bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Laparo-Endoscopic Single Site Combined With Hysteroscopy to Diagnose and Treat Robert’s Uterine Malformation: A Case Report
Authors: Hong Xin-Yi , Ding Bo , Shen Yang
Published: June 2022

Asymmetric septate uterus, commonly known as Robert’s uterus, is an exceedingly rare uterine malformation described for the first time in 1970 by Robert H. Currently, surgery is the therapy of choice for Robert’s uterus, with surgical choices ranging from laparotomy to minimally invasive surgery. In this paper, we reported that a 14-year-old girl with primary dysmenorrhea that gradually worsened three months after menarche had surgery after many imaging evaluations, and that the intraoperative diagnosis was Robert’s uterus. The diagnostic and therapeutic laparo-endoscopic single site(LESS) combined with hysteroscopy surgery for Robert’s uterine abnormality was shown via a step-by-step presentation of the method accompanied by narrated video footage. During the ten-month postoperative follow-up period, the patient had monthly recurrences with normal menstrual volume and no dysmenorrhea, demonstrating that as a minimally invasive treatment, LESS combined with hysteroscopy surgery is a successful methodfor diagnosing and treating this specific malformation.
Field Validation of a Non-carcinogenic and Eco-Friendly Disinfectant in a Stand-In Footbath for Treatment of Footrot Associated With aprV2-Positive Strains of Dichelobacter nodosus in Swiss Sheep Flocks
Authors: Schmid Robin Michael , Steiner Adrian , Becker Jens , Baumberger Sandra , Dürr Salome , Alsaaod Maher
Published: June 2022

A national control program for virulent footrot is currently planned in Switzerland. Since commonly used disinfectants either contain heavy metals or are carcinogenic, the aim of this study was to verify the effectiveness of an eco-friendly and non-carcinogenic candidate disinfectant against aprV2-positive strains of Dichelobacter nodosus. Additionally, the effect of the selective use of long-acting oxytetracyclines was evaluated. A total of 18 farms with confirmed footrot infection, randomly allocated to two treatment groups: (1) with antibiotics (AB; n = 9) and, (2) no antibiotics (NAB; n = 9), were included. Claws were carefully trimmed and scored using a scale from 0 (clinically healthy) to 5 (complete loss of the horn capsule) and a prewash waterbath was implemented on 11 farms. Twice-weekly, repeated whole-flock stand-in footbaths with the candidate disinfectant (6%) were performed. Additionally, animals of group AB with a score ≥ 3 were administered oxytetracyclines by injection. On all farms, 10 days after last treatment, aprV2-positive strains could not be detected by risk-based sampling for real-time PCR analysis after 7–21 (median = 12) footbaths with a minimal culling rate of non-responders on nine farms. Farms without contact to other sheep remained without clinical signs of footrot for a minimum of 245 days (mean ± standard deviation: 293.6 ± 23.6). Antibiotic treatment did not reduce the number of footbaths needed. In contrast, a mean of 3.3 disinfecting footbaths could be saved by implementing a prewash waterbath. At animal level, individual and selective use of oxytetracyclines lead to a higher chance (odds ratio = 9.95; 95% CI: 3.54–27.95; p < 0.001) for a lesion score ≥ 3 to improve to a lesion score < 3 within 2 weeks compared to treatment without antibiotics. The test disinfectant is an effective and eco-friendly alternative for the planned Swiss footrot control program and selective use of oxytetracycline has a beneficial impact on the recovery of animals with lesion scores ≥ 3.
Assessment of Sex, Age, and Metabolism Relationships to Serum Thyroid Concentrations in Retired Alaskan Husky Sled Dogs
Authors: Lenfest Margret , Loftus John P. , Huson Heather J. , Gudkov Andrei , Andrianova Katerina , Fleyshman Daria , Wakshlag Joseph
Published: June 2022

Sled dogs are purpose-bred dogs selected for endurance work. Prior studies in racing dogs showed that serum thyroid parameters (total T4, free T4, and T3) are lower than the reference range in approximately 25% of dogs. Whether this is related to training, breeding, or body condition remains unclear. We hypothesized that retired sled dogs of normal body condition (9–13 years old) would have predominantly normal serum thyroid parameters and that serum thyroid status would be correlated to energy consumption based on metabolic body weight. Eighty-six sled dogs who were deemed healthy on physical exam, not on confounding medications, and without a prior diagnosis of hypothyroidism were included. All dogs' mean body condition scores were 5.1 ± 0.4 and body weight 24.5 ± 4.2 kg at fasting blood collection with stable dietary intake for 3 months before sampling. The total T4, free T4, and T3 serum concentrations were 23.4 ± 9.1 nmol/L, 9.53 ± 4.3 pmol/L, and 0.93 ± 0.39 nmol/L, respectively, with 38% lower than the reference range for total T4, 45% for free T4, and 37% for T3. All dogs were negative for thyroglobulin antibody, and TSH results were within normal ranges. Pearson's correlates based on kilocalories consumed on a metabolic body weight basis for total T4 (R = 0.14), free T4 (R = 0.01) and T3 (R = 0.23) showed poor correlation. No differences were observed between thyroid hormones and age, breed, or sex. Inactive, retired sled dogs can be misdiagnosed with hypothyroidism; therefore, our data suggests that misdiagnosis of hypothyroidism can occur and that the racing Alaskan sled dog has a unique reference range that should be considered when assessing serum thyroid status.
Ultra-Rapid Freezing Preserves Morphofunctional Integrity and Fertilizing Ability of Epididymal Cat Spermatozoa
Authors: Colombo Martina , Morselli Maria Giorgia , Zahmel Jennifer , Luvoni Gaia Cecilia
Published: June 2022

Vitrification and ultra-rapid freezing, which are more commonly used for oocytes and embryos, have recently been applied to spermatozoa in an attempt to make semen cryopreservation in field conditions easier compared to conventional freezing. It is well-known that in case of unexpected death of rare and wild animals, preserving epididymal spermatozoa from isolated testicles represents a great chance of salvaging male germplasm for future use in assisted reproductive technologies. The aim of this study was to evaluate the morphofunctional integrity of cat epididymal spermatozoa ultra-rapid frozen in pellets or straws with two different extenders [E1 (Tris buffer with 20% egg yolk and 0.25 M sucrose) or E2 (Ham's F10 with 1% bovine serum albumin and 0.4 M sucrose)] and to test whether spermatozoa preserved by the best combination were able to fertilize oocytes and produce embryosin vitroby intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI) ofin vitromatured cat oocytes. The results showed that E1 and E2 in straw or pellet were comparable (at warming, about 30% normal morphology, 45% intact membranes, and 20% intact acrosomes), except for post-warming motility that was better maintained along time by E1 pellet (21.7 ± 7.4% at warming and 3.6 ± 2.9% after 6 h). Such spermatozoa could fertilize conspecific oocytes and support embryonic development (cleavage 35.5%) as well as frozen control spermatozoa (cleavage 54.29%,p= 0.22). In conclusion, cat epididymal spermatozoa better maintained their morphofunctional features after ultra-rapid freezing with E1 and could successfully produce embryosin vitroafter ICSI. This underscores their usefulness as cryobanked material for fertility and biodiversity preservation purposes.
Detection of Multiple Lineages of PRRSV in Breeding and Growing Swine Farms
Authors: Cheng Ting-Yu , Campler Magnus R. , Schroeder Declan C. , Yang My , Mor Sunil K. , Ferreira Juliana B. , Arruda Andréia G.
Published: June 2022

The detection and co-circulation of multiple variants of porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome virus (PRRSV) have been observed and reported in swine. However, the potential long-term impact of multiple prevailing PRRSV variants on pig-performance is not yet fully understood. The primary objective of this study was to describe the genetic variation of PRRSV in processing fluid (PF), oral fluid (OF), and tonsil scraping (TS) specimens from five swine farms with different production types and PRRS status over a period of time (~1 year). Furthermore, the association between PRRSV prevalence and production parameters was investigated. Results showed that PRRSV was detected by RT-qPCR in 21–25% of all types of specimens. In breeding farms, PRRSV detection in PF and/or TS samples was correlated with stillborn and mummified fetuses, and pre-weaning mortality throughout the study period. Although ORF5 sequences were obtained in <16% of all sample types, simultaneous detection of PRRSV variants including field and vaccine strains within a single sampling event was identified in both breeding and growing pig farms. Phylogenetic analyses based on the ORF5 sequence classified the detected field PRRSV into L1A and L1H, two sub-lineages of lineage 1 (L1). Our study demonstrated the presence of multiple PRRSV lineages, sub-lineages, and variants in swine herds and its potential association with swine reproductive performance under field conditions.
Agricultural Water Optimal Allocation Using Minimum Cross-Entropy and Entropy-Weight-Based TOPSIS Method in Hetao Irrigation District, Northwest China
Authors: Zhang Yunquan , Yang Peiling
Published: June 2022

Affected by the temporal and spatial changes of natural resources, human activities, and social economic system policies, there are many uncertainties in the development, utilization, and management process of irrigation district agricultural water resources, which will increase the complexity of the use of irrigation district agricultural water resources. Decision makers find it challenging to cope with the complexity of fluctuating water supplies and demands that are critical for water resources’ allocation. In response to these issues, this paper presents an optimization modeling approach for agricultural water allocation at an irrigation district scale, considering the uncertainties of water supply and demand. The minimum cross-entropy method was used to estimate the parameters of hydrologic frequency distribution functions of water supply and demand, which are the basis for agricultural water resources’ optimal allocation and the evaluation of water resources’ carrying capacity in the Hetao Irrigation District. Interval Linear Fractional Programming was used to find water availability, shortage, and use efficiency in different irrigation areas of the Hetao Irrigation District (HID) under different scenarios. The denominator of fractional planning is the environmental goal, and the numerator is the economic goal; so, the objective function of fractional programming is the utility rate required in the post-optimization analysis. Future water availability and shortage scenarios are adopted consistent with the Representative Concentration Pathways’ (RCPs’) framework, and future water use scenarios are developed using the Shared Socioeconomic Pathways’ (SSPs’) framework. Results revealed that under SSP1, the annual water consumption increased from 30 billion m3 to 60 billion m3, almost doubling in Urad. The annual water consumption under SSP2 and SSP3 increased slightly, from 30 billion m3 to about 50 billion m3. The amount of water available for well irrigation in Urad decreased from 300 to 250 billion m3, while the amount of water available for canal irrigation in Urad remained at 270 billion m3 from 2010 s to 2030 s, only dropping to 240 billion m3 in 2040 s. The entropy-weight-based Technique for Order Preference by Similarity to an Ideal Solution (TOPSIS) method was applied to evaluate agricultural water resources’ allocation schemes because it can avoid the subjectivity of weight determination and can reflect the dynamic changing trend of irrigation district agricultural water resources’ carrying capacity. The approach is applicable to most regions, such as the Hetao Irrigation District in the Upper Yellow River Basi with limited precipitation, to determine water strategies under the changing environment.
The Relationship between Child Rearing Burden and Farmers’ Adoption of Climate Adaptive Technology: Taking Water-Saving Irrigation Technology as an Example
Authors: Cui Min , Zhang Jizhou , Xia Xianli
Published: June 2022

Exploring the relationship between child rearing burden and farmers’ adoption of climate adaptation technologies can be used to improve farmers’ adoption of these technologies, thus reducing the impact of climate change on agricultural production and increasing agricultural output. However, with the full implementation of the Chinese three-child policy, the number of children in families will continue to increase and the cost of raising children will rise, which will have a crowding out effect on the adoption of climate adaptive technologies. In this context, we analyzed the impact and mechanism of child rearing burden on farmers’ adoption of climate adaptive technology by Probit model and discussed its heterogeneity based on family life cycle theory. Cross-sectional survey data were collected from 511 farm households in the 3 provinces of China to produce the findings. We found that the child rearing burden had a significant negative impact on farmers’ adoption of climate adaptive technology. The impact mechanism analysis showed that the child rearing burden mainly affected farmers’ adoption of climate adaptive technology through three paths: risk appetite, economic capital and non-agricultural employment, with non-agricultural employment having the largest impact, followed by risk appetite and finally, economic capital. Furthermore, the effect of child rearing burden on the adoption of climate adaptive technology was heterogeneous amid different family life cycles: In the upbringing and burden period, the child support burden had a significant negative impact on the adoption of climate adaptive technology and the impact was greater in the upbringing period, while in the stable period, the child support burden had a significant positive impact on the adoption of climate adaptive technology. The influence mechanism was also heterogeneous in different family life cycles. This paper not only provides research evidence on the relationship between child rearing burden and farmers’ adoption of climate adaptive technology, but also has certain empirical value for the formulation and implementation of supportive measures for improving fertility policies.
Agronomic Performance of Soybean with Bradyrhizobium Inoculation in Double-Cropped Farming
Authors: Namozov Fazliddin , Islamov Sokhib , Atabaev Maruf , Allanov Kholik , Karimov Aziz , Khaitov Botir , Park Kee Woong
Published: June 2022

Land degradation is a serious problem in arid regions, including in Central Asian countries. Soybean symbiosis with rhizobia microbes has an essential role in improving crop productivity and sustaining soil fertility in an arid environment. An experiment was conducted in light straw-colored sierozem soils in the Syrdarya region of Uzbekistan (41.4° N, 64.6° E) under arid conditions over the 2016–2017 and 2017–2018 growing seasons. This study aimed to assess the beneficial N fixation (BNF) ability of soybean in association with the Bradyrhizobium R6 strain and the Bradyrhizobium japonicum USDA110 strains and their combined effect on soil fertility and crop yield. The residues of winter wheat and soybean improved soil structure, i.e., soil humus and N and P contents, significantly differing from those on the soybean followed by summer fallow treatment. Furthermore, soybean in association with dual inoculation had the highest N derived from the atmosphere (Ndfa) (62.9 kg N ha−1), followed by individual soybean treatments with the R6 and USDA110 strains at 51.9 and 40.6 kg N ha−1, respectively. Improved soil quality positively impacted crop output, increasing winter wheat and soybean yields by 36.5% and 34.6%, respectively. Likewise, the yield parameters, i.e., the number of pods, weight of grain per pods, and 1000 seeds were significantly higher in the inoculated treatment with the highest value observed in the dual-inoculated treatment. These results suggest the insertion of soybean with symbiotic bacteria into the cropping system has considerable potential to contribute to sustainable land management practices in arid zones.
Prediction of Water Stress Episodes in Fruit Trees Based on Soil and Weather Time Series Data
Authors: González-Teruel Juan D. , Ruiz-Abellon Maria Carmen , Blanco Víctor , Blaya-Ros Pedro José , Domingo Rafael , Torres-Sánchez Roque
Published: June 2022

Water is a limited resource in arid and semi-arid regions, as is the case in the Mediterranean Basin, where demographic and climatic conditions make it ideal for growing fruits and vegetables, but a greater volume of water is required. Deficit irrigation strategies have proven to be successful in optimizing available water without pernicious impact on yield and harvest quality, but it is essential to control the water stress of the crop. The direct measurement of crop water status is currently performed using midday stem water potential, which is costly in terms of time and labor; therefore, indirect methods are needed for automatic monitoring of crop water stress. In this study, we present a novel approach to indirectly estimate the water stress of 15-year-old mature sweet cherry trees from a time series of soil water status and meteorological variables by using Machine Learning methods (Random Forest and Support Vector Machine). Time information was accounted for by integrating soil and meteorological measurements within arbitrary periods of 3, 6 and 10 days. Supervised binary classification and regression approaches were applied. The binary classification approach allowed for the definition of a model that alerts the farmer when a dangerous crop water stress episode is about to happen a day in advance. Performance metrics F2 and recall of up to 0.735 and 0.769, respectively, were obtained. With the regression approach a R2 of up to 0.817 was achieved.
Antioxidant and DNA-Protective Potentials, Main Phenolic Compounds, and Microscopic Features of Koelreuteria paniculata Aerial Parts
Authors: Andonova Tsvetelina , Muhovski Yordan , Vrancheva Radka , Slavov Ilya , Apostolova Elena , Naimov Samir , Pavlov Atanas , Dimitrova-Dyulgerova Ivanka
Published: June 2022

Interest in plant extracts as a natural source of antioxidants has grown significantly in recent years. The tree species Koelreuteria paniculata deserves attention due to its wide distribution, good adaptability, and growth to the degree of invasiveness in a number of European countries. The purpose of the present study was to analyze flavonoids and phenolic acids of the ethanol extracts from aerial parts of K. paniculata and to screen their antioxidant and DNA-protective activity. HPLC profiling revealed the presence of five flavonoids, with rutin (4.23 mg/g DW), hesperidin (2.97 mg/g DW), and quercetin (2.66 mg/g DW) as the major ones in the leaves, and (−)-epicatechin (2.69 mg/g DW) in the flower buds. Among the nine phenolic acids identified, rosmarinic, p-coumaric, salicylic, vanillic, and gallic acids were the best represented. All the extracts tested showed in vitro antioxidant activity that was determined by DPPH, ABTS, FRAP, and CUPRAC assays. The highest activity was recorded in the flower parts (in the range from 1133 to 4308 mmol TE/g DW). The DNA-protective capacity of the flower and stem bark extracts from the in vitro nicking assay performed, as well as the main diagnostic microscopic features of the plant substances, are given for the first time. According to the results obtained, the aerial parts of K. paniculata could be valuable sources of natural antioxidants.
The Antioxidant Cyclic 3-Hydroxymelatonin Promotes the Growth and Flowering of Arabidopsis thaliana
Authors: Lee Hyoung Yool , Back Kyoungwhan
Published: June 2022

In plants, melatonin is metabolized into several compounds, including the potent antioxidant cyclic 3-hydroxymelatonin (3-OHM). Melatonin 3-hydroxylase (M3H), a member of the 2-oxo-glutarate-dependent enzyme family, is responsible for 3-OHM biosynthesis. Although rice M3H has been cloned, its roles are unclear, and no homologs in other plant species have been characterized. Here, we cloned and characterized Arabidopsis thaliana M3H (AtM3H). The purified recombinant AtM3H exhibited Km and Vmax values of 100 μM and 20.7 nmol/min/mg protein, respectively. M3H was localized to the cytoplasm, and its expression peaked at night. Based on a 1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) assay, 3-OHM exhibited 15-fold higher antioxidant activity than melatonin. An Arabidopsis M3H knockout mutant (m3h) produced less 3-OHM than the wildtype (WT), thus reducing antioxidant activity and biomass and delaying flowering. These defects were caused by reduced expression of FLOWERING LOCUS T (FT) and gibberellin-related genes, which are responsible for flowering and growth. Exogenous 3-OHM, but not exogenous melatonin, induced FT expression. The peak of M3H expression at night matched the FT expression pattern. The WT and m3h exhibited similar responses to salt stress and pathogens. Collectively, our findings indicate that 3-OHM promotes growth and flowering in Arabidopsis.
Natural Antioxidant in Cardiovascular and Cerebrovascular Diseases
Authors: Jung Yi-Sook
Published: June 2022

Cardiovascular (CVD) and cerebrovascular diseases, with 17 [...]
Bioactive Compounds, Antioxidant, Anti-Inflammatory, Anti-Cancer, and Toxicity Assessment of Tribulus terrestris—In Vitro and In Vivo Studies
Authors: Abbas Malik , Hussain Mazhar , Akhtar Saeed , Ismail Tariq , Qamar Muhammad , Shafiq Zahid , Esatbeyoglu Tuba
Published: June 2022

Tribulus terrestris L. belongs to the family Zygophyllaceae and integral part of various ancient medicinal systems including Chinese, Indian, and European to combat various health ailments. The aim of the present study was to assess the phytochemical constituents, in vitro antioxidant activity using DPPH, FRAP, and H2O2 assays, in vitro anticancer activity using MTT assay, and in vitro and in vivo anti-inflammatory properties of T. terrestris. The acute and sub-acute toxicity of extracts exhibiting most biological potential was examined using murine models. Liquid–liquid partitioning followed by RP–HPLC sub-fraction of crude extract was performed. After that, ESI-MS/MS analysis was done for the timid identification of bioactive metabolites responsible for bioactivities of sub-fractions and HPLC analysis to quantify the compounds using external standards. Among all extracts, T. terrestris methanol extract was noted to hold maximum phenolic (341.3 mg GAE/g) and flavonoid (209 mg QE/g) contents, antioxidant activity in DPPH (IC50 71.4 µg/mL), FRAP (35.3 mmol/g), and H2O2 (65.3% inhibition) assays, anti-inflammatory activities in vitro at 400 µg/mL (heat-induced hemolysis, % inhibition 68.5; egg albumin denaturation, % inhibition 75.6%; serum albumin denaturation, % inhibition 80.2), and in vivo at 200 mg/kg (carrageenan-induced paw edema, % inhibition 69.3%; formaldehyde-induced paw edema, % inhibition 71.3%) and anticancer activity against breast cancer cell (MCF-7) proliferation (IC50 74.1 µg/mL). Acute and sub-acute toxicity studies recorded with no change in body weight, behavior, hematological, serum, and histopathological parameters in treated rats with T. terrestris methanol extracts when compared to control group. Fraction B obtained through liquid–liquid partitioning resulted in more bioactive potential as compared to the parent methanol extract. RP–HPLC analysis of fraction B resulted with four sub-fractions (TBTMF1-TBTMF4), wherein TBTMF3 delineated notable bioactive capabilities as compared to other fractions and parent methanol extract. ESI-MS/MS analysis of TBTMF3 resulted with tentative identification of myricetin, rutin, liquitrigenin, physcion, and protodioscin. It can be stated that T. terrestris is a potential bearing herb and findings of current study further verify the claims made in ancient medicinal systems. However, after investigation of each identified compound, it must be considered for drug discovery.
The Impact of Controlled Ovarian Stimulation on Serum Oxidative Stress Markers in Infertile Women with Endometriosis Undergoing ICSI
Authors: Da Broi Michele Gomes , Ferreira Elisa Melo , Andrade Aline Zyman , Jordão Alceu Afonso , Ferriani Rui Alberto , Navarro Paula Andrea
Published: June 2022

Endometriosis-related infertility is associated with oxidative stress (OS). The present study aims to compare serum OS markers of infertile women with endometriosis and controls during the follicular phase of the natural cycle (D1), after pituitary downregulation using a GnRH agonist (D2), after controlled ovarian stimulation (COS) on the day of human chorionic gonadotropin administration (D3), and on the day of oocyte retrieval (D4). One hundred and eight serum samples (58 controls and 35 early and 18 advanced endometriosis cases) were collected at these four timepoints. OS markers were compared among the groups and timepoints using a linear regression model with mixed effects and a post-test using orthogonal contrasts. The significance was set at 5%. We observed altered OS markers in the endometriosis patients during the D1, D2, D3, and D4 timepoints compared to the controls. The evidence of systemic OS in infertile patients with endometriosis during COS suggests the mobilization of potent antioxidants in an attempt to protect the oocyte from oxidative damage, especially on the day of oocyte retrieval.
NADPH Oxidases in Pain Processing
Authors: Kallenborn-Gerhardt Wiebke , Schröder Katrin , Schmidtko Achim
Published: June 2022

Inflammation or injury to the somatosensory nervous system may result in chronic pain conditions, which affect millions of people and often cause major health problems. Emerging lines of evidence indicate that reactive oxygen species (ROS), such as superoxide anion or hydrogen peroxide, are produced in the nociceptive system during chronic inflammatory and neuropathic pain and act as specific signaling molecules in pain processing. Among potential ROS sources in the somatosensory system are NADPH oxidases, a group of electron-transporting transmembrane enzymes whose sole function seems to be the generation of ROS. Interestingly, the expression and relevant function of the Nox family members Nox1, Nox2, and Nox4 in various cells of the nociceptive system have been demonstrated. Studies using knockout mice or specific knockdown of these isoforms indicate that Nox1, Nox2, and Nox4 specifically contribute to distinct signaling pathways in chronic inflammatory and/or neuropathic pain states. As selective Nox inhibitors are currently being developed and investigated in various physiological and pathophysiological settings, targeting Nox1, Nox2, and/or Nox4 could be a novel strategy for the treatment of chronic pain. Here, we summarize the distinct roles of Nox1, Nox2, and Nox4 in inflammatory and neuropathic processing and discuss the effectiveness of currently available Nox inhibitors in the treatment of chronic pain conditions.
Maclurin Exhibits Antioxidant and Anti-Tyrosinase Activities, Suppressing Melanogenesis
Authors: Moon Kyoung Mi , Yang Ju-Hye , Lee Min-Kyeong , Kwon Eun-Bin , Baek Jiwon , Hwang Taehyeok , Kim Jae-Il , Lee Bonggi
Published: June 2022

Maclurin is rich in some edible fruits such as Morus alba (white mulberry) and Garcinia mangostana. Although maclurin showed anti-cancer and antioxidant effects, its roles in ultraviolet (UV)-induced melanogenesis have not been studied. Here, we investigated the effects of maclurin in melanogenesis using skin cells and a three-dimensional human skin model. When the cytotoxicity of maclurin was examined in B16F10 cells, no cytotoxicity was found up to 20 μM. Maclurin suppressed UVB-mediated tyrosinase activation and melanin accumulation in B16F10 cells without changes in mRNA levels of melanogenesis-related genes including tyrosinase, TRP1, TRP2, CREB, and MITF. Moreover, maclurin reduced melanin contents in melan-a cells, a cell line for normal melanocytes. When applied to a human skin model consisting of the epidermis and melanocytes, maclurin significantly reduced UVB-induced melanin accumulation (~47%) in a concentration-dependent manner based on microscopic observation and Fontana-Masson staining. Protein–ligand docking simulation followed by binding residue analysis showed that maclurin may bind to inactivate tyrosinase by forming multiple hydrogen bonds and hydrophobic and aromatic interactions with the residues of tyrosinase. Together, our study suggests that maclurin may be applied as an anti-melanogenic agent.
Geographic Scene Understanding of High-Spatial-Resolution Remote Sensing Images: Methodological Trends and Current Challenges
Authors: Ye Peng , Liu Guowei , Huang Yi
Published: June 2022

As one of the primary means of Earth observation, high-spatial-resolution remote sensing images can describe the geometry, texture and structure of objects in detail. It has become a research hotspot to recognize the semantic information of objects, analyze the semantic relationship between objects and then understand the more abstract geographic scenes in high-spatial-resolution remote sensing images. Based on the basic connotation of geographic scene understanding of high-spatial-resolution remote sensing images, this paper firstly summarizes the keystones in geographic scene understanding, such as various semantic hierarchies, complex spatial structures and limited labeled samples. Then, the achievements in the processing strategies and techniques of geographic scene understanding in recent years are reviewed from three layers: visual semantics, object semantics and concept semantics. On this basis, the new challenges in the research of geographic scene understanding of high-spatial-resolution remote sensing images are analyzed, and future research prospects have been proposed.
WCC-JC: A Web-Crawled Corpus for Japanese-Chinese Neural Machine Translation
Authors: Zhang Jinyi , Tian Ye , Mao Jiannan , Han Mei , Matsumoto Tadahiro
Published: June 2022

Currently, there are only a limited number of Japanese-Chinese bilingual corpora of a sufficient amount that can be used as training data for neural machine translation (NMT). In particular, there are few corpora that include spoken language such as daily conversation. In this research, we attempt to construct a Japanese-Chinese bilingual corpus of a certain scale by crawling the subtitle data of movies and TV series from the websites. We calculated the BLEU scores of the constructed WCC-JC (Web Crawled Corpus—Japanese and Chinese) and the other compared corpora. We also manually evaluated the translation results using the translation model trained on the WCC-JC to confirm the quality and effectiveness.
Developing a Novel Design for a Tubular Solid Oxide Fuel Cell Current Collector
Authors: Ahmed Khaled I. , Ahmed Mohamed H.
Published: June 2022

This study presents a novel current collector design for a tubular SOFC and numerically investigates its performance. The new current collector design has a flow channel with a trapezoidal shape. Several channels, such as four, eight, and twelve, are investigated, and their effects on cell performance are reported and compared. Additionally, a traditional tubular SOFC and the newly developed design are presented. The equations of mass conservation, momentum, charge transport, and energy were considered in the numerical model, and the ANSYS Fluent SOFC module was used to solve the numerical model. The results show that the developed design performed better than the traditional design. The new design with twelve channels collected 0.384 A, higher than the other designs. Although the design with twelve channels gave a high concentration of hydrogen at the outlet compared to the designs with four and eight channels, it gave higher performance than the designs with four and eight channels. Increasing the number of channels in the developed design enhanced the cell performance significantly due to the increased contact area, leading to the efficient collection of the generated current.
A Hybrid Model Utilizing Principal Component Analysis and Artificial Neural Networks for Driving Drowsiness Detection
Authors: Huang Yanwen , Deng Yuanchang
Published: June 2022

The detection of drowsiness while driving plays a vital role in ensuring road safety. Existing detection methods need to reduce external interference and sensor intrusiveness, and their algorithms must be modified to improve accuracy, stability, and timeliness. In order to realize fast and accurate driving drowsiness detection using physiological data that can be collected non-intrusively, a hybrid model with principal component analysis and artificial neural networks was proposed in this study. Principal component analysis was used to remove the noise and redundant information from the original data, and artificial neural networks were used to classify the processed data. Three other models were designed for comparison, including a hybrid model with principal component analysis and classic machine learning algorithms, a single model with artificial neural networks, and a single model with classic machine learning algorithms. The results indicated that the average accuracy of the proposed model exceeded 97%, the average training time was lower than 0.3 s, and the average standard deviation of the proposed model’s accuracy was 0.7%, indicating that the model could detect driving drowsiness more accurately and quickly than the comparison models while ensuring stability. Thus, principal component analysis can help to improve the accuracy of driving drowsiness detection. This method can be applied to active warning systems (AWS) in intelligent vehicles in the future.
Research on Intelligent Detection Algorithm of the Single Anchored Mooring Area for Maritime Autonomous Surface Ships
Authors: Cao Liang , Wang Xinjian , Zhang Wenjun , Gao Ligang , Xie Si , Liu Zhengjiang
Published: June 2022

Mooring area detection represents one of the key technological problems that must be solved in the development of Maritime Autonomous Surface Ships (MASS). In view of the lack of research on the current detection methods for ship mooring area, a new intelligent detection algorithm of the single anchored mooring area for MASS was proposed in this study, aiming at improving the detection ability and accuracy of the MASS mooring area. Firstly, the laws of short period swinging motion, long period circumferential motion and reciprocating motion in the radial direction of an anchoring ship were summarized. Secondly, an anchorage circle radius model and safety distance model between the anchor positions were established and various constrains were considered including ship type, ship particulars, draft, safety impact caused by other ships passing through the anchoring ship. Thirdly, the Monte-Carlo stochastic simulation method was used to measure the mooring area, which can detect the anchor position intelligently. Finally, a case study on MATLAB demonstrated that the proposed intelligent detection algorithm for MASS is effective under various marine scenarios. The results enrich the theory of MASS mooring area detection; therefore, the algorithm has great potential to be equipped on MASS in the future.
Dose–Response Effect of Nitrogen on Microbial Community during Hydrocarbon Biodegradation in Simplified Model System
Authors: Staninska-Pięta Justyna , Czarny Jakub , Juzwa Wojciech , Wolko Łukasz , Cyplik Paweł , Piotrowska-Cyplik Agnieszka
Published: June 2022

Knowledge about the influence of C:N ratio on the biodegradation process of hydrocarbon compounds is of significant importance in the development of biostimulation techniques. The purpose of this study was to assess the impact of nitrogen compounds on the environmental consortium during the process of biological decomposition of hydrocarbons. The experimental variants represented low, moderate, and excessive biostimulation with nitrogen compounds. The metabolic activity of the consortium was tested using the flow cytometry technique. The efficiency of the biodegradation of hydrocarbons of the consortium, based on the gas chromatography method, and metapopulation changes, based on the analysis of V4 16srRNA sequencing data, were assessed. The results of the research confirm the positive effect of properly optimized biostimulation with nitrogen compounds on the biological decomposition of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons. The negative impact of excessive biostimulation on the biodegradation efficiency and metabolic activity of microorganisms is also proven. Low resistance to changes in the supply of nitrogen compounds is demonstrated among the orders Xanthomonadales, Burkholderiales, Sphingomonadales, Flavobacteriales, and Sphingobacteriales. It is proven that quantitative analysis of the order of Rhizobiales, characterized by a high-predicted potential for the decomposition of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, may be helpful during biostimulation optimization processes in areas with a high nitrogen deficiency.
Impact of High-Pressure Processing (HPP) on Selected Quality and Nutritional Parameters of Cauliflower (Brassica oleracea var. Botrytis)
Authors: Kurek Marcin A. , Finnseth Christian , Skipnes Dagbjørn , Rode Tone Mari
Published: June 2022

In recent years, innovative food processing methods, such as high-pressure processing (HPP) treatment, have been shown to improve food quality. The purpose of this work was to determine the effects of high-pressure processing (HPP; 400 and 600 MPa for 2 or 5 min, 20 °C) of cauliflower. Microbial shelf-life (total aerobic count and spores), texture, color, drip loss, dry matter, antioxidative capacity, total phenolic content, and ascorbic acid were analyzed before and after processing, as well as during storage (4 °C) for up to 42 days. Among the different treatments, HPP at 600 MPa exhibited low microbial counts between days 14 and 28 of storage, while at 400 MPa already had high bacterial counts between days 7 and 14. HPP at both 400 and 600 MPa was the best method to maintain the color during storage. The texture of the cauliflower did not differ from the control during storage for HPP. For all samples, the dry matter content remained stable during storage, with few differences between treatments. The nutritional quality of high-pressure-processed cauliflower at 600 MPa for 2 min remained high until day 28. The overall results of this study demonstrate that HPP has the potential to preserve the quality of cauliflower.
Towards Optimizing Garlic Combine Harvester Design with Logistic Regression
Authors: Zhu Zhengbo , Li Wei , Wen Fujun , Chen Liangzhe , Xu Yan
Published: June 2022

In this paper, a garlic combine harvester machine was designed and some influential parameters of the machine were optimized. The working parts of the machine mainly consisted of a reel, a reciprocating cutter, a seedling conveyor, a profiling depth-stop device, a digging shovel and a lifting chain. Each part had unique structural parameters and motion parameters, as different parameters would deeply affect the performance of the machine. A logistical regression algorithm was utilized to analyze the working speed of the reel, the digging depth of the reciprocating cutter and the lifting speed of the lifting chain. This paper also discussed the influence of these three functions on the damage rate based on the collected data when harvesting garlic. Specifically, each function was tested 60 times for collecting data. The experimental results showed that the order of influence of the three functions on the damage rate was the digging depth, working speed and lifting speed. Moreover, the lowest damage rate was 0.18% when the digging depth was 100 mm, the working speed was 1.05 km·h−1 and the lifting speed was 0.69 m·s−1. A validation test was taken out based on the three functions of the analysis results, and the damage rate was 0.83%, which was close to the analysis results, and proved that the analysis results were accurate and meaningful. The research results are beneficial to the development and application of the garlic combine harvester.
BiLSTM-CRF-KG: A Construction Method of Software Requirements Specification Graph
Authors: Wang Zhengdi , Pan Jeng-Shyang , Chen Qinyin , Yang Shuangyuan
Published: June 2022

A requirement analysis is the basis and source of software system development, and its accuracy, consistency and completeness are the keys to determining software quality. However, at present, most software requirements specifications are prepared manually, which has some problems, such as inconsistency with business description, low preparation efficiency, being error prone and difficulty communicating effectively with business personnel. Aiming at the above problems, this paper realizes a construction model of the software requirements specification graph BiSLTM-CRF-KG by using natural language processing and knowledge graph technology. Simulation experiments on 150 real software system business requirements description corpora show that the BiSLTM-CRF-KG model can obtain 96.31% functional entity recognition accuracy directly from the original corpus, which is better than the classical BiSLTM-CRF, IDCNN-CRF and CRF++ models, and has good performance on different kinds of data sets.
Chaotic Image Encryption: State-of-the-Art, Ecosystem, and Future Roadmap
Authors: Zolfaghari Behrouz , Koshiba Takeshi
Published: June 2022

Recently, many researchers have been interested in the application of chaos in cryptography. Specifically, numerous research works have been focusing on chaotic image encryption. A comprehensive survey can highlight existing trends and shed light on less-studied topics in the area of chaotic image encryption. In addition to such a survey, this paper studies the main challenges in this field, establishes an ecosystem for chaotic image encryption, and develops a future roadmap for further research in this area.
A Selection Principle and Products in Topological Groups
Authors: Scheepers Marion
Published: June 2022

We consider the preservation under products, finite powers, and forcing of a selection-principle-based covering property of T0 topological groups. Though the paper is partly a survey, it contributes some new information: (1) The product of a strictly o-bounded group with an o-bounded group is an o-bounded group—Corollary 1. (2) In the generic extension by a finite support iteration of ℵ1 Hechler reals the product of any o-bounded group with a ground model ℵ0 bounded group is an o-bounded group—Theorem 11. (3) In the generic extension by a countable support iteration of Mathias reals the product of any o-bounded group with a ground model ℵ0 bounded group is an o-bounded group—Theorem 12.
Recent Advances in Forensic Anthropological Methods and Research
Authors: Cunha Eugénia , Ross Ann H.
Published: June 2022

This Special Issue, “Recent Advances in Forensic Anthropological Methods and Research”, with thirteen articles covers a wide range of highly diverse topics within forensic anthropology [...]
Effects of High-Intensity Resistance Training on Physical Fitness, Hormonal and Antioxidant Factors: A Randomized Controlled Study Conducted on Young Adult Male Soccer Players
Authors: Silva Ana Filipa , Aghidemand Mohammad Hosein , Kharatzadeh Masoud , Ahmadi Vahab Khan , Oliveira Rafael , Clemente Filipe Manuel , Badicu Georgian , Murawska-Ciałowicz Eugenia
Published: June 2022

Purpose: The aim of this study was to test the effects of high-intensity resistance training (HIRT) intervention on the physical fitness, hormonal and antioxidant factors of adult male soccer players. Methods: A randomized controlled study design was implemented. Eighteen soccer players (age: 20.3 ± 0.66 years; stature: 174.0 ± 6.01 cm; body mass: 69.1 ± 6.4 kg; body mass index: 22.8 ± 1.6 kg/m2) voluntarily participated in this study. Players were assessed before and after an intervention lasting 8 weeks, with three training sessions a week. Assessments of physical fitness included the Yo-Yo intermittent recovery test level 1 (YYIRT1), 10-, 20-, and 30 m sprint time (ST), running-based anaerobic sprint test (RAST) and change-of-direction time (COD). Hormonal tests included cortisol, testosterone and growth hormone (GH), whereas the antioxidant assessment included superoxide dismutase (SOD), malondialdehyde (MDA) and glutathione (GSH). Results: Between-group analysis revealed no significant differences at baseline, whereas it revealed that HIRT presented significant better results than the control group on YYIRT (p = 0.032), 10 m ST (p = 0.041), 20 m ST (p = 0.040), 30 m ST (p = 0.044), RAST (p = 0.013), and COD (p = 0.031) after the intervention period. The within group analysis revealed that the HIRT group significantly improved the YYIRT1 (p < 0.001), VO2max (p < 0.001), 10 m ST (p < 0.001), 20 m ST (p = 0.006), 30 m ST (p < 0.001), RAST (p < 0.001) and COD (p < 0.001). Moreover, HIRT group significantly reduced the cortisol (p < 0.001) and MDA (p = 0.021), whereas it significantly increased the GH (p < 0.001), testosterone (p < 0.001), SOD (p = 0.009) and GSH (p = 0.005). Conclusions: The HIRT is effective for improving physical fitness, revealing significant better adaptations than controls. Moreover, hormonal and antioxidant adaptations are also confirmed after HIRT intervention.
Effects of a Physical Literacy Breaks (PLBreaks) Program on Physical Literacy and Body Composition in Portuguese Schoolchildren: A Study Protocol
Authors: Mendoza-Muñoz Maria , Carlos-Vivas Jorge , Villafaina Santos , Parraca Jose A. , Vega-Muñoz Alejandro , Contreras-Barraza Nicolás , Raimundo Armando
Published: June 2022

(1) Background: Several studies have shown that active breaks have led to different improvements in their participants. However, no studies have assessed how they affect physical literacy (PL). (2) Aims: Therefore, this study will examine the effect of the PLBreaks programme on school children’s PL and body composition. (3) Methods: A parallel-group randomised controlled trial will be conducted with assessments of PL (Canadian Assessment of Physical Literacy Development) and body composition (height, bodyweight, fat mass and fat-free mass) before and after an active breaks programme. PLBreak programme will run for 3 months and will be carried out 3 days a week for 20 min each day. The PLBreaks programme will consist of two blocks of 10 min of different physical activities (PA). The first block will be focused on the acquisition of knowledge and healthy life habits that will contribute to the development of the domains of knowledge and understanding and daily activity. The second block will be focused on physical competence and motivation throughout games. (4) Conclusions: The present study will investigate the efficacy of PLBreaks in schoolchildren in improving their PL and body composition. If the efficacy of the program is demonstrated, including the programme in public education programmes can be possible. This could be a scientific breakthrough in terms of health-related PA improvement and adherence, as well as the prevention of diseases associated with inactivity.