bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Pulmonary Alveolar Proteinosis Secondary to Chronic Ethylene Oxide Occupational Inhalation
Authors: Fachrucha Fanny , Pramesti Rossy Ardhia , Elhidsi Mia , Andarini Sita , Prasenohadi Prasenohadi , Taufik Feni Fitriani , Hastuti Widya Sri , Beginta Romi , Saraswati Meilania
Published: April 2024

In this case report, a 40-year-old male patient with a persistent and productive cough lasting over 2 weeks, accompanied by dyspnea, who received an anti-tuberculosis drug regimen for 12 months without any clinical improvement at a different hospital before being referred to Persahabatan Central General Hospital was presented. In-depth clinical, and radiological investigations, the periodic acid-Schiff (PAS)-positive related to pulmonary alveolar proteinosis (PAP) confirmed through transbronchial biopsy (TBB). PAP is a rare lung disease with exceptionally low prevalence and incidence, Notably, the patient’s occupational environment played a crucial role in the diagnosis, as we identified occupational PAP secondary to chronic inhalation of ethylene oxide in a poorly ventilated work setting and inadequate respiratory protection. The patient was administered inhaled filgrastim (1 vial) at four intervals over 30 days, yielding favorable and satisfactory clinical as well as radiological outcomes.
Melamine Contamination of Infant Formula in China: The causes, food safety issues and public health implications
Authors:   University of Ghana, Afoakwa Emmanuel
Published: April 2024

Melamine - an industrial chemical - was recently found in infant formula in China but it has since spiralled to other food categories that use milk powder as an ingredient, such as chocolate, biscuits and eggs. As of September 21, 2008, a total of 52,857 cases of nephrolithiasis (and, in some instances, renal failure) had been reported in China linked to consumption of this contaminated powdered formula. There have been approximately 13,000 hospitalizations, and at least 4 deaths confirmed to date. The vast majority of illnesses involved children under the age of 3 years (82% < 2 years; 17% 2-3 years; 0.8% > 3 years; and no cases involved adults) [1]. The results of an investigation conducted in China indicated that Chinese-produced powdered infant formula was linked to these illnesses; no cases were associated with liquid infant formula. An investigation of powdered formulas was conducted nationally by China's General Administration of Quality Supervision, Inspection and Quarantine (AQSIQ) and revealed contamination of powdered formulas produced by 22 companies. Test results conducted in China on samples of the powdered infant formula showed that they contained a wide range of concentrations (0.1 ppm to greater than 2,500 ppm melamine powder (Fig. 1).
Science, technology and the future of food in Africa
Authors:   University of Toronto, Thompson Paul
Published: April 2024

Genetically modified (GM) crops and the food products derived from them have been in widespread use in North America since 1995. A wide range of food products in North America and elsewhere contain GM derived products. With a slightly longer timeframe, and almost no public rejection or even debate, medical products throughout the developed world, including EU countries, have been produced using GM bacteria (especially E coli) and GM animals, such as goats. The next generation of GM crops will be drought tolerant, require less nitrogen and have enhanced nutritional profiles. During the almost 15 years of widespread use in North America and a number of other countries, no new risks have emerged. Nonetheless, SubSaharan African countries, with the exception of South Africa, continue to resist the use of GM crops. Given, the safety record of these crops, the mitigation of environmental degradation they achieve compared to traditional crops and the farming practices they require, and the higher yields of GM crops, this resistance and rejection is, on the surface, baffling. A full explanation will certainly be complex but a significant role is played by the post-colonial influence of developed nations – their governments and their non-governmental organisations. Today in all developed nations, medical applications of GM are moving forward at a rapid pace and in many countries outside Europe GM crop development and planting is advancing rapidly. In the developing world, China, India, South Africa and many countries in South America are moving forward with the use of GM crops. Once again because of the influences of old colonial powers, Sub-Saharan African countries are being left behind. It is time for African countries to take control of their destinies; it is time for them to turn their gaze and allegiance away from the developed world –especially Europe - towards their natural partners in development: China, India and South Africa. These countries are pointing the way forward, the way out of poverty, hunger and dependency.
Bring Agriculture, Nutrition and Health Together
Authors:   International Food Policy Research Institute, von Braun Joachim
Published: April 2024

Three quarters of the world’s poor live in rural areas of the developing world, and the large majority of them rely on agriculture for their livelihood and food security. There are important elements that could foster true inter-sectoral collaboration between agriculture, nutrition, and health in alleviating poverty. However, the framework for linking agriculture and health is missing, and so is the set of instruments to effectively exploit the synergies between agriculture and health and to achieve joint policy formulation.
Why lipid-based ready to use foods (RUF) must be key components of strategies to manage acute malnutrition in resource poor settings
Authors:   Valid Nutrition, Owino Victor
Published: April 2024

Malnutrition, common in the developing world, is associated with disease and mortality. Malnutrition frequently occurs among children in the community as well as those with acute illness. Despite global improvements, malnutrition still underlies half of the inpatient morbidity and mortality rates among children in resource poor settings. Malnutrition limits development and the capacity to learn and grossly undermines future economic progress of both individuals and states. Food-based approaches have been an integral part in efforts to alleviate the impact of malnutrition.
Scholarly writing, plagiarism and academic corruption
Authors:   Eastern Michigan University, Douglass Richard
Published: April 2024

Once upon a time it was possible to read something published in a scholarly journal, take a moment to think about it, and marvel at the ingenuity and insights that the author revealed. In the past it was this experience that drew us into communities of scholars, scientists, and academics to share ideas, discoveries, innovative methods for research, and to challenge each other in the pursuit of truth and the expansion of knowledge. Such peer-reviewed publication celebrated our lives of science and demanded a level of intellectual accountability that distinguished the scholarly world from other endeavors.
Tracking IHL Violations Through Arms Export in the Context of the Russian Aggression Against Ukraine
Authors: Iwan-Sojka Dominika
Published: April 2024

The paper tracks challenges to litigating (direct and indirect) imports of military equipment to Russia and Russia’s subsequent international humanitarian law of armed conflicts (IHL) violations committed in indiscriminate attacks in Ukraine. It asks whether arms export control is capable of preventing or mitigating the results of indiscriminate attacks in Ukraine. It is assumed that IHL compliance can be complemented by preventing military equipment from being delivered to recipients when there is a risk of serious IHL violations being committed with that equipment. By comparing arms transfers from Iran with other controversial arms exports, the paper examines if increased protection for IHL ensued by arms export control laws can remedy deficiencies in arms transfer decisions that do not account for IHL. If an answer is negative, corporate due diligence will perform a complementary role in respecting IHL when state authorisation for arms transfer fails to account for IHL.
Investigating and Prosecuting International Crimes Committed in the Context of the Russian Aggression Against Ukraine: The Polish Involvement
Authors: Topa Ilona
Published: April 2024

The paper aims to present the available options relating to the investigation and prosecution of international crimes allegedly committed in Ukraine by the Russian authorities and members of the Russian armed forces. Firstly, it presents domestic Ukrainian criminal proceedings on these crimes. Then, the ongoing investigation in the International Criminal Court on war crimes and crimes against humanity as well as the initiatives to create a special international court that would deal with the responsibility for the crime of aggression are explored. Finally, considering substantial Polish involvement, it would be interesting to have an insight into how Poland already has and could, in the future, further contribute to bringing to justice the perpetrators of international crimes committed in Ukraine.
Trazados curriculares desde una "ética-estética" para la formación de una cultura ambiental
Authors: Melo Romero Andrea Del Pilar , Castro Augusto
Published: April 2024

El artículo es parte de los resultados preliminares de una investigación realizada con estudiantes de secundaria de Bogotá, Colombia, que trabaja la ética-estética como una propuesta alternativa desde la construcción de un pensamiento ambiental latinoamericano. En la primera parte se expone a qué hace referencia la ética-estética; en la segunda parte del artículo se explica el diseño metodológico realizado en la investigación; en la tercera, se profundiza en los valores ambientales que se pueden trabajar desde la ética-estética y cómo estos se perciben dentro de un foro ambiental desarrollado con la comunidad de aprendizaje; finalmente, se concluye con los hallazgos encontrados.
Randomly Amplified Polymorphic DNA (RAPD) Molecular Markers as a Valuable Tool to Confirm the Genetic Diversity in Soybean Germplasms (Glycine max)
Authors: Mathpal Sudha , Joshi Rashmi , Bhatt Bhagyashree , Sahoo Smrutishree , Joshi Sneha
Published: April 2024

Background: This study was performed to understand the genetic base of soybean which mainly focused to assess the diversity among sixteen soybean germplasms namely (AMS 100-39, BAUS 102, DS 3108, DSB 34, MACS 1493, NRC 128, NRC 130, NRC 131, NRC 132, NRC 136, NRC 137, NRC SL 1, PS 1613, RSC 11-03, RSC 11-07 and SKF SP-11) with two cultivated checks (JS-335 and Bragg). Methods: The genomic isolation was carried out using CTAB buffer and the diversity was estimated with the help of nine RAPD markers using percent polymorphism, PIC content, Jaccard’s similarity index and represented in dendogram. Result: The banding patterns were obtained with all the primer showed a total of 59 bands, out of the which, 17 bands were monomorphic, while other are polymorphic and the amplification ranged from 100 bp to 960 bp. The range of similarity coefficients varies from 0.87 to 0.36. Out of total amplification, products were scored, averages of 70.3% were polymorphic among all genotypes. The cluster clearly divided the whole germplasms into two four groups showing the clear-cut diversity profile of all germplasms. As a result, this study is very beneficial for understanding the diversity of different soybean germplasms and the application of this technique for the development of highly profitable crops.
Women's Health and Reproductive Health Needs of Lesbian Individuals in Türkiye
Authors: Güney Demet , Demirezen Esma
Published: April 2024

Health is a basic right that all individuals have from birth. The World Health Organization defines reproductive health as a state of complete mental, physical, social well-being, and not merely the absence of disease or impotence, in all matters relating to the reproductive system, its functions, and processes. Reproductive health services include the freedom to have children, fertility, adolescent sexuality, unwanted pregnancies, unhealthy abortions, maternal and infant mortality, related disabilities, HIV/AIDS, and sexually transmitted diseases. LGBTQI+ includes different gender identities, and sexual orientations including lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, and intersex. Gender is assigned at birth, based on chromosomal, hormonal, physical, or anatomical characteristics. However, sexual orientation is defined as the gender to which one's sexual impulses are oriented or the ongoing emotional, romantic, and sexual attraction to an individual of a particular gender. These groups face important existential problems, especially in developing, traditional lifestyle predominate countries or in Muslim countries like Türkiye. STDs and HIV/AIDS are among the diseases that can be treated in the lesbian population through expanded RHS. General gynecological, breast cancer should also be considered in protecting, and improving lesbian individual’s health. This study draws attention to women's health problems in Türkiye, including breast cancer and other gynecological health problems, as well as reproductive health problems of lesbian individuals. It aims to share LGBTI+ health care problems and in this context, to emphasize the women's health and reproductive health needs of midwives and nurses, lesbian individuals in Türkiye, which are generally practiced as a female profession in Türkiye.
Driving sustainability in the automotive industry: bio-coated materials and modern strategies
Authors: Mendanha Daniel , Carvalho Denise , Silva Mário , Silva Sofia , Ferreira Pedro , Rodrigues Raquel , Silva Carla J. , Oliveira Cristina , Marques Rita
Published: April 2024

The environmental concerns associated with the automotive industry have been rising in recent years, driven by strict legislation, and increasing customer demands. In response, the sector is gradually transitioning toward a more sustainable approach in the selection of materials. The preference has been for recyclable and bio-based materials. Today, bio-based materials are continually entering the market, with an increased focus on leveraging byproducts or waste from other industries to support environmental sustainability and the circular economy. These alternative materials typically consist of a textile substrate that can be modified regarding its composition and often incorporate bio-based coatings as alternatives to leather and petroleum-derived materials. The coating of the textile material can be performed through various direct and indirect methodologies, depending on attributes, economic feasibility, and the desired quality of the final material. Before introducing new materials into the automotive industry, several legislative standards and tests must be satisfied. Moreover, given the increasing need for recycling and product life-cycle consideration, there is a growing pursuit of mono-material approaches to facilitate and improve the recycling of the selected materials. This review explores and summarizes the current sustainability challenges in the automotive industry and highlights the bio-coated materials and alternative strategies currently under exploration.
Energy Renormalization in a Berry Geometrical Phase: Low-Energy Perturbations of the Strong Interaction and the QCD Mass Gap
Authors: Gibbons Mark
Published: April 2024

A Berry geometrical phase is identified in a strongly metastable system containing dynamically responsive clathrate hydrate structures within a crystal-fluid material. High energy degeneracy in the associated chemistry produces local stability and false vacuum conditions that lead to non-extensive and non-additive contributions in the fundamental thermodynamic relation. Application of Ginzburg-Landau theory and the scaling laws reveals a coherence length and a penetration depth for a macro-scale dual superconductor. The coherence length determines non-extensive volume changes whilst its inverse gives the Higgs mass. The penetration depth determines the extent of QCD vacuum suppression whilst its inverse gives the vector boson mass together with indirect manifestation as non-additive hyperbolic curvature. Simultaneous emergence of the Ginzburg-Landau superconducting phase transition is consistent with gauge-invariant coupling of the scalar field to the Yang-Mills action in QCD. The discovery of an energy gap in the gradient energy term of the system Lagrangian is associated with a critical correlation length revealed in the transition from a gapped to a gapless superconducting state. Together with the emergence and absorption of the Higgs-like scalar field, a mechanism for describing a renormalized QCD mass gap arises.
Real-Life Practice of Kelleni’s Protocol in Treatment and Post Exposure Prophylaxis of SARS CoV-2 Omicron HV.1 and JN.1 Subvariants
Authors: Kelleni Mina
Published: April 2024

This perspective discusses the ongoing real-world practice using nitazxoanide, NSAIDs and/or azithromycin (Kelleni’s protocol) to manage the evolving manifestations of SARS CoV-2 Omicron EG.5.1, its descendant HV.1 as well as BA.2.86 and its descendant JN.1 subvariants in Egypt. These subvariants are well-known for their highly evolved immune-evasive properties and the manifestations include some peculiar manifestations as persistent cough besides high fever in young children as well as high fever, persistent severe cough, change of voice, loss of taste and smell, epigastric pain, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, generalized malaise and marked bone aches in adults including the high risk groups. It’s suggested that the ongoing SARS CoV-2 evolution is continuing to mostly affect the high risk groups of patients, to some of whom we’ve also successfully prescribed nitazoxanide and/or NSAIDs for post-exposure prophylaxis of all household contacts. We also continue to recommend starting the immune-modulatory antiviral Kelleni’s protocol as soon as possible in the course of infection and adjusting it in a personalized manner to be more aggressive from the beginning for the high risk patients, at least until the currently encountered surge of infections subsides.
Domain Adaptation with Sentiment Domain Adapter
Authors: Carter Aiden , Nasir Wyne , Parker Ethan
Published: April 2024

The field of domain adaptation, particularly in cross-domain sentiment classification, leverages labeled data from a source domain alongside unlabeled or sparsely labeled data from a target domain. The objective is to enhance performance in the target domain by mitigating the discrepancies in data distributions. Traditional methods in this area have focused on identifying and differentiating between pivotal sentiment words (shared across domains) and domain-specific sentiment words. In our work, we introduce a novel framework called Sentiment Domain Adapter (SDA), which incorporates a Category Attention Network (CAN) alongside a Convolutional Neural Network (CNN). This approach treats pivotal and domain-specific words as part of a collective category of attributes, which SDA learns to discern automatically, thereby enhancing domain adaptation. Additionally, SDA seeks to provide interpretative insights by learning these category attributes. Our model's optimization targets three main goals: (1) supervised classification accuracy, (2) minimizing the disparity in category feature distribution, and (3) maintaining domain invariance. Evaluations on three benchmark datasets for sentiment analysis affirm that SDA surpasses several established baselines.
Transcriptome Sequencing and Metabolome Analysis Reveals the Regulatory and Molecular Mechanism of Grain Filling Rate in Foxtail Millet (Setaria italica L.)
Authors: Han Yuetao , Zhao Peiyue , Zhao Yuan , Liu Min , Guo Erhu , Wang Guoliang , Zhang AiYing
Published: April 2024

The grain filling rate (GFR) plays a crucial role in determining grain yield. However, the regulatory and molecular mechanism of grain filling rate (GFR) in foxtail millet remains unclear. In this study, we found the GFR of 'Changnong No.47' (CN47) was significantly higher at 14 days after flowering (DAF) and 21 DAF in comparison to 'Changsheng 13' (CS13). Furthermore, CN47 also exhibited higher thousand grain weight and yield than CS13. Therefore, we conducted transcriptomics and metabolomics to analyze the biological processes and functional genes associated with GFR during two stages of grain filling in both cultivars. A total of 765 differentially expressed genes (DEGs) and 246 differentially accumulated metabolites (DAMs) were identified at the 14 DAF stage, while at the 21 DAF stage, a total of 908 DEGs and 268 DAMs were identified. The integrated analysis of co-mapped DAMs and DEGs revealed enriched pathways, including flavonoid biosynthesis, plant hormone signal transduction, tyrosine metabolism, ATP-binding cassette (ABC) transporters, beta-alanine metabolism, as well as stilbenoid, diarylheptanoid and gingerol biosynthesis. In order to elucidate their potential functions in the context of GFR, we developed a gene-metabolite regulatory network for these metabolic pathways. Notably we found some genes associated with ABC transporters and plant hormone signal transduction pathway were implicated in auxin transport and signal transduction, highlighting the crucial role of auxin during grain filling. The results provide initial insights into the regulatory and molecular mechanisms underlying GFR in foxtail millet, as well as offer valuable genetic resources for further elucidation of GFR in future studies. The findings have established a theoretical basis for improving the efficiency of yield breeding in foxtail millet.
Cholesterol-Modified Anti-Il6 siRNA Reduces the Severity of Acute Lung Injury in Mice
Authors: Chernikov Ivan V. , Bachkova Irina K. , Sen’kova Aleksandra V. , Meschaninova Mariya I. , Savin Innokenty A. , Vlassov Valentin V. , Zenkova Marina A. , Chernolovskaya Elena L
Published: April 2024

Small interfering RNA (siRNA) holds significant therapeutic potential by silencing target genes through RNA interference. Current clinical applications of siRNA have been primarily limited to liver diseases, while achievements in delivery methods are expanding its applications to various organs, including the lungs. Cholesterol-conjugated siRNA emerges as a promising delivery approach due to its low toxicity and high efficiency. This study focuses on developing a cholesterol-conjugated anti-Il6 siRNA and the evaluation of its potency for the potential treatment of inflammatory diseases using the example of acute lung injury (ALI). The biological activities of different Il6-targeted siRNAs containing chemical modifications were evaluated in J774 cells in vitro. The lead cholesterol-conjugated anti-Il6 siRNA after intranasal instillation demonstrated dose-dependent therapeutic effects in a mouse model of ALI induced by lipopolysaccharide (LPS). The treatment significantly reduced Il6 mRNA levels, inflammatory cell infiltration, and the severity of lung inflammation. IL6 silencing by cholesterol-conjugated siRNA proves to be a promising strategy for treating inflammatory diseases, with potential applications beyond the lungs.
Some Recent Advances on Germanium Recovery from Various Resources
Authors: Alguacil Francisco Jose , Robla Jose Ignacio
Published: April 2024

Though nowadays germanium do not reach the range of popularity than other metals, i.e. rare earth elements, its utility in target industries makes of it also a strategic metal. Though germanium can be find in a series of raw materials, the principal source for its recovery is from secondary wastes of the zinc industry, and also, the recycle of germanium-bearing waste materials is becoming of interest. In this recovery, Hydrometallurgy is performing a key role to the successful achievement of this goal. The present work reviews the most recent applications (2023 and 2024 years) of hydrometallurgical operations on the recovery of germanium from different solid and liquid sources.
Perception of Complementary Medicine and Treatment Adherence as Predictors of Self-Efficacy in Individuals with Chronic Conditions in Mexico
Authors: Casco-Gallardo Karina Isabel , Torres-Soto Nissa Yaing , Orozco-González Claudia Nelly , Pérez-Briones Nancy Griselda , Guerrero-Solano José Antonio , Maldonado-Muñiz Gabriela , Trejo-García Claudia Atala , López-Nolasco Benjamín
Published: April 2024

Chronic conditions like type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM), arterial hypertension (HTN), and obesity are major global health issues, causing significant morbidity and mortality. In Latin America, these conditions contribute to millions of premature deaths annually, posing challenges exacerbated by limited healthcare access and poor primary care quality, particularly in Mexico. Complementary medicine presents a potential solution, offering minimally invasive techniques to improve physical, mental, and spiritual well-being. Effective treatment adherence, crucial for positive outcomes, is influenced by self-efficacy, the ability to manage one's behavior in response to medical conditions. However, treatment adherence rates remain low, indicating a pressing public health concern. This study aimed to explore how perception of complementary medicine and treatment adherence predict self-efficacy among individuals with chronic conditions in Mexico. Analyzing data from 113 participants revealed significant correlations between variables, with treatment adherence positively associated with self-efficacy and perception of holistic medicine negatively correlated with self-efficacy. Regression analysis showed that incorporating perception of complementary medicine and treatment adherence significantly explained self-efficacy levels, suggesting the potential of complementary therapies in holistic healthcare approaches. However, collinearity between variables highlights the need for further research to better understand these relationships and their implications for improving healthcare outcomes in Mexico. Integrating complementary therapies with conventional treatments could enhance overall well-being and treatment adherence, offering promising avenues for addressing chronic conditions in the region. These findings underscore the importance of comprehensive healthcare approaches that integrate both conventional and complementary modalities to optimize health outcomes and quality of life for individuals with chronic conditions in Mexico and beyond.
The Direct Tendon Suture and Paratenon Repair Technique for Acute Tendinous Mallet Finger
Authors: Lee Seungjun , Eun Seokchan
Published: April 2024

Keywords: Tendon injuries; Mallet finger; Suture techniques
The Museums of Geology and Paleontology as Geoeducational Learning Environments for Raising Climate Change Awareness
Authors: Kondyli Christina , Psychogiou Maria , Drinia Hara
Published: April 2024

Museums are called to respond to contemporary challenges and contribute to the formation of more progressive societies. One of the major challenges of our time is climate change and museums could construct cocreated narratives around climate and implement targeted actions for the audiences through their sensorial and affective experiences. More specifically, Geology and Palaeontology museums are repositories of knowledge on geoheritage and geoconservation, recognized for their scientific, pedagogical, cultural and recreational values. The educational potential of geological and paleontological exhibits could be used in informal education activities regarding the climate emergency. Taking the above into consideration, this study focuses on both the creation and evaluation of an educational program for the Natural History Museum of Arsakeio Campus at Psychicko.
Personalized Video Summarization: A Comprehensive Survey of Methods and Datasets
Authors: Peronikolis Michail , Panagiotakis Costas
Published: April 2024

In recent years, the scientific and technological developments led to an explosion of available videos on the web, increasing the necessity of fast and effective video analysis and summarization. Video summarization methods aim to generate a synopsis by selecting the most informative parts of the video content. The user’s personal preferences, often involved in the expected results, should be taken into account in the video summaries. In this paper, we provide the first comprehensive survey on personalized video summarization relevant to the techniques and datasets used. In this context, we classify and review personalized video summary techniques based on the type of personalized summary, on criteria, on the video domain, on the source of information, on the time of summarization, and on the machine learning technique. Depending on the type of methodology used by the personalized video summarization techniques for the summary production process, we classify the techniques into five major categories, which are feature-based video summarization, key frame selection, shot selection-based approach, video summarization using trajectory analysis, and personalized video summarization using clustering. We also compare personalized video summarization methods and present 37 datasets used to evaluate personalized video summarization methods. Finally, we analyze opportunities and challenges in the field and suggest innovative research lines.
Oil-Coated Ammonium Sulfate Improve Maize Nutrient Uptake and Prevent Nitrogen Leaching Rates in Sandy Soil
Authors: Yan Shuangdui , Dong Xinyu , Jiang Huishu , Liu Yu , Han Ying , Guo Tanwen , Zhang Yanhui , Li Juan , Yan Qiuyan
Published: April 2024

Ammonium sulfate has been utilized in agriculture; however, there is a dearth of research on its application in maize cultivation subsequent to the implementation of nitrification inhibitors or coating. This study aims to analyze the impacts of various combinations of ammonium sulfate fertilizers on soil nutrients, plant nutrient uptake, yield, and fertilizer utilization efficiency in maize cultivation to ascertain the optimal and stabilized disposal method for ammonium sulfate. A completely randomized design was employed with five treatments (AU, the control using urea; AS, treatment using ammonium sulfate; ASN, treatment using ammonium sulfate with a nitrification inhibitor; ASG, treatment using oil-coated ammonium sulfate; ASD, treatment using oil-humic acid-coated ammonium sulfate). Results showed that: (1) Compared with AU and AS, ASN, ASG and ASD decreased the leaching rates of TN, NH4+-N and NO3-N to the 10-20 cm soil layer, and more residual N was obtained in 0-10 cm soil layer. The first-order kinetic equation Nt=N0(1-e-kt) can better fit the process of nitrogen accumulation and release, and the N release rate constant is AU>CK>AS>ASH>ASN>ASD; (2) Compared with AU and AS treatments, the plant dry weight, grain dry weight, spike width, spike length, and yields of maize increased by 8.85-11.08%, 12.98-14.15%, 2.95-3.52%, 5.50-5.65%, and 43.21-51.10% under ASG treatment respectively. The impact of effective spike number on maize yield was found to be significant, as demonstrated by the path analysis conducted in this study. Furthermore, the accumulation levels of nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium within above-ground plants significantly increased under the ASG treatment compared to the AU and AS treatments. The partial productivity of nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium increased by 1.43-1.51-fold under ASG treatment, while grain nitrogen balance, grain phosphorus balance, and grain potassium balance increased by 1.41-1.58-fold, 1.51-1.95-fold, and 1.15-l.96-fold respectively. The oil-coated ammonium sulfate, therefore, exhibited the optimal slow-release effect of nutrients, thereby achieving superior performance in enhancing maize production and efficiency.
Assessing the Sperm Head DNA Damage in Frozen/Thawed Horse Semen via Interspecific ICSI
Authors: Rychtarova Jana , Fulka Helena , Loi Pasqualino , Fulka, Jr. Josef
Published: April 2024

The sperm heads of frozen/thawed horse spermatozoa were injected into ovulated mouse oocytes where they decondensed and formed paternal pronuclei in which the DNA damage has been evaluated. The motile spermatozoa exhibit none or minor level of DNA damage and the xenogenic zygotes cleave to the two-cell embryonic stage with regular nuclei and no micronuclei (MNs). On the other hand, the immotile spermatozoa exhibit typically high levels of DNA damage and blastomeres in two-cell stage embryos contain multiple MNs. Moreover, extremely high sperm DNA damage prevents even the cleavage to the two-cell stage.Keywords: keyword 1; keyword 2; keyword 3 (List three to ten pertinent keywords specific to the article yet reasonably common within the subject discipline.)
Plant-Powered Plates: A Life Cycle Assessment of Plant-Based Meats in Tackling Climate Change
Authors: Tang Meshach , Miri Taghi , Soltani Fakhteh , Onyeaka Helen , Al-Sharify Zainab T.
Published: April 2024

As the world attempts to decarbonise the food industry and limit greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, plant-based meat analogues (PBMAs) have emerged as a sustainable alternative to traditional meat. This study implemented a life cycle assessment (LCA) to rigorously compare the environmental impacts of a beef burger (BB), produced with British beef, against a meat analogue (MA) equivalent with a publicly available recipe. For the LCA, a cradle-to-fork system boundary was utilised, alongside a functional unit of a single 100 g burger patty. Results from the LCA revealed that the BB patty had more than double the total environmental impact than the MA equivalent, as well as possessing a global warming impact that was 62% higher. A simple extrapolation illustrated that if the UK population switched from beef to meat analogue patties, 3 million tonnes of CO2e could be saved annually, corresponding to 0.74% of the country’s yearly territorial GHG emissions. Scenario analyses displayed how the environmental impact of the MA patty remained stable regardless of changes in exportation, ingredient origin or soy protein sourcing. Moreover, sensitivity analysis conducted with an alternative characterisation method corroborated initial findings, whilst uncertainty analysis ensured that nearly all conclusions generated from the original comparison were robust. Future studies should conduct peer-reviewed LCAs on PBMA patties with commercial recipes based on other plant-based proteins, as well as fully understanding any potential health implications of long-term PBMA consumption.
Automated ISSR Fingerprinting is a Cost-effective way to assess Genetic Diversity and Taxonomic Differentiation – a Case Study on the Encephalartos eugene-maraisii Species Complex
Authors: Murphy Deanne , Barker Nigel Paul , Frisby Arnold
Published: April 2024

Recent technological advancements in conservation genetics and genomics have resulted in diverse tools for aiding conservation of species. The precision and resolution of high throughput sequencing technologies provide valuable insights to aid conservation decisions, but these technologies are often financially unfeasible or unavailable in resource constrained countries. Inter-Simple Sequence Repeat (ISSR) markers, when combined with sensitive automated detection systems, provide a simple, cheap means to investigate genetic diversity and discriminate closely related species. Here we apply this technology to assess genetic diversity and taxonomic delimitation in the Encephalartos eugene-maraisii species complex, a highly threatened, taxonomically dubious group of cycads in South Africa. Silica dried cycad leaflets were extracted using the Oktopure robot employing Sbeadex chemistry and amplified with fluorescently tagged ISSR primers. Band presence was scored with an ABI 3130 genetic sequencer under three different fluorescence cut-off values. Phenetic analyses were performed in NTSYS software while Bayesian analysis was performed in STRUCTURE, and haplotype network analysis, AMOVA and Tajima’s D statistic was computed with PopART. Our analyses support taxonomic singularity of E. dyerianus, E. dolomiticus and E. eugene-maraisii. Relationships between E. nubimontanus and E. cupidus remain uncertain. E. middelburgensis samples showed no clustering but had poor amplification success. This study demonstrated the suitability of automated ISSR fingerprinting as a method for plant conservation studies, especially in resource-constrained countries.
Persistence of Salmonella and Campylobacter in Chicken Meat under the Different Chlorination Techniques in Poultry Processing Plants in Sri Lanka
Authors: Weerasooriya Gayani , Dulakshi H.M.T , de Alwis P.S , Bandara Sandun , Premarathne K.R.P.S , Dissanayake Nayanajith , Liyanagunawardena N. , Wijemuni M.I , Priyantha M.A.R
Published: April 2024

The persistence of Salmonella and Campylobacter in chicken meat is a considerable public health risk and a future challenge. This study aimed to determine the prevalence of Salmonella and Campyl-obacter in poultry processing lines where different chlorination techniques were used. The sam-ples were collected from four types of processing plants considering the chlorine concentration used in the chill tank, which ranged from 2 ppm to 50 ppm. Salmonella and Campylobacter were isolated from carcass washings, neck skin, and, caecal samples. Subsequently, an antimicrobial susceptibility test was performed for the isolates. The results revealed the overall prevalence of Salmonella and Campylobacter was 78.25%, and 64% respectively. Positive percentages of Salmonella and Campylobacter were high in carcasses compared to neck skin and caeca. Carcass Campylobacter counts at higher chlorine concentrations ranging from 20 – 50 ppm was significantly low (p
Improved Evaluation of Seedling Cultivation Efficiency in Coconut Coir Substrate through the Addition of Diverse Nutrient Sources
Authors: Liu Zheng , Liu Xinyu , Ge Liqun
Published: April 2024

In order to address the issue of nutrient deficiency in coconut coir-based nursery substrates, three materials with nutrient supplementation effects, namely pig manure, composted rice husks, and agricultural humic acid, were added in equal volumes to the coir-based substrate. The newly formulated substrates were then tested for their seedling growth effects on cucumber and rice. Results indicate that the substrate formulation consisting of "10% pig manure + 30% peat + 50% coconut coir + 10% vermiculite" was capable of satisfying the growth requirements of both cucumber and rice seedlings, with the highest acceptance among farmers.
Anadem: A Digital Terrain Model for South America
Authors: Laipelt Leonardo , Comini de Andrade Bruno , Collischonn Walter , Amorim Alexandre , Paiva Rodrigo Cauduro Dias de , Ruhoff Anderson
Published: April 2024

Digital elevation models (DEMs) have a wide range of applications and play a crucial role in many studies. Numerous public DEMs, frequently acquired using radar and optical satellite imagery, are currently available; however, DEM datasets tend to exhibit elevation values influenced by vegetation height and coverage, which can compromise the accuracy of models in representing terrain elevation. In this study, we developed a digital terrain model for South America using a novel methodology to remove vegetation bias in the Copernicus DEM GLO-30 (COPDEM) model using machine learning, Global Ecosystem Dynamics Investigation (GEDI) elevation data, and multispectral remote sensing products. Our results indicate considerable improvements compared to COPDEM in representing terrain elevation, reducing average errors (BIAS) from 9.6 m to 1.5 m. Furthermore, we evaluated our product (ANADEM) by comparison with other global DEMs, obtaining more accurate results for different conditions of vegetation fraction cover and land use. As a publicly available and open-source dataset, ANADEM will play a crucial role in advancing studies that demand accurate terrain elevation representations at large scales.
Development of a Highly Efficient Trajectory Planning Algorithm in Backfilling Task for Autonomous Excavators by Imitation of Experts and Numerical Optimization
Authors: Tsuzuki Ryuji , Hara Kosuke , Usui Dotaro
Published: April 2024

The objective of this study is to achieve high efficiency in autonomous hydraulic excavators by imitating the bucket trajectory operated by an expert. For this purpose, bucket trajectories of experts were collected, and a trajectory was planned using machine learning of a model that relates measured soil shapes to the bucket trajectories of the experts. In this study, we proposed a hierarchical model consisting of a model for estimating movement and a trajectory, with a focus on the fact that different trajectories are generated for the same soil shape as a result of the analysis of the skilled persons’ movements. The trajectory output from the model was replanned to have a smooth trajectory using numerical optimization. For the backfilling task, the error from the target shape and the amount of soil transported per movement were compared with those of an expert. The proposed method increased the error from the target shape by approximately 66%, while the amount of soil transported was approximately 58% of that of the experts.
Dynamic Visualization of Construction Sites with Machine-Borne Sensors Toward Automated Earth Moving
Authors: Nakamura Ryo , Domae Masato , Morimoto Takaaki , Izumikawa Takeya , Fujii Hiromitsu
Published: April 2024

The digitization of the construction site environment has progressed rapidly. In this study, the operations of hydraulic excavators—which are machines widely used in the construction industry—were advanced to enable automation and unmanned operation. To achieve this, it is necessary to determine the environment of the machines at the sites, and a real-time measurement and visualization methodology that can be installed at common construction sites is required. In this study, we propose a measurement system for reconstructing a wide range of surrounding environments using machine-borne sensors mounted on a hydraulic excavator. The proposed system measures the entire surrounding environment using a sensor unit composed of a laser imaging detection and ranging (LiDAR) and a wide-angle camera. Furthermore, methods of time-series integration for wide-range and dynamic measurements during work for occlusion-robust visualization are proposed. In an experiment using actual machines on an earth-moving site, we validated the performance of our proposed system by quantitative evaluation and confirmed that the system provides an effective solution for the digitization of construction sites.
GREEMA: Proposal and Experimental Verification of Growing Robot by Eating Environmental Material for Landslide Disaster
Authors: Tsunoda Yusuke , Sato Yuya , Osuka Koichi
Published: April 2024

In areas inaccessible to humans, such as the lunar surface and landslide sites, there is a need for multiple autonomous mobile robot systems that can replace human workers. Robots are required to remove water and sediment from landslide sites such as river channel blockages as soon as possible. Conventionally, several construction machines are deployed at civil engineering sites. However, owing to the large size and weight of conventional construction equipment, it is difficult to move multiple units of construction equipment to a site, which results in significant transportation costs and time. To solve such problems, this study proposes GREEMA: growing robot by eating environmental material, which is lightweight and compact during transportation and functions by eating environmental materials once it arrives at the site. GREEMA actively takes in environmental materials, such as water and sediment, uses them as its structure, and removes them by moving itself. In this study, two types of GREEMAs were developed and experimentally verified. First, we developed a fin-type swimming robot that passively takes in water into its body using a water-absorbing polymer and forms a body to express its swimming function. Second, we constructed an arm-type robot that eats soil to increase the rigidity of its body. We discuss the results of these two experiments from the viewpoint of explicit-implicit control and describe the design theory of GREEMA.
Analysis of Electromagnetic and Thermal Processes of an Induction Motor Using 3D Modeling
Authors: Pekhota A. N. , Galushko V. N. , Khrustalev B. M. , Mirosh D. N.
Published: April 2024

The results of research and analysis of electromagnetic and thermal processes taking place in an induction motor are presented. Information is presented on the creation of a design 

model of an auxiliary induction motor with various parameters according to the Goldberg method and the procedure for selecting the option with the best electromechanical characteristics is described. The main factors influencing the calculation methods, taking into account the aging rate, temperature and distribution of the temperature field, are determined, as well as the service life of the insulation. The research has made it possible to develop and apply 3D models of electromagnetic processes using special programs, interactively without describing complex vector equations of field theory, while using the ongoing thermal processes. The cumulative effect of temperature and humidity factors on the insulation service life under various influences of aggressive media has been determined as well. A comparison of the characteristics of the real induction motor (IM), the model IM and the one calculated according to the standard methodology made it possible to calculate the error taking into account the correction factor relative to the data used in the calculation methods of assessment, and to use this value in new calculation and modeling methods. The proposed 3D models of electromagnetic and thermal processes taking place in asynchronous motors make it possible to evaluate the efficiency of an electric machine; improve the design taking into account the criteria of electrical steel throughput and winding temperature; they also create prerequisites for more accurate forecasts when assessing the insulation residual life based on temperature fields.
Development of technology and development of production of reinforcement no. 6 of strength class A500S form 2f in coils according to the requirements of GOST 34028–2016
Authors: Savchenko S. A. , Volosovich S. M. , Kuchkov A. A. , Astapenko I. V. , Sychkov A. B.
Published: April 2024

The article presents the results of research on the development and mastery of the technological process of rolling reinforcement in coils with a nominal diameter of 6 mm of strength class A500C of a double‑sided periodic profile of the 2f form, ensuring the required mechanical properties, improving complex quality indicators based on improving the chemical composition and technological modes of two‑stage cooling on the Stelmor line taking into account its cooling and transporting abilities. A method of hot rolling of reinforcement with a double‑sided crescent (2f) profile is proposed; technological factors influencing the strength, plastic and operational properties of reinforcing bars through the formation of its effective microstructure are considered. The chemical composition of steel was proposed and modes of thermomechanical hardening of reinforcement with rolling heating were developed, providing high consumer properties. The results of mechanical tests of rolled reinforcing bars in coils and comparative data on the mechanical properties and geometric parameters of the reinforcement are also presented.
Control of plasticity of high‑strength condition of cold‑formed pearlitic steel
Authors: Fetisov V. P.
Published: April 2024

The relative narrowing of the heat‑treated pearlite steel billet characterizes the overall level of plastic and technological properties of the cold‑formed wire with large total compressions. The reduction of the interplate distance during heat treatment and during plastic deformation is increased, and the loss during repeated drawing of the plate structure with an increase in the density of dislocations inside the cells in ferrite and an additional decrease in the mobility of dislocations when they are blocked by carbon atoms during the decay of cementite reduce the plasticity of cold‑formed pearlite steel.