulan data dari penelitian ini adalah dengan menggunakan kuesioner. Metode analisis data dalam penelitian ini menggunakan analisis regresi linier berganda dengan bantuan software statistik SPSS. Hasil dari penelitian ini menunjukkan disiplin kerja berpengaruh positif dan signifikan terhadap kinerja karyawan dengan koefisien 0,292. Motivasi kerja berpengaruh positif dan signifikan terhadap kinerja karyawan dengan koefisien sebesar 0,308. Hasil uji F menunjukkan disiplin kerja dan motivasi kerja secara simultan berpengaruh positif dan signifikan terhadap kinerja karyawan, nilai F hitung 76,400 > 3,08 dan nilai signifikansi 0,000 < 0,05 maka Ho ditolak dan Ha diterima. Nilai t hitung 5,962 > 1,98238 menunjukkan disiplin kerja berpengaruh positif signifikan terhadap kinerja karyawan, dengan nilai signifikan 0,000 < 0,05 maka Ho ditolak dan Ha diterima. Motivasi Kerja berpengaruh positif dan signifikan terhadap kinerja karyawan dengan nilai t hitung 4,531 > 0,000 1,98238 dan nilai signifikansi < 0,05 maka Ho ditolak dan Ha diterima.
Generating Higher-Fidelity Synthetic Datasets with Privacy Guarantees
Authors: Triastcyn Aleksei , Faltings Boi
Published: July 2022

We consider the problem of enhancing user privacy in common data analysis and machine learning development tasks, such as data annotation and inspection, by substituting the real data with samples from a generative adversarial network. We propose employing Bayesian differential privacy as the means to achieve a rigorous theoretical guarantee while providing a better privacy-utility trade-off. We demonstrate experimentally that our approach produces higher-fidelity samples compared to prior work, allowing to (1) detect more subtle data errors and biases, and (2) reduce the need for real data labelling by achieving high accuracy when training directly on artificial samples.
Fault Diagnosis for Aircraft Hydraulic Systems via One-Dimensional Multichannel Convolution Neural Network
Authors: Shen Kenan , Zhao Dongbiao
Published: July 2022

Detecting the faults in hydraulic systems in advance is difficult owing to the complexity associated with such systems. Hence, it is necessary to investigate the different fault modes and analyze the system reliability in order to establish a method for improving the reliability and security of hydraulic systems. To this end, this paper proposes a novel one-dimensional multichannel convolution neural network (1DMCCNN) for diagnosing fault modes. In this work, a landing gear hydraulic system was constructed with a normal model and a fault model; five types of faults were considered. Pressure signals were extracted from this hydraulic system, and the extracted signals were subsequently input into the convolution neural network (CNN) as multichannel data. Thereafter, the data were subjected to a one-dimensional convolution filter. The differences between channels were used to enhance features. The features obtained in this manner were compared for fault diagnoses. Furthermore, this proposed method was verified via simulations; the simulation results indicated that the precision of the 1DMCCNN was considerably higher than that of conventional machine learning algorithms.
Design of a Half-Bridge Current-Source Inverter Topology for Avionic Systems
Authors: Sener Eralp , Ertasgin Gurhan
Published: July 2022

This paper analyses a new half-bridge current–source inverter for avionic systems. In the circuit, two 28 V batteries are used as inputs. These voltage sources are connected to inductors which create a constant current source. Then only two high-frequency switches are used to waveshape the positive and negative half-cycles. The SCR-based half-bridge allows positive and negative current flow properly. The inverter output uses a CL filter to remove PWM components and to obtain 400 Hz sinewave output. Simulation and HIL experiment results are provided with feedback control to prove the concept of the proposed topology. The study shows that the new current–source topology provides promising results while complying with aviation standards.
Evaluation of SAR and Optical Image Fusion Methods in Oil Palm Crop Cover Classification Using the Random Forest Algorithm
Authors: Monsalve-Tellez Jose Manuel , Torres-León Jorge Luis , Garcés-Gómez Yeison Alberto
Published: July 2022

This paper presents an evaluation of land cover accuracy, particularly regarding oil palm crop cover, using optical/synthetic aperture radar (SAR) image fusion methods through the implementation of the random forest (RF) algorithm on cloud computing platforms using Sentinel-1 SAR and Sentinel-2 optical images. Among the fusion methods evaluated were Brovey (BR), high-frequency modulation (HFM), Gram–Schmidt (GS), and principal components (PC). This work was developed using a cloud computing environment employing R and Python for statistical analysis. It was found that an optical/SAR image stack resulted in the best overall accuracy with 82.14%, which was 11.66% higher than that of the SAR image, and 7.85% higher than that of the optical image. The high-frequency modulation (HFM) and Brovey (BR) image fusion methods showed overall accuracies higher than the Sentinel-2 optical image classification by 3.8% and 3.09%, respectively. This demonstrates the potential of integrating optical imagery with Sentinel SAR imagery to increase land cover classification accuracy. On the other hand, the SAR images obtained very high accuracy results in classifying oil palm crops and forests, reaching 94.29% and 90%, respectively. This demonstrates the ability of synthetic aperture radar (SAR) to provide more information when fused with an optical image to improve land cover classification.
Gender, Empowerment and Food Security Status of Households in Nigeria
Authors: Ashagidigbi Waheed Mobolaji , Orilua Olajumoke Oluwatoyosi , Olagunju Kehinde Ademola , Omotayo Abiodun Olusola
Published: July 2022

Gender inequality in access to productive and economic resources has been a topical issue in sub-Saharan Africa. The restrictive access to resources, assets and decision making by women has been linked to food insecurity. Using a large cross-sectional dataset from the 2018/2019 Living Standard Measurement Survey, this paper examines the interrelationship among gender, empowerment and households’ food security status in Nigeria. The analytical techniques adopted include the empowerment index, dietary diversity score and the Tobit and the ordered probit regression models. The findings suggest that the level of empowerment is generally low in Nigeria (21.63%) but much worse among the female gender (11.78%). The results also show that female gender and rural and North West residents were mostly in the food insecure and disempowered group. The study concludes that empowerment and food policy measures that would enhance access and control of productive and economic resources by the female gender and rural and North West residents should be formulated to ensure the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) of ending hunger and promoting gender equality.
Phosphate Fertilization and Mycorrhizal Inoculation Increase Corn Leaf and Grain Nutrient Contents
Authors: Buzo Fernando de Souza , Garcia Nayara Fernanda Siviero , Garé Lucas Martins , Gato Isabela Martins Bueno , Martins Juliana Trindade , Martins José Otávio Masson , Morita Pamela Roberta de Souza , Silva Maura Santos Reis de Andrade , Sales Letícia Zylmennith de Souza , Nogales Amaia , Rigobelo Everlon Cid , Arf Orivaldo
Published: July 2022

The agricultural use of arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi, such as Rhizoglomus intraradices, can increase the efficiency of phosphate fertilization for the benefit of the corn plant and grain nutrition. In this study, a field experiment was conducted in an area of Selvíria/MS, Brazil, in the years 2019 and 2020, to verify the effects of reduced doses of phosphorus combined with the inoculation of corn seed with R. intraradices on corn plant growth and grain nutrient contents. The experiment was laid in a randomized block design in subdivided plots with four repetitions and twenty treatments resulting from combining five doses of P2O5 (0%, 25%, 50%, 75%, and 100% of the recommended dose) with four doses (0, 60, 120, and 180 g ha−1) of an inoculant containing R. intraradices. Leaf and kernel macro- and micronutrient contents were evaluated. The foliar P content in 2020 was a function of the interaction between phosphate fertilization and AMF inoculation, with the highest leaf P content observed at the 100% of P2O5 combined with AMF inoculation between 120 and 140 g ha−1. In the grains Mg content, an interaction was observed between the two factors in 2020 and the response surface, showing that the highest Mg content was obtained when maximum doses of P2O5 and maximum doses of inoculant were combined. A response surface showed that, in 2020, the highest leaf Zn content occurred when 35–55% P2O5 is applied with no inoculation and when P2O5 is limited to 20–30%, and there is inoculation with doses between 90 and 150 g ha−1. Phosphate fertilization increased foliar K (2019) and Mg (2020) contents, with maximum points at doses of 76.57% and 88.80%, respectively.
Estimation of Optimum Vacuum Pressure of Air-Suction Seed-Metering Device of Precision Seeders Using Artificial Neural Network Models
Authors: Karayel Davut , Güngör Orhan , Šarauskis Egidijus
Published: July 2022

The success of the seed-metering device of a seeder determines the quality seeding and final plant stand. The adjustment of the optimal vacuum pressure of air-suction-type seed-metering devices is a key factor affecting the success of seed-metering devices. The optimal value of vacuum of the seed-metering device should be adjusted in relation to the physical properties of the seed before seeding in the field. This research was carried out to estimate the optimal value of vacuum pressure of an air-suction seed-metering device of a precision seeder by using an artificial neural network method. Training of the network was performed by using a Levenberg–Marquardt (LM) learning algorithm. Training and testing were carried out using Matlab software. The inputs were physical properties of seeds such as surface area, thousand kernel weight, kernel density and sphericity. Optimum vacuum pressures were determined for soybean, maize, cucumber, melon, watermelon, sugarbeet and onion seeds in laboratory. Surface area, thousand kernel weight, kernel density and sphericity of seeds varied from 0.05 to 0.638 cm2, 4.4 to 322.4 g, 0.43 to 1.29 g cm−3 and 42.8 to 85.75%, respectively. The optimal vacuum pressure was determined as 1.5 kPa for onion; 2.0 kPa for sugarbeet; 2.5 kPa for melon and watermelon; 3.0 kPa for soybean; and 4.0 kPa for maize seeds. A trained program using an artificial neural network could satisfactorily estimate the optimum value of vacuum pressure of the air-suction type seed-metering device of precision seeders with a prediction success (R2) of 0.9949 for both linear and polynomial regressions.
Mathematics of the Relationship between Plant Population and Individual Production of Maize (Zea mays L.)
Authors: Huzsvai László , Bodnár Emil , Kovács Elza , Zsembeli József , Harsányi Endre , Juhász Csaba , Szőke Szilvia
Published: July 2022

Predominantly, field experiments aim to determine the optimal plant density for a unit area. High spatial variation results in lower attained yield than the genetic potential. To find the highest value of the product of mean individual production and crop density, their mathematical relationship is needed to be known. In this study, the relationship between the population and the weight of the individual fresh, dehusked ear of grain maize (Zea mays L.) was investigated, and a relevant mathematical simulation model was developed. Linear regression was disproved to describe this relationship properly based on the analysis of different mosaic sizes within a plot. The distribution of plant-to-plant distance was found to be binomial. The distribution of the ear weight was found to be lognormal. For the description of the population homogeneity, neither the standard deviation nor the variation coefficient was found to be applicable apart from the scale-independent relative variance. The simulation model, based on the above statistical functions, was validated with a real dataset, and it is recommended for the optimization of the plant population at farm scale.
Resource Use and Environmental Impacts of Seed and Vegetative Globe Artichoke Production in Mediterranean Environments: A Cradle-to-Farm Gate Analysis
Authors: Mehmeti Andi , Canaj Kledja , Boari Francesca , Cantore Vito , Todorovic Mladen , Calabrese Nicola
Published: July 2022

Globe artichoke is propagated by seed (seed propagated, SP) or by plant (vegetative propagated, VP). To date, there is a lack of knowledge of how the propagation system affects the life cycle resource use and environmental performance of globe artichoke production. We combined energetic, exergetic, and environmental life cycle assessment (LCA) to explore “cradle-to-farm gate” resource use and environmental impacts of Mediterranean globe artichoke production using VP and SP. The cumulative energy and exergy were calculated using cumulative energy demand (CED) and cumulative exergy extraction from the natural environment (CEENE). The environmental impacts classified in different impact categories were assessed using the ReCiPe 2016 method. The functional units were 1 ton of artichoke heads (reflecting production efficiency) and 1 ha of cropped land (reflecting production intensity). The results show that the VP globe artichoke generate 14% lower CED (64,212 vs. 75,212 MJ ha−1) and 17% lower CEENE (88,698 vs. 106,664 MJexha−1) per 1 ha of land while 1 ton of product generates higher impact: 29% CED (5384.4 MJ vs. 4178.5 MJ ton−1) and 25% CEENE (7391.5 vs. 5927 MJex ton−1). On a mass basis, SP artichokes had lower water consumption (−18%), freshwater and marine ecotoxicity (−47%), and stratospheric ozone depletion (−32%), but a higher global warming (+19%), fossil (+36%) and mineral scarcity (+39%), and human toxicity-related impacts (+27%). At the endpoint level, VP globe artichoke has higher damage to human health (+13.4%) and ecosystem quality (+20.5%), but lower to resource availability (−24.5%). The single-score LCA analysis indicated that SP globe artichokes generate a 24% higher impact per 1 ha (1911.3 vs. 1452.7 points) but 14% less per unit of product (106 vs. 121.1 points). For both systems, water and fertilizer should be used more carefully and efficiently since the application of irrigation, fuel, and fertilizers were the major contributors to total environmental damage.
Recent Advances in Fish Nutrition: Insights on the Nutritional Implications of Modern Formulations
Authors: Rombenso Artur , Araujo Bruno , Li Erchao
Published: July 2022

Fish nutrition has driven advances in the efficiency, sustainability, and product quality of aquaculture production, facilitating its expansion of aquaculture production [...]
Comparative Proteomic Analyses of Poorly Motile Swamp Buffalo Spermatozoa Reveal Low Energy Metabolism and Deficiencies in Motility-Related Proteins
Authors: Liu Runfeng , Huang Xingchen , Sun Qinqiang , Hou Zhen , Yang Weihan , Zhang Junjun , Zhang Pengfei , Huang Liangfeng , Lu Yangqing , Fu Qiang
Published: July 2022

The acquisition of mammalian sperm motility is a main indicator of epididymal sperm maturation and helps ensure fertilization. Poor sperm motility will prevent sperm cells from reaching the fertilization site, resulting in fertilization failure. To investigate the proteomic profiling of normal and poorly motile buffalo spermatozoa, a strategy applying liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry combined with tandem mass targeting was used. As a result, 145 differentially expressed proteins (DEPs) were identified in poorly motile spermatozoa (fold change > 1.5), including 52 upregulated and 93 downregulated proteins. The upregulated DEPs were mainly involved in morphogenesis and regulation of cell differentiation. The downregulated DEPs were involved with transport, oxidation-reduction, sperm motility, regulation of cAMP metabolism and regulation of DNA methylation. The mRNA and protein levels of PRM1 and AKAP3 were lower in poorly motile spermatozoa, while the expressions of SDC2, TEKT3 and IDH1 were not correlated with motility, indicating that their protein changes were affected by transcription or translation. Such changes in the expression of these proteins suggest that the formation of poorly motile buffalo spermatozoa reflects a low efficiency of energy metabolism, decreases in sperm protamine proteins, deficiencies in motility-related proteins, and variations in tail structural proteins. Such proteins could be biomarkers of poorly motile spermatozoa. These results illustrate some of the molecular mechanisms associated with poorly motile spermatozoa and provide clues for finding molecular markers of these pathways.
Interactions between Ewes and Rams during Mating Can Be Used to Predict Lambing Dates Accurately, but Not Sire
Authors: Cunningham Kirsty , Van Burgel Andrew , Kelman Khama R. , Macleay Claire M. , Paganoni Beth L. , Thompson Andrew N.
Published: July 2022

Ewes often lamb over extended periods so the level of nutrition during pregnancy and lambing may be suboptimal for ewes that conceived later during mating. Predicting lambing dates would allow cohorts of ewes with similar gestational ages to be managed more precisely to achieve targets for ewe nutrition, feed on offer, mob sizes and access to shelter to improve lamb survival. The interactions between ewes and rams during mating have been used to predict the time of oestrus and lambing dates successfully, but this has not been tested at a commercial scale. In this study, proximity sensors were used to measure interactions between inexperienced Merino ewes (n = 317) and experienced rams (n = 9) during a 27-day mating period under commercial production conditions. When the gestation length was assumed to be 150 days, 91% of lambing dates were predicted within ±6 days of the actual birth date of lambs and 84% of lambing dates were predicted within ±3 days. The use of proximity sensors during mating was an effective means of predicting lambing dates, and there was no significant difference in accuracy for single bearing verses multiple bearing ewes. However, DNA parentage data showed the ram corresponding with the maximum daily interactions ratio was the sire for only 16% of all progeny, suggesting they could not be used to indicate the sire of the progeny.
Aliens Coming by Ships: Distribution and Origins of the Ocellated Skink Populations in Peninsular Italy
Authors: Mori Emiliano , Andreone Franco , Viviano Andrea , Faraone Francesco Paolo , Di Nicola Matteo Riccardo , Borri Bernardo , Bruni Giacomo , Mazza Giuseppe , Banchi Riccardo , Zaccaroni Marco , Mezzadri Sergio , Baratti Mariella
Published: July 2022

The ocellated skink (Chalcides ocellatus) is a widespread lizard, naturally distributed between the Maghreb and coastal Pakistan, with few insular populations in the Mediterranean coastal area. Some populations of this species have also been recorded in peninsular Italy, Campania and Southern Tuscany due to accidental introductions via touristic and commercial routes. In this work, we conducted genetic analyses on mitochondrial DNA COXI, cytb and 16S mtDNA genes on a sample of Italian insular and peninsular populations. Differently from what previously suggested, the nucleus in Portici (Southern Italy) may have originated from Sardinia. The intense trade and touristic traffic between Sardinia and Southern Tuscany may have been responsible for the introduction of this lizard also to Central Italy.
The Future of Artificial Intelligence in Monitoring Animal Identification, Health, and Behaviour
Authors: Congdon Jenna V. , Hosseini Mina , Gading Ezekiel F. , Masousi Mahdi , Franke Maria , MacDonald Suzanne E.
Published: July 2022

With many advancements, technologies are now capable of recording non-human animals’ location, heart rate, and movement, often using a device that is physically attached to the monitored animals. However, to our knowledge, there is currently no technology that is able to do this unobtrusively and non-invasively. Here, we review the history of technology for use with animals, recent technological advancements, current limitations, and a brief introduction to our proposed novel software. Canadian tech mogul EAIGLE Inc. has developed an artificial intelligence (AI) software solution capable of determining where people and assets are within public places or attractions for operational intelligence, security, and health and safety applications. The solution also monitors individual temperatures to reduce the potential spread of COVID-19. This technology has been adapted for use at the Toronto Zoo, initiated with a focus on Sumatran orangutans (Pongo abelii) given the close physical similarity between orangutans and humans as great ape species. This technology will be capable of mass data collection, individual identification, pose estimation, behaviour monitoring and tracking orangutans’ locations, in real time on a 24/7 basis, benefitting both zookeepers and researchers looking to review this information.
Metabolic Fate Is Defined by Amino Acid Nature in Gilthead Seabream Fed Different Diet Formulations
Authors: Teodósio Rita , Aragão Claúdia , Conceição Luís E. C. , Dias Jorge , Engrola Sofia
Published: July 2022

The sustainability of the Aquaculture industry relies on optimising diets to promote nitrogen retention and maximise fish growth. The aim of this study was to assess how different dietary formulations influence the bioavailability and metabolic fate of distinct amino acids in gilthead seabream juveniles. Amino acids (lysine, tryptophan, and methionine) were selected based on their ketogenic and/or glucogenic nature. Seabream were fed practical diets with different protein (44 and 40%) and lipid contents (21 and 18%): 44P21L, 44P18L, 40P21L, and 40P18L. After three weeks of feeding, the fish were tube-fed the correspondent diet labelled with 14C-lysine, 14C-tryptophan, or 14C-methionine. The amino acid utilisation was determined based on the evacuation, retention in gut, liver, and muscle, and the catabolism of the tracer. The metabolic fate of amino acids was mainly determined by their nature. Tryptophan was significantly more evacuated than lysine or methionine, indicating a lower availability for metabolic purposes. Methionine was more retained in muscle, indicating its higher availability. Lysine was mainly catabolised, suggesting that catabolism is preferentially ketogenic, even when this amino acid is deficient in diets. This study underpins the importance of optimising diets considering the amino acids’ bioavailability and metabolic fate to maximise protein retention in fish.
The Composition of the Carcass, Physicochemical Properties, Texture and Microstructure of the Meat of D11 Dworka and P9 Pekin Ducks
Authors: Kokoszyński Dariusz , Żochowska-Kujawska Joanna , Kotowicz Marek , Skoneczny Grzegorz , Kostenko Svitlana , Włodarczyk Karol , Stęczny Kamil , Saleh Mohamed , Wegner Marcin
Published: July 2022

The aim of the study was to determine the effects of genotype and sex on carcass composition and selected meat quality parameters of Dworka and Pekin ducks after two reproductive seasons. The research material consisted of 24 carcasses of Dworka ducks (breeding strain D11) and 24 carcasses of Pekin ducks from the herd of genetic resources (French Pekin, strain P-9). After cooling the carcasses (18 h, 2 °C), the pH values and electrical conductivity of the pectoral and leg muscles were determined, and then the carcass was dissected using a simplified method. After dissection, the pectoral and leg muscles were sampled for quality characteristics assessment. The Dworka ducks from breeding strain D11 compared to Pekin duck from conservative strain P9 were characterized by significantly (p < 0.05) higher carcass weight, protein and salt content, thermal drip, yellowness, thickness of perymisium and endomysium and lower water content of the pectoral muscle. Dworka ducks were also characterized by higher protein, salt and collagen content and higher electrical conductivity (EC24) of leg muscles than Pekin ducks. Regardless of genotype, male ducks had a higher gutted carcass weight with neck, salt content, muscle fiber cross-sectional area, fiber perimeter and diameters of pectoral muscle, and also higher protein and collagen, and lower fat content, pH24 and electrical conductivity of leg muscles. The genotype by sex interaction was significant (p < 0.05) for water, protein, fat content, perimisium thickness, cohesiveness, springiness of the pectoral major muscle, and for water content and protein of the leg muscles. The results obtained in this study demonstrate the effects of genotype and sex on the nutritional value and some technological parameters of duck meat. The studied ducks after two reproductive seasons satisfactorily meet the requirements of duck meat for consumers and duck meat processing plants.
Comparing Blend of Essential Oils Plus 25-Hydroxy-Vit-D3 Versus Monensin Plus Virginiamycin Combination in Finishing Feedlot Cattle: Growth Performance, Dietary Energetics, and Carcass Traits
Authors: Estrada-Angulo Alfredo , Mendoza-Cortez Daniel A. , Ramos-Méndez Jorge L. , Arteaga-Wences Yesica J. , Urías-Estrada Jesús D. , Castro-Pérez Beatriz I. , Ríos-Rincón Francisco G. , Rodríguez-Gaxiola Miguel A. , Barreras Alberto , Zinn Richard A. , Plascencia Alejandro
Published: July 2022

Ninety crossbreed bulls (349.5 ± 8.25 kg initial weight) were used in an 87day trial to compare the effects of a blend of essential oils plus 25-hydroxy-Vit-D3 (EO + HyD) versus the combination of monensin with virginiamycin (MON + VM) on feedlot growth performance and carcass characteristics. Dietary treatments (nine replicates/treatment) were supplemented with 40 mg/kg diet dry matter of MON + VM (equal parts) or with 120.12 mg/kg diet dry matter of a combination of standardized mixture of essential oils (120 mg) plus 0.12 mg of 25-hydroxy-vitamin-D3 (EO + HyD). There were no treatment effects on dry matter intake (DMI, p = 0.63). However, the coefficient of variation in day-to-day DMI was greater for EO + HyD than for MON + VM (11.4% vs. 3.88%, p = 0.04). There were no treatment effects (p ≥ 0.17) on daily weight gain, gain-to-feed ratio, and estimated dietary net energy. Cattle supplemented with EO + HyD had greater Longissimus muscle area (7.9%, p < 0.01) and estimated retail yield (1.6%, p = 0.03), and tended to have heavier (1.7%, p = 0.10) carcass weight. Differences among treatments in dressing percentage, fat thickness, kidney–pelvic–heart fat, and marbling score were not appreciable (p > 0.10). It is concluded that growth performance response and dietary energetic are similar for finishing cattle supplemented with EO + HyD vs. MON + VM. However, compared with MON + VM, supplementation with EO + HyD during the finishing phase may improve carcass Longissimus area and carcass yield.
Enrichment of Ewe’s Milk with Dietary n-3 Fatty Acids from Palm, Linseed and Algae Oils in Isoenergetic Rations
Authors: Manso Teresa , Gallardo Beatriz , Lavín Paz , Ruiz Mantecón Ángel , Cejudo Carmen , Gómez-Cortés Pilar , de la Fuente Miguel Ángel
Published: July 2022

Increasing the levels of n-3 fatty acids (FA) in dairy products is an important goal in terms of enhancing the nutritional value of these foods for the consumer. The purpose of this research was to evaluate the effects of linseed and algae oil supplements in ovine isoenergetic diets on healthy milk fatty acid composition, mainly n-3. Seventy-two Churra dairy ewes were divided and randomly assigned to four experimental treatments for 6 weeks. The treatments consisted of a TMR (40:60 forage:concentrate ratio) that varied according to the inclusion of different types of fat (23 g/100 g TMR): hydrogenated palm oil (control), linseed oil (LO), calcium soap of linseed oil (CaS-LO) and marine algae oil (AO). The most effective lipid supplement to increase n-3 FA in milk was AO. 22:6 n-3 and total n-3 PUFA content increased from 0.02 and 0.60% (control) to 2.63 and 3.53% (AO), respectively. All diets supplemented with n-3 FA diminished the content of saturated FA in milk and its atherogenic index, while the levels of trans-11 18:1 and cis-9 trans-11 18:2 significantly increased. Overall, the enhancement of n-3 FA in ewe’s milk would be advantageous for the manufacture of nutritionally improved cheeses.
A Review of Non-Invasive Sampling in Wildlife Disease and Health Research: What’s New?
Authors: Schilling Anna-Katarina , Mazzamuto Maria Vittoria , Romeo Claudia
Published: July 2022

In the last decades, wildlife diseases and the health status of animal populations have gained increasing attention from the scientific community as part of a One Health framework. Furthermore, the need for non-invasive sampling methods with a minimal impact on wildlife has become paramount in complying with modern ethical standards and regulations, and to collect high-quality and unbiased data. We analysed the publication trends on non-invasive sampling in wildlife health and disease research and offer a comprehensive review on the different samples that can be collected non-invasively. We retrieved 272 articles spanning from 1998 to 2021, with a rapid increase in number from 2010. Thirty-nine percent of the papers were focussed on diseases, 58% on other health-related topics, and 3% on both. Stress and other physiological parameters were the most addressed research topics, followed by viruses, helminths, and bacterial infections. Terrestrial mammals accounted for 75% of all publications, and faeces were the most widely used sample. Our review of the sampling materials and collection methods highlights that, although the use of some types of samples for specific applications is now consolidated, others are perhaps still underutilised and new technologies may offer future opportunities for an even wider use of non-invasively collected samples.
A Survey on the Rationale Usage of Antimicrobial Agents in Small Animal Clinics and Farms in Trinidad and Jamaica
Authors: Ismaila Muhammad Sani , Thomas-Rhoden Alexandra , Neptune Angel , Sookram Kezia , Gopaul Samantha , Padarath Travis , Persad Anil , Georges Karla , Sundaram Venkatesan
Published: July 2022

The extensive and indiscriminate use of antibiotics is known to contribute to antimicrobial resistance. Unfortunately, there are no public records of antimicrobial use (frequency or dosage) administered to animals in two major CARICOM (Caribbean Community) countries: Trinidad and Tobago, and Jamaica. Surveillance would promote amendments and discussion on a Caribbean antimicrobial-use protocol. In this study, an online survey was conducted using cross-sectional qualitative interviews via email, targeting veterinary clinicians working in clinics and farms in Trinidad and Jamaica, to identify how antimicrobials are used in the two countries. Out of the thirty-two (32) clinicians interviewed in Trinidad, 22 (68.75%) were small animal practitioners, and 10 (45.45%) were mixed practitioners. While in Jamaica, a total of Twenty six (26) clinicians responded, of which 17 of them (65.38%) were small animal practitioners and nine (34.62%) were mixed practitioners. A total of 95.2% of clinics and farms in Jamaica and 87.1% in Trinidad did not use standard antimicrobial protocols, which could be due to the limited availability of resources. The broad-spectrum antibiotic, amoxicillin, and amoxicillin/clavulanic acid were the most commonly used drugs in small animal practices in both countries (71.9% and 53.8% in dogs), (78.1% and 65.9% in cats); amoxicillin is also used frequently in mixed animal practice in Jamaica (44.4% in goats, 33.3% in cattle and 22.2% in sheep and pigs), while procaine penicillin and streptomycin was the most frequently used in mixed practice in Trinidad (60% in cattle and goats, 50% in sheep), which could explain the potentially increased risk of antimicrobial resistance.
Are Phthalate Exposure Related to Oxidative Stress in Children and Adolescents with Asthma? A Cumulative Risk Assessment Approach
Authors: Huang Po-Chin , Cheng Po-Keng , Chen Hsin-Chang , Shiue Ivy , Chang Wan-Ting , Huang Hsin-I , Chang Jung-Wei , Wang I-Jen
Published: July 2022

Childhood asthma has become one of the most common chronic diseases in children and adolescents. However, few case–control studies investigating the relationship between phthalate exposure and asthma in children and adolescents have been conducted, especially in Asia. Therefore, we assessed the potential associations between phthalate exposure and asthma among children and adolescents in Taiwan. Because various demographic and environmental variables may influence the incidence and prognosis of asthma, we performed a case–control study with propensity score matching. Out of 615 Childhood Environment and Allergic Diseases Study participants, we conditionally matched 41 children with clinically diagnosed asthma with 111 controls. We then analyzed 11 phthalate metabolites by using liquid chromatography with tandem mass spectrometry. Compared with the control group, the median urinary phthalate levels for most phthalate metabolites in the case group were slightly increased, including monomethyl phthalate, mono-n-butyl phthalate, monobenzyl phthalate, monoethylhexyl phthalate, mono-(2-ethyl-5-hydroxyhexyl) phthalate, mono-(2-ethyl-5-oxohexyl) phthalate, mono-(2-ethyl-5-carboxypentyl) phthalate, and mono-(2-carboxymethylhexyl) phthalate. Hence, our results suggest that phthalate exposure may be associated with the development of asthma. In addition, prenatal environmental factors, such as active or passive smoking during pregnancy, may increase the risk of asthma.
Prophylactic Anti-Osteoporotic Effect of Matricaria chamomilla L. Flower Using Steroid-Induced Osteoporosis in Rat Model and Molecular Modelling Approaches
Authors: Raja Abirami , Singh Govind Pratap , Fadil Sana A. , Elhady Sameh S. , Youssef Fadia S. , Ashour Mohamed L.
Published: July 2022

The anti-osteoporotic activity of ethanol extract from the Matricaria chamomilla L. flower was evaluated using steroid-induced osteoporosis in a rat model for the first time. Biochemical parameters such as serum calcium, phosphate, magnesium, creatinine, and alkaline phosphatase were assessed. At a 400 mg/kg body weight dose, the extract showed 54.01% and 27.73% reduction in serum calcium and phosphate ions serum levels, respectively. Meanwhile, it showed a 20% elevation in serum magnesium level, compared to the steroid-treated group. It also showed a significant decrease in creatinine and alkaline phosphatase levels, by 29.41% and 27.83%, respectively. The obtained results were further supported by biomechanical analyses, which revealed that a 400 mg/kg body weight dose of the flower extract increased bone strength and thickness. At the same time, it does not affect the bone length, compared to the diseased group. Histopathological examination revealed that the extract showed a significant increase in trabecular thickness, and it had restored the architecture of the cortical and trabecular structure with well-organized bone matrix. The possible inhibitory effect of the major phenolic compounds identified from the plant extract on cathepsin K was investigated using molecular docking. Rutin (4) had the best-fitting score within the active site, as evidenced by the free binding energy, (∆G = −54.19 Kcal/mol). ADMET/TOPKAT revealed that the examined compounds had variable pharmacodynamics and pharmacokinetic properties that could be improved to enhance the bioavailability during incorporation in various dosage forms. Thus, it can be concluded that this plant extract showed potential therapeutic benefits for osteoporosis.
Antioxidative Role of Hygrophila erecta (Brum. F.) Hochr. on UV-Induced Photoaging of Dermal Fibroblasts and Melanoma Cells
Authors: Lee Su Jin , Kim Ji Eun , Choi Yun Ju , Jin You Jeong , Roh Yu Jeong , Seol A Yun , Song Hee Jin , Park So Hae , Uddin Md. Salah , Lee Sang Woo , Hwang Dae Youn
Published: July 2022

Antioxidants are an important strategy for treating photoaging because excessive reactive oxygen species (ROS) are produced during UV irradiation. The therapeutic effects of methanol extracts of Hygrophila erecta (Brum. F.) Hochr. (MEH) against UV-induced photoaging were examined by monitoring the changes in the antioxidant defense system, apoptosis, extracellular matrix (ECM) modulation, inflammatory response, and melanin synthesis in normal human dermal fibroblast (NHDF) cells and melanoma B16F1 cells. Four bioactive compounds, including 4-methoxycinnamic acid, 4-methoxybenzoic acid, methyl linoleate, and asterriquinone C-1, were detected in MEH, while the DPPH free radical scavenging activity was IC50 = 7.6769 µg/mL. UV-induced an increase in the intracellular ROS generation, NO concentration, SOD activity and expression, and Nrf2 expression were prevented with the MEH treatment. Significant decreases in the number of apoptotic cells, the ratio of Bax/Bcl-2, and cleaved Cas-3/Cas-3 were observed in MEH-treated NHDF cells. The MEH treatment induced the significant prevention of ECM disruption and suppressed the COX-2-induced iNOS mediated pathway, expression of inflammatory cytokines, and inflammasome activation. Finally, the expression of the melanin synthesis-involved genes and tyrosinase activity decreased significantly in the α-melanocyte-stimulating hormone (MSH)-stimulated B16F1 cells after the MEH treatment. MEH may have an antioxidative role against UV-induced photoaging by suppressing ROS-induced cellular damage.
Variation of Nutritional Quality Depending on Harvested Plant Portion of Broccoli and Black Cabbage
Authors: Mezzetti Bruno , Biondi Francesca , Balducci Francesca , Capocasa Franco , Mei Elena , Vagnoni Massimo , Visciglio Marino , Mazzoni Luca
Published: July 2022

Brassicaceae plants are rich with antioxidant compounds that play a key role for human health. This study wants to characterize two Italian broccoli cultivars (Roya and Santee) and black cabbage, evaluating the variation of antioxidants in different portion and at different developmental stage of the plants: for broccoli, heads and stems were sampled, while for black cabbage, leaves and seeds were analyzed. Roja cultivar was also analyzed at the first and second harvest to evaluate the variation of phytochemical compounds over time. Nutritional and sensorial qualities were investigated. Black cabbage seeds showed higher value of total antioxidants, total phenols, and total anthocyanins than leaves. Similarly, phenolics and anthocyanins content in head was higher than in stem in broccoli. In Roja cultivar, the harvest date seemed to influence the antioxidant capacity and the phytochemical compounds content, with broccoli sampled in the second harvest showing better results for all the nutritional parameters. These local vegetables represent a significant source of antioxidants and may contribute to health benefits of the consumers.
Hyperparameter Tuning with High Performance Computing Machine Learning for Imbalanced Alzheimer’s Disease Data
Authors: Zhang Fan , Petersen Melissa , Johnson Leigh , Hall James , O’Bryant Sid E.
Published: July 2022

Accurate detection is still a challenge in machine learning (ML) for Alzheimer’s disease (AD). Class imbalance in imbalanced AD data is another big challenge for machine-learning algorithms working under the assumption that the data are evenly distributed within classes. Here, we present a hyperparameter tuning workflow with high-performance computing (HPC) for imbalanced data related to prevalent mild cognitive impairment (MCI) and AD in the Health and Aging Brain Study-Health Disparities (HABS-HD) project. We applied a single-node multicore parallel mode to hyperparameter tuning of gamma, cost, and class weight using a support vector machine (SVM) model with 10 times repeated fivefold cross-validation. We executed the hyperparameter tuning workflow with R’s bigmemory, foreach, and doParallel packages on Texas Advanced Computing Center (TACC)’s Lonestar6 system. The computational time was dramatically reduced by up to 98.2% for the high-performance SVM hyperparameter tuning model, and the performance of cross-validation was also improved (the positive predictive value and the negative predictive value at base rate 12% were, respectively, 16.42% and 92.72%). Our results show that a single-node multicore parallel structure and high-performance SVM hyperparameter tuning model can deliver efficient and fast computation and achieve outstanding agility, simplicity, and productivity for imbalanced data in AD applications.
Shaping and Dilating the Fitness Landscape for Parameter Estimation in Stochastic Biochemical Models
Authors: Nobile Marco S. , Papetti Daniele M. , Spolaor Simone , Cazzaniga Paolo , Manzoni Luca
Published: July 2022

The parameter estimation (PE) of biochemical reactions is one of the most challenging tasks in systems biology given the pivotal role of these kinetic constants in driving the behavior of biochemical systems. PE is a non-convex, multi-modal, and non-separable optimization problem with an unknown fitness landscape; moreover, the quantities of the biochemical species appearing in the system can be low, making biological noise a non-negligible phenomenon and mandating the use of stochastic simulation. Finally, the values of the kinetic parameters typically follow a log-uniform distribution; thus, the optimal solutions are situated in the lowest orders of magnitude of the search space. In this work, we further elaborate on a novel approach to address the PE problem based on a combination of adaptive swarm intelligence and dilation functions (DFs). DFs require prior knowledge of the characteristics of the fitness landscape; therefore, we leverage an alternative solution to evolve optimal DFs. On top of this approach, we introduce surrogate Fourier modeling to simplify the PE, by producing a smoother version of the fitness landscape that excludes the high frequency components of the fitness function. Our results show that the PE exploiting evolved DFs has a performance comparable with that of the PE run with a custom DF. Moreover, surrogate Fourier modeling allows for improving the convergence speed. Finally, we discuss some open problems related to the scalability of our methodology.
MLMD—A Malware-Detecting Antivirus Tool Based on the XGBoost Machine Learning Algorithm
Authors: Palša Jakub , Ádám Norbert , Hurtuk Ján , Chovancová Eva , Madoš Branislav , Chovanec Martin , Kocan Stanislav
Published: July 2022

This paper focuses on training machine learning models using the XGBoost and extremely randomized trees algorithms on two datasets obtained using static and dynamic analysis of real malicious and benign samples. We then compare their success rates—both mutually and with other algorithms, such as the random forest, the decision tree, the support vector machine, and the naïve Bayes algorithms, which we compared in our previous work on the same datasets. The best performing classification models, using the XGBoost algorithm, achieved 91.9% detection accuracy and 98.2% sensitivity, 0.853 AUC, and 0.949 F1 score on the static analysis dataset, and 96.4% accuracy and 98.5% sensitivity, 0.940 AUC, and 0.977 F1 score on the dynamic analysis dataset. Then, we exported the best performing machine learning models and used them in our proposed MLMD program, automating the process of static and dynamic analysis and allowing the trained models to be used for classification on new samples.
Nutritional Value and Antioxidant Activity of Fresh Pumpkin Flowers (Cucurbita sp.) Grown in Poland
Authors: Bieżanowska-Kopeć Renata , Ambroszczyk Anna Magdalena , Piątkowska Ewa , Leszczyńska Teresa
Published: July 2022

Pumpkin flowers, in their composition, contain many bioactive ingredients that have a beneficial effect on the human body. The aim of the research was to evaluate the antioxidant activity and chemical composition of flowers of various species and varieties of pumpkins: Amazonka, Ambar, Atlantic Giant, Bambino (Cucurbita maxima L.), Butternut, Muscade de Provence, Rouge vif d’Etampes (Cucurbita moschata Duch.), and Miranda (Cucurbia pepo L.). The flowers came from flowering pumpkin shoots, grown in Poland (Krakow). The total polyphenols, carotenoids, total sugar contents, antioxidant activity, and fatty acid composition were determined. The content of dry matter, protein, ash, fat, and selected minerals were also determined. Pumpkin flowers of the Atlantic Giant variety were characterized by the highest content of total polyphenols and sugars and antioxidant activity. They also showed the highest percentage of n-myristic acid (C14:0) and docosanoic acid (C22:0). The energy value of fresh pumpkin flowers, of all varieties, was low and averaged 22 kcal/100 g. Fresh pumpkin flowers are a significant source of iron, covering 60–80% of the EAR standard for adults (Atlantic Giant and Bambino varieties).