bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Death and Mourning Process in Frontline Health Care Professionals and Their Families During COVID-19
Authors: Das Sreeja , Singh Tushar , Varma Rahul , Arya Yogesh Kumar
Published: March 2021

The COVID-19 epidemic has mushroomed globally, disrupting the existence of millions. Under this current pandemic situation, the frontline health care professionals are looped in the clutch of the virus and are relatively more exposed to the patients infected with the disease. In this precarious situation, the frontline health care professionals have contributed their best to provide utmost care to the patients infected with the ailment. The direct involvement of these professionals, however, has taken a toll on their physical health as well as on their mental well-being. Several studies conducted recently have reported that frontline health care workers engaged in direct diagnosis, treatment, and care of patients with COVID-19 are associated with a higher risk of symptoms of depression, post-traumatic stress disorder and other mental health issues. Lack of personal protection equipment, unreasonable amounts of work, improper medicines, fear of contracting the disease, and lack of skilled training have interposed the frontline health care workers with unimaginable stress. Due to the widespread outbreak, the death count of the frontline health care professionals has also surged. However, studies exploring the physical and mental welfare of the frontline health care professionals and their families are very few and far behind. To address this aperture, the present paper attempts to highlight the psychological and physical impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the frontline health care professions and to understand the impact of the death of these frontline health care professionals on the psychological well-being, mourning process, and complicated grief among the family members of healthcare professionals. The paper also presents some recommendations for providing psychological support to healthcare professionals and their bereaved families.
Structural Break and Causal Analyses of U.S. Corn Use for Ethanol and Other Corn Market Variables
Authors: Oladosu Gbadebo A. , Kline Keith L. , Langeveld Johannes W. A.
Published: March 2021

The causal basis for many of the relationships in models used to estimate the indirect effects of U.S. biofuels on global agricultural markets has not been adequately established. This paper addresses this gap by examining causal interactions among corn market variables through which the indirect effects of U.S. corn use for ethanol would be transmitted. Specifically, structural break and causal analyses of U.S. corn supply, uses, trade, and price are performed using quarterly data for marketing years 1986 to 2017. The structural break analysis identifies three breaks in corn use for ethanol that reflect the policy-driven evolution of U.S. corn ethanol production and other market factors. The causality analysis finds that U.S. corn use for ethanol is not a driver of the corn price and net corn exports. Changes in corn supply and domestic corn use are found to be the key factors in accommodating the large increase in corn use for ethanol between 2003 and 2010. These results mean that common assumptions linking U.S. corn ethanol production to large reductions in corn availability and exports, and higher global corn prices merit reconsideration.
Genetic Mapping of the Gamete Eliminator Locus, S2, Causing Hybrid Sterility and Transmission Ratio Distortion Found between Oryza sativa and Oryza glaberrima Cross Combination
Authors: Zin Mar Myint , Koide Yohei , Ogata Mei , Kuniyoshi Daichi , Tokuyama Yoshiki , Hikichi Kiwamu , Obara Mitsuhiro , Kishima Yuji
Published: March 2021

Hybrid sterility is a reproductive barrier that prevents gene flow between species. In Oryza species, some hybrid sterility loci, which are classified as gamete eliminators, cause pollen and seed sterility and sex-independent transmission ratio distortion (siTRD) in hybrids. However, the molecular basis of siTRD has not been fully characterized because of lacking information on causative genes. Here, we analyze one of the hybrid sterility loci, S2, which was reported more than forty years ago but has not been located on rice chromosomes. Hybrids between African rice (Oryza glaberrima) and a near-isogenic line that possesses introgressed chromosomal segments from Asian rice (Oryza sativa) showed sterility and siTRD, which confirms the presence of the S2 locus. Genome-wide SNP marker survey revealed that the near-isogenic line has an introgression on chromosome 4. Further substitution mapping located the S2 locus between 22.60 Mb and 23.54 Mb on this chromosome. Significant TRD in this chromosomal region was also observed in a calli population derived from cultured anther in hybrids of another cross combination of African and Asian rice species. This indicates that the pollen abortion caused by the S2 locus occurs before callus induction in anther culture. It also suggests the wide existence of the S2-mediated siTRD in this interspecific cross combination. Chromosomal location of the S2 locus will be valuable for identifying causative genes and for understanding of the molecular basis of siTRD.
Silicon and Plant Growth-Promoting Rhizobacteria Pseudomonas psychrotolerans CS51 Mitigates Salt Stress in Zea mays L.
Authors: Kubi Happy Anita Appiah , Khan Muhammad Aaqil , Adhikari Arjun , Imran Muhammad , Kang Sang-Mo , Hamayun Muhammad , Lee In-Jung
Published: March 2021

Salinity is a significant abiotic stress for crop plants and a threat to global food security. Optimizing yield without adversely affecting the ecosystem is necessary for a sustainable agriculture. Silicon and plant growth-promoting bacteria were reported for mitigating several abiotic and biotic stress in plants. In our study, we identified the salt-tolerant rhizobacterium Pseudomonas psychrotolerans CS51. This species produces several plant-growth-promoting biochemicals like indole-3-acetic acid (33 ± 1.8 ng/mL) and gibberellic acid (GA3; 38 ± 1.3 and GA4; 23 ± 1.2 ng/mL) in Luria-Bertani(LB) media, and LB media spiked with 200 mM NaCl (indole-3-acetic acid(IAA); 17.6 ± 0.4 ng/mL, GA3; 21 ± 0.9 and GA4; 19 ± 1.0 ng/mL). In the current study, we aimed to investigate the effect of isolate CS51 and exogenous silicon (3 mM) on maize under salinity stress (200 mM). Our results showed that the sole application of isolate CS51, Si, and combined CS51 + Si significantly enhanced maize biomass and chlorophyll content under normal and salinity stress. Phytohormonal results showed that salinity stress increased abscisic acid (ABA; three folds) and jasmonic acid (JA; 49.20%). However, the sole and combined isolate CS51 + Si application markedly reduced ABA (1.5 folds) and JA content (14.89%). Besides, the sole and isolate CS51 + Si co-application strengthened the antioxidant system, such as flavonoid (97%) and polyphenol (19.64%), and lowered the proline content (57.69%) under NaCl stress. Similarly, the CS51 and Si inoculation (solely or combined) significantly enhanced the Si uptake (4 folds) and reduced the Na+ uptake (42.30%) in maize plants under NaCl stress. In conclusion, the current finding suggests that combining CS51 with Si can be used against salinity stress in maize plants and may be commercialized as a biofertilizer.
Impact of Pests on Cereal Grain and Nutrient Yield in Boreal Growing Conditions
Authors: Kauppi Katja , Rajala Ari , Huusela Erja , Kaseva Janne , Ruuttunen Pentti , Jalli Heikki , Alakukku Laura , Jalli Marja
Published: March 2021

The effect of weeds, plant diseases and insect pests on spring barley (Hordeum vulgare) and spring wheat (Triticum aestivum) grain and nutrient yield was examined. Long-term field trial data was used to assess the impact of different pests on grain yield. In the absence of pesticides, fungal diseases caused the largest annual yield-reduction in spring wheat and spring barley, 500 kg ha−1 on average. Converting yield loss to nutrient yield loss this represented reductions of 8.1 and 9.2 kg ha−1 in nitrogen and 1.5 and 1.6 kg ha−1 in phosphorus, respectively. Likewise, it was estimated that weeds decrease the yield of spring barley and spring wheat for 200 kg ha−1, which means reductions of 3.7 and 3.2 kg ha−1 in nitrogen and 0.6 kg ha−1 in phosphorus, respectively. For insect pests yield-reduction in spring barley and spring wheat varied between 418 and 745 kg ha−1 respectively. However, because bird cherry-oat aphid (Rhopalosiphum padi L.) incidence data was limited, and aphids are highly variable annually, nutrient yield losses caused by insect pests were not included. Based on the current study, the management of weeds, plant diseases and insects maintain cereal crop yield and may thus decrease the environmental risks caused by unutilized nutrients.
In Vitro Polyploidization of Thymus vulgaris L. and Its Effect on Composition of Essential Oils
Authors: Navrátilová Božena , Švécarová Michaela , Bednář Jan , Ondřej Vladan
Published: March 2021

The aim of this work was to find an effective protocol for in vitro propagation and to perform the in vitro polyploidization of diploid Thymus vulgaris (2n = 30) using two experimental methods based on the use of oryzalin, an antimitotic agent. The ploidy level of the obtained shoots was checked by flow cytometric analysis. The most efficient conditions for inducing polyploidy were oryzalin concentrations of 0.346 and 1.73 mg L−1 present in the medium for two weeks. The vital polyploid shoots were multiplied for further evaluation, rooting and final transfer to nonsterile glasshouse and field conditions. The chemical compositions of the essential oils (EOs)—which were obtained from dried field grown plants by steam distillation—were analyzed by gas chromatography/mass spectrometry (GC/MS). The identified substances contributed approximately 95% to the total peak area. Statistical analysis revealed that the tetraploid subclone and the diploid reference plant do not differ in total terpene content, but they do differ in the relative proportions of all the individual terpenes with the exception of α-pinene and UN5, indicating that both clones produce EOs of different quality. The obtained results showed the possibility of developing more efficient botanical insecticides based on EOs obtained from the tetraploid plants.
Organic Cultivation and Deficit Irrigation Practices to Improve Chemical and Biological Activity of Mentha spicata Plants
Authors: Chrysargyris Antonios , Koutsoumpeli Eleni , Xylia Panayiota , Fytrou Anastasia , Konstantopoulou Maria , Tzortzakis Nikolaos
Published: March 2021

Intensive crop production and irrational use of fertilizers and agrochemicals have questionable effects on the quality of products and the sustainable use of water for agricultural purposes. Organic cultivation and/or deficit irrigation are, among others, well appreciated practices for a sustainable crop production system. In the present study, spearmint plants (Mentha spicata L.) were grown in different cultivation schemes (conventional versus organic cultivation, full versus deficit irrigation), and effects on the plant physiological and biochemical attributes were examined in two harvesting periods. Deficit irrigation decreased plant growth, but increased total phenolics, flavonoids, and antioxidant capacity of the plants at the second harvest. Spearmint nutrient accumulation was affected by the examined cultivation practices; nitrogen was decreased in organic cultivation, potassium and sodium were elevated at full-irrigated plants, while magnesium, phosphorus, and copper levels were higher at the deficit-irrigated plants. However, conventional/full-irrigated plants had increased height and fresh biomass at the first harvest. Essential oil content decreased at the second harvest in organic and/or deficit treated plants. Additionally, deficit irrigation affected plant growth and delayed the formation of carvone from limonene. The essential oils were further evaluated with regard to their bioactivity on a major vineyard pest Lobesia botrana. Volatile compounds from all essential oils elicited strong electroantennographic responses on female insects antennae, highlighting the role of carvone, which is the major constituent (~70%) in all the tested essential oils. M. spicata essential oils also exhibited larvicidal activity on L. botrana, suggesting the potential of their incorporation in integrated pest management systems.
Farmers’ Climate Change Adaptation Strategies for Reducing the Risk of Rice Production: Evidence from Rajshahi District in Bangladesh
Authors: Ali Shahjahan , Ghosh Bikash Chandra , Osmani Ataul Gani , Hossain Elias , Fogarassy Csaba
Published: March 2021

A lack of adaptive capacities for climate change prevents poor farmers from diversifying agricultural production in Bangladesh’s drought-resilient areas. Climate change adaptation strategies can reduce the production risk relating to unforeseen climatic shocks and increase farmers’ food, income, and livelihood security. This paper investigates rice farmers’ adaptive capacities to adapt climate change strategies to reduce the rice production risk. The study collected 400 farm-level micro-data of rice farmers with the direct cooperation of Rajshahi District. The survey was conducted during periods between June and July of 2020. Rice farmers’ adaptive capacities were estimated quantitatively by categorizing the farmers as high, moderate, and low level adapters to climate change adaptation strategies. In this study, a Cobb–Douglas production function was used to measure the effects of farmers’ adaptive capacities on rice production. The obtained results show that farmers are moderately adaptive in terms of adaptation strategies on climate change and the degree of adaptation capacities. Agronomic practices such as the quantity of fertilizer used, the amount of labor, the farm’s size, and extension contacts have a substantial impact on rice production. This study recommends that a farmer more significantly adjusts to adaptation strategies on climate change to reduce rice production. These strategies will help farmers to reduce the risk and produce higher quality rice. Consequently, rice farmers should facilitate better extension services and change the present agronomic practice to attain a higher adaptation status. It can be very clearly seen that low adaptability results in lower rice yields.
Clinical Value of CT-Guided Fine Needle Aspiration and Tissue-Core Biopsy of Thoracic Masses in the Dog and Cat
Authors: Vignoli Massimo , Tamburro Roberto , Felici Andrea , Del Signore Francesca , Dettori Annalisa , Di Tommaso Morena , Ghiraldelli Angela , Terragni Rossella , Simeoni Francesco , Falerno Ilaria , Miglio Arianna
Published: March 2021

Diagnosis of thoracic lesions on the basis of history and physical examination is often challenging. Diagnostic imaging is therefore of paramount importance in this field. Radiology has traditionally been considered the diagnostic procedure of choice for these diseases. Nevertheless, it is often not possible to differentiate inflammatory/infectious lesions from neoplastic diseases. A correct cytological and histopathologic diagnosis is therefore needed for an accurate diagnosis and subsequent prognostic and therapeutic approach. In human medicine, Computed Tomography (CT) and CT-guided biopsy are used in the presence of lesions which are not adequately diagnosed with other procedures. In the present study, thoracic lesions from 52 dogs and 10 cats of different sex, breed and size underwent both CT-guided fine-needle aspiration (FNAB) and tissue-core biopsy (TCB). Clinical examination, hematobiochemical analysis and chest radiography were performed on all animals. In this study, 59 of 62 histopathological samples were diagnostic (95.2%). Cytology was diagnostic in 43 of 62 samples (69.4%). General sensitivity, accuracy and PPV for FNAB and TCB were 67.7%, 67.7% and 100% and 96.7%, 95.2% and 98.3%, respectively. Combining the two techniques, the overall mean accuracy for diagnosis was 98.4%. Nineteen of 62 cases showed complications (30.6%). Mild pneumothorax was seen in 16 cases, whereas mild hemorrhage occurred in three cases. No major complications were encountered. CT-guided FNAB cytology can be considered a useful and reliable technique, especially for small lesions or lesions located close to vital organs and therefore dangerous to biopsy in other way.
Companion Animal Relationships and Adolescent Loneliness during COVID-19
Authors: Mueller Megan K. , Richer Amanda M. , Callina Kristina S. , Charmaraman Linda
Published: March 2021

The pandemic associated with the emergence of the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) is an unprecedented historical event with the potential to significantly impact adolescent loneliness. This study aimed to explore the role of companion animals and attachment to pets in the context of the pandemic. We used longitudinal quantitative survey data collected prior to and during the pandemic to assess the role of pets in predicting adolescent loneliness. Pet ownership was not a significant predictor of loneliness before the pandemic, but did predict higher levels of loneliness during COVID-19 as well as higher increases in loneliness from before to during the pandemic. Dog ownership predicted lower levels of loneliness prior to, but not during the pandemic, and dog owners were significantly more attached to their pets than non-dog pet owners. Adolescents with pets reported spending more time with their pets during the pandemic, and frequently reported pet interactions as a strategy for coping with stress. Overall, the results from this study did not support the presence of a buffering effect of companion animals on loneliness for adolescents and indicate complexity in the relationships between pet ownership, attachment, loneliness, and coping with stress. These results suggest a need for additional research further assessing how features of the relationship such as species and relationship quality might contribute to adolescent mental health outcomes.
Date Palm Pollen Extract Avert Doxorubicin-Induced Cardiomyopathy Fibrosis and Associated Oxidative/Nitrosative Stress, Inflammatory Cascade, and Apoptosis-Targeting Bax/Bcl-2 and Caspase-3 Signaling Pathways
Authors: Elblehi Samar S. , El-Sayed Yasser S. , Soliman Mohamed Mohamed , Shukry Mustafa
Published: March 2021

Doxorubicin (DOX) has a potent antineoplastic efficacy and is considered a cornerstone of chemotherapy. However, it causes several dose-dependent cardiotoxic results, which has substantially restricted its clinical application. This study was intended to explore the potential ameliorative effect of date palm pollen ethanolic extract (DPPE) against DOX-induced cardiotoxicity and the mechanisms underlying it. Forty male Wistar albino rats were equally allocated into Control (CTR), DPPE (500 mg/kg bw for 4 weeks), DOX (2.5 mg/kg bw, intraperitoneally six times over 2 weeks), and DPPE + DOX-treated groups. Pre-coadministration of DPPE with DOX partially ameliorated DOX-induced cardiotoxicity as DPPE improved DOX-induced body and heart weight changes and mitigated the elevated cardiac injury markers activities of serum aminotransferases, lactate dehydrogenase, creatine kinase, and creatine kinase-cardiac type isoenzyme. Additionally, the concentration of serum cardiac troponin I (cTnI), troponin T (cTnT), N-terminal pro-brain natriuretic peptide (NT-pro BNP), and cytosolic calcium (Ca+2) were amplified. DPPE also alleviated nitrosative status (nitric oxide) in DOX-treated animals, lipid peroxidation and antioxidant molecules as glutathione content, and glutathione peroxidase, catalase, and superoxide dismutase activities and inflammatory markers levels; NF-κB p65, TNF-α, IL-1β, and IL-6. As well, it ameliorated the severity of histopathological lesions, histomorphometric alteration and improved the immune-staining of the pro-fibrotic (TGF-β1), pro-apoptotic (caspase-3 and Bax), and anti-apoptotic (Bcl-2) proteins in cardiac tissues. Collectively, pre-coadministration of DPPE partially mitigated DOX-induced cardiac injuries via its antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, anti-fibrotic, and anti-apoptotic potential.
Growth, Hemato-Biochemical Parameters, Body Composition, and Myostatin Gene Expression of Clarias gariepinus Fed by Replacing Fishmeal with Plant Protein
Authors: Nasr Mohammed A. F. , Reda Rasha M. , Ismail Tamer Ahmed , Moustafa Amira
Published: March 2021

In this study, we evaluated the consequences of replacement of fishmeal with plant protein sources (soybean and sunflower meal) on fish growth parameters, haemato-biochemical factors, body composition, and myostatin gene expression of Clarias gariepinus. A total of 150 C. gariepinus were organized in glass aquaria into five investigational groups, with each group in triplicate (30 fish/group; 10 fish/replicate). Group 1 was fed a control diet (15% fishmeal). The other groups were fed diets where fishmeal was replaced gradually with plant protein, with 10% fishmeal in the second group (D1), 7.5% fishmeal in the third group (D2), 5% fishmeal in the fourth group (D3), and 0% fishmeal in the fifth group (D4). There were no significant differences regarding growth performances and body composition among the groups, except that the feed conversion ratio was improved in D4. The different diet types did not affect hematologic parameters and blood indices. Serum growth hormone and amylase levels also revealed no significant (p = 0.09 and 0.55, respectively) differences among the groups, while serum lipase levels decreased significantly (p = 0.000) due to partial (D2) or complete (D4) substitution of fishmeal with plant protein. The replacement of fishmeal had no effects on liver (p = 0.51) and kidney functions (p = 0.34). However, D4 showed the best profit and economic efficiency compared to the other groups. Altogether, we concluded that substitution of fishmeal with plant protein sources is economically beneficial and may be without any adverse effects on growth parameters, body composition, or hematologic and biochemical parameters, but with the addition of synthetic amino acids.
Changes Associated with the Peri-Ovulatory Period, Age and Pregnancy in ACTH, Cortisol, Glucose and Insulin Concentrations in Mares
Authors: Hicks Gemma R. , Fraser Natalie S. , Bertin François-René
Published: March 2021

Although there are many hormonal changes associated with reproduction, the effects of ovulation and early pregnancy on adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH) and insulin concentrations are poorly described. We hypothesise that both ovulation and early pregnancy will alter ACTH and insulin concentrations in healthy mares. Eighteen mares showing no clinical signs suggestive of, or laboratory findings consistent with, pituitary pars intermedia dysfunction PPID and insulin dysregulation (ID) are enrolled. ACTH, cortisol, insulin and glucose concentrations are measured over their peri-ovulatory period, as determined via ultrasounds and progesterone concentrations. The mares are grouped by age and gestation status, and a two-way repeated-measures ANOVA is used to determine the effects of age and early pregnancy, along with the peri-ovulatory period, on analyte concentrations. No significant effect of age, ovulation or early pregnancy is detected on the mares’ cortisol, insulin or glucose concentrations; however, there is a significant effect of early pregnancy and ovulation on ACTH concentrations (p = 0.04 and p = 0.04 respectively). ACTH concentrations change around ovulation and with early pregnancy. Therefore, knowledge of a mare’s reproductive status might be beneficial when interpreting ACTH concentrations.
Seroprevalence and Risk Factors for Exposure to Equine Coronavirus in Apparently Healthy Horses in Israel
Authors: Schvartz Gili , Tirosh-Levy Sharon , Barnum Samantha , David Dan , Sol Asaf , Pusterla Nicola , Steinman Amir
Published: March 2021

Equine coronavirus (ECoV) infection is the cause of an emerging enteric disease of adult horses. Outbreaks have been reported in the USA, EU and Japan, as well as sporadic cases in the UK and Saudi Arabia. Infection of ECoV in horses in Israel has never been reported, and the risk of exposure is unknown. Importation and exportation of horses from and into Israel may have increased the exposure of horses in Israel to ECoV. While the disease is mostly self-limiting, with or without supportive treatment, severe complications may occur in some animals, and healthy carriers may pose a risk of infection to other horses. This study was set to evaluate the risk of exposure to ECoV of horses in Israel by using a previously validated, S1-based enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). A total of 41 out of 333 horses (12.3%) were seropositive. Exposure to ECoV was detected in 17 of 29 farms (58.6%) and the seroprevalence varied between 0 and 37.5% amongst farms. The only factor found to be significantly associated with ECoV exposure in the multivariable model was the geographical area (p < 0.001). ECoV should be included in the differential diagnosis list of pathogens in cases of adult horses with anorexia, lethargy, fever and gastrointestinal signs in Israel.
Attachment to Pets Moderates Transitions in Latent Patterns of Mental Health Following the Onset of the COVID-19 Pandemic: Results of a Survey of U.S. Adults
Authors: McDonald Shelby E. , O’Connor Kelly E. , Matijczak Angela , Tomlinson Camie A. , Applebaum Jennifer W. , Murphy Jennifer L. , Zsembik Barbara A.
Published: March 2021

This cross-sectional study examined whether, and to what extent, attachment to pets was associated with changes in latent patterns of adults’ perceived mental health symptoms during the COVID-19 pandemic (n = 1942). We used latent transition analysis to determine the stability of subgroup membership pre- and post-COVID and the effect of attachment to pets on transition probabilities. Mental health before COVID-19 was measured retrospectively. Five subgroups were identified: low symptoms, mild symptoms, moderate symptoms, high symptoms, and severe symptoms. Among individuals in the moderate and high symptoms subgroups, those who reported high attachment to pets generally had greater odds of transitioning to a less severe symptom profile (OR = 2.12) over time than those with low attachment to pets (OR = 1.39). However, those who had a severe symptom profile and high attachment to pets had lower odds of transitioning to a less severe symptom profile (OR = 0.30) and higher odds of maintaining a severe symptom profile (OR = 3.33) than those with low attachment to pets. These findings suggest that the protective and risk effects of attachment to pets differ based on individuals’ psychological symptom patterns across multiple indicators. We discuss the implications of these findings for research, policy, and practice.
Can Hydrolysable Tannins in Diet of Entire Male Pigs Affect Carcass, Pork Quality Traits, Amino and Fatty Acid Profiles, and Boar Taint, Skatole and Androstenone Levels?
Authors: Bahelka Ivan , Bučko Ondřej , Fľak Pavol
Published: March 2021

The slaughtering of entire males increases the probability of incidence of tainted pork due to the presence two main compounds—androstenone and skatole. If a surgical castration of young entire male pigs is stopped in the EU countries, fattening of boars is likely to become one of the most commonly used systems in pig farming. Since skatole production and accumulation in fat tissue can be controlled by dietary approaches, several studies have investigated various feed additives to reduce this compound of boar taint. Ones of the most promising is tannins. The aim of this study was to determine the effect of different dietary tannin level supplementation on carcass, pork quality, chemical, amino and fatty acid composition. as well as perception of boar taint and accumulation of skatole and androstenone in adipose tissue. Eighty entire males were randomly distributed to control (T0) and four experimental groups. Control pigs received standard feed mixture (16.8% CP, 13.9 MJ ME) without any tannin supplementation. Experimental pigs received the same diet with administration of 1% (T1), 2% (T2), 3% (T3) and 4% (T4)—sweet chestnut extract rich in hydrolysable tannins for 40 days (from average live weight of 80 kg until slaughter at average weight 122.28 kg ± 5.63 kg). Dietary tannins supplementation did not show any significant effect on chemical composition, cholesterol content, and amino acid composition of muscle as well as fatty acid composition and androstenone accumulation in adipose tissue. A slight or small effect was observed on carcass and meat quality, respectively. Pigs in groups T4 and/or T3-T4 had higher electrical conductivity in semimembranosus muscle and cooking loss value compared to T1, T2 or T0, T1, and T2 groups (p < 0.05). Tannins in the pig’s diet greatly affected fatty acid profile in meat of entire males. The highest tannin levels (4%) increased concentrations of lauric, myristic, vaccenic, linoleic, total PUFA, and n-6 PUFA in muscle compared to the control. Similar results were found in group T3 except for vaccenic, linoleic, and total PUFA. On the contrary, concentrations of heptadecanoic and oleic acids in groups T3 and T4 were lower than those in T1 and T2 groups. Perception of boar taint using „hot iron“ method (insertion a hot iron tip of soldering iron into adipose tissue) tended to decrease in T2 group compared with control. Skatole accumulation in fat tissue was reduced in groups T2-T4 at significance level (p = 0.052–0.055) compared to the control pigs. In summary, tannins supplementation had no effect on chemical and amino acid composition as well as fatty acid profile in adipose tissue, and only slight on carcass value. However, 4% concentration of tannins significantly increased content of some fatty acids compared to control group.
RETRACTED: Shah et al. Glutamine Metabolism and Its Role in Immunity, a Comprehensive Review. Animals 2020, 10, 326
Authors:   Animals Editorial Office
Published: March 2021

The journal retracts the article “Glutamine Metabolism and Its Role in Immunity, a Comprehensive Review” cited above [...]
Physicochemical, Microbiological and Technological Properties of Red Deer (Cervus elaphus) Milk during Lactation
Authors: Berruga María Isabel , de la Vara Juan Ángel , Licón Carmen C. , Garzón Ana Isabel , García Andrés José , Carmona Manuel , Chonco Louis , Molina Ana
Published: March 2021

This study describes chemical, physical, microbiological and technological characteristics of red deer milk and the effect of lactation on these parameters in order to know their potential aptitude to elaborate dairy products. During 18 weeks, milk from five hinds was monitored for composition, bacteriology, somatic cell count (SCC), physical properties and rennet coagulation. Mean values (g/100 g) for fat, protein, lactose and dry matter were 10.4, 7.1, 4.3 and 24.2, respectively, and for urea, 265 mg/100 mL. Except for lactose, a significant increase in these components was observed (p < 0.01) as lactation progressed. The average values for bacteriology and SCC were 5.3 log cfu/mL and 4.7 log cells/mL, respectively. Regarding physical properties, conductivity (mean: 2.8 ms/cm), viscosity (3.1 Cp), coordinates L* (89.9) and a* (−3.1) and milk fat globule diameter (D4,3: 6.1 µm) increased along with lactation while density (1.038 g/mL) decreased (p < 0.01). The pH (6.7), acidity (22.9° Dornic), coordinate b* (8.4) and ethanol stability (66.6% v/v) were stable during the study period. The stage of lactation also has a significant impact on milk coagulation properties and mean curd yield was 3.29 g/10 mL. These results suggest that red deer milk could be a potential innovative source of milk for the dairy industry.
The Comparative Analysis of the Ruminal Bacterial Population in Reindeer (Rangifer tarandus L.) from the Russian Arctic Zone: Regional and Seasonal Effects
Authors: Ilina Larisa A. , Filippova Valentina A. , Brazhnik Evgeni A. , Dubrovin Andrey V. , Yildirim Elena A. , Dunyashev Timur P. , Laptev Georgiy Y. , Novikova Natalia I. , Sobolev Dmitriy V. , Yuzhakov Aleksandr A. , Laishev Kasim A.
Published: March 2021

The reindeer (Rangifer tarandus L.) is a unique animal inhabitant of arctic regions. Low ambient temperatures and scant diets (primarily, lichens) have resulted in different evolutional adaptations, including the composition of the ruminal microbiota. In the study presented here, the effects of seasonal and regional aspects of the composition of the ruminal microbiota in reindeer (Nenets breed, 38 animals) were studied (wooded tundra from the Yamalo-Nenetski Autonomous District (YNAD) vs. from the Nenetski Autonomous District (NAD)). The ruminal content of calves (n = 12) and adult animals (n = 26, 15 males and 11 females) was sampled in the summer (n = 16) and winter seasons (n = 22). The composition of the ruminal microbial population was determined by the V3–V4 16S rRNA gene region sequencing. It was found that the population was dominated by Bacteroidetes and Firmicutes phyla, followed by Spirochaetes and Verrucomicrobia. An analysis of the community using non-metric multidimensional scaling and Bray–Curtis similarity metrics provided evidence that the most influential factors affecting the composition of ruminal microbiota are the region (p = 0.001) and season (p = 0.001); heat map analysis revealed several communities that are strongly affected by these two factors. In the summer season, the following communities were significantly larger compared to in the winter season: Coriobactriaceae, Erysipelothrihaceae, and Mycoplasmataceae. The following communities were significantly larger in the winter season compared to in summer: Paraprevotellaceae, Butyrivibrio spp., Succiniclasticum spp., Coprococcus spp., Ruminococcus spp., and Pseudobutyrivibrio spp. In NAD (tundra), the following communities were significantly larger in comparison to YNAD (wooded tundra): Verrucomicrobia (Verruco-5), Anaerolinaceae, PeHg47 Planctomycetes, cellulolytic Lachnospiraceae, and Succiniclasticum spp. The following bacterial groups were significantly larger in YNAD in comparison to NAD: cellulolytic Ruminococaceae, Dehalobacteriaceae, Veillionelaceae, and Oscilospira spp. The significant differences in the ruminal microbial population were primarily related to the ingredients of diets, affected by region and season. The summer-related increases in the communities of certain pathogens (Mycoplasmataceae, Fusobacterium spp., Porphyromonas endodentalis) were found. Regional differences were primarily related to the ratio of the species involved in ruminal cellulose degradation and ruminal fatty acids metabolism; these differences reflect the regional dissimilarities in botanical diet ingredients.
Comparative Investigation of Composition, Antifungal, and Anti-Inflammatory Effects of the Essential Oil from Three Industrial Hemp Varieties from Italian Cultivation
Authors: Orlando Giustino , Adorisio Sabrina , Delfino Domenico , Chiavaroli Annalisa , Brunetti Luigi , Recinella Lucia , Leone Sheila , D’Antonio Marianna , Zengin Gokhan , Acquaviva Alessandra , Antico Mirko , Angelini Paola , Angeles Flores Giancarlo , Venanzoni Roberto , Tacchini Massimo , Di Simone Simonetta Cristina , Menghini Luigi , Ferrante Claudio
Published: March 2021

Industrial hemp is characterized by a huge amount of by-products, such as inflorescences, that may represent high-quality sources of biomolecules with pharmaceutical interest. In the present study, we have evaluated the phytochemical profile, including terpene and terpenophenolic compounds, of the essential oils (EOs) of Futura 75, Carmagnola selezionata and Eletta campana hemp varieties. The EOs were also tested for antifungal properties toward Trichophyton mentagrophytes, Trichophyton rubrum, Arthroderma crocatum, Arthroderma quadrifidum, Arthroderma gypseum, Arthroderma curreyi, and Arthroderma insingulare. In parallel, we investigated the inhibitory effects of the EOs against tyrosinase, and the production of prostaglandin E2 in isolated mouse skin exposed to hydrogen peroxide. In human H1299 lung adenocarcinoma cells, we also evaluated the influence of the EOs on the gene expression of angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (ACE2) and transmembrane protease serine 2 (TMPRSS2), which are involved in SARS-CoV-2 entry in human host. E-caryophyllene and α-pinene were the prominent terpenes in the EOs, whereas the cannabidiolic acid was the terpenophenol present at higher concentration. The EOs inhibited the growth of all tested dermatophytes species. In isolated skin specimens, EOs prevented the hydrogen-peroxide-induced synthesis of prostaglandin E2, consistent with the intrinsic antityrosinase activity. Finally, in H1299 cells, all tested EOs reduced the gene expression of ACE-2 and TMPRSS2, as well. Therefore, the present findings highlight the rationale for the use of the present EOs against infectious diseases.
Post Quantum Cryptographic Keys Generated with Physical Unclonable Functions
Authors: Cambou Bertrand , Gowanlock Michael , Yildiz Bahattin , Ghanaimiandoab Dina , Lee Kaitlyn , Nelson Stefan , Philabaum Christopher , Stenberg Alyssa , Wright Jordan
Published: March 2021

Lattice and code cryptography can replace existing schemes such as elliptic curve cryptography because of their resistance to quantum computers. In support of public key infrastructures, the distribution, validation and storage of the cryptographic keys is then more complex for handling longer keys. This paper describes practical ways to generate keys from physical unclonable functions, for both lattice and code-based cryptography. Handshakes between client devices containing the physical unclonable functions (PUFs) and a server are used to select sets of addressable positions in the PUFs, from which streams of bits called seeds are generated on demand. The public and private cryptographic key pairs are computed from these seeds together with additional streams of random numbers. The method allows the server to independently validate the public key generated by the PUF, and act as a certificate authority in the network. Technologies such as high performance computing, and graphic processing units can further enhance security by preventing attackers from making this independent validation when only equipped with less powerful computers.
DNA Nanodevices as Mechanical Probes of Protein Structure and Function
Authors: Stephanopoulos Nicholas , Šulc Petr
Published: March 2021

DNA nanotechnology has reported a wide range of structurally tunable scaffolds with precise control over their size, shape and mechanical properties. One promising application of these nanodevices is as probes for protein function or determination of protein structure. In this perspective we cover several recent examples in this field, including determining the effect of ligand spacing and multivalency on cell activation, applying forces at the nanoscale, and helping to solve protein structure by cryo-EM. We also highlight some future directions in the chemistry necessary for integrating proteins with DNA nanoscaffolds, as well as opportunities for computational modeling of hybrid protein-DNA nanomaterials.
Application of Visual Radiographic Analysis of Quality Grade of Table Eggs
Authors: Hsiao Wen-Tien , Lin Hsin-Hon , Lai Lu-Han
Published: March 2021

Digital radiography is currently the main method of medical imaging diagnosis. It also has a wide range of applications across different fields. This study used radiation to conduct non-destructive visual imaging, and further established a quantitative analysis for visual gray-scale images to determine changes in the quality of eggs. Eggs of the same weight with three quality classes were chosen according to the egg labels available on the market. Furthermore, a general medical X-ray digital imaging system was used to apply two-dimensional digital radiography. A photometric interpretation of monochrome gray-scale imaging established by the Digital Imaging and Communications in Medicine (DICOM) standard was used to conduct a quantitative stratification analysis of the matrix data visualization, along with one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) for quantitative statistics of the gray-scale values for the three structures, i.e., shell, air cell, and yolk. The statistical results showed that X-ray digital gray-scale images and a quantitative stratification analysis of the matrix data visualization results are less easily identified based on visual differences. In the quantitative statistical results of the one-way ANOVA gray-scale values, the whole-egg and in-egg quantitative matrix analysis both show p < 0.05. In the analysis of egg freshness, the quantitative statistics of the percentage of space occupied by the air cell in the eggs also showed p < 0.05. In addition, the results of the freshness of each egg were graded. The quality and freshness of the eggs can be quantitatively analyzed through radiographic imaging. The results of this study will provide a more scientific and quantitative reference for the quality and freshness of agricultural products in the future.
Movie Recommendation through Multiple Bias Analysis
Authors: Hwang Tae-Gyu , Kim Sung Kwon
Published: March 2021

A recommender system (RS) refers to an agent that recommends items that are suitable for users, and it is implemented through collaborative filtering (CF). CF has a limitation in improving the accuracy of recommendations based on matrix factorization (MF). Therefore, a new method is required for analyzing preference patterns, which could not be derived by existing studies. This study aimed at solving the existing problems through bias analysis. By analyzing users’ and items’ biases of user preferences, the bias-based predictor (BBP) was developed and shown to outperform memory-based CF. In this paper, in order to enhance BBP, multiple bias analysis (MBA) was proposed to efficiently reflect the decision-making in real world. The experimental results using movie data revealed that MBA enhanced BBP accuracy, and that the hybrid models outperformed MF and SVD++. Based on this result, MBA is expected to improve performance when used as a system in related studies and provide useful knowledge in any areas that need features that can represent users.
Improvement of Torque Performance and Energy Density of PM-Type Vernier Motor Utilizing Saddle Coil and Salient Pole
Authors: Chang Sungwoo , Niguchi Noboru , Lee Je-Hoon , Hirata Katsuhiro
Published: March 2021

In electric motors, the use of rare-earth magnets has been increasing rapidly. A stronger magnet force of the magnet enables the motor’s higher performance, resulting in the most high-performance motors generally using rare-earth magnets. However, these magnets have two crucial disadvantages: the potential restrictions on the supply of rare-earth magnetic materials and the sharp fluctuation in price. Thus, many recent researches focus on developing high-performance electric motors and reducing the use of critical rare-earth magnets. By increasing the torque density of the motor, we can reduce the use of permanent magnets. Focusing on this point, and we presented a double half permanent magnet (DHPM)-type vernier motor. This paper proposed a new saddle coil permanent magnet vernier motor with improved performance compared to its predecessor. The main feature of the proposed motor is that the permanent magnet and coil in the stator of a DHPM-type vernier motor is replaced by salient poles and saddle coils, respectively. We also investigate its characteristics through various simulations.
Shape Optimization of an Integrated Mast for RCS Reduction of a Stealth Naval Vessel
Authors: Shin Hokeun , Yoon Daeyeong , Kim Chanyeong , Yang Young Sub , Lee Man Gyu , Park Joon Young , Hwang Keum Cheol , Park Yong Bae
Published: March 2021

In this paper, we analyze the radar cross section (RCS) of an integrated mast and present the optimized mast shape for RCS reduction. The RCS is simulated using commercial electromagnetic (EM) software based on the shooting and bouncing rays (SBR) method and the diffraction fields at the edges are also considered. Threat frequencies, threat regions and cardinal points are first defined considering the operational environments of a naval vessel. We calculate and analyze the RCS of the integrated mast in terms of the threat frequencies, the shapes of the integrated mast and the direction and polarization of the incident waves. The shape of the integrated mast is optimized based on the shaping technique. The optimized mast has low RCS properties in the primary threat sectors except for the exceptional angle regions.
EvoSplit: An Evolutionary Approach to Split a Multi-Label Data Set into Disjoint Subsets
Authors: Florez-Revuelta Francisco
Published: March 2021

This paper presents a new evolutionary approach, EvoSplit, for the distribution of multi-label data sets into disjoint subsets for supervised machine learning. Currently, data set providers either divide a data set randomly or using iterative stratification, a method that aims to maintain the label (or label pair) distribution of the original data set into the different subsets. Following the same aim, this paper first introduces a single-objective evolutionary approach that tries to obtain a split that maximizes the similarity between those distributions independently. Second, a new multi-objective evolutionary algorithm is presented to maximize the similarity considering simultaneously both distributions (labels and label pairs). Both approaches are validated using well-known multi-label data sets as well as large image data sets currently used in computer vision and machine learning applications. EvoSplit improves the splitting of a data set in comparison to the iterative stratification following different measures: Label Distribution, Label Pair Distribution, Examples Distribution, folds and fold-label pairs with zero positive examples.
Rhodotorula Strains Isolated from Seawater That Can Biotransform Raw Glycerol into Docosahexaenoic Acid (DHA) and Carotenoids for Animal Nutrition
Authors: Pino-Maureira Natalie L. , González-Saldía Rodrigo R. , Capdeville Alejandro , Srain Benjamín
Published: March 2021

Due to the overexploitation of industrial fisheries, as the principal source of fish oil, as well as the increasing replacement of synthetic pigments for animal nutrition, we need to find sustainable sources for these essential nutrient productions. Marine Rhodotorula strains NCYC4007 and NCYC1146 were used to determine the biosynthesis of docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) and carotenoids by biotransforming raw glycerol, a waste product of biodiesel. To evaluate the presence of inhibitory substances in raw glycerol, both strains were also grown in the presence of analytical grade glycerol and glucose as the main carbon source separately. With raw glycerol, NCYC4007 showed a significant correlation between DHA production and intracellular phosphorous concentrations. NCYC1146, a new Rhodotorula strain genetically described in this work, can produce canthaxanthin but only when glycerol is used as a main carbon source. Then, NCYC4007 could synthesize DHA as a phospholipid, and the production of canthaxanthin depends on the kind of carbon source used by NCYC1146. Finally, malate dehydrogenase activity and glucose production can be used as a proxy of the metabolisms in these marine Rhodotorula. This is the first evidence that marine Rhodotorula are capable of synthesizing DHA and canthaxanthin using an alternative and low-cost source of carbon to potentially scale their sustainable production for animal nutrition.