bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Relationship Between Socio-Demographic Characteristics, Reproductive Health Behaviors, and Health Literacy of Women in Serbia
Authors: Maricic Milena , Stojanovic Goran , Pazun Vanja , Stepović Milos , Djordjevic Ognjen , Macuzic Ivana Zivanovic , Milicic Vesna , Vucic Veroljub , Radevic Svetlana , Radovanovic Snezana
Published: April 2021

Introduction: Health literacy of women can significantly affect different aspects of reproductive health. The aim of this study was the assessment of relationship of health literacy, socio-demographic characteristics and reproductive health behaviors of women in Serbia.

Methodology: This was a cross-sectional study on a random sample of women aged 18 and over from the territories of three Serbian regions, stratified according to age groups, region and type of settlement. A standardized version of the European Health Literacy Survey Questionnaire (HLS-EU-Q47) was used in assessing health literacy of women.

Results: Based on the calculated index of health literacy, 9.6% of respondents had inadequate health literacy. Inadequate levels of health literacy were more common in women living in rural areas (OR = 1.111) and the poorer classes (OR = 5.122). Employed women (OP = 1.249), with good health (OR = 1.512) with a degree (OR = 1.535) had bigger odds to have adequate health literacy. Multivariate regression analysis showed the following significant predictors: commitment to the chosen gynecologist (OR = 1.530), contraceptive use (OR = 1.020), knowledge of the damages that could be caused by the human papillomavirus (HPV) (OR = 1.578), awareness of vaccine availability against HPV infection (OR = 1.217) and following the health-related topics (OR = 2.350).

Conclusion: Limited levels of health literacy were significantly higher among middle-aged women, among those living in rural areas, among women who rated their health as poor or very poor, and who exhibited more negative patterns of reproductive health behavior, indicating the need for implementation of prevention programs and strategies with the aim of increasing the level of health literacy.
Energy Justice Through Solar: Constructing and Engaging Low-Income Households
Authors: Si Yutong , Stephens Jennie C.
Published: April 2021

Minimal research has assessed the policy process of developing solar programs at the state level, and no research yet has investigated how these policies characterize and engage with the target populations they are designed to benefit. Grounded in Schneider and Ingram's social construction framework (SCF) and applying computational methods (i.e., text analysis and machine learning), this research examines how low-income households are socially constructed in policy provisions, how their social construction has been reinforced through public participation, and how to classify low-income households among target populations. Based on the case of Massachusetts, this research analyzes the 2020 Solar Massachusetts Renewable Target (SMART) Emergency Regulation as well as its public comments. We find that low-income households constitute a visible target group of this program and their characterizations as “deserving policy benefits” are positively constructed by policy makers. Furthermore, the conveyed messages and attitudes regarding the assigned benefits to low-income households have been reinforced through public participation. Despite this advantageous positive construction, low-income households have less political power (i.e., measured by topic prevalence in the public comments) than other target groups such as large corporations (e.g., solar developers or solar installers) and less ability to participate or be represented in the policy process, making their voices less likely to be heard by policy makers. With positive social construction but weaker political power, low-income households fall into the category of “dependents” instead of “advantaged,” which may engender undesirable policy outcomes minimizing the intended long-term benefits of the policies to low-income households. This research reveals procedural injustices in energy policies and highlights the importance of more inclusive policy-making process, while also offering a novel theoretical lens to understand the rationale and dynamics of developing solar statutes targeting low-income households.
Effects of Linear Visual-Vestibular Conflict on Presence, Perceived Scene Stability and Cybersickness in the Oculus Go and Oculus Quest
Authors: Kim Juno , Palmisano Stephen , Luu Wilson , Iwasaki Shinichi
Published: April 2021

Humans rely on multiple senses to perceive their self-motion in the real world. For example, a sideways linear head translation can be sensed either by lamellar optic flow of the visual scene projected on the retina of the eye or by stimulation of vestibular hair cell receptors found in the otolith macula of the inner ear. Mismatches in visual and vestibular information can induce cybersickness during head-mounted display (HMD) based virtual reality (VR). In this pilot study, participants were immersed in a virtual environment using two recent consumer-grade HMDs: the Oculus Go (3DOF angular only head tracking) and the Oculus Quest (6DOF angular and linear head tracking). On each trial they generated horizontal linear head oscillations along the interaural axis at a rate of 0.5 Hz. This head movement should generate greater sensory conflict when viewing the virtual environment on the Oculus Go (compared to the Quest) due to the absence of linear tracking. We found that perceived scene instability always increased with the degree of linear visual-vestibular conflict. However, cybersickness was not experienced by 7/14 participants, but was experienced by the remaining participants in at least one of the stereoscopic viewing conditions (six of whom also reported cybersickness in monoscopic viewing conditions). No statistical difference in spatial presence was found across conditions, suggesting that participants could tolerate considerable scene instability while retaining the feeling of being there in the virtual environment. Levels of perceived scene instability, spatial presence and cybersickness were found to be similar between the Oculus Go and the Oculus Quest with linear tracking disabled. The limited effect of linear coupling on cybersickness, compared with its strong effect on perceived scene instability, suggests that perceived scene instability may not always be associated with cybersickness. However, perceived scene instability does appear to provide explanatory power over the cybersickness observed in stereoscopic viewing conditions.
Change of Direction Speed Tests in Basketball Players: A Brief Review of Test Varieties and Recent Trends
Authors: Sugiyama Takashi , Maeo Sumiaki , Kurihara Toshiyuki , Kanehisa Hiroaki , Isaka Tadao
Published: April 2021

Change of direction speed (CODS) is essential for basketball performance, extensively assessed by various tests. This review aimed to summarize the CODS test varieties for basketball players on publications until 2019 and identify recent trends regarding what types of tests have gained attention in the 2010s. Electronic literature searches were conducted using three databases with relevant keywords. 104 studies were found eligible, conducting CODS tests 159 times in total with 48 test varieties. To facilitate distinctions between the tests, each test was categorized into one of three types based on the distinctive movement characteristics and changing angles as follows: Defensive (involving lateral shuffling), 180°-turn (exerting only 180°-turns), and Cutting (performing diagonal- or side-cut). We then counted the number of publications and adopted times reported per year for each test, and calculated the adoption rate for each categorized test type. The first CODS test performed in basketball players was the T-Test, reported in 1991, and this was the most commonly adopted test (44/159 times). The 2010s saw abrupt increases in the number of publications (1990s-2000s-2010s: 5-9-90) and test varieties (4-7-44). The adoption rates in the 2010s were similar among the three types (i.e., Defensive/180°-turn/Cutting: 37%/30%/33%), with the Cutting type gradually increasing over the last three decades (1990s-2000s-2010s: 0%-9%-33%). These results suggest that while CODS performances in basketball players are increasingly studied with various tests, recent studies give equal weight to all of the three categorized test types, with increasing adoption of the Cutting type, to assess specific CODS performances.
Beef Cattle on Pasture Have Better Performance When Supplied With Water Trough Than Pond
Authors: Bica Gabriela Schenato , Pinheiro Machado Filho Luiz Carlos , Teixeira Dayane Lemos
Published: April 2021

The behavior and performance of steers on pasture regarding water availability in troughs or in ponds were compared. Eight paddocks were randomly allocated to one treatment: POND (~30 m of diameter) or TROUGH (water trough, 120 cm diameter and 60 cm high and 500 L capacity). Eight groups of six beef steers were randomly assigned to one of the paddocks. The first 10 days were considered for animal habituation. Animals were individually weighed (days 0, 30, 60, and 90). Beginning in the day after each weighing on days 30 (Month 1), 60 (Month 2), and 90 (Month 3), behavior and animal distribution in the paddock were recorded by direct visual observation in three periods of 4 consecutive days. Water temperature and fecal and herbage DM were also recorded in these periods. Water intake was measured during 16 random days in the troughs. Data were analyzed using Generalized Linear Mixed Models, with treatment and period as fixed effects. TROUGH steers gained more weight (0.44 vs. 0.34 kg/day/animal; P ≤ 0.007) during the experiment and were heavier than the others at the end of the study (P ≤ 0.05). POND steers spent more time drinking water, but TROUGH steers increased the number of drinking events throughout the study (P ≤ 0.05), suggesting an adaptation for the new type of water source. Both treatments increased grazing time throughout the study, but not ruminating time (P ≤ 0.05). Walking time differed between treatments in all periods of behavior observation (P ≤ 0.05). Events of animal licking and ingesting salt of POND steers reduced throughout the study (P ≤ 0.05). The number of drinking events of TROUGH steers increased throughout the study, and drinking events were longer for POND steers than TROUGH steers (P ≤ 0.05). TROUGH steers spent more time on pasture on Month 2 (P ≤ 0.05). Period collection did not affect the water intake of TROUGH treatment (P > 0.05). This study demonstrates that water available in troughs rather than ponds for steers on pasture has positive effects on their weight gain and affects cattle behavior.
Climate-Resilient Dairy Cattle Production: Applications of Genomic Tools and Statistical Models
Authors: Silpa Mullakkalparambil Velayudhan , König Sven , Sejian Veerasamy , Malik Pradeep Kumar , Nair Mini Ravi Reshma , Fonseca Vinicius F. C. , Maia Alex Sandro Campos , Bhatta Raghavendra
Published: April 2021

The current changing climate trend poses a threat to the productive efficacy and welfare of livestock across the globe. This review is an attempt to synthesize information pertaining to the applications of various genomic tools and statistical models that are available to identify climate-resilient dairy cows. The different functional and economical traits which govern milk production play a significant role in determining the cost of milk production. Thus, identification of these traits may revolutionize the breeding programs to develop climate-resilient dairy cattle. Moreover, the genotype–environment interaction also influences the performance of dairy cattle especially during a challenging situation. The recent advancement in molecular biology has led to the development of a few biotechnological tools and statistical models like next-generation sequencing (NGS), microarray technology, whole transcriptome analysis, and genome-wide association studies (GWAS) which can be used to quantify the molecular mechanisms which govern the climate resilience capacity of dairy cows. Among these, the most preferred option for researchers around the globe was GWAS as this approach jointly takes into account all the genotype, phenotype, and pedigree information of farm animals. Furthermore, selection signatures can also help to demarcate functionally important regions in the genome which can be used to detect potential loci and candidate genes that have undergone positive selection in complex milk production traits of dairy cattle. These identified biomarkers can be incorporated in the existing breeding policies using genomic selection to develop climate-resilient dairy cattle.
NETosis of Peripheral Neutrophils Isolated From Dairy Cows Fed Olive Pomace
Authors: Ciliberti Maria Giovanna , Albenzio Marzia , Claps Salvatore , Santillo Antonella , Marino Rosaria , Caroprese Mariangela
Published: April 2021

Neutrophils represent primary mobile phagocytes recruited to the site of infection, and their functions are essential to enhance animals' health performance. Neutrophils have an essential role in innate immunity and are able to kill the pathogens via the synthesis of neutrophil extracellular traps (NETs). The objective of the present work was the study of the in vitro NETosis of peripheral neutrophils isolated from dairy cows supplemented with olive pomace. Dairy cows (n = 16) balanced for parity (3.67 ± 1.5 for CON, 3.67 ± 1.9 for OP), milk yield (24.3 ± 4.5 kg d−1for CON and 24.9 ± 1.7 kg d−1 for OP), the number of days in milk (109 ± 83.5 for CON and 196 ± 51 for OP), and body weight (647 ± 44.3 kg for CON and 675 ± 70.7 kg for OP) were divided into two experimental groups fed with a control diet (CON) and supplemented with 6% of olive pomace (OP). Peripheral blood neutrophils were isolated and stimulated in vitro with phorbol-myristate-acetate (PMA) as a marker for activation and reactivity of the neutrophils. After isolation, both the viability and CD11b expression were analyzed by flow cytometry. Both NETosis by neutrophil elastase-DNA complex system and myeloperoxidase (MPO) activity were evaluated by ELISA. The specific antibodies against MPO and citrullination of Histone-H1 were used for investigating NETosis by immunofluorescence microscopy. The neutrophil elastase-DNA complexes produced during NETosis and MPO activity of neutrophil extracts were affected by OP supplementation. Furthermore, results from immunofluorescence analysis of NETosis depicted a similar result found by ELISA showing a higher expression of MPO and citrullination of Histone-H1 in OP than the CON neutrophils. In addition, all data showed that the OP diet resulted in a better response of neutrophils to PMA stimulation than the CON diet, which did not support the neutrophils' responses to PMA stimulation. Our results demonstrated that OP supplementation can enhance the neutrophil function in dairy cows leading to udder defense and inflammation response especially when an immunosuppression state can occur.
Bronchopulmonary Nematodes in Alpine Ibex: Shedding of First Stage Larvae Analyzed at the Individual Host Level
Authors: Zanet Stefania , Ferroglio Ezio , Orlandini Filippo , Bassano Bruno , Battisti Elena , Brambilla Alice
Published: April 2021

Pneumonia is the most frequent cause of death for Alpine ibex (Capra ibex) in Gran Paradiso National Park, (Italy). The etiology of this form of pneumonia is currently unknown and the identification of the primary etiological agent remains difficult due to biological and logistic constraints. Uncovering individual differences in Protostrongylid prevalence and intensity is important to further investigate the epidemiology of respiratory diseases and their relationship to heterozygosity and inbreeding in a once almost extinct population likeC. ibex. In a group of 21 individually recognizable adult male we monitored monthly prevalence and intensity of Protostrongylid first-stage larvae using Baerman's technique from June to September 2019. First-stage larvae of 5 genera were detected.Muellerius(P= 100%, CI95%= 84–100) andProtostrongylus(P= 86%, CI95%:71–100) were two dominant genera according to Bush's importance index.Neostrongylus(P= 38%,CI95%: 17–59),Cystocaulus(P= 33%,CI95%= 13–53) were classified as co-dominant genera whileDictyocaulus filaria(P= 0.05%, CI95%= 0.04–0.13) was detected, for the first time in Alpine ibex, in one subject. Protostrongylidae larval excretion varied significantly over time, with minimum L1 excretion in July. Individual median larval intensity ranged from 4.4 lpg to 82.2 lpg with Poulin's discrepancy index showing highly aggregated distribution patterns forMuellerius spp. (D= 0.283, CI95%= 0.760–0.895) andProtostrongylusspp. (D= 0.635, CI95%= 0.580–0.705). Presented data provide the necessary base point to further investigate how lungworm infection account for the different rates of progression of pneumonia inC. ibex. Individual aggregation of larval intensity must be further evaluated to determine whether these differences mirror different levels of parasitic infection related to individual differences in immune response, hormonal-states or genetic fitness.
Fludarabine-Cyclophosphamide-Rituximab Treatment in Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia, Focusing on Long Term Cytopenias Before and After the Era of Targeted Therapies
Authors: Szász Róbert , Telek Béla , Illés Árpád
Published: April 2021

The widespread application of fludarabine, cyclophosphamide, and rituximab combination is limited due to its toxicity, particularly the prolonged cytopenias. The study aimed to compare the prolonged cytopenias depending on fitness and report real-life data on dose reduction measures and efficacy. According to our database, 120 and 14 patients were treated with FCR between 2011 and 2015 and between 2016 and 2019. Out of the first cohort, 34 patients were treated in subsequent lines. The complete and partial remission rate after first-line treatment was 79%, 16% in the first cohort and 86%, 14% in the second cohort, respectively; and 47%, 35% after non first-line treatment. Based on today’s standards, only 37.5% of the patients were fit for FCR. The frequency of persistent cytopenia was 14%, and it was significantly associated with fitness (χ2 (1) = 6.001, p = 0.014 for all patients). The small number of FCR treated patients after 2016 shows how the availability of targeted therapies, mostly ibrutinib, in later lines changed the first-line choice. Recently, it is recommended first-line for fit patients with mutated IGHV and no TP53 aberrations. With this narrow indication, a decrease in the frequency of persistent cytopenias is predicted.
The Impact of IDH1 Mutation and MGMT Promoter Methylation on Recurrence-Free Interval in Glioblastoma Patients Treated With Radiotherapy and Chemotherapeutic Agents
Authors: Kurdi Maher , Shafique Butt Nadeem , Baeesa Saleh , Alghamdi Badrah , Maghrabi Yazid , Bardeesi Anas , Saeedi Rothaina , Al-Sinani Taghreed , Alghanmi Najla , Bari Mohammed O. , Samkari Alaa , Lary Ahmed I.
Published: April 2021

The aim of this study is to investigate the relationship between isocitrate dehydrogenase-1 (IDH1) mutation and O6-methylguanine-DNA methyltransferase (MGMT) promoter methylation with recurrence-free interval in glioblastoma patients treated with chemoradiotherapies. Clinical data were collected from 82 patients with totally resected glioblastoma and treated with adjuvant therapies from 2014 to 2019. IDH1 mutation was assessed by immunohistochemistry and MGMT promoter methylation was assessed by different sequencing methods. IDH1 mutation was present in 32 cases and 50 cases were IDH1 wildtype; 54 and 28 patients had unmethylated and methylated MGMT promoter, respectively, Of the 82 patients, 62 patients received chemoradiotherapy while 20 patients only received radiation. Approximately, 61% of patients had a tumor recurrence after 1 year, and 39% showed a recurrence before 1 year of treatment. There was no significant relationship between IDH1 mutation and MGMT promoter methylation (p-value = 0.972). Patients with IDH1 mutation and their age <50 years showed a significant difference in recurrence-free interval (p-value = 0.014). Difference in recurrence-free interval was also statistically observed in patients with unmethylated MGMT promoter and treated with chemoradiotherapies (p-value = 0.031), by which they showed a late tumor recurrence (p-value = 0.016). This revealed that IDH1 mutation and MGMT methylation are independent prognostic factors in glioblastoma. Although IDH1-mutant glioblastomas showed late tumor recurrence in patients less than 50 years old, the type of treatment modalities may not show additional beneficial outcome. Patients with unmethylated MGMT and IDH1 mutation, treated with different chemoradiotherapies, showed a late tumor recurrence.
The Impact of Transformational Changes on the Socio-Economic Conditions of the Rural Population. An Example of Poland
Authors: Bąk Iwona , Wawrzyniak Katarzyna , Oesterreich Maciej
Published: April 2021

The aim of the article is to show that in rural areas, with particular emphasis on former state-owned farms, which were created as a result of changes in the forms of land ownership, mainly in Central and Eastern European countries, the economic situation of households is still worse than in the areas where there were no State Agricultural Enterprises (PGR). Research in Poland served as a case study. Selected methods of descriptive statistics and multivariate comparative analysis were used in the analyses. The results presented in the study at different levels of aggregation (voivodeships, poviats, and communes) allowed the identification of the regularities in the situation of rural areas. Among the beneficiaries of social assistance, most of the people live in rural areas and have a high unemployment rate; the problem of unemployment especially concerns those areas where the rural population with lower education levels predominates. Moreover, in former state-owned farms, the total disposable income per person is lower than in other areas, and the funds from the government program “Rodzina 500+” constitute a significant contribution to household budgets.
Environmental Factors Effects on Winter Wheat Competition with Herbicide-Resistant or Susceptible Silky Bentgrass (Apera spica-venti L.) in Poland
Authors: Synowiec Agnieszka , Jop Beata , Domaradzki Krzysztof , Podsiadło Cezary , Gawęda Dorota , Wacławowicz Roman , Wenda-Piesik Anna , Nowakowski Mateusz M. , Bocianowski Jan , Marcinkowska Katarzyna , Praczyk Tadeusz
Published: April 2021

Environmental factors, including weather and soil conditions, can affect the competitive effects of weeds on crops. This work aimed at a comparison of the competitive abilities of winter wheat toward bentgrass (Apera spica-venti (L.) P. Beauv) with single herbicide resistance, multiple herbicide resistance, or a susceptible biotype in different environmental conditions of Poland. A replacement series competition model was applied in field conditions in 2017–2018 and 2018–2019 across the country. A competitive ratio (CR) was calculated for the relative biomass of plants and grain number. A canonical variate analysis (CVA) was performed for biological parameters and a day-difference in emergence between winter wheat and bentgrass with the hydrothermal coefficient and soil texture in all of the sites in each season separately. Winter wheat emergence was correlated with the amount of precipitation after seeding, and was fastest for five days in humid conditions, and slowest up to 22 days, when the precipitation in October was low. The CVA proved that winter wheat’s competitive effects toward the susceptible or herbicide-resistant biotypes of bentgrass are site-specific. During the dry season, the bentgrass biotype with multiple herbicide resistance was more competitive toward winter wheat than the susceptible one. The wheat CR < 1 with regard to biomass and both biomass and the grain number was in 64% and 50% of all the combinations with the resistant biotype. In conclusion, weather affects the competitive effects of winter wheat toward herbicide-susceptible or resistant bentgrass.
Sweet Sorghum (Sorghum bicolor) Performance in a Legume Intercropping System under Weed Interference
Authors: Baker Conrad , Modi Albert T. , Nciizah Adornis D.
Published: April 2021

Sweet sorghum (Sorghum bicolor L. Moench) is highly susceptible to weed competition during the early growth stages; hence, intercropping is considered to overcome the weed competition challenge. This study was conducted to determine the performance of sweet sorghum in legume intercropping systems under different weed management pressures. Three cropping systems (sole crop, inter-row, and intra-row intercropping) and three weed management levels (no weeding after crop emergency, ceasing weeding 50 days after crop emergency, and weeding throughout) were tested. Intercropping pattern had a significant (p < 0.05) impact on the plant and the number of leaves per plant, while other treatments remained insignificant during the 2017/18 growing season. During the 2018/19 growing season, the intercropping pattern had a significant (p < 0.05) effect on dry and fresh biomass and plant height at 60 days after emergence. An increase in weeding frequencies reduced Brix (◦Bx). Uncontrolled weed plots had the lowest sweet sorghum dry biomass accumulation, whereas the biomass increased as weeding frequencies increased but remained insignificant as weeding frequencies further increased from 50% to 100% in both seasons. Consequently, SS/DB intra-row intercropping and intermediate weeding are sufficient for optimum SS biomass production and sugar levels.
Analytical Chemistry and Innovative Applications
Authors: Locatelli Marcello
Published: April 2021

In this issue of the Journal “Analytica”, there is a selection of accepted articles, after peer-review process, in which the great importance that Analytical Chemistry plays in the field of Applied Sciences and the vastness of the implications in the various sectors are highlighted [...]
Weaning Induced Gut Dysfunction and Nutritional Interventions in Nursery Pigs: A Partial Review
Authors: Wei Xiaoyuan , Tsai Tsungcheng , Howe Samantha , Zhao Jiangchao
Published: April 2021

Weaning is one of the most stressful events in the life of a pig. Unsuccessful weaning often leads to intestinal and immune system dysfunctions, resulting in poor growth performance as well as increased morbidity and mortality. The gut microbiota community is a complex ecosystem and is considered an “organ,” producing various metabolites with many beneficial functions. In this review, we briefly introduce weaning-associated gut microbiota dysbiosis. Then, we explain the importance of maintaining a balanced gut microbiota. Finally, we discuss dietary supplements and their abilities to restore intestinal balance and improve the growth performance of weaning pigs.
Extensive Rearing Systems in Poultry Production: The Right Chicken for the Right Farming System. A Review of Twenty Years of Scientific Research in Perugia University, Italy
Authors: Dal Bosco Alessandro , Mattioli Simona , Cartoni Mancinelli Alice , Cotozzolo Elisa , Castellini Cesare
Published: April 2021

The demand for poultry meat, being cheaper than red meat, will drive worldwide production of this product. Accordingly, an increase in production up to 16% is expected in 2025, most of which will occur in developing countries. Most poultry meat production is realized with intensive production systems, and extensive rearing systems (ERS) of poultry (organic, free-range, and low-input) represent only a small portion of poultry production in the EU (about 5%). However, there is an increasing interest in such rearing systems to maintain the good image of product and environmental sustainability, improved animal welfare, and meat quality with an annual trend of growth of about 10%. The aims of this work were to summarize the activities and the viewpoint of the researchers of the Department of Agricultural, Food, and Environmental Science of the University of Perugia (Italy). One of the most important goals of the research unit was the challenge of identifying the best poultry genotypes for ERS, which are important not only for the food industry but also for the improvement of human nutrition. Only the definition of the best genotypes adapted to ERS through the measurement of a wide panel of traits—genetic, physiologic, and behavior—and not only relying on daily weight gain will allow us to achieve this goal.
Dietary Plant Extracts Improve the Antioxidant Reserves in Weaned Piglets
Authors: Corino Carlo , Prost Michel , Pizzi Barbara , Rossi Raffaella
Published: April 2021

Reducing the use of antibiotics in livestock in order to contain antibiotic resistance and studying natural substance additives are key to sustainability. Among the various biological activities of plant extracts, antioxidant activity plays an important role. The present study assesses the total antioxidant activity and antioxidant reserves using the Kit Radicaux Libres test (KRL™ Kirial International, Couternon, France). One hundred and sixty piglets (Topics × Tempo) weaned at 28 days of age were divided into four dietary treatment groups that were fed a commercial diet (the control group, C); 500 mg/kg Boswellia extract (BOS); 200 and 50 mg/kg Uncaria and Tanacetum extracts (UT) respectively; and 225 mg/kg of an antioxidant plant extract mixture (AOX). The blood antioxidant activity of the piglets was measured using the KRL test and the reserves were analyzed on whole blood samples after hydrolysis with glucosidase, sulfatase and glucuronidase. No significant differences were observed in growth performance. The delta KRL values of the whole blood showed a significantly higher total antioxidant status of the piglets from the BOS and AOX groups than the UT and C groups (+30.7 BOS; +27.7 AOX vs. +17.81 UT +13.30 C; p = 0.002) between 18 and 28 days post-weaning. The delta KRL values of red blood cells (RBCs) showed a significantly higher total antioxidant status of the piglets from the AOX groups than the UT and BOS groups (+22.2 AOX; vs. +9.90 UT +9.4 BOS; p = 0.016) between the two sampling times. Reserves of UT and AOX were higher than C and BOS for all enzymes, glucosides, sulphates, and glucuronides. The biological KRL test proved to be an extremely sensitive tool to evaluate the piglets’ antioxidant status. Determining the antioxidant reserve also provides a better understanding of the real antioxidant status of pigs.
Liquid Chromatographic Quadrupole Time-of-Flight Mass Spectrometric Untargeted Profiling of (Poly)phenolic Compounds in Rubus idaeus L. and Rubus occidentalis L. Fruits and Their Comparative Evaluation
Authors: Renai Lapo , Scordo Cristina Vanessa Agata , Chiuminatto Ugo , Ulaszewska Marynka , Giordani Edgardo , Petrucci William Antonio , Tozzi Francesca , Nin Stefania , Del Bubba Massimo
Published: April 2021

This study provided a detailed profiling of the antioxidant and bioactive compounds occurring in three varieties of Rubus idaeus L. fruits (“Fall Gold”, “Glen Ample” and “Tulameen”) compared to Rubus occidentalis L. black raspberry (“Jewel” cultivar), adopting a comprehensive untargeted metabolomics approach developed with UHPLC analysis coupled with quadrupole/time-of-flight high resolution mass spectrometry, using the SWATH® acquisition protocol. The feature selection and annotation workflow, applied to the analysis of raspberry extracts in both polarities, allowed identifying 68 bioactive compounds mainly belonging to the classes of (poly)phenolic compounds. Interestingly, some of these identifications (e.g., ferulic acid glycosides and the ellagitannin-like nobotanin/malabathrin) represent the first report in raspberry fruits. Principal component analysis made possible highlighting the features more related to the expression of a genotype effect within the R. idaeus species or between the two raspberry species herein investigated. Overall, flavanols were the most discriminating features for the Fall Gold variety, whereas ellagitannins and flavonol glycosides represent more distinctive metabolic traits in Glen Ample and Tulameen fruits. Moreover, R. occidentalis Jewel variety was strongly characterized by the occurrence of anthocyanins, such as cyanidin, pelargonidin and delphinidin glycosides.
Thioredoxin h2 and o1 Show Different Subcellular Localizations and Redox-Active Functions, and Are Extrachloroplastic Factors Influencing Photosynthetic Performance in Fluctuating Light
Authors: Hou Liang-Yu , Lehmann Martin , Geigenberger Peter
Published: April 2021

Arabidopsis contains eight different h-type thioredoxins (Trx) being distributed in different cell organelles. Although Trx h2 is deemed to be confined to mitochondria, its subcellular localization and function are discussed controversially. Here, cell fractionation studies were used to clarify this question, showing Trx h2 protein to be exclusively localized in microsomes rather than mitochondria. Furthermore, Arabidopsis trxo1, trxh2 and trxo1h2 mutants were analyzed to compare the role of Trx h2 with mitochondrial Trx o1. Under medium light, trxo1 and trxo1h2 showed impaired growth, while trxh2 was similar to wild type. In line with this, trxo1 and trxo1h2 clustered differently from wild type with respect to nocturnal metabolite profiles, revealing a decrease in ascorbate and glutathione redox states. Under fluctuating light, these genotypic differences were attenuated. Instead, the trxo1h2 double mutant showed an improved NADPH redox balance, compared to wild type, accompanied by increased photosynthetic efficiency, specifically in the high-light phases. Conclusively, Trx h2 and Trx o1 are differentially localized in microsomes and mitochondria, respectively, which is associated with different redox-active functions and effects on plant growth in constant light, while there is a joint role of both Trxs in regulating NADPH redox balance and photosynthetic performance in fluctuating light.
Decision Tree Method for Fault Causes Classification Based on RMS-DWT Analysis in 275 kV Transmission Lines Network
Authors: Asman Saidatul Habsah , Ab Aziz Nur Fadilah , Ungku Amirulddin Ungku Anisa , Ab Kadir Mohd Zainal Abidin
Published: April 2021

This paper presents a statistical algorithm for classification of fault causes on power transmission lines. The proposed algorithm is based upon the root mean square (RMS) current duration, voltage dip, and discrete wavelet transform (DWT) measured at the sending end of a line and the decision tree method, a commonly accessible measurable method. Fault duration of RMS current signal, voltage dip, and DWT gives concealed data of a fault signature as a contribution to decision tree calculation which is utilized to classify various fault causes. The proposed method was carried out in the MATLAB/SIMULINK programming platform based upon the information made with the fault analysis of the 275 kV sample transmission line considering wide variations in the operating conditions. The classifier performance of different parameters was also compared in a confusion matrix form to obtain the best classification results of the decision tree.
Experimental Analysis of Continuous Beams Made of Self-Compacting Concrete (Scc) Strengthened with Fiber Reinforced Polymer (Frp) Materials
Authors: Petrović Žarko , Milošević Bojan , Ranković Slobodan , Mladenović Biljana , Zlatkov Dragan , Zorić Andrija , Petronijević Predrag
Published: April 2021

Strengthening of concrete structures is applied as a solution for various deterioration problems in civil engineering practice. This also refers to the structures made of self-compacting concrete (SCC), which is increasingly in use, but there is a lack of research in this field. This paper presents an experimental analysis of flexural behavior of reinforced concrete (RC) continuous beams made of SCC, strengthened with fiber reinforced polymer (FRP) materials (glass (GFRP) and carbon (CFRP) bars, CFRP laminates), by the use of near surface mounted (NSM) and externally bonded (EB) methods. Six two-span continuous beams of a total length of 3200 mm, with the span between supports of 1500 mm and 120/200 mm cross section, were subjected to short-term load and tested. The displacements of beams and the strains in concrete, steel reinforcement, FRP bars and tapes were recorded until failure under a monotonically increasing load. The ultimate load capacities of the strengthened beams were enhanced by 22% to 82% compared to the unstrengthened control beam. The ductility of beams strengthened with GFRP bars was satisfactory, while the ductility of beams strengthened with CFRP bars and tapes was very small, so the failure modes of these beams were brittle.
Effect of Purple-Colored Wheat Bran Addition on Quality and Antioxidant Property of Bread and Optimization of Bread-Making Conditions
Authors: Seo Yeri , Moon Yujin , Kweon Meera
Published: April 2021

Purple-colored wheat bran was blended with flour at different ratios. The dough mixing characteristics of the flour–bran blends and quality characteristics and antioxidant activity of the bread prepared with the blends were investigated. Additionally, response surface methodology (RSM) was used to optimize the formula and processing conditions for the bread prepared with the blend at 30% bran. Solvent retention capacity (SRC), as a quality characteristic of the blends, showed that water absorption and damaged starch contribution increased proportionally as the bran blending ratio increased. Dough mixing patterns of blends determined by a mixograph exhibited deteriorated gluten strength by increasing the bran blending ratio. The total phenolic and anthocyanin contents and antioxidant activity (ABTS and DPPH radical scavenging activity) of the bread increased proportionally as the bran blending ratio increased. RSM analysis revealed that the best-fitted model for the results was a quadratic polynomial model with regression coefficient values close to or more than 0.900 for all responses. Optimized conditions were 68.1 g water, 4.0 min mixing time, and 67.3 min fermentation time. Overall, purple-colored wheat bran was successfully applied to produce bread with healthy functional properties by controlling water and mixing time.
Flexible Sample Environment for the Investigation of Soft Matter at the European Spallation Source: Part II—The GISANS Setup
Authors: Widmann Tobias , Kreuzer Lucas P. , Kühnhammer Matthias , Schmid Andreas J. , Wiehemeier Lars , Jaksch Sebastian , Frielinghaus Henrich , Löhmann Oliver , Schneider Harald , Hiess Arno , Klitzing Regine von , Hellweg Thomas , Müller-Buschbaum Peter
Published: April 2021

The FlexiProb project is a joint effort of three soft matter groups at the Universities of Bielefeld, Darmstadt, and Munich with scientific support from the European Spallation Source (ESS), the small-K advanced diffractometer (SKADI) beamline development group of the Jülich Centre for Neutron Science (JCNS), and the Heinz Maier-Leibnitz Zentrum (MLZ). Within this framework, a flexible and quickly interchangeable sample carrier system for small-angle neutron scattering (SANS) at the ESS was developed. In the present contribution, the development of a sample environment for the investigation of soft matter thin films with grazing-incidence small-angle neutron scattering (GISANS) is introduced. Therefore, components were assembled on an optical breadboard for the measurement of thin film samples under controlled ambient conditions, with adjustable temperature and humidity, as well as the optional in situ recording of the film thickness via spectral reflectance. Samples were placed in a 3D-printed spherical humidity metal chamber, which enabled the accurate control of experimental conditions via water-heated channels within its walls. A separately heated gas flow stream supplied an adjustable flow of dry or saturated solvent vapor. First test experiments proved the concept of the setup and respective component functionality.
3D Foot Reconstruction Based on Mobile Phone Photographing
Authors: Niu Lulu , Xiong Gang , Shang Xiuqin , Guo Chao , Chen Xi , Wu Huaiyu
Published: April 2021

Foot measurement is necessary for personalized customization. Nowadays, people usually obtain their foot size by using a ruler or foot scanner. However, there are some disadvantages to this, namely, large measurement error and variance when using rulers, and high price and poor convenience when using a foot scanner. To tackle these problems, we obtain foot parameters by 3D foot reconstruction based on mobile phone photography. Firstly, foot images are taken by a mobile phone. Secondly, the SFM (Structure-from-Motion) algorithm is used to acquire the corresponding parameters and then to calculate the camera position to construct the sparse model. Thirdly, the PMVS (Patch-based Multi View System) is adopted to build a dense model. Finally, the Meshlab is used to process and measure the foot model. The result shows that the experimental error of the 3D foot reconstruction method is around 1 mm, which is tolerable for applications such as shoe tree customization. The experiment proves that the method can construct the 3D foot model efficiently and easily. This technology has broad application prospects in the fields of shoe size recommendation, high-end customized shoes and medical correction.
Preparation and Application of ZIF-8 Thin Layers
Authors: Schernikau Martin , Sablowski Jakob , Gonzalez Martinez Ignacio Guillermo , Unz Simon , Kaskel Stefan , Mikhailova Daria
Published: April 2021

Herein we compare various preparation methods for thin ZIF-8 layers on a Cu substrate for application as a host material for omniphobic lubricant-infused surfaces. Such omniphobic surfaces can be used in thermal engineering applications, for example to achieve dropwise condensation or anti-fouling and anti-icing surface properties. For these applications, a thin, conformal, homogeneous, mechanically and chemically stable coating is essential. In this study, thin ZIF-8 layers were deposited on a Cu substrate by different routes, such as (i) electrochemical anodic deposition on a Zn-covered Cu substrate, (ii) doctor blade technique for preparation of a composite layer containing PVDF binder and ZIF-8, as well as (iii) doctor blade technique for preparation of a two-layer composite on the Cu substrate containing a PVDF-film and a ZIF-8 layer. The morphology and topography of the coatings were compared by using profilometry, XRD, SEM and TEM techniques. After infusion with a perfluorinated oil, the wettability of the surfaces was assessed by contact angle measurements, and advantages of each preparation method were discussed.
Automatic Control Optimization for Large-Load Plant-Protection Quadrotor
Authors: Hu Dada , Pei Zhongcai , Tang Zhiyong
Published: April 2021

In this article, methods for the attitude control optimization of large-load plant-protection quadrotor unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) are presented. Large-load plant-protection quadrotors can be defined as quadrotors equipped with sprayers and a tank containing a large amount of water or pesticide, allowing the quadrotors to water plants or spray pesticide during flight. Compared to the control of common small quadrotors, two main points need to be considered in the control of large-load plant-protection quadrotors—first, the water in the tank gradually diminishes during flight and the physical parameters change during this process. Second, the size and mass of the rotors are especially large, which greatly slows the response rate of the rotors. We present an extended-state reinforcement learning (RL) algorithm to solve these problems. The moment of inertia (MOI) of the three axes and the dynamic response constant of the rotors are included in the state list of the quadrotor during the training process, so that the controller can learn these changes in the models. The controlling laws are automatically generated and optimized, which greatly simplifies the tuning process compared to those of traditional control algorithms. The controller in this article is tested on a 10 kg class large-load plant-protection quadrotor, and the flight performance verifies the effectiveness of our work.
3D-Based Transition hpq/hp-Adaptive Finite Elements for Analysis of Piezoelectrics
Authors: Zboiński Grzegorz , Zielińska Magdalena
Published: April 2021

This paper concerns the algorithm of transition piezoelectric elements for adaptive analysis of electro-mechanical systems. In addition, effectivity of the proposed elements in such an analysis is presented. The elements under consideration are assigned for joining basic elements which correspond to the mechanical models of either the first or higher order, while the electric model is of arbitrary order. In this work, three variants of the transition models are applied. The first one assures continuity of displacements between the basic models and continuity of electric potential between these models, as well. The second transition piezoelectric model guarantees additional continuity of the stress field between the basic models. The third transition model additionally enables continuous change of the strain state between the basic models. Based on the mentioned models, three types of the corresponding transition finite elements are introduced. The applied finite element approximations are hpq/hp-adaptive ones, which allows element-wise changes of the element size parameter h, and the element longitudinal and transverse orders of approximation, respectively, p and q, depending on the error level. Numerical effectiveness of the models and their approximations is investigated in the contexts of: ability to remove high stress gradients between the basic and transition models, and convergence of the numerical solutions for the model problems of piezoelectrics with and without the proposed transition elements.
Temperature Estimation Adaptive to Variables over Distance Using Infrared–LiDAR
Authors: Kim Jongchan , Kim Sungho
Published: April 2021

Measuring accurate surface temperature using a long-wave infrared camera and a non-contact thermometer, is very difficult due to variables such as atmospheric transmittance, emissivity, and influences from the environment such as atmosphere, sun, and dust. Conventional approaches use geometric correction or atmospheric transmittance modeling for temperature correction. However, these approaches have limitations in finding an accurate temperature because it is difficult to fully model a physical phenomenon. In this paper, a new temperature estimation method using distance information of LiDAR and digital count of long-wave infrared camera is proposed. The proposed method estimates the temperature by redefining the mapping function between radiation and digital count by distance. Using the proposed method, if the digital count is measured at a specific distance, accurate temperature can be estimated through the redefined Radiation-Digital count mapping function at a specific distance. The most important property of proposed method is that complex physical modeling is complemented by mapping function of specific distances. In addition, digital counts that change according to the distance at the same temperature required for the mapping function are obtained through linear interpolation using digital count of specific distances. Experimental results using a blackbody, long-wave infrared camera and LiDAR verify that the proposed method estimates the precise temperature. In addition, through experiments on humans, it shows the possibility of accurate body temperature measurement through fusion of long-wave infrared cameras and LiDAR in the future. However, as a limitation, a new calibration is required when the temperature and humidity of the atmosphere change.