bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Evaluating Greenhouse Gas Emissions and Climate Mitigation Goals of the Global Food and Beverage Sector
Authors: Reavis Megan , Ahlen Jenny , Rudek Joe , Naithani Kusum
Published: January 2022

The dramatic increase in greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions by humans over the past century and a half has created an urgency for monitoring, reporting, and verifying GHG emissions as a first step toward mitigating the effects of climate change. Fifteen percent of global GHG emissions come from agriculture, and companies in the food and beverage industry are starting to set climate goals. We examined the GHG emissions reporting practices and climate goals of the top 100 global food and beverage companies (as ranked by Food Engineering) and determined whether their goals are aligned with the science of keeping climate warming well below a 2°C increase. Using publicly disclosed data in CDP Climate reports and company sustainability reports, we found that about two thirds of the top 100 global food and beverage companies disclose at least part of their total company emissions and set some sort of climate goal that includes scope 1 and 2 emissions. However, only about half have measured, disclosed, and set goals for scope 3 emissions, which often encompass about 88% of a company's emissions across the entire value chain on average. We also determined that companies, despite setting scope 1, 2, and 3 emission goals, may be missing the mark on whether their goals are significantly reducing global emissions. Our results present the current disclosure and emission goals of the top 100 global food and beverage companies and highlight an urgent need to begin and continue to set truly ambitious, science-aligned climate goals.
Lesion Material From Treponema-Associated Hoof Disease of Wild Elk Induces Disease Pathology in the Sheep Digital Dermatitis Model
Authors: Wilson-Welder Jennifer H. , Mansfield Kristin , Han Sushan , Bayles Darrell O. , Alt David P. , Olsen Steven C.
Published: January 2022

A hoof disease among wild elk (Cervus elaphus) in the western United States has been reported since 2008. Now present in Washington, Oregon, Idaho, and California, this hoof disease continues to spread among elk herds suggesting an infectious etiology. Causing severe lesions at the hoof-skin junction, lesions can penetrate the hoof-horn structure causing severe lameness, misshapen hooves, and in some cases, sloughed hooves leaving the elk prone to infection, malnutrition, and premature death. Isolated to the feet, this disease has been termed treponeme-associated hoof disease due to the numerous Treponema spp. found within lesions. In addition to the Treponema spp., treponeme-associated hoof disease shares many similarities with digital dermatitis of cattle and livestock including association with several groups of anaerobic bacteria such as Bacteroides, Clostridia, and Fusobacterium, neutrophilic inflammatory infiltrate, and restriction of the disease to the foot and hoof tissues. To determine if there was a transmissible infectious component to this disease syndrome, elk lesion homogenate was used in a sheep model of digital dermatitis. Ten animals were inoculated with lesion material and lesion development was followed over 7 weeks. Most inoculated feet developed moderate to severe lesions at 2- or 4-weeks post-inoculation timepoints, with 16 of 18 feet at 4 weeks also had spirochetes associated within the lesions. Histopathology demonstrated spirochetes at the invading edge of the lesions along with other hallmarks of elk hoof disease, neutrophilic inflammatory infiltrates, and keratinocyte erosion. Treponema-specific PCR demonstrated three phylotypes associated with elk hoof disease and digital dermatitis were present. Serum of infected sheep had increased anti-Treponema IgG when compared to negative control sheep and pre-exposure samples. Analysis of the bacterial microbiome by sequencing of the bacterial 16S rRNA gene showed a community structure in sheep lesions that was highly similar to the elk lesion homogenate used as inoculum. Bacteroidies, Fusobacterium, and Clostridia were among the bacterial taxa overrepresented in infected samples as compared to negative control samples. In conclusion, there is a highly transmissible, infectious bacterial component to elk treponeme-associated hoof disease which includes several species of Treponema as well as other bacteria previously associated with digital dermatitis.
Canadian Dairy Network for Antimicrobial Stewardship and Resistance (CaDNetASR): An On-Farm Surveillance System
Authors: Fonseca Mariana , Heider Luke C. , Léger David , Mcclure J. Trenton , Rizzo Daniella , Dufour Simon , Kelton David F. , Renaud David , Barkema Herman W. , Sanchez Javier
Published: January 2022

Canada has implemented on-farm antimicrobial resistance (AMR) surveillance systems for food-producing animals under the Canadian Integrated Program for Antimicrobial Resistance (CIPARS); however, dairy cattle have not been included in that program yet. The objective of this manuscript was to describe the development and implementation of the Canadian Dairy Network for Antimicrobial Stewardship and Resistance (CaDNetASR). An Expert Panel (EP) of researchers was created to lead the development of the dairy surveillance system. The EP initiated a draft document outlining the essential elements of the surveillance framework. This document was then circulated to a Steering Committee (SC), which provided recommendations used by the EP to finalize the framework. CaDNetASR has the following components: (1) a herd-level antimicrobial use quantification system; (2) annually administered risk factor questionnaires; and (3) methods for herd-level detection of AMR in three sentinel enteric pathogens (generic Escherichia coli, Campylobacter spp., and Salmonella spp.) recovered from pooled fecal samples collected from calves, heifers, cows, and the manure pit. A total of 144 dairy farms were recruited in five Canadian provinces (British-Columbia, Alberta, Ontario, Québec, and Nova-Scotia), with the help of local herd veterinarians and regional field workers, and in September 2019, the surveillance system was launched. 97.1 and 94.4% of samples were positive for E. coli, 63.8, and 49.1% of samples were positive for Campylobacter spp., and 5.0 and 7.7% of samples were positive for Salmonella spp., in 2019 and 2020, respectively. E. coli was equally distributed among all sample types. However, it was more likely that Campylobacter spp. were recovered from heifer and cow samples. On the other hand, it was more common to isolate Salmonella spp. from the manure pit compared to samples from calves, heifers, or cows. CaDNetASR will continue sampling until 2022 after which time this system will be integrated into CIPARS. CaDNetASR will provide online access to farmers and veterinarians interested in visualizing benchmarking metrics regarding AMU practices and their relationship to AMR and animal health in dairy herds. This will provide an opportunity to enhance antimicrobial stewardship practices on dairy farms in Canada.
Acute Succinate Administration Increases Oxidative Phosphorylation and Skeletal Muscle Explosive Strength via SUCNR1
Authors: Xu Guli , Yuan Yexian , Luo Pei , Yang Jinping , Zhou Jingjing , Zhu Canjun , Jiang Qingyan , Shu Gang
Published: January 2022

Endurance training and explosive strength training, with different contraction protein and energy metabolism adaptation in skeletal muscle, are both beneficial for physical function and quality of life. Our previous study found that chronic succinate feeding enhanced the endurance exercise of mice by inducing skeletal muscle fiber-type transformation. The purpose of this study is to investigate the effect of acute succinate administration on skeletal muscle explosive strength and its potential mechanism. Succinate was injected to mature mice to explore the acute effect of succinate on skeletal muscle explosive strength. And C2C12 cells were used to verify the short-term effect of succinate on oxidative phosphorylation. Then the cells interfered with succinate receptor 1 (SUCNR1) siRNA, and the SUCNR1-GKO mouse model was used for verifying the role of SUCNR1 in succinate-induced muscle metabolism and expression and explosive strength. The results showed that acute injection of succinate remarkably improved the explosive strength in mice and also decreased the ratio of nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NADH) to NAD+ and increased the mitochondrial complex enzyme activity and creatine kinase (CK) activity in skeletal muscle tissue. Similarly, treatment of C2C12 cells with succinate revealed that succinate significantly enhanced oxidative phosphorylation with increased adenosine triphosphate (ATP) content, CK, and the activities of mitochondrial complex I and complex II, but with decreased lactate content, reactive oxygen species (ROS) content, and NADH/NAD+ ratio. Moreover, the succinate's effects on oxidative phosphorylation were blocked in SUCNR1-KD cells and SUCNR1-KO mice. In addition, succinate-induced explosive strength was also abolished by SUCNR1 knockout. All the results indicate that acute succinate administration increases oxidative phosphorylation and skeletal muscle explosive strength in a SUCNR1-dependent manner.
SARS-CoV-2 and the Host Cell: A Tale of Interactions
Authors: Pizzato Massimo , Baraldi Chiara , Boscato Sopetto Giulia , Finozzi Davide , Gentile Carmelo , Gentile Michele Domenico , Marconi Roberta , Paladino Dalila , Raoss Alberto , Riedmiller Ilary , Ur Rehman Hamza , Santini Annalisa , Succetti Valerio , Volpini Lorenzo
Published: January 2022

The ability of a virus to spread between individuals, its replication capacity and the clinical course of the infection are macroscopic consequences of a multifaceted molecular interaction of viral components with the host cell. The heavy impact of COVID-19 on the world population, economics and sanitary systems calls for therapeutic and prophylactic solutions that require a deep characterization of the interactions occurring between virus and host cells. Unveiling how SARS-CoV-2 engages with host factors throughout its life cycle is therefore fundamental to understand the pathogenic mechanisms underlying the viral infection and to design antiviral therapies and prophylactic strategies. Two years into the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic, this review provides an overview of the interplay between SARS-CoV-2 and the host cell, with focus on the machinery and compartments pivotal for virus replication and the antiviral cellular response. Starting with the interaction with the cell surface, following the virus replicative cycle through the characterization of the entry pathways, the survival and replication in the cytoplasm, to the mechanisms of egress from the infected cell, this review unravels the complex network of interactions between SARS-CoV-2 and the host cell, highlighting the knowledge that has the potential to set the basis for the development of innovative antiviral strategies.
A Novel Strategy for Preventing Posttransplant Large-For-Size Syndrome in Adult Liver Transplant Recipients: A Pilot Study
Authors: Pu Xingyu , He Diao , Liao Anque , Yang Jian , Lv Tao , Yan Lunan , Yang Jiayin , Wu Hong , Jiang Li
Published: January 2022

There are two causes of graft compression in the large-for-size syndrome (LFSS). One is a shortage of intra-abdominal space for the liver graft, and the other is the size discrepancy between the anteroposterior dimensions of the liver graft and the lower right hemithorax of the recipient. The former could be treated using delayed fascial closure or mesh closure, but the latter may only be treated by reduction of the right liver graft to increase space. Given that split liver transplantation has strict requirements regarding donor and recipient selections, reduced-size liver transplantation, in most cases, may be the only solution. However, surgical strategies for the reduction of the right liver graft for adult liver transplantations are relatively unfamiliar. Herein, we introduce a novel strategy of HuaXi-ex vivo right posterior sectionectomy while preserving the right hepatic vein in the graft to prevent LFSS and propose its initial indications.
Maximization of Water Productivity and Yield of Two Iceberg Lettuce Cultivars in Hydroponic Farming System Using Magnetically Treated Saline Water
Authors: Okasha Abdelaziz M. , Eldib Eman M. , Elmetwalli Adel H. , Farooque Aitazaz Ahsan , Yaseen Zaher Mundher , Elsayed Salah
Published: January 2022

Egypt has limited agricultural land, associated with the scarcity of irrigation water and rapid population growth. Hydroponic farming, seawater desalination and magnetic treatment are among the practical solutions for sustaining rapid population growth. In this regard, the main objective of the present research study was to design and construct a hierarchical engineering unit as a hydroponic farming system (soilless) to produce an iceberg lettuce crop using magnetically treated saline water. The treatments included four types of irrigation water: common irrigation water (IW1) with an electrical conductivity (EC) of 0.96 dS/m as a control treatment, magnetically treated common irrigation water (IW2) with an EC of 0.96 dS/m, saline water (IW3) with an EC of 4.56 dS/m and magnetically treated saline water (IW4) with an EC of 4.56 dS/m; three depletion ratios (DR) of field capacity (DR0 = 50%, DR1 = 60% and DR2 = 70%) and three slopes of hydroponic pipes (S1 = 0.0%, S2 = 0.025% and S3 = 0.075%). The results revealed that seawater contributed 7.15% to produce iceberg lettuce in the hydroponic system. The geometric parameter, the slope of the pipes, influenced the obtained luminous intensity by an average increase of 21% and 71% for S2 and S3, respectively, compared with the zero slope (horizontal pipes). Magnetization of irrigation water increased the total soluble solids (TSS) and enhanced the fresh weight and water productivity of both iceberg lettuce varieties used. The maximum percentages of TSS were 5.20% and 5.10% for lemur and iceberg 077, respectively, for the combination IW4DR2S2. The highest values of fresh weight and water productivity of 3.10 kg/m and 39.15 kg/m3 were recorded with the combinations IW3DR2S3 and IW4DR1S3, respectively, for lemur and iceberg lettuce. The percentages of these increases were 109.46% and 97.78%, respectively, when compared with the combination IW1DR0S1. The highest values of iceberg lettuce 077 fresh weight and water productivity were 2.93 kg/m and 36.15 kg/m3, respectively, which were recorded with the combination IW4DR1S3. The percentages of these increases were 112.32% and 120.56%, respectively, when compared with IW1DR0S1 (the control treatment).
A Design of an Unmanned Electric Tractor Platform
Authors: Chen Yung-Chuan , Chen Li-Wen , Chang Ming-Yen
Published: January 2022

The tractor is a vehicle often used in agriculture. It is mainly used to tow other unpowered agricultural machinery for farming, harvesting, and seeding. They consume a lot of fuel with emissions that often contain a large amount of toxic gases, which seriously jeopardize human health and the ecological environment. Therefore, the electrical tractor is bound to become a future trend. The objective of this study is to design and implement a lightweight, energy-saving, and less polluting electric tractor, which meets the requirements of existing smallholder farmers, equipped with unmanned technology and multi-functions to assist labor and to provide the potential for unmanned operation. We reduced the weight of the tractor body structure to 101 kg, and the bending rigidity and torsional rigidity reached 11,579 N/mm and 4923 Nm/deg, respectively. Two 7.5 kW induction motors driven by lithium batteries were applied, which allows at least 3.5 h of working time.
Early Effects of Fertilizer and Herbicide Reduction on Root-Associated Biota in Oil Palm Plantations
Authors: Ryadin Aisjah R. , Janz Dennis , Schneider Dominik , Tjoa Aiyen , Irawan Bambang , Daniel Rolf , Polle Andrea
Published: January 2022

To secure high yield, tropical oil palm plantations are fertilized, and understory vegetation is controlled by chemical clearing with herbicides. These treatments cause a drastic turnover of soil microbes and cause loss of beneficial mycorrhizal fungi. Here, we tested if reduced fertilization and weeding instead of conventional treatments restored beneficial ecological groups associated with roots. We conducted our study one year after the start of the reduced management in large-scale oil palm plantations. We hypothesized that reduced fertilizer application and weeding result in shifts of the root-associated species composition because changes in the management regimes affect belowground biomass and nutrients in soil and roots. Alternatively, we hypothesized that the legacy of massive soil fertilization and herbicide application preclude compositional shifts of root-associated biota within short time periods. We did not find any significant treatment effects on root nutrient contents, root biomass, and nutrients in soil. At the level of species (based on operational taxonomic units obtained by Illumina sequencing) or phyla, no significant effects of reduced management were observed. However, distinct functional groups showed early responses to the treatments: nematodes decreased in response to weeding; yeasts and ectomycorrhizal-multitrophic fungi increased under fertilizer treatments; arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi increased under fertilizer reduction. Since the responsive ecological groups were represented by low sequence abundances, their responses were masked by very high sequence abundances of saprotrophic and pathotrophic fungi. Thus, the composition of the whole root-associated community was unaffected by reduced management. In conclusion, our results show that changes in management regimes start to re-wire critical constituents of soil–plant food webs.
Light Intensity: The Role Player in Cucumber Response to Cold Stress
Authors: Ashrostaghi Tahereh , Aliniaeifard Sasan , Shomali Aida , Azizinia Shiva , Abbasi Koohpalekani Jahangir , Moosavi-Nezhad Moein , Gruda Nazim S.
Published: January 2022

Low temperatures are a substantial limitation in the geographic distribution of warm-season crops such as cucumber (Cucumis sativus L.). Tolerance to low temperatures varies among different plant species and genotypes when changes in environmental cues occur. Therefore, biochemical and biophysical events should be coordinated to form a physiological response and cope with low temperatures. We examined how light intensity influences the effects of low temperature on photosynthesis and some biochemical traits. We used chlorophyll fluorescence imaging and polyphasic fluorescence transient to analyze cold stress damage by 4 °C. Photosynthetic Photon Flux Densities (PPFDs) of 0, 300, and 600 μmol m−2 s−1, in four accessions of cucumber, were investigated. The results show that the negative effects of cold stress are PPFD-dependent. The adverse effect of cold stress on the electron transport chain is more pronounced in plants exposed to 600 μmol m−2 s−1 than the control and dark-exposed plants, indicated by a disturbance in the electron transport chain and higher energy dissipation. Moreover, biochemical traits, including the H2O2 content, ascorbate peroxidase activity, electrolyte leakage, and water-soluble carbohydrate, increased under low temperature by increasing the PPFD. In contrast, chlorophyll and carotenoid contents decreased under low temperature through PPFD elevation. Low temperature induced a H2O2 accumulation via suppressing ascorbate peroxidase activity in a PPFD-dependent manner. In conclusion, high PPFDs exacerbate the adverse effects of low temperature on the cucumber seedlings.
UAV-Based Hyperspectral and Ensemble Machine Learning for Predicting Yield in Winter Wheat
Authors: Li Zongpeng , Chen Zhen , Cheng Qian , Duan Fuyi , Sui Ruixiu , Huang Xiuqiao , Xu Honggang
Published: January 2022

Winter wheat is a widely-grown cereal crop worldwide. Using growth-stage information to estimate winter wheat yields in a timely manner is essential for accurate crop management and rapid decision-making in sustainable agriculture, and to increase productivity while reducing environmental impact. UAV remote sensing is widely used in precision agriculture due to its flexibility and increased spatial and spectral resolution. Hyperspectral data are used to model crop traits because of their ability to provide continuous rich spectral information and higher spectral fidelity. In this study, hyperspectral image data of the winter wheat crop canopy at the flowering and grain-filling stages was acquired by a low-altitude unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV), and machine learning was used to predict winter wheat yields. Specifically, a large number of spectral indices were extracted from the spectral data, and three feature selection methods, recursive feature elimination (RFE), Boruta feature selection, and the Pearson correlation coefficient (PCC), were used to filter high spectral indices in order to reduce the dimensionality of the data. Four major basic learner models, (1) support vector machine (SVM), (2) Gaussian process (GP), (3) linear ridge regression (LRR), and (4) random forest (RF), were also constructed, and an ensemble machine learning model was developed by combining the four base learner models. The results showed that the SVM yield prediction model, constructed on the basis of the preferred features, performed the best among the base learner models, with an R2 between 0.62 and 0.73. The accuracy of the proposed ensemble learner model was higher than that of each base learner model; moreover, the R2 (0.78) for the yield prediction model based on Boruta’s preferred characteristics was the highest at the grain-filling stage.
Quantitative Trait Loci for Resistance to Potato Dry Rot Caused by Fusarium sambucinum
Authors: Sobkowiak Sylwester , Janiszewska Marta , Stefańczyk Emil , Wasilewicz-Flis Iwona , Śliwka Jadwiga
Published: January 2022

Tuber dry rot is an important disease of potato caused by soil and seed-borne pathogens of the Fusarium genus leading to losses that may reach 60% of the yield. The goal of this work was to study the inheritance of the dry rot resistance in two diploid potato hybrid populations (11–36 and 12–3) with complex pedigrees, including several wild Solanum spp. We used an aggressive isolate of F. sambucinum for phenotyping both progenies, parents, and standard potato cultivars in laboratory tuber tests, in three subsequent years. The QTL for dry rot resistance were mapped by interval mapping on existing genetic maps of both mapping populations. The most important and reproducible QTL for this trait was mapped on chromosome I and additional year- and population-specific QTL were mapped on chromosomes II, VII, IX, XI, and XII, confirming polygenic control of this resistance. This is the first study mapping the loci affecting tuber dry rot resistance in potato genome that can contribute to better understanding of potato-F. sambucinum interaction and to more efficient breeding of resistant potato cultivars.
Management of Children Admitted to Hospitals across Bangladesh with Suspected or Confirmed COVID-19 and the Implications for the Future: A Nationwide Cross-Sectional Study
Authors: Chowdhury Kona , Haque Mainul , Nusrat Nadia , Adnan Nihad , Islam Salequl , Lutfor Afzalunnessa Binte , Begum Dilara , Rabbany Arif , Karim Enamul , Malek Abdul , Jahan Nasim , Akter Jesmine , Ashraf Sumala , Hasan Mohammad Nazmul , Hassan Mahmuda , Akhter Najnin , Mazumder Monika , Sihan Nazmus , Naher Nurun , Akter Shaheen , Zaman Sifat Uz , Chowdhury Tanjina , Nesa Jebun , Biswas Susmita , Islam Mohammod Didarul , Hossain Al Mamun , Rahman Habibur , Biswas Palash Kumar , Shaheen Mohammed , Chowdhury Farah , Kumar Santosh , Kurdi Amanj , Mustafa Zia Ul , Schellack Natalie , Gowere Marshall , Meyer Johanna C. , Opanga Sylvia , Godman Brian
Published: January 2022

There is an increasing focus on researching children admitted to hospital with new variants of COVID-19, combined with concerns with hyperinflammatory syndromes and the overuse of antimicrobials. Paediatric guidelines have been produced in Bangladesh to improve their care. Consequently, the objective is to document the management of children with COVID-19 among 24 hospitals in Bangladesh. Key outcome measures included the percentage prescribed different antimicrobials, adherence to paediatric guidelines and mortality rates using purposely developed report forms. The majority of 146 admitted children were aged 5 years or under (62.3%) and were boys (58.9%). Reasons for admission included fever, respiratory distress and coughing; 86.3% were prescribed antibiotics, typically parenterally, on the WHO ‘Watch’ list, and empirically (98.4%). There were no differences in antibiotic use whether hospitals followed paediatric guidance or not. There was no prescribing of antimalarials and limited prescribing of antivirals (5.5% of children) and antiparasitic medicines (0.7%). The majority of children (92.5%) made a full recovery. It was encouraging to see the low hospitalisation rates and limited use of antimalarials, antivirals and antiparasitic medicines. However, the high empiric use of antibiotics, alongside limited switching to oral formulations, is a concern that can be addressed by instigating the appropriate programmes.
Can Polyphenols Inhibit Ferroptosis?
Authors: Lesjak Marija , Simin Nataša , Srai Surjit K. S.
Published: January 2022

Polyphenols, a diverse group of naturally occurring molecules commonly found in higher plants, have been heavily investigated over the last two decades due to their potent biological activities—among which the most important are their antioxidant, antimicrobial, anticancer, anti-inflammatory and neuroprotective activities. A common route of polyphenol intake in humans is through the diet. Since they are subjected to excessive metabolism in vivo it has been questioned whether their much-proven in vitro bioactivity could be translated to in vivo systems. Ferroptosis is a newly introduced, iron-dependent, regulated mode of oxidative cell death, characterized by increased lipid peroxidation and the accumulation of toxic lipid peroxides, which are considered to be toxic reactive oxygen species. There is a growing body of evidence that ferroptosis is involved in the development of almost all chronic diseases. Thus, ferroptosis is considered a new therapeutic target for offsetting many diseases, and researchers are putting great expectations on this field of research and medicine. The aim of this review is to critically analyse the potential of polyphenols to modulate ferroptosis and whether they can be considered promising compounds for the alleviation of chronic conditions.
The Interconnected Mechanisms of Oxidative Stress and Neuroinflammation in Epilepsy
Authors: Parsons Anna L. M. , Bucknor Eboni M. V. , Castroflorio Enrico , Soares Tânia R. , Oliver Peter L. , Rial Daniel
Published: January 2022

One of the most important characteristics of the brain compared to other organs is its elevated metabolic demand. Consequently, neurons consume high quantities of oxygen, generating significant amounts of reactive oxygen species (ROS) as a by-product. These potentially toxic molecules cause oxidative stress (OS) and are associated with many disorders of the nervous system, where pathological processes such as aberrant protein oxidation can ultimately lead to cellular dysfunction and death. Epilepsy, characterized by a long-term predisposition to epileptic seizures, is one of the most common of the neurological disorders associated with OS. Evidence shows that increased neuronal excitability—the hallmark of epilepsy—is accompanied by neuroinflammation and an excessive production of ROS; together, these factors are likely key features of seizure initiation and propagation. This review discusses the role of OS in epilepsy, its connection to neuroinflammation and the impact on synaptic function. Considering that the pharmacological treatment options for epilepsy are limited by the heterogeneity of these disorders, we also introduce the latest advances in anti-epileptic drugs (AEDs) and how they interact with OS. We conclude that OS is intertwined with numerous physiological and molecular mechanisms in epilepsy, although a causal relationship is yet to be established.
Redox-Regulation of α-Globin in Vascular Physiology
Authors: Kiger Laurent , Keith Julia , Freiwan Abdullah , Fernandez Alfonso G. , Tillman Heather , Isakson Brant E. , Weiss Mitchell J. , Lechauve Christophe
Published: January 2022

Interest in the structure, function, and evolutionary relations of circulating and intracellular globins dates back more than 60 years to the first determination of the three-dimensional structure of these proteins. Non-erythrocytic globins have been implicated in circulatory control through reactions that couple nitric oxide (NO) signaling with cellular oxygen availability and redox status. Small artery endothelial cells (ECs) express free α-globin, which causes vasoconstriction by degrading NO. This reaction converts reduced (Fe2+) α-globin to the oxidized (Fe3+) form, which is unstable, cytotoxic, and unable to degrade NO. Therefore, (Fe3+) α-globin must be stabilized and recycled to (Fe2+) α-globin to reinitiate the catalytic cycle. The molecular chaperone α-hemoglobin-stabilizing protein (AHSP) binds (Fe3+) α-globin to inhibit its degradation and facilitate its reduction. The mechanisms that reduce (Fe3+) α-globin in ECs are unknown, although endothelial nitric oxide synthase (eNOS) and cytochrome b5 reductase (CyB5R3) with cytochrome b5 type A (CyB5a) can reduce (Fe3+) α-globin in solution. Here, we examine the expression and cellular localization of eNOS, CyB5a, and CyB5R3 in mouse arterial ECs and show that α-globin can be reduced by either of two independent redox systems, CyB5R3/CyB5a and eNOS. Together, our findings provide new insights into the regulation of blood vessel contractility.
Potential Implications of Rimonabant on Age-Related Oxidative Stress and Inflammation
Authors: Szabó Renáta , Szabó Zsuzsanna , Börzsei Denise , Hoffmann Alexandra , Lesi Zelma , Pálszabó Patrícia , Pálszabó Andrea , Dvorácskó Szabolcs , Gesztelyi Rudolf , Kupai Krisztina , Priksz Dániel , Juhász Béla , Altmayer Anita , Varga Csaba , Pósa Anikó
Published: January 2022

Over the last decades, growing interest has turned to preventive and therapeutic approaches for achieving successful aging. Oxidative stress and inflammation are fundamental features of cardiovascular diseases; therefore, potential targets of them can improve cardiac outcomes. Our study aimed to examine the involvement of the endocannabinoid system, especially the CB1 receptor blockade, on inflammatory and oxidant/antioxidant processes. Twenty-month-old female and male Wistar rats were divided into rimonabant-treated and aging control (untreated) groups. Rimonabant, a selective CB1 receptor antagonist, was administered at the dose of 1 mg/kg/day intraperitoneally for 2 weeks. Cardiac amounts of ROS, the antioxidant glutathione and superoxide dismutase (SOD), and the activity and concentration of the heme oxygenase (HO) enzyme were detected. Among inflammatory parameters, nuclear factor-kappa B (NF-κB), tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α), and myeloperoxidase (MPO) enzyme activity were measured. Two weeks of low dose rimonabant treatment significantly reduced the cardiac ROS via boosting of the antioxidant defense mechanisms as regards the HO system, and the SOD and glutathione content. Consistently, the age-related inflammatory response was alleviated. Rimonabant-treated animals showed significantly decreased NF-κB, TNF-α, and MPO levels. Our findings prove the beneficial involvement of CB1 receptor blocker rimonabant on inflammatory and oxidative damages to the aging heart.
Peroxide-Mediated Oxygenation of Organic Compounds by Fungal Peroxygenases
Authors: Hofrichter Martin , Kellner Harald , Herzog Robert , Karich Alexander , Kiebist Jan , Scheibner Katrin , Ullrich René
Published: January 2022

Unspecific peroxygenases (UPOs), whose sequences can be found in the genomes of thousands of filamentous fungi, many yeasts and certain fungus-like protists, are fascinating biocatalysts that transfer peroxide-borne oxygen (from H2O2 or R-OOH) with high efficiency to a wide range of organic substrates, including less or unactivated carbons and heteroatoms. A twice-proline-flanked cysteine (PCP motif) typically ligates the heme that forms the heart of the active site of UPOs and enables various types of relevant oxygenation reactions (hydroxylation, epoxidation, subsequent dealkylations, deacylation, or aromatization) together with less specific one-electron oxidations (e.g., phenoxy radical formation). In consequence, the substrate portfolio of a UPO enzyme always combines prototypical monooxygenase and peroxidase activities. Here, we briefly review nearly 20 years of peroxygenase research, considering basic mechanistic, molecular, phylogenetic, and biotechnological aspects.
Biosynthesized Zinc Oxide Nanoparticles Disrupt Established Biofilms of Pathogenic Bacteria
Authors: Husain Fohad Mabood , Qais Faizan Abul , Ahmad Iqbal , Hakeem Mohammed Jamal , Baig Mohammad Hassan , Masood Khan Javed , Al-Shabib Nasser A.
Published: January 2022

Global emergence and persistence of the multidrug-resistant microbes have created a new problem for management of diseases associated with infections. The development of antimicrobial resistance is mainly due to the sub-judicious and unprescribed used of antimicrobials both in healthcare and the environment. Biofilms are important due to their role in microbial infections and hence are considered a novel target in discovery of new antibacterial or antibiofilm agents. In this article, zinc oxide nanoparticles (ZnO-NPs) were prepared using extract of Plumbago zeylanica. ZnO-NPs were characterized and then their antibiofilm activity was tested against Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria. The ZnO-NPs were polydispersed, and the average size was obtained as 24.62 nm. The presence of many functional groups indicated that phytocompounds of P. zeylanica were responsible for the synthesis, capping, and stabilization of ZnO-NPs. Synthesized NPs inhibited the biofilm formation of E. coli, S. aureus, and P. aeruginosa by 62.80%, 71.57%, and 77.69%, respectively. Likewise, concentration-dependent inhibition of the EPS production was recorded in all test bacteria. Microscopic examination of the biofilms revealed that ZnO-NPs reduced the bacterial colonization on solid support and altered the architecture of the biofilms. ZnO-NPs also remarkably eradicated the preformed biofilms of the test bacteria up to 52.69%, 59.79%, and 67.22% recorded for E. coli, S. aureus, P. aeruginosa, respectively. The findings reveal the ability of green synthesized zinc oxide nanoparticles to inhibit, as well as eradicate, the biofilms of Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria.
Age Estimation from fMRI Data Using Recurrent Neural Network
Authors: Gao Yunfei , No Albert
Published: January 2022

Finding a biomarker that indicates the subject’s age is one of the most important topics in biology. Several recent studies tried to extract a biomarker from brain imaging data including fMRI data. However, most of them focused on MRI data, which do not provide dynamics and lack attempts to apply recently proposed deep learning models. We propose a deep neural network model that estimates the age of a subject from fMRI images using a recurrent neural network (RNN), more precisely, a gated recurrent unit (GRU). However, applying neural networks is not trivial due to the high dimensional nature of fMRI data. In this work, we propose a novel preprocessing technique using the Automated Anatomical Labeling (AAL) atlas, which significantly reduces the input dimension. The proposed dimension reduction technique allows us to train our model with 640 training and validation samples from different projects under mean squared error (MSE). Finally, we obtain the correlation value of 0.905 between the predicted age and the actual age on 155 test samples. The proposed model estimates the age within the range of ±12 on most of the test samples. Our model is written in Python and is freely available for download.
Frother Characterization Using a Novel Bubble Size Measurement Technique
Authors: Wang Junyu , Forbes Gordon , Forbes Elizaveta
Published: January 2022

Bubble size measurement is a vital part of flotation system analysis and diagnostics. This work evaluates a commercial camera probe as a novel method for in situ bubble size measurement. This device is compared to the conventional Anglo Platinum Bubble Sizer (Stone ThreeTM). It was found that, in laboratory applications, the in situ bubble size analysis technology appears to be a more user-friendly and reliable option for determining bubble size in flotation, whereas the Anglo Platinum Bubble Sizer is more applicable for full scale industrial work. This probe was then used to conduct a rigorous comparison of the behavior of different frother chemistries at a variety of background solution ionic strength conditions. The critical coalescence concentrations and the minimum Sauter mean bubble diameters were determined. Five frothers were compared in terms of their ability to reduce bubble size and sensitivity to salinity. In order to adjust plant recipe and control strategy accordingly, it is recommended that the plant would need to use less frother during periods of the high salinity of process water to achieve the minimum Sauter mean bubble size.
Advantages of Machine Learning in Forensic Psychiatric Research—Uncovering the Complexities of Aggressive Behavior in Schizophrenia
Authors: Hofmann Lena A. , Lau Steffen , Kirchebner Johannes
Published: January 2022

Linear statistical methods may not be suited to the understanding of psychiatric phenomena such as aggression due to their complexity and multifactorial origins. Here, the application of machine learning (ML) algorithms offers the possibility of analyzing a large number of influencing factors and their interactions. This study aimed to explore inpatient aggression in offender patients with schizophrenia spectrum disorders (SSDs) using a suitable ML model on a dataset of 370 patients. With a balanced accuracy of 77.6% and an AUC of 0.87, support vector machines (SVM) outperformed all the other ML algorithms. Negative behavior toward other patients, the breaking of ward rules, the PANSS score at admission as well as poor impulse control and impulsivity emerged as the most predictive variables in distinguishing aggressive from non-aggressive patients. The present study serves as an example of the practical use of ML in forensic psychiatric research regarding the complex interplay between the factors contributing to aggressive behavior in SSD. Through its application, it could be shown that mental illness and the antisocial behavior associated with it outweighed other predictors. The fact that SSD is also highly associated with antisocial behavior emphasizes the importance of early detection and sufficient treatment.
Design and Analysis for Hypoid Gears with Ease-Off Flank Modification
Authors: Wang Qin , Jiang Jinke , Chen Hua , Tian Junwei , Su Yu , Guo Junde
Published: January 2022

An approach of ease-off flank modification for hypoid gears was proposed to improve the meshing performance of automobile drive axle. Firstly, a conjugate pinion matching with gear globally was developed based on gear meshing theory. Secondly, a modified pinion was represented by a sum of two vector functions determining the conjugate pinion and the normal ease-off deviations expressed by both predesigned transmission error function and tooth profile modification curves to change the initial contact clearance of the tooth. Thirdly, the best ease-off deviations were determined by optimizing the minimum amplitude of loaded transmission error (ALTE) based on tooth contact analysis (TCA) and loaded tooth contact analysis (LTCA). Finally, the results show that effective contact ratios (εe) are established by clearances both teeth space and of contact elliptical, and greatly affect ALTE. The εe is a variable value with increasing loads for the tooth with modification. ALTE decreases with increasing εe. After εe reaches the maximum, ALTE increases with increasing loads. The mismatch of the best ease-off tooth is minimal, which contributes to effective reduction in ALTE, thus significantly improving drive performance.
Freedom in Osteoarthritis of the Knee
Authors: Kim Wangdo , Vela Emir A.
Published: January 2022

The first peak of the external knee abduction moment (KAM) is often used as a surrogate measure of the medial compartment loading and has been correlated with pain and progression of knee osteoarthritis (OA). As a result, reducing the KAM is often the target of conservative interventions. OA should be considered as a “Whole Person” disease, including ecological psychosocial aspects. Scientists have developed gait alteration strategies to reduce the KAM. They attempted to force into a new position any particular part without reference to the pattern of the whole. We propose an alternative approach: in the vicinity of a special configuration of the knee, some or all of the components of the knee become overloaded. This study has shown that when six lines $1′,$2′,$3′,$4′,$5′,$6′ are so situated that forces acting along them equilibrate when applied to one degree of freedom, 1° F knee, a certain determinant vanishes. We wish to define the six lines as the knee complex in involution by virtue of some constraint upon the knee.
Possibilities of Powering Military Equipment Based on Renewable Energy Sources
Authors: Frączek Mariusz , Górski Krzysztof , Wolaniuk Leszek
Published: January 2022

Nowadays, the land forces of the Republic of Poland use mainly two forms of powering their equipment and military devices: by connecting various devices to the national power grid and by diesel-electric generators of individual vehicles. With the first solution, power cuts have to be taken into account. In the latter case, it is necessary to ensure large fuel deliveries on a timely manner. It entails a search for new solutions able to effectively meet the needs of an individual soldier and command posts. It has inspired engineers to work on renewable energy sources. This review paper presents a concept for photovoltaic cells usage and a concept for air turbines used to charge electric power sources of different powers for the individual needs of soldiers and command posts. Examples of solutions for mobile energy systems are presented in the research work. They were verified in terms of their suitability for military applications. The concept of using a personal device to supply power for charging batteries and elements of individual soldier equipment, including low-power radio stations, has been presented as well.
Research on Evolution Characteristics of Shale Crack Based on Simultaneous Monitoring of Multi-Parameters
Authors: Chen Qiao , Xu Fenglin , Su Pengcheng , Zhu Honglin , Zhang Yifang , Liu Yang , Jia Dongming , Guo Xiaozai , Chen Jilong , Liu Dunlong
Published: January 2022

Meso-crack evolution mechanism of shale is a key factor affecting the mechanical properties of shale. In order to explore evolution laws of cracks in shale during loading, a meso-crack monitoring system, loading test equipment and an automatic ultrasonic data acquisition system were set up. On this basis, a set of experimental apparatus simultaneous monitoring multi-parameters of shale micro-crack was designed, and destruction experiments of shale samples with different bedding angles were carried out to find out evolution characteristics of cracks. The results show the following: (1) The designed apparatus can monitor ultrasonic, mechanical and video information simultaneously of crack evolution in the entire process of shale destruction under load to provide information for analyzing acoustic and mechanical characteristic responses of crack propagation at key time nodes. (2) With an increase in load, shale will undergo four stages of destruction: crack initiation, propagation, penetration and overall failure. In the course of these stages, acoustic characteristics and mechanical characteristics are in good agreement, which proves the validity of predicting rock mechanical parameters with acoustic data. (3) During the loading process of shale, the main amplitude of acoustic wave is more sensitive than mechanical parameters to the change of rock cracks. Research results have important theoretical reference value for evaluating wall stability of shale gas horizontal well with ultrasonic data.
A Novel Machine Learning Approach for Sentiment Analysis on Twitter Incorporating the Universal Language Model Fine-Tuning and SVM
Authors: AlBadani Barakat , Shi Ronghua , Dong Jian
Published: January 2022

Twitter sentiment detectors (TSDs) provide a better solution to evaluate the quality of service and product than other traditional technologies. The classification accuracy and detection performance of TSDs, which are extremely reliant on the performance of the classification techniques, are used, and the quality of input features is provided. However, the time required is a big problem for the existing machine learning methods, which leads to a challenge for all enterprises that aim to transform their businesses to be processed by automated workflows. Deep learning techniques have been utilized in several real-world applications in different fields such as sentiment analysis. Deep learning approaches use different algorithms to obtain information from raw data such as texts or tweets and represent them in certain types of models. These models are used to infer information about new datasets that have not been modeled yet. We present a new effective method of sentiment analysis using deep learning architectures by combining the “universal language model fine-tuning” (ULMFiT) with support vector machine (SVM) to increase the detection efficiency and accuracy. The method introduces a new deep learning approach for Twitter sentiment analysis to detect the attitudes of people toward certain products based on their comments. The extensive results on three datasets illustrate that our model achieves the state-of-the-art results over all datasets. For example, the accuracy performance is 99.78% when it is applied on the Twitter US Airlines dataset.
A Comparison Study of EDR Estimates from the NLR and NCAR Algorithms
Authors: Lee Jeffrey Chi Wai , Leung Christy Yan Yu , Kok Mang Hin , Chan Pak Wai
Published: January 2022

A comparison was made of two eddy dissipation rate (EDR) estimates based on flight data recorded by commercial flights. The EDR estimates from real-time data using the National Center for Atmospheric Research (NCAR) Algorithm were compared with the EDR estimates derived using the Netherlands Aerospace Centre (NLR) Algorithm using quick assess recorder (QAR) data. The estimates were found to be in good agreement in general, although subtle differences were found. The agreement between the two algorithms was better when the flight was above 10,000 ft. The EDR estimates from the two algorithms were also compared with the vertical acceleration experienced by the aircraft. Both EDR estimates showed good correlation with the vertical acceleration and would effectively capture the turbulence subjectively experienced by pilots.