bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Measuring the Value of a Practical Text Mining Approach to Identify Patients With Housing Issues in the Free-Text Notes in Electronic Health Record: Findings of a Retrospective Cohort Study
Authors: Hatef Elham , Singh Deol Gurmehar , Rouhizadeh Masoud , Li Ashley , Eibensteiner Katyusha , Monsen Craig B. , Bratslaver Roman , Senese Margaret , Kharrazi Hadi
Published: September 2021

Introduction: Despite the growing efforts to standardize coding for social determinants of health (SDOH), they are infrequently captured in electronic health records (EHRs). Most SDOH variables are still captured in the unstructured fields (i.e., free-text) of EHRs. In this study we attempt to evaluate a practical text mining approach (i.e., advanced pattern matching techniques) in identifying phrases referring to housing issues, an important SDOH domain affecting value-based healthcare providers, using EHR of a large multispecialty medical group in the New England region, United States. To present how this approach would help the health systems to address the SDOH challenges of their patients we assess the demographic and clinical characteristics of patients with and without housing issues and briefly look into the patterns of healthcare utilization among the study population and for those with and without housing challenges.

Methods: We identified five categories of housing issues [i.e., homelessness current (HC), homelessness history (HH), homelessness addressed (HA), housing instability (HI), and building quality (BQ)] and developed several phrases addressing each one through collaboration with SDOH experts, consulting the literature, and reviewing existing coding standards. We developed pattern-matching algorithms (i.e., advanced regular expressions), and then applied them in the selected EHR. We assessed the text mining approach for recall (sensitivity) and precision (positive predictive value) after comparing the identified phrases with manually annotated free-text for different housing issues.

Results: The study dataset included EHR structured data for a total of 20,342 patients and 2,564,344 free-text clinical notes. The mean (SD) age in the study population was 75.96 (7.51). Additionally, 58.78% of the cohort were female. BQ and HI were the most frequent housing issues documented in EHR free-text notes and HH was the least frequent one. The regular expression methodology, when compared to manual annotation, had a high level of precision (positive predictive value) at phrase, note, and patient levels (96.36, 95.00, and 94.44%, respectively) across different categories of housing issues, but the recall (sensitivity) rate was relatively low (30.11, 32.20, and 41.46%, respectively).

Conclusion: Results of this study can be used to advance the research in this domain, to assess the potential value of EHR's free-text in identifying patients with a high risk of housing issues, to improve patient care and outcomes, and to eventually mitigate socioeconomic disparities across individuals and communities.
Decoupling of Medical Public–Private Partnership Efficiency and Pollution to Improve Public Health: A Three-Stage DEA Analysis
Authors: Chu Chien-Chi , Zhou Zhi-Hang , Sun Bin , Wen Zhan-Jie , Ma Yu-Yang
Published: September 2021

This study investigates the spatiotemporal evolution of the efficiency of medical public–private partnerships (PPPs) and the decoupling of environmental pollution to promote public health, balanced development, and environmentalism. Based on the 2011–2020 data of medical PPPs in China, the results of a three-stage data envelopment analysis (DEA) and decoupling model show that, firstly, the spatiotemporal evolution of PPP efficiency of China in healthcare has forward periodic twists and turns, and alternating peaks and valleys, which fall into two stages: extensive development, and transformation and upgrading. Secondly, this development is either a type of stable, steady or a surge increase. Thirdly, PPP efficiency and environmental pollution show a weak decoupling state. That is, Northeast China (NEC) and Southwest China (SWC) are in a state of increasing connection, whereas Northwest China (NWC) is in an expanding negative decoupling state. The remaining regions are in a weak decoupling state. This study recommends the mode of ecology-oriented development (EOD) to promote a high-quality, integrated development of PPPs in medicine and healthcare that are especially conducive to a “green economy.” There should be a more coordinated development across regions in China as well.
eXtended Artificial Intelligence: New Prospects of Human-AI Interaction Research
Authors: Wienrich Carolin , Latoschik Marc Erich
Published: September 2021

Artificial Intelligence (AI) covers a broad spectrum of computational problems and use cases. Many of those implicate profound and sometimes intricate questions of how humans interact or should interact with AIs. Moreover, many users or future users do have abstract ideas of what AI is, significantly depending on the specific embodiment of AI applications. Human-centered-design approaches would suggest evaluating the impact of different embodiments on human perception of and interaction with AI. An approach that is difficult to realize due to the sheer complexity of application fields and embodiments in reality. However, here XR opens new possibilities to research human-AI interactions. The article’s contribution is twofold: First, it provides a theoretical treatment and model of human-AI interaction based on an XR-AI continuum as a framework for and a perspective of different approaches of XR-AI combinations. It motivates XR-AI combinations as a method to learn about the effects of prospective human-AI interfaces and showswhythe combination of XR and AI fruitfully contributes to a valid and systematic investigation of human-AI interactions and interfaces. Second, the article provides two exemplary experiments investigating the aforementioned approach for two distinct AI-systems. The first experiment reveals an interesting gender effect in human-robot interaction, while the second experiment reveals an Eliza effect of a recommender system. Here the article introduces two paradigmatic implementations of the proposed XR testbed for human-AI interactions and interfaces and showshowa valid and systematic investigation can be conducted. In sum, the article opens new perspectives on how XR benefits human-centered AI design and development.
Shining Light On The Brain to Understand How It Works
Authors: Bell Laura , Reindl Vanessa , Kruppa Jana A. , Niephaus Alexandra , Kohl Simon H. , Konrad Kerstin
Published: September 2021

Have you ever thought that light could tell you something about your brain? Light is a powerful tool that helps brain researchers understand the brain. Our eyes can only see <1% of the total light around us. Some of the light is red, so-called near-infrared light. This type of light can travel through the head and the top layers of the brain, and thereby gives researchers important information about brain activity. The technique that uses near-infrared light has a long name: functional near-infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS). In this article, we will show you what a fNIRS machine looks like and what it is like to take part in a fNIRS experiment. We will explain how we can use near-infrared light to better understand the brain. Finally, we will give you some examples of what we use fNIRS for and how it might help children who face difficulties in their daily lives in the long run.
Load Monitoring Practice in Elite Women Association Football
Authors: Luteberget Live S. , Houtmeyers Kobe C. , Vanrenterghem Jos , Jaspers Arne , Brink Michel S. , Helsen Werner F.
Published: September 2021

The description of current load monitoring practices may serve to highlight developmental needs for both the training ground, academia and related industries. While previous studies described these practices in elite men's football, no study has provided an overview of load monitoring practices in elite women's football. Given the clear organizational differences (i.e., professionalization and infrastructure) between men's and women's clubs, making inferences based on men's data is not appropriate. Therefore, this study aims to provide a first overview of the current load monitoring practices in elite women's football. Twenty-two elite European women's football clubs participated in a closed online survey (40% response rate). The survey consisted of 33 questions using multiple choice or Likert scales. The questions covered three topics; type of data collected and collection purpose, analysis methods, and staff member involvement. All 22 clubs collected data related to different load monitoring purposes, with 18 (82%), 21 (95%), and 22 (100%) clubs collecting external load, internal load, and training outcome data, respectively. Most respondents indicated that their club use training models and take into account multiple indicators to analyse and interpret the data. While sports-science staff members were most involved in the monitoring process, coaching, and sports-medicine staff members also contributed to the discussion of the data. Overall, the results of this study show that most elite women's clubs apply load monitoring practices extensively. Despite the organizational challenges compared to men's football, these observations indicate that women's clubs have a vested interest in load monitoring. We hope these findings encourage future developments within women's football.
Competency of Rhizobial Inoculation in Sustainable Agricultural Production and Biocontrol of Plant Diseases
Authors: Kebede Erana
Published: September 2021

The rate of growth of the global population poses a risk to food security, demanding an increase in food production. Much of the world's cultivable soils also do not have ideal farming conditions such as soil health and fertility problem and increased pest attacks, which are challenges of food production. In this perspective, there is a need to increase agricultural production using a more economically and environmentally sustainable approach. As practices of agricultural production and improvement, rhizobial inoculants represent a practically effective, ecologically safe, and economically alternative means of realizing maximum agricultural production. This review addressed how rhizobial inoculation advances agricultural production through improving plant growth, nutrient availability and uptake, and yields by enhancing bio-fixation of atmospheric nitrogen and solubilization of soil nutrients. Besides, rhizobial inoculants offer biocontrol of plant diseases by providing resistance against disease-causing pathogens or suppression of diseases. Mechanisms involved in biocontrol of plant diseases include competition for infection sites and nutrients, activation of induced systemic resistance, and production of substances such as growth hormones, antibiotics, enzymes, siderophores, hydrogen cyanide, and exo-polysaccharides. Consequently, this approach is promising as sustainable agricultural practices have yet to supplement or replace chemical fertilizers, serving as a basis for future research on sustainable agricultural production. Despite the multifunctional benefits of rhizobial inoculation, there is a variation in the implementation of this practice by farmers. Therefore, researchers should work on eradicating farmers' constraints in using rhizobia, and future studies should be concentrated toward the methods of improving inoculant quality and promotion of the technology.
Deep-Learning-Based Automatic Segmentation of Head and Neck Organs for Radiation Therapy in Dogs
Authors: Park Jeongsu , Choi Byoungsu , Ko Jaeeun , Chun Jaehee , Park Inkyung , Lee Juyoung , Kim Jayon , Kim Jaehwan , Eom Kidong , Kim Jin Sung
Published: September 2021

Purpose: This study was conducted to develop a deep learning-based automatic segmentation (DLBAS) model of head and neck organs for radiotherapy (RT) in dogs, and to evaluate the feasibility for delineating the RT planning.

Materials and Methods: The segmentation indicated that there were potentially 15 organs at risk (OARs) in the head and neck of dogs. Post-contrast computed tomography (CT) was performed in 90 dogs. The training and validation sets comprised 80 CT data sets, including 20 test sets. The accuracy of the segmentation was assessed using both the Dice similarity coefficient (DSC) and the Hausdorff distance (HD), and by referencing the expert contours as the ground truth. An additional 10 clinical test sets with relatively large displacement or deformation of organs were selected for verification in cancer patients. To evaluate the applicability in cancer patients, and the impact of expert intervention, three methods–HA, DLBAS, and the readjustment of the predicted data obtained via the DLBAS of the clinical test sets (HA_DLBAS)–were compared.

Results: The DLBAS model (in the 20 test sets) showed reliable DSC and HD values; it also had a short contouring time of ~3 s. The average (mean ± standard deviation) DSC (0.83 ± 0.04) and HD (2.71 ± 1.01 mm) values were similar to those of previous human studies. The DLBAS was highly accurate and had no large displacement of head and neck organs. However, the DLBAS in the 10 clinical test sets showed lower DSC (0.78 ± 0.11) and higher HD (4.30 ± 3.69 mm) values than those of the test sets. The HA_DLBAS was comparable to both the HA (DSC: 0.85 ± 0.06 and HD: 2.74 ± 1.18 mm) and DLBAS presented better comparison metrics and decreased statistical deviations (DSC: 0.94 ± 0.03 and HD: 2.30 ± 0.41 mm). In addition, the contouring time of HA_DLBAS (30 min) was less than that of HA (80 min).

Conclusion: In conclusion, HA_DLBAS method and the proposed DLBAS was highly consistent and robust in its performance. Thus, DLBAS has great potential as a single or supportive tool to the key process in RT planning.
Persistent Purine Metabolic Abnormality Induces the Aggravation of Visceral Inflammation and Intestinal Microbiota Dysbiosis in Magang Goose
Authors: Ma Weiqing , Zhou Lingjuan , Li Yu , Xia Daiyang , Chen Jianying , Chen Junpeng , Jiang Xianzhi , Qin Jiangfan , Zhao Yujie , Zhang Xiufen , Wang Heng , Fu Yang , Zhu Shanshan , Jiang Huiquan , Ye Hui , Zhu Yongwen , Lin Zhenping , Wang Wence , Yang Lin
Published: September 2021

Gout is a disease involving abnormal purine metabolism that is widespread in mammals and birds. Goose is especially susceptible for gout in early stage. However, a few studies investigated the ontogenetic pattern of goslings with purine metabolic abnormality. Our studies were conducted to investigate whether persistent purine metabolic abnormality would lead to aggravation of visceral inflammation and intestinal microbiota dysbiosis in goose. A total of 132 1-day-old Magang geese were randomly divided into six replicates and fed a high-calcium and protein meal-based diet from 1 to 28 days. The experiment lasted for 28 days. Liver and kidney damages were observed in 14- and 28-day-old Magang geese, and liver inflammation increased with increasing age. In 28-day-old Magang geese, serum CAT and liver GSH-Px activity were significantly reduced. Furthermore, jejunum intestinal barrier was impaired and the abundance of Bacteroides was significantly reduced at the genus level. Collectively, the high-calcium and high-protein (HCP) meal-based diet caused liver and kidney damage in 28-day-old Magang geese, leading to hyperuricemia and gout symptoms, and the intestinal barrier is impaired and the intestinal flora is disrupted.
Measurement of Investment Potential and Spatial Distribution of Arable Land among Countries within the “Belt and Road Initiative”
Authors: Wang Yameng , Sarkar Apurbo , Ma Linyan , Wu Qian , Wei Feng
Published: September 2021

The belt and road initiative (BRI) is a mutual development approach projected by China, which delivers exceptional opportunities for multi-phased communication and cooperation across Asia, Africa, and Europe. It opens ample opportunities for China to easily invest in overseas arable land. Based on the macro data of 119 countries in 2010 and 2016 before and after the BRI, the study comprehensively uses fuzzy C-means clustering and the entropy method to evaluate the potential of arable land investment from four dimensions, which existing literature has not fully grasped. Moreover, the study uses the exploratory spatial data analysis methods (ESDA), kernel density estimation, and trend surface analysis to study the spatial pattern characteristics. The results show that: (i) there are noticeable regional differences in the investment potential of arable land in BRI countries. Asian countries, led by Kazakhstan and Indonesia, and African Unions, led by Ethiopia, South Africa, and Tanzania, generally have higher investment potential. However, South America and European countries are relatively lower. (ii) Resource endowment and production conditions significantly impact overseas arable land investment potential. Asia and Africa have advantages in resource endowment and production conditions, while European countries generally have better economic and political environments. (iii) From the perspective of time evolution, the investment potential in 2016 is generally higher than in 2010, and the negative correlation and dispersion are lower than in 2010. Based on these findings, it is recommended that Chinese enterprises should comprehensively consider the differences in resource endowments and agricultural development levels in various countries, optimize investment layout, and reduce investment risks. Chinese companies should collaborate with host nations on modernization and promote the long-term viability of arable land investments.
Evaluation of Advanced Backcrosses of Eggplant with Solanum elaeagnifolium Introgressions under Low N Conditions
Authors: Villanueva Gloria , Rosa-Martínez Elena , Şahin Ahmet , García-Fortea Edgar , Plazas Mariola , Prohens Jaime , Vilanova Santiago
Published: September 2021

Selection and breeding of eggplant (Solanum melongena) materials with good performance under low nitrogen (N) fertilization inputs is a major breeding objective to reduce environmental degradation, risks for human health, and production costs. Solanum elaeagnifolium, an eggplant wild relative, is a potential source of variation for introgression breeding in eggplant. We evaluated 24 plant, fruit, and composition traits in a set of genotyped advanced backcrosses (BC2 and BC3) of eggplant with S. elaeagnifolium introgressions under low N conditions. Significant differences were found between the two parents for most traits, and a wide phenotypic diversity was observed in the advanced backcrosses, with some individuals with a much higher yield, nitrogen use efficiency (NUE), and phenolics content than the S. melongena parent. In general, the lower the proportion of S. elaeagnifolium genome introgressed in the advanced backcrosses, the higher was the general phenotypic resemblance to S. melongena. Putative QTLs were detected for stem diameter (pd4), presence of prickles in stem (ps6), leaf (pl6) and fruit calyx (pc6), fruit width (fw7), chlorogenic acid content (cg5), total phenolic acid peaks area (ph6), chlorogenic acid peak area (ca1), and phenolic acids pattern (cp1). Our results reveal that introgression breeding of eggplant with S. elaeagnifolium has a great interest for eggplant breeding, particularly for adaptation to low N conditions. These materials can potentially contribute to the development of improved eggplant varieties for a more sustainable agriculture.
Effects of Various Environmental Conditions on the Growth of Amaranthus patulus Bertol. and Changes of Herbicide Efficacy Caused by Increasing Temperatures
Authors: Park Hyun-Hwa , Lee Do-Jin , Kuk Yong-In
Published: September 2021

Understanding the effects of climate change on weed growth and herbicide activity is important for optimizing herbicide applications for effective weed control in the future. Therefore, this study examined how climate change affects the growth of Amaranthus patulus and the efficacy of soil and foliar herbicides at different temperatures. Although the control values for A. patulus differed between herbicides and temperature, the control values increased with increasing time after the herbicide treatments. Under growth conditions in which the temperature remained constant, the efficacy of soil-applied herbicides, ethalfluralin, metolachlor, linuron, and alachlor, on A. patulus was highest when the weeds were grown at high temperature. In particular, 100% control values of A. patulus were achieved in response to metolachlor treatments at the total recommended dosage in growth chambers at 35 °C. The efficacy of foliar herbicides, glufosinate-ammonium, bentazone, and mecoprop, on A. patulus was also highest when the plant was grown at high temperature, except for glyphosate isopropylamine, which had similar efficacy rates regardless of the temperature. A. patulus was 100% controlled in response to glufosinate-ammonium, bentazone, and mecoprop at the recommended dosages in growth chambers at 30 and 35 °C. Under growth conditions in which the temperature changed from day to night, the efficacy of soil-applied herbicides, alachlor and linuron, on A. patulus was highest when the weeds were grown at high temperature. On the other hand, the efficacy of the soil-applied herbicides metolachlor and linuron on A. patulus was similar regardless of the temperature. The efficacy of foliar herbicides, glyphosate isopropylamine, glufosinate-ammonium, bentazone, and mecoprop, on A. patulus was highest when the weeds were grown at high temperature. Although herbicide efficacy varied depending on whether the weeds were grown at constant or alternating temperatures, herbicide efficacy was generally highest when the temperature was high.
Genetic Mapping Reveals Novel Exotic and Elite QTL Alleles for Salinity Tolerance in Barley
Authors: Sayed Mohammed Abdelaziz , Nassar Saad Mohamed , Moustafa Ehab Soudi , Said Mohamed Tharwat , Börner Andreas , Hamada Alhosein
Published: September 2021

Soil salinity is one of the constraints of crop production in Egypt. The aims of this study were to identify genomic regions associated with grain weight and its related traits along with their salinity tolerance indices and to identify the most salinity tolerant and high-yielding genotypes. Therefore, we evaluated an advanced backcross mapping population of barley in newly reclaimed soil under two salinity levels of groundwater aquifers in South of Sinai, Egypt. We detected significant QTL associated with grain weight related attributes and the salinity tolerance index (STI) distributed throughout the whole genome of barley, which can be used to enhance salinity tolerance. Moreover, the markers bPb-3739 (4H, 96.3 cM), AF043094A (5H, 156 cM), bPb-8161 (7H, 2.22 cM), and bPb-5260 (7H, 115.6 cM), were the most important identified genomic regions corresponding to vernalization, dwarfing and dehydrin genes, which are correlated with salinity tolerance. Additionally, the doubled haploid lines SI001, SI043, SI044, SI028, SI242, SI035, and SI005 had the highest STI values based on yield average. The present study demonstrated that wild and elite barley do harbor novel valuable alleles, which can enrich the genetic basis of cultivated barley and improve quantitative agronomic traits under salinity conditions.
Rapeseed (Brassica napus): Processing, Utilization, and Genetic Improvement
Authors: Raboanatahiry Nadia , Li Huaixin , Yu Longjiang , Li Maoteng
Published: September 2021

Brassica napus L. is a vegetable oil crop, commonly known as rapeseed (or canola). It is widely used as a source of oil and protein for food and industrial applications, but also as a remedy, and in a field of attraction or as an ornament due to its diverse flower colors. Every part of rapeseed is useful, even the waste, which could be used to feed animals, or recycled. In this review, the use of rapeseed in these applications is presented, starting with the preparation of oil and protein from the seeds, before their release in the market, to the utilization of natural unprocessed rapeseed. Progress in rapeseed exploitation for food, remedy, energy source, and industrial applications are analyzed to show variability in diverse findings, to provide insights and progressive descriptions of rapeseed usage to other scholars. Moreover, advancements in breeding for rapeseed improvement were described. In the future, strategies could be developed or improved to avoid or decrease crop losses, but also to increase interest in propagating the valuable traits of rapeseed.
Passive Prey Discrimination in Surface Predatory Behaviour of Bait-Attracted White Sharks from Gansbaai, South Africa
Authors: Micarelli Primo , Chieppa Federico , Pacifico Antonio , Rabboni Enrico , Reinero Francesca Romana
Published: September 2021

Between the years 2008 and 2013, six annual research expeditions were carried out at Dyer Island (Gansbaai, South Africa) to study the surface behaviour of white sharks in the presence of two passive prey: tuna bait and a seal-shaped decoy. Sightings were performed from a commercial cage-diving boat over 247 h; 250 different white sharks, with a mean total length (TL) of 308 cm, were observed. Of these, 166 performed at least one or more interactions, for a total of 240 interactions with bait and the seal-shaped decoy. In Gansbaai, there is a population of transient white sharks consisting mainly of immature specimens throughout the year. Both mature and immature sharks preferred to prey on the seal-shaped decoy, probably due to the dietary shift that occurs in white sharks whose TL varies between 200 cm and 340 cm. As it is widely confirmed that white sharks change their diet from a predominantly piscivorous juvenile diet to a mature marine mammalian diet, it is possible that Gansbaai may be a hunting training area and that sharks show a discriminate food choice, a strategy that was adopted by the majority of specimens thanks to their ability to visualize energetically richer prey, after having been attracted by the odorous source represented by the tuna bait.
Successful and Unsuccessful Brain Aging in Pets: Pathophysiological Mechanisms behind Clinical Signs and Potential Benefits from Palmitoylethanolamide Nutritional Intervention
Authors: Scuderi Caterina , Golini Lorenzo
Published: September 2021

Canine and feline cognitive dysfunction syndrome is a common neurodegenerative disorder of old age and a natural model of human Alzheimer’s disease. With the unavoidable expanding life expectancy, an increasing number of small animals will be affected. Although there is no cure, early detection and intervention are vitally important to delay cognitive decline. Knowledge of cellular and molecular mechanisms underlying disease onset and progression is an equally decisive factor for developing effective approaches. Uncontrolled neuroinflammation, orchestrated in the central nervous system mainly by astrocytes, microglia, and resident mast cells, is currently acknowledged as a hallmark of neurodegeneration. This has prompted scientists to find a way to rebalance the altered crosstalk between these cells. In this context, great emphasis has been given to the role played by the expanded endocannabinoid system, i.e., endocannabinoidome, because of its prominent role in physiological and pathological neuroinflammation. Within the endocannabinoidome, great attention has been paid to palmitoylethanolamide due to its safe and pro-homeostatic effects. The availability of new ultramicronized formulations highly improved the oral bioavailability of palmitoylethanolamide, paving the way to its dietary use. Ultramicronized palmitoylethanolamide has been repeatedly tested in animal models of age-related neurodegeneration with promising results. Data accumulated so far suggest that supplementation with ultramicronized palmitoylethanolamide helps to accomplish successful brain aging.
Replacement of Palm Oil with Soybean Acid Oil in Broiler Chicken Diet: Fat Digestibility and Lipid Class Content along the Intestinal Tract
Authors: Jimenez-Moya Beatriz , Barroeta Ana C. , Guardiola Francesc , Soler María Dolores , Rodriguez-Sanchez Raquel , Sala Roser
Published: September 2021

This study aimed to evaluate the replacement of palm oil (P) with increasing levels of soybean acid oil (SA), a by-product of soybean oil (S) refining, on lipid class content and fatty acid (FA) digestibility in the intestine and excreta of chickens at 11 and 35 days (d). Five experimental diets were obtained by supplementing a basal diet with 6% of P (P6), 6% of SA (SA6), 4% of P + 2% SA (P4-SA2), 2% of P + 4% of SA (P2-SA4) and 6% of S (S6). A total of 480 one-d-old female broiler chickens (Ross 308) were housed in metabolic cages (6 cages/treatment, with 16 birds/cage). Replacing P with SA improved fat absorption at 11 and 35 d (p < 0.05), but not feed AME values and saturated FA (SFA) digestibility at 11 d. As age increased, the absorption of SFA and free fatty acids (FFA) improved, and the contribution of the upper ileum to FA absorption increased (p < 0.05). At 35 d, SA6 (56% FFA) and P2-SA4 (40% FFA, 2.6 unsaturated-to-saturated FA ratio) could replace S6 without impairing fat utilization. The replacement of P with SA represents a suitable strategy to use this by-product.
Effect of Sustained Administration of Thymol on Its Bioaccessibility and Bioavailability in Rabbits
Authors: Bacova Kristina , Eglseer Karin Zitterl , Räuber Gesine Karas , Chrastinova Lubica , Laukova Andrea , Takacsova Margareta , Simonova Monika Pogany , Placha Iveta
Published: September 2021

The objective of this study was the detection of thymol in rabbit plasma, tissues, large intestinal content, and faeces. Forty-eight rabbits were divided into control and experimental groups (thymol 250 mg/kg feed). Thymol was administered for 21 days and then withdrawn for 7 days. Concentration of thymol in the intestinal wall (IW) was significantly higher than in plasma (p < 0.05) and liver (p < 0.05); in the kidneys it was significantly higher than in plasma (p < 0.05) and liver (p < 0.05) during thymol addition. Thymol in IW was significantly higher than in plasma also after withdrawal (p < 0.01). Significant correlation (rs = −1.000, p < 0.01) between IW and plasma points to the intensive absorption of thymol from the intestine, while the correlation between plasma and liver (rs = 0.786, p < 0.05) indicates intensive biotransformation and excretion processes in liver. Significant correlation between liver and kidney (rs = 0.738, p < 0.05) confirms the intensive metabolism of thymol in the kidney. During the withdrawal period, thymol was detected above trace amounts only in faeces, and was significantly higher than in the colon during both periods (p < 0.01). Results show intensive biotransformation of thymol in the rabbit organism.
Enzyme-Treated Soybean Meal Enhanced Performance via Improving Immune Response, Intestinal Morphology and Barrier Function of Nursery Pigs in Antibiotic Free Diets
Authors: Long Shenfei , Ma Jiayu , Piao Xiangshu , Li Yuxin , Rasmussen Simone Husballe , Liu Li
Published: September 2021

This study aims to investigate the effects of ESBM on performance, antioxidant status, immune response, and intestinal barrier function of nursery pigs in antibiotic free diets compared with EFS. A total of 32 Duroc × (Landrace × Yorkshire) barrows (initial body weight of 8.05 ± 0.66 kg, weaned on d 28) were selected and allocated to two treatments with 16 replicates per treatment and one pig per replicate using a complete random design. The treatments included an EFS group (basal diet + 24% EFS; EFS) and an ESBM group (basal diet + 15% ESBM; ESBM). Corn was used to balance energy and diets were iso-nitrogenous at about 18% crude protein. The experiment lasted for 14 days and pigs were slaughtered for sampling on d 14. Compared with EFS, pigs fed ESBM showed enhanced (p < 0.05) gain to feed ratio and average daily gain and a reduced (p < 0.05) diarrhea score. These pigs had increased (p < 0.05) contents of glutathione peroxidase, catalase, superoxide dismutase, IgG, interleukin-10, and ferric reducing ability of plasma, as well as decreased (p < 0.05) malondialdehyde, IL-6, IL-1β, tumor necrosis factor (TNF-α), interferon-γ, thiobarbituric acid-reactive substances, and diamine oxidase level in serum and TNF-α level in the jejunal mucosa. Moreover, these pigs also showed enhanced (p < 0.05) villus height/crypt depth in ileum, villus height in duodenum, protein expression of zonula-occludens-1 in jejunal mucosa, and fecal total volatile fatty acids and butyric acid contents. In conclusion, ESBM replacing EFS could enhance performance via improving immune response, antioxidant status, gut morphology, and barrier function of nursery pigs in antibiotic free diets.
Effect of Different Combinations of Dietary Vitamin A, Protein Levels, and Monensin on Inflammatory Markers and Metabolites, Retinol-Binding Protein, and Retinoid Status in Periparturient Dairy Cows
Authors: Agustinho Bruna C. , Ramsey Kirk C. , Moore Chel , Tsai Chia-Yu , Scholte Cynthia M. , McGuire Mark A. , Rezamand Pedram
Published: September 2021

The objective of this study was to determine the effect of feeding different combinations of dietary vitamin A supplementation (0 or 110 IU/kg body weight), protein (10.3% or 12.2%), and an ionophore (monensin at 0 or 400 mg/day) on retinoid metabolism and immune function of dairy cows. Eighty multiparous Holstein dairy cows were studied from d −35 to +21 relative to expected parturition in a complete randomized block design with a 2 × 2 × 2 factorial arrangement of treatments. The significance of treatments was declared at p ≤ 0.05. Dairy cows receiving high crude protein (CP) diets with monensin had a greater retinol-binding protein serum concentration than cows receiving high CP diets without monensin (p = 0.04). Animals supplemented with vitamin A showed lower SCC (p = 0.04) and a higher thiobarbituric acid reactive substances concentration (p = 0.06) than cows non-supplemented. Moreover, cows receiving low crude protein diets had a greater haptoglobin concentration (p = 0.01). In addition, cows fed a high crude protein diet had a greater TNF-α expression in peripheral blood mononuclear cells (p = 0.04). Animals fed diets without monensin had a greater serum haptoglobin on day 3 postpartum than those fed monensin (p = 0.01). Moreover, dietary vitamin A increased serum 13-cis retinoic acid postpartum. We conclude that vitamin A, crude protein levels, and monensin fed during the close-up period affect milk somatic cell count, some vitamin statuses, and inflammatory markers during early lactation.
Anchoring the CerEla1.0 Genome Assembly to Red Deer (Cervus elaphus) and Cattle (Bos taurus) Chromosomes and Specification of Evolutionary Chromosome Rearrangements in Cervidae
Authors: Vozdova Miluse , Kubickova Svatava , Cernohorska Halina , Fröhlich Jan , Rubes Jiri
Published: September 2021

The family Cervidae groups a range of species with an increasing economic significance. Their karyotypes share 35 evolutionary conserved chromosomal segments with cattle (Bos taurus). Recent publication of the annotated red deer (Cervus elaphus) whole genome assembly (CerEla1.0) has provided a basis for advanced genetic studies. In this study, we compared the red deer CerEla1.0 and bovine ARS-UCD1.2 genome assembly and used fluorescence in situ hybridization with bovine BAC probes to verify the homology between bovine and deer chromosomes, determined the centromere-telomere orientation of the CerEla1.0 C-scaffolds and specified positions of the cervid evolutionary chromosome breakpoints. In addition, we revealed several incongruences between the current deer and bovine genome assemblies that were shown to be caused by errors in the CerEla1.0 assembly. Finally, we verified the centromere-to-centromere orientation of evolutionarily fused chromosomes in seven additional deer species, giving a support to previous studies on their chromosome evolution.
Enzymes Present in Neutrophil Extracellular Traps May Stimulate the Fibrogenic PGF2α Pathway in the Mare Endometrium
Authors: Rebordão Maria Rosa , Amaral Ana , Fernandes Carina , Silva Elisabete , Lukasik Karolina , Szóstek-Mioduchowska Anna , Pinto-Bravo Pedro , Galvão António , Skarzynski Dariusz J. , Ferreira-Dias Graça
Published: September 2021

Endometrosis, a fibrotic disease of mare endometrium, impairs uterine function. Prostaglandins (PG), despite modulating reproductive physiological functions, may also cause local pathological collagen deposition (fibrogenesis). We have previously shown that neutrophil extracellular traps (NETs) may also favor mare endometrosis. The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of enzymes present in NETs on PGF2α-pathway activation. Kenney and Doig’s type I/IIA and IIB/III mare endometria, from follicular phase (FLP) and mid-luteal (MLP) phase, were cultured in vitro in the presence of NETs enzymes (elastase, cathepsin-G or myeloperoxidase). Production of PGF2α (EIA) and transcription (qPCR) of its synthases (PTGS2, AKR1C3) and receptor (PTGFR) genes were evaluated. PGF2α and PTGFR were influenced by endometrial category and estrous cycle phase. In FLP endometrium, NETs enzymes induced both high PGF2α production and/or PTGFR transcription. In MLP type I/IIA tissues, down-regulation of PTGFR transcripts occurred. However, in MLP type IIB/III endometrium, high levels of PTGFR transcripts were induced by NETs enzymes. As PGF2α-pathway activation facilitates fibrogenesis in other tissues, PGF2α may be involved in endometrosis pathogenesis. In the mare, the endocrine microenvironment of healthy and pathological endometrium might modulate the PGF2α pathway, as well as fibrosis outcome on endometrium challenged by NETs enzymes.
A Single Animal Species-Based Prediction of Human Clearance and First-in-Human Dose of Monoclonal Antibodies: Beyond Monkey
Authors: Mahmood Iftekhar
Published: September 2021

These days, there is a lot of emphasis on the prediction of human clearance (CL) from a single species for monoclonal antibodies (mabs). Many studies indicate that monkey is the most suitable species for the prediction of human clearance for mabs. However, it is not well established if rodents (mouse or rat) can also be used to predict human CL for mabs. The objectives of this study were to predict and compare human CL as well as first-in-human dose of mabs from mouse or rat, ormonkey. Four methods were used for the prediction of human CL of mabs. These methods were: use of four allometric exponents (0.75, 0.80, 0.85, and 0.90), a minimal physiologically based pharmacokinetics method (mPBPK), lymph flow rate, and liver blood flow rate. Based on the predicted CL, first-in-human dose of mabs was projected using either exponent 1.0 (linear scaling) or exponent 0.85, and human-equivalent dose (HED) from each of these species. The results of the study indicated that rat or mouse could provide a reasonably accurate prediction of human CL as well as first-in-human dose of mabs. When exponent 0.85 was used for CL prediction, there were 78%, 95%, and 92% observations within a 2-fold prediction error for mouse, rat, and monkey, respectively. Predicted human dose fell within the observed human dose range (administered to humans) for 10 out of 13 mabs for mouse, 11 out of 12 mabs for rat, and 12 out of 15 mabs for monkey. Overall, the clearance and first-in-human dose of mabs were predicted reasonably well by all three species (a single species). On average, monkey may be the best species for the prediction of human clearance and human dose but mouse or rat especially; rat can be a very useful species for conducting the aforementioned studies.
Integrating Airborne Laser Scanning and 3D Ground-Penetrating Radar for the Investigation of Protohistoric Structures in Croatian Istria
Authors: Bernardini Federico , Vinci Giacomo , Forte Emanuele , Mocnik Arianna , Višnjić Josip , Pipan Michele
Published: September 2021

We present the investigation of two rather ephemeral archaeological sites located in the municipality of Oprtalj/Portole (Croatian Istria) by means of integrated archaeological, geophysical and remote sensing techniques. The results obtained confirm the first interpretation of these contexts; a protohistoric burial mound and a small hillfort, respectively. We further obtained detailed information about both deposits through 2D and 3D remote sensing and geophysical studies that produced maps, volumes, profiles and cross-sections. At the first site, the volume reconstruction of both the inner stone core and the superimposed earth of the putative stone mound also allowed us to estimate the labour necessary to erect the structure. In conclusion, our study demonstrates that the integrated approach can be valuable not only to acquire novel data about the archaeological deposits but also to calibrate future investigations and to plan effective measures for heritage management, monitoring and valorization.
Anomalous Origin of the Right Vertebral Artery
Authors: Tokuyama Kohei , Kiyosue Hiro , Baba Hiroshi , Asayama Yoshiki
Published: September 2021

An anomalous origin of the right vertebral artery (VA) is a rare anomaly that is much rarer than that of the left VA. It can be divided into a few patterns, including aortic origin, right carotid or brachiocephalic arterial origin, and duplicated origin. In embryological development, the VA is made up of a longitudinal anastomosis between cervical segments. The mechanism of the anomalous origin of the right VA can be explained by the persistence of the cervical segmental artery and the regression point of the 4th right aortic arch. Although the anomaly is usually found incidentally on imaging modalities, it can be a potential cause of complication during surgical and interventional procedures. However, there are a lot of reports about the radiomics of the anomaly. Therefore, we discuss the potential relationship between the anomalous origin of the right VA and radiomics. As the take-home message, understanding several patterns of anomalous origin of the right VA with their embryology and imaging findings is important for surgical and endovascular interventions to avoid intraprocedural complications.
Design and Performance of a XBee 900 MHz Acquisition System Aimed at Industrial Applications
Authors: Calvo Isidro , Gil-García José Miguel , Villar Eneko , Fernández Aitor , Velasco Javier , Barambones Oscar , Napole Cristian , Fernández-Bustamante Pablo
Published: September 2021

Wireless technologies are being introduced in industrial applications since they provide certain benefits, such as the flexibility to modify the layout of the nodes, improving connectivity with monitoring and decision nodes, adapting to mobile devices and reducing or eliminating cabling. However, companies are still reluctant to use them in time-critical applications, and consequently, more research is needed in order to be massively deployed in industrial environments. This paper goes in this direction by presenting a novel wireless acquisition system aimed at industrial applications. This system embeds a low-cost technology, such as XBee, not frequently considered for deterministic applications, for deploying industrial applications that must fulfill certain QoS requirements. The use of XBee 900 MHz modules allows for the use of the 2.4 GHz band for other purposes, such as connecting to cloud services, without causing interferences with critical applications. The system implements a time-slotted media access (TDMA) approach with a timely transmission scheduling of the messages on top of the XBee 900 MHz technology. The paper discusses the details of the acquisition system, including the topology, the nodes involved, the so-called coordinator node and smart measuring nodes, and the design of the frames. Smart measuring nodes are implemented by an original PCB which were specifically designed and manufactured. This board eases the connection of the sensors to the acquisition system. Experimental tests were carried out to validate the presented wireless acquisition system. Its applicability is shown in an industrial scenario for monitoring the positioning of an aeronautical reconfigurable tooling prototype. Both wired and wireless technologies were used to compare the variables monitored. The results proved that the followed approach may be an alternative for monitoring big machinery in indoor industrial environments, becoming especially suitable for acquiring values from sensors located in mobile parts or difficult-to-reach places.
Path Planning Optimization for Driverless Vehicle in Parallel Parking Integrating Radial Basis Function Neural Network
Authors: Yu Leiyan , Wang Xianyu , Hou Zeyu , Du Zaiyou , Zeng Yufeng , Mu Zhaoyang
Published: September 2021

To optimize performances such as continuous curvature, safety, and satisfying curvature constraints of the initial planning path for driverless vehicles in parallel parking, a novel method is proposed to train control points of the Bézier curve using the radial basis function neural network method. Firstly, the composition and working process of an autonomous parking system are analyzed. An experiment concerning parking space detection is conducted using an Arduino intelligent minicar with ultrasonic sensor. Based on the analysis of the parallel parking process of experienced drivers and the idea of simulating a human driver, the initial path is planned via an arc-line-arc three segment composite curve and fitted by a quintic Bézier curve to make up for the discontinuity of curvature. Then, the radial basis function neural network is established, and slopes of points of the initial path are used as input to train and obtain horizontal ordinates of four control points in the middle of the Bézier curve. Finally, simulation experiments are carried out by MATLAB, whereby parallel parking of driverless vehicle is simulated, and the effects of the proposed method are verified. Results show the trained and optimized Bézier curve as a planning path meets the requirements of continuous curvature, safety, and curvature constraints, thus improving the abilities for parallel parking in small parking spaces.
Sensors for Sustainable Smart Cities: A Review
Authors: Ramírez-Moreno Mauricio A. , Keshtkar Sajjad , Padilla-Reyes Diego A. , Ramos-López Edrick , García-Martínez Moisés , Hernández-Luna Mónica C. , Mogro Antonio E. , Mahlknecht Jurgen , Huertas José Ignacio , Peimbert-García Rodrigo E. , Ramírez-Mendoza Ricardo A. , Mangini Agostino M. , Roccotelli Michele , Pérez-Henríquez Blas L. , Mukhopadhyay Subhas C. , Lozoya-Santos Jorge de Jesús
Published: September 2021

Experts confirm that 85% of the world’s population is expected to live in cities by 2050. Therefore, cities should be prepared to satisfy the needs of their citizens and provide the best services. The idea of a city of the future is commonly represented by the smart city, which is a more efficient system that optimizes its resources and services, through the use of monitoring and communication technology. Thus, one of the steps towards sustainability for cities around the world is to make a transition into smart cities. Here, sensors play an important role in the system, as they gather relevant information from the city, citizens, and the corresponding communication networks that transfer the information in real-time. Although the use of these sensors is diverse, their application can be categorized in six different groups: energy, health, mobility, security, water, and waste management. Based on these groups, this review presents an analysis of different sensors that are typically used in efforts toward creating smart cities. Insights about different applications and communication systems are provided, as well as the main opportunities and challenges faced when making a transition to a smart city. Ultimately, this process is not only about smart urban infrastructure, but more importantly about how these new sensing capabilities and digitization developments improve quality of life. Smarter communities are those that socialize, adapt, and invest through transparent and inclusive community engagement in these technologies based on local and regional societal needs and values. Cyber security disruptions and privacy remain chief vulnerabilities.