bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Application of artificial intelligence in predicting lymph node metastasis in breast cancer
Authors: Windsor Gabrielle O. , Bai Harrison , Lourenco Ana P. , Jiao Zhicheng
Published: February 2023

Breast cancer is a leading cause of death for women globally. A characteristic of breast cancer includes its ability to metastasize to distant regions of the body, and the disease achieves this through first spreading to the axillary lymph nodes. Traditional diagnosis of axillary lymph node metastasis includes an invasive technique that leads to potential clinical complications for breast cancer patients. The rise of artificial intelligence in the medical imaging field has led to the creation of innovative deep learning models that can predict the metastatic status of axillary lymph nodes noninvasively, which would result in no unnecessary biopsies and dissections for patients. In this review, we discuss the success of various deep learning artificial intelligence models across multiple imaging modalities in their performance of predicting axillary lymph node metastasis.
Structural influences on groundwater circulation in the Makgadikgadi salt pans of Botswana? Implications for martian playa environments
Authors: Schmidt G. , Luzzi E. , Franchi F. , Selepeng A. T. , Hlabano K. , Salvini F.
Published: February 2023

Across the surface of Mars, evidence of past lacustrine and evaporitic environments has been found within basins and craters, where often layered sedimentary deposits and hydrated minerals are observed. However, the intensity, duration, and precise phases of aqueous processes during their deposition remain unresolved mostly for our inability to model subsurface structures. Although several geological processes and locations on Earth have been previously proposed as examples to describe these deposits on Mars, we lack a strong visualization of what water activity might have looked like during evaporitic stages within basins and craters. Here we propose to investigate the shallow subsurface of the Makgadikgadi salt pans of Botswana as a potential analog for understanding groundwater upwelling on Mars. The pans are found within the Makgadikgadi Basin, a depression located at the southwestern end of a northeast-southwest set of graben linked with the East African Rift. The Makgadikgadi Pans are evaporitic environment rich in hydrated minerals and groundwater activity. The purpose of this work is to identify buried faults and areas of relative water saturation within the lacustrine sediment of the Makgadikgadi Basin by means of electrical resistivity surveys. This work represents the first electrical resistivity survey of the basin floor which provides a precursory investigation of the relationship between groundwater, faults, basement depth, and the lacustrine sediments. We present four electrical survey lines from different locations in the pans which reveal distinct sedimentary units. Several faults are inferred from the vertical displacement of these units and accompanying low resistivity where displacement is observed. These results provide a framework for visualizing the sedimentary sequences of infilled basins and craters on Mars, which can broaden the ongoing discussion of hydrogeological processes that were active in the planet’s past. We propose Meridiani Planum, as well as Oyama and Becquerel crater of Arabia Terra as locations to establish this framework. Since such processes are still ongoing in the Makgadikgadi Basin, imaging the subsurface of the pans helps explain the formation of layered and salty deposits on the surface of Mars, how they may have interacted with flowing water, and whether they might have hosted life.
Case report: Primary alveolar soft-part sarcoma of the lung in a child
Authors: Xu Zhufei , Wang Jinhu , Mao Junqing , Xu Dan , Wu Lei , Zhou Yunlian , Li Xuejing , Chen Zhimin , Wang Yingshuo
Published: February 2023

Alveolar soft-part sarcoma involving the lung is mostly metastatic in nature, while primary alveolar soft-part sarcoma involving the lung occurs more rarely. Herein, we report a rare case of a patient with primary alveolar soft-part sarcoma of the lung, which may represent the earliest onset of this condition reported thus far. In this patient, surgery was performed to excise the lesion to the greatest extent possible, and the combination of surgery with chemoradiotherapy and an antiangiogenic agent may provide an important reference for the development of standard or first-line treatment for such pediatric patients.
Illuminating HBV with multi-scale modeling
Authors: Means Shawn A. , Ali Md A. , Ho Harvey
Published: February 2023

Unfortunately for the estimated 250 million sufferers of chronic hepatitis-B viral (HBV) infection worldwide, the liver terrain is typically ignored. An immuno-tolerant environment attractive for pathogens, the essential metabolic roles and structural features of the liver are aligned with distinctive gradients of oxygen and nutrients established along blood flows through fundamental hepatic processing units known as sinusoids. Capillaries surrounded by banks of hepatocytes, sinusoids express spatial configurations and concentrations of not only metabolic roles but also immune cell localisations, blood filtering and transporter specialisations: the liver terrain. HBV targets proteins regulating gluconeogenesis, a crucial liver function of blood glucose management, highly active at blood entry points—the periportal sites of sinusoids. Meanwhile, at these same sites, specialised liver macrophages, Kupffer cells (KC), aggregate and perform critical pathogen capture, detection and signaling for modulating immune responses. In tandem with KC, liver sinusoidal endothelial cells (LSECs) complement KC blood filtration and capture of pathogens as well as determine KC aggregation at the periportal sites. Failure of these systems to establish critical spatial configurations could ironically facilitate HBV invasion and entrenchment. Investigating the impacts of spatial and structural variations on the HBV infection dynamic is experimentally challenging at best. Alternatively, mathematical modeling methods provide exquisite control over said variations, permitting teasing out the subtle and competing dynamics at play within the liver terrain. Coordinating with experimental observations, multi-scale modeling methods hold promise to illuminate HBV reliance on features of the liver terrain, and potentially how it may be defeated.
Effect of meniscus curvature on phase-change performance during capillary-enhanced filmwise condensation in porous media
Authors: Wang Ruisong , Antao Dion S.
Published: February 2023

Sustainably enhancing condensation heat transfer performance is a major challenge in thermal management and energy systems, since typical condensation enhancement methods (i.e., dropwise condensation with low surface energy coatings) have limited lifetime/durability, restricted compatibility with working fluids, and sustainability concerns due to the coating composition (e.g., fluorinated compounds). The robust and scalable capillary-enhanced filmwise condensation mode presented in this work demonstrates high heat transfer coefficients for water and low surface tension liquids condensing in a porous wick. Thin porous wicks offer the highest enhancements in heat transfer, however such thin porous wicks have thickness-dependent permeability, and the effective liquid thickness of the wick depends on the shape of the liquid-vapor interface. In this study, we leverage a spatially-discretized porous media model to characterize the effect of the wick thickness on condensation heat transfer performance. The model uses a spatially-varying permeability that depends on the local liquid-vapor interface shape/curvature and the resulting effective wick thickness. We apply this model to investigate the correlation between the heat transfer enhancement and various geometric factors, which enables the design of optimal porous structures for relevant phase-change application. We also predict favorable enhancement in condensation performance with a few common hydrocarbon and fluorocarbon fluid refrigerants. This study provides fundamental insight into the effects of the shape of the liquid-vapor interface on the phase-change performance in the capillary-enhanced filmwise condensation mode.
Whole genome sequencing and phylogenetic analysis of African swine fever virus detected in a backyard pig in Mongolia, 2019
Authors: Hyeon Ji-Yeon , Tseren-Ochir Erdene-Ochir , Lee Dong-Hun , Nahm Sang-Soep , Gladue Douglas P. , Borca Manuel V. , Song Chang-Seon , Risatti Guillermo R.
Published: February 2023

African swine fever (ASF) is a highly contagious and fatal disease affecting domestic and wild pigs caused by the African swine fever virus (ASFV). Since the first outbreak in China in August 2018, ASF has spread rapidly in Asia. and the first case in Mongolia was confirmed in January 2019. In this study, we report the first whole genome sequence of an ASFV (ASFV SS-3/Mongolia/2019) detected from a backyard pig in Mongolia in February 2019 using whole genome sequencing. We analyzed their phylogenetic relationship with other genotype II ASFVs from Eurasia. The ASFV SS-3/Mongolia/2019 belonged to genotype II (p72 and p54), serogroup 8 (CD2v), Tet-10a variant (pB602L), and IGRIII variant (intergenic region between the I73R/I329L genes). A total of five amino acid substitutions were observed in MGF 360-10L, MGF 505-4R, MGF 505-9R, NP419L, and I267L genes compared to the ASFV Georgia 2007/1 virus. ML phylogenetic analysis of the whole genome sequence showed that the virus shares a high nucleotide sequence identity with ASFVs recently identified in Eastern Europe and Asia and clustered with the ASFV/Zabaykali/WB5314/2020|Russia|2020 virus which was identified at the border between the Russian Federation and Mongolia in 2020. Our results suggest that trans boundary spread of ASF occurred through close geographic proximity.
Mouse models of chronic wasting disease: A review
Authors: Cook Makayla , Hensley-McBain Tiffany , Grindeland Andrea
Published: February 2023

Animal models are essential tools for investigating and understanding complex prion diseases like chronic wasting disease (CWD), an infectious prion disease of cervids (elk, deer, moose, and reindeer). Over the past several decades, numerous mouse models have been generated to aid in the advancement of CWD knowledge and comprehension. These models have facilitated the investigation of pathogenesis, transmission, and potential therapies for CWD. Findings have impacted CWD management and disease outcomes, though much remains unknown, and a cure has yet to be discovered. Studying wildlife for CWD effects is singularly difficult due to the long incubation time, subtle clinical signs at early stages, lack of convenient in-the-field live testing methods, and lack of reproducibility of a controlled laboratory setting. Mouse models in many cases is the first step to understanding the mechanisms of disease in a shortened time frame. Here, we provide a comprehensive review of studies with mouse models in CWD research. We begin by reviewing studies that examined the use of mouse models for bioassays for tissues, bodily fluids, and excreta that spread disease, then address routes of infectivity and infectious load. Next, we delve into studies of genetic factors that influence protein structure. We then move on to immune factors, possible transmission through environmental contamination, and species barriers and differing prion strains. We conclude with studies that make use of cervidized mouse models in the search for therapies for CWD.
Art Engagement and Risk of Type 2 Diabetes: Evidence From the English Longitudinal Study of Ageing
Authors: Wang Xiaowen , Jiang Jie , Hu Yonghua , Qin Li-Qiang , Hao Yuantao , Dong Jia-Yi
Published: February 2023

Objectives: To examine the prospective association between art engagement and the risk of type 2 diabetes.

Methods: Adults aged ≥50 from the English Longitudinal Study of Ageing were asked about the frequency of art engagement, including going to the cinema, the art gallery or museum, and the theatre, a concert, or the opera. Cox proportional hazards regression models were used to examine the risk of type 2 diabetes associated with art engagement.

Results: During a median follow-up of 12.2 years, we identified 350 cases of type 2 diabetes from 4,064 participants through interviews. After multivariable adjustment, compared with people who never went to the cinema, those going to the cinema frequently had a significantly lower risk of developing type 2 diabetes (HR = 0.61, 95% CI: 0.44–0.86). After further adjustment for socioeconomic factors, the association was slightly attenuated but remained statistically significant (HR = 0.65, 95% CI: 0.46–0.92). Similar results were found for going to the theatre, a concert, or the opera.

Conclusion: Frequent art engagement may be associated with a lower risk of type 2 diabetes, which was independent of individuals’ socioeconomic factors.
A Line Segment Detector for Space Target Images Robust to Complex Illumination
Authors: Zhang Xingxing , Hu Changyu , Liu Hanhan , Du Ronghua , Zhou Xiaofeng , Wang Ling
Published: February 2023

The relative pose estimation of the space target is indispensable for on-orbit autonomous service missions. Line segment detection is an important step in pose estimation. The traditional line segment detectors show impressive performance under sufficient illumination, while it is easy to fail under complex illumination conditions where the illumination is too bright or too dark. We propose a robust line segment detector for space applications considering the complex illumination in space environments. An improved two-dimensional histogram construction strategy is used to optimize the Otsu method to improve the accuracy of anchor map extraction. To further improve line segment detection’s effect, we introduce an aggregation method that uses the angle difference between segments, the distance between endpoints, and the overlap degree of segments to filter the aggregation candidate segments and connect disjoint line segments that probably came from the same segment. We demonstrate the performance of the proposed line segment detector using a variety of images collected on a semiphysical simulation platform. The results show that our method has better performance than traditional line segment detectors including LSD, Linelet, etc., in terms of line detection precision.
Variable-Geometry Rotating Components Modeling Based on Reference Characteristic Curves for the Variable Cycle Engine
Authors: Wang Yangjing , Huang Jinquan , Pan Muxuan , Zhou Wenxiang
Published: February 2023

The variable cycle engine switches working modes by way of changing variable-geometry components to achieve the dual advantages of high unit thrust and low specific fuel consumption. Due to the lack of a large amount of rig test data and the complex modeling of rotating components, the incomplete characteristics of the variable-geometry rotating components lead to the non-convergence of the component-level model of the variable cycle engine, which makes it difficult to design the follow-up control system. Aiming at this problem, a characteristics modeling method of variable-geometry rotating components for variable cycle engine based on reference characteristic curves is proposed in this paper. This method establishes a neural network estimation model for the offset coefficients of key component operating points based on the characteristic law of the maturely designed variable-geometry rotating component. Combining the neural network model and the reference characteristic curves of the variable-geometry component to be designed, the offset positions of the operating points for positive and negative guide vane angles are determined. Instead of directly connecting operating points to generate characteristic lines, this paper solves the Bezier curve optimization problem based on sequential quadratic programming (SQP) to smoothly fit characteristic lines. Thereby, component characteristics that conform to the actual variable-geometry characteristics can be quickly established in the absence of rig test data. The simulations show that the characteristics of the variable-geometry rotating components established by the proposed method have satisfactory accuracy and reliability, which further improves the operation stability of the component-level model of the variable cycle engine.
High-Performance Attitude Control Design of Supersonic Tailless Aircraft: A Cascaded Disturbance Rejection Approach
Authors: Wang Zian , Hu Lei , Fei Wanghua , Zhou Dapeng , Yang Dapeng , Ma Chenxi , Gong Zheng , Wu Jin , Zhang Chengxi , Yang Yi
Published: February 2023

This paper focuses on the triaxial augmentation ability of the active disturbance rejection control (ADRC) technique on the tailless layout with a fully moving wing tip to achieve high control performance for the supersonic tailless aircraft. Firstly, the stability characteristics and controllability of the flying wing layout are analyzed to determine the coupling characteristics of this kind of aircraft. Secondly, an attitude controller is designed based on ADRC theory, and the linear ADRC frequency domain analysis method is introduced to analyze the influence of the bandwidth of linear extended stator on the control system. In addition, the tuning process of the attitude control law is given. Carrier dropping simulations of flight missions under nominal condition, model parameter perturbation, and wind disturbance are conducted. The results show that the designed controller can achieve full-speed domain triaxial augmentation of supersonic flying wing. This work has the potential to significantly boost the engineering acceptability and robustness of supersonic aircraft control design in real-world scenarios. The presented cascaded ADRC approach can significantly improve the performance and robustness of supersonic vehicles.
An Improved Method for Initial Sizing of Airbreathing Hypersonic Aircraft
Authors: Dai Yalin , Wang Yu , Xu Xiaoyu , Yu Xiongqing
Published: February 2023

One essential problem in aircraft conceptual design is initial sizing in which the aircraft primary parameters such as weight, size, and thrust are estimated for given design requirements. The airbreathing hypersonic aircraft is a type of novel aircraft and has significant differences from conventional aircraft in terms of its flight speed and propulsion system. Traditional initial sizing methods are not suitable for this type of novel aircraft. This paper presents an improved initial sizing method for the conceptual design of airbreathing hypersonic aircraft. An illustrative airbreathing hypersonic aircraft is used to describe the detailed procedure of the method. The weight and size of the aircraft are estimated through the simultaneous solution of the weight equation and the volume equation. Constraint analysis is applied to determine the solution space of the thrust-to-weight ratio and the wing loading. A thrust trade is conducted to find the minimum takeoff gross weight of the aircraft. The impacts of technology parameters on the weight, size, and thrust are investigated by sensitivity analyses. The presented method is based on rational derivation. It can be expected that the initial sizing results from the method are reasonable and satisfactory for conceptual design of the airbreathing hypersonic aircraft.
Evaluation of Abnormal Hypocotyl Growth of Mutant Capsicum annuum Plants
Authors: Pápai Bánk , Kovács Zsófia , Tóth-Lencsés Kitti Andrea , Bedő Janka , Csilléry Gábor , Veres Anikó , Szőke Antal
Published: February 2023

Horticulture is a dynamically evolving and an ever-changing sector which needs new ideas, plant materials, and cultivating methods to produce more. Involving different mutants in breeding lines may lead to new opportunities to create new cultivating methods. pcx (procumbent plant) and tti (tortuosa internodi) Capsicum annuum mutant plants, which present abnormal stem growth, were investigated in various in vitro experiments. The pcx breeding line presents highly diverse hypocotyl growth even in the early phenophase, such as normally growing plants and the ‘laying’ habit. On the other hand, tti plants only present their elongated slender stem trait in a more mature phase. In our experiment of reorientation, we used one-sided illumination, where each of the phenotypes sensed and reacted to light, and only the pcx plants exhibited a negative gravitropic response. It was also the result that the tti plants sensed gravity, but the weak structure of the hypocotyls made them incapable of following its direction. Since the pcx plants were the only ones with an ‘antigravitropic’ growth, we used them to evaluate the time course they needed to adapt and follow the gravity vector after reorientation. The pcx plants sensing gravity adapted similarly to controls and started bending after 120 min, but those which presented as ‘anti-gravitropic’ did not respond even after 420 min.
Extraction of Cropland Spatial Distribution Information Using Multi-Seasonal Fractal Features: A Case Study of Black Soil in Lishu County, China
Authors: Wang Qi , Guo Peng , Dong Shiwei , Liu Yu , Pan Yuchun , Li Cunjun
Published: February 2023

Accurate extraction of cropland distribution information using remote sensing technology is a key step in the monitoring, protection, and sustainable development of black soil. To obtain precise spatial distribution of cropland, an information extraction method is developed based on a fractal algorithm integrating temporal and spatial features. The method extracts multi-seasonal fractal features from the Landsat 8 OLI remote sensing data. Its efficiency is demonstrated using black soil in Lishu County, Northeast China. First, each pixel’s upper and lower fractal signals are calculated using a blanket covering method based on the Landsat 8 OLI remote sensing data in the spring, summer, and autumn seasons. The fractal characteristics of the cropland and other land-cover types are analyzed and compared. Second, the ninth lower fractal scale is selected as the feature scale to extract the spatial distribution of cropland in Lishu County. The cropland vector data, the European Space Agency (ESA) WorldCover data, and the statistical yearbook from the same period are used to assess accuracy. Finally, a comparative analysis of this study and existing products at different scales is carried out, and the point matching degree and area matching degree are evaluated. The results show that the point matching degree and the area matching degree of cropland extraction using the multi-seasonal fractal features are 90.66% and 96.21%, and 95.33% and 83.52%, respectively, which are highly consistent with the statistical data provided by the local government. The extracted accuracy of cropland is much better than that of existing products at different scales due to the contribution of the multi-seasonal fractal features. This method can be used to accurately extract cropland information to monitor changes in black soil, and it can be used to support the conservation and development of black soil in China.
BrDMC1, a Recombinase Gene, Is Involved in Seed Germination in Brassica rapa under Salt Stress
Authors: Wang Xulin , Xie Zhengqing , Tian Zhaoran , Wang Shuaipeng , Shi Gongyao , Chen Weiwei , Cao Gangqiang , Tian Baoming , Wei Xiaochun , Zhang Luyue , Wei Fang
Published: February 2023

Recombinases are in part responsible for homologous recombination and genome integrity during DNA repair. DMC1 has a typical RecA domain, and belongs to the recombinase superfamily. The reactive oxygen species (ROS) as a potent DNA damage agent is produced during seed germination under stress conditions. DNA repair should be initiated immediately to allow for subsequent seedling development. In this study, we attempted to characterize the underlying mechanism of BrDMC1 responsiveness to salinity stress using the RNA interference approach in Brassica rapa (B. rapa). Bioinformatics and expression pattern analysis revealed that BrDMC1 only retained BrDMC1.A01 after the whole genome triplication (WGT) event and was primarily transcribed in flowers and seeds. BrDMC1 had high activity in the promoter region during germination, according to histochemical GUS staining. The data showed that salt treatment reduced the germination rate, weakened seed vigor and decreased antioxidant enzyme activity, but increased oxidative damage in BrDMC1-RNAi seeds. Furthermore, the expression of stress-responsive genes and damage repair genes was significantly different in transgenic lines exposed to salt stress. Therefore, BrDMC1 may respond to salt stress by controlling seed germination and the expression of stress-related and damage repair genes in B. rapa.
Seed Protein Genetics Linked with Nitrogen and Phosphorus Translocation Efficiency in Soybean
Authors: Zhao Qingsong , Ma Niannian , Li Ruirui , Zhong Yongjia , Li Xinxin , Liao Hong
Published: February 2023

Soybean (Glycine max (L.) Merr.) is an important nutritional crop with high seed protein content. Production of high protein concentrations relies on sufficient nutrient supplies, especially of nitrogen (N) and phosphorus (P). Although the genetic basis for seed quality traits has been well studied, little information exists on any genetic connections between seed quality and nutrient supplies in soybean. Here, a recombinant inbred line (RIL) population of 179 progeny was generated using HC6 and JD17 as parents contrasting in seed quality and N and P translocation efficiencies. Seed protein and N and P translocation efficiencies were higher in HC6 than in JD17. Meanwhile, positive correlations were observed between seed protein content and translocation efficiency of N and P in RILs, implying that high N and P translocation efficiencies might facilitate seed protein accumulation. A genetic map was constructed using 5250 SNP markers covering a genetic distance of 3154.83 cM. A total of 6 loci for quality and 13 loci for N and P translocation efficiency were detected. Among them, two fragments on chromosome 6 and chromosome 20 contained multiple significant markers for both quality and N and P translocation efficiencies, with the respective observed LOD values ranging from 2.98 to 5.61, and 3.01 to 11.91, while the respective PVE values ranged from 8.2% to 13.9%, and 8.3% to 28.0%. Interestingly, one significant locus on chromosome 20 appears to be the product of a transposable element (TE) InDel in Glyma.20G085100, with progeny lacking the TE also exhibiting higher N and P translocation efficiencies, along with higher seed protein contents. Taken together, these results provide genetic evidence that increasing N and P translocation efficiencies may lead to increasing protein contents in soybean seeds. Furthermore, a TE InDel may be used as a genetic marker for breeding elite soybean cultivars with high protein content and N and P translocation efficiencies.
Improvements in the Characterisation of Permeability and Inertial Factor of Insect-Proof Screens through Pressure Drop Coefficients
Authors: Granados-Ortiz Francisco-Javier , López-Martínez Alejandro , Molina-Aiz Francisco , Lai Choi-Hong , Peña-Fernández Araceli , Martínez-Lao Juan , Valera-Martínez Diego
Published: February 2023

Permeability and inertial factor are the most relevant variables in the Forchheimer equation. They are important to estimate pressure drop when a fluid flow is passing through a porous media. However, in the insect-proof screens field, the existing models to date are still providing a poor predictive accuracy, in part due to they are based on 2D porosity of screens. This work provides novel models for permeability and inertial factor, which are developed from experimental data of insect-proof screens in a wind tunnel and the analytical estimation of 3D porosity. Instead of fitting models directly on observed training data values of permeability and inertial factor, we propose to focus the modelling efforts on finding models dependent on the 3D porosity through the constants in the pressure drop of Forchheimer equation. Since two screens can have the same 2D porosity but different 3D porosity, this makes also models more reliable. The combination of all these aspects has led to parametric models that overcome by far predictions by previous models in the literature.
Physiological and Transcriptome Analysis Reveals the Differences in Genes of Antioxidative Defense Components and Cold-Related Proteins in Winter and Spring Wheat during Cold Acclimation
Authors: Lu Xiaoguang , Wu Yuhan , Tang Chaoyue , Liu Chang , Li Ninghui , Du Yuchen , Fu Lianshuang , Liu Xin , Liu Jun , Wang Xiaonan
Published: February 2023

Recent findings suggest that cold acclimation can enhance cold resistance in wheat. Dongnongdongmai 1 (DM1) is a winter wheat variety that can overwinter at −30 °C; however, its cold acclimation mechanism is yet to be fully elucidated. Here, we elucidated the potential mechanisms of cold acclimation in DM1 and the China Spring (CS) variety, especially the role of the antioxidant system, using transcriptome and physiological analyses. Cold stress increased H2O2 and O2− production in both varieties; however, CS had higher contents of H2O2 and O2− than DM1. Moreover, cold significantly increased ROS-scavenging activities in DM1, especially at 30 days after exposure. Gene ontology (GO) analysis showed that differentially expressed peroxidase (POD) genes were enriched in antioxidant activity, with most POD genes being significantly upregulated in DM1 under cold acclimation. Additionally, cold acclimation increased the expression of cold acclimation protein (CAP), late embryogenesis abundant protein (LEA), and cold-responsive genes in both varieties, with higher expression levels in DM1. Overall, the results showed that DM1 exhibited a higher cold tolerance than CS during cold acclimation by increasing the expression of POD genes, LEA, CAP, and cold-responsive proteins, improving the understanding of the mechanism of cold resistance in DM1.
Livelihood Capitals and Opportunity Cost for Grazing Areas’ Restoration: A Sustainable Intensification Strategy in the Ecuadorian Amazon
Authors: Torres Bolier , Espinoza Ítalo , Torres Alexandra , Herrera-Feijoo Robinson , Luna Marcelo , García Antón
Published: February 2023

Land use change in pastures is considered one of the leading drivers of tropical deforestation in the Ecuadorian Amazon Region (EAR). To halt and reverse this process, it is necessary to understand, among other factors, the local livelihoods, income from grazing area and the appropriate options to foster sustainable production, incorporating the land-sparing and land-sharing approach. This work was conducted using 167 household surveys along an altitudinal gradient within the buffer and transition zone of the Sumaco Biosphere Reserve (SBR) in the EAR. The results of a comparative analysis of the main capital variables (human, social, natural, financial, and physical), and the opportunity cost of grazing area assessment provides the following key findings: (a) the concepts of land sparing and land sharing should be considered as complementary local strategies, including household livelihoods and the opportunity cost of the grazing area; (b) we should encourage markets with differentiated restoration rights, based on households engaged in low grazing areas’ opportunity costs, and making less impact on capitals’ livelihood a key element of economic and conservation initiatives; and (c) sectoral policy implications, including moderate intensification and technological improvements to strengthen the pastureland-sparing and -sharing approach, are discussed.
Ubiquitous Love or Not? Animal Welfare and Animal-Informed Consent in Giant Panda Tourism
Authors: Fennell David A. , Guo Yulei
Published: February 2023

Scholars argue that the ubiquity of the “virtual panda”—the panda people meet in zoos and consume as souvenirs, online memes, or videos—exists in a state of hybridity between wild and domesticated. The species has garnered a significant amount of attention because of their iconic status and because of how cute they are to an adoring crowd. However, given the degree of regard tourists have for the panda, there is a dearth of research on different types of visitors to captive panda venues. In filling this gap, we investigated (1) how deeply Chinese “fans” and “non-fans” consider the welfare of captive giant pandas, and (2) if these groups differ in their assessment of whether giant pandas consent to being used as tourist attractions. In both aims, we apply a recent model on animal welfare and animal consent to giant pandas of the Chengdu Research Base of Giant Panda Breeding.
Evaluation of a Model (RUMINANT) for Prediction of DMI and CH4 from Tropical Beef Cattle
Authors: Ruden Alejandro , Rivera Bernardo , Vargas Julio Ernesto , López Secundino , Gaviria Xiomara , Chirinda Ngonidzashe , Arango Jacobo
Published: February 2023

Simulation models represent a low-cost approach to evaluating agricultural systems. In the current study, the precision and accuracy of the RUMINANT model to predict dry matter intake (DMI) and methane emissions from beef cattle fed tropical diets (characteristic of Colombia) was assessed. Feed intake (DMI) and methane emissions were measured in Brahman steers housed in polytunnels and fed six forage diets. In addition, DMI and methane emissions were predicted by the RUMINANT model. The model’s predictive capability was measured on the basis of precision: coefficients of variation (CV%) and determination (R2, percentage of variance accounted for by the model), and model efficiency (ME) and accuracy: the simulated/observed ratio (S/O ratio) and slope and mean bias (MB%). In addition, combined measurements of accuracy and precision were carried out by means of mean square prediction error (MSPE) and correlation correspondence coefficient (CCC) and their components. The predictive capability of the RUMINANT model to simulate DMI resulted as valuable for mean S/O ratio (1.07), MB% (2.23%), CV% (17%), R2 (0.886), ME (0.809), CCC (0.869). However, for methane emission simulations, the model substantially underestimated methane emissions (mean S/O ratio = 0.697, MB% = −30.5%), and ME and CCC were −0.431 and 0.485, respectively. In addition, a subset of data corresponding to diets with Leucaena was not observed to have a linear relationship between the observed and simulated values. It is suggested that this may be related to anti-methanogenic factors characteristic of Leucaena, which were not accounted for by the model. This study contributes to improving national inventories of greenhouse gases from the livestock of tropical countries.
Health-Promoting Additives Supplemented in Inert Microdiets for Whiteleg Shrimp (Penaeus vannamei) Post-Larvae: Effects on Growth, Survival, and Health Status
Authors: Barreto André , Peixoto Diogo , Fajardo Carlos , Pinto Wilson , Rocha Rui J. M. , Conceição Luís E. C. , Costas Benjamín
Published: February 2023

Dietary additives have the potential to stimulate the whiteleg shrimp immune system, but information is scarce on their use in diets for larval/post-larval stages. The potential beneficial effects of vitamins C and E, β-glucans, taurine, and methionine were evaluated. Four experimental microdiets were tested: a positive control diet (PC); the PC with decreased levels of vitamin C and E as negative control (NC); the PC with increased taurine and methionine levels (T + M); and the PC supplemented with β-glucans (BG). No changes in growth performance and survival were observed. However, post-larvae shrimp fed the NC had lower relative expressions of pen-3 than those fed the PC, suggesting that lower levels of vitamins C and E may impact the shrimp immune status. Lipid peroxidation levels dropped significantly in the BG compared to the PC, indicating that β-glucans improved the post-larvae antioxidant mechanisms. Furthermore, when compared with the NC diet, PL fed with BG showed significant increases in tGSH levels and in the relative expression of crus and pen-3, suggesting a synergistic effect between vitamins C and E and β-glucans. Amongst the additives tested, β-glucans seems to be the most promising even when compared to a high-quality control diet.
Serological and Molecular Survey on Domestic Dog Hepadnavirus in Household Dogs, Italy
Authors: Fruci Paola , Palombieri Andrea , Sarchese Vittorio , Aste Giovanni , Friedrich Klaus G. , Martella Vito , Di Martino Barbara , Di Profio Federica
Published: February 2023

The discovery of hepadnaviruses in cats (domestic cat hepadnavirus, DCH) and of a DCH-like virus in dogs has raised several questions regarding the role of these viruses in pets, with particular emphasis on their potential impact on animal health and epidemiology, as well as possible zoonotic implications. In this study, by screening an age-stratified collection of 600 canine serum samples for DCH with an ELISA assay based on the recombinant core antigen (DCHCAg), specific antibodies were found with an overall prevalence of 10.0% (60/600), with a higher prevalence in younger and older dogs. By retesting the canine DCHCAbs-positive sera with an ELISA test based on the recombinant surface protein of DCH (DCHSAg), a total of 18 sera (30%, 18/60) also contained IgG anti-DCHSAg. All the sera were also assessed molecularly using either a consensus hepadnavirus PCR or a specific real-time PCR for DCH. Hepadnavirus DNA was detected in four seronegative dogs, with a prevalence rate of 0.7% (4/600). On sequence analysis of the polymerase region amplified with pan-hepadnavirus primers, the amplicons displayed the highest nucleotide identity (97.3–99.6%) to DCH sequences detected in cats and to the domestic dog hepadnavirus recently identified in a canine serum sample from Italy.
Potential Use of Kasedbok (Neptunia javanica Miq.) on Feed Intake, Digestibility, Rumen Fermentation, and Microbial Populations in Thai Native Beef Cattle
Authors: Gunun Pongsatorn , Cherdthong Anusorn , Khejornsart Pichad , Polyorach Sineenart , Kaewwongsa Walailuck , Gunun Nirawan
Published: February 2023

This experiment was conducted to determine the influence of Kasedbok (Neptunia javanica Miq.) on the feed utilization, rumen fermentation, and microbial population in Thai Native beef cattle. Four animals with a mean body weight of 295 ± 15 kg were randomly arranged in a 4 × 4 Latin square design. There were four treatments, utilizing 0, 80, 160, and 240 g/kg Kasedbok in concentrate. Local feed resources, including cassava chips, rice bran, palm kernel meal, and soybean meal, were utilized to formulate the concentrate diets, which contained between 11.8 and 12.0% crude protein (CP). The trial was conducted for four periods of three weeks each. The first two weeks consisted of an adaptation period, while the final week was a sampling period. The findings of the current study reveal that feed intake, dry matter (DM), organic matter (OM), neutral detergent fiber (NDF), and acid detergent fiber (ADF) digestibility were similar between treatments. In addition, there was no effect of Kasedbok levels on rumen pH, blood urea nitrogen (BUN) concentration, or volatile fatty acid. However, increasing the inclusion level of Kasedbok linearly decreased CP digestibility and ammonia nitrogen (NH3-N) concentration (p = 0.04). In contrast, the population of fungal zoospores improved significantly (p = 0.03), while the bacterial and protozoal counts remained unchanged (p > 0.05). Furthermore, when the level of Kasedbok was increased from 0 to 80, 160, and 240 g/kg DM, the cost of concentrate decreased by 4.1, 7.8, and 10.6 USD/100 kg DM, respectively. The results of this experiment suggest that utilizing 240 g/kg of Kasedbok in a concentrated mixture will not affect feed utilization, rumen fermentation, improve microbial population, and reduce feed cost in Thai native beef cattle.
Effects of Nutritional Plane at Breeding on Feed Intake, Body Weight, Condition Score, Mass Indexes, and Chemical Composition, and Reproductive Performance of Hair Sheep
Authors: Lourencon Raquel Vasconcelos , Patra Amlan Kumar , Puchala Ryszard , Dawson Lionel James , Ribeiro Luana Paula dos Santos , Encinas Fabiola , Goetsch Arthur Louis
Published: February 2023

This study was conducted to assess effects of the nutritional plane before and during breeding on feed intake, body weight (BW) change, reproductive performance, body condition score (BCS), body mass indexes (BMI), and body composition of three breeds of hair sheep. Twenty-five Dorper, 27 Katahdin, and 33 St. Croix ewes were allocated to groups and treatments based on initial BW and age. Supplementation treatments were soybean meal fed at 0.16% BW (LS) and a mixture of 25% soybean meal and 75% ground corn given at 0.8% BW (HS; dry matter basis) for 88 to 102 days including 17 days after breeding. Wheat straw intake (% BW) was greater (p < 0.01) for LS than for HS. Average daily gain and BCS change were similar among breeds, but both were greater for HS vs. LS. Birth rate, litter size, total litter birth weight, gestation length, and number of services were similar among breeds (p > 0.05), although individual lamb birth weight was lower for St. Croix than for Katahdin (p < 0.05). None of these reproductive variables were influenced by treatment or the breed × treatment interaction (p > 0.05). There were no breed differences in whole body concentrations of water, fat, protein, ash, or energy in week 0 or 4, but in 8 week concentrations of water, protein, and ash were greatest among breeds for St. Croix (p < 0.05) and levels of fat and energy were lower for St. Croix than for Dorper (p < 0.05). In week 8, total amounts and concentrations of fat and energy were greater for HS vs. LS and those of water, protein, and ash were less for HS (p < 0.05). There were interactions (p < 0.05) between treatment and period in blood concentrations of cholesterol and non-esterified fatty acids and between breed, treatment, and period in level of triglycerides and total antioxidant capacity. The concentration of cortisol was greater for HS vs. LS (p < 0.05). In conclusion, supplementation did not influence reproductive performance despite differences in BW and BCS change, which may be due to the initial moderate BCS and greater wheat straw intake for the LS treatment.
Species-Specific Spatial Patterns of Variation in Sexual Dimorphism by Two Lizards Settled in the Same Geographic Context
Authors: Sacchi Roberto , Mangiacotti Marco , Scali Stefano , Storniolo Federico , Zuffi Marco A. L.
Published: February 2023

The evolution of sexual dimorphism (SD) results from intricate interactions between sexual and natural selections. Sexually selected traits are expected to depend on individual condition, while natural selected traits should not be. Islands offer an ideal context to test how these drivers interact with one another, as the size is a reliable proxy for resource availability. Here, we analysed SD in body size (snout-vent length) and head shape (assessed by geometric morphometric) in two species of lizards (Podarcis muralis and P. siculus) inhabiting the Tuscan archipelago (Central Italy). We found a strong SD variation among islands in both species. Furthermore, in P. muralis emerged some significant correlations between SD and island size, supporting the occurrence of possible effects of individual condition on SD. By contrast, SD in P. siculus followed opposite trajectories than in P. muralis, suggesting that in this species, natural selection could play a major role as a driver of SD. Our findings show that natural and sexual selection can interact in complex ways, and the responses are species-specific. Therefore, spatial patterns of variation in SD may strongly differ among species, even when they settle in the same geographic contest.
Effect of Lipase and Lysolecithin Supplementation with Low Energy Diet on Growth Performance, Biochemical Attributes and Fatty Acid Profile of Breast Muscle of Broiler Chickens
Authors: Ahmad Aziz , Mughal Gulfam Ali , Abro Rani , Bughio Shamsuddin , Rizwana Huma , Leghari Imdad Hussain , Pirzado Shoaib Ahmed
Published: February 2023

This study aimed to investigate the effect of dietary lysolecithin (LYSO) and lipase supplementation on productive performance, nutrient retention, and meat quality of broiler chicken fed a low energy diet. For this purpose, a total of 360 chicks were randomly alienated into six treatments, having six replicates (no = 10) birds each replicate. The dietary treatments were followed as control (CON fed as normal energy diet), LE (CON—100 kcal/kg from BD. basal diet), LIP 0.04 (LE + 0.04% lipase), LYSO 0.04 (LE + 0.04% lysolecithin), LIP + LYSO 0.04 (LE + 0.04% lipase and lysolecithin), and LIP + LYSO 0.08 (LE. + 0.08% lipase and lysolecithin). The birds fed with LIP + LYSO 0.04 exhibited higher weight gain than LYSO 0.08 and CON (p < 0.05), and higher feed intake (F.I.) was also observed in LIP + LYSO 0.04 than CON. However, lipase and emulsifier dietary effects were non-significant on FCR. (p > 0.05). Effects of experimental diets on dry matter (DM), crude protein (CP), and fat digestibility were also non-significant (p > 0.05). Similarly, the blood biochemical profile (total cholesterol, triglycerides, LDL, HDL) of the broiler showed no significant difference (p > 0.05) by dietary treatments. Similarly, liver enzymes, AST and A.L.T., were also not statistically significant (p > 0.05) among all dietary treatments. Similarly, supplementation of LIP and LYSO had a non-significant (p > 0.05) effect on breast meat fatty acids composition. Conclusively, adding LIP + LYSO 0.08 to a low energy diet could demonstrate better growth performance and reduce the negative impact of a low-energy diet.
Past, Present, and Future of Naturally Occurring Antimicrobials Related to Snake Venoms
Authors: Oguiura Nancy , Sanches Leonardo , Duarte Priscila V. , Sulca-López Marcos A. , Machini Maria Terêsa
Published: February 2023

This review focuses on proteins and peptides with antimicrobial activity because these biopolymers can be useful in the fight against infectious diseases and to overcome the critical problem of microbial resistance to antibiotics. In fact, snakes show the highest diversification among reptiles, surviving in various environments; their innate immunity is similar to mammals and the response of their plasma to bacteria and fungi has been explored mainly in ecological studies. Snake venoms are a rich source of components that have a variety of biological functions. Among them are proteins like lectins, metalloproteinases, serine proteinases, L-amino acid oxidases, phospholipases type A2, cysteine-rich secretory proteins, as well as many oligopeptides, such as waprins, cardiotoxins, cathelicidins, and β-defensins. In vitro, these biomolecules were shown to be active against bacteria, fungi, parasites, and viruses that are pathogenic to humans. Not only cathelicidins, but all other proteins and oligopeptides from snake venom have been proteolyzed to provide short antimicrobial peptides, or for use as templates for developing a variety of short unnatural sequences based on their structures. In addition to organizing and discussing an expressive amount of information, this review also describes new β-defensin sequences of Sistrurus miliarius that can lead to novel peptide-based antimicrobial agents, using a multidisciplinary approach that includes sequence phylogeny.