bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Development of Basil Essential Oil (BEO) as a Novel Alternative to Prolong the Storage of Tomato (Lycopersicum esculentum L.)
Authors: Ionica Mira Elena , Tutulescu Felicia , Bita Andrei
Published: December 2022

Antimicrobial compounds used as post-harvest treatment of fruit and vegetables can extend their shelf life by reducing the rate of microbial growth. Essential oils extracted from herbs or spices can also enhance shelf life due to their antimicrobial nature. Tomatoes harvested at consumption maturity were treated by spraying with aqueous solutions of basil essential oil (BEO) and glycerol in different concentrations (50, 100, 150, 200, 250 and 300 ppm) and stored by refrigeration at 8 ∘C and 85% relative humidity. The BEO used was obtained by extraction from indigenous crops of Ocimum basilicum and was analyzed by GC-MS for discerning of the constituents present in it. The main components identified in BEO were: eucalyptol, linalool, estragol, eugenol methyl-cinamate, trans-α-bergamotene, germacrene D, γ-cadinene and T-cadinol. During storage, in order to highlight the effect of the applied treatment, the following were determined: dry matter (DM), total soluble content (TSS), total phenols content (TP), antioxidant activity (AOA), color, weight loss and total number of aerobic mesophilic bacteria (AMB) during storage. It has been shown that spraying the fruit with solutions of different concentrations of BEO has significant effects on weight loss, DM, TSS, TP, AOA, color and TAMB, during storage. The lowest TP value was found in the control and the variant treated only with 2.5% aqueous glycerol solution (52.18 mg/100 g fw GAE) and the highest value in the variants treated with concentrations of 200, 250 and 300 ppm BEO (54.37, 55.00 and 57.81 mg GAE/100 g fw). The highest AOA values were found in the 300 ppm BEO-treated variant (119.23 μmol TE/100 g fw). Spraying tomatoes with aqueous solutions of glycerol 2.5% and BEO at a dose of 250 ppm prolongs their storage while maintaining their quality for fresh consumption.
Research on Laying Hens Feeding Behavior Detection and Model Visualization Based on Convolutional Neural Network
Authors: Hao Hongyun , Fang Peng , Jiang Wei , Sun Xianqiu , Wang Liangju , Wang Hongying
Published: December 2022

The feeding behavior of laying hens is closely related to their health and welfare status. In large-scale breeding farms, monitoring the feeding behavior of hens can effectively improve production management. However, manual monitoring is not only time-consuming but also reduces the welfare level of breeding staff. In order to realize automatic tracking of the feeding behavior of laying hens in the stacked cage laying houses, a feeding behavior detection network was constructed based on the Faster R-CNN network, which was characterized by the fusion of a 101 layers-deep residual network (ResNet101) and Path Aggregation Network (PAN) for feature extraction, and Intersection over Union (IoU) loss function for bounding box regression. The ablation experiments showed that the improved Faster R-CNN model enhanced precision, recall and F1-score from 84.40%, 72.67% and 0.781 to 90.12%, 79.14%, 0.843, respectively, which could enable the accurate detection of feeding behavior of laying hens. To understand the internal mechanism of the feeding behavior detection model, the convolutional kernel features and the feature maps output by the convolutional layers at each stage of the network were then visualized in an attempt to decipher the mechanisms within the Convolutional Neural Network(CNN) and provide a theoretical basis for optimizing the laying hens’ behavior recognition network.
Contribution to Improving the Chickpea (Cicer arietinum L.) Efficiency in Low-Phosphorus Farming Systems: Assessment of the Relationships between the P and N Nutrition, Nodulation Capacity and Productivity Performance in P-Deficient Field Conditions
Authors: Djouider Souad Insaf , Gentzbittel Laurent , Jana Raghavendra , Rickauer Martina , Ben Cécile , Lazali Mohamed
Published: December 2022

Chickpea (Cicer arietinum L.), the third largest produced pulse worldwide, is primarily grown on marginal soils often characterized by a phosphorus (P)-deficiency that severely hampers yields. The objectives of the study are to investigate the relationships between the P-acquisition, P-use efficiency (PUE) and the agronomical performances towards the developing varieties tolerant to the P-deficiency. We evaluate the impact of the P-deficiency on the growth, yield, germination and nodulation performances of seven chickpea cultivars grown in fields with a low-P soil availability, during two seasons. The adaptive mechanisms to maintain the efficiency of the physiological processes, such as the nitrogen (N)-fixing nodule function, germinability, and possibly photosynthesis, are revealed. In contrast, the large genotypic variation in the yield components, in the P and N acquisition, and in the PUE is observed, supporting the role of the nodules in the P uptake in P-deficient soils. The P-acquisition and utilization efficiencies are genetically decoupled, suggesting designing distinct breeding strategies to promote one or both PUE components. As an outcome, we identify a set of chickpea cultivars adapted to a region with a soil P scarcity, that exhibit efficient N and P metabolism and a superior productivity. This germplasm can be used in breeding programs for low-P input efficient chickpeas. This contributes to the implementation of eco-friendly farming practices while making the most of marginal soils.
Presence of Porcine Circovirus Type 2 in the Environment of Farm Facilities without Pigs in Long Term-Vaccinated Farrow-to-Wean Farms
Authors: López-Lorenzo Gonzalo , Prieto Alberto , López-Novo Cynthia , Díaz Pablo , Remesar Susana , Morrondo Patrocinio , Fernández Gonzalo , Díaz-Cao José Manuel
Published: December 2022

Vaccination against Porcine Circovirus Type 2 (PCV2) even over several years has proven as an insufficient measure to eradicate the infection from farms, possibly due to not producing sterilizing immunity. Viral persistence in the farm environment has been proposed as a possible cause of reinfection, and for that reason, the main objective of this study was to identify potential critical points where PCV2 could persist in farrow-to-wean farms which had been vaccinating piglets for years. Surface samples were collected from different farm facilities with and without animals and analyzed by qPCR to detect and quantify the viral load. Most of the samples taken in animal housing facilities tested negative (96.6%); however, PCV2 was more frequently detected in samples from the offices (37.5%), the farm staff (25%) and the perimeter (21%). These results indicate that PCV2 contamination is frequent in facilities despite the long-term use of vaccination programs. Therefore, PCV2 control programs should include more exhaustive cleaning and disinfection protocols in non-animal facilities, as well as the implementation of specific biosecurity measures in these areas to minimize the risk of PCV2 introduction from external sources.
The Ecological Roles of Medium and Small Carnivores in the Terrestrial Animal Community in Liancheng National Nature Reserve, China
Authors: Su Tengwei , Li Qian , Wang Xiaojuan , Cui Guofa , Man Zihong , Li Wentao , Zhao Minyan
Published: December 2022

It is vitally important to understand the ecological roles of medium and small carnivores in the context of the massive decline in the number of large carnivores around the world. Based on a spatial association network of terrestrial birds and mammals, this study analyzed the ecological roles of medium and small carnivores in the community in Liancheng National Nature Reserve. From October 2019 to June 2020, we obtained 3559 independent detections of 20 terrestrial birds and mammals from 112 camera traps. There are seven species that are medium and small carnivores present in the study area, including red fox (Vulpes vulpes), leopard cat (Prionailurus bengalensis), Chinese mountain cat (Felis bieti), stone marten (Martes foina), Asian badger (Meles leucurus), Siberian weasel (Mustela sibirica) and mountain weasel (Mustela altaica). By calculating the Phi coefficient of all species pairs, a spatial association network composed of twelve species was constructed. We analyzed the characterization of spatial associations by the Shannon–Wiener index and Lambda statistic. The results showed that: (1) the status of the network reflects the changes of community composition and structure after the decline in large carnivores and other species; (2) with the exception of the Chinese mountain cat and stone marten, the other five medium and small carnivores were located in the network, which played an important role in the complexity of the network and the maintenance of the community; (3) the medium and small carnivores could not take the place of the large carnivores in order to control the population of herbivores, such as Siberian roe deer (Capreolus pygargus) and Himalayan marmot (Marmota himalayana). The results of this study provide guidance for determining the direction and focus of conservation efforts.
Model-Based Fault Analysis and Diagnosis of PEM Fuel Cell Control System
Authors: Kang Byungwoo , Na Wonbin , Lee Hyeongcheol
Published: December 2022

This paper presents a systematic fault analysis and diagnosis method of a PEM fuel cell control system using a model-based approach. With a model-based approach, it is possible to analyze the causal relationship and effect of probable faults in the system, and to diagnose them under the assumption that the model and the process are similar. With a model-based approach, it is possible to analyze the causal relationship and effect of probable faults in the system and diagnose them under the assumption that the model and the process are similar. In this work, a model-based approach was adopted for fault analysis and diagnosis, and its methods are suggested. A PEM fuel cell is mathematically modelled, analyzed, and verified for the analysis and simulations. Relationships among variables are shown using an incidence matrix and with a Dulmage–Mendelsohn decomposition of the matrix. When it is difficult to detect faults due to a deficient degree of redundancy, a bi-partite graph is used to analyze the effect of faults and to assess the possibility of fault detection through the appropriate redundant sensor placement. Thereafter, residuals are obtained based on analytical redundancies of the system, and a fault signature matrix is subsequently constructed. A fault detection and isolation (FDI) algorithm is developed based on a fault signature matrix that describes the connection between faults and residuals. The simulation results demonstrate the validity and effectiveness of the proposed FDI algorithm for diagnosing faults. With the proposed FDI algorithm, eight faults could be diagnosed by FDI algorithm with given sensors in the system.
Experimental Research on Sand Sediment Protection on Railway Tracks
Authors: Li Xingcai , Zhang Xuefeng , Zhang Fei , Liao Qianguo
Published: December 2022

The wind-blown sand disaster on the railway has a very important negative influence on the economic development of traffic networks in desert areas. While there are some engineering protection measures for railway sand deposition, they are far from satisfactory in terms of economic efficiency and protection performance. Therefore, it is still of great practical significance to explore novel measures for actively preventing sand deposition on railway tracks in desert areas. In this article, the laws of sand deposition on single and dual tracks were studied with the help of field experiments. On this basis, it can be seen that the deposition of sand on the rear track can be effectively reduced by placing various types of baffles on the track. Field experiments were designed to study the change law of sand deposition ratio in front of the tracks caused by placing baffles of different cross sections. The results show that placing a 45° inclined baffle on the track can reduce the volume of sand deposition by up to 42%. The findings in this paper can provide scientific guidance for the design of new desert railways or novel protective measures for railway sand deposition.
A Novel UWB Positioning Method Based on a Maximum-Correntropy Unscented Kalman Filter
Authors: Zhao Mujie , Zhang Tao , Wang Di
Published: December 2022

Aiming at the problem of measurement-information abnormal-error and nonlinear filtering in UWB navigation and positioning, an ultra wideband position algorithm based on a maximum cross-correlation entropy unscented Kalman filter is proposed. The algorithm first obtains the predictive state estimate and the covariance matrix through traceless transformation. Then, it reconstructs observation information using the nonlinear regression method based on the maximum cross-correlation entropy criterion, which enhances the robustness of the unscented Kalman filter algorithm for heavy-tailed noise. The simulation and actual test results show that this algorithm has better positioning accuracy and stability than the traditional filter algorithm in a non Gaussian noise environment. This algorithm effectively solves the problem that UWB indoor location is easily affected by indoor environments, resulting in fixed deviation for that location.
Effects of Corner Set−Backs on Wind Loads and Wind Induced Responses of Rectangular Tall Buildings
Authors: Li Yi , Yin Jieting , Zhang Yan
Published: December 2022

In order to investigate the effects of corner set-backs on wind loads and wind-induced responses of rectangular high-rise buildings, pressure measurements were carried out on a benchmark model (CARRC) and four models with different rates (5%, 10%, 15%, 20%) of corner set-backs in a boundary layer wind tunnel. The test results show that the corner set-backs contribute to reducing along-wind loads of the rectangular high-rise building models, and the maximum reduction happens at 10% corner set-back. The across-wind loads decrease as the rate of corner set-back is increasing and the maximum reduction emerges at 20% corner set-back. The RMS accelerations at the top of models also decrease with the increasing of rate of corner set-back in along-wind and across-wind. Through the fitting of test results, empirical formulas for the correlation factors of base moment coefficients of rectangular high-rise buildings with different rates of corner set-back are put forward. Moreover, the correlation factors for the power spectrum densities of base moments are listed at typical frequencies corresponding to the practical tall buildings. The outputs of this paper aim to serve as references for wind-resistant design of similar buildings in strong wind region.
Sequential Characteristics Based Operators Disassembly Quantization Method for LSTM Layers
Authors: Wang Yuejiao , Ma Zhong , Yang Zunming
Published: December 2022

Embedded computing platforms such as neural network accelerators deploying neural network models need to quantize the values into low-bit integers through quantization operations. However, most current embedded computing platforms with a fixed-point architecture do not directly support performing the quantization operation for the LSTM layer. Meanwhile, the influence of sequential input data for LSTM has not been taken into account by quantization algorithms. Aiming at these two technical bottlenecks, a new sequential-characteristics-based operators disassembly quantization method for LSTM layers is proposed. Specifically, the calculation process of the LSTM layer is split into multiple regular layers supported by the neural network accelerator. The quantization-parameter-generation process is designed as a sequential-characteristics-based combination strategy for sequential and diverse image groups. Therefore, LSTM is converted into multiple mature operators for single-layer quantization and deployed on the neural network accelerator. Comparison experiments with the state of the art show that the proposed quantization method has comparable or even better performance than the full-precision baseline in the field of character-/word-level language prediction and image classification applications. The proposed method has strong application potential in the subsequent addition of novel operators for future neural network accelerators.
Current Problems of Forest Protection (25–27 October 2022, Katowice Poland)
Authors: Skrzecz Iwona , Tkaczyk Miłosz , Oszako Tomasz
Published: December 2022

Forestry is one of the sectors particularly affected by the threats posed by changing climatic conditions. This is reflected in the deterioration of the health status of stands due to the synergistic effect of numerous abiotic and biotic factors. Current forest health problems are due to dynamic, negative changes in the forest environment. While the amount of precipitation remains at a similar level, its distribution varies throughout the year and, in particular, the lack of soil moisture during the growing season leads to the weakening of trees, including the main forest-forming species in Poland such as Pinus sylvestris. The weakening of trees, in turn, leads to species of insect pests that were previously considered secondary becoming primary pests, such as Ips acuminatus. It is likely that weakening of trees also favours increased occurrence of parasitic plants such as Viscum album ssp. austriacum or Loranthus europaeus. Infestations of the hemiparasitic, xylem-secreting pine mistletoe are of great interest because they are spreading rapidly throughout Europe. Drought in forests is not only a long-term water shortage, but also a situation in which plant-fungal relationships are disrupted. Reduced water availability leads to a number of negative changes in the soil and the mycobiota that live there, affecting entire ecosystems. The effects of climate change and increased international trade are leading to the spread of pathogenic fungi and other harmful organisms whose range was previously restricted to the south of our continent. Unfavourable abiotic and biotic factors leading to weakening of oak stands in the western part of Poland have resulted in activation of new pests like Mediterranean oak borer. Intensification of transport and shortening of its duration, as well as climatic changes, favour the introduction of various organisms, including bark beetles (Scolytinae). In Poland, cyclic insect outbreaks are one of the most important problems in forest protection. Developing methods to monitor, prevent outbreaks and control the density of insect populations below harmful levels can be a challenge to consider. Finding an innovative system for applying insecticides to control spruce bark beetle could also be an interesting solution, where insects attracted to pheromones die after contact with the insecticide. Contact with the insecticide has a dual effect: either directly when the tree is treated, or when the bark beetle attempts to invade the tree. Opportunities for the use of biostimulants in forestry and is an attractive way to regenerate plants after negative stressors such as frost, drought or damage caused by improper use of pesticides, as well as the negative effects of diseases and pests. It acts indirectly by stimulating leaf, stem and root development and improving nutrient uptake. The effects of chemical treatments on fungal biodiversity in forests should be studied using powerful molecular tools such as NGS.
Microwave Absorption Performance of Carbon Black/Polylactic Acid Composite for Fused Filament Fabrication
Authors: Wang Fei , Zhou Qianfeng , Zhang Zhe , He Peiwen , Zhang Jiliang , Jiang Kaiyong
Published: December 2022

To prepare lightweight, wideband, strong absorption and low-cost microwave absorbing materials, carbon black/polylactic acid (CB/PLA) composite filaments were prepared using a high-energy mixer and twin-screw extruder. Coaxial ring test pieces were printed by fused filament fabrication (FFF) technology with polylactic acid as the matrix and carbon black as the absorbent. The crystal texture and micromorphology of the composites were observed by XRD and SEM. The electromagnetic parameters were measured at 2–18 GHz using a vector network analyzer. The influence of CB content on the absorbing performance of the composites was studied, and the loss mechanism was explained. The results show that when the CB content (refers to PLA) is 25%, the composite has suitable impedance matching, conduction loss, and polarization loss, resulting in the best microwave absorption performance. The minimum reflection loss reached −45.47 dB at 13.68 GHz, and the corresponding effective absorption bandwidth was 5.36 GHz (10.72–16.08 GHz) with a matching thickness of 2.1 mm. At the same time, the density of the composite was only 1.19 g/cm3. This work sheds light on the development of lightweight and high-efficiency microwave absorption materials (MAMs) in a simple and low-cost manner.
Analysis of Operating Safety of Tractor-Trailer under Crosswind in Cold Mountainous Areas
Authors: Du Xuejing , Wang Guopeng
Published: December 2022

To investigate the driving safety of tractor-trailers under extreme conditions in cold mountainous areas, this paper used numerical simulation software to construct a driving scenario of cold mountainous road, to simulate and analyze the driving safety of tractor-trailers under different wind speed and driving speed conditions, and then the critical deriving speed for safe driving was obtained. Four main factors were considered: low adhesion coefficient, strong crosswind, road radius, driving speed, lateral acceleration, and vertical load-deflection rate (LTR) were selected as the main safety response indexes for the determination of sideslip and rollover. The results show that strong crosswinds have an obvious effect on the tractor-trailer sideslip, and the safe operating speed range of the tractor-trailer is from 0 to 30 km/h, with the value of safe driving speed decreasing as the wind speed increases; the speed range where sideslip occurs is from 30 to 37 km/h, with the dangerous driving speed also decreasing as the wind speed increases; accidents when the driving speed exceeds 38 km/h. In addition, simulation experiments show that tractor-trailers generally skid first without rollover on a combination of curved road sections with a low coefficient of adhesion and super-elevation. Finally, the driving simulator was used to test the driving conditions of the tractor-trailer on the cold curved slope combination section with different crosswind speeds, and the experimental results proved the validity of the simulation’s safe speed threshold.
Sub-Diffraction Focusing Using Metamaterial-Based Terahertz Super-Oscillatory Lens
Authors: Iba Ayato , Ikeda Makoto , Mag-usara Valynn Katrine , Agulto Verdad C. , Nakajima Makoto
Published: December 2022

This paper presents a metamaterial-based super-oscillatory lens (SOL) fabricated by photolithography on a glass substrate and designed to operate at sub-terahertz (sub-THz) frequencies. The lens consists of repeating crisscross patterns of five-ring slits with sub-wavelength diameter. The lens is capable of generating multiple focal points smaller than the diffraction limit, thereby allowing many points to be inspected simultaneously with sub-wavelength resolution. After elucidating the influence of the lens parameters on light collection through calculations by the finite element method, the fabricated lens was then evaluated through actual experiments and found to have a focal length of 7.5 mm (2.5λ) and a hot spot size of 2.01 mm (0.67λ) at 0.1 THz (λ = 3 mm), which is 0.27 times the diffraction limit of the lens. This demonstrated sub-diffraction focusing capability is highly effective for industrial inspection applications utilizing terahertz waves.
Controls of Land Surface Temperature between and within Local Climate Zones: A Case Study of Harare in Zimbabwe
Authors: Mushore Terence Darlington , Odindi John , Mutanga Onisimo
Published: December 2022

Urban growth-related changes in land use and land cover have segmented urban areas into zones of distinct surface and air temperatures (i.e., Local Climate Zones—LCZ). While studies have revealed inter-LCZ temperature variations, understanding controls of variations in Land Surface Temperature (LST) within LCZs has largely remained uninvestigated. In view of the need for LCZ-specific heat mitigation strategies, this study investigated factors driving LST variations within LCZs. To achieve this, an LCZ map for Harare was developed and correlated with LST, both derived using Landsat 8 data. The contribution index (CI) was then used to determine the relative contribution of LCZs to cooling and warming of the city. The contribution of the Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI), Normalized Difference Bareness Index (NDBaI), Normalized Difference Built-up Index (NDBI), Modified Normalized Difference Water Index (MNDWI), Urban Index (UI), and Aspect and Elevation as quantitative measures of surface controls of LST were investigated between and within LCZs. LST generally increased with built-up density and reduced with increases in surface water and vegetation. The study showed that the cooling effect of water bodies was reduced in contribution to their insignificant proportion of the study area. At the city scale, NDVI, MNDWI, NDBI, and UI had the strongest influence on LST (correlation coefficient > 0.5). At the intra-LCZ scale, the contribution of these surface properties remained significant, though to varied extents. The study concluded that surface wetness is a significant cooling determinant in densely built-up LCZs, while in other LCZs, it combines with vegetation abundance and health to mitigate elevated surface temperature. Aspect and elevation had low but significant correlations with LST in most LCZs. The study recommends that intra-LCZ controls of LST must be considered in heat mitigation efforts.
A New Topological Approach to Target the Existence of Solutions for Nonlinear Fractional Impulsive Wave Equations
Authors: Georgiev Svetlin G. , Bouhali Keltoum , Zennir Khaled
Published: December 2022

This paper considers a class of fractional impulsive wave equations and improves a previous results. In fact, this paper adopts a new topological approach to prove the existence of classical solutions with a complex arguments caused by impulsive perturbations. To the best of our knowledge, there is a severe lack of results related to such impulsive equations.
New Results for Multivalued Mappings in Hausdorff Neutrosophic Metric Spaces
Authors: Jeyaraman Mathuraiveeran , Aydi Hassen , De La Sen Manuel
Published: December 2022

The fundamental goal of this paper is to derive common fixed-point results for a sequence of multivalued mappings contained in a closed ball over a complete neutrosophic metric space. A basic and distinctive procedure has been used to prove the proposed results.
Groups of Geomicrobiological Indicators Are Spread across Gas-Hydrate and Non-Gas-Hydrate Areas in the Northern Part of the Sea of Japan
Authors: Ponomareva Anna L. , Eskova Alena I. , Shakirov Renat B. , Syrbu Nadezhda S. , Legkodimov Aleksey A. , Grigorov Roman A.
Published: December 2022

The bioindication of oil and gas fields is a field of geomicrobiology that is mainly devoted to the detection of hydrocarbon-oxidizing microbial indicator species or functional genes in total DNA. However, it appears promising to use the physiological properties of microorganisms detection deposit type of hydrocarbons, in particular their ability to oxidize hydrocarbons under aerobic and anaerobic conditions. In this study, the most promising approach in this area was the method used for assessing the anaerobic degradation of hydrocarbons. When comparing molecular genetics and cultured methods of bioindication, it can be concluded that molecular biomarkers of functional genes for the anaerobic destruction of hydrocarbons (masD) make it possible to separate areas with traditional and gas-hydrate types of deposits. Using cultured methods, we found that representatives of the Nocardiaceae family of the phylum Actinomycetota were tied to the areas where gas hydrates were found. The ability of aerobic and facultative anaerobic hydrocarbon-oxidizing microorganisms to anaerobically utilize hydrocarbons was determined with cultured methods. For the first time, this ability was revealed for the genera Stenotrophomonas, Psychrobacter, Micrococcus and Peribacillus. The wide distribution of this ability that we found in strains isolated from both study regions suggests its prominent role in the destruction of hydrocarbons in marine sediments.
Morphological, Mechanical and Hydrodynamic Aspects of Diaphragmatic Lymphatics
Authors: Negrini Daniela
Published: December 2022

The diaphragmatic lymphatic vascular network has unique anatomical characteristics. Studying the morphology and distribution of the lymphatic network in the mouse diaphragm by fluorescence-immunohistochemistry using LYVE-1 (a lymphatic endothelial marker) revealed LYVE1+ structures on both sides of the diaphragm—both in its the muscular and tendinous portion, but with different vessel density and configurations. On the pleural side, most LYVE1+ configurations are vessel-like with scanty stomata, while the peritoneal side is characterized by abundant LYVE1+ flattened lacy-ladder shaped structures with several stomata-like pores, particularly in the muscular portion. Such a complex, three-dimensional organization is enriched, at the peripheral rim of the muscular diaphragm, with spontaneously contracting lymphatic vessel segments able to prompt contractile waves to adjacent collecting lymphatics. This review aims at describing how the external tissue forces developing in the diaphragm, along with cyclic cardiogenic and respiratory swings, interplay with the spontaneous contraction of lymphatic vessel segments at the peripheral diaphragmatic rim to simultaneously set and modulate lymph flow from the pleural and peritoneal cavities. These details may provide useful in understanding the role of diaphragmatic lymphatics not only in physiological but, more so, in pathophysiological circumstances such as in dialysis, metastasis or infection.
Sensitivity and Specificity of Anthropometric Indices in Identifying Obesity in Women over 40 Years of Age and Their Variability in Subsequent Decades of Life
Authors: Zwierzchowska Anna , Kantyka Joanna , Rosołek Barbara , Nawrat-Szołtysik Agnieszka , Małecki Andrzej
Published: December 2022

Anthropometric measurements and indices are a simple and inexpensive method to assess normal physical development and quickly identify the risk of diseases. The aim of the study was to verify the sensitivity (Se) and specificity (Sp) of selected anthropometric indices in a group of women over 40 years. The study included 87 women (group I—40 to 49 years, group II—50 to 59 years, group III—60 to 69 years, and group IV—70 to 79 years). Anthropometric characteristics were measured: body mass (BM), body height (BH), waist circumference (WC), and hip circumference (HC). Body mass index (BMI), body adiposity index (BAI), waist-hip ratio (WHR), and waist-to-height ratio (WHTR) were calculated. The percentage of fat tissue (FT) and visceral fat volume (FV) were evaluated using DEXA. A decrease in mean BH with an increase in the mean WC, WHR, and WHTR in subsequent decades. There were strong statistically significant correlations between FT and most indicators (except for WHR). FV was correlated at a strong or moderate level with most parameters. In the group of women aged 40 to 80 years, the most favorable AUC was obtained for WC, followed by BMI. BAI can be recommended as a complementary indicator to BMI.
The Feeding Behaviour of Gall Midge Larvae and Its Implications for Biocontrol of the Giant Reed: Insights from Stable Isotope Analysis
Authors: Careddu Giulio , Botti Marcovalerio , Cristofaro Massimo , Sporta Caputi Simona , Calizza Edoardo , Rossi Loreto , Costantini Maria Letizia
Published: December 2022

The gall midge Lasioptera donacis, whose larval stage interferes with the reed’s leaf development, is a potential candidate agent for the biological control of Arundo donax. Reed infestation is always associated with the presence of a saprophytic fungus, Arthrinium arundinis, which is believed to provide food for the larvae. Larvae also interact with a parasitic nematode, Tripius gyraloura, which can be considered its natural enemy. To deepen our knowledge of the plant–fungus–insect trophic interactions and to understand the effects of the nematode on midge larval feeding behaviour, we applied stable isotope analysis, one of the most effective methods for investigating animal feeding preferences in various contexts. The results showed that on average the fungus accounted for 65% of the diet of the midge larvae, which however consumed the reed and the fungus in variable proportions depending on reed quality (expressed as the C:N ratio). No differences in feeding behaviour were observed between parasitised and non-parasitised midge larvae, indicating that nematodes have no effect in this regard. Due to its trophic habits, L. donacis could be an effective control agent of A. donax and these results need to be considered when implementing biological control measures.
Habitat and Season Effects on Small Mammal Bycatch in Live Trapping
Authors: Hotopp Ines , Walther Bernd , Fuelling Olaf , Reil Daniela , Hesse Christin , Below Diana Alexandra , Imholt Christian , Jacob Jens
Published: December 2022

Trapping small mammals is frequently used to study the dynamics, demography, behavior and presence of pathogens. When only particular small mammal species are in the focus of interest, all other species are unnecessary bycatch. We analyzed data from extensive live trapping campaigns conducted over the last decade in Germany, following a consistent standard trapping protocol that resulted in about 18,500 captures of small mammals. Animals were trapped with Ugglan multiple capture traps in grassland, forest and margin habitat. Trap success and the proportion of bycatch were about 30% when target species were common voles (Microtus arvalis) in grassland and common voles and bank voles (Clethrionomys glareolus) in margins and forests. This was more pronounced in spring and along margins. Species mentioned in the early warning list according to the Red List Germany were higher in numbers and proportion in spring and in grassland. The results will help to avoid periods with enhanced presence of bycatch, including endangered species (if the purpose of the study allows) or to pay particular attention in certain seasons and habitats when the occurrence of bycatch is most likely.
Optimizing Light Flash Sequence Duration to Shift Human Circadian Phase
Authors: Joyce Daniel S. , Spitschan Manuel , Zeitzer Jamie M.
Published: December 2022

Unlike light input for forming images, non-image-forming retinal pathways are optimized to convey information about the total light environment, integrating this information over time and space. In a variety of species, discontinuous light sequences (flashes) can be effective stimuli, notably impacting circadian entrainment. In this study, we examined the extent to which this temporal integration can occur. A group of healthy, young (n = 20) individuals took part in a series of 16-day protocols in which we examined the impact of different lengths of light flash sequences on circadian timing. We find a significant phase change of −0.70 h in response to flashes that did not differ by duration; a 15-min sequence could engender as much change in circadian timing as 3.5-h sequences. Acute suppression of melatonin was also observed during short (15-min) exposures, but not in exposures over one hour in length. Our data are consistent with the theory that responses to light flashes are mediated by the extrinsic, rod/cone pathway, and saturate the response of this pathway within 15 min. Further excitation leads to no greater change in circadian timing and an inability to acutely suppress melatonin, indicating that this pathway may be in a refractory state following this brief light stimulation.
Changes in the Suitable Habitats of Three Endemic Fishes to Climate Change in Tibet
Authors: Mu Tong , He Dekui , Zhu Ren , Sui Xiaoyun , Chen Yifeng
Published: December 2022

As one of the most sensitive regions to global climate change, Tibet is subject to remarkable changes in biota over the past decades, including endemic fish species. However, no study has attempted to predict the changes in the distribution of Tibetan fishes, leaving a great blank for aquatic conservation in Tibet. Based on the Maximum Entropy model (MaxEnt), this study predicted the changes in the suitable habitats of three endemic fish species, including two species mainly inhabiting the rivers (Glyptosternon maculatum, Oxygymnocypris stewartii) and one species mainly inhabiting lakes (Gymnocypris selincuoensis) in Tibet under two representative concentration pathways (RCP2.6 and RCP8.5) under two future scenarios (2050 and 2090), and explored the impact of the barrier effects of hydropower projects on the suitable habitats of fish. The results showed that under the four scenarios, the net change in the suitable habitats of the G. maculatum was negative (−2.0–−18.8%), while the suitable habitats of the O. stewartii and G. selincuoensis would be expanded, with the net change of 60.0–238.3% and 46.4–56.9%, respectively. Under different scenarios, the suitable habitats of the three species had a tendency to migrate to a higher elevation, and the largest expansion in the range of migration was projected to occur under the 2090-RCP8.5 scenario. In addition, due to the impact of the hydropower projects, the ability of G. maculatum to obtain new suitable habitats from climate change would be reduced by 2.0–8.1%, which was less than the loss induced by climate change (5.5–25.1%), while the suitable habitats of O. stewartii would be reduced by 3.0–9.7%, which was more than the impact of climate change (about 1%). The results of this study have guiding significance for the conservation and management of fish resources diversity in the Yarlung Tsangpo River basin and Siling Co basin of Tibet, and also provide a reference for the coordination and scientific planning of hydropower projects in Tibet.
Alterations of Cytoskeleton Networks in Cell Fate Determination and Cancer Development
Authors: Wang Evan Ja-Yang , Chen I-Hsuan , Kuo Brian Yu-Ting , Yu Chia-Cheng , Lai Ming-Tsung , Lin Jen-Tai , Lin Leo Yen-Ting , Chen Chih-Mei , Hwang Tritium , Sheu Jim Jinn-Chyuan
Published: December 2022

Cytoskeleton proteins have been long recognized as structural proteins that provide the necessary mechanical architecture for cell development and tissue homeostasis. With the completion of the cancer genome project, scientists were surprised to learn that huge numbers of mutated genes are annotated as cytoskeletal or associated proteins. Although most of these mutations are considered as passenger mutations during cancer development and evolution, some genes show high mutation rates that can even determine clinical outcomes. In addition, (phospho)proteomics study confirms that many cytoskeleton-associated proteins, e.g., β-catenin, PIK3CA, and MB21D2, are important signaling mediators, further suggesting their biofunctional roles in cancer development. With emerging evidence to indicate the involvement of mechanotransduction in stemness formation and cell differentiation, mutations in these key cytoskeleton components may change the physical/mechanical properties of the cells and determine the cell fate during cancer development. In particular, tumor microenvironment remodeling triggered by such alterations has been known to play important roles in autophagy, metabolism, cancer dormancy, and immune evasion. In this review paper, we will highlight the current understanding of how aberrant cytoskeleton networks affect cancer behaviors and cellular functions through mechanotransduction.
Research on Six-Wheel Distributed Unmanned Vehicle Path Tracking Strategy Based on Hierarchical Control
Authors: Zou Teng’an , You Yulong , Meng Hao , Chang Yukang
Published: December 2022

For the multi-objective control problem of tracking effect and vehicle stability in the path tracking process of six-wheel distributed unmanned vehicles, a control strategy based on hierarchical control (HC) theory is proposed. A hierarchical kinematic model is designed considering the structural advantages of independent steering and independent driving of the unmanned vehicle, and this model is applied to the path tracking strategy. The strategy is divided into two levels of control. The upper level of control is to use the upper-level kinematic model as the prediction model of model predictive control (MPC), and to convert the solution problem of future control increments into the optimal solution problem of quadratic programming by setting the optimal objective function and constraints. The lower level of control is to map the optimal control quantities obtained from the upper level control to the six-wheel speeds and the four-wheel turning angles through the lower-level kinematics, and to design the six-wheel torque distribution rules based on deterministic torque and stability-based slip rate control for executing the control requirements of the upper level controller to prevent the unmanned vehicle from generating sideslip and precisely generating transverse moment to ensure the stable driving of the unmanned vehicle. Experiments were conducted on the Trucksim/Simulink simulation platform for a variety of road conditions, and the results showed that hierarchical control improved the accuracy of tracking the desired path and the driving stability on complex road surfaces more than MPC.
Molecularly Imprinted Polymer-Based Electrochemical Sensor for Rapid and Selective Detection of Hypoxanthine
Authors: Garg Diksha , Verma Neelam , Monika
Published: December 2022

In this paper, we report on the coupling of an electrochemical transducer with a specifically designed biomimetic and synthetic polymeric layer that serves as a recognition surface that demonstrates the molecular memory necessary to facilitate the stable and selective identification of the meat-freshness indicator hypoxanthine. Consumer preferences and the food safety of meat products are largely influenced by their freshness, so it is crucial to monitor it so as to quickly identify when it deteriorates. The sensor consists of a glassy-carbon electrode, which can be regenerated in situ continuously, functionalized with molecularly imprinted polymers (MIPs) and a nanocomposite of curcumin-coated iron oxide magnetic nanospheres (C-IO-MNSs) and multiwalled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) that enhance the surface area as well as the electroactive characteristics. The electrochemical behavior of the fabricated sensor was analyzed by both cyclic voltammetry (CV) and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS). Differential pulse voltammetric studies revealed the rapid response of the proposed sol-gel-MIP/MWCNT/C-IO-MNS/GCE sensor to hypoxanthine in a concentration range of 2–50 µg/mL with a lower limit of detection at 0.165 μg/mL. Application of the newly fabricated sensor demonstrated acceptable recoveries and satisfactory accuracy when used to measure hypoxanthine in different meat samples.
Neurocognitive Dynamics of Prosodic Salience over Semantics during Explicit and Implicit Processing of Basic Emotions in Spoken Words
Authors: Lin Yi , Fan Xinran , Chen Yueqi , Zhang Hao , Chen Fei , Zhang Hui , Ding Hongwei , Zhang Yang
Published: December 2022

How language mediates emotional perception and experience is poorly understood. The present event-related potential (ERP) study examined the explicit and implicit processing of emotional speech to differentiate the relative influences of communication channel, emotion category and task type in the prosodic salience effect. Thirty participants (15 women) were presented with spoken words denoting happiness, sadness and neutrality in either the prosodic or semantic channel. They were asked to judge the emotional content (explicit task) and speakers’ gender (implicit task) of the stimuli. Results indicated that emotional prosody (relative to semantics) triggered larger N100, P200 and N400 amplitudes with greater delta, theta and alpha inter-trial phase coherence (ITPC) and event-related spectral perturbation (ERSP) values in the corresponding early time windows, and continued to produce larger LPC amplitudes and faster responses during late stages of higher-order cognitive processing. The relative salience of prosodic and semantics was modulated by emotion and task, though such modulatory effects varied across different processing stages. The prosodic salience effect was reduced for sadness processing and in the implicit task during early auditory processing and decision-making but reduced for happiness processing in the explicit task during conscious emotion processing. Additionally, across-trial synchronization of delta, theta and alpha bands predicted the ERP components with higher ITPC and ERSP values significantly associated with stronger N100, P200, N400 and LPC enhancement. These findings reveal the neurocognitive dynamics of emotional speech processing with prosodic salience tied to stage-dependent emotion- and task-specific effects, which can reveal insights into understanding language and emotion processing from cross-linguistic/cultural and clinical perspectives.
Serum Inflammatory Profile in Hereditary Transthyretin Amyloidosis: Mechanisms and Possible Therapeutic Implications
Authors: Luigetti Marco , Romano Angela , Guglielmino Valeria , Sciarrone Maria Ausilia , Vitali Francesca , Carbone Carmine , Piro Geny , Sabino Andrea , De Stefano Nicola , Plantone Domenico , Primiano Guido
Published: December 2022

Hereditary transthyretin (ATTRv) amyloidosis is a severe, progressive, and heterogeneous multisystemic condition due to mutations in the TTR gene. Although multiple aspects of its molecular pathophysiological mechanisms have been elucidated over the years, it is possible to hypothesize different pathogenetic pathways. Indeed, we extensively investigated the serum levels of several molecules involved in the immune response, in a cohort of ATTRv patients and healthy controls (HCs). Sixteen ATTRv patients and twenty-five HCs were included in the study. IFN-alpha levels were higher in ATTRv patients than in HCs, as well as IFN-gamma levels. By contrast, IL-7 levels were lower in ATTRv patients than in HCs. No significant difference between groups was found regarding IL-1Ra, IL-6, IL-2, IL-4, and IL-33 levels. Correlation analysis did not reveal any significant correlation between IFN-α, IFN-γ, IL-7, and demographic and clinical data. Larger and longitudinal studies using ultrasensitive methods to perform a full cytokine profiling are needed to better elucidate the role of inflammation in ATTRv pathogenesis and to test the reliability of these molecules as possible biomarkers in monitoring patients’ progression.
The Role of Radiomics and AI Technologies in the Segmentation, Detection, and Management of Hepatocellular Carcinoma
Authors: Fahmy Dalia , Alksas Ahmed , Elnakib Ahmed , Mahmoud Ali , Kandil Heba , Khalil Ashraf , Ghazal Mohammed , van Bogaert Eric , Contractor Sohail , El-Baz Ayman
Published: December 2022

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is the most common primary hepatic neoplasm. Thanks to recent advances in computed tomography (CT) and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), there is potential to improve detection, segmentation, discrimination from HCC mimics, and monitoring of therapeutic response. Radiomics, artificial intelligence (AI), and derived tools have already been applied in other areas of diagnostic imaging with promising results. In this review, we briefly discuss the current clinical applications of radiomics and AI in the detection, segmentation, and management of HCC. Moreover, we investigate their potential to reach a more accurate diagnosis of HCC and to guide proper treatment planning.