bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
A Comparison of Photoprotective Mechanism in Different Light-Demanding Plants Under Dynamic Light Conditions
Authors: Shuang Sheng-Pu , Zhang Jin-Yan , Cun Zhu , Wu Hong-Min , Hong Jie , Chen Jun-Wen
Published: April 2022

Light intensity is highly heterogeneous in nature, and plants have evolved a series of strategies to acclimate to dynamic light due to their immobile lifestyles. However, it is still unknown whether there are differences in photoprotective mechanisms among different light-demanding plants in response to dynamic light, and thus the role of non-photochemical quenching (NPQ), electron transport, and light energy allocation of photosystems in photoprotection needs to be further understood in different light-demanding plants. The activities of photosystem II (PSII) and photosystem I (PSI) in shade-tolerant species Panax notoginseng, intermediate species Polygonatum kingianum, and sun-demanding species Erigeron breviscapus were comparatively measured to elucidate photoprotection mechanisms in different light-demanding plants under dynamic light. The results showed that the NPQ and PSII maximum efficiency (Fv′/Fm′) of E. breviscapus were higher than the other two species under dynamic high light. Meanwhile, cyclic electron flow (CEF) of sun plants is larger under transient high light conditions since the slope of post-illumination, P700 dark reduction rate, and plastoquinone (PQ) pool were greater. NPQ was more active and CEF was initiated more readily in shade plants than the two other species under transient light. Moreover, sun plants processed higher quantum yield of PSII photochemistry (ΦPSII), quantum yield of photochemical energy conversion [Y(I)], and quantum yield of non-photochemical energy dissipation due to acceptor side limitation (Y(NA), while the constitutive thermal dissipation and fluorescence (Φf,d) and quantum yield of non-photochemical energy dissipation due to donor side limitation [Y(ND)] of PSI were higher in shade plants. These results suggest that sun plants had higher NPQ and CEF for photoprotection under transient high light and mainly allocated light energy through ΦPSII and ΦNPQ, while shade plants had a higher Φf,d and a larger heat dissipation efficiency of PSI donor. Overall, it has been demonstrated that the photochemical efficiency and photoprotective capacity are greater in sun plants under transient dynamic light, while shade plants are more sensitive to transient dynamic light.
Both Two CtACO3 Transcripts Promoting the Accumulation of the Flavonoid Profiles in Overexpressed Transgenic Safflower
Authors: He Beixuan , Zhang Yanjie , Wang Lunuan , Guo Dandan , Jia Xinlei , Wu Jianhui , Qi Shuyi , Wu Hong , Gao Yue , Guo Meili
Published: April 2022

The unique flavonoids, quinochalcones, such as hydroxysafflor yellow A (HSYA) and carthamin, in the floret of safflower showed an excellent pharmacological effect in treating cardiocerebral vascular disease, yet the regulating mechanisms governing the flavonoid biosynthesis are largely unknown. In this study,CtACO3, the key enzyme genes required for the ethylene signaling pathway, were found positively related to the flavonoid biosynthesis at different floret development periods in safflower and has twoCtACO3transcripts,CtACO3-1andCtACO3-2, and the latter was a splice variant ofCtACO3that lacked 5’ coding sequences. The functions and underlying probable mechanisms of the two transcripts have been explored. The quantitative PCR data showed thatCtACO3-1andCtACO3-2were predominantly expressed in the floret and increased with floret development. Subcellular localization results indicated thatCtACO3-1 was localized in the cytoplasm, whereasCtACO3-2 was localized in the cytoplasm and nucleus. Furthermore, the overexpression ofCtACO3-1 orCtACO3-2 in transgenic safflower lines significantly increased the accumulation of quinochalcones and flavonols. The expression of the flavonoid pathway genes showed an upward trend, withCtCHS1,CtF3H1,CtFLS1, andCtDFR1was considerably induced in the overexpression ofCtACO3-1orCtACO3-2lines. An interesting phenomenon forCtACO3-2 protein suppressing the transcription ofCtACO3-1might be related to the nucleus location ofCtACO3-2. Yeast two-hybrid (Y2H), glutathioneS-transferase (GST) pull-down, and BiFC experiments revealed thatCtACO3-2 interacted withCtCSN5a. In addition, the interactions betweenCtCSN5a andCtCOI1,CtCOI1 andCtJAZ1,CtJAZ1 andCtbHLH3 were observed by Y2H and GST pull-down methods, respectively. The above results suggested that theCtACO3-2 promoting flavonoid accumulation might be attributed to the transcriptional activation of flavonoid biosynthesis genes byCtbHLH3, whereas theCtbHLH3 might be regulated throughCtCSN5-CtCOI1-CtJAZ1 signal molecules. Our study provided a novel insight ofCtACO3 affected the flavonoid biosynthesis in safflower.
Comparison of Pulegone and Estragole Chemotypes Provides New Insight Into Volatile Oil Biosynthesis of Agastache rugosa
Authors: Dang Jingjie , Lin Guyin , Liu Licheng , Zhou Peina , Shao Yongfang , Dai Shilin , Sang Mengru , Jiang Zheng , Liu Chanchan , Wu Qinan
Published: April 2022

The aerial parts of Agastache rugosa are rich in essential oils containing monoterpenoids, phenylpropanoids, and aromatic compounds. These are used as herbs, perfume plants, and ornamental plants. Based on the difference in the constituents of the essential oil, A. rugosa is divided into pulegone and estragole chemotypes, but the mechanism of key metabolite biosynthesis in these two A. rugosa chemotypes remains unclear. In this study, we compared the morphological differences, metabolite constituents, and transcriptomic data between the two chemotypes of A. rugosa. Monoterpenoid was the main compound in the pulegone chemotype, and phenylpropanoid was the main compound in the estragole chemotype; however, limonene was detected in both chemotypes. Furthermore, 46 genes related to pulegone and estragole biosynthesis were identified. Limonene synthase, limonene-3-hydroxylase, and isopiperitenol dehydrogenase were upregulated in the pulegone chemotype, while phenylalanine ammonia-lyase, 4-coumarate: CoA ligase, CYP73A, coumaroyl-aldehyde dehydrogenase, and eugenol synthase were downregulated in the pulegone chemotype. We identified chavicol methyl transferase and limonene-3-hydroxylase in A. rugosa. This work not only provides the difference in morphology and metabolites in pulegone and estragole chemotypes, but also offers a molecular mechanism of volatile oil biosynthesis, which could be a basis for specialized metabolites in specialized chemotypes.
Soil Moisture Variations in Response to Precipitation Across Different Vegetation Types on the Northeastern Qinghai-Tibet Plateau
Authors: Dai Licong , Fu Ruiyu , Guo Xiaowei , Du Yangong , Zhang Fawei , Cao Guangmin
Published: April 2022

An understanding of soil moisture conditions is crucial for hydrological modeling and hydrological processes. However, few studies have compared the differences between the dynamics of soil moisture content and soil moisture response to precipitation infiltration under different types of vegetation on the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau (QTP). In this study, a soil moisture sensor was used for continuous volumetric soil moisture measurements during 2015 and 2016, with the aim of exploring variations in soil moisture and its response to precipitation infiltration across two vegetation types (alpine meadow and alpine shrub). Our results showed that temporal variations in soil moisture at the surface (0–20 cm) and middle soil layers (40–60 cm) were consistent with precipitation patterns for both vegetation types. However, there was a clear lag in the soil moisture response to precipitation for the deep soil layers (80–100 cm). Soil moisture content was found to be significantly positively related to precipitation and negatively related to air temperature. Aboveground biomass was significantly negatively associated with the surface soil moisture content (0–20 cm) during the growing season. Statistically significant differences were observed between the soil water content of the surface, middle, and deep soil layers for the two vegetation types (p < 0.05). Soil moisture (19.81%) in the surface soil layer was significantly lower than that in the deep soil layer (24.75%) for alpine shrubs, and the opposite trend was observed for alpine meadows. The maximum infiltration depth of alpine shrubs was greater than that of alpine meadows under extremely high-precipitation events, which indicates that alpine shrubs might be less susceptible to surface runoff under extreme precipitation events. Furthermore, low precipitation amounts did not affect precipitation infiltration for either vegetation type, whereas the infiltration depth increased with precipitation for both vegetation types. Our results suggest that a series of small precipitation events may not have the same effect on soil moisture as a single large precipitation event that produces the equivalent total rainfall.
Transcriptomic Profiling Provides Molecular Insights Into Hydrogen Peroxide-Enhanced Arabidopsis Growth and Its Salt Tolerance
Authors: Zhang Qikun , Dai Xiuru , Wang Huanpeng , Wang Fanhua , Tang Dongxue , Jiang Chunyun , Zhang Xiaoyan , Guo Wenjing , Lei Yuanyuan , Ma Changle , Zhang Hui , Li Pinghua , Zhao Yanxiu , Wang Zenglan
Published: April 2022

Salt stress is an important environmental factor limiting plant growth and crop production. Plant adaptation to salt stress can be improved by chemical pretreatment. This study aims to identify whether hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) pretreatment of seedlings affects the stress tolerance of Arabidopsis thaliana seedlings. The results show that pretreatment with H2O2 at appropriate concentrations enhances the salt tolerance ability of Arabidopsis seedlings, as revealed by lower Na+ levels, greater K+ levels, and improved K+/Na+ ratios in leaves. Furthermore, H2O2 pretreatment improves the membrane properties by reducing the relative membrane permeability (RMP) and malonaldehyde (MDA) content in addition to improving the activities of antioxidant enzymes, including superoxide dismutase, and glutathione peroxidase. Our transcription data show that exogenous H2O2 pretreatment leads to the induced expression of cell cycle, redox regulation, and cell wall organization-related genes in Arabidopsis, which may accelerate cell proliferation, enhance tolerance to osmotic stress, maintain the redox balance, and remodel the cell walls of plants in subsequent high-salt environments.
The Relationship Between Social Mobility Belief and Learning Engagement in Adolescents: The Role of Achievement Goal Orientation and Psychological Capital
Authors: Xie Jin , Zhang Bo , Yao Zhendong , Peng Biao , Chen Hong , Gao Juan
Published: April 2022

Objective

To explore the relationship between adolescents’ social mobility belief and their learning engagement, as well as the mediating effect of achievement goal orientation and the moderating effect of psychological capital.

Method

A sample of 895 adolescents from Hunan, Jiangxi, Hainan, Henan, and Guangdong provinces were assessed using the social mobility belief questionnaire, the achievement goal orientation questionnaire, the adolescents’ psychological capital questionnaire, and the adolescents’ learning engagement questionnaire.

Results

First, adolescents’ social mobility belief was positively related to their learning engagement (r = 0.481, p < 0.01); Second, the two achievement goal orientations-mastery goal orientations and performance goal orientations-had mediating effects between social mobility belief and learning engagement (r = 0.603, p < 0.01; r = 0.367, p < 0.01); Third, the relationship between achievement goal orientation and learning engagement was regulated by psychological capital. Adolescents with high psychological capital had higher learning engagement (r = 0.684, p < 0.01).

Conclusion

Adolescents’ social mobility belief can directly affect their learning engagement, and it can also indirectly affect their learning engagement through achievement goal orientation moderated by their level of psychological capital. Our findings highlighted the importance of providing adolescents with guidance in setting up positive social values and definitions of success while stimulating their psychological capital as a part of the teaching process.
Look Behind Me! Highly Informative Picture Backgrounds Increase Stated Generosity Through Perceived Tangibility, Impact, and Warm Glow
Authors: Caserotti Marta , Vacondio Martina , Maze Maya , Priolo Giulia
Published: April 2022

In this study, we investigated whether background information of a visual charity appeal can influence people’s motivation to donate and the hypothetical amount donated. Specifically, participants were presented with a charity appeal to help a local hospital respond to the Coronavirus Disease-19 (COVID-19) emergency depicting a man sitting on a bed in a hospital room. The number of visual details (i.e., medical equipment) depicted in the background was manipulated according to three conditions: (1) “High information” condition (i.e., a room full of medical equipment), (2) “low information” condition (i.e., room with few pieces of medical equipment), and (3) “no information” condition (i.e., non-contextual background). We investigated whether the number of visual background details would have increased the tangibility of the cause measured as the hospital’s adequate preparedness to deal with the COVID-19 emergency and severity of the patient’s medical conditions. We also investigated whether increased tangibility, elicited by a higher amount of background information, would heighten participants’ perceived impact of their donation and warm glow, which in turn would have led to increased motivation to donate and the amount donated. We found no significant direct effect of condition on the donated amount. However, path models revealed that more background information positively influenced participants’ motivation to donate and the amount donated indirectly through increased tangibility, impact, and warm glow. Finally, we showed that a higher risk perception of COVID-19 was associated with higher donations. Results are discussed in line with relevant literature.
The Impact of Transformational Leadership on Affective Organizational Commitment and Job Performance: The Mediating Role of Employee Engagement
Authors: Jiatong Wang , Wang Zheng , Alam Mehboob , Murad Majid , Gul Fozia , Gill Shabeeb Ahmad
Published: April 2022

This study investigated the impact of transformational leadership on affective organizational commitment and job performance with the mediating role of employee engagement. This study gathered data from 845 hotel employees in China and the structural equation modeling technique was used to verify the results. The findings indicated that transformational leadership has a positive effect on affective organizational commitment and job performance. Meanwhile, results showed that employee engagement partially mediates in the relationship between transformational leadership, affective organizational commitment, and job performance. This study contributes to the research on transformational leadership in the Chinese hospitality sector and analyzes its effects on work performance metrics. Furthermore, theoretical and practical implications were also discussed in this article.
Causes of Stress Among Poles and How They Cope With Stress During the COVID-19 Pandemic
Authors: Twardowska-Staszek Estera , Biel Krzysztof , Rostek Irmina , Seredyńska Anna
Published: April 2022

This study aimed to learn about causes of stress among adult Poles and their ways of dealing with stress during the COVID-19 pandemic. A survey questionnaire was used, as well as two standardized research tools: Endler and Parker’s Coping Inventory for Stressful Situations (CISS), and Watson and Clark’s Positive and Negative Affect Schedule (PANAS). The research group comprised 595 people, including 80.5% women. They were 18–75 years old. The most important stress factors were concern for one’s health, as well as the current political and economic situation in the country. Most of the participants lean toward avoidance-oriented coping with stress, fewer of them prefer emotion-oriented coping, and the remaining ones focus on task-oriented coping. Task-oriented style is typical of those who are older, married and those who have children. Emotion-oriented coping is more common among women, young people, unmarried people and those without children. Avoidance-oriented style is connected with those who are single, childless, and combining study with work. The most adaptive style of dealing with stress in terms of emotions was task-oriented coping. Psychological support focused on strengthening adaptive strategies of coping with stressful situations is an important task for professionals in the field.
Molecular Imaging of Dopamine Partial Agonists in Humans: Implications for Clinical Practice
Authors: Hart Xenia M. , Schmitz Christian N. , Gründer Gerhard
Published: April 2022

Positron emission tomography (PET) has been used since the late 1980s for the assessment of relationships between occupancy of D2/3 receptors by antipsychotic drugs in the human brain and the clinical effects and side effects of these compounds in patients. It is now well established for most D2/3 antagonists, both of the first and the second generation, that the ideal occupancy of their target receptors is between approximately 65 and 80%. If the occupancy is below 65%, the probability of treatment response is reduced, if the occupancy is higher than 80%, the risk for extrapyramidal side-effects increases substantially. However, partial agonist antipsychotics behave different from these rules. It has been shown for all three available drugs of this class (aripiprazole, brexpiprazole, cariprazine) that, due to their special pharmacology, a very high target engagement (>90%) not only is not harmful but represents a prerequisite for antipsychotic efficacy. The available PET studies for these drugs are reviewed in this work. It is demonstrated that optimal plasma levels for partial agonist antipsychotics can be derived from these studies, which can guide individual treatment in routine patient care.
Working Hours, Sleep Disturbance and Self-Assessed Health in Men and Women: A Multilevel Analysis of 30 Countries in Europe
Authors: Mensah Aziz , Toivanen Susanna , Diewald Martin
Published: April 2022

Objectives

This study examined the gender and cross-country differences in the relationship between working hours and self-assessed health among working men and women in Europe, and further explored the moderating role of sleep disturbance in the relationship.

Methods

We used cross-sectional data from the 6th European Working Condition Survey on 14,603 men and 15,486 women across 30 countries in Europe. A multivariate logistic regression was applied to evaluate the relationship between working hours, sleep disturbance, and self- assessed health. In addition, we employed a two-stage multilevel logistic regression to assess the cross-country variations in the relationship between working hours and self-assessed health.

Results

The study showed a slightly U-shaped relationship between working hours and less-than-good self-assessed health among working adults in Europe (<31 h: aOR = 1.11; 95% CI: 1.00–1.25, 41–50 h: aOR = 0.98; 95% CI: 0.84–1.15, and 50+ h: aOR = 1.31; 95% CI: 1.07–1.59). However, working men had higher odds of reporting less-than-good self-assessed health as compared to women when they devote longer hours to paid work. The results further showed that there are cross-country variations in the association between working hours and less-than-good self-assessed health for both men and women, and that men had slightly lower variations as compared to women. Contrary to expectation, sleep disturbance did not moderate the relationship between working hours and less-than-good self-assessed health for both men and women in Europe.

Conclusions

Although there are gender differences and cross-country variations in the association between working hours and less-than-good self-assessed health, sleep disturbance did not moderate the associations. These findings underscore the importance for strict work time regulation and generous work-family policies that may promote good working conditions and health.
Using Pandemic Data to Examine the Government's Pandemic Prevention Measures and Its Support Policies for Vulnerable Groups
Authors: Li Xuefeng , Fang Yaping , Chen Guoliang , Liu Zhaohui
Published: April 2022

The outbreak of COVID-19 and the uncertainty it brings have created enormous pressure on governments to control the global pandemic and restore economic growth. It is an inevitable choice for governments of various countries to seek to control the pandemic and to provide support such as subsidies to people who lose their jobs or cannot work. However, governments should evaluate their pandemic policies to determine their effectiveness. To maintain social stability and help vulnerable groups, governments also must determine when subsidies are needed and when these support policies should be withdrawn. This research demonstrates that the administration of vaccines and the wearing of masks have a relatively limited impact on preventing the spread of the COVID-19 virus. By contrast, strict school closure policies combined with personal movement restrictions are more helpful in mitigating the spread of the virus. Compared with vaccine policies and wearing masks, controlling internal movement is the most effective way to manage the pandemic in schools. Additionally, economic support such as subsidies for the unemployed and underemployed is not only conducive to prevention of the virus' spread but also to economic recovery and social stability. When the pandemic is brought under control, economic support for vulnerable groups can be gradually reduced or even withdrawn.
Auditory Survey of Endangered Eurasian Bittern Using Microphone Arrays and Robot Audition
Authors: Matsubayashi Shiho , Nakadai Kazuhiro , Suzuki Reiji , Ura Tatsuya , Hasebe Makoto , Okuno Hiroshi G.
Published: April 2022

Bioacoustics monitoring has become increasingly popular for studying the behavior and ecology of vocalizing birds. This study aims to verify the practical effectiveness of localization technology for auditory monitoring of endangered Eurasian bittern (Botaurus stellaris) which inhabits wetlands in remote areas with thick vegetation. Their crepuscular and highly secretive nature, except during the breeding season when they vocalize advertisement calls, make them difficult to monitor. Because of the increasing rates of habitat loss, surveying accurate numbers and their habitat needs are both important conservation tasks. We investigated the feasibility of localizing their booming calls, at a low frequency range between 100–200 Hz, using microphone arrays and robot audition HARK (Honda Research Institute, Audition for Robots with Kyoto University). We first simulated sound source localization of actual bittern calls for microphone arrays of radii 10 cm, 50 cm, 1 m, and 10 m, under different noise levels. Second, we monitored bitterns in an actual field environment using small microphone arrays (height = 12 cm; width = 8 cm), in the Sarobetsu Mire, Hokkaido Island, Japan. The simulation results showed that the spectral detectability was higher for larger microphone arrays, whereas the temporal detectability was higher for smaller microphone arrays. We identified that false detection in smaller microphone arrays, which was coincidentally generated in the calculation proximate to the transfer function for the opposite side. Despite technical limitations, we successfully localized booming calls of at least two males in a reverberant wetland, surrounded by thick vegetation and riparian trees. This study is the first case of localizing such rare birds using small-sized microphone arrays in the field, thereby presenting how this technology could contribute to auditory surveys of population numbers, behaviors, and microhabitat selection, all of which are difficult to investigate using other observation methods. This methodology is not only useful for the better understanding of bitterns, but it can also be extended to investigate other rare nocturnal birds with low-frequency vocalizations, without direct ringing or tagging. Our results also suggest a future necessity for a robust localization system to avoid reverberation and echoing in the field, resulting in the false detection of the target birds.
Integrating Brain Imaging Results to Better Understand Autism
Authors: May Kaitlyn E. , Kana Rajesh K.
Published: April 2022

In this article, we will describe a big summary (called a meta-analysis) of 16 brain mapping studies in people with autism spectrum disorder. People with autism often have difficulty with activities like decision-making, planning, and switching between tasks, which are called executive function (EF) activities. We found that certain parts of the brain become more activated when EF activities are being performed. In people with autism, these brain regions do not seem to communicate as well during EF activities as they do in people without autism. It is possible that these differences in the patterns of brain activity might be a big reason why individuals with autism tend to have trouble with executive function tasks.
Which Role for Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy in the Treatment of Fournier's Gangrene? A Retrospective Study
Authors: Tutino Roberta , Colli Francesco , Rizzo Giovanna , Bonventre Sebastiano , Scerrino Gregorio , Salamone Giuseppe , Melfa Giuseppina , Orlando Giuseppina , Gallo Gaetano , Santarelli Mauro , Massani Marco , Cocorullo Gianfranco
Published: April 2022

Purpose

In Fournier's gangrene, surgical debridement plus antimicrobial therapy is the mainstay of treatment but can cause a great loss of tissue. The disease needs long hospital stays and, despite all, has a high mortality rate. The aim of our study is to investigate if factors, such as hyperbaric therapy, can offer an improvement in prognosis.

Methods

We retrospectively evaluated data on 23 consecutive patients admitted for Fournier's gangrene at the University Hospital “P. Giaccone” of Palermo from 2011 to 2018. Factors related to length of hospital stay and mortality were examined.

Results

Mortality occurred in three patients (13.1%) and was correlated with the delay between admission and surgical operation [1.7 days (C.I. 0.9–3.5) in patients who survived vs. 6.8 days (C.I. 3.5–13.4) in patients who died (p = 0.001)]. Hospital stay was longer in patients treated with hyperbaric oxygen therapy [mean 11 (C.I. 0.50–21.89) vs. mean 25 (C.I. 18.02–31.97); p = 0.02] without an improvement in survival (p = 1.00).

Conclusion

Our study proves that a delay in the treatment of patients with Fournier's gangrene has a correlation with the mortality rate, while the use of hyperbaric oxygen therapy seems to not improve the survival rate, increasing the hospital stay instead.
Effect of Stagger on Low-Speed Performance of Busemann Biplane Airfoil
Authors: Nguyen Thai Duong , Kashitani Masashi , Taguchi Masato , Kusunose Kazuhiro
Published: April 2022

In this study, the low-speed performances of the Busemann biplane were clarified, focusing on the relative contributions of the upper and lower elements to the total aerodynamic characteristics of the biplane. Also, the effects of the staggered biplane, which changes the horizontal distance between two wings in a biplane configuration, were investigated by balance measurements and numerical simulations. The flow velocity was 15 m/s, and the Reynolds number based on the airfoil chord length was 2.1 × 105. In the tests of the integrated biplane wing, the attack angles of the wing elements were varied by a balance system and turntable, which were set in the wind tunnel sidewall. The results show that the lower element generated most of the lift and drag of the Busemann biplane (or the baseline biplane model with no stagger) at high angles of attack. At angles above 20 deg, the contribution of the lower element to total aerodynamic characteristics is almost constant, with 95% of the total lift and 88% of the total drag. The total lift and drag of the baseline model were smaller than the sum of the individual elements that were treated as a single configuration. The increments of lift and drag due to the stagger effects were confirmed, especially at high angles of attack. When the stagger value increases, the high-pressure area near the leading edge of the lower surface of the upper element also increases, which increases the lift and drag of the up-per element. This is the main reason for the increments of total lift and drag of the biplane model. The stagger effects also prevented the leading-edge separation of the lower element in the biplane configuration and increased the lift slopes of the biplane model.
Antifungal Activity of Methylxanthines against Grapevine Trunk Diseases
Authors: Sánchez-Hernández Eva , Andrés-Juan Celia , Buzón-Durán Laura , Correa-Guimaraes Adriana , Martín-Gil Jesús , Martín-Ramos Pablo
Published: April 2022

Methylxanthines, found in the seeds, leaves, and fruits of some plants, are receiving increasing attention as promising treatments for wood-degrading fungi. The aim of the study presented herein was to explore the potential applications of caffeine, four caffeine derivatives (viz. 8-bromo-caffeine, 8-iodo-caffeine, 8-(4-fluorophenoxy)-caffeine, and 8-(2,3,5,6-tetrafluoroalcoxy)-caffeine), and theophylline as antifungals for Botryosphaeriaceae species associated with grapevine trunk diseases (GTDs). In vitro susceptibility tests were conducted to assess the antimycotic activity of the aforementioned compounds and their conjugated complexes with chitosan oligomers (COS). Caffeine, Br-caffeine, and I-caffeine exhibited higher efficacies than imidazole, the chosen antifungal control. Moreover, a strong synergistic behavior between COS and the methylxanthine derivatives was observed. The COS–I-caffeine complex showed the best overall performance against the phytopathogenic fungi with EC90 values of 471, 640, and 935 µg mL−1 for D. seriata, D. viticola, and N. parvum, respectively. In a second step, combinations of the new treatments with imidazole were also explored, resulting in further activity enhancement and EC90 values of 425, 271, and 509 mL−1 against D. seriata, D. viticola, and N. parvum, respectively, for the COS–I-caffeine-imidazole ternary compound. Given the high in vitro efficacy of these formulations for the control of GTDs, they may deserve further investigation with in vivo and field bioassays as an alternative to conventional fungicides.
Yield, Quality and Nitrogen Use of Forage Maize under Different Nitrogen Application Rates in Two Boreal Locations
Authors: Liimatainen Anniina , Sairanen Auvo , Jaakkola Seija , Kokkonen Tuomo , Kuoppala Kaisa , Jokiniemi Tapani , Mäkelä Pirjo
Published: April 2022

Research focusing on the nitrogen (N) application and N use of forage maize (Zea mays L.) in the boreal region is either limited or non-existent. The aim of this study was to investigate the response of yield, quality and N recovery efficiency (NRE) of forage maize to an increase in the N application rate and different climatic conditions in two locations in Finland. The field experiment was conducted in southern (Helsinki; 60° N) and central (Maaninka; 63° N) Finland in 2019 and 2020. Dry matter (DM) yield, forage quality and NRE were determined for N application rates of 100, 150 and 200 N kg ha−1. The DM yield was similar to all studied N application rates. Moreover, there were no marked differences in the studied forage quality traits or the NRE following the N application rates. However, the NRE of maize was generally low at 45%. The current study recommends a N application rate of 100–150 N kg ha−1 for forage maize in the boreal region. There is no need to increase the N application from current recommendations since climate conditions seem to limit the growth, development and NRE of forage maize. The observed low NRE of forage maize warrants further research in the future.
Non-Essential Elements and Their Role in Sustainable Agriculture
Authors: Nunes da Silva Marta , Machado Joana , Osorio Jazmin , Duarte Rafael , Santos Carla S.
Published: April 2022

Agricultural systems are constantly under environmental pressure, and the continuous rise of the global population requires an increasingly intensification of agronomical productivity. To meet the current global food demand, particularly in depleted ecosystems under adverse climate conditions, the development of novel agronomical practices, which ensure crop productivity while safeguarding minimal impact to the environment, must be encouraged. Since aluminium (Al), cobalt (Co), selenium (Se), silicon (Si) and sodium (Na) are not essential to plant metabolism, their benefits are often neglected or underestimated in agriculture; however, several studies support their advantages in sustainable agriculture when properly employed. The agronomical uses of these elements have been studied in the last decades, delivering important cues for the improvement of food and feed production worldwide due to beneficial effects in plant growth and productivity, nutrient balance, pest and pathogen resistance, water stress management, heavy-metal toxicity alleviation, and postharvest performance. However, their application has not been addressed as part of a holistic conservation strategy that supports the sustainability of agroecosystems. Here, we discuss the potential use of these elements in sustainable agriculture, and the knowledge gaps that hinder their effective integration into agronomical practices, which result in equally profitable applications while supporting environmental sustainability.
Dosing Colistimethate Every 8 h Results in Higher Plasma Concentrations of Active Colistin Than Every 12-Hourly Dosing without Increase in Nephrotoxicity: A Phase 1 Pharmacokinetics Trial in Healthy Adult Volunteers
Authors: Yendewa George A. , Griffiss John McLeod , Gray Wesley A. , Healen Amanda , Proskin Howard M. , Fulton Scott A. , O’Riordan Mary Ann , Hoppel Charles , Blumer Jeffrey L. , Salata Robert A.
Published: April 2022

Despite its use for decades, pharmacokinetic (PK) and safety studies on colistin are limited. We conducted a phase l, open-label trial to evaluate the safety and PK of multiple doses of intravenous (IV) and aerosolized colistimethate sodium (CMS) administered separately and in combination. In total, 31 healthy adults were enrolled into three cohorts of 9, 10, and 12 participants, respectively. Each cohort received increasing doses of CMS over three dosing periods as follows: Period 1 (IV only), 2.5 mg/kg every 12 h (q12h) to 3.3 mg/kg every 8 h (q8h); Period 2 (aerosolized only), 75 mg 2–4 doses, and Period 3 (combined IV aerosolized), in which was Periods 1 and 2 combined. Safety assessments, serum and lung concentrations of colistin analytes (colistin A, colistin B, CMS A, and CMS B), and kidney biomarkers were measured at specified time points. Increasing the CMS dose from 2.5 mg/kg q12h to q8h resulted in a 33% increase in serum colistin A concentrations from 3.9 μg/mL to 5.3 μg/mL—well above the accepted target of 2 μg/mL for 6 h after dosing, without evidence of nephrotoxicity. However, there was an increase in neurotoxicity, primarily perioral and lingual paresthesias, and self-limited ataxia. IV administration did not increase the lung concentrations of colistin.
Theoretical and Experimental Studies of Phosphonium Ionic Liquids as Potential Antibacterials of MDR Acinetobacter baumannii
Authors: Metelytsia Larysa O. , Hodyna Diana M. , Semenyuta Ivan V. , Kovalishyn Vasyl V. , Rogalsky Sergiy P. , Derevianko Kateryna Yu , Brovarets Volodymyr S. , Tetko Igor V.
Published: April 2022

A previously developed model to predict antibacterial activity of ionic liquids against a resistant A. baumannii strain was used to assess activity of phosphonium ionic liquids. Their antioxidant potential was additionally evaluated with newly developed models, which were based on public data. The accuracy of the models was rigorously evaluated using cross-validation as well as test set prediction. Six alkyl triphenylphosphonium and alkyl tributylphosphonium bromides with the C8, C10, and C12 alkyl chain length were synthesized and tested in vitro. Experimental studies confirmed their activity against A. baumannii as well as showed pronounced antioxidant properties. These results suggest that phosphonium ionic liquids could be promising lead structures against A. baumannii.
A Smart-Mutual Decentralized System for Long-Term Care
Authors: Chou Hsien-Ming
Published: April 2022

Existing caretakers of long-term care are assigned constrainedly and randomly to taking care of older people, which could lead to issues of shortage of manpower and poor human quality, especially the proportion of older people increases year after year to let long-term care become more and more important. In addition, due to different backgrounds, inadequate caregivers may cause older people to suffer from spiritual alienation under the current system. Most of the existing studies present a centralized architecture, but even if technology elements are incorporated, such as cloud center services or expert systems, it is still impossible to solve the above-mentioned challenges. This study moves past the centralized architecture and attempts to use the decentralized architecture with Artificial Intelligence and Blockchain technology to refine the model of providing comprehensive care for older people. Using the proposed mapping mutual clustering algorithm in this study, the positions of caregivers and older people can be changed at any time based on the four main background elements: risk level, physiology, medical record, and demography. In addition, this study uses the proposed long-term care decentralized architecture algorithm to solve the stability of care records with transparency to achieve the effect of continuous tracking. Based on previous records, it can also dynamically change the new matching mode. The main contribution of this research is the proposal of an innovative solution to the problem of mental alienation, insufficient manpower, and the privacy issue. In addition, this study evaluates the proposed method through practical experiments. The corporation features have been offered and evaluated with user perceptions by a one-sample t-test; the proposed algorithm to the research model also has been compared with not putting it into the model through ANOVA analysis to get that all hypotheses are supported. The results reveal a high level of accuracy of the proposed mutual algorithm forecasting and positive user perceptions from the post-study questionnaire. As an emerging research topic, this study undoubtedly provides an important research basis for scholars and experts who are interested in continued related research in the future.
Research on Output Voltage Stability of Non-Contact Excitation Motor
Authors: Li Ke , Meng Xuan , Sun Xiaodong
Published: April 2022

In recent years, electric vehicles have developed rapidly. However, many electric cars are equipped with permanent magnet synchronous motors. Permanent magnet synchronous motors have several disadvantages: For example, permanent magnets tend to demagnetize at high temperatures. Electrically excited synchronous motors have several excellent properties. First, they are cheaper because the stator and rotor of the motor only need to be wound, which is more affordable than permanent magnets for speed regulation. When the armature current reaches the maximum value, the excitation current can also be adjusted for speed regulation, which makes the speed regulation more flexible. In the case of a short circuit, the corresponding direct-axis current is smaller than the quadrature-axis current, so the fault tolerance is better. Since the traditional electric excitation motor has brushes and slips rings, sparks will be generated during commutation. Therefore, a new excitation method is adopted to make non-contact motor excitation, and the motor operation is safer and more environmentally friendly. At the same time, to ensure that the output power of the non-contact electric excitation motor remains stable, a step-down circuit and power-type fast discrete terminal sliding mode control are added after the full-bridge rectifier circuit to make the excitation current and voltage output of the motor more stable. That is, the output power reaches a steady production. In this paper, an improved sliding mode control algorithm is used to stabilize the output voltage of the non-contact excitation motor, which can still ensure the stable output of the voltage when the equivalent load changes. It is confirmed that the non-contact excitation motor can be applied to various complex situations, and the proposed algorithm is simulated and experimentally verified to verify the accuracy of the proposed algorithm.
The Applications of Plasma Techniques II
Authors: Jasiński Mariusz
Published: April 2022

This Special Issue “The Applications of Plasma Techniques II” in the section “Optics and Lasers” of the journal Applied Sciences is intended to provide a description of devices and processes related to plasma applications in the broad sense [...]
PIFNet: 3D Object Detection Using Joint Image and Point Cloud Features for Autonomous Driving
Authors: Zheng Wenqi , Xie Han , Chen Yunfan , Roh Jeongjin , Shin Hyunchul
Published: April 2022

Owing to its wide range of applications, 3D object detection has attracted increasing attention in computer vision tasks. Most existing 3D object detection methods are based on Lidar point cloud data. However, these methods have some limitations in localization consistency and classification confidence, due to the irregularity and sparsity of Light Detection and Ranging (LiDAR) point cloud data. Inspired by the complementary characteristics of Lidar and camera sensors, we propose a new end-to-end learnable framework named Point-Image Fusion Network (PIFNet) to integrate the LiDAR point cloud and camera images. To resolve the problem of inconsistency in the localization and classification, we designed an Encoder-Decoder Fusion (EDF) module to extract the image features effectively, while maintaining the fine-grained localization information of objects. Furthermore, a new effective fusion module is proposed to integrate the color and texture features from images and the depth information from the point cloud. This module can enhance the irregularity and sparsity problem of the point cloud features by capitalizing the fine-grained information from camera images. In PIFNet, each intermediate feature map is fed into the fusion module to be integrated with its corresponding point-wise features. Furthermore, point-wise features are used instead of voxel-wise features to reduce information loss. Extensive experiments using the KITTI dataset demonstrate the superiority of PIFNet over other state-of-the-art methods. Compared with several state-of-the-art methods, our approach outperformed by 1.97% in mean Average Precision (mAP) and by 2.86% in Average Precision (AP) for the hard cases on the KITTI 3D object detection benchmark.
Abnormal Conductive State Identification of the Copper Rod in a Nickel Electrolysis Procedure Based on Infrared Image Features and Position Characteristics
Authors: Sun Rui , Qin Gang , Li Gaibian , Hu Jinbao , Xiong Jingqi , Xu Huanwei
Published: April 2022

In the nickel electrolysis industry, detection of the conductive state of copper rods is an important part of production procedure management, as abnormal conductive states of the copper rod result in a decline in the quality of the electrodeposited nickel plate. Conventional treatment consists of manual detection and handing, which is inefficient and induces more problems, such as the safety of the insulation. Because abnormal conductive states are only located between the copper rod and busbar, it has obvious position characteristics, and abnormal conductive states also induce a calorific difference in a particular area, which can be detected in an infrared image. We can use the infrared feature and position characteristics to identify the abnormal conductive faults. This paper introduces a method and practice for the identification of abnormal conductive faults in a conductive copper rod in the nickel electrolysis procedure using computer vision theory, including infrared image segmentation with position characteristics, infrared feature extraction, and conductive fault identification with SVM (support vector machine). The result shows that the method can divide the conductive states of the copper rod into abnormal heating conditions, normal operating conditions, and open circuit conditions, with a 90% accuracy rate on the obtained samples.
Durability of Glass Fiber Reinforced Cement (GRC) Containing a High Proportion of Pozzolans
Authors: Lalinde Luis Felipe , Mellado Ana , Borrachero María Victoria , Monzó José , Payá Jordi
Published: April 2022

Glass fiber reinforced cement (GRC) is an excellent composite for architects and engineers because it can be molded to produce laminar panels or to create complicated designs. GRC is a fine concrete reinforced with alkali-resistant glass fibers at 3–5% per mass. However, fiber durability is limited because of the aggressiveness of the alkaline medium produced during Portland cement hydration (effect of portlandite). The objective of this study is to assess GRC with high Portland cement replacement with pozzolans (ground fly ash or a mixture of ground fly ash and sonicated silica fume) in order to reduce the corrosion of the fibers. The selected high-content pozzolan (60% replacement) composites were tested under different conditions: aging, drying–wetting, freezing–thawing, and chemical attack (ammonium chloride and sulfuric acid). The modulus of rupture and toughness were determined. Composite behavior showed that the samples with pozzolans not only better resisted aging, but also physical and chemical attacks, and specimens presented a better modulus of rupture and toughness than the samples prepared with 100% Portland cement (control specimens). Due to the good behavior in durability terms, the high pozzolan content GRC products are suitable in potential corrosive environments for sunscreens, drainage channels, cable trays, sound barriers, or pavements.
Studies and Experimental Research in the Evaluation of TV2-117A Turboshaft Engine Working Regimes
Authors: Catană Răzvan Marius , Dediu Gabriel , Tărăbîc Cornel Mihai
Published: April 2022

The paper presents a detailed study of certain working regimes of a TV2-117A turboshaft engine, based on practical research using experimental data following the engine run tests. The engine run tests were made into the test bench, using a hydraulic dynamometer to vary the load on the free power turbine and to measure the main working turbine parameters, and by operating the dynamometer, different engine working regimes are obtained. To accomplish the experimental tests, the execution of an additional instrumentation of the engine was conducted and, through a digital acquisition and controller system, a series of engine parameters were measured. The detailed study of the working regimes concerned the examination of a variation of the engine main parameters and performances at various regimes, from the idle (a) to the takeoff (b), including cruise (b) and maximum continuous (c) regimes, and presented the actual values and curve variation diagrams of the measured data and the experimental results in order to create a base comparison with the regimes values from the engine manual.
Hannelore Emmi Saraph (1936–2020): Her Life in Atomic Physics
Authors: Peach Gillian , Lynas-Gray Anthony Eugene , Mendoza Claudio , Taylor Kenneth T. , Tennyson Jonathan
Published: April 2022

Hannelore Emmi Saraph (Figure 1, and hereafter “Hannelore”) was an atomic physicist based at University College London [...]