bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Milk Thistle (Silybum Marianum L.) as a Novel Multipurpose Crop for Agriculture in Marginal Environments: A Review
Authors: Marceddu Roberto , Dinolfo Lucia , Carrubba Alessandra , Sarno Mauro , Di Miceli Giuseppe
Published: March 2022

Milk thistle (Silybum marianum (L.) Gaertn.) is a versatile crop that has adapted to the broadly different soil and environmental conditions throughout all continents. To date, the fruits (“seeds”) of the plant are the only reliable source of silymarin, which, given its recognized therapeutic effects and its many present and potential uses, has led to a significant re-discovery and enhancement of the crop in recent years. Overall, although many studies have been carried out globally on the bioactivity, phytochemistry, and genetics of milk thistle, few and discontinuous research activity has been conducted on its basic agronomy as well as on the farm opportunities offered by the cultivation of this species. However, the multiple potential uses of the plant and its reduced need for external inputs suggest that milk thistle can perfectly fit among the most interesting alternative crops, even for marginal environments. The growing interest in natural medicine, the increasing popularity of herbal dietary supplements, and the multiple possibilities for livestock feeding are all arguments supporting the idea that in many rural areas, this crop could represent a significant tool for enhancing and stabilizing farm income. However, several issues still have to be addressed. The species retains some morphological and physiological traits belonging to non-domesticated plants, which make the application of some common agronomic practices challenging. Furthermore, the lack of reliable field data devoted to the definition of suitable cropping protocols represents a major constraint on the spread of this crop among farmers. This review has therefore focused on updating information on the main morphological and phytochemical traits of the crop and its agronomic characteristics and novel uses. Several gaps in technical knowledge have been addressed, and further goals for experimental activity have been outlined in order to guide farmers eager to cope with the cultivation of such a challenging and resource-rich crop.
Cerium Oxide Salicylic Acid Nanoparticles’ (CeO2: SA-NPs) Foliar Application and In-Soil Animal Manure Use Influence the Growth and Physiological Responses of Aloe vera L.
Authors: Hassanpouraghdam Mohammad Bagher , Vojodi Mehrabani Lamia , Badali Robab , Aazami Mohammad Ali , Rasouli Farzad , KaKaei Karim , Szczepanek Małgorzata
Published: March 2022

Aloe vera is an economic crop due to the presence of a gel-like substance inside the leaves, which contains polysaccharides, vitamins, proteins, fats, and amino acids. There is an ongoing need for this plant and its products for diverse food and pharmaceutical industries. To meet good agricultural practices, we studied the effect of manure application (0%, 10%, and 20% of v/v of soil) and foliar application with distilled water, salicylic acid (SA, 13.8 mg L−1 equivalent to 100 µM), cerium oxide nanoparticles (CeO2-NPs, 50 mg L−1), and cerium oxide salicylic acid nanoparticles (CeO2: SA-NPs; 100 µM + 50 mg L−1) on the growth and physiological responses of Aloe vera, and a factorial experiment was arranged based on a completely randomized design with three replications at Azarbaijan Shahid Madani University, Iran. The results showed that foliar application of CeO2: SA-NPs with the soil-based application of 10% and 20% manure increased plant dry weight and aloin content. The highest harvest index, economic yield, shoots-to-roots ratio, gel dry weight, chlorophyll a and b content, phenolics content of gel, and leaf and gel flavonoids’ content, as well as potassium, magnesium, zinc, and iron content, were obtained by the CeO2: SA-NPs × 20% manure treatment combination. The 10% and 20% manure and foliar application with CeO2-NPs, SA, and CeO2: SA-NPs increased the phenolics content of leaves compared to the control. Manure application (20%) positively affected the plant’s phosphorus content. The results revealed that co-application of soil-based cow manure and foliar CeO2: SA-NPs stimulated the growth and physiological responses of Aloe vera, and the results would be helpful to the agricultural extension sections and pioneer farmers.
Household Attitudes and Behavior towards the Food Waste Generation before and during the COVID-19 Pandemic in Romania
Authors: Muresan Iulia C. , Harun Rezhen , Andreica Ileana , Chiciudean Gabriela O. , Kovacs Eniko , Oroian Camelia F. , Brata Anca Monica , Dumitras Diana E.
Published: March 2022

Food waste represents an important aspect with social, economic, and environmental implications. As previous studies underlined, the COVID-19 pandemic led to changes in the food consumption patterns among consumers. The aim of the study was to investigate the main changes in household food waste management during the COVID-19 pandemic in Romania compared with the period before the COVID-19 pandemic. Factors affecting food waste were also analyzed. Data were collected among Romanian households using an online administrated questionnaire. The 784 usable questionnaires were analyzed using descriptive statistics and Cluster analysis. Consumers’ food shopping habits have become more sustainable during the pandemic, with a positive impact on waste management. The amount of the food losses decreased, people found ways to valorize the food scraps. The Cluster analysis of 25 food waste behavior factors lead to a 3 clusters solution: “wasters” (n = 264), “careless consumers” (n = 227), “careful consumers” (n = 359). While the “wasters” group was represented by consumers who chose to plan the shopping and the menu for the next period, were represented mainly by males with a lower level of education, the “careless consumers” did not choose to plan before going shopping, they discharge lower quantities of food compared with the first group. The “careful consumers” proved to be the most organized one, being preoccupied about the menu planning and reuse of leftovers. People became more conscious about their shopping habits; however, not all groups greatly improved their habits. The results indicate that more actions are needed to increase the awareness at the household level regarding food waste management and sustainable consumption during changing times.
The Adenine at the 4th Exon of the DRO1 Gene Provides Drought-Tolerance Capacity to Hybrid Rice Deyou4727 and Its Maintainer Line Dexiang074B
Authors: Nabi Farhan , Sajid Sumbal , Yang Guotao , Kaleri Abdul Rasheed , Zheng Yating , Qin Jian , Wang Xuechun , Jiang Kaifeng , Peng Youlin , Hu Yungao
Published: March 2022

Extreme weather and global warming are drastic agricultural issues causing water scarcity. Under these conditions, it is vital to select drought-tolerant hybrid super rice breeds to enhance the rice yield in dry areas. In the current study, a dry-shed experiment was carried out in 2019–2020 to analyze the root growth, gene expression, and enzyme activity of hybrid rice Deyou4727, its parent (Dexiang074B * Chenghui727), taking IR64 as a universal control. Results showed that Deyou4727 and its maintainer line Dexiang074B produced more roots (30–50 cm soil) and higher enzymatic activity than IR64 during the drought stress period, indicating a good drought-tolerant capacity for Deyou4727. The distribution and morphology of the root system in Deyou4727 were inherited by the maintainer line Dexiang074B, which was confirmed by the high upregulation of DRO1 and OsPIN1b gene expression and the sharing of the same ORF region in both the hybrid rice varieties. However, the DRO1 gene ORF study showed that, in the case of the control IR64, ‘A’ was missing at the 4th exon of the DRO1 gene, which may explain the shallow and weak root architecture system of IR64. The drought-tolerance capacity of Deyou4727 can be used in the future as a drought-resistant germplasm for breeding more drought-tolerant hybrid rice varieties.
Investigation of Pazopanib and Human Serum Albumin Interaction Using Spectroscopic and Molecular Docking Approaches
Authors: Cetinkaya Ahmet , Caglayan Mehmet Gokhan , Unal Mehmet Altay , Beyazkilic Pinar , Elbuken Caglar , Atici Esen Bellur , Ozkan Sibel A.
Published: March 2022

Pazopanib (PAZ), a tyrosine kinase inhibitor, is used to treat advanced renal cell carcinoma (RCC) and advanced soft tissue sarcoma (STS). The FDA approved PAZ for RCC in 2009 and for STS in 2012. The antitumor activity of pazopanib, according to the degree of inhibition, shows different results depending on the dose. Renal cell carcinoma is the most sensitive carcinoma to pazopanib, with 77% inhibition at the 10 mg/kg dose. Clinical studies have shown 53% to 65% inhibition in carcinomas such as breast carcinoma, prostate carcinoma, and melanoma. Plasma proteins such as human serum albumin (HSA) have a critical role in transporting and storing bioactive components. This feature of HSA is very important for the development of cancer therapy. Here, we investigated the interaction between PAZ and HSA to evaluate their binding strength, binding types, and conformational change in HSA. We used spectroscopic methods to assess the drug–protein interaction. Fluorescence measurements revealed that the interaction of PAZ with HSA occurred via the static quenching mechanism. The calculated binding number and binding constants were 1.041 and 1.436 × 106 M−1, respectively, at 298.15 K based on fluorescence screening. The high binding constant and calculated Gibbs free energy at different temperatures showed spontaneous and strong binding. Circular dichroism measurements showed that the α-helix structure of HSA was retained as the secondary structure, with a slight reduction in its percentage after adding PAZ. Furthermore, molecular modeling studies suggested that the docking score of PAZ is higher than those of bicalutamide and ibuprofen, the drugs that were chosen as model competitors against PAZ. Accordingly, PAZ was found to replace bicalutamide and ibuprofen on the HSA binding site, which was also confirmed by UV absorption spectroscopy.
Economics of Rebreeding Nonpregnant Dairy Cows Diagnosed by Transrectal Ultrasonography on Day 25 after Artificial Insemination
Authors: Borş Silviu-Ionuț , Borș Alina
Published: March 2022

Pregnancy rates of Holstein cows showed a substantial decline in the past years, which caused intensive TAI programs for nonpregnant cows to shorten the period between unsuccessful insemination and the next attempt on the same cow. Although many studies examined the improvement in pregnancy rates following TAI, only a few examined the economic impact of such programs. In this study, we look at the feasibility of reproductive programs that included early pregnancy diagnosis performed by transrectal ultrasonography 25 days after artificial insemination (AI) and TAI of nonpregnant cows. This resulted in the following two TAI programs: a modified OvSynch program with a second PGF2α treatment at 24 h interval (GPPG, n = 100) and a modified OvSynch program with an intravaginal progesterone-release device inserted between days 0–7 (PRID + GPPG, n = 100). Cows included in the TAI programs recorded an improvement in the cumulative pregnancy rate (67% vs. 53%; 69% vs. 53%) compared to those in which this strategy was not applied (p < 0.05). An economic analysis was performed using a decision-support tool to estimate the net present value (NPV; USD/cow/year). The analysis revealed a difference in NPV of 89.6 USD/cow/year between the programs (rebreeding the nonpregnant cows following the TAI program vs. AI at detected estrus). In summary, rebreeding the nonpregnant cows after early negative pregnancy diagnosis (25 days after AI) using this strategy can improve the cumulative pregnancy rate and profitability of dairy farms.
Improving Rabbit Doe Metabolism and Whole Reproductive Cycle Outcomes via Fatty Acid-Rich Moringa oleifera Leaf Extract Supplementation in Free and Nano-Encapsulated Forms
Authors: El-Desoky Nagwa I. , Hashem Nesrein M. , Elkomy Ahmed G. , Abo-Elezz Zahraa R.
Published: March 2022

The effects of free and nano-encapsulated ME supplementations on the metabolism, immunity, milk production and composition, and reproductive performance of rabbit does during premating, mating, pregnancy, and lactation were investigated. Multiparous rabbit does (n = 26 per group) received 50 mg of free ME (FME) daily, 25 mg of nano-encapsulated ME (HNME), or 10 mg of nano-encapsulated ME (LNME) per kilogram of body weight or were not supplemented (C) during a whole reproductive cycle. The ME contained 30 fatty acids with 54.27% total unsaturated fatty acids (USFAs). The fatty acid encapsulation efficiency of alginate nanoparticles was 70.46%. Compared with the C group, rabbits in all ME treatments had significantly increased body weight, feed intake, and glucose concentration and significantly decreased non-esterified free fatty acids and β-hydroxybutyrate concentrations. Rabbits supplemented with ME also had significantly increased white blood cell counts, phagocytic activity, lysozyme activity, and immunoglobulin G and decreased interleukin-1β concentrations. Moreover, ME supplementation significantly increased the concentrations of colostrum immunoglobulins, milk yield and energy content, and milk USFAs (omega-3 and 6). Rabbit does in the ME treatments had significantly higher conception and parturition rates and better litter characteristics than the C rabbit does. These results demonstrate the positive role of ME fatty acids on the health status and productive and reproductive performance of rabbit does at different physiological stages. Compared with the FME treatment, these parameters were further improved in rabbits that received nano-encapsulated ME at lower doses, illustrating how nano-encapsulation technology improves the bioavailability of ME.
Proteomic Analysis of Intracellular and Membrane-Associated Fractions of Canine (Canis lupus familiaris) Epididymal Spermatozoa and Sperm Structure Separation
Authors: Zmudzinska Anna , Bromke Mariusz A. , Strzezek Rafal , Zielinska Magdalena , Olejnik Beata , Mogielnicka-Brzozowska Marzena
Published: March 2022

This study was provided for proteomic analysis of intracellular and membrane-associated fractions of canine (Canis lupus familiaris) epididymal spermatozoa and additionally to find optimal sonication parameters for the epididymal sperm morphological structure separation and sperm protein isolation. Sperm samples were collected from 15 dogs. Sperm protein fractions: intracellular (SIPs) and membrane-associated (SMAPs) were isolated. After sonication, sperm morphology was evaluated using Spermac Stain™. The sperm protein fractions were analyzed using gel electrophoresis (SDS-PAGE) and nanoliquid chromatography coupled to quadrupole time-of-flight mass spectrometry (NanoLC-Q-TOF/MS). UniProt database-supported identification resulted in 42 proteins identified in the SIPs and 153 proteins in the SMAPs. Differentially abundant proteins (DAPs) were found in SIPs and SMAPs. Based on a gene ontology analysis, the dominant molecular functions of SIPs were catalytic activity (50%) and binding (28%). Hydrolase activity (33%) and transferase activity (21%) functions were dominant for SMAPs. Bioinformatic analysis of SIPs and SMAPs showed their participation in important metabolic pathways in epididymal sperm, which may suggest their potential as sperm quality biomarkers. The use of sonication 150 W, 10 min, may be recommended for the separation of dog epididymal sperm heads, tails, acrosomes and the protein isolation.
Human–Animal Interactions with Bos taurus Cattle and Their Impacts on On-Farm Safety: A Systematic Review
Authors: Titterington Frances Margaret , Knox Rachel , Buijs Stephanie , Lowe Denise Elizabeth , Morrison Steven James , Lively Francis Owen , Shirali Masoud
Published: March 2022

Cattle production necessitates potentially dangerous human–animal interactions. Cattle are physically strong, large animals that can inflict injuries on humans accidentally or through aggressive behaviour. This study provides a systematic review of literature relating to farm management practices (including humans involved, facilities, and the individual animal) associated with cattle temperament and human’s on-farm safety. The Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) was used to frame the review. Population, Exposure, and Outcomes (PEO) components of the research question are defined as “Bovine” (population), “Handling” (exposure), and outcomes of “Behaviour”, and “Safety”. The review included 17 papers and identified six main themes: actions of humans; human demographics, attitude, and experience; facilities and the environment; the animal involved; under-reporting and poor records; and mitigation of dangerous interactions. Cattle-related incidents were found to be underreported, with contradictory advice to prevent injury. The introduction of standardised reporting and recording of incidents to clearly identify the behaviours and facilities which increase injuries could inform policy to reduce injuries. Global differences in management systems and animal types mean that it would be impractical to impose global methods of best practice to reduce the chance of injury. Thus, any recommendations should be regionally specific, easily accessible, and practicable.
Effects of Linseed Supplementation on Milk Production, Composition, Odd- and Branched-Chain Fatty Acids, and on Serum Biochemistry in Cilentana Grazing Goats
Authors: Musco Nadia , Tudisco Raffaella , Esposito Giulia , Iommelli Piera , Totakul Pajaree , D’Aniello Biagio , Lombardi Pietro , Amato Ruggero , Wanapat Metha , Infascelli Federico
Published: March 2022

The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of linseed supplementation on milk yield and quality, serum biochemistry and, in particular, to evaluate its possible effects on the production of odd- and branched-chain fatty acids (OBCFA) in the milk of Cilentana grazing goats. Twelve pregnant Cilentana dairy goats were divided into two groups (CTR, control, and LIN, linseed supplementation group). After kidding, the goats had free access to the pasture and both groups received a supplement of 400 g/head of concentrate, but the one administered to the LIN group was characterized by the addition of linseed (in a ratio of 20% as fed) to the ingredients. During the trial, milk samples were taken from April to August in order to evaluate milk production, composition, and fatty acid profile. In addition, blood samples were taken for evaluating the effects of linseed supplementation on goats’ health status. The health status of the goats was not influenced by the linseed supplementation, as confirmed by blood analyses. Concerning the effects on milk, the supplementation positively affected (p < 0.001) milk production and fat percentage and the fatty acid profile was markedly influenced by the lipid supplementation. In particular, milk from the LIN group was characterized by significantly lower concentrations of saturated fatty acids (FA; p < 0.001) and higher proportions of monounsaturated FA, polyunsaturated FA, and conjugated linoleic acids (CLAs) than milk from the CTR group (p < 0.001). In contrast, the OBCFA were negatively influenced by the linseed supplementation (p < 0.0001). Further studies are needed to test the effects of different fat sources and other nutrients on the diets.
Evaluation of the Probiotic In Vitro Potential of Lactic Acid-Producing Bacteria from Canine Vagina: Possible Role in Vaginal Health
Authors: Morales Brian , Spadetto Livia , Calvo Maria Àngels , Yeste Marc , Arosemena Leonardo , Rigau Teresa , Rivera del Alamo Maria Montserrat
Published: March 2022

Lactic acid-producing bacteria (LAB) are being widely studied due to their probiotic potential. The aim of the present study was to determine and identify the presence of LAB from canine vaginal samples, as well as to evaluate their probiotic in vitro potential. Ninety-four bitches were included in the study. Vaginal samples were obtained by means of a sterile swab and streaked on Man Rogosa Sharpe agar plates. A total of 100 LAB strains were obtained and submitted to Gram stains and basic biochemical tests, which included catalase, oxidase and haemolysis tests. Thirteen strains belonging to the genera Lactobacillus (n = 10), Lactococcus (n = 2) and Pediococcus (n = 1) were selected as potential probiotics and further subjected to evaluation of resistance to gastrointestinal conditions (pH, lysozyme, bile salts and hydrogen peroxide) and safety and efficacy in vitro (resistance to antibiotics and antimicrobial capacity). Only three strains, one Lactobacillus lactis and two Lactobacillus plantarum, accomplished the requirements for being considered as potential in vitro probiotics.
Comparison of Fluoroquinolones and Other Antibiotic Prophylaxis Regimens for Preventing Complications in Patients Undergoing Transrectal Prostate Biopsy
Authors: Tulone Gabriele , Giannone Sofia , Mannone Piero , Tognarelli Alessio , Di Vico Tommaso , Giaimo Rosa , Zucchi Alessandro , Rossanese Marta , Abrate Alberto , Pavan Nicola , Claps Francesco , Ficarra Vincenzo , Bartoletti Riccardo , Simonato Alchiede
Published: March 2022

Our study aimed to compare the incidence of infective complications after transrectal ultrasound-guided prostate biopsy (TRUSBx) when adopting different antimicrobial prophylaxis regimens. A multi-institutional cohort of 1150 patients who underwent TRUSBx was retrospectively analyzed. Procedures were performed between 2017 and 2019 (before and after the EMA warning about the use of fluoroquinolones for the antibiotic prophylaxis of patient candidates to TRUSBx). The primary endpoint was the occurrence of infective complications, including sepsis and/or fever. The population was stratified according to the antibiotic prophylaxis adopted: fluoroquinolones (levofloxacin, ciprofloxacin, prulifloxacin), cephalosporins (cefixime, ceftriaxone) or trimethoprim/sulfamethoxazole. Univariable and multivariable binomial logistic regression models were used to assess the odds ratio (OR) with 95% confidence interval (CI) testing of the risk of infective complication after adjusting for each prebiopsy covariate. In total, 478 (41.6%) patients received fluoroquinolone-based prophylaxis. Among these, 443 (38.5%), 25 (2.2%) and 10 (0.9%) patients received levofloxacin prophylaxis, ciprofloxacin and prulifloxacin, respectively while 14.6% received cefixime, 20.7% received the comedication of ceftriaxone/fosfomycin and 23.1% received trimethoprim/sulfamethoxazole. The trimethoprim/sulfamethoxazole and fluoroquinolone regimens were significantly associated with a lower risk of infective complications (OR 0.15, 95% CI 0.03–0.48, p = 0.003 and OR 0.17, 95% CI 0.06–0.43, p < 0.001, respectively). The ceftriaxone/fosfomycin (OR 0.21, 95% CI 0.04–0.92, p = 0.04) and fluoroquinolone (OR 0.07, 95% CI 0.00–0.70, p = 0.048) prophylaxis were associated with a lower risk of infective sequelae. Fluoroquinolone-based prophylaxis was associated with a lower risk of infective complications after TRUSBx compared to other prophylaxis regimens although its clinical application was recently forbidden by European Medical Agency restrictions.
Combination of Amphiphilic Cyclic Peptide [R4W4] and Levofloxacin against Multidrug-Resistant Bacteria
Authors: Sajid Muhammad Imran , Lohan Sandeep , Kato Shun , Tiwari Rakesh Kumar
Published: March 2022

Bacterial resistance is a growing global concern necessitating the discovery and development of antibiotics effective against the drug-resistant bacterial strain. Previously, we reported a cyclic antimicrobial peptide [R4W4] containing arginine (R) and tryptophan (W) with a MIC of 2.67 µg/mL (1.95 µM) against methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA). Herein, we investigated the cyclic peptides [R4W4] or linear (R4W4) and their conjugates (covalent or noncovalent) with levofloxacin (Levo) with the intent to improve their potency to target drug-resistant bacteria. The physical mixture of the Levo with the cyclic [R4W4] proved to be significantly effective against all strains of bacteria used in the study as compared to covalent conjugation. Furthermore, the checkerboard assay revealed the significant synergistic effect of the peptides against all studied strains except for the wild type S. aureus, in which the partial synergy was observed. The hemolysis assay revealed less cytotoxicity of the physical mixture of the Levo with [R4W4] (22%) as compared to [R4W4] alone (80%). The linear peptide (R4W4) and the cyclic [R4W4] demonstrated ~90% and 85% cell viability at 300 µg/mL in the triple-negative breast cancer cells (MDA-MB-231) and the normal kidney cells (HEK-293), respectively. Similar trends were also observed in the cell viability of Levo-conjugates on these cell lines. Furthermore, the time-kill kinetic study of the combination of [R4W4] and Levo demonstrate rapid killing action at 4 h for MRSA (ATCC BAA-1556) and 12 h for E. coli (ATCC BAA-2452), P. aeruginosa (ATCC BAA-1744), and K. pneumoniae (ATCC BAA-1705). These results provide the effectiveness of a combination of Levo with cyclic [R4W4] peptide, which may provide an opportunity to solve the intriguing puzzle of treating bacterial resistance.
Mechanisms of Action of Carbapenem Resistance
Authors: Aurilio Caterina , Sansone Pasquale , Barbarisi Manlio , Pota Vincenzo , Giaccari Luca Gregorio , Coppolino Francesco , Barbarisi Alfonso , Passavanti Maria Beatrice , Pace Maria Caterina
Published: March 2022

Carbapenem antibiotics are the most effective antimicrobials for the treatment of infections caused by the most resistant bacteria. They belong to the category of β-lactams that include the penicillins, cephalosporins, monobactams and carbapenems. This class of antimicrobials has a broader spectrum of activity than most other beta-lactams antibiotics and are the most effective against Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria. All β-lactams antibiotics have a similar molecular structure: the carbapenems together with the β-lactams. This combination gives an extraordinary stability to the molecule against the enzymes inactivating the β-lactams. They are safe to use and therefore widespread use in many countries has given rise to carbapenem resistance which is a major global public health problem. The carbapenem resistance in some species is intrinsic and consists of the capacity to resist the action of antibiotics with several mechanisms: for the absence of a specific target, or an intrinsic difference in the composition of cytoplasmatic membrane or the inability to cross the outer membrane. In addition to intrinsic resistance, bacteria can develop resistance to antibiotics with several mechanisms that can be gathered in three main groups. The first group includes antibiotics with poor penetration into the outer membrane of bacterium or antibiotic efflux. The second includes bacteria that modify the target of the antibiotics through genetic mutations or post-translational modification of the target. The third includes bacteria that act with enzyme-catalyzed modification and this is due to the production of beta-lactamases, that are able to inactivate carbapenems and so called carbapenemases. In this review, we focus on the mode of action of carbapenem and the mechanisms of carbapenem resistance.
Global Flood Disaster Research Graph Analysis Based on Literature Mining
Authors: Zhang Min , Wang Juanle
Published: March 2022

Floods are the most frequent and highest-impact among the natural disasters caused by global climate change. A large number of flood disaster knowledge were buried in the scientific literature. This study mines research trends and hotspots on flood disasters and identifies their quantitative and spatial distribution features using natural language process technology. The abstracts of 14,076 studies related to flood disasters from 1990 to 2020 were used for text mining. The study used logistic regression to classify themes, adopted the dictionary matching method to analyze flood disaster subcategories, analyzed the spatial distribution characteristics of research institutions, and used Stanford named entity recognition to identify hot research areas. Finally, the disaster information was integrated and visualized as a knowledge graph. The main findings are as follows. (1) The research hotspots are concentrated on flood disaster risks and prediction. Rainfall, coastal floods, and flash floods are the most-studied flood disaster sub-categories. (2) There are some connections and differences between the physical occurrence and research frequency of flood disasters. Occurrence frequency and research frequency of flood disasters are correlated. However, the spatial distribution at the global and intercontinental scales is geographically imbalanced. (3) The study’s flood disaster knowledge graph contains 39,679 nodes and 64,908 edges, reflecting the literature distribution and field information on the research themes. Future research will extract more disaster information from the full texts of the studies to enrich the flood disaster knowledge graph and obtain more knowledge on flood disaster risk and reduction.
Development of Vibration Control Structure on Suspended Ceiling Using Pulley Mechanism
Authors: Majima Ryo , Sakai Shigeki , Saito Taiki
Published: March 2022

A suspended ceiling system (SCS) is one of the most fragile and non-structural elements during earthquakes. However, effective seismic protection technologies for enhancing the suspended ceiling system have not been developed other than the steel bracing system. An innovative passive vibration control system is proposed in this paper, which equipped a damper-employed pulley amplification mechanism into the indirect suspended ceiling system, named the pulley–damper ceiling system (PDCS). Theoretical formulation and the detailed information on the system were presented first. In addition, a new rotational damper composition consisting of a non-linear viscous damper was developed to follow the large wire-cable stroke. Six types of the full-scale ceiling specimens of a 15.6-square meter area with different configurations were constructed for the preliminary experiments to evaluate the seismic performance and feasibility of PDCS under simulated earthquake motions. The comparative results of the shake table test demonstrated that the application of PDCS is capable of controlling both displacement and acceleration of the ceiling panels. This study also presents the nonlinear time history analyses by modeling a wire-cable as an equivalent truss element to transmit the relative displacement of the ceiling system to the damper. The analytical model accurately simulated the dynamic behavior of PDCS.
Sliding Mode Controller with Generalized Extended State Observer for Single Link Flexible Manipulator
Authors: Bhaskarwar Tushar , Hawari Huzein Fahmi , Nor Nursyarizal B. M. , Chile Rajan Hari , Waghmare Dhammaratna , Aole Sumit
Published: March 2022

This paper presents an enhanced generalized extended state observer (EGESO) based sliding mode control (SMC) technique for dealing with the disturbance attenuation problem for a class of non-integral chain systems with mismatched uncertainty. In the proposed control law, the robust SMC with reaching phase elimination is applied in the proposed control law, which uses the estimated states of a system. The stability analysis is thoroughly examined for both EGESO and SMC. The efficacy of the proposed controller is verified using specific examples, and later it is applied on a single-link flexible manipulator. Through simulation and experimentation analysis, it is observed that the proposed controller is giving a robust transient response as compared to existing GESO based controllers.
Effect of Dynamic Loading Conditions on Maximizing Energy Dissipation of Metallic Dampers
Authors: Park Ji Woon , Yoon Ji-Hoon , Yoon Gil-Ho , Lim Yun Mook
Published: March 2022

Diversification of the optimum designs is practical for metallic dampers due to their advantages of low cost, stability, and ease of fabrication. Therefore, this paper presents a novel approach—dynamic optimization—to derive various optimum shapes of metallic dampers that will dissipate the greatest amount of seismic energy. Specifically, this study proposes a conceptual metallic damper for bridges as a target model to investigate and develop the optimization method. First, an optimizing system was constructed by combining an optimization algorithm (sequential quadratic programming, SQP) with finite element analysis. In a conventional optimization process, energy dissipation capability and stiffness of the metallic damper increases under given static loadings. However, the conventional process fails to diversify the optimized shapes and results in less energy dissipated in conditions with relatively small ground motions due to the increased stiffness. Therefore, a novel method with a simple numerical model for dynamic optimization was devised with additional spring sets and concentrated masses. By utilizing this model, the optimized results under relatively high acceleration conditions were similar to the statically optimized cases, while the other cases showed different trends of optimum shapes. These unconventional results demonstrate decreased stiffness in static analysis, but eventually exhibit higher energy dissipation during small earthquakes.
A Feed Additive Containing Encapsulated 6-Phytase within Recombinant Yarrowia lipolytica Cells Produced by Cultivation on Fat-Containing Waste
Authors: Danilova Maria A. , Epova Ekaterina Yu. , Trubnikova Elena V. , Shevelev Alexei B.
Published: March 2022

Feed phytases are purchased as a dry culture medium of secreting producers, mostly micellar fungi. These preparations are required to withstand heating up to 75–80 °C because they are intended for mixing with feed components with subsequent granulation by spray drying. For this reason, many phytases that have a high specific activity at 37 °C and correspond to the optimal pH of intestinal chyme are not used in practice. A novel expression system allowing accumulation of the phytase from Obesumbacterium proteus within yeast Yarrowia lipolytica was proposed. Encapsulation increases thermal stability of the enzyme from 55 °C up to 70 °C. The obtained preparation exhibited a high impact on the daily weight gain of a weaned mouse model fed a phosphorus-deficient diet at a dosage 165 phytase activity units (FYT)/kg, whereas a commercial phytase preparation—Ladozyme Proxi derived from Aspergillus ficuum—did not improve the daily weight gain even at the dosage of 15,000 FYT/kg.
Acoustic Metamaterials and Acoustic Foams: Recent Advances
Authors: Hedayati Reza , Bodaghi Mahdi
Published: March 2022

Acoustic metamaterials are synthetic materials, made of repeating unit cells that are designed to address an acoustic problem, through the rational design of their micro-features [...]
Steroid Hormones Protect against Fluoranthene Ethoxyresorufin-O-Deethylase (EROD) Activity Inhibition
Authors: Ferreira Carla S. S. , Oliveira Miguel , Pacheco Mário , Santos Maria Ana
Published: March 2022

The physiological conditions of an organism may influence its ability to cope with environmental stressors, such as contaminants. Biotransformation and the endocrine system interact with each other to promote animal’s fitness. However, little is known regarding the interaction between hormones and response to pollutants such as polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs). In this in vitro study, we aimed to increase the knowledge regarding the effects of steroid hormones on ethoxyresorufin-O-deethylase (EROD) activity inhibited by contaminants. The effects on in vivo induced EROD activity of Anguilla anguilla were assessed by conducting single and combined exposures to fluoranthene (FL) and to physiological levels of two major steroid hormones (cortisol and 17ß-estradiol). Hepatic microsome exposure to the lowest concentrations of FL (0.1 and 0.3 µM), as well as to cortisol and 17ß-estradiol (E2), led to significant EROD activity induction. However, the highest tested concentrations of FL (0.9 and 2.7 µM) significantly inhibited this enzymatic activity. When microsomes were simultaneously exposed to 0.9 µM FL and one of the hormones, both cortisol and E2 were able to decrease the inhibitory effects, with the former completely reverting EROD activity inhibition. These findings support the idea that cortisol and E2 can help prevent the inhibitory effects of PAHs over biotransformation enzymes, highlighting the physiological relevance of these hormones.
Design of the CIEMAT Corrosion Loop for Liquid Metal Experiments
Authors: Carella Elisabetta , Rapisarda David , Lenk Stephan
Published: March 2022

The main components of a liquid breeder blanket in a fusion power reactor are lead lithium alloy (PbLi) and the steel structure in which the liquid is enclosed (EUROFER). Several compatibility tests have shown that structural materials always suffer from corrosion attacks. The governing mechanism can be attributed to the dissolution of the steel by the liquid breeder and is strongly related to the PbLi chemistry, velocity profile, and temperature. A new facility, CiCLo-C (CIEMAT Corrosion Loop, Internally Coated), is dedicated to the study of corrosion in materials under the severe breeding blanket condition. An effort was made to design an experimental facility with a specific test section able to work at quite ambitious operation parameters: up to 550 °C and a 1 m/s flow of PbLi. Furthermore, an innovative tantalum coating was introduced in the whole loop to avoid impurities coming from the pipeline, which can disturb the measurements, and to better preserve the installation.
Soft Passing over Traffic-Calming Devices by Controlled Suspension in Low-Speed Robotic Vehicles for Vulnerable People
Authors: Zavala-Yoé Ricardo , Sandoval-Olivares Miguel , Félix-Herrán Luis Carlos , Ramírez-Mendoza Ricardo A.
Published: March 2022

The usefulness of golf carts for transporting patients in hospital facilities is well known. Nursing homes, medical campuses, and any type of related service require the low-speed transport of patients either in a seat, in a wheelchair, or on a stretcher. This type of transport is not limited to hospitals, but also includes other environments where there are people with special requirements. Think for instance of handicapped or elderly people that need a van because they have to go from their homes to any destination; therefore, the use of golf carts becomes relevant and attractive. Moreover, these carts could be automated for path following and deal with bumps, potholes, or sinkholes. In this context, the present research proposes a novel way to deal with this kind of road obstacle when the gentle transport of patients is a key element. In order to pass over these obstacles, a soft upwards displacement of the front and rear sections of the vehicle was achieved with magnetorheological dampers as part of the vehicle’s suspension system. In this way, people who need this gentle transport will not have any discomfort. Moreover, this work is aligned with the spirit of Automated Vehicles 3.0.
Factors Affecting the Quality of Bacterial Genomes Assemblies by Canu after Nanopore Sequencing
Authors: Schiavone Antonella , Pugliese Nicola , Samarelli Rossella , Cumbo Cosimo , Minervini Crescenzio Francesco , Albano Francesco , Camarda Antonio
Published: March 2022

Long-read sequencing (LRS), like Oxford Nanopore Technologies, is usually associated with higher error rates compared to previous generations. Factors affecting the assembly quality are the integrity of DNA, the flowcell efficiency, and, not least all, the raw data processing. Among LRS-intended de novo assemblers, Canu is highly flexible, with its dozens of adjustable parameters. Different Canu parameters were compared for assembling reads of Salmonellaenterica ser. Bovismorbificans (genome size of 4.8 Mbp) from three runs on MinION (N50 651, 805, and 5573). Two of them, with low quality and highly fragmented DNA, were not usable alone for assembly, while they were successfully assembled when combining the reads from all experiments. The best results were obtained by modifying Canu parameters related to the error correction, such as corErrorRate (exclusion of overlaps above a set error rate, set up at 0.40), corMhapSensitivity (the coarse sensitivity level, set to “high”), corMinCoverage (set to 0 to correct all reads, regardless the overlaps length), and corOutCoverage (corrects the longest reads up to the imposed coverage, set to 100). This setting produced two contigs corresponding to the complete sequences of the chromosome and a plasmid. The overall results highlight the importance of a tailored bioinformatic analysis.
Development of a New Evaporation Exposure Model: Chemical Product Evaporation Model (CPEM)
Authors: Yoo Geonwoo , Park Jung-Hyun , Kwak Dong-yoon , Lee Jong-Hyeon
Published: March 2022

The evaporation of chemicals in applied chemical products such as cleaning products and paint has been evaluated using the evaporation mode of the ConsExpo model. However, it remains controversial whether the ConsExpo model can be used for non-applied chemical products such as air fresheners, because the ConsExpo model assumes that the mass of the non-applied chemical products does not change during the time of use. If most of the materials in the product are volatile, the product mass can decrease. To explain the effect of a change in product mass, the ‘Chemical Product Evaporation Model (CPEM)’ was developed. This study demonstrated that the product mass decreases linearly when the surface area of the product is invariant, theoretically and experimentally. It was found that the ConsExpo evaporation model can be applied to products in which the other materials do not evaporate, and the CPEM can be applied to products in which the other materials are volatile. If the target substance in a product evaporates completely before the exhaustion time, the average concentration of a target substance in the air can be estimated simply from its initial concentration in the product and the product mass reduction rate. Otherwise, we recommend using the CPEM.
The Study of Novel Self-Rewetting Fluid Application to Loop Heat Pipe
Authors: Gao Jhih-Huang , Wu Shen-Chun , Lee Ya-Wei , Chou Ta-Li , Chen Yan-Chun
Published: March 2022

The purpose of this paper is to develop SRF formulations for LHP performance enhancement. In this paper, the solute of SRF is prepared, and butanol and its isomer, 2-butanol, are selected. In this paper, concentrations of the 2-butanol aqueous solution (10%, 15%, and 20%) plus the butanol 6% aqueous solution were used to measure the surface tension of four different formulations of SRF and water. It was found that the higher the solute concentration became, the stronger the Marangoni effect was, and the more obvious the surface tension change of the 2-butanol 20% aqueous solution was. Water, the butanol 6% aqueous solution and the 2-butanol 20% aqueous solution were filled into LHP respectively, and the heat transfer performance was measured. The 2-Butanol 20% aqueous solution improved LHP performance by about three times compared with water, and the lowest total thermal resistance was only 1/4 that of water. Therefore, the 2-butanol 20% SRF aqueous solution is an ideal formula for improving the LHP heat transfer performance.
Effect of Dune Sand on Drying Shrinkage Cracking of Fly Ash Concrete
Authors: Lee Euibae , Ko Jeongwon , Yoo Jaekang , Park Sangjun , Nam Jeongsoo
Published: March 2022

In this study, the drying shrinkage cracking characteristics of concrete containing 30% fly ash were investigated for various dune sand (DS) replacements and unit water contents. In the results of compressive strength, the mixture with a DS-to-fine aggregate (DS/FA) ratio of 10% showed the highest value, which was 17.6% higher than the lowest value. However, in the results of restrained drying shrinkage cracking, the mixtures with a DS/FA ratio of 20% showed the highest crack resistance, which was 24% higher than the lowest crack resistance. Therefore, it is necessary to consider DS replacement according to the required performance of concrete. The restraint effect factors of the aggregates were analyzed based on the relationship between the volume change of each aggregate and the change in the net time to cracking. The restraint effect factor of crushed sand was 0.71–0.98 and that of DS was 0.56–0.90 when that of the coarse aggregate (CA) was 1.
Building a Territorial Working Group to Reduce Gender Gap in the Field of Artificial Intelligence
Authors: Gibert Karina , Valls Aida
Published: March 2022

The gender gap (both at vocational and professional sides) in Artificial Intelligence (AI), and scientific and technological fields in general, is one of the most critical challenges that the current digital society must solve. This paper describes the proposal of the gender commission donesIAcat to create a gender working group formed by Catalan AI scientists and professionals who work in a network for bridging this gap. The main objectives for letting girls know that they can study and work in the AI field are presented in this paper. A general methodological framework is proposed, following the internal organization of the Catalan group donesIAcat. Several key actions are explained and classified into six blocks. A relevant contribution of the paper is the definition of the guidelines required to build a territorial network-based structure capable of launching several AI-related activities targeting people at different stages of their life. The activities done at donesIAcat illustrate the possible outcomes of the proposed methodology and show successful initiatives to engage girls in technology and AI. The paper shows the validity of this model for small homogeneous territories where activities can be suitable for the different cities in the region. Proximity is one of the advantages of such a model and one of the reasons for its success.
SCM-IoT: An Aproach for Internet of Things Services Integration and Coordination
Authors: Machorro-Cano Isaac , Olmedo-Aguirre José Oscar , Alor-Hernández Giner , Rodríguez-Mazahua Lisbeth , Sánchez-Cervantes José Luis , López-Chau Asdrúbal
Published: March 2022

Today, new applications demand an internet of things (IoT) infrastructure with greater intelligence in our daily use devices. Among the salient features that characterize intelligent IoT systems are interoperability and dynamism. While service-oriented architectures (SOA) offer a well-developed and standardized architecture and protocols for interoperability, answering whether SOA offers enough dynamism to merge IoT with artificial intelligence (AI) is still in its beginnings. This paper proposes an SOA model, called SCM-IoT (service composition model for IoT), for incorporating AI into IoT systems, addressing their coordination by a mediator offering services for storage, production, discovery, and notification of relevant data for client applications. The model allows IoT systems to be incrementally developed from three perspectives: a conceptual model, platform-independent computational model, and platform-dependent computational model. Finally, as a case of study, a domotic IoT system application is developed in SCM-IoT to analyze the characteristics and benefits of the proposed approach.