bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Roasting and Cacao Origin Affect the Formation of Volatile Organic Sulfur Compounds in 100% Chocolate
Authors: Wiedemer Aaron M. , McClure Alan P. , Leitner Erich , Hopfer Helene
Published: March 2023

Chocolate is a highly appreciated food that develops its characteristic flavors in large part during the roasting of cacao beans. Many functional classes have been noted for their importance to chocolate flavor, including volatile organic sulfur compounds (VSCs). Despite this, the effect of roasting on the concentration of VSCs has never been thoroughly assessed. Here, we studied the effects of roasting temperature, time, and cacao origin on the formation of VSCs. Twenty-seven 100% chocolate samples made from cacao from three different origins and roasted according to an I-optimal experimental design were analyzed by comprehensive gas chromatography with sulfur-selective detection (GCxGC-SCD). For two compounds, dimethyl disulfide and dimethyl trisulfide, the effects of roasting time, roasting temperature, and cacao origin were modelled using response surface methodology and semi-quantified relative concentration. Overall, roasting increased the number of sulfur-containing volatiles present in chocolate, with a total of 28 detected, far more than previously thought. Increased roasting time and especially roasting temperature were found to significantly increase the concentration of VSCs (p < 0.05), while cacao origin effects were only seen for dimethyl disulfide (p < 0.05). The identity of most VSCs remains tentative, and more research is needed to unravel the impact of these volatiles on flavor perception in chocolate.
EEG Correlates of Distractions and Hesitations in Human–Robot Interaction: A LabLinking Pilot Study
Authors: Richter Birte , Putze Felix , Ivucic Gabriel , Brandt Mara , Schütze Christian , Reisenhofer Rafael , Wrede Britta , Schultz Tanja
Published: March 2023

In this paper, we investigate the effect of distractions and hesitations as a scaffolding strategy. Recent research points to the potential beneficial effects of a speaker’s hesitations on the listeners’ comprehension of utterances, although results from studies on this issue indicate that humans do not make strategic use of them. The role of hesitations and their communicative function in human-human interaction is a much-discussed topic in current research. To better understand the underlying cognitive processes, we developed a human–robot interaction (HRI) setup that allows the measurement of the electroencephalogram (EEG) signals of a human participant while interacting with a robot. We thereby address the research question of whether we find effects on single-trial EEG based on the distraction and the corresponding robot’s hesitation scaffolding strategy. To carry out the experiments, we leverage our LabLinking method, which enables interdisciplinary joint research between remote labs. This study could not have been conducted without LabLinking, as the two involved labs needed to combine their individual expertise and equipment to achieve the goal together. The results of our study indicate that the EEG correlates in the distracted condition are different from the baseline condition without distractions. Furthermore, we could differentiate the EEG correlates of distraction with and without a hesitation scaffolding strategy. This proof-of-concept study shows that LabLinking makes it possible to conduct collaborative HRI studies in remote laboratories and lays the first foundation for more in-depth research into robotic scaffolding strategies.
Study of the Genetic Expression of Antiretroviral Restriction Factors and Acute Phase Proteins in Cattle Infected with Bovine Leukemia Virus
Authors: González-Méndez Ana S. , Tórtora Pérez Jorge L. , Rojas-Anaya Edith , Ramírez Álvarez Hugo
Published: March 2023

The goal of this study was to analyze the genetic expression of antiretroviral restriction factors (ARF) and acute phase proteins (APP), as well as their correlation with proviral and viral loads in cattle with aleukemic (AL) and persistent lymphocytosis (PL). Complete blood samples were collected from a herd of dairy cows, and we extracted genetic material from peripheral blood leukocytes. Absolute quantification of the expression of ARF (APOBEC-Z1, Z2, and Z3; HEXIM-1, HEXIM-2, and BST2) and APP (haptoglobin (HP), and serum amyloid A (SAA)) was performed by qPCR. Statistical significance was observed in the expression of APOBEC-Z3 in BLV-infected animals. We only found positive correlations with a strong expression of the ARF genes in the AL group. The participation of APOBEC (Z1 and Z3), HEXIM-1, and HEXIM-2 was more frequently identified in BLV-infected animals. HEXIM-2 showed active gene expression in the AL group. Although the expression of ARF in early stages of infection (AL) maintains an important participation, in late stages (PL) it seems to have little relevance.
Gamma-Aminobutyric Acid Enhances Cadmium Phytoextraction by Coreopsis grandiflora by Remodeling the Rhizospheric Environment
Authors: Huang Yingqi , Li Boqun , Chen Huafang , Li Jingxian , Xu Jianchu , Li Xiong
Published: March 2023

Gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA) significantly affects plant responses to heavy metals in hydroponics or culture media, but its corresponding effects in plant–soil systems remain unknown. In this study, different GABA dosages (0–8 g kg−1) were added to the rhizosphere of Coreopsis grandiflora grown in Cd-contaminated soils. Cd accumulation in the shoots of C. grandiflora was enhanced by 38.9–159.5% by GABA in a dose-dependent approach because of accelerated Cd absorption and transport. The increase in exchangeable Cd transformed from Fe-Mn oxide and carbonate-bound Cd, which may be mainly driven by decreased soil pH rather than GABA itself, could be a determining factor responsible for this phenomenon. The N, P, and K availability was affected by multiple factors under GABA treatment, which may regulate Cd accommodation and accumulation in C. grandiflora. The rhizospheric environment dynamics remodeled the bacterial community composition, resulting in a decline in overall bacterial diversity and richness. However, several important plant growth-promoting rhizobacteria, especially Pseudomonas and Sphingomonas, were recruited under GABA treatment to assist Cd phytoextraction in C. grandiflora. This study reveals that GABA as a soil amendment remodels the rhizospheric environment (e.g., soil pH and rhizobacteria) to enhance Cd phytoextraction in plant–soil systems.
The Combined Use of Liquid Fertilizer and Urease/Nitrification Inhibitors on Maize Yield, Nitrogen Loss and Utilization in the Mollisol Region
Authors: Li Xiaoyu , Zhang Xiaoyan , Wang Shaojie , Hou Wenfeng , Yan Li
Published: March 2023

Nitrification inhibitor (NI) and urease inhibitor (UI) with fertilizer have the potential to reduce nitrogen (N) loss as well as improve grain yields. Urea–ammonium nitrate (UAN) solution as liquid fertilizer is superior to conventional solid nitrogen (N) fertilizer in terms of fertilizer efficiency, energy savings, environmental pollution reduction and economic benefits. However, comprehensive assessments of UAN with inhibitors from an environmental and agronomy perspective, including insights into the mechanisms of UAN with inhibitors, are lacking. In a field trial, three single-inhibitor and two double-inhibitor (DI) treatments were set to quantify the grain yield, the N losses and the N recovery efficiency of maize treated with urea supplemented with dicyandiamide (DCD), 3,4-dimethylpyrazole phosphate (DMPP) and N-(n-butyl) thiophosphoric triamide (NBPT). Compared with the UAN treatment, the supply of urease inhibitors reduced NH3 emission by 13.0% but increased N2O emission by 13.0%. The supply of nitrification inhibitors delayed the conversion of ammonium N to nitrate N and improved NH3 emission by 23.5–28.7%, but reduced N2O emission by 31.4% and significantly increased the maize yield by 21.3%. The combined use of NBPT and DCD were not compatible in UAN and cannot achieve the maximum potential for optimizing yields and reducing nitrogen losses. Considering the grain yield, the N use efficiency and the N losses, the combined use of NBPT and DMPP in maize production system significantly improved the grain yield and N use efficiency, as well as reduced N losses.
Development of an In-Field Real-Time LAMP Assay for Rapid Detection of Tomato Leaf Curl New Delhi Virus
Authors: Caruso Andrea Giovanni , Ragona Arianna , Bertacca Sofia , Montoya Mauricio Alejandro Marin , Panno Stefano , Davino Salvatore
Published: March 2023

Tomato leaf curl New Delhi virus (ToLCNDV) represents a threat to economically important horticultural crops. A real-time loop-mediated isothermal amplification (LAMP) assay for in-field ToLCNDV detection was developed, coupled to a rapid sample preparation method, and tested both in field and laboratory conditions on zucchini squash, tomato, and pepper samples. A set of six LAMP primers was designed for specific ToCLNDV detection, targeting a 218-nucleotide sequence within the AV1 gene. The sensitivity, specificity and accuracy of the real-time LAMP assay and comparison with canonical PCR were evaluated. The real-time LAMP assay developed was about one-thousand times more sensitive than the conventional PCR method, detecting a total of 4.41 × 102 genome copies as minimum target; no cross-reactivity was detected with the other geminiviruses used as the outgroup. The rapid sample preparation method allows for a reliable detection with a low reaction delay (≈2–3 min) compared to canonical DNA extraction, providing results in less than 45 min. Lastly, an increase in ToLCNDV-positive sample detection was observed compared to PCR, in particular for asymptomatic plants (85% and 71.6%, respectively). The real-time LAMP assay developed is a rapid, simple, specific, and sensitive technique for ToLCNDV detection, and it can be adopted as a routine test, for both in-field and laboratory conditions.
Optimizing Agronomic, Environmental, Health and Economic Performances in Summer Maize Production through Fertilizer Nitrogen Management Strategies
Authors: Zhang Ling , Zhang Wu-Shuai , Meng Qing-Feng , Hu Yun-Cai , Schmidhalter Urs , Zhong Cheng-Hu , Zou Guo-Yuan , Chen Xin-Ping
Published: March 2023

Although nitrogen (N) fertilizer application plays an essential role in improving crop productivity, an inappropriate management can result in negative impacts on environment and human health. To break this dilemma, a 12-year field experiment (2008–2019) with five N application rates was conducted on the North China Plain (NCP) to evaluate the integrated impacts of optimizing N management (Opt. N, 160 kg N ha−1 on average) on agronomic, environmental, health, and economic performances of summer maize production. Over the 12-year study, the Opt. N treatment achieved the maximal average grain yield (10.6 Mg ha−1) and grain protein yield (793 kg ha−1) among five N treatments. The life cycle assessment methodology was applied to determine the negative impacts on environmental and human health, and both of them increased with the N rate. Compared with the farmers’ conventional N rate (250 kg N ha−1), the Opt. N treatment reduced acidification, eutrophication, global warming, and energy depletion potentials by 29%, 42%, 35%, and 18%, respectively, and reduced the health impact by 32% per Mg of grain yield or grain protein yield produced. Both the Opt. N and Opt. N*50–70% treatments resulted in high private profitability (2038 USD ha−1), ecosystem economic benefit (1811 USD ha−1), and integrated compensation benefit (17,548 USD ha−1). This study demonstrates the potential benefits of long-term optimizing of N management to maintain high maize yields and grain quality, to reduce various environmental impacts and health impacts, and to enhance economic benefits. These benefits can be further enhanced when Opt. N was combined with advanced agronomic management practices. The results also suggest that reducing the optimal N rate from 160 to 145 kg N ha−1 is achievable to further reduce the negative impacts while maintaining high crop productivity. In conclusion, optimizing the N management is essential to promote sustainable summer maize production on the NCP.
Development of a Zeolite H-ZSM-5-Based D-μSPE Method for the Determination of Organophosphorus Pesticides in Tea Beverages
Authors: Bai Bing , Wu Nan , Yang Haifeng , Liu Haiyan , Jin Xiaofen , Chen Lei , Huang Zhiying , Zhou Changyan , Wang Shouying , Si Wenshuai
Published: March 2023

In this study, a novel dispersive micro-solid phase extraction (D-μSPE) technique with H-ZSM-5 zeolite as an adsorbent was developed for the determination of 21 trace pesticides in tea beverages. The adsorption and desorption of H-ZSM-5 zeolites were investigated based on structural characteristics and adsorption properties similar to those of H-beta zeolites. In combination with the properties of the adsorbates, it was explained that the adsorption reaction occurred on the microporous surface and mesopores of H-ZSM-5. Based on optimal parameters, the beverage samples were extracted by 50 mg of zeolite within 1 min. The zeolite was eluted with 2 mL of an acetonitrile-water mixture after separation, and the eluent was filtered prior to HPLC-MS/MS analysis. The D-μSPE protocol demonstrated acceptable accuracy and precision, with recoveries between 62.1% and 106.6% and relative standard deviations of 1.4% to 12.6%, as validated by analytical reliability. The correlation coefficient in the linear range of 0.2–50 ng·mL−1 was greater than 0.98, with limits of detection of 0.05–0.1 ng·mL−1 and limits of quantification of 0.1–0.2 ng·mL−1. The matrix effects ranged from 76.2% to 112.7%. The results indicate that the novel D-μSPE technique based on H-ZSM-5 is a rapid, simple, green and economical method for the determination of pesticide residues in tea beverages. The proposed method achieved simultaneously low adsorbent dosage, 20-fold enrichment factor, rapid pre-concentration in 12 min, minimal organic wastes, and effective reduction of matrix interference.
Low Permeability Gas-Bearing Sandstone Reservoirs Characterization from Geophysical Well Logging Data: A Case Study of Pinghu Formation in KQT Region, East China Sea
Authors: Gao Feiming , Xiao Liang , Zhang Wei , Cui Weiping , Zhang Zhiqiang , Yang Erheng
Published: March 2023

The Pinghu Formation is a low permeability sandstone reservoir in the KQT Region, East China Sea. Its porosity ranges from 3.6 to 18.0%, and permeability is distributed from 0.5 to 251.19 mD. The relationship between porosity and permeability was poor due to strong heterogeneity. This led to the difficulty of quantitatively evaluating effective reservoirs and identifying pore fluids by using common methods. In this study, to effectively evaluate low permeability sandstones in the Pinghu Formation of KQT Region, pore structure was first characterized from nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) logging based on piecewise function calibration (PFC) method. Effective formation classification criteria were established to indicate the “sweet spot”. Afterwards, several effective methods were proposed to calculate formation of petrophysical parameters, e.g., porosity, permeability, water saturation (Sw), irreducible water saturation (Swirr). Finally, two techniques, established based on the crossplots of mean value of apparent formation water resistivity (Rwam) versus variance of apparent formation water resistivity (Rwav)—Sw versus Swirr—were adopted to distinguish hydrocarbon-bearing formations from water saturated layers. Field applications in two different regions illustrated that the established methods and techniques were widely applicable. Computed petrophysical parameters matched well with core-derived results, and pore fluids were obviously identified. These methods were valuable in improving low permeability sandstone reservoirs characterization.
GCCSwin-UNet: Global Context and Cross-Shaped Windows Vision Transformer Network for Polyp Segmentation
Authors: Zhu Jianbo , Ge Mingfeng , Chang Zhimin , Dong Wenfei
Published: March 2023

Accurate polyp segmentation is of great importance for the diagnosis and treatment of colon cancer. Convolutional neural networks (CNNs) have made significant strides in the processing of medical images in recent years. The limited structure of convolutional operations prevents CNNs from learning adequately about global and long-range semantic information interactions, despite the remarkable performance they have attained. Therefore, the GCCSwin-UNet framework is suggested in this study. Specifically, the model utilizes an encoder–decoder structure, using the patch-embedding layer for feature downsampling and the CSwin Transformer block as the encoder for contextual feature extraction. To restore the feature map’s spatial resolution during upsampling operations, a symmetric decoder and patch expansion layer are also created. In order to help the backbone module to do better feature learning, we also create a global context module (GCM) and a local position-enhanced module (LPEM). We conducted extensive experiments on the Kvasir-SEG and CVC-ClinicDB datasets, and compared them with existing methods. GCCSwin-UNet reached remarkable results with Dice and MIoU of 86.37% and 83.19% for Kvasir-SEG, respectively, and 91.26% and 84.65% for CVC-ClinicDB, respectively. Finally, quantitative analysis and statistical tests are applied to further demonstrate the validity and plausibility of our method.
Collecting Rocks on the Frontier: Investigating the Geodiversity Significance of Historical Building Stones and Rock Collecting at the Maxey Homestead, Northwest Texas, USA
Authors: Hurst Stance , Cunningham Doug , Johnson Eileen
Published: March 2023

The geoheritage importance of the stones used in the construction of buildings in urban landscapes has been documented by several scholars around the world. Building stones can provide an ex situ cross-section of a region’s geodiversity and illuminate its cultural significance. Research at the historic Maxey Homestead (1902–1907), located along the eastern escarpment of the Southern High Plains near Post, Texas, has uncovered a rock collection gathered from local sources. In addition, rocks from the eastern escarpment were used to construct and decorate a house in 1938 (~9 km to the north) after the Maxeys moved from their original homestead. A combination of GIS and 3D mapping using an unmanned aerial vehicle were used to assess and analyze the geodiversity significance of the rock collection and rock-decorated house. Rock collecting and the use of local stones in building construction provide insights into the geodiversity of the Southern High Plains’ eastern escarpment and the historical geoheritage of northwest Texas in the early 20th century. The results of this study also demonstrate the importance of examining non-urban and historical landscapes for elucidating the significance of geodiversity to past peoples.
Efficient Memory-Enhanced Transformer for Long-Document Summarization in Low-Resource Regimes
Authors: Moro Gianluca , Ragazzi Luca , Valgimigli Lorenzo , Frisoni Giacomo , Sartori Claudio , Marfia Gustavo
Published: March 2023

Long document summarization poses obstacles to current generative transformer-based models because of the broad context to process and understand. Indeed, detecting long-range dependencies is still challenging for today’s state-of-the-art solutions, usually requiring model expansion at the cost of an unsustainable demand for computing and memory capacities. This paper introduces Emma, a novel efficient memory-enhanced transformer-based architecture. By segmenting a lengthy input into multiple text fragments, our model stores and compares the current chunk with previous ones, gaining the capability to read and comprehend the entire context over the whole document with a fixed amount of GPU memory. This method enables the model to deal with theoretically infinitely long documents, using less than 18 and 13 GB of memory for training and inference, respectively. We conducted extensive performance analyses and demonstrate that Emma achieved competitive results on two datasets of different domains while consuming significantly less GPU memory than competitors do, even in low-resource settings.
Fault Detection on the Edge and Adaptive Communication for State of Alert in Industrial Internet of Things
Authors: Santo Yuri , Immich Roger , Dalmazo Bruno L. , Riker André
Published: March 2023

Industrial production and manufacturing systems require automation, reliability, as well as low-latency intelligent control. Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT) is an emerging paradigm that enables precise, low latency, intelligent computing, supported by cutting-edge technology such as edge computing and machine learning. IIoT provides some of the essential building blocks to drive manufacturing systems to the next level of productivity, efficiency, and safety. Hardware failures and faults in IIoT are critical challenges to be faced. These anomalies can cause accidents and financial loss, affect productivity, and mobilize staff by producing false alarms. In this context, this article proposes a framework called Detection and Alert State for Industrial Internet of Things Faults (DASIF). The DASIF framework applies edge computing to execute highly precise and low latency machine learning models to detect industrial IoT faults and autonomously enforce an adaptive communication policy, triggering a state of alert in case of fault detection. The state of alert is a pre-stage countermeasure where the network increases communication reliability by using data replication combined with multiple-path communication. When the system is under alert, it can process a fine-grained inspection of the data for efficient decison-making. DASIF performance was obtained considering a simulation of the IIoT network and a real petrochemical dataset.
Virtual Commissioning of Distributed Systems in the Industrial Internet of Things
Authors: Rosenberger Julia , Selig Andreas , Ristic Mirjana , Bühren Michael , Schramm Dieter
Published: March 2023

With the convergence of information technology (IT) and operational technology (OT) in Industry 4.0, edge computing is increasingly relevant in the context of the Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT). While the use of simulation is already the state of the art in almost every engineering discipline, e.g., dynamic systems, plant engineering, and logistics, it is less common for edge computing. This work discusses different use cases concerning edge computing in IIoT that can profit from the use of OT simulation methods. In addition to enabling machine learning, the focus of this work is on the virtual commissioning of data stream processing systems. To evaluate the proposed approach, an exemplary application of the middleware layer, i.e., a multi-agent reinforcement learning system for intelligent edge resource allocation, is combined with a physical simulation model of an industrial plant. It confirms the feasibility of the proposed use of simulation for virtual commissioning of an industrial edge computing system using Hardware-in-the-Loop. In summary, edge computing in IIoT is highlighted as a new application area for existing simulation methods from the OT perspective. The benefits in IIoT are exemplified by various use cases for the logic or middleware layer using physical simulation of the target environment. The relevance for real-life IIoT systems is confirmed by an experimental evaluation, and limitations are pointed out.
An IoMT-Based Melanoma Lesion Segmentation Using Conditional Generative Adversarial Networks
Authors: Ali Zeeshan , Naz Sheneela , Zaffar Hira , Choi Jaeun , Kim Yongsung
Published: March 2023

Currently, Internet of medical things-based technologies provide a foundation for remote data collection and medical assistance for various diseases. Along with developments in computer vision, the application of Artificial Intelligence and Deep Learning in IOMT devices aids in the design of effective CAD systems for various diseases such as melanoma cancer even in the absence of experts. However, accurate segmentation of melanoma skin lesions from images by CAD systems is necessary to carry out an effective diagnosis. Nevertheless, the visual similarity between normal and melanoma lesions is very high, which leads to less accuracy of various traditional, parametric, and deep learning-based methods. Hence, as a solution to the challenge of accurate segmentation, we propose an advanced generative deep learning model called the Conditional Generative Adversarial Network (cGAN) for lesion segmentation. In the suggested technique, the generation of segmented images is conditional on dermoscopic images of skin lesions to generate accurate segmentation. We assessed the proposed model using three distinct datasets including DermQuest, DermIS, and ISCI2016, and attained optimal segmentation results of 99%, 97%, and 95% performance accuracy, respectively.
Machine Learning Assists IoT Localization: A Review of Current Challenges and Future Trends
Authors: Shahbazian Reza , Macrina Giusy , Scalzo Edoardo , Guerriero Francesca
Published: March 2023

The widespread use of the internet and the exponential growth in small hardware diversity enable the development of Internet of things (IoT)-based localization systems. We review machine-learning-based approaches for IoT localization systems in this paper. Because of their high prediction accuracy, machine learning methods are now being used to solve localization problems. The paper’s main goal is to provide a review of how learning algorithms are used to solve IoT localization problems, as well as to address current challenges. We examine the existing literature for published papers released between 2020 and 2022. These studies are classified according to several criteria, including their learning algorithm, chosen environment, specific covered IoT protocol, and measurement technique. We also discuss the potential applications of learning algorithms in IoT localization, as well as future trends.
Highly Sensitive Tunable Magnetometer Based on Superconducting Quantum Interference Device
Authors: Vettoliere Antonio , Granata Carmine
Published: March 2023

In the present article, experimental results regarding fully integrated superconducting quantum interference devices (SQUID), including a circuit to tune and optimize the main sensor device characteristics, are reported. We show the possibility of modifying the critical current of a SQUID magnetometer in liquid helium by means of a suitable heating circuit. This allows us to improve the characteristics of the SQUID sensor and in particular to optimize the voltage–magnetic flux characteristic and the relative transfer factor (responsivity) and consequently to also improve the flux and magnetic field noise. It is also possible to reset the SQUID sensor in case of entrapment of magnetic flux, avoiding taking it out of the helium bath. These results are very useful in view of most SQUID applications such as those requiring large multichannel systems in which it is desirable to optimize and eventually reset the magnetic sensors in a simple and effective way.
LIDAL, a Time-of-Flight Radiation Detector for the International Space Station: Description and Ground Calibration
Authors: Romoli Giulia , Di Fino Luca , Santi Amantini Giorgia , Boretti Virginia , Lunati Luca , Berucci Carolina , Messi Roberto , Rizzo Alessandro , Albicocco Pietro , De Donato Cinzia , Masciantonio Giuseppe , Morone Maria Cristina , Nobili Giovanni , Baiocco Giorgio , Mentana Alice , Pullia Marco , Tommasino Francesco , Carrubba Elisa , Bardi Antonio , Passerai Marco , Castagnolo Dario , Mascetti Gabriele , Crisconio Marino , Narici Livio
Published: March 2023

LIDAL (Light Ion Detector for ALTEA, Anomalous Long-Term Effects on Astronauts) is a radiation detector designed to measure the flux, the energy spectra and, for the first time, the time-of-flight of ions in a space habitat. It features a combination of striped silicon sensors for the measurement of deposited energy (using the ALTEA device, which operated from 2006 to 2012 in the International Space Station) and fast scintillators for the time-of-flight measurement. LIDAL was tested and calibrated using the proton beam line at TIFPA (Trento Institute for Fundamental Physics Application) and the carbon beam line at CNAO (National Center for Oncology Hadron-therapy) in 2019. The performance of the time-of-flight system featured a time resolution (sigma) less than 100 ps. Here, we describe the detector and the results of these tests, providing ground calibration curves along with the methodology established for processing the detector’s data. LIDAL was uploaded in the International Space Station in November 2019 and it has been operative in the Columbus module since January 2020.
Clustering Analysis on Sustainable Development Goal Indicators for Forty-Five Asian Countries
Authors: Mathrani Anuradha , Wang Jian , Li Ding , Zhang Xuanzhen
Published: March 2023

This paper draws upon the United Nations 2022 data report on the achievement of Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) across the following four dimensions: economic, social, environmental and institutional. Ward’s method was applied to obtain clustering results for forty-five Asian countries to understand their level of progress and overall trends in achieving SDGs. We identified varying degrees of correlation between the four dimensions. The results show that East Asian countries performed poorly in the economic dimension, while some countries in Southeast Asia and Central and West Asia performed relatively well. Regarding social and institutional dimensions, the results indicate that East and Central Asian countries performed relatively better than others. Finally, in the environmental dimension, West and South Asian countries showed better performance than other Asian countries. The insights gathered from this study can inform policymakers of these countries about their own country’s position in achieving SDGs in relation to other Asian countries, as they work towards establishing strategies for improving their sustainable development targets.
Monitoring of Biogenic Amines in Human Urine Using Dispersive Liquid–Liquid Microextraction and Liquid Chromatography with High-Resolution Mass Spectrometry
Authors: Rodríguez-Palazón María Consolación , Arroyo-Manzanares Natalia , Campillo Natalia , Viñas Pilar
Published: March 2023

The biogenic amines (BAs) synephrine (SNP), phenylephrine (PEP), tyramine (TYR), and octopamine (OCT) may be present in products widely consumed for weight loss, muscle power, and in energy supplements. Considering the toxicity of these BAs at high levels and their biomarker role in some human pathologies, their monitoring in urine can be of great help in the detection of abusive consumption or disease. In this work, a combination of dispersive liquid–liquid microextraction (DLLME) with ultra-high performance liquid chromatography and quadrupole time-of-flight mass spectrometry (UHPLC-Q-TOF-MS) for the simultaneous determination of four aromatic BAs in human urine is presented. The sample treatment included a previous derivatization step with dansyl chloride to achieve the highest extraction efficiency in the DLLME procedure for which a mixture of 350 μL of chloroform and 2 mL of ethanol was added to 5 mL of derivatized urine. Limits of detection were in the 0.54–3.6 µg L−1 range. Method precision and trueness were estimated at two concentration levels and were in the 3.4–10.2% and 93.6–114% ranges, respectively. The analysis of nine urine samples showed concentration levels for TYR between 52 and 304 µg L−1. Non-targeted analysis of the samples was undertaken to control the presence of other BAs and related metabolites, and none of these species was detected.
Seasonal Variations in the Trace Elements and Mineral Profiles of the Bivalve Species, Mytilus galloprovincialis, Chamelea gallina and Donax trunculus, and Human Health Risk Assessment
Authors: Peycheva Katya , Panayotova Veselina , Stancheva Rositsa , Merdzhanova Albena , Dobreva Diana , Parrino Vincenzo , Cicero Nicola , Fazio Francesco , Licata Patrizia
Published: March 2023

This study aimed to provide data on selected toxic (Cd, Pb and Ni), essential (Cr, Cu, Fe, Mn and Zn) and microelement (Na, K, Ca and Mg) concentrations in edible tissues of the Mediterranean mussel (Mytilus galloprovincialis), striped venus clam (Chamelea gallina) and the wedge clam (Donax trunculus). Samples were collected from the Black Sea (Bulgaria) four times over, a period of one year (2022). In comparison with the maximum permissible levels set by the EU and USFDA, all elemental concentration found in the bivalve species were lower than the prescribed limits. An estimation of the dietary metal intake through calculation of the target hazard quotients (THQ), hazard index (HI) and target risk (TR) was performed. The target hazard quotient (THQ) for individual metal and HI for combined metals were lower than 1, indicating no health risk for consumers due to the intake of either individual element or combined ones. The target risk value for toxic inorganic Pb and Cr was below 10−6, indicating no carcinogenic risk. According to these results, the consumption of these bivalve species is completely safe for human health.
Acute and Transgenerational Effects of Non-Steroidal Anti-Inflammatory Drugs on Daphnia magna
Authors: Michalaki Anna , Grintzalis Konstantinos
Published: March 2023

Pharmaceuticals pose a great threat to organisms inhabiting the aquatic environment. Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) are major pharmaceutical pollutants with a significant presence in freshwater ecosystems. In this study, the impact of indomethacin and ibuprofen, two of the most commonly prescribed NSAIDs, was assessed on Daphnia magna. Toxicity was assessed as the immobilization of animals and used to determine non-lethal exposure concentrations. Feeding was assessed as a phenotypic endpoint and key enzymes were used as molecular endpoints of physiology. Feeding was decreased in mixture exposures for five-day-old daphnids and neonates. Furthermore, animals were exposed to NSAIDs and their mixture in chronic and transgenerational scenarios revealing changes in key enzyme activities. Alkaline and acid phosphatases, lipase, peptidase, β-galactosidase, and glutathione-S-transferase were shown to have significant changes in the first generation at the first and third week of exposure, and these were enhanced in the second generation. On the other hand, the third recovery generation did not exhibit these changes, and animals were able to recover from the induced changes and revert back to the control levels. Overall, our study points towards transgenerational exposures as more impactful laboratory studies to understand pharmaceutical stressors with a combination of molecular and phenotypic markers of physiology.
Radiation Resistance and Adsorption Behavior of Aluminum Hexacyanoferrate for Pd
Authors: Wen Yueying , Wu Yan , Xu Lejin
Published: March 2023

Irradiation resistance is important for adsorbents used in radioactive environments such as high-level liquid waste. In this work, a silica-based composite adsorbent (KAlFe(CN)6/SiO2) was synthesized and γ-irradiated from 10 to 1000 kGy. The angles of the main X-ray diffraction peaks slightly decreased with the increase in irradiation dose, and a minor decomposition of CN− occurred after irradiation to 1000 kGy, indicating that the KAlFe(CN)6/SiO2 adsorbent could preserve structural integrity with a dose below 100 kGy. In 1 to 7 M HNO3, the adsorption ability of the irradiated KAlFe(CN)6/SiO2 remained performant, with a higher Kd than 1625 cm3 g−1. The adsorption equilibrium of Pd(II) in 3 M HNO3 was attained within 45 min before and after irradiation. The maximal adsorption capacity Qe of the irradiated KAlFe(CN)6/SiO2 on Pd(II) ranged from 45.1 to 48.1 mg g−1. A 1.2% relative drop in Qe was observed after 100 kGy irradiation, showing that γ-irradiation lower than 100 kGy insignificantly affected the adsorption capacity of KAlFe(CN)6/SiO2. Calculating and comparing the structures and free energies of different adsorption products via the density functional theory (DFT) method showed that KAlFe(CN)6/SiO2 was more inclined to completely adsorb Pd(II) and spontaneously generate Pd[AlFe(CN)6]2.
Effects of Endocrine-Disrupting Heavy Metals on Human Health
Authors: Liu Dongling , Shi Qianhan , Liu Cuiqing , Sun Qinghua , Zeng Xiang
Published: March 2023

Heavy metals play an important endocrine-disrupting role in the health consequences. However, the endocrine-disrupting mechanism of heavy metals is unclear. There are long-term and low-level metal/element exposure scenes for the human body in real life. Therefore, animal models exposed to high doses of heavy metals may not provide key information to elucidate the underlying pathogeny of human diseases. This review collects current knowledge regarding the endocrine-disrupting roles of heavy metals such as lead (Pb), cadmium (Cd), arsenic (As), mercury (Hg), nickel (Ni), copper (Cu), zinc (Zn), and manganese (Mn), summarizes the possible molecular mechanisms of these endocrine-disrupting chemicals (EDCs), and briefly evaluates their endocrine toxicity on animals and humans.
Classification and Distribution of the Dayside Ion Upflows Associated with Auroral Particle Precipitation
Authors: Yu Yao , Hu Ze-Jun , Cai Hong-Tao , Zhang Yi-Sheng
Published: March 2023

Two important phenomena of the solar wind–magnetosphere–ionosphere coupling are auroral particle precipitation and the formation of ions flowing upward from the ionosphere. They have opposite transport directions of energy and substance. Based on the observations of particle precipitation and ion drift from the DMSP F13 satellite in January and July 2005, the ionospheric ion upflows in dayside auroral oval (0600–1800 MLT) can be divided into five types according to the velocity of ion upflows and the spectrum characteristics of auroral particle precipitation, and the distribution for different types of ion upflows is studied. The results show that the ion upflows mainly occur in the geomagnetic latitude (MLAT) range of 70–80°.The main magnetospheric source region of ion upflows (type A and D) caused by the accelerated electron (mainly the soft electron) corresponds to Low Latitude Boundary Layer (LLBL) and Cusp, and ion upflows of type B and C (related to the process of ambipolar diffusion caused by electron acceleration) mainly occur in LLBL and Boundary Plasma Sheet (BPS), while ion upflows of type E without electron acceleration mainly occur in the central plasma sheet (CPS).The dawn–dusk asymmetry is obvious in the winter season, with the ion upflows mainly occurring on the dawn/dusk side ionosphere. However, the ion upflows in summer mainly occur at the magnetic noon, with a symmetric distribution centered at the magnetic noon. The occurrence of ion upflow in winter is significantly higher than that in summer, and it is significantly enhanced during the period of moderate geomagnetic activity. The upward region expands to the lower latitude when the geomagnetic activity is enhanced. The effect of interplanetary magnetic field (IMF) components has also been studied in this paper. When IMF Bx is negative, the upflow occurrence increases in the region of 1500–1800 MLT and 0600–0900 MLT, with the MLAT range below 70°. The direction of IMF By may lead to the high-incidence area reverse at the prenoon or postnoon region. The occurrence of ion upflows with the MLAT range below 75° increases significantly when IMF is southward. Type A ion upflow has the highest velocity of ion upflows, followed by type E, and type D has the lowest. The average velocity of ion upflows in winter is significantly higher than that in summer.
Current Trends in Syphilis Mortality in the United States, 2015–2020
Authors: Barragan Noel C. , Wickramasekaran Ranjana N. , Sorvillo Frank , Smith Lisa V. , Kuo Tony
Published: March 2023

Rates of reported cases of syphilis have steadily increased since 2000 in the United States. However, despite the increase in cases, mortality from 2000–2014 declined. The following study examines the latest trends in syphilis-related deaths using 2015–2020 Multiple Cause of Death data. A total of 925 syphilis-related deaths were identified during the study period, 30% of which listed syphilis as the underlying cause of death. On average, age-adjusted syphilis mortality increased by 9.51% annually (95% CI = 5.41%–13.77%). Study findings indicate a marked increase in deaths attributed to syphilis, underscoring the need to more systematically and comprehensively address the growing sexually transmitted infection epidemic in the United States.
Basicranial Modular Organization. A Study in the Araucanian Horse of Colombia
Authors: Salamanca-Carreño Arcesio , Parés-Casanova Pere M. , Crosby-Granados René Alejandro , Vélez-Terranova Mauricio , Bentez-Molano Jannet
Published: March 2023

The skull is divided into neurocranium and splanchnocranium, and its variation allows ecomorphological studies to learn about possible evolutionary and adaptive characteristics. The basicranial organization of the neurocranium and splanchnocranium modules was studied in a sample of 31 skulls from adult Araucanian horses by means of 2D geometric morphometric techniques. The neurocranium and splanchnocranium modules on the ventral aspect were analyzed separately using a set of 31 landmarks. The RV coefficient (the multivariate analog of a correlation) was estimated to analyze the independence of these two parts, as well as their morphological integration, using a two-block analysis of least squares. The study results confirm the modular development of the neurocranium and the splanchnocranium, the former being more stable than the latter as well as low morphological integration between the two. The development between both parties is structured in a modular way but allows relative independence. Now it would be interesting for future studies to add muscles (those that connect the cranial parts, but also the cervical), the hyoid apparatus, and the ossicles of the internal ear and the jaw and analyze if they behave as integrated modules between them. Since this research has been conducted at the subspecific breed level, it could be plausible that in other breeds, this integrative development was different.
Immunostaining for VEGF and Decorin Predicts Poor Survival and Recurrence in Canine Soft Tissue Sarcoma
Authors: Bray Jonathan P. , Perrott Matthew R. , Munday John S.
Published: March 2023

The aim of this study was to investigate whether using immunohistochemistry to detect the angiogenic proteins vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) and decorin can help predict the risk of local recurrence of, or death from, canine soft tissue sarcoma (STS). VEGF and decorin were detected using validated immunohistochemical methods on 100 formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded samples of canine STS. The tumours had been resected previously, with clinical outcome determined by questionnaire. Each slide was assessed by light microscopy and the pattern of immunostaining with VEGF and decorin determined. Patterns of immunostaining were then analysed to detect associations with outcome measures of local recurrence and tumour-related death. High VEGF immunostaining was significantly (p < 0.001) associated with both increased local recurrence and reduced survival time. The distribution of decorin immunostaining within the tumour was significantly associated with survival time (p = 0.04) and local tumour recurrence (p = 0.02). When VEGF and decorin scores were combined, STS with both high VEGF and low decorin immunostaining were more likely to recur or cause patient death (p < 0.001). The results of this study suggest that immunostaining of VEGF and decorin may help predict the risk of local recurrence of canine STS.
Relationship between Clinical Uterine Findings, Therapy, and Fertility in the Mare
Authors: Scarlet Dragos , Malama Eleni , Fischer Sophie , Knutti Barbara , Bollwein Heinrich
Published: March 2023

Persistent breeding-induced endometritis (PBIE) is a major cause of subfertility in horses and the susceptibility is increased by several factors. The aim of this study was to determine the effects of clinical uterine findings and PBIE therapies, respectively, on pregnancy rate in mares. The analysis included records from 220 mares (390 cycles) inseminated at an artificial insemination (AI) center in Switzerland. Gynecological examinations were performed repeatedly before and after AI to determine cervical tone, uterine edema, and intrauterine fluid accumulation. Pregnancy rate was lower (p < 0.001) in barren mares compared to mares of other reproductive status. A more flaccid cervix (p = 0.009) was observed at the time of ovulation in pregnant cycles, but there was no difference (p > 0.05) regarding uterine edema. Intrauterine fluid accumulation reduced pregnancy rate (p = 0.002). Oxytocin administration had beneficial effects on pregnancy rate (p = 0.015), especially for barren mares, while uterine lavage did not have any effect (p > 0.05). The results show that cervical tone and intrauterine fluid accumulation, but not its degree, are useful parameters for assessment of fertility in mares. Oxytocin treatment improved pregnancy rates in mares with PBIE while uterine lavage had a limited effect.
The use of agricultural machinery in the unloaded reserve mode
Authors:   Federal State Budgetary Institution ", Kostomakhin M. N. ,   Federal Scientific Agroengineering Center VIM",   , Moscow
Published: March 2023

In the article the mode of fuller use of agricultural machinery in a mode of not loaded reserve is considered. Dependence of the residual price of a tractor (on example DT-75M) from life cycle is shown. The necessary number of reserve tractors or combines for economy park is considered. Economic benefit of creation of not loaded reserve in an economy (on an example of tractor МТЗ-80/82) is calculated.
Development of service and technological services to maintain the reliability of agricultural machinery
Authors:   Federal State Budgetary Institution ", Gerasimov V. S. ,   Federal Scientific Agroengineering Center VIM",   , Moscow, Gradov E. A. ,   Federal State Budgetary Institution "Federal Scientific Agroengineering Center VIM", Moscow, Mordasova M. S. ,   Federal State Budgetary Institution "Federal Scientific Agroengineering Center VIM", Moscow
Published: March 2023

The currently existing technical service in the agro-industrial complex of the Russian Federation is characterized by low efficiency, which does not provide agricultural producers with the required level of reliability and non-failure operation of machines. The state of the machine and tractor fleet (MTP) of the agro-industrial complex and the low technical readiness of equipment require immediate measures to improve the provision of services using innovative equipment.
Use of units of the secondary fund of spare parts in multifunctional stands for quality control of repair of tractor units
Authors:   Federal State Budgetary Institution ", Petrishchev N. А. ,   Federal Scientific Agroengineering Center VIM",   , Moscow, Makarkin I. M. ,   Federal State Budgetary Institution "Federal Scientific Agroengineering Center VIM", Moscow, Kapustkin A. O. ,   Federal State Budgetary Institution "Federal Scientific Agroengineering Center VIM", Moscow, Sayapin A. S. ,   Federal State Budgetary Institution "Federal Scientific Agroengineering Center VIM", Moscow
Published: March 2023

The article presents proposals for the possible use of secondary Fund units and aggregates as an Autonomous drive for multifunctional control and diagnostic stands, which will improve the quality of repair of transmission and hydraulic drive units.