bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Estimation of the Production Economic Consequences of Stopping Partial Depopulation in Broiler Production
Authors: Sarnino Nunzio , Berge Anna Catharina , Chantziaras Ilias , Dewulf Jeroen
Published: June 2022

Partial depopulation is the removal and slaughter of part of a flock prior to the final slaughter age, and this practice allows broiler producers to optimize stocking density in broiler houses. However, this practice constitutes a serious break in farm biosecurity that can lead to the introduction of various pathogens in the flock, including Campylobacter spp. In this study, the production of a house performing partial depopulation of 25% of the flock at 35 days of age prior to the final slaughter at 42 days was compared with a production system where partial depopulation was not performed. The differences in production costs, profit, and technical performance parameters were evaluated. The model indicated that stopping partial depopulation reduces the production between 16 to 24%, which results in a 14% reduced profit per kg of live weight, and a 31% reduced profit per production cycle. To compensate the profit loss, it would be necessary to increase the meat price 3% from a starting price of 87.44 cents. For current conventional broiler production, it may be financially challenging to stop partial depopulation practices. Focusing on external biosecurity to avoid the introduction of Campylobacter into poultry houses may be the right compromise.
The Role of Gut Microbiota in the Skeletal Muscle Development and Fat Deposition in Pigs
Authors: Han Qi , Huang Xingguo , Yan Fuyong , Yin Jie , Xiao Yingping
Published: June 2022

Pork quality is a factor increasingly considered in consumer preferences for pork. The formation mechanisms determining meat quality are complicated, including endogenous and exogenous factors. Despite a lot of research on meat quality, unexpected variation in meat quality is still a major problem in the meat industry. Currently, gut microbiota and their metabolites have attracted increased attention in the animal breeding industry, and recent research demonstrated their significance in muscle fiber development and fat deposition. The purpose of this paper is to summarize the research on the effects of gut microbiota on pig muscle and fat deposition. The factors affecting gut microbiota composition will also be discussed, including host genetics, dietary composition, antibiotics, prebiotics, and probiotics. We provide an overall understanding of the relationship between gut microbiota and meat quality in pigs, and how manipulation of gut microbiota may contribute to increasing pork quality for human consumption.
Radio-Protective Effects of Stigmasterol on Wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) Plants
Authors: Hussein Hebat-Allah A. , Alshammari Shifaa O. , Elkady Fatma M. , Ramadan Amany A. , Kenawy Sahar K. M. , Abdelkawy Aisha M.
Published: June 2022

Ionizing radiation is abiotic stress limiting the growth and productivity of crop plants. Stigmasterol has positive effects on the plant growth of many crops. The role of stigmasterol in alleviating the effects of ionizing radiation on plant metabolism and development is still unclear. Therefore, the study aimed to investigate the effects of pretreatments with γ-radiation (0, 25, and 50 Gy), foliar application of stigmasterol (0, 100, and 200 ppm), and their interaction on the growth, and biochemical constituents of wheat (Triticum aestivum L., var. Sids 12) plants. Gamma radiation at 25 Gy showed no significant difference in plant height, root length, no. of leaves, shoot fresh weight, root fresh weight, Chl a, ABA, soluble phenols, and MDA compared to the control values. Gamma rays at 50 Gy inhibited shoot and root lengths, flag leaf area, shoot fresh and dry weights, photosynthetic pigments, total soluble sugars, proline, and peroxidase activity. However, it stimulated total phenols, catalase activity, and lipid peroxidation. On the other hand, stigmasterol at 100 ppm showed no significant effects on some of the physiological attributes compared to control plants. Stigmasterol at 200 ppm improved plant growth parameters, photosynthetic pigments, proline, phenols, antioxidant enzyme, gibberellic acid, and indole acetic acid. Correspondingly, it inhibited total soluble sugars, abscisic acid, and lipid peroxidation. Moreover, the application of stigmasterol caused the appearance of new polypeptides and the reappearance of those missed by gamma radiation. Overall, stigmasterol could alleviate the adverse effects of gamma radiation on wheat plants.
Origanum majorana L. Extract Attenuated Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia in Rat Model: Effect on Oxidative Stress, Apoptosis, and Proliferation
Authors: Elsherbini Dalia Mahmoud Abdelmonem , Almohaimeed Hailah M. , El-Sherbiny Mohamed , Mohammedsaleh Zuhair M. , Elsherbiny Nehal M. , Gabr Sami A. , Ebrahim Hasnaa Ali
Published: June 2022

Benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) is a widespread androgenic illness influencing elderly men. It is distinguished by prostatic epithelial and stromal muscle cell proliferation. Inflammation, oxidative stress, and apoptosis have all been interrelated to the development of BPH. Marjoram (Origanum majorana L.) is a herb with reported antiproliferative, proapoptotic, and antioxidative properties, which have not yet been studied in relation to BPH. Consequently, in this work, an ethanolic extract of O. majorana was prepared in two doses (250 and 500 mg/kg/day) to be injected into castrated rats after induction of a testosterone-BPH model. Testosterone propionate (TP) was subcutaneously injected (0.5 mg/kg/day) for one week after castration to induce BPH. Forty adult Wistar male rats were randomly allocated into five groups: control, BPH model, high and low O. majorana doses (250, 500 mg/kg/day), and finasteride (FN) (0.8 mg/kg/day) as a positive control. Treatment was continued with drugs/normal saline for 28 days. Rat’s body and prostate were weighed, prostate index (PI) and % of prostate growth inhibition were calculated, serum dihydrotestosterone (DHT), prostatic content of superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT), total antioxidant capacity (TAC), and malondialdehyde (MDA), DN damage, histopathological changes, immune expression of proliferating cell nuclear antigen (PCNA), caspase-3, α-SMA, and TGF-β1 were assessed. In addition, molecular quantitative PCR and ELISA analyses were performed to identify the expression of mRNAs and related proteins of both caspase-3 and TGF-β1 in prostate tissue from O. majorana-treated and untreated groups. Rats with BPH had significantly higher prostate weights and PI, higher DHT, DNA damage (8-hydroxyguanine, 8-OH-dG), and MDA levels with prominent PCNA, α-SMA, and TGF-β expression, but lower SOD, CAT, and TAC activity and caspase-3 expression. O. majorana (250 and 500 mg/kg/day)-treated groups revealed a decrease in prostate weights and PI, lower levels of DHT, suppressed oxidative stress, reduced tissue proliferation and fibrosis, and restored antioxidant and proapoptotic activity. Additionally, quantitative PCR and ELISA analysis showed that treatment with O. majorana significantly upregulated the expression of caspase-3 and downregulated the expression of TGF-β in prostate tissues of BPH rats. The data were confirmed by the immunohistological reactivity of these targeted markers in the prostate tissues. These effects were more significant with O. majorana 500 mg/mL/rat. In conclusion, the current study indicates the efficient use of O. majorana in the treatment of testosterone-induced BPH through its antiproliferative, proapoptotic, and antioxidative mechanisms.
Air Traffic Trajectory Operation Mode Mining Based on Clustering
Authors: Tang Xinmin , Liu Yusheng , Chen Kefan
Published: June 2022

When processing track sequences, it is time-consuming and difficult to separate clusters with substantial density variations to deal with the problem of classic clustering methods mining common flight patterns in airspace. To overcome these issues, this research proposes a clustering-based technique for mining air traffic trajectory operation patterns. The track data are first decoded and rebuilt using a motion-based track training approach; next, a compression based on a deep autoencoder (OFAE) is provided, allowing the model to deal with the high-dimensional trajectory vector containing derived information. The compressed trajectory data are made as compact and dense as feasible using the L21 norm constraint, which reduces the operation time and improves the performance of the clustering process. The compressed trajectory is then analyzed using a fast-clustering algorithm based on density peaks (DPCA). To save time, a more refined distance measurement technique is added into the model in order to achieve the usual aircraft operation mode in the terminal area. The accuracy of trajectory prediction can be improved by using the generated unitized and high-class similarity trajectory data.
Prediction of Overall Survival in Cervical Cancer Patients Using PET/CT Radiomic Features
Authors: Carlini Gianluca , Curti Nico , Strolin Silvia , Giampieri Enrico , Sala Claudia , Dall’Olio Daniele , Merlotti Alessandra , Fanti Stefano , Remondini Daniel , Nanni Cristina , Strigari Lidia , Castellani Gastone
Published: June 2022

Background: Radiomics is a field of research medicine and data science in which quantitative imaging features are extracted from medical images and successively analyzed to develop models for providing diagnostic, prognostic, and predictive information. The purpose of this work was to develop a machine learning model to predict the survival probability of 85 cervical cancer patients using PET and CT radiomic features as predictors. Methods: Initially, the patients were divided into two mutually exclusive sets: a training set containing 80% of the data and a testing set containing the remaining 20%. The entire analysis was separately conducted for CT and PET features. Genetic algorithms and LASSO regression were used to perform feature selection on the initial PET and CT feature sets. Two different survival models were employed: the Cox proportional hazard model and random survival forest. The Cox model was built using the subset of features obtained with the feature selection process, while all the available features were used for the random survival forest model. The models were trained on the training set; cross-validation was used to fine-tune the models and to obtain a preliminary measurement of the performance. The models were then validated on the test set, using the concordance index as the metric. In addition, alternative versions of the models were developed using tumor recurrence as an adjunct feature to evaluate its impact on predictive performance. Finally, the selected CT and PET features were combined to build a further Cox model. Results: The genetic algorithm was superior to the LASSO regression for feature selection. The best performing model was the Cox model, which was built using the selected CT features; it achieved a concordance index score of 0.707. With the addition of tumor recurrence as a predictive feature, the Cox CT model reached a concordance index score of 0.776. PET features, however, proved to be inadequate for survival prediction. The CT model performed better than the model with combined PET and CT features. Conclusions: The results showed that radiomic features can be used to successfully predict survival probability in cervical cancer patients. In particular, CT radiomic features proved to be better predictors than PET radiomic features in this specific case.
UAV Attitude Angle Measurement Method Based on Magnetometer-Satellite Positioning System
Authors: Qu Gaomin , Zhou Zhou , Li Jiguang , Shao Zhuang , Dong Yanfei , Guo An
Published: June 2022

To improve the measurement accuracy of unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), in this study, we proposed a method for measuring the attitude angle of a UAV by the combination of a magnetometer and satellite positioning system. Based on the measurement principle, we established a combined measurement error model, analyzed the root cause of the measurement error, and calibrated the magnetometer using the least-squares algorithm. For handling external or system interference effects, we designed a compensation algorithm that does not depend on environmental information. For handling measurement errors, a “current” statistical model was established, and the continuous-discrete Kalman filter algorithm was used to eliminate measurement errors. The test results showed that after using the compensation algorithm, the measurement error was reduced from 17.80% to 6.86% compared to the average absolute error of the local magnetic field intensity, and the absolute measurement error was reduced by 61.49%. The absolute measurement error was compared after using the compensation + filtering algorithm, and the error after compensation was further reduced by 42.36%. Hence, we proved the feasibility and effectiveness of our method.
A Risk Assessment System of Toxic Gas Leakages in Metallurgy Based on Fuzzy Evaluation with Comprehensive Weighting
Authors: Kariman Kaeryaer , Gao Na , Ma Chunguo , Wang Zhao
Published: June 2022

Toxic gas leakage in metallurgic plants has emerged with the growth of crude steel production in recent years, causing damage to people, facilities, and the environment. Poisonous gas leakage can lead to other severe accidents including fires, explosions and gas poisoning. In this paper, we propose a risk assessment system (RAS) for toxic gas leakage using a fuzzy evaluation method integrating the entropy weighting method (EWM) and the order relationship method (ORM) and compiled an index system consisting of four first-level indices and fifteen secondary indices. The first-level indices are blast furnace safety performance, protective facilities, evacuation and dilution facilities, and poisonous gas management. The four first-level indices’ toxic gas leak evaluation result is 0.8581, 0.8971, 0.7733, and 0.8652, respectively. We observe that the overall status of the metallurgical plant is “excellent”, yet the result for the evacuation and dilution facilities was less than 0.8, indicating that there is still room for improvement. The risk evaluation time is reduced by forty percent by adopting RAS.
Strategy Mining for Inferring Business Information System User Intentions
Authors: Diaz Oswaldo , Pérez Maria
Published: June 2022

The aim of this study was to identify user strategies to infer their intentions in developing activities, from the current process model and the real process model of the business. A user’s intentions can be used to identify their behavior, and to define the requirements for improving the business information system. The presented method follows the guidelines of the current mining tools, and it is supported by a knowledge base of businesses in general and the event log for a specific business. The user strategies are validated and weighted through the rules of the specific business. The user intentions are inferred based on their strategies and the knowledge of an expert within the specific business. The method is applied to a specific sales business, and the obtained results suggest that the proposed method can extract 75% of user intentions. In addition, the method is generalized to apply it to any business, as long as we can obtain the event log and the rules of the business.
Climate Impact Reduction Potentials of Synthetic Kerosene and Green Hydrogen Powered Mid-Range Aircraft Concepts
Authors: Silberhorn Daniel , Dahlmann Katrin , Görtz Alexander , Linke Florian , Zanger Jan , Rauch Bastian , Methling Torsten , Janzer Corina , Hartmann Johannes
Published: June 2022

One of aviation’s major challenges for the upcoming decades is the reduction in its climate impact. As synthetic kerosene and green hydrogen are two promising candidates, their potentials in decreasing the climate impact is investigated for the mid-range segment. Evolutionary advancements for 2040 are applied, first with an conventional and second with an advanced low-NOx and low-soot combustion chamber. Experts and methods from all relevant disciplines are involved, starting from combustion, turbofan engine, overall aircraft design, fleet level, and climate impact assessment, allowing a sophisticated and holistic evaluation. The main takeaway is that both energy carriers have the potential to strongly reduce the fleet level climate impact by more than 75% compared with the reference. Applying a flight-level constraint of 290 and a cruise Mach number of 0.75, causing 5% higher average Direct Operating Costs (DOC), the reduction is even more than 85%. The main levers to achieve this are the advanced combustion chamber, an efficient contrail avoidance strategy, in this case a pure flight-level constraint, and the use of CO2 neutral energy carrier, in a descending priority order. Although vehicle efficiency gains only lead to rather low impact reduction, they are very important to compensate the increased costs of synthetic fuels or green hydrogen.
Electrochemical Characteristics of Amorphous Ni-P Electroplated Thin Film
Authors: Hong Jae-Young , Shin Heon-Cheol
Published: June 2022

In this study, an amorphous nickel-phosphide (Ni-P) thin film was produced by electroplating, and its possible use as the anode material of a secondary lithium battery was explored. First, by changing the electroplating conditions, we created uniform and flat Ni-P thin films that contained 16–28 at% phosphorus. An evaluation of the manufactured thin film as anode material showed that a thin film with more phosphorus content had a higher specific discharge capacity. In particular, the initial gravimetric capacity of the electrode with the highest phosphorus content (28 at%) was comparable to that of graphite, but it had three times the initial volumetric capacity. The cycling stability improved with a higher phosphorus content. It was suggested that the adhesive strength between the substrate and thin film had a greater impact on the cycling stability than the physical damage caused by the volume changes during charging and discharging. To improve the specific capacity, we formed globular electrodeposits on the surface of the thin film. As a result, a discharge capacity comparable to the theoretical capacity of Ni-P was obtained, and the rate performance was additionally improved, without reduction in the life cycle.
Torque-Enhanced Phase Current Detection Schemes for Multiphase Switched Reluctance Motors with Reduced Sensors
Authors: Shen Shiqi , Wang Hui , Li Mengqiu , Feng Yaojing , Zhong Yichang
Published: June 2022

An n/2-sensor-based and an (m + 1)/2-sensor-based phase current detection scheme are proposed for even-numbered switched reluctance motors (EMSRMs) with n phases and odd-numbered switched reluctance motors (OMSRMs) with m phases. For the EMSRMs, the phases are divided into n/2 groups each of which includes two phases furthest from each other, and the lower dc bus is split into n/2 + 1 buses such that the currents through the lower switches of a group flow through a bus whose current is detected by a sensor. For the OMSRMs, the phases are divided into (m + 1)/2 groups and the currents through the lower switches of a group are detected by a multiplexed sensor without converter modification; the phase grouping is generalized as an optimization problem considering the volume and measuring range of the sensors. The schemes can detect the magnetization and freewheeling phase currents under multiphase excitation without pulse injection and voltage penalty. Compared to the existing schemes using cross-winding sensors, the proposed schemes can increase the motor torque by extending the phase conduction region. In addition, the proposed scheme for EMSRMs can combine the low-cost low-side shunt current sensing technique, and the proposed scheme for OMSRMs can increase the current sensing resolution. Simulations are carried out to validate the two proposed schemes. The proposed (m + 1)/2-sensor-based scheme is further verified experimentally.
A Multiscale Attention-Guided UNet++ with Edge Constraint for Building Extraction from High Spatial Resolution Imagery
Authors: Zhao Hua , Zhang Hua , Zheng Xiangcheng
Published: June 2022

Building extraction from high spatial resolution imagery (HSRI) plays an important role in the remotely sensed imagery application fields. However, automatically extracting buildings from HSRI is still a challenging task due to such factors as large size variations of buildings, background complexity, variations in appearance, etc. Especially, it is difficult to extract both crowded small buildings and large buildings with accurate boundaries. To address these challenges, this paper presents an end-to-end encoder–decoder model to automatically extract buildings from HSRI. The designed network, called AEUNet++, is based on UNet++, attention mechanism and multi-task learning. Specifically, the AEUNet++ introduces the UNet++ as the backbone to extract multiscale features. Then, the attention block is used to effectively fuse different-layer feature maps instead of direct concatenation in the output of traditional UNet++, which can assign adaptive weights to different-layer feature maps as their relative importance to enhance the sensitivity of the mode and suppress the background influence of irrelevant features. To further improve the boundary accuracy of the extracted buildings, the boundary geometric information of buildings is integrated into the proposed model by a multi-task loss using a proposed distance class map during training of the network, which simultaneously learns the extraction of buildings and boundaries and only outputs extracted buildings while testing. Two different data sets are utilized for evaluating the performance of AEUNet++. The experimental results indicate that AEUNet++ produces greater accuracy than U-Net and the original UNet++ architectures and, hence, provides an effective method for building extraction from HSRI.
Acoustic Negative Refraction and Planar Focusing Based on Purely Imaginary Metamaterials
Authors: Zhang Ling-Ling , Liu Xiao-Jun
Published: June 2022

Acoustic purely imaginary metamaterials (PIMs) contain loss and gain uniformly distributed in space, but in different parameters. Therefore, the PIMs contain the elements of gain and loss simultaneously. As a result, some extraordinary wave modes may appear depending on whether gain or loss elements dominate. In this work, we theoretically and numerically investigate the general excitation conditions for acoustic lasing, coherent perfect absorption (CPA) and for their co-existence in the framework of acoustic PIMs. All-angle negative refraction and planar focusing are achieved by pairing two PIM slabs with conjugating parameters. The proposed structure provides an alternative basis for possible applications of acoustic perfect imaging.
High-Entropy Spinel Oxides Produced via Sol-Gel and Electrospinning and Their Evaluation as Anodes in Li-Ion Batteries
Authors: Petrovičovà Beatrix , Xu Wenlei , Musolino Maria Grazia , Pantò Fabiola , Patanè Salvatore , Pinna Nicola , Santangelo Saveria , Triolo Claudia
Published: June 2022

In the last few years, high-entropy oxides (HEOs), a new class of single-phase solid solution materials, have attracted growing interest in both academic research and industry for their great potential in a broad range of applications. This work investigates the possibility of producing pure single-phase HEOs with spinel structure (HESOs) under milder conditions (shorter heat treatments at lower temperatures) than standard solid-state techniques, thus reducing the environmental impact. For this purpose, a large set of HESOs was prepared via sol-gel and electrospinning (by using two different polymers). Ten different equimolar combinations of five metals were considered, and the influence of the synthesis method and conditions on the microstructure, morphology and crystalline phase purity of the produced HESOs was investigated by a combination of characterization techniques. On the other hand, the presence of specific metals, such as copper, lead to the formation of minority secondary phase(s). Finally, two representative pure single-phase HESOs were preliminarily evaluated as active anode materials in lithium-ion batteries and possible strategies to enhance their rate capability and cyclability were proposed and successfully implemented. The approaches introduced here can be extensively applied for the optimization of HEO properties targeting different applications.
A New Method for Fatigue Evaluation of Titanium Alloy Welded Structures
Authors: Zhang Zhe , Wang Yuedong , Yu Chunyang , Dong Qi
Published: June 2022

In this paper, a new fatigue life evaluation method, namely augmented-reverse notch equivalent stress method, is proposed for titanium alloy welded structures with stress singularities. First, a new three-parameter power function model is proposed in this paper, and the notch stress equivalent value method with correction factor is deduced. Combining the two, the theoretical framework of the augmented-reverse notch equivalent stress method is obtained. Within this framework, the fatigue test data of four titanium alloy welded joints with the same grade were used for analysis, and a new three-parameter power function model of titanium alloy welded structure was established. According to the calculation method of the notch equivalent stress correction factor, the correction factor suitable for the titanium alloy welded structure was obtained. Finally, the fatigue test data, different from the above titanium alloy welded structure, are used to verify the augmented-reverse notch equivalent stress method. The verification results show that the augmented-reverse notch equivalent stress method improves the effectiveness and accuracy of fatigue life evaluation and establishes a new life evaluation method for titanium alloy welded structures with stress singularities.
Efficiency Analysis of Herringbone Star Gear Train Transmission with Different Load-Sharing Conditions
Authors: Li Dong , Wang Shuyan , Li Dongliang , Yang Yong
Published: June 2022

A slight improvement in the transmission efficiency of the herringbone star gear train in a GTF has a great impact on the fuel economy of the engine. Here, the influencing factors of gear train efficiency were studied from the perspective of gear train composition, and the efficiency calculation model of the split star gear train, including the load-sharing coefficient, was established. Based on the efficiency calculation model, the mechanical relationship affecting the load distribution of the split star gear train, and the influence of installation error on the power split of the gear train, were studied. The effects of torque and installation error on the load coefficient of the gear train were studied using dynamic analysis software, and the efficiency of the gear train under multiple working conditions was verified and analyzed.
A Novel Energy-Saving Route Planning Algorithm for Marine Vehicles
Authors: Ding Ying , Li Ronghui , Shen Haiqing , Li Jiawen , Cao Liang
Published: June 2022

Recently, the ship energy consumption issue has been in the spotlight. Meanwhile, new conventions and standards of ship energy conservation as well as ship emission reduction have been continuously introduced by the International Maritime Organization and governments around the world. Energy conservation is a crucial factor in ship route planning. This paper proposes an improved ant colony algorithm that can handle a complicated ocean current environment and find an optimal energy-saving path. Firstly, this paper focuses on both the path length and energy consumption. To reduce energy consumption, a comprehensive energy cost function is introduced by a conventional ant colony algorithm. In addition, this paper analyzes the influence of the ocean current speed and setting on a marine vehicle and establishes an improved ant colony algorithm model based on the influence of the ocean current. Finally, simulation tests are carried out in Lianyungang and its surrounding areas to test the energy consumption performance of the improved ant colony algorithm. The simulation result shows that the improved ant colony algorithm can significantly reduce the energy consumption by 3.326% compared with the traditional algorithm.
GNSS-RO Deep Refraction Signals from Moist Marine Atmospheric Boundary Layer (MABL)
Authors: Wu Dong L. , Gong Jie , Ganeshan Manisha
Published: June 2022

The marine atmospheric boundary layer (MABL) has a profound impact on sensible heat and moisture exchanges between the surface and the free troposphere. The goal of this study is to develop an alternative technique for retrieving MABL-specific humidity (q) using GNSS-RO data in deep-refracted signals. The GNSS-RO signal amplitude (i.e., signal-to-noise ratio or SNR) at the deep straight-line height (HSL) was been found to be strongly impacted by water vapor within the MABL. This study presents a statistical analysis to empirically relate the normalized SNR (SRO) at deep HSL to the MABL q at 950 hPa (~400 m). When compared to the ERA5 reanalysis data, a good linear q–SRO relationship is found with the deep HSL SRO data, but careful treatments of receiver noise, SNR normalization, and receiver orbital altitude are required. We attribute the good q–SRO correlation to the strong refraction from a uniform, horizontally stratiform and dynamically quiet MABL water vapor layer. Ducting and diffraction/interference by this layer help to enhance the SRO amplitude at deep HSL. Potential MABL water vapor retrieval can be further developed to take advantage of a higher number of SRO measurements in the MABL compared to the Level-2 products. A better sampled diurnal variation of the MABL q is demonstrated with the SRO data over the Southeast Pacific (SEP) and the Northeast Pacific (NEP) regions, which appear to be consistent with the low cloud amount variations reported in previous studies.
Climate Change Resilience and Sustainable Tropical Agriculture: Farmers’ Perceptions, Reactive Adaptations and Determinants of Reactive Adaptations in Hainan, China
Authors: Gao Jian , Shahid Rabia , Ji Xiang , Li Shijie
Published: June 2022

The adversities of a changing climate in developing countries and the related impact on agriculture are directly dependent on the adaptive behavior of local farmers towards climate change events. The perception of farmers as basic executers of agricultural production plays a crucial role in their adaptation decisions. Through a field survey of 200 farmers in Hainan, China, this study covers the methodological gap in determining the reactive adaptations for coping with the changing climate and the underlying factors of farmers’ adaptive behavior. The results indicated that the smallholder farmers are well aware of climate change, and the majority of them are taking adaptive measures such as following up on weather forecast, changing crop varieties, conserving agriculture through soil conservation and/or agroforestry, modifying different farm operations, increasing investment in infrastructure, increasing non-agricultural income of household, switching to new genetically modified cultivars, and engaging in water conservation methods. A binary logistic regression analysis was performed to study the determinants of farmers’ adaptive behavior, and the results highlighted 10 significant factors affecting farmers’ adaptations, including the age and gender of the farmer, non-agricultural income, training, credit access, policy demand, and perceived changes in climate change events. Our results are in line with the extant literature. The percentage of consistency (POC) was also calculated to evaluate the BLR results, and the overall POC was 60.7%. On the policy front, several suggestions are made based on derived conclusions, such as arranging training programs as a supplement to policymaking, incorporating significant factors for the development of high protection capacity, accounting for gender differences, and supporting crop insurance via subsidies.
Comparative Study of Brain Size Ontogeny: Marsupials and Placental Mammals
Authors: De Miguel Carmen , Saniotis Arthur , Cieślik Agata , Henneberg Maciej
Published: June 2022

There exists a negative allometry between vertebrate brain size and body size. It has been well studied among placental mammals but less is known regarding marsupials. Consequently, this study explores brain/body ontogenetic growth in marsupials and compares it with placental mammals. Pouch young samples of 43 koalas (Phascolarctos cinereus), 28 possums (Trichosurus vulpecula), and 36 tammar wallabies (Macropus eugenii) preserved in a solution of 10% buffered formalin, as well as fresh juveniles and adults of 43 koalas and 40 possums, were studied. Their brain size/body size allometry was compared to that among humans, rhesus monkeys, dogs, cats, rats, guinea pigs, rabbits, wild pigs, and mice. Two patterns of allometric curves were found: a logarithmic one (marsupials, rabbits, wild pigs, and guinea pigs) and a logistic one (the rest of mammals).
Dietary Collagen Hydrolysates Retard Estrogen Deficiency-Induced Bone Loss through Blocking Osteoclastic Activation and Enhancing Osteoblastic Matrix Mineralization
Authors: Kim Soo-Il , Park Sin-Hye , Na Woojin , Shin Yong Chul , Oh Moon-Sik , Sim Young Eun , Zheng Yulong , Kim Ae Hyang , Kang Il-Jun , Kang Young-Hee
Published: June 2022

Osteoporosis manifest in postmenopausal women is an osteolytic disease characterized by bone loss, leading to increased susceptibility to bone fractures and frailty. The use of complementary therapies to alleviate postmenopausal osteoporosis is fairly widespread among women. The current study examined that Pangasius hypophthalmus fish skin collagen hydrolysates (fsCH) inhibited ovariectomy (OVX)-induced bone loss by conducting inter-comparative experiments for anti-osteoporotic activity among 206–618 mg/kg fsCH, 2 mg/kg isoflavone, 15 mg/kg glycine–proline–hydroxyproline (GPH) tripeptide, and calcium lactate. Surgical estrogen loss of mice for 8 weeks reduced serum 17β-estradiol levels with uterus atrophy, which was ameliorated by orally administering fsCH or isoflavone to mice. Similar to isoflavone, fsCH containing GPH-enhanced bone mineral density reduced levels of cathepsin K and proton-handling proteins, and elevated collagen 1 level in OVX bones. The treatment with fsCH and isoflavone enhanced the serum levels of collagen synthesis-related procollagen type 1 carboxy/amino-terminal propeptides reduced by OVX, whereas serum levels of osteocalcin and alkaline phosphatase, as well as collagen breakdown-related carboxy/amino-terminal telopeptides of type 1 collagen were reduced in OVX mice treated with fsCH, isoflavone, and calcium lactate. The trabecular bones were newly formed in OVX bones treated with isoflavone and fsCH, but not with calcium lactate. However, a low-dose combination of fsCH and calcium lactate had a beneficial synergy effect on postmenopausal osteoporosis. Furthermore, similar to isoflavone, 15–70 μg/mL fsCH, with its constituents of GPH and dipeptides of glycine–proline and proline–hydroxyproline, enhanced osteogenesis through stimulating differentiation, matrix mineralization, and calcium deposition of MC3T3-E1 osteoblasts. Accordingly, the presence of fsCH may encumber estrogen deficiency-induced bone loss through enhancing osteoclastogenic differentiation and matrix collagen synthesis. Therefore, fsCH may be a natural compound retarding postmenopausal osteoporosis and pathological osteoresorptive disorders.
Acid Resistance of CAD/CAM Resin Composites
Authors: Schmohl Leonie , Roesner Anuschka Josephine , Fuchs Florian , Wagner Maximilian , Schmidt Michael Benno , Hahnel Sebastian , Rauch Angelika , Koenig Andreas
Published: June 2022

Acid resistance of CAD/CAM resin composites. Erosion-related tooth surface loss is closely related to acid exposure, such as contact with acidic beverages or disease-related reflux. As a result, dental restorations in affected patients are also exposed to acids, which indicates that the performance and longevity of a dental restoration is impacted by the acid resistance of the individually employed restorative materials. However, unlike for ceramic materials, the acid resistance of CAD/CAM resin composites is not commonly evaluated by the manufacturers, and no standardised test methods have yet been established. Against this background, the present in vitro study aimed to examine the long-term resistance of CAD/CAM resin composites (Brilliant Crios, Cerasmart, Grandio blocs, Lava Ultimate, Shofu Block HC) against three acidic media (tonic water, acetic acid, hydrochloric acid) as well as demineralized water and to investigate potential damage mechanisms. Changes in surface roughness (Sa) were detected by confocal laser scanning microscopy (CLSM), and changes in surface hardness were measured using Vickers hardness (HV). The damage mechanisms were analysed by scanning electron microscopy (SEM) with energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDS) and micro X-ray computer tomography (µXCT). For each material, few changes in either Sa or HV were identified for at least one of the different media; for Cerasmart, the sharpest deterioration in surface properties was observed. SEM–EDS revealed leaching of barium, aluminium, and titanium from fillers in a 2 µm zone on the rough but not on the polished surface of the specimen. Within the limitations of the current study, it can be concluded that polished CAD/CAM resin composites can be recommended for clinical use in patients with erosive conditions.
Hippocampal Estrogen Signaling Mediates Sex Differences in Retroactive Interference
Authors: Rinaudo Marco , Natale Francesca , La Greca Francesco , Spinelli Matteo , Farsetti Antonella , Paciello Fabiola , Fusco Salvatore , Grassi Claudio
Published: June 2022

Despite being a crucial physiological function of the brain, the mechanisms underlying forgetting are still poorly understood. Estrogens play a critical role in different brain functions, including memory. However, the effects of sex hormones on forgetting vulnerabilitymediated by retroactive interference (RI), a phenomenon in which newly acquired information interferes with the retrieval of already stored information, are still poorly understood. The aim of our study was to characterize the sex differences in interference-mediated forgetting and identify the underlying molecular mechanisms. We found that adult male C57bl/6 mice showed a higher susceptibility to RI-dependent memory loss than females. The preference index (PI) in the NOR paradigm was 52.7 ± 5.9% in males and 62.3 ± 13.0% in females. The resistance to RI in female mice was mediated by estrogen signaling involving estrogen receptor α activation in the dorsal hippocampus. Accordingly, following RI, females showed higher phosphorylation levels (+30%) of extracellular signal-regulated kinase1/2 (ERK1/2) in the hippocampus. Pharmacological inhibition of ERK1/2 made female mice prone to RI. The PI was 70.6 ± 11.0% in vehicle-injected mice and 47.4 ± 10.8% following PD98059 administration. Collectively, our data suggest that hippocampal estrogen α receptor-ERK1/2 signaling is critically involved in a pattern separation mechanism that inhibits object-related RI in female mice.
Thixotropic Red Microalgae Sulfated Polysaccharide-Peptide Composite Hydrogels as Scaffolds for Tissue Engineering
Authors: Halperin-Sternfeld Michal , Netanel Liberman Gal , Kannan Raha , Netti Francesca , Ma Peter X. , Arad Shoshana Malis , Adler-Abramovich Lihi
Published: June 2022

Sulfated polysaccharides of red marine microalgae have recently gained much attention for biomedical applications due to their anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties. However, their low mechanical properties limit their use in tissue engineering. Herein, to enhance the mechanical properties of the sulfated polysaccharide produced by the red marine microalga, Porphyridium sp. (PS), it was integrated with the fluorenylmethoxycarbonyl diphenylalanine (FmocFF) peptide hydrogelator. Transparent, stable hydrogels were formed when mixing the two components at a 1:1 ratio in three different concentrations. Electron microscopy showed that all hydrogels exhibited a nanofibrous structure, mimicking the extracellular matrix. Furthermore, the hydrogels were injectable, and tunable mechanical properties were obtained by changing the hydrogel concentration. The composite hydrogels allowed the sustained release of curcumin which was controlled by the change in the hydrogel concentration. Finally, the hydrogels supported MC3T3-E1 preosteoblasts viability and calcium deposition. The synergy between the sulfated polysaccharide, with its unique bioactivities, and FmocFF peptide, with its structural and mechanical properties, bears a promising potential for developing novel tunable scaffolds for tissue engineering that may allow cell differentiation into various lineages.
The Efficacy of Pain Neuroscience Education on Active Rehabilitation Following Arthroscopic Rotator Cuff Repair: A CONSORT-Compliant Prospective Randomized Single-Blind Controlled Trial
Authors: Kim Hyunjoong , Lee Seungwon
Published: June 2022

Pain neuroscience education (PNE), a modern educational therapy, has been reported to be effective in pain control by reducing fear of movement. This study investigated the effects of additional PNE on a physical therapy rehabilitation protocol (PTRP) following arthroscopic rotator cuff repair (ARCR). In this single-blind, randomized controlled trial, 34 patients who had undergone ARCR were randomly allocated (1:1) into two groups: PNE (PTRP plus PNE) and PTRP. PTRP was performed five times a week, for four weeks, 115 min per session (physical agents, manual therapy, and exercises), and PNE was performed twice at the beginning (face-to-face PNE) and end (non-face-to-face) of the PTRP. The outcome measures were measured four times for pain intensity, pain cognition, and shoulder function; two times for a range of motion; and once for satisfaction. No significant difference in pain intensity was observed between the groups. However, in pain cognition, the Tampa Scale for Kinesiophobia avoidance showed a significant interaction between time and group, and PNE showed a higher effect size than PTRP in the post-test and follow-up in several variables. In conclusion, the significant improvement in avoidance in postoperative rehabilitation suggests that there is a partially positive benefit in terms of pain, range of motion, and shoulder function in ARCR patients.
Relationship of Neuropeptide S with Clinical and Metabolic Parameters of Patients during Rehabilitation Therapy for Schizophrenia
Authors: Markiewicz-Gospodarek Agnieszka , Markiewicz Renata , Dobrowolska Beata , Maciejewski Ryszard , Łoza Bartosz
Published: June 2022

Neuropeptide S (NPS) is a factor associated with the central regulation of body weight, stress, anxiety, learning, memory consolidation, wakefulness–sleep cycle, and anti-inflammatory and neuroplastic effects. Its stress-reducing, anti-anxiety, arousal without anxiety, and pro-cognitive effects represent an interesting option for the treatment of neuropsychiatric disorders. The purpose of the study was to examine the potential associations of NPS levels in the blood with clinical and metabolic parameters during the rehabilitation therapy of patients with schizophrenia. Thirty-three male subjects diagnosed with schizophrenia were randomly divided into two groups. The rehabilitation group (REH, N16) consisted of patients who were subjected to structured, 3-month intensive rehabilitation therapy, and the control group (CON, N17) consisted of patients who were subjected to a standard support mechanism. Both groups continued their pharmacological treatment as usual. The NPS concentration, as well as clinical and metabolic parameters, were compared in both groups. Additionally, a group of healthy (H) males (N15) was tested for NPS reference scores. To look for the specificity and selectivity of the NPS relationship with clinical results, various factor models of the positive and negative syndrome scale (PANSS) were analyzed, including the original PANSS 2/3 model, its modified four-factor version, the male-specific four-factor model, and two five-factorial models validated in large groups in clinical and multi-ethnic studies. Results and conclusions: (1) Structured rehabilitation therapy, compared to unstructured supportive therapy, significantly reduced the level of schizophrenia disorders defined by various factor models derived from PANSS. (2) The clinical improvement within the 3-month rehabilitation therapy course was correlated with a significant decrease in neuropeptide S (NPS) serum level. (3) The excitement/Hostility (E/H) factor, which included schizophrenic symptoms of the psychotic disorganization, was specific and selective for the reduction in serum NPS, which was stable across all analyzed factor models. (4) The long-term relationship between serum NPS and clinical factors was not accompanied by basic metabolic parameters.
Investigation of the Appropriate Reverberation Time for Lower-Grade Elementary School Classrooms Using Speech Intelligibility Tests
Authors: Jo A-Hyeon , Park Chan-Jae , Haan Chan-Hoon
Published: June 2022

Because speech recognition performance is significantly lower at the age of nine or younger, the acoustic performance standards of classrooms for young children should be investigated. This study derives the appropriate reverberation time for lower-grade elementary school classrooms in Korea. A virtual sound field was created by computer modeling using normalized classrooms of Korean elementary schools. A total of five classrooms with reverberation times from 0.6 s to 1.2 s were produced by varying the sound absorption coefficient of the ceiling. Auralized sounds were produced by synthesizing anechoic sounds of words in a virtual sound field. Speech intelligibility tests were undertaken with 20 young students, aged nine. As a result, it was concluded that the reverberation time suitable for lower-grade classrooms of elementary schools should be below 0.6 s because test scores were significantly lower when RT was longer than this value.
Tumor-Suppressive Effect of Metformin via the Regulation of M2 Macrophages and Myeloid-Derived Suppressor Cells in the Tumor Microenvironment of Colorectal Cancer
Authors: Kang Joyeon , Lee Doyeon , Lee Kyoung Jin , Yoon Jaepil Eric , Kwon Ji-Hee , Seo Yoojeong , Kim Janghyun , Chang Shin Young , Park Jihye , Kang Eun Ae , Park Soo Jung , Park Jae Jun , Cheon Jae Hee , Kim Tae Il
Published: June 2022

Myeloid-derived suppressor cells (MDSCs) and M2 macrophages in the tumor microenvironment contribute to tumor progression by inducing immune tolerance to tumor antigens and cancer cells. Metformin, one of the most common diabetes drugs, has shown anti-inflammatory and anti-tumor effects. However, the effects of metformin on inflammatory cells of the tumor microenvironment and its underlying mechanisms remain unclarified. In this study, we investigated the effect of metformin on M2 macrophages and MDSCs using monocyte THP-1 cells and a dextran sodium sulfate (DSS)-treated ApcMin/+ mouse model of colon cancer. Metformin decreased the fractions of MDSCs expressing CD33 and arginase, as well as M2 macrophages expressing CD206 and CD163. The inhibitory effect of metformin and rapamycin on MDSCs and M2 macrophages was reversed by the co-treatment of Compound C (an AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK) inhibitor) or mevalonate. To examine the effect of protein prenylation and cholesterol synthesis (the final steps of the mevalonate pathway) on the MDSC and M2 macrophage populations, we used respective inhibitors (YM53601; SQLE inhibitor, FTI-277; farnesyl transferase inhibitor, GGTI-298; geranylgeranyl transferase inhibitor) and found that the MDSC and M2 populations were suppressed by the protein prenylation inhibitors. In the DSS-treated ApcMin/+ mouse colon cancer model, metformin reduced the number and volume of colorectal tumors with decreased populations of MDSCs and M2 macrophages in the tumor microenvironment. In conclusion, the inhibitory effect of metformin on MDSCs and M2 macrophages in the tumor microenvironment of colon cancers is mediated by AMPK activation and subsequent mTOR inhibition, leading to the downregulation of the mevalonate pathway.