bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
The association between nation-level social and economic indices and suicide rates: A pilot study
Authors: Rajkumar Ravi Philip
Published: March 2023

Ever since the pioneering work of Emile Durkheim, it has been known that regional or national suicide rates can be influenced by a variety of social and economic factors. Recent research has found a robust association between two country-level economic indices—gross national product and unemployment rate—and suicide rates, particularly in men. However, the association between other country-level social indices—such as measures of social integration, inequality, environmental preservation and political freedom—and suicide rates has not been studied at the cross-national level. In the current study, national suicide rates for men and women were examined in relation to seven indices measuring subjective wellbeing, sustainable development, type of political regime, economic and gender inequality, and social capital. It was found that the Happy Planet Index, a composite measure of subjective wellbeing and sustainable development, was negatively associated with suicide rates independent of gender, and even after adjusting for possible confounding factors. Economic inequality was associated with suicide in men, and social capital was associated with suicide in women. Moreover, the strength and direction of the associations observed between socioeconomic indices and suicide varied across income groups. These results highlight the need for a closer evaluation of the link between large-scale (“macro”) social factors and individual (“micro”) psychological factors, as well as the importance of integrating these factors into suicide prevention programmes at the national level.
Overview on the Special Issue on “Simulation-Based Optimization: Methods and Applications in Engineering Design”
Authors: Pellegrini Riccardo , Serani Andrea
Published: March 2023

The simulation-based design optimization (SBDO) paradigm is a well-known approach that has assisted, assists, and will continue to assist designers to develop ever-improving systems [...]
Exploring the Genetic and Morphological Variation and Disease Resistance in Local and Foreign Prunus persica (L.) Batsch Cultivars
Authors: Drogoudi Pavlina , Pantelidis Georgios , Karapetsi Lefkothea , Ziakou Konstantina , Kazantzis Konstantinos , Madesis Panagiotis , Thomidis Thomas
Published: March 2023

Local germplasm may be the basis for genetic improvement for sustainability and resilience, yet little is known about Greek peach [Prunus persica (L.) Batsch] local genetic resources. The aims of the present study were to entail a prospection in the mainland and islands of Greece for local traditional and underutilized germplasm and study their genetic and morphological variation and susceptibility to shoot blight from Cylindrocarpon destructans and Monilinia laxa. A total of 32 peach cultivars/accessions were prospected from the mainland (Imathia and Magnesia) and islands (Andros, Ikaria, Kythira, Lesvos and Samos) of Greece. Leaf and fruit morphological characterization was made in situ and ex situ using 42 qualitative and quantitative morphological descriptors. Nine clones of ‘Lemonato’, isolated in Magnesia, with differing ripening times, were found to vary in leaf and fruit phenotypic traits. The local peach genotypes were separated from 12 old foreign cultivars, in 8 out of the 42 leaf and fruit phenotypic traits studied. We observed greater lesion damages from C. destructans than M. laxa. Local cultivars had greater resistance to Cylindrocarpon destructans than foreign cultivars, with ‘Lemonato Andrea’, ‘Daggalakou’ and ‘Papagianni’ exhibiting the greatest resistance. Genetic characterization was performed in the studied local and foreign peach cultivars/accessions, using eight Inter Simple Sequence Repeats (ISSRs), resulting in a total of 404 bands. Analysis of molecular variance and principal coordinates analysis revealed moderate to low genetic diversity among the peach cultivars, and three distinct clusters were formed. Furthermore, multiple regression analysis was implemented for the association study between morphological traits and the ISSR markers, revealing several markers that are statistically and significantly correlated with fruits’ traits. The obtained results could be valuable for breeding programs and future research on peach.
A Copula-Based Meta-Stochastic Frontier Analysis for Comparing Traditional and HDPE Geomembranes Technology in Sea Salt Farming among Farmers in Phetchaburi, Thailand
Authors: Tansuchat Roengchai
Published: March 2023

This study analyzed sea salt production and compared the technical efficiency level and the technology gap between traditional technology and High-Density Polyethylene Geomembranes (HDPE GMB) technology in the Phetchaburi province using a copula-based meta-stochastic frontier technique. A total sample size of 250 was chosen, comprising 195 traditional farmers and 55 HDPE GMBs farmers. Several copula families were used to analyze the dependence structure of the two error components and the best-fit copula-based meta-frontier model used Gaussian copulas. Land, labor, and fuel energy are the most significant input variables in the Gaussian copula-based meta-frontier model with a translog production function. Compared to meta-frontier production, the average technological gap between traditional technology production and HDPE GMB technology production was 0.69 and 0.77, respectively, meaning HDPE GMB technology is more technically efficient than traditional technology. The study identified that land, market price, sex, and experience were the contributing technical inefficiency factors for traditional technology production. For HDPE GMB technology production, land, sex, and experience were found to be contributing factors. The performance of HDPE GMB technology in salt farming in the Phetchaburi province suggests that public and private sector agencies should promote greater access to this technology for salt farmers.
Design and Experiments of a Double-Cutterbar Combine Header Used in Wheat Combine Harvesters
Authors: Yuan Linghe , Lan Mingming , He Xun , Wei Wenhe , Wang Wanzhang , Qu Zhe
Published: March 2023

To solve the problems of congestion and increased power consumption of wheat combine harvesters (WCHs) caused by excessive feed rate, this paper proposes a method to reduce the feed rate by decreasing the feed length of the stalk and designs a double-cutterbar combine header (DCH). Using the threshing test bench and taking the feed rate, the feed length of the stalk, and the speed of the tangential threshing rotor as the influencing factors and the conveying time as the index, the influence of different parameters on the conveying performance was analyzed. The optimal parameters were obtained: the feed rate was 8 kg/s, the feed length of the stalk was 380 mm, the speed of the cutting drum was 554 r/min, and the conveying time was 8.089 s. The optimized parameter combination was tested and verified, and the test results show that the relative error with the predicted value was 0.198%, proving the reliability of the optimized parameters. The critical components of the DCH were designed, the movement process of the profiling mechanism was simulated using ADAMS software, and the structural dimensions of the profiling mechanism were determined. The field performance test of the WCH with a DCH was carried out. The results showed that the loss rate and stubble height met the operation quality requirements. At the same operation speed, the fuel consumption was 11.2% less than that of the WCH with a conventional header, providing a technical reference for the efficient harvest of the WCHs.
Nitrogen and Phosphorus Counteracted the Adverse Effects of Salt on Sorghum by Improving ROS Scavenging and Osmotic Regulation
Authors: Guo Xiaoqian , Wu Qidi , Zhang Zhe , Zhu Guanglong , Zhou Guisheng
Published: March 2023

Fertilizer management is one of the easiest and most practical ways of combating salt stress. This study was done to evaluate the alleviative effects of nitrogen and phosphorus on the growth and salt tolerance of salt-affected sorghum. A controlled study organized in a randomized block design with three replications was conducted, testing three nitrogen rates (N0: 0 kg ha−1, N1: 180 kg ha−1, N2: 360 N kg ha−1) and phosphorus rates (P0: 0 P2O5 kg ha−1, P1: 60 P2O5 kg ha−1, P2: 120 P2O5 kg ha−1). Nitrogen and phosphorus application had positive effects on morphological indexes (plant height, stem diameter), some physiological and biochemical attributes (the content of proline and soluble protein, and the activities of superoxide dismutase, catalase, peroxidase, and ascorbate peroxidase), and aerial biomass (fresh and dry weight) of sorghum grown in saline soils. Reactive oxygen species accumulation and cell membrane damage were decreased with the application of nitrogen and phosphorus. Compared with sole fertilizer, the combined application of nitrogen and phosphorus showed better performance in alleviating salt damage on sorghum. Despite the fact that the maximum of most of the measured parameters and the minimum of reactive oxygen species accumulation and cell membrane damage were generally obtained at N1P1 and N2P2 treatment, N1P1 was recommended to be the suitable treatment considering economic benefits and environmental protection.
Rice Yield and Greenhouse Gas Emissions Due to Biochar and Straw Application under Optimal Reduced N Fertilizers in a Double Season Rice Cropping System
Authors: Li Dandan , He Hao , Zhou Guoli , He Qianhao , Yang Shuyun
Published: March 2023

This study aimed to investigate the impacts of straw and biochar on greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and grain yield in a double rice cropping system under optimal N fertilizer reduction. Conventional fertilization (CF) was used as the control group, and treatments included optimal fertilization and 15% less nitrogen (OF), together with straw (S) or biochar (B) applied under different fertilization conditions, namely CF + S, CF + B, OF + S, and OF + B. The effects of treatments on soil CH4 and N2O emissions were studied, and changes in soil physicochemical properties were analyzed. The results showed that relative to CF, CF + S and OF + S increased the cumulative CH4 emissions by 11.80% and 2.35%, respectively, while CF + B and OF + B resulted in significant reductions in cumulative CH4 emissions by 27.80% and 28.46%, respectively. Biochar was effective in reducing N2O emissions, and OF further increased the potential, with CF + B and OF + B achieving the best N2O reductions of 30.56% and 32.21%, respectively. Although OF reduced yields by 0.16%, this difference was within reasonable limits; the remaining treatments increased grain yields by 2.55% to 3.47%. CF + B and OF + B reduced the global warming potential (GWP) by 27.93% and 28.63%, respectively, and ultimately reduced the greenhouse gas emission intensity (GHGI) by 30.42% and 30.97%. Both straw and biochar increased the soil organic matter, NH4+-N, and NO3−-N contents, and biochar increased the soil pH, which may be the potential mechanism regulating soil GHG emissions. Overall, OF + B is beneficial for reducing GHG emissions and may be a better agronomic cropping pattern in double season rice growing areas.
Does the Soil Tillage Affect the Quality of the Peanut Picker?
Authors: Lopes de Brito Filho Armando , Morlin Carneiro Franciele , Costa Souza Jarlyson Brunno , Luns Hatun de Almeida Samira , Patias Lena Bruno , Pereira da Silva Rouverson
Published: March 2023

Machine harvesting is an essential step of crop production, considering a dynamic operation, and is subject to losses due to several factors that affect its quality. The objective of this study was to evaluate the quality of mechanized peanut pickers in the three soil tillage operations using Statistical Quality Control (SQC) tools. We conducted the experiments in a peanut field located at 21°20′23″ S and 47°54′06″ W of Brazilian peanut farmers. We used Statistic Control Quality (SQC) experimental design to monitor peanut losses during machine harvesting. The treatments evaluated were three soil tillage operations: conventional (CT), rotary tillers (RT), and hoe (RH). The quality indicators were collected inside the picker’s bulk tank. Statistical analyses used were descriptive statistics and SQC tools (run charts, control charts, and the Ishikawa diagram). The process was considered stable for indicators: whole pods (CT, RT, and RH), broken pods (CT, RT, and RH), and hatched pods (CT, RT, and RH), while the other indicators showed points that were out of control. With the application of SQC tools, it was possible to identify the factors that caused the increase of variability in peanut harvesting, listing the points to be improved to support decision-making, always aiming to increase this operation’s quality.
Successful Formulation and Application of Low-Temperature Bacterial Agents for Corn Stover Degradation
Authors: Zhang Sainan , Han Shengcai , Yu Xiaofang , Gao Julin , Hu Shuping , Borjigin Naoganchaolu , Borjigin Qinggeer , Guo Jiangan , Bai Jianfei , Zhang Bizhou , Huang Zhiyuan , Lei Yong
Published: March 2023

Solid bacterial agents are required to accelerate stover degradation in low-temperature areas. However, the laboratory-to-practice translation of bioprocessing techniques is hindered by high cost, poor practicality, and short shelf life. Using corn stover powder, starch, and bran as additives, we screened Pseudomonas putida and Acinetobacter lwoffii, which effectively degrades corn stover at low temperatures, to develop a sustainable and low-cost bacterial agent formula that ensures bacterial viability in low-temperature soil and storage. The optimal formulation included precipitates and additives at a 1:4 ratio, including corn stover powder, starch, and bran at a 4:3:9 ratio. The viable bacterial count with this formulation reached 7.5 × 1010 colony-forming units/g, with high lignocellulase activities. The degradation effect of the optimal formulation on stover and its components, in both lab soil culture simulation and the field environment, was significantly higher than that without bacterial agent application. This formulation had an outstanding effect on lignin. The optimal storage conditions included vacuum packing under 10% water content at 4 °C; the survival rate of viable bacteria reached 85.33% after 180 d. Given the global value of stover-return agriculture, our results offer a valuable strategy for application in low-temperature soils where stover degradation rates are otherwise low.
Enhancing Legume Cultivars through Agronomy, Breeding, and Genetics
Authors: Biswas Manosh Kumar , Patil Ayyanagouda , Sunkad Gururaj
Published: March 2023

Legumes are a multipurpose crop species, with a great economic value, which, worldwide, are commonly cultivated for human food, livestock fodder, industrial raw materials, and soil health enhancement. Over the last few decades, numerous research projects have been conducted for the genetic improvements of legumes, in order to meet the Sustainable Development Goals of 2015–2030. Remarkable progress has been made in legume genetics, genomics, and breeding. The first references to the genome of legume plants were published in 2010, and these were the complete draft genome sequences of Glycine max. The chromosome scale high-quality genome assembly and annotations are available for many legume species today, including Glycine max; Lotus japonicus; Medicago ruthenica (L.); Medicago truncatula; Phaseolus lunatus; Mucuna pruriens; Vicia sativa; Trifolium pratense; Lupinus angustifolius; Cajanus cajan; Vigna radiata ssp.; and Cicer arietinum. Large-scale transcriptomic, genotyping, and phenotyping data have been generated from this diverse panel of legume cultivars for their varietal improvements. This Special Issue presents a collection of a variety of articles that cover the recent progress that has been made in legume genetics, genomics, and breeding. The authors have addressed the applications of phenotypic and genotypic diversity for the selection of the best cultivars; of morphological traits for the selection of the best local variety, the estimation of the agronomic performances of resistant and susceptible cultivars; the nutritional characteristics of the seed protein; genome-wide association studies on agronomic traits and isolation; and the characterization and function studies of many agronomically important genes.
Plant Rhizospheres Harbour Specific Fungal Groups and Form a Stable Co-Occurrence Pattern in the Saline-Alkali Soil
Authors: Liu Zhen , Li Jing , Hou Ruixing , Zhang Yitao , Gong Huarui , Sun Yanfei , Ouyang Zhu , Sun Zhigang
Published: March 2023

Soil salinisation has been considered a substantial ecosystem issue with negative effects on sustainable agricultural practices. Practices of vegetation restoration are widely conducted for coping with saline soil degradation, especially in saline-alkali abandoned farmland. Compared with bulk soils, the rhizosphere soils of plants have different microbial community structures. However, how associations and functions of microbes vary in the rhizosphere and bulk soils of salt-tolerant plants remains unclear, limiting the successful implementation and efficacy of vegetation in restoring saline-alkali lands. Here, we analysed the fungal community composition, functional guilds, and co-occurrence networks in both rhizosphere and bulk soils of typical plant species in the abandoned farmland of the Yellow River Delta, China. Not all plant species had significantly different fungal community compositions and relative functional guild abundances between the rhizosphere and bulk soil. Soil nutrient concentrations explained more variance in the soil fungal community. Network analyses indicated that the rhizosphere fungal network had more nodes and links, more negative links, and higher modularity; however, fewer species were involved in the meta-module than those in the bulk soil network, indicating a more complex topology and niche differentiation therein. More generalist species and indicator taxa essential for carbon and nitrogen cycling (e.g., Sordariomycetes and Dothideomycetes) were identified in the salt-tolerant plant rhizosphere network. Overall, the salt-tolerant plants’ rhizosphere had a more stable fungal co-occurrence network and recruited more keystone species compared to the bulk soil, which could benefit soil nutrient cycling and soil restoration in abandoned farmlands.
Intake, Growth and Carcass Traits of Steers Offered Grass Silage and Concentrates Based on Contrasting Cereal Grain Types Supplemented with Field Beans, Peas or Maize By-Products
Authors: Kennedy Rian , Moloney Aidan P. , O’Riordan Edward G. , Kelly Alan K. , McGee Mark
Published: March 2023

The study objective was to determine intake and performance of beef cattle individually offered perennial ryegrass-dominant grass silage ad libitum supplemented with 4 kg dry matter daily of, rolled barley or maize meal-based concentrate rations containing supplements of flaked field beans, flaked peas, maize dried distillers grains (MDD) or maize gluten feed (MGF) for 110 days (Experiment 1), rolled barley or rolled oats with or without supplements of flaked field beans or flaked peas for 146 days (Experiment 2), and to quantify the nitrogen balance of diets similar to those offered in Experiment 2 (Experiment 3). The protein supplements were formulated to have similar crude protein concentrations. Cereal type or protein source did not affect intake, growth, feed efficiency and carcass traits in Experiment 1 or 2. Inclusion of a legume protein supplement with barley or oats had no effect on intake or growth performance (Experiment 2), whereas their exclusion decreased nitrogen intake, plasma urea concentrations and urinary and total nitrogen excretion (Experiment 3). The feeding value of barley was similar to oats and maize meal, and flaked beans and peas were similar to MGF and MDD, as supplements to grass silage. Excluding protein ingredients from a cereal-based concentrate did not affect animal performance and reduced nitrogen excretion.
Seasonal Variations in Semen Quality, Testosterone Levels, and Scrotal Size following Dietary Flaxseed Oil and Ascorbic Acid in South African Indigenous Rams
Authors: Ngcobo Jabulani Nkululeko , Nedambale Tshimangadzo Lucky , Mpofu Takalani Judas , Nephawe Khathutshelo Agree , Chokoe Tlou Caswell , Ramukhithi Fhulufhelo Vincent
Published: March 2023

The purpose of this study was to determine the seasonal variations in semen quality, testosterone levels, and scrotal size, following dietary flaxseed oil and ascorbic acid in South African indigenous rams. A total of 22 South African indigenous rams were randomly distributed into five treatment diets from June 2021 to May 2022 (12 months). To allow for the spermatogenesis period, semen was collected after sixty days of dietary supplementation with treatment diets. Blood was collected twice a week using an 18-gauge needle and vacutainer tubes and sent to the laboratory for testosterone analysis. Semen and blood collection were repeated eight times each season. The scrotal size (circumference, length, and width) was measured using a flexible measuring tape. Data was subjected to the General Linear Model (GLM) in Minitab® 2017. Treatment means were separated using Fisher’s t-test and considered significantly different when the p-value was less than 0.05. Seasons and diet had an effect on progression, total motility, and testosterone levels. For instance, NC during the spring season had the lowest progressive motility (42.84 ± 5.32), followed by the summer (49.38 ± 4.49), winter (62.46 ± 4.35), and autumn (63.26 ± 3.58). Notably, when treatment diets were introduced, improvements were realized, and there were significant differences (p < 0.05) among the seasons following supplementation of FLAX, ASCA, and FLAX + ASCA, except for FLAX in the autumn season (53.83 ± 4.16). Total motility did not differ significantly (p > 0.05) between the seasons when the NC and PC diets were supplemented; nevertheless, there was an improvement when FLAX, ASCA, and FLAX + ASCA were supplemented. Testosterone levels were significantly influenced by the seasons when negative and PC diets were supplemented. It is noteworthy that supplementing FLAX + ASCA can reverse the influence of the season on the testosterone levels (spring, 27.52 ± 4.42; summer, 20.23 ± 5.11; autumn, 25.24 ± 3.96; and winter, 25.92 ± 4.42). In conclusion, seasons do affect semen quality and testosterone levels of South African indigenous rams. However, flaxseed oil and ascorbic acid can reverse the seasonal variations in semen quality and testosterone levels.
Do Animals Have Rights?
Authors: Ladwig Bernd
Published: March 2023

Do animals have moral rights? An affirmative answer follows from the best justification for human rights that we can give. The moral status not only of humans but also of animals consists in an egalitarian right to have rights. From this equal status, however, substantially equal rights follow only if the morally relevant interests are equal. A reasonably broad and differentiated understanding of our own, human animal nature reveals which interests we share with many other animals. Thus, sentient animals have basic rights to life and well-being, including volitional activities and access to beneficial social relationships. Further rights arise from special human–animal relationships that are also politically relevant. By subjecting animals and, thus, making them existentially dependent on us, we owe them more than mere protection and help in easily remediable emergencies. We thereby also assume associative duties, as they exist among fellow citizens. Therefore, we should open our understanding of the common good to the reality of species-mixed communities and represent animals politically.
Performance and Welfare of Sows Exposed to Auditory Environmental Enrichment in Mixed or Collective Housing Systems
Authors: Palermo Mendes Janaina , Ribeiro Caldara Fabiana , de Castro Burbarelli Maria Fernanda , Valentim Jean Kaique , Ferreira de Brito Mandú Daniela , Garófallo Garcia Rodrigo , Correia de Lima Almeida-Paz Ibiara , Markiy Odakura Agnes , Lourenço da Silva Marconi Italo
Published: March 2023

The research aimed to assess the effects of auditory environmental enrichment on sows in mixed housing (caged until 35 days after insemination and then collective pens) or collective housing (caged until 72 h after insemination and then collective pens). Reproductive performance, body surface and eye temperature (ET) were evaluated as sows’ welfare indicators. A sample of 56 sows between 2nd and 6th parity was submitted to the treatments from artificial insemination to weaning. The sows were assigned in a randomized block design with a 2 × 2 factorial scheme of treatments: mixed housing—control (MH-C), collective housing—control (CH-C), mixed housing—music (MH-M) and collective housing—music (CH-M). Auditory enrichment consisted of exposing sows daily throughout gestation and lactation to 6 h of classical music divided into 2 h periods. The ET of pregnant sows in collective housing was lower than that of sows in mixed housing (33.77 °C vs. 34.91 °C). Pregnant and lactating sows exposed to auditory environmental enrichment exhibited lower ET compared to those that had no access to the stimulus (pregnant 33.36 °C vs. 34.32 °C and lactating 34.21 °C vs. 34.83 °C). No housing type effect was found on the reproductive performance parameter; however, piglets from sows submitted to auditory environmental enrichment, regardless of the type of housing during gestation, were heavier at weaning (6.32 kg vs. 5.57 kg). Collective or mixed housing does not affect sows’ reproductive performance; perhaps, auditory environmental enrichment reduced stress in the gestation and lactation phases and provided greater piglet weight gain at weaning.
The Molecular Chaperone Mechanism of the C-Terminal Domain of Large-Size Subunit Catalases
Authors: Nava-Ramírez Teresa , Gutiérrez-Terrazas Sammy , Hansberg Wilhelm
Published: March 2023

Large-size subunit catalases (LSCs) have an additional C-terminal domain (CT) that is structurally similar to Hsp31 and DJ-1 proteins, which have molecular chaperone activity. The CT of LSCs derives from a bacterial Hsp31 protein. There are two CT dimers with inverted symmetry in LSCs, one dimer in each pole of the homotetrameric structure. We previously demonstrated the molecular chaperone activity of the CT of LSCs. Like other chaperones, LSCs are abundant proteins that are induced under stress conditions and during cell differentiation in bacteria and fungi. Here, we analyze the mechanism of the CT of LSCs as an unfolding enzyme. The dimeric form of catalase-3 (CAT-3) CT (TDC3) of Neurospora crassa presented the highest activity as compared to its monomeric form. A variant of the CAT-3 CT lacking the last 17 amino acid residues (TDC3Δ17aa), a loop containing hydrophobic and charged amino acid residues only, lost most of its unfolding activity. Substituting charged for hydrophobic residues or vice versa in this C-terminal loop diminished the molecular chaperone activity in all the mutant variants analyzed, indicating that these amino acid residues play a relevant role in its unfolding activity. These data suggest that the general unfolding mechanism of CAT-3 CT involves a dimer with an inverted symmetry, and hydrophobic and charged amino acid residues. Each tetramer has four sites of interaction with partially unfolded or misfolded proteins. LSCs preserve their catalase activity under different stress conditions and, at the same time, function as unfolding enzymes.
Spore Oil-Functionalized Selenium Nanoparticles Protect Pancreatic Beta Cells from Palmitic Acid-Induced Apoptosis via Inhibition of Oxidative Stress-Mediated Apoptotic Pathways
Authors: Zhou Sajin , Zhu Hongyan , Xiong Piaopiao , Shi Lei , Bai Weibin , Li Xiaoling
Published: March 2023

Oxidative stress damage of pancreatic β-cells is a key link in the pathogenesis of type 2 diabetes mellitus. A long-term increase of free fatty acids induces the increase of reactive oxygen species (ROS) in β-cells, leading to apoptosis and dysfunction of β-cells. Ganoderma lucidum spore oil (GLSO) is a functional food complex with strong antioxidant activity, but its solubility and stability are poor. In the present study, GLSO-functionalized selenium nanoparticles (GLSO@SeNPs) with high stability and uniform particle size were synthesized by a high-pressure homogeneous emulsification method. The aim of this study was to investigate the protective effects of GLSO@SeNPs on INS-1E rat insulinoma β-cells against palmitic-acid (PA)-induced cell death, as well as the underlying mechanisms. Our results showed that GLSO@SeNPs had good stability and biocompatibility, and they significantly inhibited the PA-induced apoptosis of INS-1E pancreatic cells by regulating the activity of related antioxidant enzymes, including thioredoxin reductase (TrxR), superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT), and glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px). Western blot analysis showed that GLSO@SeNPs reversed the PA-induced changes in MAPK pathway protein expression levels. Thus, the present findings provided a new theoretical basis for utilizing GLSO@SeNPs as a treatment for type 2 diabetes.
Crashworthiness Analysis to Evaluate the Performance of TDM-Shielded Street Poles Using FEA
Authors: Alardhi Mohsen , Sequeira Rahul , Melad Fahed , Alrajhi Jasem , Alkhulaifi Khalid
Published: March 2023

The mitigation of the risks of passenger injuries when a vehicle is involved in a collision with a street pole shielded with a layer of tire-derived material (TDM) was assessed. This can effectively absorb a fraction of the total energy from a speeding vehicle. Since such tests are expensive to conduct experimentally, the study relies on using the Abaqus/Explicit FEA solver to accurately calculate the non-linear nature of this scenario. Two categories of this scenario were evaluated to understand the effect a shielded street pole has on the vehicle—and the total absorbed energies during frontal and corner collisions, which are typically the most common categories of such accidents to happen. Results show that at lower speeds, these reinforcements are least effective in absorbing some of the kinetic energy applied by the vehicle, with about 5% of the energy absorbed by the reinforcement. At higher speeds, however, the results show that the TDM reinforcement absorbs about 28% of kinetic energy, which can reduce injury of the vehicle occupants, as well as decrease the damage on poles. Results for this simulation also show that there is a critical thickness of TDM that can absorb these kinetic energies, after which further thicknesses results in energies being applied back to the vehicle, therefore negating any purpose to further increase TDM thicknesses.
Biochemical Characteristics of Laccases and Their Practical Application in the Removal of Xenobiotics from Water
Authors: Gałązka Agnieszka , Jankiewicz Urszula , Szczepkowski Andrzej
Published: March 2023

The rapid growth of the human population in recent decades has resulted in the intensive development of various industries, the development of urban agglomerations and increased production of medicines for animals and humans, plant protection products and fertilizers on an unprecedented scale. Intensive agriculture, expanding urban areas and newly established industrial plants release huge amounts of pollutants into the environment, which, in nature, are very slowly degraded or not decomposed, which leads to their accumulation in water and terrestrial ecosystems. Researchers are scouring extremely contaminated environments to identify organisms that have the ability to degrade resistant xenobiotics, such as PAHs, some pharmaceuticals, plasticizers and dyes. These organisms are a potential source of enzymes that could be used in the bioremediation of industrial and municipal wastewater. Great hopes are pinned on oxidoreductases, including laccase, called by some a green biocatalyst because the end product of the oxidation of a wide range of substrates by this enzyme is water and other compounds, most often including dimers, trimers and polymers. Laccase immobilization techniques and their use in systems together with adsorption or separation have found application in the enzymatic bioremediation of wastewater.
Interaction Analysis of Lava Tube Geometric Characteristics under Vehicle Load Using Design of Experiments
Authors: Song Jeong-Ho , Baek Yong , Lee Jong-Hyun , Shin Jun-Woo
Published: March 2023

The rapid growth of tourism on Jeju Island has led to an increase in traffic volume, causing accelerated ground subsidence at the intersections between natural caves and roads. Natural phenomena are not caused by a single specific factor, but rather occur through interactions among multiple factors. Therefore, to analyze natural phenomena, it is necessary to consider not only the main effects, but also the interactions among various factors. In this study, the design of experiments was utilized to analyze the vibration-generating mechanism according to the geometrical characteristics of lava tubes, a kind of natural cave. Analysis of variance was used as the main analysis method, and multiple linear regression analysis and decision trees were additionally used. To detect all the interaction effects, multi-way factorial design, which can estimate the effect of any combination of levels, was utilized. The joint orientation, aspect ratio, and cover depth were selected as factors representing the geometrical characteristic of the lava tubes, and vehicle speed was selected as an external influence factor. As a result of the analysis, all the main effects were found to be significant, and the results of the additional two analysis methods were consistent. The two-factor interactions that showed significant results were aspect ratio × cover depth, joint orientation× vehicle speed, and joint orientation× shape ratio. However, it was difficult to analyze the interaction effect using multiple regression analysis and decision tree analysis. Among the two-factor interactions, aspect ratio × cover depth was found to be the most significant, while the main effect of the two interacting factors was the least significant. The most significant effect at a specific level of aspect ratio and cover depth could be analyzed through an interaction plot. These findings will be useful for evaluating the stability of lava tubes using only geometrical characteristics.
Damage Creep Model of Viscoelastic Rock Based on the Distributed Order Calculus
Authors: Li Ming , Pu Hai , Cao Lili , Sha Ziheng , Yu Hao , Zhang Jiazhi , Zhang Lianying
Published: March 2023

In this paper, the distributed order calculus was used to establish a creep damage theoretical model to accurately describe the creep properties of viscoelastic materials. Firstly, the definition and basic properties in math of the distributed order calculus were given. On this basis, the mechanical elements of the distributed order damper were built to describe the viscoelastic properties. Then, the distributed order damper was introduced into the three-parameter solid model to establish the distributed order three-parameter solid model. The inverse Laplace transform derived the operator’s contour integrals and the path integrals along Hankel’s path. The integral properties were analysed. Next, the creep properties and relaxation characteristics of the distributed order three-parameter solid model were studied in detail. Finally, taking the rock materials as an example, the distributed order damage damper model was established. Its operator integrals were calculated, and the properties were discussed. Meanwhile, taking the integer-order Nishihara model as the standard, the distributed order damage creep combined model of the rock mass was constructed. The calculation examples were given to study the damage creep properties of the rock mass.
MFPCDR: A Meta-Learning-Based Model for Federated Personalized Cross-Domain Recommendation
Authors: Di Yicheng , Liu Yuan
Published: March 2023

Cross-domain recommendation systems frequently require the use of rich source domain information to improve recommendations in the target domain, thereby resolving the data sparsity and cold-start problems, whereas the majority of existing approaches frequently require the centralized storage of user data, which poses a substantial risk of privacy breaches. Compared to traditional recommendation systems with centralized data, federated recommendation systems with multiple clients trained collaboratively have significant privacy benefits in terms of user data. While users’ interests are often personalized, meta-learning can be used to learn users’ personalized preferences, and personalized preferences can help models make recommendations in cold-start scenarios. We use meta-learning to learn the personalized preferences of cold-start users. Therefore, we offer a unique meta-learning-based federated personalized cross-domain recommendation model that discovers the personalized preferences for cold-start users via a server-side meta-recommendation module. To avoid compromising user privacy, an attention mechanism is used on each client to find transferable features that contribute to knowledge transfer while obtaining embeddings of users and items; each client then uploads the weights to the server. The server accumulates weights and delivers them to clients for update. Compared to traditional recommendation system models, our model can effectively protect user privacy while solving the user cold-start problem, as we use an attention mechanism in the local embedding module to mine the source domain for transferable features that contribute to knowledge transfer. Extensive trials on real-world datasets have demonstrated that our technique effectively guarantees speed while protecting user privacy.
A Literature Review of Parameter-Based Models for Walkability Evaluation
Authors: Dragović Danilo , Krklješ Milena , Slavković Branko , Aleksić Julija , Radaković Aleksandar , Zećirović Lejla , Alcan Melisa , Hasanbegović Enis
Published: March 2023

Many scientific papers that deal with the topic of the pedestrian environment use a predefined form for assessing or evaluating its quality as a basic methodological instrument. The aim of this research is to emphasize the dimension of the available audit tools or methodologies in order to develop a full-scale database of indices that can be used for the measurement and evaluation of the pedestrian environment. By analyzing 115 research papers selected according to predefined selection criteria, the basic methodological apparatus or the evaluation instrument was observed. Based on the analysis carried out in this way, a number of 40 valid instruments were identified by which it was possible to evaluate the pedestrian environment. The observed instruments have a high level of reliability according to the high values of the ICC coefficient, IRR test, or Kappa value. There are 193 items for the evaluation of the pedestrian environment that were derived from the observed instruments. The items were arranged over seven groups regarding the quality of the pedestrian environment, namely, Functionality, Safety, Comfort, Mobility, Environment, Connectivity, and Aesthetics. On average, the items distributed over those seven groups are in use throughout the entire pool of instruments at the level of 47.41% across all groups. There are 30 instruments or methodologies that are objectively based, 4 subjectively oriented, and 6 with elements of both approaches. Of the instruments, 14 measure and assess the pedestrian environment through a quantitative data set, while 20 are designed for qualitative assessment. Only six of the instruments contain both qualitative and quantitative measuring items. A large percentage of analyzed papers that use a predefined methodology or instrument indicate the need to deepen the field of research and to include additional aspects that would give more authoritative results.
Role of Inherited Tectonic Structures on Gravity-Induced Slope Deformations: Inference from Numerical Modeling on the Luco dei Marsi DSGSD (Central Apennines)
Authors: Discenza Marco , Di Luzio Emiliano , Martino Salvatore , Minnillo Mariacarmela , Esposito Carlo
Published: March 2023

A pre-existing and inherited geostructural setting plays a fundamental role in preparing and developing large-scale slope deformational processes. These structures affect the kinematics of the process, the geometrical characteristics, and the geomorphological evolution. In the Apennine Belt, several deep-seated gravitational slope deformations (DSGSDs) that have evolved under a clear structural control have been recognized during the last decades, but none with a continuous and well-defined basal shear zone (BSZ). The structurally-controlled DSGSD of Luco dei Marsi represents the first case of a DSGSD in the Apennine Belt with a well-defined BSZ. Starting from a detailed study of the process and the reconstruction of a morpho-evolutionary model of the slope, a series of numerical modelings were performed for the study of the DSGSD. The analyses allowed us to reconstruct: (i) the mechanism of the process, (ii) the rheological behavior of the rock mass, and (iii) the main predisposing factors of the gravitational deformation. Numerical modeling has demonstrated the significant role played by the inherited structures on the DSGSD and, in particular, the importance of an intensely jointed stratigraphic level in the development of the BSZ.
A Scheduling Method for Heterogeneous Signal Processing Platforms Based on Quantum Genetic Algorithm
Authors: Li Yudong , Ma Jinquan , Xie Zongfu , Hu Zeming , Shen Xiaolong , Zhang Kun
Published: March 2023

Currently, many problems such as variable signal resources, complex execution environments, and low efficiency of scheduling algorithms are faced by heterogeneous signal processing platforms. The task scheduling algorithm is one of the key factors that directly affect the performance of the processing platform. In order to solve the problems of low efficiency of task scheduling algorithms and high computational cost of processors, a heterogeneous platform scheduling algorithm based on the quantum genetic algorithm is proposed in this paper. The algorithm constructs a task scheduling model by using a directed acyclic graph. This paper quantifies the mapping relationship between the quantum genetic algorithm and task scheduling. It corresponds qubits to binary, chromosomes to processor numbers, and individuals to processor scheduling strategies. In this paper, a new way of coding chromosomes using quantum coherence properties is designed to reduce the population size and increase population diversity. Crossover operations are performed on all individuals using full-interference crossover to avoid the results falling into local optimal solutions. The population of slow convergence is solved by implementing mutation operations on populations through quantum rotation gates. In addition, a task pre-ordering stage is designed based on the table scheduling algorithm. The task scheduling priority developed at this stage is used as the reference value for the initial encoding of the population, so that the search space for solutions is reduced. Finally, experiments are conducted using randomly generated task graphs. The algorithm is compared with improved genetic algorithms and existing intelligent scheduling algorithms. The results show that the algorithm can still obtain better results when the number of populations and iterations is small. It is more appropriate for heterogeneous platforms and computation-intensive tasks.
Matching the Liquid Atomization Model to Experimental Data Obtained from Selected Nozzles
Authors: Cieniawska Beata , Parafiniuk Stanisław , Kluza Paweł A. , Otachel Zdzisław
Published: March 2023

The spraying procedure is one of the most difficult operations in agricultural production. Achieving the desired effectiveness of the procedure is dependent on obtaining an appropriate level and uniformity of liquid distribution. The aim of this paper was to present a liquid decomposition model generated on the basis of experimental data. The tests were carried out on a test stand, which consisted of a container with nozzles and a grooved table. The experiments were carried out with the use of selected standard, anti-drift, and air-induction single-stream nozzles at constant liquid pressure. The optimization process was carried out in Microsoft Excel Solver. Furthermore, in order to compare the data generated by the model with the data from the virtual boom, we applied an analysis of correlation and linear regression in the Statistica 13.1 software. Based on the results obtained, it can be concluded that the model is a good fit to the experimental data (R2 > 0.95). The model, which was generated on the basis of experimental data, will facilitate control of the operation and degree of wear of nozzles, which will contribute to ensuring uniform spraying.
Optimal Sensor Set for Decoding Motor Imagery from EEG
Authors: Dillen Arnau , Ghaffari Fakhreddine , Romain Olivier , Vanderborght Bram , Marusic Uros , Grosprêtre Sidney , Nowé Ann , Meeusen Romain , De Pauw Kevin
Published: March 2023

Brain–computer interfaces (BCIs) have the potential to enable individuals to interact with devices by detecting their intention from brain activity. A common approach to BCI is to decode movement intention from motor imagery (MI), the mental representation of an overt action. However, research-grade electroencephalogram (EEG) acquisition devices with a high number of sensors are typically necessary to achieve the spatial resolution required for reliable analysis. This entails high monetary and computational costs that make these approaches impractical for everyday use. This study investigates the trade-off between accuracy and complexity when decoding MI from fewer EEG sensors. Data were acquired from 15 healthy participants performing MI with a 64-channel research-grade EEG device. After performing a quality assessment by identifying visually evoked potentials, several decoding pipelines were trained on these data using different subsets of electrode locations. No significant differences (p = [0.18–0.91]) in the average decoding accuracy were found when using a reduced number of sensors. Therefore, decoding MI from a limited number of sensors is feasible. Hence, using commercial sensor devices for this purpose should be attainable, reducing both monetary and computational costs for BCI control.
SEBD: A Stream Evolving Bot Detection Framework with Application of PAC Learning Approach to Maintain Accuracy and Confidence Levels
Authors: Alothali Eiman , Hayawi Kadhim , Alashwal Hany
Published: March 2023

A simple supervised learning model can predict a class from trained data based on the previous learning process. Trust in such a model can be gained through evaluation measures that ensure fewer misclassification errors in prediction results for different classes. This can be applied to supervised learning using a well-trained dataset that covers different data points and has no imbalance issues. This task is challenging when it integrates a semi-supervised learning approach with a dynamic data stream, such as social network data. In this paper, we propose a stream-based evolving bot detection (SEBD) framework for Twitter that uses a deep graph neural network. Our SEBD framework was designed based on multi-view graph attention networks using fellowship links and profile features. It integrates Apache Kafka to enable the Twitter API stream and predict the account type after processing. We used a probably approximately correct (PAC) learning framework to evaluate SEBD’s results. Our objective was to maintain the accuracy and confidence levels of our framework to enable successful learning with low misclassification errors. We assessed our framework results via cross-domain evaluation using test holdout, machine learning classifiers, benchmark data, and a baseline tool. The overall results show that SEBD is able to successfully identify bot accounts in a stream-based manner. Using holdout and cross-validation with a random forest classifier, SEBD achieved an accuracy score of 0.97 and an AUC score of 0.98. Our results indicate that bot accounts participate highly in hashtags on Twitter.