bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Design of Wireless Sensor Network for Agricultural Greenhouse Based on Improved Zigbee Protocol
Authors: Tang Ruipeng , Aridas Narendra Kumar , Abu Talip Mohamad Sofian
Published: July 2023

Greenhouse cultivation technology has greatly contributed to the development of agriculture in Malaysia. Understanding how to monitor the greenhouse environment with high efficiency and low power consumption is particularly important. In this research, a wireless sensor network for agricultural greenhouses based on the improved Zigbee protocol is designed. Its hardware consists of various sensors and Zigbee nodes commonly used in agricultural greenhouses. On the basis of this hardware, this research designed the network topology of WMN (Wireless mesh network) by comparing the advantages and disadvantages of various topologies, and combined with this structure, proposed an improved ZigBee routing protocol EMP-ZBR to solve the question regarding energy loss and the network congestion of wireless networks. After testing EMP-ZBR and traditional Zigbee routing protocols, the improved EMP-ZBR protocol is superior to traditional Zigbee routing in terms of the end-to-end average delay, packet delivery rate, routing control overhead and routing discovery frequency, which were optimized about 1.1%, 15.2%, 15.2%, 8.1 ms in different mobile pause times, and 9.8%, 19.3%, 15.7% and 121 ms in different packet sending rates. The agreement proves that EMP-ZBR can more effectively alleviate the impact of congestion and improve the overall performance of the data monitoring system for agricultural greenhouses.
Design and Parameter Optimization of Variable Speed Reel for Oilseed Rape Combine Harvester
Authors: Zhang Min , Li Gang , Yang Yao , Jin Mei , Jiang Tao
Published: July 2023

A variable speed anti-tangling reel mechanism was designed to address the problems of tangling, hanging and rewinding of the tassel wheel and the high paddling loss in the current Chinese rape combine harvester cutting table. The kinematic equations of the reel mechanism were developed, and the analysis showed that the speed in the entry stage is low and the speed in the exit stage is high, and the attitude of the reel teeth change with the rape plant movement during the whole paddling process. A single-factor test and a multi-factor regression orthogonal combination test were carried out using the cutting table loss rate of rape harvesting as the evaluation index. The main and secondary factors affecting the cutting table loss of the variable speed reel were obtained as the reel input speed, the machine travel speed and the ground angle of the frame. The optimal range of the input speed of the reel is from 25 r·min−1 to 31 r·min−1, the optimal range of the forward speed of the implement is 0.8 m·s−1~1 m·s−1, and the optimal range of the rack level angle is from −10°to 10°. A mathematical model of regression of cutter loss and the main influencing factors was established, with the coefficient of determination R2 = 0.9918, the relative error between the test value and the optimised value of the regression equation was 5.36%. The optimal combination of parameters for the variable speed reel was obtained with the lowest cutting table loss rate in rape harvesting as the optimization target: reel input speed 25 r·min−1, frame parallel to the ground and implement travel speed 0.7 m·s−1. Field validation tests and comparative tests of cutting table loss of the two reels were carried out. The test results show that the regression mathematical model of the cutting table loss is more accurate, and the cutting table loss is reduced by 13.9% with the variable speed reel compared to the cam-action reel, and there are no problems with the paddle teeth hanging and tangling during the paddling process.
Effects of Aging on Labor-Intensive Crop Production from the Perspectives of Landform and Life Cycle Labor Supply: Evidence from Chinese Apple Growers
Authors: Fang Pingping , Wang Yiwen , Abler David , Lin Guanghua
Published: July 2023

The aging of the agricultural labor force is an irreversible trend that has become an important issue in China’s economic transformation. Previous studies on the effects of an aging population in developing countries on agriculture mainly focused on food crops, and the conclusions were mixed. Using data for apple growers in Shaanxi Province, China, we used ordinary least squares (OLS), stochastic frontier production function (SFA), and truncated regression to investigate how rural aging affects apple production under different landform conditions. We provided evidence that (i) aging leads apple growers to use hired labor to replace family labor in the flatlands, but not in mountainous and hilly areas, due to landform constraints on the factor substitution; (ii) aging has no significant impact on mechanical inputs in either the plains or the mountains, indicating that machinery cannot effectively replace the labor force; (iii) limited by a shortage of labor quantity and quality, apple growers respond to aging by reducing agricultural inputs in mountainous and hilly areas; (iv) changes in input structure cause aging to have little influence on yield and technical efficiency in flatlands, while aging significantly reduces yield in mountainous and hilly areas; (v) there is a nonlinear relationship between aging and technical efficiency and yield; and (vi) because the overall mechanization level of China’s apple industry is low, mechanical substitution for labor is not common in apple production.
Nitrogen Fluxes in an Agro-Livestock System under Land Use Change: A Temporal Analysis in an Environmental Protection Unit
Authors: Rhoden Angélica Cristina , Almeida Viana João Garibaldi , Pires Silveira Vicente Celestino , Bonaudo Thierry Christophe , Kozloski Gilberto Vilmar
Published: July 2023

In recent decades, significant changes have driven the advancement of agricultural production systems in Brazil. The objective of this study is to analyze the efficiency and transformation of the agricultural production system in the Ibirapuitã Environmental Preservation Area (EPA) through nitrogen input and output flows. Methodologically, the approach is considered mixed, consisting of a case study and based on quantitative and qualitative techniques. Flowcharts and indicators were elaborated to evaluate nitrogen flows over time. The results were confirmed through semi-structured interviews. The results indicated that production based on economic efficiency is one of the main factors transforming the livestock system. The transformation of the production system into livestock did not reduce nitrogen flows. Productive and economic indicators reaffirm the transformation and volatility of livestock systems under economic and political contexts, even in an environmental protection unit.
Influence of Different Nitrogen, Phosphorus, and Potassium Fertilizer Ratios on the Agronomic and Quality Traits of Foxtail Millet
Authors: Xing Guofang , Ma Junwei , Liu Xiaojie , Lei Biao , Wang Guo , Hou Siyu , Han Yuanhuai
Published: July 2023

Foxtail millet is highly valued in China; however, its optimal fertilization parameters are unknown. This study investigated the effects of nitrogen (N), phosphorus (P), and potassium (K) fertilizer combinations on foxtail millet agronomic traits, photosynthetic characteristics, yield, and quality to promote rational fertilizer application. Pot experiments were conducted using the “3414” fertilizer effect scheme and the representative crop variety was JG21, containing four NPK levels and 20 replicates per treatment, individually. The effects of N, P, and K levels on agronomic traits were analyzed during the jointing, heading, and filling stages. JG21 performed optimally under treatment with N160P90K150 (T6); the yield and fat content increased by 49.32% and 13% compared to the control. Correlation analysis revealed that N was significantly positively (negatively) correlated with the protein (amylose) content. P was significantly positively correlated with the fat and moisture content and K was correlated with the moisture, fat, and protein content, but was negatively with the amylose content. Overall, rational ratios of NPK fertilization improved foxtail millet yield and quality. Based on fuzzy comprehensive evaluation, the T6 treatment (N160P90K150) demonstrated the highest comprehensive effect among 13 NPK fertilizer combinations. Rational application of NPK in foxtail millet may improve agronomic performance by enhancing leaf photosynthetic efficiency and aboveground biomass accumulation.
Effects of Different Green Manure Crops on Soil Water, Nitrogen, and Yield: Preliminary Results in an Apple Orchard on the Loess Plateau, China
Authors: Liang Qing , Zhang Tibin , Liu Zhenyuan , Gao Weiqiang , Cheng Yu , Feng Hao
Published: July 2023

Green manure crops intercropping is an effective agricultural practice to alleviate water and nutrient deficit by improving soil properties in the Loess Plateau of China. However, green manure crops intercropping could cause water and nutrient competition, but the effects of different green manure crops intercropping on soil water and nutrient status are rarely evaluated. Thus, we conducted a field experiment to investigate the responses of soil moisture, nitrogen, and yield to green manure crops intercropping. Three intercropping patterns, apple–ryegrass (AR), apple–spring rape (AS), and apple–alfalfa (AA), were set up with a blank control (CK), which employed clean tillage in the inter-row and row. All treatments had no significant difference on evapotranspiration. At maturity, AR, AS, and AA treatments reduced soil organic matter content by 4.2%, 6.5%, and 18.8%, and total nitrogen content by 0.01%, 1.3%, and 20.3%, relative to CK, respectively. The water competition degree in AR, AS, and AA were 38.4%, 48.8%, and 64.6%, respectively. Ryegrass, spring rape, and alfalfa’s nitrogen use efficiency were 19.71%, 29.24%, and 39.42%, respectively. AR and AS treatments increased the apple yield by 11.7% and 5.7%, and water-use efficiency (WUE) by 14.4% and 7.5%, relative to CK, respectively. AA treatment reduced the apple yield by 6.9% and WUE by 6.8%, relative to CK. All treatments had no significant difference on apple quality. Therefore, in normal water years, we suggest adapting the ryegrass–apple tree intercropping pattern for apple production on the Plateau Loess, China.
Field Screening of Wheat Cultivars for Enhanced Growth, Yield, Yield Attributes, and Nitrogen Use Efficiencies
Authors: Gawdiya Sandeep , Kumar Dinesh , Shivay Yashbir Singh , Kour Babanpreet , Kumar Rajesh , Meena Siyaram , Saini Ravi , Choudhary Kamal , Al-Ansari Nadhir , Alataway Abed , Dewidar Ahmed Z. , Mattar Mohamed A.
Published: July 2023

Optimizing nitrogen (N) inputs is crucial for maximizing wheat yield and ensuring environmental sustainability. Wheat’s economic significance in India calls for a comprehensive evaluation of its ecological implications to develop a resilient production system. This study aimed to identify and evaluate ten wheat cultivars for their yield and N-use efficiency under varying nitrogen inputs (control (N0), half of the recommended nitrogen (N75), and the recommended nitrogen (N150)) using the surface application of neem-oil-coated urea. All N inputs were applied in three splits, basal, crown root initiation, and tillering stages, and an experiment was conducted in a split-plot design. The application of N150 gave the highest dry matter accumulation (DMA) at harvesting stage (AHS) (871 g m−2), seed/spike (60), grain yield (GY = 7.4 t ha−1), straw yield (SY = 8.9 t ha−1), harvest index (HI = 45.2%), protein (12.5%), and total uptake of N (TUN) (223 kg ha−1) by the cultivar ‘HD 3249’, being closely followed by the cultivar ‘HD3117’. Six cultivars (‘HD 3298’, ‘HD 3117’, ‘HD 3249’, ‘PBW 550’, ‘HD 3086’, ‘HD 2967’) out of the ten cultivars evaluated responded well to different input treatments with respect to the grain yield efficiency index (GYEI ≥ 1). Regarding N input, N75 and N150 recorded the highest increases in plant height, AHS (16.5%; 21.2%), dry matter accumulation (DMA) at 30 days after sowing (DAS) (37.5%; 64%), DMA-60 DAS (42%; 53%), DMA-90 DAS (39.5%; 52.5%), TILL-30 DAS (19.8%; 26.4%), TILL-60 DAS (33.3%; 44%), TILL-90 DAS (37.2%; 47.2%), seed/spike (8%; 10%), 1000-grain weight (7.8%; 12.2%), and protein content (23.3%; and 33%) when compared with N0. Furthermore, the application of N75 and N150 improved GY (72.1%; 142.6%), SY (61.1%; 110.6%), BY (65.5%; 123%), and HI by 4.4% and 9%, respectively, over N0. Nitrogen addition (N75 and N150) also significantly increased total nitrogen uptake (104.7%; 205.6%), respectively, compared to N0. The correlation analysis revealed a positive association among most of the crop parameters. Overall, our research results suggest that the cultivars ‘HD 3249’ and ‘HD 3117’ have the potential to be effective options for improving N utilization efficiency, grain yield, and GYEI in North-West India.
DCF-Yolov8: An Improved Algorithm for Aggregating Low-Level Features to Detect Agricultural Pests and Diseases
Authors: Zhang Lijuan , Ding Gongcheng , Li Chaoran , Li Dongming
Published: July 2023

The invasion of agricultural diseases and insect pests is a huge difficulty for the growth of crops. The detection of diseases and pests is a very challenging task. The diversity of diseases and pests in terms of shapes, colors, and sizes, as well as changes in the lighting environment, have a massive impact on the accuracy of the detection results. We improved the C2F module based on DenseBlock and proposed DCF to extract low-level features such as the edge texture of pests and diseases. Through the sensitivity of low-level features to the diversity of pests and diseases, the DCF module can better cope with complex detection tasks and improve the accuracy and robustness of the detection. The complex background environment of pests and diseases and different lighting conditions make the IP102 data set have strong nonlinear characteristics. The Mish activation function is selected to replace the CBS module with the CBM, which can better learn the nonlinear characteristics of the data and effectively solve the problems of gradient disappearance in the algorithm training process. Experiments show that the advanced Yolov8 algorithm has improved. Comparing with Yolov8, our algorithm improves the MAP50 index, Precision index, and Recall index by 2%, 1.3%, and 3.7%. The model in this paper has higher accuracy and versatility.
Crop Nutrient Requirements and Advanced Fertilizer Management Strategies
Authors: Noulas Christos , Torabian Shahram , Qin Ruijun
Published: July 2023

From an estimated 7 [...]
Ag4CL3 Related to Lignin Synthesis in Apium graveolens L.
Authors: Zhong Xiu-Lai , Zhu Shun-Hua , Zhao Qian , Luo Qing , Wang Kun , Chen Zhi-Feng , Tan Guo-Fei
Published: July 2023

4-Coumarate: coenzyme A ligase (4CL; EC 6.2.1.12) is an important enzyme in the phenylpropanoid metabolic pathway that controls the biosynthesis of lignin and flavonoids. In this study, to identify the function of the Ag4CL3 gene of celery, the Ag4CL3 gene was cloned from celery cv. “Nanxuan Liuhe Ziqin”. Sequence analysis results showed that the Ag4CL3 gene contained an open reading frame (ORF) with a length of 1688 bp, and 555 amino acids were encoded. The Ag4CL3 protein was highly conserved among different plant species. Phylogenetic analysis demonstrated that the 4CL proteins from celery and carrot belonged to the same clade. The Ag4CL3 protein was mainly composed of 31.89% α-helixes, 18.02% extended strands, 6.67% β-turns, and 43.42% random coils, and the signal peptide was unfound. A total of 62 phosphorylation sites and a class-I superfamily of adenylate-forming domains were found. As the growth time increased, the plant height and stem thickness also increased, and the petiole lignin content increased and became lignified gradually. The relative expression levels of the Ag4CL3 gene in “Nanxuan Liuhe Ziqin” petioles were higher than those in other tissues, with the highest level occurring 70 d after sowing. The lignin contents in the transgenic Arabidopsis thaliana lines hosting the Ag4CL3 gene were higher than those in the WT. In this study, the overexpression of Ag4CL3 led to the significant upregulation of lignin biosynthesis gene expression in transgenic A. thaliana plants, except for AtPAL, AtCCR, and AtLAC. This study speculates that Ag4CL3 genes are related to lignin synthesis in A. graveolens.
Spatiotemporal Variability of Soil Water Content and Its Influencing Factors on a Microscale Slope
Authors: Hu You , Tang Chongjun , Chen Xiaoan , Zhao Ying , He Hailong , Li Min , Zhang Jie
Published: July 2023

In order to enhance food security and promote sustainable agricultural development, there is extensive utilization of sloping land in China. However, soil and water loss are severe in sloping lands. Understanding the spatiotemporal variability of soil water content (θ) is therefore important for determining suitable soil and water conservation strategies. Nevertheless, there exists a dearth of current research that focuses on the spatiotemporal variability of θ in microscale sloping lands. This study used statistical and temporal stability (TS) analyses to explore the characteristics of the spatiotemporal variability of θ on slopes. Furthermore, this study aimed to quantify the impacts of soil depth, slope position, air temperature, and hydrological conditions on the TS of θ. The average θ increases with depth, and it follows a logarithmic increase above 1.3 m and a linear increase below 1.3 m. The spatial variability of θ is higher in shallow soils and wet seasons compared with deep soils and dry seasons. The temporal stability of θ is higher on the upper and lower slopes compared with the middle slope. Day-MRD is more effective at capturing the temporal stability of θ than all-MRD. The diurnal variation of the TS of θ on slopes is primarily influenced by soil depth, slope position, air temperature, and hydrological conditions. We found that soil depth had a greater impact on the TS of θ than the slope position and that air temperature has a greater influence than the hydrological conditions. This study accurately describes the spatiotemporal variability of θ at the microscale slope, which helps solve the problems of soil and water conservation and water resource management on slopes.
Improving Alzheimer’s Disease and Brain Tumor Detection Using Deep Learning with Particle Swarm Optimization
Authors: Ibrahim Rahmeh , Ghnemat Rawan , Abu Al-Haija Qasem
Published: July 2023

Convolutional Neural Networks (CNNs) have exhibited remarkable potential in effectively tackling the intricate task of classifying MRI images, specifically in Alzheimer’s disease detection and brain tumor identification. While CNNs optimize their parameters automatically through training processes, finding the optimal values for these parameters can still be a challenging task due to the complexity of the search space and the potential for suboptimal results. Consequently, researchers often encounter difficulties determining the ideal parameter settings for CNNs. This challenge necessitates using trial-and-error methods or expert judgment, as the search for the best combination of parameters involves exploring a vast space of possibilities. Despite the automatic optimization during training, the process does not guarantee finding the globally-optimal parameter values. Hence, researchers often rely on iterative experimentation and expert knowledge to fine-tune these parameters and maximize CNN performance. This poses a significant obstacle in developing real-world applications that leverage CNNs for MRI image analysis. This paper presents a new hybrid model that combines the Particle Swarm Optimization (PSO) algorithm with CNNs to enhance detection and classification capabilities. Our method utilizes the PSO algorithm to determine the optimal configuration of CNN hyper-parameters. Subsequently, these optimized parameters are applied to the CNN architectures for classification. As a result, our hybrid model exhibits improved prediction accuracy for brain diseases while reducing the loss of function value. To evaluate the performance of our proposed model, we conducted experiments using three benchmark datasets. Two datasets were utilized for Alzheimer’s disease: the Alzheimer’s Disease Neuroimaging Initiative (ADNI) and an international dataset from Kaggle. The third dataset focused on brain tumors. The experimental assessment demonstrated the superiority of our proposed model, achieving unprecedented accuracy rates of 98.50%, 98.83%, and 97.12% for the datasets mentioned earlier, respectively.
Non-Invasive Assessment of the Intraventricular Pressure Using Novel Color M-Mode Echocardiography in Animal Studies: Current Status and Future Perspectives in Veterinary Medicine
Authors: Mandour Ahmed S. , Farag Ahmed , Helal Mahmoud A. Y. , El-Masry Gamal , Al-Rejaie Salim , Takahashi Ken , Yoshida Tomohiko , Hamabe Lina , Tanaka Ryou
Published: July 2023

The assessment of diastolic function has received great interest in order to comprehend its crucial role in the pathophysiology of heart failure and for the early identification of cardiac events. Silent changes in the intraventricular flow (IVF) dynamics occur before the deterioration of the cardiac wall, although they cannot be detected using conventional echocardiography. Collective information on left ventricular (LV) pressures throughout the cardiac cycle has great value when dealing with patients with altered hemodynamics. Accurate pressure measurement inside the ventricle can be obtained by invasive methods to determine the LV diastolic pressures, which reflect the myocardial relaxation and compliance. However, catheterization is only feasible in the laboratory setting and is not suitable for clinical use due to its disadvantages. In contrast, echocardiography is simple, safe, and accessible. Color M-mode echocardiography (CMME) is an advanced cardiac evaluation technique that can measure the intraventricular pressure differences (IVPDs) and intraventricular pressure gradients (IVPGs) based on the Doppler shift of the IVF. Recently, the assessment of IVPD and IVPG has gained growing interest in the cardiovascular literature in both animal and human studies as a non-invasive method for the early diagnosis of cardiac dysfunctions, especially diastolic ones. The usability of IVPD and IVPG has been reported in various surgically induced heart failure or pharmacologically altered cardiac functions in rats, dogs, cats, and goats. This report aims to give an overview of the current studies of CMME-derived IVPD and IVPG in animal studies and its feasibility for clinical application in veterinary practice and to provide the prospects of the technique’s ability to improve our understanding.
Exploring the Impact of Ampelopsis Grossedentata Flavonoids on Growth Performance, Ruminal Microbiota, and Plasma Physiology and Biochemistry of Kids
Authors: Zhu Junhong , Liu Xingneng , Lu Ying , Yue Dan , He Xiaoming , Deng Weidong , Zhao Sumei , Xi Dongmei
Published: July 2023

This study was conducted to evaluate the influences of supplementing Ampelopsis grossedentata flavonoids (AGF) on the rumen bacterial microbiome, plasma physiology and biochemistry, and growth performance of goats. Twenty-four Nubian kids were randomly allocated to three dietary treatments: the control (CON, basal diet), the 1.0 g/kg AGF treatment (AGF), and the 12.5 mg/kg monensin treatment (MN). This trial consisted of 10 days for adaptation and 90 days for data and sample collection. The results reveal that Bacteroidetes, Firmicutes, and Proteobacteria are the dominant phyla in kids’ rumen. Compared with the CON group, the alpha diversity in the MN and AGF groups significantly increased (p < 0.01). Beta-diversity shows that rumen microbial composition is more similar in the MN and AGF groups. LEfSe analysis shows that Prevotella_1 in the AGF group were significantly higher than those in the MN and CON group. The high-density lipoprotein cholesterol and glucose levels in the AGF group were significantly higher than those in the CON group (p < 0.05), whereas the low-density lipoprotein cholesterol, glutamic-pyruvic transaminase, and alkaline phosphatase levels exhibited the opposite trend. The average daily gains in the AGF and MN groups significantly increased, while the feed-to-gain ratios were significantly decreased (p < 0.05). The results suggest that adding AGF to the diet improves microbial composition and has important implications for studying juvenile livestock growth and improving economic benefits.
Stem Cell Therapy for Aging Related Diseases and Joint Diseases in Companion Animals
Authors: Wang Yanmin , Alexander Michael , Scott Todd , Cox Desiree C. T. , Wellington Augusta , Chan Mike K. S. , Wong Michelle B. F. , Adalsteinsson Orn , Lakey Jonathan R. T.
Published: July 2023

Stem cell therapy is an attractive treatment for diseases in companion animals that cannot be treated by conventional veterinary medicine practices. The unique properties of stem cells, particularly the ability to differentiate into specific cell types, makes them a focal point in regenerative medicine treatments. Stem cell transplantation, especially using mesenchymal stem cells, has been proposed as a means to treat a wide range of injuries and ailments, resulting in tissue regeneration or repair. This review aims to summarize the veterinary use of stem cells for treating age-related and joint diseases, which are common conditions in pets. While additional research is necessary and certain limitations exist, the potential of stem cell therapy for companion animals is immense.
Sheep Face Detection Based on an Improved RetinaFace Algorithm
Authors: Hao Jinye , Zhang Hongming , Han Yamin , Wu Jie , Zhou Lixiang , Luo Zhibo , Du Yutong
Published: July 2023

The accurate breeding of individual sheep has shown outstanding effectiveness in food quality tracing, prevention of fake insurance claims, etc., for which sheep identification is the key to guaranteeing its high performance. As a promising solution, sheep identification based on sheep face detection has shown potential effectiveness in recent studies. Unfortunately, the performance of sheep face detection has still been a challenge due to diverse background illumination, sheep face angles and scales, etc. In this paper, an effective and lightweight sheep face detection method based on an improved RetinaFace algorithm is proposed. In order to achieve an accurate and real-time detection of sheep faces on actual sheep farms, the original RetinaFace algorithm is improved in two main aspects. Firstly, to accelerate the speed of multi-scale sheep face feature extraction, an improved MobileNetV3-large with a switchable atrous convolution is optimally used as the backbone network of the proposed algorithm. Secondly, the channel and spatial attention modules are added into the original detector module to highlight important facial features of the sheep. This helps obtain more discriminative sheep face features to mitigate against the challenges of diverse face angles and scale in sheep. The experimental results on our collected real-world scenarios have shown that the proposed method outperforms others with an F1score of 95.25%, an average precision of 96.00%, a model size of 13.20 M, an average processing time of 26.83 ms, and a parameter of 3.20 M.
The Effects of Climate Change on the Nesting Phenology of Three Shorebird Species in the United States
Authors: Abernathy Virginia E. , Good Abby , Blanchard Autum , Bongiovanni Marlisa , Bonds Emily , Warner Hampton , Chaknis Eleni , Pulsifer Gabriella , Huntley Faith
Published: July 2023

Previous research suggests that a frequent response of organisms to the ongoing climate crisis is the adjustment of their reproductive timing or breeding phenology. Shorebirds may be especially vulnerable to increasing temperatures and precipitation, as many are migratory and depend on coastal habitats for wintering and breeding. These particular habitats could be at risk due to changes in climate, and nesting times often depend on food availability, which is often directly influenced by temperature. We investigated if clutch initiation dates (CID) for three shorebird species in the United States have become earlier over time with increasing temperatures and precipitation. We used nest records from Cornell’s NestWatch program and various museum databases and weather station data from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. We found evidence that CIDs have become earlier over time, though this was only a significant factor for one species. While temperature in our study areas has increased significantly over time, precipitation changes were more variable and not always significantly predicted by time. We found evidence that one species may be responding to increasing temperatures by nesting earlier, but there was no support for our hypothesis that CID has changed due to changes in precipitation for any species. Results varied for each species, indicating the importance of further studies on shorebirds as the effects of climate change on their nesting phenology may not be fully realized and will likely depend on the species’ biology and distribution.
Selenium Nanoparticles as Potential Antioxidants to Improve Semen Quality in Boars
Authors: Horky Pavel , Urbankova Lenka , Bano Iqra , Kopec Tomas , Nevrkla Pavel , Pribilova Magdalena , Baholet Daria , Chilala Pompido , Slama Petr , Skalickova Sylvie
Published: July 2023

Selenium is an essential compound which can influence the fertility of boars by a greater margin. In past decades, research was mainly focused on a bioavailability of various selenium forms and the effect on semen quality. Recently, nanotechnology has expanded the possibilities of selenium supplementation research. Twenty-one Duroc boars (three groups with seven boars each) were included in this experiment with the first group being a control group with no selenium supplementation, and the second group being supplemented with 0.3 mg Se/kg of selenium in inorganic form of Na2SeO3. The third group was supplemented with selenium nanoparticles (100 nm) at the same dose as that of the second group. The experiment lasted for 126 days (three spermatogenesis cycles of boars) and the antioxidant parameters of boar semen were analysed at 42, 84 and 126 days, respectively. The antioxidant parameters (DPPH, FRAP, DMPD, GSH, GSSG) were not influenced by both Se2NO3 and selenium nanoparticle supplementation during this experiment. At the end of the monitored period, significantly higher (p < 0.004) antioxidant readings were observed by using the ABTS method but not the DPPH, DMPD and FRAP methods on the supplemented groups compared to the control. Moreover, selenium-nanoparticle-supplemented groups showed elevated glutathione peroxidase activity in the seminal fluid (p < 0.008). However, the selenium nanoparticle supplementation has not shown an improving effect on sperm quality. This could be considered as a safe alternative to inorganic selenium as well as having a potential to enhance the antioxidant properties of the semen of boars.
The Effects of Onychectomy (Declawing) on Antebrachial Myology across the Full Body Size Range of Exotic Species of Felidae
Authors: Martens Lara L. , Piersanti Sarah Jessica , Berger Arin , Kida Nicole A. , Deutsch Ashley R. , Bertok Kathryn , Humphries Lauren , Lassiter Angela , Hartstone-Rose Adam
Published: July 2023

While people are familiar with the practice of declawing domestic cats, “onychectomy”, as it is also known, is also performed on non-domesticated species, including pantherines, to prolong their use for entertainment purposes. Although the surgery (the partial or complete removal of the distal phalanx) has clear osteological implications, its myological effects have never been studied. As the mass of an animal increases cubically as a product of its volume, while the areas of its paws only increase as a square, larger felids have higher foot pressures and, therefore, the surgery may have particularly substantial functional effects on larger cats. In this study, we evaluate the forearms of clawed and declawed non-domestic felid specimens that spanned the body size range of the whole family to evaluate the effects of onychectomy on muscle fiber architecture. We found that the deep digital flexors (the muscles most directly affected by onychectomy) of declawed felids are significantly lighter (~73%) and less powerful (46–66%) than those of non-declawed felids, while other muscles do not make up for these reductions. Thus, onychectomy has a substantial effect on the myological capabilities of cats, and because these deficiencies are not compensated for in biomechanically disadvantaged larger felids, it probably has even more functionally devastating consequences for these species.
Beyond Penicillin: The Potential of Filamentous Fungi for Drug Discovery in the Age of Antibiotic Resistance
Authors: Correia João , Borges Anabela , Simões Manuel , Simões Lúcia
Published: July 2023

Antibiotics are a staple in current medicine for the therapy of infectious diseases. However, their extensive use and misuse, combined with the high adaptability of bacteria, has dangerously increased the incidence of multi-drug-resistant (MDR) bacteria. This makes the treatment of infections challenging, especially when MDR bacteria form biofilms. The most recent antibiotics entering the market have very similar modes of action to the existing ones, so bacteria rapidly catch up to those as well. As such, it is very important to adopt effective measures to avoid the development of antibiotic resistance by pathogenic bacteria, but also to perform bioprospecting of new molecules from diverse sources to expand the arsenal of drugs that are available to fight these infectious bacteria. Filamentous fungi have a large and vastly unexplored secondary metabolome and are rich in bioactive molecules that can be potential novel antimicrobial drugs. Their production can be challenging, as the associated biosynthetic pathways may not be active under standard culture conditions. New techniques involving metabolic and genetic engineering can help boost antibiotic production. This study aims to review the bioprospection of fungi to produce new drugs to face the growing problem of MDR bacteria and biofilm-associated infections.
Nanosilver: An Old Antibacterial Agent with Great Promise in the Fight against Antibiotic Resistance
Authors: Kaiser Kyra G. , Delattre Victoire , Frost Victoria J. , Buck Gregory W. , Phu Julianne V. , Fernandez Timea G. , Pavel Ioana E.
Published: July 2023

Antibiotic resistance in bacteria is a major problem worldwide that costs 55 billion USD annually for extended hospitalization, resource utilization, and additional treatment expenditures in the United States. This review examines the roles and forms of silver (e.g., bulk Ag, silver salts (AgNO3), and colloidal Ag) from antiquity to the present, and its eventual incorporation as silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) in numerous antibacterial consumer products and biomedical applications. The AgNP fabrication methods, physicochemical properties, and antibacterial mechanisms in Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacterial models are covered. The emphasis is on the problematic ESKAPE pathogens and the antibiotic-resistant pathogens of the greatest human health concern according to the World Health Organization. This review delineates the differences between each bacterial model, the role of the physicochemical properties of AgNPs in the interaction with pathogens, and the subsequent damage of AgNPs and Ag+ released by AgNPs on structural cellular components. In closing, the processes of antibiotic resistance attainment and how novel AgNP–antibiotic conjugates may synergistically reduce the growth of antibiotic-resistant pathogens are presented in light of promising examples, where antibiotic efficacy alone is decreased.
Dietary Supplementation with a Cocoa–Carob Blend Modulates Gut Microbiota and Prevents Intestinal Oxidative Stress and Barrier Dysfunction in Zucker Diabetic Rats
Authors: García-Díez Esther , López-Oliva María Elvira , Perez-Vizcaino Francisco , Pérez-Jiménez Jara , Ramos Sonia , Martín María Ángeles
Published: July 2023

We have recently developed a cocoa–carob blend (CCB) rich in polyphenols with antidiabetic properties. In this study, we investigated whether its benefits could be related to gut health and gut microbiota (GM) composition and the likely phenolic metabolites involved. Zucker diabetic fatty rats were fed on a standard or a CCB-rich diet for 12 weeks. Intestinal barrier structure and oxidative and inflammatory biomarkers were analyzed in colonic samples. GM composition and phenolic metabolites were evaluated from feces. The results show that CCB improved mucin and tight-junction proteins and counteracted gut oxidative stress and inflammation by regulating sirtuin-1 and nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor 2 (Nrf2) levels. CCB also modulated the composition of the GM, showing increases in Akkermansia and Bacteroides and decreases in Ruminococcus genera. Correlation analysis strengthened the associations between these genera and improved pathological variables in diabetic animals. Moreover, 12 phenolic metabolites were identified in CCB feces, being2,3-dihydroxybenzoic and 3,4,5-trihydroxybenzoic acids significantly associated with increased levels of Akkermansia and Oscillospira genera. Our findings support the potential use of CCB to prevent intestinal damage and dysbiosis in T2D, which would help to delay the progression of this pathology.
Vitamin E Ameliorates Impaired Ovarian Development, Oxidative Stress, and Disrupted Lipid Metabolism in Oreochromis niloticus Fed with a Diet Containing Olive Oil Instead of Fish Oil
Authors: Tao Yifan , Pan Yifan , Wang Qingchun , Lu Siqi , Li Yan , Liu Wenting , Zheng Tao , Wang Bei , Qiang Jun , Xu Pao
Published: July 2023

Aquaculture feed containing olive oil (OO) instead of fish oil (FO) can cause oxidative stress and impair gonad development in fish. We determined the effect of dietary OO-induced oxidative stress on ovarian development, and explored whether vitamin E (VE) could mitigate negative effects. Female Nile tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus) were fed for 10 weeks with four diets: 5% OO + 70 mg/kg VE, 5% OO + 200 mg/kg VE, 5% FO + 70 mg/kg VE, or 5% FO + 200 mg/kg VE. Dietary OO reduced the specific growth rate and gonadosomatic index, inhibited superoxide dismutase and catalase, delayed ovarian development, decreased serum sex hormone levels, and reduced ovarian triglyceride and n-3 highly unsaturated fatty acid contents. The transcript levels of genes encoding sex hormone receptors (erα, fshr, lhr) and components of the lipid metabolism pathway (pparα, pparγ, hsl, accα, elovl6), the nrf2 signaling pathway (nrf2, keap1), and the nf-κb signaling pathway (nf-κb, tnfα, infγ, il1β) differed between the 70VE/OO and 70VE/FO groups. Supplementation with 200 mg/kg VE mitigated the adverse effects of OO by improving antioxidant capacity and alleviating inflammation and abnormal lipid metabolism. This may be because VE is an antioxidant and it can regulate the nrf2-nf-κb signaling pathway.
Antioxidant Compounds and Health Benefits of Citrus Fruits
Authors: Borghi Sergio Marques , Pavanelli Wander Rogério
Published: July 2023

Recent evidence emanating from epidemiological prospective studies shows that increased intakes of antioxidant-rich fruits, vegetables, and legumes are associated with a lower risk of developing chronic oxidative stress-related diseases like cardiovascular diseases and cancer, as well as with a lower risk of cardiovascular, cancer, and all-cause mortality rates [...]
Oxidative Stress and Inflammatory Biomarkers Are Related to High Intake of Ultra-Processed Food in Old Adults with Metabolic Syndrome
Authors: Quetglas-Llabrés Maria Magdalena , Monserrat-Mesquida Margalida , Bouzas Cristina , Mateos David , Ugarriza Lucía , Gómez Cristina , Tur Josep A. , Sureda Antoni
Published: July 2023

In the last few decades the consumption of ultra-processed foods (UPFs) worldwide has substantially augmented. Increasing evidence suggests that high UPF consumption is associated with an increase in non-communicable diseases, being overweight, and obesity. The aim of this study was to assess how UPF consumption affects oxidative and inflammatory status in the plasma, neutrophils, and urine of old adults with metabolic syndrome. Participants (n = 92) were classified into two groups according to UPF consumption. Dietary intakes were measured by a validated semi-quantitative 143-item food frequency questionnaire and UPF consumption was determined according to the NOVA classification system. Low UPF consumers showed higher adherence to the Mediterranean diet than high UPF consumers. A high intake of fiber and a high concentration of polyphenols in urine were also observed in subjects with low UPF consumption. Despite the absence of differences in biochemical profile, oxidative and inflammatory biomarkers showed some significant changes. Catalase and superoxide dismutase activities were lower in high UPF consumers, whereas myeloperoxidase activity was higher. ROS production in neutrophils stimulated with zymosan was higher in high UPF consumers than in low UPF consumers. Biomarkers such as xanthine oxidase, tumor necrosis factor α (TNFα), interleukin (IL)-6, IL-15, and leptin levels were higher in participants with high intake of UPF. No differences were found in malondialdehyde and other inflammatory cytokines. The current study evidenced that MetS participants with high UPF consumption have a more pro-oxidant and inflammatory profile than those with low UPF consumption, despite showing similar blood biochemical profiles.
Doped Graphene Quantum Dots as Biocompatible Radical Scavenging Agents
Authors: Bhaloo Adam , Nguyen Steven , Lee Bong Han , Valimukhametova Alina , Gonzalez-Rodriguez Roberto , Sottile Olivia , Dorsky Abby , Naumov Anton V.
Published: July 2023

Oxidative stress is proven to be a leading factor in a multitude of adverse conditions, from Alzheimer’s disease to cancer. Thus, developing effective radical scavenging agents to eliminate reactive oxygen species (ROS) driving many oxidative processes has become critical. In addition to conventional antioxidants, nanoscale structures and metal–organic complexes have recently shown promising potential for radical scavenging. To design an optimal nanoscale ROS scavenging agent, we have synthesized ten types of biocompatible graphene quantum dots (GQDs) augmented with various metal dopants. The radical scavenging abilities of these novel metal-doped GQD structures were, for the first time, assessed via the DPPH, KMnO4, and RHB (Rhodamine B protectant) assays. While all metal-doped GQDs consistently demonstrate antioxidant properties higher than the undoped cores, aluminum-doped GQDs exhibit 60–95% radical scavenging ability of ascorbic acid positive control. Tm-doped GQDs match the radical scavenging properties of ascorbic acid in the KMnO4 assay. All doped GQD structures possess fluorescence imaging capabilities that enable their tracking in vitro, ensuring their successful cellular internalization. Given such multifunctionality, biocompatible doped GQD antioxidants can become prospective candidates for multimodal therapeutics, including the reduction of ROS with concomitant imaging and therapeutic delivery to cancer tumors.
Diverticular Disease Worsening Is Associated with Increased Oxidative Stress and Gut Permeability: New Insights by Circulating Biomarkers
Authors: Pallotta Lucia , Cammisotto Vittoria , Castellani Valentina , Gioia Alessia , Spigaroli Margherita , Carlomagno Dominga , Bartimoccia Simona , Nocella Cristina , Cappelletti Martina , Pontone Stefano , Carnevale Roberto , Violi Francesco , Vona Rosa , Giordano Carla , Pignatelli Pasquale , Severi Carola
Published: July 2023

Diverticular disease (DD) management is impaired by its pathogenesis, which is still not completely defined, with an unmet clinical need for improved therapies. Ex vivo DD human models demonstrated the presence of a transmural oxidative imbalance that supports an ischemic pathogenesis. This study aimed to assess, with the use of circulating biomarkers, insights into DD pathogenesis and possible therapeutic targets. Nox2-derived peptide, H2O2, antioxidant capacity, isoprostanes, thromboxanes, TNF-α, LPS and zonulin were evaluated by ELISA in healthy subjects (HS) and asymptomatic and symptomatic DD patients. Compared to HS, DD patients presented low antioxidant capacity and increase in sNox2-dp, H2O2 and isoprostanes paralleled to a TNFα increase, lower than that of oxidative markers. TxB2 production correlated to Nox2 and isoprostanes, suggesting platelet activation. An increase in zonulin and LPS highlighted the role of gut permeability and LPS translocation in DD pathogenesis. The increase of all the markers statistically correlated with DD severity. The present study confirmed the presence of a main oxidative imbalance in DD and provides evidence of platelet activation driven by LPS translocation. The use of circulating biomarkers could represent a new clinical tool for monitoring disease progression and validate therapeutic strategies never tested in DD as antioxidant supplementation.
Utilization of Festuca arundinacea Schreb. Biomass with Different Salt Contents for Bioethanol and Biocomposite Production
Authors: Batog Jolanta , Wawro Aleksandra , Bujnowicz Krzysztof , Gieparda Weronika , Bilińska Elżbieta , Pietrowiak Aurelia , Rojewski Szymon , Adamczak Artur
Published: July 2023

Soil salinity is one of the particularly important environmental factors, which limits the growth and development of plants, reduces the amount of crops and causes serious economic damage. The study found that Festuca arundinacea can be successfully used for the management and bioremediation of saline habitats, and it is characterized by a very well-developed root system and an average high biomass production of approx. 14.8 Mg∙ha−1, which can be used for industrial applications. Tall fescue biomass from soils with different levels of salinity was used to obtain bioethanol using 1.5% NaOH pretreatment and for the process of simultaneous enzymatic hydrolysis and ethanol fermentation (SSF). It was found that the content of Na+ ions in the tall fescue biomass had no significant effect on the amount of ethanol obtained (the average 19.32 g∙100 g−1 of raw material). F. arundinacea biomass was also used as a natural filler to obtain green composites using a biodegradable polylactide (PLA) matrix. It has been shown that tall fescue biomass with the lowest sodium content in biomass (approx. 2.5 mg∙g−1) from an area with high saline (above 6 g NaCl∙L−1) has the smallest effect on reducing the tensile and flexural strength of composites. Moreover, the highest value of bioethanol concentration (21.2 g∙100 g−1 of raw material) for this biomass sample was obtained.
Modeling and Verification of Electromagnetic-Thermal Coupling for Electromagnetic Track Launch Considering the Dynamic Conductivity
Authors: Yan Rongge , Jiang Jinbo , Yang Qingxin , An Kang
Published: July 2023

In order to solve the problems of insufficient precision of the armature velocity and inductance gradient in the process of finite element calculation of the electromagnetic track launcher, an improved dynamic conductivity electromagnetic-thermal coupling model is proposed to make the calculated results closer to the actual working condition. Firstly, the finite element analysis for the electromagnetic-thermal field is carried out. Then, considering the influence of dynamic conductivity on the armature velocity and inductance gradient, an improved dynamic conductivity electromagnetic-thermal coupling model based on finite element analysis is established, whose parameters are identified by the proposed PSO-GA hybrid algorithm. Moreover, the predicted values of armature velocity and inductance gradient are also obtained. Finally, the experimental platform of the electromagnetic track launcher is built to verify the improved model. By comparing the predicted value of the improved model with the experimental test value, it is found that the improved model can further reduce the calculated error from 5.79% to 1.18%, which provides a certain theoretical basis for the full true simulation of the electromagnetic track launch.