bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
The attitude-behaviour gap in biosecurity: Applying social theories to understand the relationships between commercial chicken farmers' attitudes and behaviours
Authors: Pao Hai-ni , Jackson Elizabeth , Yang Tsang-sung , Tsai Jyan-syung , Hwang Yi-ting , Sung Watson H. T. , Pfeiffer Dirk U.
Published: February 2023

Introduction

Traditionally, it is believed that people's behaviours align with their attitudes; however, during COVID-19 pandemic, an attitude-behaviour gap in relation to preventive measures has been observed in recent studies. As such, the mixed-methods research was used to examine the relationships between farmers' biosecurity attitudes and behaviours in Taiwan's chicken industry based on the cognitive consistency theory.

Methods

Content analysis of face-to-face interviews with 15 commercial chicken farmers identified their biosecurity responses to infectious disease threats.

Results

The results indicated the mismatch of farmers' attitudes and behaviours towards specific biosecurity measures, in that they act differently than they think. The findings of the qualitative research allowed the research team to conduct the subsequent quantitative, confirmatory assessment to investigate the mismatch of farmers' attitudes and behaviours in 303 commercial broiler farmers. Survey data were analyzed to discover the relationships between farmers' attitudes and behaviours in relation to 29 biosecurity measures. The results show a mixed picture. The percentage of the farmers who had the attitude-behaviour gap towards 29 biosecurity measures ranged from 13.9 to 58.7%. Additionally, at the 5% significant level, there is an association between farmers' attitudes and behaviours for 12 biosecurity measures. In contrast, a significant association does not exist for the other 17 biosecurity measures. Specifically, out of the 17 biosecurity measures, the disconnection of farmers' attitudes and behaviours was observed in three specific biosecurity measures such as using a carcass storage area.

Discussion

Based on a fairly large sample of farmers in Taiwan, this study confirms the existence of an attitude-behaviour gap in context and applies social theories to provide an in-depth understanding of how infectious diseases are managed in the animal health context. As the results demonstrate the necessity of tailoring biosecurity strategies to address the gap, it is time to reconsider the current approach by understanding farmers' real attitudes and behaviours in relation to biosecurity for the success of animal disease prevention and control at the farm level.
Correlation between morphological features of the anterior cruciate ligament: A quantitative study using a porcine model
Authors: Wang Huizhi , Zhang Zhuoyue , Shi Qinyi , Zeng Yi-Ming , Cheng Cheng-Kung
Published: February 2023

Introduction

Knowledge of the morphological features of the anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) is critical for accurate reconstruction of it. This study aimed to explore the quantitative correlations among different morphological features of the ACL, thus to provide useful information for improving anatomical reconstruction techniques and designing artificial ligaments.

Methods

19 porcine knees were fixed at full extension using 10% formalin and were dissected to expose the ACL. ACL lengths were measured using a caliper. Mid-substances of the ACL were cut and scanned using X-ray microscopy, and the cross-sectional area (CSA) was measured at the isthmus. Margins of direct and indirect bone insertion sites were distinguished and marked. Measurements were performed on digital photographs to obtain the areas of bone insertions. Statistical analysis using nonlinear regression was used to identify potential correlations among the measurements.

Results

The results showed that the CSA at the isthmus was significantly correlated with the total area of the bone insertion sites and the area of tibial insertion. The area of the tibial insertion was significantly correlated with the area of its direct insertion site. In contrast, the area of the femoral insertion was significantly correlated with the area of its indirect insertion site. The area of the indirect tibial insertion showed a weak correlation with the length of ACL, whereas the length of the ACL was not able to predict or be predicted by any other parameters.

Conclusions

The CSA at the ACL isthmus is more representative for assessing the size of the ACL. However, ACL length has little correlation with the CSA of the isthmus or bone insertion sites, and thus should be evaluated independently for ACL reconstruction.
Cooperative Guidance Law for High-Speed and High-Maneuverability Air Targets
Authors: Cevher Fırat Yılmaz , Leblebicioğlu Mehmet Kemal
Published: February 2023

In this paper, a novel cooperative and predictive guidance law is proposed to intercept high-speed and high-maneuverability targets with inferior interceptors. The purpose of guidance is cooperatively covering the most-probable locations where the target may be in the future. To fulfill this purpose, predicted target states in the form of a probability density function were obtained using limited target information, i.e., noisy position data for one case and maneuverability limits for the second case, at first. Next, the likelihood of the reachable set of interceptors was computed over the predicted target state. Then, to increase the probability of interception in a finite time, the interceptors’ trajectories were adjusted collaboratively depending on the likelihood values. An extensive Monte Carlo study, with practically applicable simulation parameters, was used to demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed methods against targets in challenging maneuvering modes.
Effects of Straw Strip Covering on Yield and Water Use Efficiency of Potato cultivars with Different Maturities in Rain-Fed Area of Northwest China
Authors: Liu Pengxia , Chai Shouxi , Chang Lei , Zhang Fengwei , Sun Wei , Zhang Hua , Liu Xiaolong , Li Hui
Published: February 2023

The strip mulch of corn straw planting technique is widely used in the Northwest rain-fed agricultural region of China due to the region’s good soil moisture-temperature properties. However, the hydrothermal properties and yield effects of this planting technique on different potato varieties are not clear. Therefore, a field experiment was conducted for two years (2015 and 2016) in the rain-fed area of Northwest China, to study the effects of different mulching treatments on the yield and water use efficiency (WUE) of potato with different maturation characteristics (potato varieties Longshu 7 and LK99). A split-plot experimental design was used. The experiment included corn straw strip flat cover planting (SMF), plastic film mulching (PMF), corn straw strip ditch mulching and ridge planting (SMFR), straw flat fully covered (SMWF), and uncovered and flat planting (CK). The results showed that straw mulch and plastic film mulch had significant effects on yield and WUE (p < 0.05). Compared with CK, SMF significantly increased the yield by 3.75–63.17% in the late-maturing varieties, and increased the yield by 24.96–79.02% in the early-maturing varieties. Among the mulching treatments, compared with SMF, PMF made no significant difference in the yield and WUE between the late-maturing varieties in the normal year and the early-maturing varieties in the dry year, but the yield and WUE of the early-maturing varieties in the normal year significantly decreased by 17.25% and 18.44%, respectively, and the yield and WUE of the late-maturing varieties in the dry year significantly increased by 27.57% and 29.26% respectively. Compared with SMF, SMFR reduced yield by 1.44–13.62%; SMWF decreased the yield of late-maturing varieties by 25.94% (p < 0.05), and WUE decreased by 7.65–23.44% (p < 0.05). It can be seen that under this experimental condition, SMF is more suitable for early-maturing varieties and PMF is more suitable for late-maturing varieties.
Estimating Carrot Gross Primary Production Using UAV-Based Multispectral Imagery
Authors: Castaño-Marín Angela María , Sánchez-Vívas Diego Fernando , Duarte-Carvajalino Julio Martin , Góez-Vinasco Gerardo Antonio , Araujo-Carrillo Gustavo Alfonso
Published: February 2023

Gross primary productivity (GPP) is an essential parameter to assess the efficiency of terrestrial ecosystems on carbon transfer. Although GPP is regularly measured with eddy covariance (EC) systems, these are restricted to the tower footprint area, and remote sensing (RS) products have estimated GPP using multispectral vegetation indexes (VIs) from farms to whole ecosystems. Indeed, nowadays, unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV)-based RS technology is becoming more accessible. Accordingly, we propose the estimation of GPP using VIs at high spatial resolutions using UAVs and multi-spectral cameras. A small typical farm in Colombia was cultivated with carrot as our base crop. An EC system was installed to estimate GPP and was used as a reference. A total of 24 VIs from UAV-based RS products were selected and compared with the GPP of the EC system. A cross-validation process was performed, and seven VIs obtained a high R2 score (0.76–0.78). The accumulated GPP, estimated with the best index (NIRv) was 520.3 g C m−2, while the GPP-EC estimate was 580.4 g C m−2 (10.3% error). This work showed that it is possible to estimate the GPP of carrot crops using UAV-based RS, VIs, and linear regression models, which can be used in further research on GPP using UAVs.
The Effect of Molybdenum Fertilizer on the Growth of Grass–Legume Mixtures Related to Symbiotic Rhizobium
Authors: Zhou Jing , Sun Xiao , Chen Chao , Chen Jihui
Published: February 2023

Molybdenum (Mo) is required by the enzymes involved in many metabolic processes related to plant growth and development. However, the effects of Mo addition on plant growth and beneficial microorganisms in mixed grasslands are unclear. We conducted a greenhouse experiment to examine the effects of different Mo addition levels (10 and 20 mg Mo kg−1 soil in the form of Na2MoO4) on the growth of perennial ryegrass–white clover in two low-Mo soils, as well as their symbiotic microorganisms. Our results showed that the addition of Mo had a significant impact on plant growth in limestone soil but not in yellow loam soil (p < 0.05). Compared with no addition of Mo fertilizer in limestone soil, an addition of 10 mg Mo kg−1 significantly increased the plant community shoot and root biomass (p < 0.05). However, this improvement was not observed with an addition of 20 mg Mo kg−1. The shoot nitrogen and phosphorus content in both soil types was unaffected by the Mo addition (p > 0.05), whereas the 10 mg Mo kg−1 addition significantly increased the shoot nitrogen and phosphorus uptake in limestone soil (p < 0.05). This increase in plant community productivity was primarily due to the increased growth of both species, caused by the enhanced activation of the symbiotic rhizobium. We conclude that Mo supply may promote N utilization and uptake in mixed grassland by increasing the activity of symbiotic rhizobium, resulting in a higher yield of mixed grassland, which is critical for sustainable agricultural development in low-Mo soils.
Chemical Topping with Mepiquat Chloride at Flowering Does Not Compromise the Maturity or Yield of Cotton
Authors: Qi Haikun , Xiao Chenyu , Zhao Wenchao , Xu Dongyong , Eneji Anthony Egrinya , Lu Zhengying , Shao Rongrong , Wang Guifeng , Du Mingwei , Tian Xiaoli , Li Zhaohu
Published: February 2023

The balance between vegetative and reproductive growth is the central objective in the cotton production system, which is associated with cotton maturity and yield. In China, manual topping (MT) has been performed many years prior to or during the flowering period to inhibit vegetative growth and enhance reproductive growth. MT is gradually being replaced by chemical topping (CT) with mepiquat chloride (MC, 180 g ha−1, 98% soluble powder) due to labor shortages and increasing labor cost. To determine whether CT influences cotton maturity and yield relative to MT, we carried out field experiments at four locations in the Yellow River Valley of China during 2018–2020. The results showed that CT did not alter the boll age, and although it produced taller and slender spatial boll distribution under several environments, it had little effect on the accumulation of boll fraction (the number of bolls in a given period divided by total boll number) over time at the end of blooming across locations. As a result, there were no significant differences between MT and CT in boll opening percentage in the late season. CT did not influence yield or yield components, except under severe drought. Therefore, CT with MC (180 g/ha, 98% soluble powder) during the flowering period will not compromise the maturity or yield of cotton in the Yellow River Valley of China. Similar outcomes would be achieved in other areas with similar ecological conditions and social conditions that require an alternative to extensive manual labor.
Baseline Correction for HPLC Chromatograms by Using Free Open-Source Software
Authors: Gkountanas Kostas , Dagla Ioanna , Gikas Evangelos , Malenović Anđelija , Dotsikas Yannis
Published: February 2023

Chromatograms with overlapping peaks and a baseline rise or upset constitute a great challenge for analysts. Such a case regarding the analysis of bupropion hydrochloride and its 5 impurities in a tablet formulation was used as a model. A baseline correction technique for liquid chromatography coupled with diode array detection is described by using Rstudio. The asymmetry least squares (ALS) algorithm was used as implemented in the “baseline” package, with parameters lambda and p set to 4 and 0.05, respectively. Peak deconvolution and subsequent integration and area quantification were accomplished through Fytik software. Chromatographic data from the validation procedure were utilized to demonstrate the feasibility of the suggested method and whether this correction affects the outcome of the validation study. Finally, a robustness study was carried out in order to shed light on the factors that have a more significant influence on the baseline correction, showing the reliability of this procedure through random changes in its parameters.
Dynamic Skyline Computation with LSD Trees
Authors: Köppl Dominik
Published: February 2023

Given a set of high-dimensional feature vectors S⊂Rn, the skyline or Pareto problem is to report the subset of vectors in S that are not dominated by any vector of S. Vectors closer to the origin are preferred: we say a vector x is dominated by another distinct vector y if x is equally or further away from the origin than y with respect to all its dimensions. The dynamic skyline problem allows us to shift the origin, which changes the answer set. This problem is crucial for dynamic recommender systems where users can shift the parameters and thus shift the origin. For each origin shift, a recomputation of the answer set from scratch is time intensive. To tackle this problem, we propose a parallel algorithm for dynamic skyline computation that uses multiple local split decision (LSD) trees concurrently. The geometric nature of the LSD trees allows us to reuse previous results. Experiments show that our proposed algorithm works well if the dimension is small in relation to the number of tuples to process.
Change in Rumination Behavior Parameters around Calving in Cows with Subclinical Ketosis Diagnosed during 30 Days after Calving
Authors: Antanaitis Ramūnas , Juozaitienė Vida , Džermeikaitė Karina , Bačėninaitė Dovilė , Šertvytytė Greta , Danyla Eduardas , Rutkauskas Arūnas , Viora Lorenzo , Baumgartner Walter
Published: February 2023

We hypothesized that cows with SCK (blood BHB over >1.2 mmol/L) diagnosed within the first 30 days of calving can be predicted by changes in rumination and activity behavioral parameters in the period before calving and indeed subsequently. A total of 45 cows were randomly selected from 60 dry cows from at least 40 days before calving. All the cows were fitted with RuniWatch sensors monitoring both intake behaviors (faceband) and general movement and activity behavior (pedometer) (RWS-ITIN + HOCH, Switzerland). Following an adaptation period of 10 days, rumination, eating, and activity parameters were monitored for 30 days before calving and 30 days after calving. Considering the design of the study, we divided the data of cows into three stages for statistical evaluation: (1) the last thirty days before calving (from day −30 to −1 of the study); (2) day of calving; and (3) the first thirty days after calving (from day 1 to 30 of the study). We found that before calving, those cows with a higher risk of having SCK diagnosed after calving had lower rumination time, eating time, drinking gulps, bolus, chews per min, chews per bolus, downtime, maximal temperature, and activity change. On the calving day, in cows with higher risk of SCK after calving, we found lower rumination time, eating time, chews per min, chews per bolus, uptime, downtime, minimal temperature, other chews, eating chews, drinking time, drinking gulps, activity, average temperature, maximal temperature, activity change, rumination chews, and eating chews. After calving in cows with SCK, we found lower rumination time, eating time 1, eating time 2, bolus, chews per bolus, uptime, downtime, minimal temperature, maximal temperature, rumination chews, and eating chews. Moreover, after calving we found higher drinking gulps, drinking time, activity, activity change, average temperature, other chews, and eating chews in cows with SCK. From a practical point of view, we recommend that by tracking changes in rumination and activity behavior parameters registered with RuniWatch sensors (such as rumination time, eating time, drinking time, drinking gulps, bolus, chews per minute, chews per bolus, downtime, maximal temperature, and activity change) before, during, and after calving, we can identify cows with a higher risk of SCK in the herd.
Associations of Body Condition Score at Calving, Parity, and Calving Season on the Performance of Dairy Cows and Their Offspring
Authors: Poczynek Milaine , Nogueira Larissa de Souza , Carrari Isabela Fonseca , Carneiro Jorge Henrique , Almeida Rodrigo de
Published: February 2023

This study aimed to evaluate the impact of body condition score (BCS) at calving, parity, and the calving season on the performance of dairy cows and their offspring. Data from 521 Holstein cows that calved a female calf and had their BCS evaluated at calving from a single commercial farm located in Southern Brazil were used. Cows were categorized into five BCS classes: class 1: <3.0 (n = 19), class 2: 3.0–3.25 (n = 134), class 3: 3.5–3.75 (n = 160), class 4: 4.0–4.25 (n = 142), and class 5: >4.25 (n = 66). Data were also categorized by calving order (primiparous and multiparous dams) and by calving season. The study was designed as a prospective cohort study. Variables with normal distribution were analyzed by the MIXED procedure of SAS, while binary outcomes were analyzed by the GLIMMIX procedure of SAS. Daughters from primiparous dams were born lighter (39.1 ± 0.42 vs. 41.4 ± 0.29 kg, p < 0.01), but they had the same weights as the daughters from multiparous cows at weaning (121.5 ± 1.67 vs. 120.4 ± 1.58 kg, p = 0.20). As expected, primiparous cows showed lower (p < 0.01) 305-day milk yields than multiparous ones: 8633 ± 363 vs. 10,761 ± 249 kg, respectively. Regarding the calving season, cows that calved in the winter were the most productive ones, and those that calved in the fall had lower milk yields (p = 0.01). Calves born in the winter were heavier at birth (p < 0.01), calved younger (p = 0.04), and produced more milk at first lactation (p = 0.03). The BCS class had an impact (p < 0.01) on calf birth weights; daughters from Class 1 cows (BCS < 3.0) were lighter (38.0 ± 1.0 kg) than the calves from Class 5 cows with a BCS > 4.25 (41.9 ± 0.57 kg). Calves from dams with a BCS < 3 (Class 1) had a 31.8% culling rate until weaning, while calves from cows with a BCS of 3.0–3.25 (Class 2) had a 9.6% culling rate (p = 0.12). These results suggest that maternal and environmental factors, such as calving season and parity, in addition to the dams’ body condition score at calving, are associated with different offspring performances.
Presence, Tissue Localization, and Gene Expression of the Adiponectin Receptor 1 in Testis and Accessory Glands of Male Rams during the Non-Breeding Season
Authors: Martínez-Barbitta Marcelo , Maranesi Margherita , Mercati Francesca , Marini Daniele , Anipchenko Polina , Grispoldi Luca , Cenci-Goga Beniamino T. , Zerani Massimo , Dall’Aglio Cecilia
Published: February 2023

Adiponectin (ADIPOQ) is a member adipocytokines, and its actions are supported by two receptors, ADIPOQ receptor 1 and -2, respectively (ADIPOR1 and -R2). Our study was performed to evaluate the ADIPOR1 presence and location and its gene expression in reproductive tissues of the male ram, during its non-breading season. The different portions of the male ram reproductive system (testis, epididymis, seminal vesicle, ampoule vas deferens, bulb-urethral gland) were collected in a slaughterhouse. Immunohistochemistry showed ADIPOR1 positive signals in the cytoplasm of all the glandular epithelial cells, with a location near the nucleus; in the testes, the positive reaction was evidenced in the cytoplasm in the basal portion of the germinal epithelial cells. The immune reaction intensity was highest (p < 0.001) in the prostate and seminal vesicles glands than that of other parts of the ram reproductive tract. RT-qPCR detected the ADIPOR1 transcript in the testes, epididymis, vas deferens, bulbourethral glands, seminal vesicles, and prostate; the expression levels were high (p < 0.01) in the prostate and low (p < 0.01) in the testis, epididymis, and bulbourethral glands. The present results evidenced the possible ADIPOQ/ADIPOR1 system’s role in regulating the testicular activity of male rams during the non-breading season.
Tailored Multiplex Real-Time RT-PCR with Species-Specific Internal Positive Controls for Detecting SARS-CoV-2 in Canine and Feline Clinical Samples
Authors: Jeon Gyu-Tae , Kim Hye-Ryung , Kim Jong-Min , Baek Ji-Su , Shin Yeun-Kyung , Kwon Oh-Kyu , Kang Hae-Eun , Cho Ho-Seong , Cheon Doo-Sung , Park Choi-Kyu
Published: February 2023

Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infections have been frequently reported in companion dogs and cats worldwide during the ongoing coronavirus disease. However, RT-qPCR methods developed for humans have been used for the diagnosis of SARS-CoV-2 infections in suspected companion dogs and cats owing to the lack of the companion animal-tailored methods. Therefore, we developed a multiplex RT-qPCR (mRT-qPCR) using newly designed primers and probes targeting RdRp and N genes of all currently circulating SARS-CoV-2 variants as well as the canine or feline 16S rRNA gene as an endogenous internal positive control (EIPC) for reliable diagnosis of SARS-CoV-2 infection from suspected dogs and cats. The developed mRT-qPCR assay specifically detected the target genes of SARS-CoV-2 but no other canine or feline pathogens. Furthermore, canine and feline EIPCs were stably amplified by mRT-qPCR in samples containing canine- or feline-origin cellular materials. This assay has high repeatability and reproducibility, with an optimal limit of detection (<10 RNA copies per reaction) and coefficients of variation (<1.0%). The detection rate of SARS-CoV-2 of the developed mRT-qPCR was 6.6% for canine and feline nasopharyngeal samples, which was consistent with that of a commercial mRT-qPCR kit for humans. Collectively, the newly developed mRT-qPCR with canine and feline EIPC can efficiently diagnose and evaluate the viral load in field specimens and will be a valuable tool for etiological diagnosis, epidemiological study, and controlling SARS-CoV-2 infections in canine and feline populations.
The Contribution of Phytate-Degrading Enzymes to Chicken-Meat Production
Authors: Selle Peter H. , Macelline Shemil P. , Chrystal Peter V. , Liu Sonia Yun
Published: February 2023

The contribution that exogenous phytases have made towards sustainable chicken-meat production over the past two decades has been unequivocally immense. Initially, their acceptance by the global industry was negligible, but today, exogenous phytases are routine additions to broiler diets, very often at elevated inclusion levels. The genesis of this remarkable development is based on the capacity of phytases to enhance phosphorus (P) utilization, thereby reducing P excretion. This was amplified by an expanding appreciation of the powerful anti-nutritive properties of the substrate, phytate (myo-inositol hexaphosphate; IP6), which is invariably present in all plant-sourced feedstuffs and practical broiler diets. The surprisingly broad spectra of anti-nutritive properties harbored by dietary phytate are counteracted by exogenous phytases via the hydrolysis of phytate and the positive consequences of phytate degradation. Phytases enhance the utilization of minerals, including phosphorus, sodium, and calcium, the protein digestion, and the intestinal uptakes of amino acids and glucose to varying extents. The liberation of phytate-bound phosphorus (P) by phytase is fundamental; however, the impacts of phytase on protein digestion, the intestinal uptakes of amino acids, and the apparent amino acid digestibility coefficients are intriguing and important. Numerous factors are involved, but it appears that phytases have positive impacts on the initiation of protein digestion by pepsin. This extends to promoting the intestinal uptakes of amino acids stemming from the enhanced uptakes of monomeric amino acids via Na+-dependent transporters and, arguably more importantly, from the enhanced uptakes of oligopeptides via PepT-1, which is functionally dependent on the Na+/H+ exchanger, NHE. Our comprehension of the phytate–phytase axis in poultry nutrition has expanded over the past 30 years; this has promoted the extraordinary surge in acceptance of exogenous phytases, coupled with the development of more efficacious preparations in combination with the deflating inclusion costs for exogenous phytases. The purpose of this paper is to review the progress that has been made with phytate-degrading enzymes since their introduction in 1991 and the underlying mechanisms driving their positive contribution to chicken-meat production now and into the future.
Evaluation of Antiproliferative, Antimicrobial, Antioxidant, Antidiabetic and Phytochemical Analysis of Anogeissus dhofarica A. J. Scott
Authors: Maqsood Rabia , Khan Faizullah , Ullah Saeed , Khan Ajmal , Al-Jahdhami Habib , Hussain Javid , M. Weli Afaf , Maqsood Danial , Rahman Shaikh Mizanoor , Hussain Amjad , Rehman Najeeb Ur , Al-Harrasi Ahmed
Published: February 2023

In the current study, methanol (ADAM) extracts and their fractions, including chloroform (ADAC), ethyl acetate (ADAE), n-hexane (ADAH), and aqueous (ADAA) fractions, were prepared from aerial parts of Anogeissus dhofarica and evaluated for phytochemical assessment, high-resolution electrospray ionization mass spectrometry (HR-ESI-MS) analysis, and in vitro bioassays. The qualitative analysis determined that, except alkaloids, all the representative groups were found to be present in the analyzed samples. Samples under quantitative study displayed the highest amount of total phenolic contents in the ADAE fraction, while total flavonoid contents were highest in the ADAM extract. The ADAM extract was subjected to HR-ESI-MS to identify the chemical constituents that presented twenty-two bioactive ingredients, outlined for the first time from A. dhofarica, mainly contributed by sub-class flavanones. In the case of antimicrobial activity, the ADAE extract revealed an effective zone of inhibition (ZOI) against the Gram-positive bacterial strain (Staphylococcus aureus) with an MIC value of 0.78 ± 0.3 mg/mL, while the ADAA extract exhibited higher ZOI (34 ± 0.12 mm) against the fungal strain Candida kruzei with an MIC of 0.78 mg/mL. In the DPPH (2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl) analysis, the ADAE extract exhibited a maximum scavenging potential with an IC50 of 9.8 ± 1.2 μg/mL, succeeded by the ADAM extract with an IC50 of 17.4 ± 0.4 μg/mL free radical scavenging capability. In the antidiabetic assessment, the ADAE extract was the most effective, with an IC50 of 6.40 ± 0.1 μg/mL, while the same extract demonstrated prominent activity with 30.8% viability and an IC50 of 6.2 ± 0.3 μg/mL against breast cancer cell lines. The brine shrimp lethality assay demonstrated a correlation with the in vitro cytotoxicity assay, showing the ADAE extract as the most active, with a 70% mortality rate and an LC50 of 300.1 μg/mL. In conclusion, all the tested samples, especially the ADAE and ADAM extracts, have significant capabilities for the investigated activities that could be due to the presence of the bioactive compounds.
A Comparison of the Immunometabolic Effect of Antibiotics and Plant Extracts in a Chicken Macrophage-like Cell Line during a Salmonella Enteritidis Challenge
Authors: Giovagnoni Giulia , Perry Famatta , Tugnoli Benedetta , Piva Andrea , Grilli Ester , Arsenault Ryan J.
Published: February 2023

Immunometabolic modulation of macrophages can play an important role in the innate immune response of chickens triggered with a multiplicity of insults. In this study, the immunometabolic role of two antibiotics (oxytetracycline and gentamicin) and four plant extracts (thyme essential oil, grape seed extract, garlic oil, and capsicum oleoresin) were investigated on a chicken macrophage-like cell line (HD11) during a Salmonella Enteritidis infection. To study the effect of these substances, kinome peptide array analysis, Seahorse metabolic assay, and gene expression techniques were employed. Oxytetracycline, to which the bacterial strain was resistant, thyme essential oil, and capsicum oleoresin did not show any noteworthy immunometabolic effect. Garlic oil affected glycolysis, but this change was not detected by the kinome analysis. Gentamicin and grape seed extract showed the best immunometabolic profile among treatments, being able to both help the host with the activation of immune response pathways and with maintaining a less inflammatory status from a metabolic point of view.
Parameterization and Design of Telepresence Robot to Avoid Obstacles
Authors: Altalbe Ali , Shahzad Aamir , Khan Muhammad Nasir
Published: February 2023

Background: The development of telepresence robots is getting much attention in various areas of human–robot interaction, healthcare systems and military applications because of multiple advantages such as safety improvement, lower energy and fuel consumption, exploitation of road networks, reduced traffic congestion and greater mobility. Methods: In the critical decision-making process during the motion of a robot, intelligent motion planning takes an important and challenging role. It includes obstacle avoidance, searching for the safest path to follow, generating appropriate behavior and comfortable trajectory generation by optimization while keeping road boundaries and traffic rules as important concerns. Results: This paper presents a state machine algorithm for avoiding obstacles and speed control design to a cognitive architecture named auto-MERLIN. This research empirically tested the proposed solutions by providing implementation details and diagrams for establishing the path planning and obstacle tests. Conclusions: The results validate the usability of our approach and show auto-MERLIN as a ready robot for short- and long-term tasks, showing better results than using a default system, particularly when deployed in highly interactive scenarios. The stable speed control of the auto-MERLIN in case of detecting any obstacle was shown.
Application of Hardening State Parameter Constitutive Model for Prediction of Overconsolidated Soft Clay Behavior Due to Embankment Loading
Authors: Obradović Nikola , Jocković Sanja , Vukićević Mirjana
Published: February 2023

This paper investigates the possibility of the application of the HArdening State Parameter (HASP) constitutive model for numerical modelling of overconsolidated soft clay under embankment loading. The HASP constitutive model is a critical state soil model with a combined hardening rule that uses a state parameter to determine the dilatancy of overconsolidated clay. The model overcomes some shortcomings of the Modified Cam Clay (MCC) model in the prediction of overconsolidated clay’s behavior, while preserving the simplicity and the same set of five parameters. The HASP model was implemented in finite element software. In order to verify the applicability of the model in predicting the behavior of soft overconsolidated clay due to embankment loading, two examples reported in the literature are analyzed. The numerical predictions of the HASP model are compared with the field measurements of ground settlements and pore water pressures, and with the MCC model’s predictions. The results indicate that the HASP model predicts the development of the settlements of the overconsolidated soft clay deposits with a high accuracy from an engineering point of view. There are certain deviations from the field measurements in predicting the pore pressure development, which is often observed for other models as well. For the embankment settlement assessment, as important serviceability issue, the HASP model has an advantage over more complex models that require a large number of parameters. Since the parameters of the HASP model are obtained from standard laboratory tests, it can be easily applied for routine geotechnical analyses.
Noble Metal-Based Heterogeneous Catalysts for Electrochemical Hydrogen Evolution Reaction
Authors: Niu Huajie , Wang Qingyan , Huang Chuanxue , Zhang Mengyang , Yan Yu , Liu Tong , Zhou Wei
Published: February 2023

Hydrogen energy, a green renewable energy, has shown great potential in developing new energy and alleviating environmental problems. Water electrolysis is an effective method to achieve large-scale clean hydrogen production, but this process needs to consume a huge amount of electric energy. It is urgent to develop high-activity, high-stability and low-cost catalysts to reduce the consumption of electric energy. At present, the noble metal catalyst is the star material in the hydrogen evolution reaction (HER), but its stability and high cost restrict its large-scale application. In this review, we comprehensively discussed the research progress on noble metal-based heterogeneous electrocatalysts used in water electrolysis for hydrogen production. Firstly, we analyzed the influence factors for hydrogen production performance, including the mass transfer process, the adsorption–desorption process, the catalytic process, and the influence of the working electrode and electrolyte. Then, we discussed the relationship between catalytic activity and electronic structure and chemical composition in view of theoretical calculations and summarized the strategies for developing efficient catalysts (alloying and interface engineering). Finally, we highlighted the challenges for the practical application of noble metal-based hydrogen evolution electrocatalysts.
Effects of Organic Fertilizer Application on Tomato Yield and Quality: A Meta-Analysis
Authors: Gao Fucheng , Li Haijun , Mu Xiaoguo , Gao Hu , Zhang Ying , Li Ruimiao , Cao Kai , Ye Lin
Published: February 2023

Tomatoes are a globally cultivated and popular vegetable. The output and quality of tomatoes are significantly influenced by the use of organic fertilizers. It was discovered that organic fertilizers increase tomato productivity and improve fruit quality. The influence of organic fertilizers on tomato yield and quality is shown to be complex and dependent on soil organic matter, total soil nitrogen, organic fertilizers kinds, and other variables. In this review paper, we evaluated 769 data sets from 107 research papers and determined that organic fertilizers can enhance the tomato yield by 42.18%. Compared to the control group, soluble solids, soluble sugar, lycopene, vitamin C, and nitrate were raised by 11.86%, 42.18%, 23.95%, 18.97%, and 8.36%, respectively. In general, the soil organic matter >20 g·kg−1 and organic fertilizers significantly improved the tomato sugar/acid content ratio and VC, whereas under total soil nitrogen >1 g·kg−1, organic fertilizers had significant differences in tomato soluble solids, soluble sugar, lycopene, and vitamin C, with different organic-fertilizer types having different effects on tomato quality. When comparing animal and plant organic fertilizers to other forms of organic fertilizers, we observed that tomato quality varied significantly. We also evaluated the impact of different cultivation methods, soil organic matter, total soil nitrogen, soil pH, and types of organic fertilizers on the tomato yield and quality. The results gave valuable information and direction for the use of organic fertilizers in greenhouse production.
A Glaucoma Detection System Based on Generative Adversarial Network and Incremental Learning
Authors: Chang Chuan-Wang , Chang Chuan-Yu , Lin Yuan-Yi , Su Wei-Wen , Chen Henry Shen-Lih
Published: February 2023

Among various eye diseases, glaucoma is one of the leading causes of blindness. Glaucoma is also one of the most common eye diseases in Taiwan. Glaucoma screenings can use optical coherence tomography (OCT) to locate areas in which the retinal nerve fiber layer is thinning. However, because OCT equipment is costly, only large hospitals with well-equipped facilities will have OCT, and regular eye clinics cannot afford such expensive equipment. This has caused many glaucoma patients to worsen because they cannot get an early diagnosis in regular eye clinics in time. This paper proposes a method of using a generative adversarial network (GAN) to generate corresponding OCT images from fundus images to assist family doctors in judging whether further examination is needed based on the generated OCT images to achieve early detection and treatment of glaucoma. In addition, in order to improve the classification accuracy of the system deployed in different hospitals or clinics, this paper also proposes to use the incremental training method to fine-tune the model. The model can be quickly applied by adding a small number of images from a specific clinic or hospital. Experimental results show that the cosine similarity between the generated OCT image and the real OCT image is 97.8%. Combined with the proposed transfer learning method, the classification accuracy of the classification model reaches 83.17%. As well as the use of the incremental method, the accuracy of identifying glaucoma is approximately 78.94%, which is 8.77% higher than the 70.17% accuracy of the initial model. Experimental results show the effectiveness and feasibility of our proposed method.
Designing for Hybrid Intelligence: A Taxonomy and Survey of Crowd-Machine Interaction
Authors: Correia António , Grover Andrea , Schneider Daniel , Pimentel Ana Paula , Chaves Ramon , de Almeida Marcos Antonio , Fonseca Benjamim
Published: February 2023

With the widespread availability and pervasiveness of artificial intelligence (AI) in many application areas across the globe, the role of crowdsourcing has seen an upsurge in terms of importance for scaling up data-driven algorithms in rapid cycles through a relatively low-cost distributed workforce or even on a volunteer basis. However, there is a lack of systematic and empirical examination of the interplay among the processes and activities combining crowd-machine hybrid interaction. To uncover the enduring aspects characterizing the human-centered AI design space when involving ensembles of crowds and algorithms and their symbiotic relations and requirements, a Computer-Supported Cooperative Work (CSCW) lens strongly rooted in the taxonomic tradition of conceptual scheme development is taken with the aim of aggregating and characterizing some of the main component entities in the burgeoning domain of hybrid crowd-AI centered systems. The goal of this article is thus to propose a theoretically grounded and empirically validated analytical framework for the study of crowd-machine interaction and its environment. Based on a scoping review and several cross-sectional analyses of research studies comprising hybrid forms of human interaction with AI systems and applications at a crowd scale, the available literature was distilled and incorporated into a unifying framework comprised of taxonomic units distributed across integration dimensions that range from the original time and space axes in which every collaborative activity take place to the main attributes that constitute a hybrid intelligence architecture. The upshot is that when turning to the challenges that are inherent in tasks requiring massive participation, novel properties can be obtained for a set of potential scenarios that go beyond the single experience of a human interacting with the technology to comprise a vast set of massive machine-crowd interactions.
Protective Effect of Juglone (5-Hydroxy-1,4-naphthoquinone) against Iron- and Zinc-Induced Liver and Kidney Damage
Authors: Şenol Nurgül , Şahin Melda
Published: February 2023

Although heavy metals are naturally occurring elements that are found throughout the Earth’s crust, most environmental contamination and human exposure result from anthropogenic activities, such as mining and smelting operations, industrial production and use, and the domestic and agricultural use of metals and metal-containing compounds. The accumulation of heavy metals eventually produces reactive oxygen species that can cause oxidative stress, which may lead to the production of various diseases. The aim of this study was to evaluate the possible effects of iron and zinc on kidney and liver tissues and the positive effects of juglone (5-hydroxy-1,4-naphthoquinone) antioxidant activity, using an immunohistochemical technique. The animals under study were randomly divided into five groups (seven in each group): group I, control; group II, iron (Fe) (600 ppm); group III, zinc (Zn) (400 ppm); group IV, Fe + antioxidant juglone; and group V, Zn + antioxidant juglone. Hematoxylin-eosin (H&E) was applied to determine the histological sides of the damage caused by the heavy metals in the liver and kidney tissues and the effects of the administration of juglone on reducing these damages. Furthermore, the immunohistochemical TUNEL method was applied to determine the DNA damages in the cells. The density of the damage in the liver and kidney tissues of the iron group was higher than in the other groups.
Dynamic Characteristics Analysis of an Assembly Robot for a Wine Box Base Considering Radial and Axial Clearances in a 3D Revolute Joint
Authors: Wang Yuan , Li Ruiqin , Liu Juan , Jia Zengyu , Liang Hailong
Published: February 2023

Precisely fitting the bottom sticker of the wine box base to the base model with glue is an important process of the wine box base production line. The influence of joint clearance in the assembly robot on the assembly precision of wine box bases is investigated. We analyze the axial clearance and radial clearance in a 3D revolute joint of the assembly robot and present 12 possible contact forms between bearings and journals, as well as three modes of free flight mode, continuous contact mode, and pseudo penetration mode between them under the different contact forms. The contact force models of normal and tangential force between bearings and journals are established using the Lankarani–Nikravesh contact model and modified Coulomb friction law, respectively. Taking the joint clearance of one joint of the wine box base assembly robot as an example, the dynamic equations of the joint with clearance are established, and the dynamic characteristics of the robot caused by the joint clearance are analyzed. The results show that, the larger the clearance, the more easily the dynamic characteristics of the robot end effector are influenced.
Synthesis, Computational Studies, and Anti-Tuberculosis Activity of Benzoxazines That Act as RAGE Inhibitors
Authors: Bharathkumar Hanumantharayappa , Mohan Surender , Baday Sefer , Lobie Peter E. , Basappa Basappa
Published: February 2023

Novel benzoxazines were synthesized by microwave irradiation and tested for their potential binding affinity towards receptors of advanced glycation end products (RAGE). We found that the compound (2-(2-bromophenyl)-6-methyl-2,4-dihydro-1H-benzo[d][1,3]oxazine) (3i) is a lead inhibitor of RAGE. Further, our in silico prediction that benzoxazines dock towards the AGE binding region of RAGE suggests that these ligands could bind effectively at the hydrophobic pocket of the receptor and additionally form key interactions with Arg48 and Arg104, revealing its diversity in developing anti-RAGE drugs to treat AGE–RAGE-dominant disease conditions. Functionally, we herein report the anti-tuberculosis activity of small molecules which could be bioactive in the culture of mycobacterium tuberculosis.
Vibration of a Flexible Follower in a Cam Mechanism with Time-Dependent Boundary Effect
Authors: Chang Jer-Rong
Published: February 2023

A vibration analysis of a flexible follower in an oscillating follower cam system undergoing a rise-dwell-fall-dwell (RDFD) motion is performed. Owing to the time-dependent boundary effect caused by considering simultaneously the axial and the lateral displacements of the follower, two geometric constraints are formulated and added to Hamilton’s principle to establish the vibration equation of the motion of the follower. The coupled axial and lateral vibration of the flexible follower has been studied for the first time. The fast Fourier transform (FFT) spectrum generated from the time history is used for parametric studies. The numerical results of the present study show some new findings. The major spectral peaks for the lateral follower response locate at the low frequencies of 1 Ω, 3 Ω, 5 Ω, and 7 Ω and the high frequency near the fundamental natural frequency where Ω is the cam speed. The largest peak locates mostly at the frequency of 3 Ω. For the ascending and descending motions of the follower RDFD motion, three types of cam profiles are designed. Important new results are found: although the three cam profiles nearly overlap, the vibration results of the follower are quite different. By using a modified sinusoidal acceleration motion, the magnitude of the main lateral peak at low frequencies is minimized. The lateral peak amplitude near the fundamental natural frequency of the follower is the smallest when the cycloid displacement motion is adopted.
Communication in Weighted Networks: A Game Theoretic Approach
Authors: Gavilán Elena C. , Manuel Conrado , Martín Daniel
Published: February 2023

In this paper we generalize the allocation rule (point solution or value) known as the mixed value by introducing the weighted mixed value.The proposed solution assigns value in graph games where players, and/or links, have weights representing asymmetries of the players, and different flows, lengths, emotional intensities, trust in the transmission of the information, etc. in the links. We present several characterizations of this value using properties, such as mixed component efficiency, weighted mixed fairness, weighted balanced contributions and weighted balanced link contributions. These properties were inspired by the classical properties used to characterize the Myerson value and the position value.