bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
A probabilistic inverse prediction method for predicting plutonium processing conditions
Authors: Ausdemore Madeline A. , McCombs Audrey , Ries Daniel , Zhang Adah , Shuler Kurtis , Tucker J. Derek , Goode Katherine , Huerta J. Gabriel
Published: December 2022

In the past decade, nuclear chemists and physicists have been conducting studies to investigate the signatures associated with the production of special nuclear material (SNM). In particular, these studies aim to determine how various processing parameters impact the physical, chemical, and morphological properties of the resulting special nuclear material. By better understanding how these properties relate to the processing parameters, scientists can better contribute to nuclear forensics investigations by quantifying their results and ultimately shortening the forensic timeline. This paper aims to statistically analyze and quantify the relationships that exist between the processing conditions used in these experiments and the various properties of the nuclear end-product by invoking inverse methods. In particular, these methods make use of Bayesian Adaptive Spline Surface models in conjunction with Bayesian model calibration techniques to probabilistically determine processing conditions as an inverse function of morphological characteristics. Not only does the model presented in this paper allow for providing point estimates of a sample of special nuclear material, but it also incorporates uncertainty into these predictions. This model proves sufficient for predicting processing conditions within a standard deviation of the observed processing conditions, on average, provides a solid foundation for future work in predicting processing conditions of particles of special nuclear material using only their observed morphological characteristics, and is generalizable to the field of chemometrics for applicability across different materials.
Construction and validation of a prognostic model for gastrointestinal stromal tumors based on copy number alterations and clinicopathological characteristics
Authors: Zhao Heng , Song Nuohan , Feng Hao , Lei Qiang , Zheng Yingying , Liu Jing , Liu Chunyan , Chai Zhengbin
Published: December 2022

Background

The increasing incidence of gastrointestinal stromal tumors (GISTs) has led to the discovery of more novel prognostic markers. We aim to establish an unsupervised prognostic model for the early prediction of the prognosis of future patients with GISTs and to guide clinical treatment.

Methods

We downloaded the GISTs dataset through the cBioPortal website. We extracted clinical information and pathological information, including the microsatellite instability (MSI) score, fraction genome altered (FGA) score, tumor mutational burden (TMB), and copy number alteration burden (CNAB), of patients with GISTs. For survival analysis, we used univariate Cox regression to analyze the contribution of each factor to prognosis and calculated a hazard ratio (HR) and 95% confidence interval (95% CI). For clustering groupings, we used the t-distributed stochastic neighbor embedding (t-SNE) method for data dimensionality reduction. Subsequently, the k-means method was used for clustering analysis.

Results

A total of 395 individuals were included in the study. After dimensionality reduction with t-SNE, all patients were divided into two subgroups. Cluster 1 had worse OS than cluster 2 (HR=3.45, 95% CI, 2.22-5.56, P<0.001). The median MSI score of cluster 1 was 1.09, and the median MSI score of cluster 2 was 0.24, which were significantly different (P<0.001). The FGA score of cluster 1 was 0.28, which was higher than that of cluster 2 (P<0.001). In addition, both the TMB and CNAB of cluster 1 were higher than those of cluster 2, and the P values were less than 0.001.

Conclusion

Based on the CNA of GISTs, patients can be divided into high-risk and low-risk groups. The high-risk group had a higher MSI score, FGA score, TMB and CNAB than the low-risk group. In addition, we established a prognostic nomogram based on the CNA and clinicopathological characteristics of patients with GISTs.
Analysis of healthcare-associated infection in patients with pulmonary arterial hypertension associated with congenital heart disease in PICU: Evidence from a tertiary hospital in western China
Authors: Li Jing-wen , Guo Ling-wen , Tao Si-yuan , Deng Yu-hua , Yang Cui , Qiao Fu
Published: December 2022

Objective

The present study intends to analyze the targeted surveillance and risk factors for healthcare-associated infection (HAI) in patients with pulmonary arterial hypertension associated with congenital heart disease (CHD-PAH) in a Pediatric intensive care unit (PICU), and provide basis for formulating relevant prevention and control measures of HAI.

Methods

Children (≤14 years old) who were admitted to the PICU for ≥2 calendar days from January 2018 to December 2021 were included. Targeted surveillance of HAI was described.

Results

A total of 7,828 patients in PICU were monitored, and the total hospitalization days of the patients were 36,174. 108 cases of HAI occurred, with a per-case infection rate of 1.38% and a per-thousand day infection rate of 2.99. 1,129 patients with CHD-PAH were included, among which the total hospitalization days were 1,483. In this subpopulation, 38 cases of HAI were diagnosed, with a per-case infection rate of 3.37% and a per-thousand day infection rate of 25.62. The main site of HAI was lower respiratory tract (43.51%), followed by blood infection (34.26%) and surgical site infection (9.26%). 36 strains of pathogenic bacteria were detected from patients with HAI. The top three pathogens with the highest detection rate were Klebsiella pneumoniae (6 episodes, 16.67%), Enterococcus faecium (6 episodes, 16.67%) and Acinetobacter baumannii (4 episodes, 11.11%). The incidence of VAP, CAUTI and CLABSI was 2.78, 0.08 and 1.66 per 1,000 catheter days respectively. Analysis revealed that patients with CHD-PAH were younger and prone to receive surgical corrections. CHD-PAH could significantly increase the length of ICU stay, ventilator days, times of central venous catheterization and central venous catheterization days. The choice of different central venous catheter types differed significantly between the two groups.

Conclusion

Patients with CHD-PAH are characterized with excessive central venous catheterization operations, prolonged indwelling time, and more types of catheterization, which are considered to be risk factors for HAI, thus increasing the length of hospital stay. The clinical etiology is mainly G-bacteria, which requires reasonable selection of antibiotics and strict aseptic operation. Limiting unnecessary invasive procedures is helpful for reducing the incidence of postoperative HAI in PICU.
Reversal of spatial memory impairment by phosphodiesterase 3 inhibitor cilostazol is associated with reduced neuroinflammation and increased cerebral glucose uptake in aged male mice
Authors: Yanai Shuichi , Tago Tetsuro , Toyohara Jun , Arasaki Tomoko , Endo Shogo
Published: December 2022

The nucleotide second messenger 3′, 5′-cyclic adenosine monophosphate (cAMP) and 3′, 5′-cyclic guanosine monophosphate (cGMP) mediate fundamental functions of the brain, including learning and memory. Phosphodiesterase 3 (PDE3) can hydrolyze both cAMP and cGMP and appears to be involved in the regulation of their contents in cells. We previously demonstrated that long-term administration of cilostazol, a PDE3 inhibitor, maintained good memory performance in aging mice. Here, we report on studies aimed at determining whether cilostazol also reverses already-impaired memory in aged male mice. One month of oral 1.5% cilostazol administration in 22-month-old mice reversed age-related declines in hippocampus-dependent memory tasks, including the object recognition and the Morris water maze. Furthermore, cilostazol reduced neuroinflammation, as evidenced by immunohistochemical staining, and increased glucose uptake in the brain, as evidence by positron emission tomography (PET) with 2-deoxy-2-[18F]fluoro-d-glucose ([18F]FDG). These results suggest that already-expressed memory impairment in aged male mice that depend on cyclic nucleotide signaling can be reversed by inhibition of PDE3. The reversal of age-related memory impairments may occur in the central nervous system, either through cilostazol-enhanced recall or strengthening of weak memories that otherwise may be resistant to recall.
Recruitment of the cardiac conduction system for optimal resynchronization therapy in failing heart
Authors: Chen Zhongli , Zhou Xiaohong , Ma Xuan , Chen Keping
Published: December 2022

Graphical Abstract

Emerging strategies for cardiac resynchronization for dyssynchronous heart failure.
Maize disease detection based on spectral recovery from RGB images
Authors: Fu Jun , Liu Jindai , Zhao Rongqiang , Chen Zhi , Qiao Yongliang , Li Dan
Published: December 2022

Maize is susceptible to infect pest disease, and early disease detection is key to preventing the reduction of maize yields. The raw data used for plant disease detection are commonly RGB images and hyperspectral images (HSI). RGB images can be acquired rapidly and low-costly, but the detection accuracy is not satisfactory. On the contrary, using HSIs tends to obtain higher detection accuracy, but HSIs are difficult and high-cost to obtain in field. To overcome this contradiction, we have proposed the maize spectral recovery disease detection framework which includes two parts: the maize spectral recovery network based on the advanced hyperspectral recovery convolutional neural network (HSCNN+) and the maize disease detection network based on the convolutional neural network (CNN). Taking raw RGB data as input of the framework, the output reconstructed HSIs are used as input of disease detection network to achieve disease detection task. As a result, the detection accuracy obtained by using the low-cost raw RGB data almost as same as that obtained by using HSIs directly. The HSCNN+ is found to be fit to our spectral recovery model and the reconstruction fidelity was satisfactory. Experimental results demonstrate that the reconstructed HSIs efficiently improve detection accuracy compared with raw RGB image in tested scenarios, especially in complex environment scenario, for which the detection accuracy increases by 6.14%. The proposed framework has the advantages of fast, low cost and high detection precision. Moreover, the framework offers the possibility of real-time and precise field disease detection and can be applied in agricultural robots.
Factors associated with work volition among Chinese undergraduates
Authors: Hai Lu , Bao Xiaohong , Li Wenyu
Published: December 2022

Based on the psychology of working theory, this study tested the relationships among work volition and the predictors of economic constraints, minzu (ethnic identity), Hukou and Zhongyong thinking, and determined how Hukou and Zhongyong thinking moderate the relationship between economic constraints and work volition with a sample of 2,995 undergraduates in China. The results showed that work volition was negatively associated with economic constraints but positively related to Zhongyong thinking. The results further revealed that Hukou and Zhongyong thinking were significant moderators in the link between economic constraints and work volition, while weaker negative associations were found between economic constraints and work volition for undergraduates who came from rural areas and had lower levels of Zhongyong thinking. Implications for research and practice are discussed.
Low-dissipation optimization of the prefrontal cortex in the −12° head-down tilt position: A functional near-infrared spectroscopy study
Authors: Lun Tingting , Wang Dexin , Li Li , Zhou Junliang , Zhao Yunxuan , Chen Yuecai , Yin Xuntao , Ou Shanxing , Yu Jin , Song Rong
Published: December 2022

Introduction

Our present study set out to investigate the instant state of the prefrontal cortex (PFC) in healthy subjects before and after placement in the -12°head-down tilt (HDT) position in order to explore the mechanism behind the low-dissipation optimization state of the PFC.

Methods

40 young, right-handed healthy subjects (male: female = 20: 20) were enrolled in this study. Three resting state positions, 0°initial position, -12°HDT position, and 0°rest position were sequentially tested, each for 10 minutes. A continuous-wave functional near-infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS) instrument was used to assess the resting state hemodynamic data of the PFC. After preprocessing the hemodynamics data, we evaluated changes in resting-state functional connectivity (rsFC) level and beta values of PFC. The subjective visual analogue scale (VAS) was applied before and after the experiment. The presence of sleep changes or adverse reactions were also recorded.

Results

Pairwise comparisons of the concentrations of oxyhemoglobin (HbO), deoxyhemoglobin (HbR), and hemoglobin (HbT) revealed significant differences in the aforementioned positions. Specifically, the average rsFC of PFC showed a gradual increase throughout the whole process. In addition, based on graph theory, the topological properties of brain network, such as small-world network and nodal degree centrality were analyzed. The results show that global efficiency and small-world sigma (σ) value were differences between 0°initial and 0°rest.

Discussion

In this study, placement in the -12°HDT had a significant effect on PFC function, mainly manifested as self-inhibition, decreased concentration of HbO in the PFC, and improved rsFC, which may provide ideas to the understanding and explanation of neurological diseases.
Power decline and the change of self-esteem: The moderating effect of self-defense
Authors: Huang Caiyun
Published: December 2022

Introduction

Power is a fundamental force in social relationships. Having more power means more freedom and resources and the ability to control and influence others. Psychologically, people are afraid of power decline, therefore are motivated towards self-enhancement to avoid the decline of self-esteem. We asked if power decline brings about a subsequent decline in self-esteem.

Objective

To investigate whether power decline in social relationships leads to a decline in self-esteem and to explore the moderating role of self-defense.

Methods

A laboratory experiment was conducted with college students in East China as subjects, which was divided into manipulation tests of power decline and Self-Defense (N = 61) and two formal experiments (N = 65; N = 160). In addition, a semi-structured in-depth interview was used to further improve the ecological validity of the findings.

Results

(1) Power decline did not lead to a decline of self-esteem, and self-esteem rises when power remained unchanged; (2) When the level of self-defense was higher, constant power lead to a greater increase of self-esteem, and the decline of power would not lead to the change of self-esteem; (3) When the level of self-defense was lower, the relationship between constant power and the rise of self-esteem was weakened, and power decline would not lead to the significant change of self-esteem. At the end of this study, the theoretical and practical implications are discussed.
Development of visual attention control in early childhood: Associations with temperament and home environment
Authors: Moyano Sebastián , Conejero Ángela , Fernández María , Serrano Francisca , Rueda M. Rosario
Published: December 2022

Endogenous visual attention orienting is early available from infancy. It shows a steady development during the preschool period towards monitoring and managing executive attention to optimize the interplay between environmental contingencies and internal goals. The current study aims at understanding this transition from basic forms of endogenous control of visual orienting towards the engagement of executive attention, as well as their association with individual differences in temperament and home environment. A total of 150 children between 2 and 4 years of age were evaluated in a Visual Sequence Learning task, measuring visual anticipations in easy (context-free) and complex (context-dependent) stimuli transitions. Results showed age to be a predictor of a reduction in exogenous attention, as well as increased abilities to attempt to anticipate and to correctly anticipate in complex transitions. Home chaos predicted more complex correct anticipations, suggesting that the exposure to more unpredictable environments could benefit learning in context-dependent settings. Finally, temperamental surgency was found to be positively related to sustained attention in the task. Results are informative of age differences in visual attention control during toddlerhood and early childhood, and their association with temperament and home environment.
Case report: Medical student types journals during ketamine infusions for suicidal ideation, treatment-resistant depression, post-traumatic stress disorder, and generalized anxiety disorder
Authors: Willms Joshua , McCauley Ben , Kerr Lindsay , Presto Peyton , Arun Ankith , Shah Nazeen , Irby Kierra , Strawn Megan , Kopel Jonathan
Published: December 2022

Suicide is the most common cause of death in male resident physicians and the second most common cause of death in resident physicians overall. Physicians also experience high rates of major depressive disorder (MDD), post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), and burnout. These conditions frequently develop during medical school, and threaten not only physicians but the patients they care for. A 30-year-old medical student presented to our clinic with a history of treatment-resistant depression (TRD), generalized anxiety disorder (GAD), PTSD, and 5 years of daily suicidal ideation. Previous treatments included therapy, lifestyle modifications, and various combinations of six antidepressants. These interventions had little effect on the patient’s mental health. The patient was treated at our clinic with an 8-month regimen of IV ketamine infusions and ketamine-assisted psychotherapy (KAP). The patient achieved remission from suicidality and PTSD within 1 month; and TRD and GAD within 7 months. The patient’s Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ-9) score decreased from 25 (severe depression) to 1 (not depressed). These findings suggest that ketamine and KAP may represent effective interventions for mental health applications in healthcare professionals. The patient made the unique decision to attempt to type narrative journals during four of his ketamine infusions (doses ranged from 1.8 to 2.1 mg/kg/h IV). The patient successfully typed detailed journals throughout each 1-h ketamine infusion. To our knowledge, these journals represent the first independently typed, first-person, real-time narratives of ketamine-induced non ordinary states of consciousness. The transcripts of these journals may provide useful insights for clinicians, particularly in the context of KAP.
Case study: Developing a strategy combining human and empirical interventions to support the resilience of healthcare workers exposed to a pandemic in an academic hospital
Authors: Banse Emilie , Petit Geraldine , Cool Geneviève , Durbecq Joëlle , Hennequin Isabelle , Khazaal Yasser , de Timary Philippe
Published: December 2022

The COVID-19 pandemic has put healthcare workers under important psychological pressure. Concerns have been raised regarding the mental health and psychological status of healthcare workers and have underlined the need for institutions to develop long-term interventions to support their resilience. The current case study presents the way a large university hospital in Brussels, Belgium, has evolved to deal with this health crisis and support its workers. Initiatives were multiple and complementary, as it was decided to combine different forms of clinical interventions that were developed by psychologists, psychiatrists, and human resources, to an empirical approach including a large survey that permitted to reach a much larger audience (the results of the study have been published previously). We describe the initially proposed measures of psychological support, including the creation of a telephone hotline, the presence of psychologists among teams of dedicated COVID-19 units, discussion groups, and individualized follow-ups, and their consequences on healthcare workers. Second, we address how these initial measures of support were modified to tailor in the best way possible the needs of healthcare workers, using a research action project that used a survey to measure and address the psychological distress of healthcare workers. We explain how, through different objectives (screening of distress, adaptation of initial measures based on reported needs, active reinforcement of individual and collective resilience, reminder of availability of help, and normalization of distress), a research action project can be a form of support and is an effective way for an institution to show its pre-occupation for the mental health of its teams. The current case study highlights how an institution can provide support and the importance of the use of a combined strategy to limit the consequences of a major health crisis on the mental health of its healthcare workers. Improving the resilience of healthcare workers both in the short and long term is of the essence to maintain optimal care of patients.
Psychiatric genomics, mental health equity, and intersectionality: A framework for research and practice
Authors: Brown Julia E. H. , Young Jennifer L. , Martinez-Martin Nicole
Published: December 2022

The causal mechanisms and manifestations of psychiatric illness cannot be neatly narrowed down or quantified for diagnosis and treatment. Large-scale genome-wide association studies (GWAS) might renew hope for locating genetic predictors and producing precision medicines, however such hopes can also distract from appreciating social factors and structural injustices that demand more socially inclusive and equitable approaches to mental healthcare. A more comprehensive approach begins with recognizing that there is no one type of contributor to mental illness and its duration that should be prioritized over another. We argue that, if the search for biological specificity is to complement the need to alleviate the social distress that produces mental health inequities, psychiatric genomics must incorporate an intersectional dimension to models of mental illness across research priorities, scientific frameworks, and clinical applications. We outline an intersectional framework that will guide all professionals working in the expanding field of psychiatric genomics to better incorporate issues of social context, racial and cultural diversity, and downstream ethical considerations into their work.
Research agenda for algorithmic fairness studies: Access to justice lessons for interdisciplinary research
Authors: Kontiainen Laura , Koulu Riikka , Sankari Suvi
Published: December 2022

Access to justice is one of the fundamental legitimating principles underlying all modern Western legal systems, yet its role in critical algorithm studies remains underdeveloped. In historical and methodological terms, the access to justice movement showcased multi- and interdisciplinary research on legal phenomena. We argue that interdisciplinary research on AI ethics and regulation, datafication of society, and algorithmic governance could benefit from adopting access to justice as a vantage point for bridging the different approaches in the context of administering justice. To this end, we explore technological, legal, and societal intersections to demonstrate how law, social sciences, and algorithm studies could benefit from a historically more informed and holistic approach facilitating more “cost-effective” interdisciplinary research collaboration. Such approach could assist the substantive study of algorithmic fairness to contribute actionable systemic solutions on what we perceive as systemic challenges. We propose utilizing access to justice as a boundary object for interdisciplinary dialogue over algorithmic fairness while respecting the epistemic diversity of disciplines.
Study on Separation Characteristics of Nozzles with Large Expansion Ratio of Solid Rocket Motors
Authors: Wang Zhihong , Wang Chunguang , Tian Weiping
Published: December 2022

In order to study the flow characteristics of a nozzle with large expansion ratio and its influence on the force on the nozzle, ground cold flow test research and a fluid–structure coupling simulation analysis were carried out (maximum expansion ratio ε = 30.25). The variation and pulsation characteristics of the pressure near the measuring point area and the inlet pressure were obtained through experiments. Through the analysis of the peak-to-peak value and average value, it was found that the average pressure after separation increases by 90%, but the peak-to-peak value increases by about five times, indicating that the pressure fluctuation after separation is much larger than before separation. The separation flow field under cold flow conditions was simulated using the CFD commercial calculation software Fluent to verify the correctness of the numerical calculations. The fluid–structure coupling analysis was carried out on a large expansion ratio (maximum expansion ratio ε = 48) full-scale nozzle, and the structural deformation characteristics of the nozzle under the separation conditions were studied. The research results show that flow separation occurs in the nozzle with a large expansion ratio under ground conditions. Before the separation point, the pressure pulsation on the nozzle wall is small, and the turbulent pulsation effect is weak. After the separation point, the pressure pulsation increases, and the turbulent pulsation effect is enhanced. When the total pressure decreases, the separation area of the nozzle increases, and the separation flow field presents a strong asymmetry. Reducing the total inlet pressure by half resulted in approximately 50 times the lateral load. Under the combined influence of the ground conditions and low total pressure, the large lateral load caused by the asymmetry of the separation flow field will cause the deformation of the nozzle structure to increase by 5.5 times. This research provides an important reference for the design and experiment of nozzles with a large expansion ratio.
Rootstock’s and Cover-Crops’ Influence on Grape: A NIR-Based ANN Classification Model
Authors: Basile Teodora , Amendolagine Antonio Maria , Tarricone Luigi
Published: December 2022

In this study, a multivariate analysis combined with near-infrared (NIR) spectroscopy was employed to classify intact grape berries based on the rootstock x cover crops combination. NIR spectra were collected in diffuse reflection mode using a TANGO FT-NIR spectrometer (Bruker, Germany) with 8 cm−1 resolution and 64 scans in the wave number range of 4000–10,000 cm−1. The chemometric analyses were performed with the statistical software R version 4.2.0 (2022-04-22). Elimination of uninformative variables was accomplished with a PCA and a genetic algorithm (GA). The discrimination performance of a linear discriminant analysis (LDA) model was not enhanced with either a PCA- or a GA-based selection. A multiclass classification model was built with an artificial neural network (ANN). The best fit multiclass classification model on test data was obtained with the GA-ANN model that gave a classification accuracy of close to 80% for samples belonging to the four classes. These results demonstrate that NIR spectroscopy could be used as a rapid method for the classification of berries based on their rootstock x cover-crops combination.
Autonomous Navigation of a Forestry Robot Equipped with a Scanning Laser
Authors: Ben Abdallah Fida , Bouali Anis , Meausoone Pierre-Jean
Published: December 2022

This abstract is an overview of our research project entitled “Innovative Forest Plantation”, currently in progress. The aim of this project is to automate traditionally manual tasks for poplar plantations in the first years after planting, in particular mechanical weeding without the use of herbicides. The poplar forest is considered as a semi-structured environment where the dense canopy prevents the use of GPS signals and laser sensors are often preferred to localize the vehicle. In this paper, we focus on one of the main functionalities: autonomous navigation, which consists in detecting and locating trees to move safely in such complex environment. Autonomous navigation requires both a precise and robust mapping and localization solution. In this context, Simultaneous Localization and Mapping (SLAM) is very well-suited solution. The constructed map can be reliably used to plan semantic paths of the mobile robot in order treat specifically each tree. Simulations conducted on Gazebo and Robot Operation System (ROS) have proven that the robot could navigate autonomously in a poplar forest.
Assessment of a Low-Cost Portable Device for Gas Concentration Monitoring in Livestock Housing
Authors: D’Urso Provvidenza Rita , Arcidiacono Claudia , Cascone Giovanni
Published: December 2022

The increasing regulatory pressure to monitor and reduce GHG emissions and air pollutants requires cost-effective methods for their surveillance. The most common techniques used for scientific investigations into gas concentration monitoring in barns are accurate but expensive and require complex maintenance. This research study analyzed the potential use of low-cost portable measurement devices for the measurement of ammonia (NH3) and carbon dioxide (CO2) concentrations in an open dairy barn. A comparison between the gas concentrations acquired at different heights from the floor by using portable devices and those acquired by a photoacoustic infrared multigas spectroscope (i.e., reference measurement) in the same sampling locations was carried out to determine the precision of the low-cost portable devices. The performances of the low-cost portable devices were statistically analyzed by application of the one-way analysis of variance, correlation analysis, and regression analysis. The results showed a significant difference between the gas concentration values at various heights from the floor for both NH3 and CO2. The correlations between the concentrations acquired by the low-cost portable devices and the INNOVA were statistically significant (r = 0.83; p < 0.001) for gas concentrations monitored at 0.4 m from the floor. Compared with the reference measurement device, the low-cost devices were effective at the monitoring of NH3 concentrations at 0.40 m from the floor; however, they underestimated the concentrations in the barn at increasing heights from the floor, and the device was not adequate for CO2 concentrations. In detail, the relative measurement error of the low-cost devices compared to the INNOVA was reduced close to the floor during NH3 concentration measurements. Within these limitations, this device may be useful for monitoring the NH3 concentration in the barn and assessing variations in the NH3 concentrations mainly related to the animal occupied zone. Further efforts are needed in this field of research to identify a low-cost device that can simplify emission estimation from open dairy barns.
Spatial Distribution of Cocoa Quality: Relationship between Physicochemical, Functional and Sensory Attributes of Clones from Southern Colombia
Authors: Ramón Vivian , Hernández Héctor Eduardo , Polania Paola , Suárez Juan Carlos
Published: December 2022

Cocoa quality is affected by genetic variability and conditions in the region of origin that impact the physicochemical, functional and sensory characteristics of the cocoa bean. For the purpose of this study, the spatial distribution was analyzed using a cocoa quality indicator that related physicochemical, functional variables (phenolic and antioxidant content) and sensory attributes (organoleptic qualities and sensory notes) of cocoa samples from different cocoa clones in the municipalities of Mesetas and Vista Hermosa in the department of Meta, Colombia. In 83 sampling plots distributed in 22 farms with agroforestry cocoa arrangements, 50 pods of the main clone were selected in each plot. Subsequently, the cocoa bean samples were subjected to fermentation and drying processes using a uniform process, then each of the samples was subjected to physicochemical, functional and sensory properties. A medium quality level was found in the cocoa beans that depended on genetic variability, whose properties ranged between protein levels of 10.312%, sugars of 2.7–3.7 °Brix, and fat contents of 51.5–52.2%, with 178.4–235.2 mg GAE g−1 in total phenol content and 1208.1–3464.1 μmol AAE g−1 in antioxidant capacity. Clones TSH-565 and FEAR-5 showed respectively higher and lower grain quality. Within the sensory profile, complementary aromatic notes such as floral, fruity, nutty, malty, with high correlations between acidity and fresh fruit, astringency and cocoa, and astringency and bitterness, were found. At the clone level, ICS-95 and TSH-565 presented the best sensory attributes (floral, sweet, acidity, fresh fruit). According to the physicochemical, functional and sensory variables of the cocoa beans, it was found that only 13% of the samples presented values higher than 0.8 in the cocoa quality index, with notes of banana, melon, peach, plum, and fresh fruit related to clones such as TSH-565 and ICS-95, whose notes are considered high-quality; these cocoa plantations are located in the Palestina village in the municipality of Vistahermosa and in the Las Mercedes village in the municipality of Mesetas.
Exogenous Gallic Acid Confers Salt Tolerance in Rice Seedlings: Modulation of Ion Homeostasis, Osmoregulation, Antioxidant Defense, and Methylglyoxal Detoxification Systems
Authors: Rahman Anisur , Alam Mazhar Ul , Hossain Md. Shahadat , Mahmud Jubayer Al , Nahar Kamrun , Fujita Masayuki , Hasanuzzaman Mirza
Published: December 2022

The worldwide saline-affected area is expanding day by day, and soil salinity restricts crop development and productivity, including rice. Considering this, the current study explored the response of gallic acid (GA) in conferring salinity tolerance in rice seedlings. Fourteen-day-old rice (Oryza sativa L. cv. BRRI dhan52) seedlings were treated with 200 mM NaCl alone or combined with 1 mM GA. Salt stress resulted in osmotic, ionic, and oxidative stress in rice seedlings. Osmotic stress increased proline accumulation and osmotic potential, which decreased the relative water content, chlorophyll contents, and dry weight. Ionic stress interrupted ion homeostasis by Na+ accumulation and K+ leakage. Osmotic and ionic stress, concomitantly, disrupted antioxidant defense and glyoxalase systems by higher production of reactive oxygen species (ROS) and methylglyoxal (MG), respectively. It resulted in oxidative damage indicated by the high amount of malondialdehyde (MDA). The supplementation of GA in salt-treated rice seedlings partially recovered salt-induced damages by improving osmotic and ionic homeostasis by increasing water balance and decreasing Na+ content and Na+/K+ ratio. Supplemental GA enhanced the antioxidant defense system in salt-treated rice seedlings by increasing ascorbate (AsA), glutathione (GSH), and phenolic compounds and the activities of AsA-GSH cycle enzymes, including monodehydroascorbate reductase (MDHAR), dehydroascorbate reductase (DHAR), and glutathione reductase (GR) enzymes that accelerated ROS detoxification and decreased oxidative damage. Gallic acid also enhanced the detoxification of MG by triggering glyoxalase enzyme activities in salt-treated rice seedlings. The present findings elucidated that supplemental GA reversed salt-induced damage in rice seedlings through improving osmotic and ionic homeostasis and upregulating the ROS and MG detoxification system.
Data Synthesis for Alfalfa Biomass Yield Estimation
Authors: Vance Jonathan , Rasheed Khaled , Missaoui Ali , Maier Frederick W.
Published: December 2022

Alfalfa is critical to global food security, and its data is abundant in the U.S. nationally, but often scarce locally, limiting the potential performance of machine learning (ML) models in predicting alfalfa biomass yields. Training ML models on local-only data results in very low estimation accuracy when the datasets are very small. Therefore, we explore synthesizing non-local data to estimate biomass yields labeled as high, medium, or low. One option to remedy scarce local data is to train models using non-local data; however, this only works about as well as using local data. Therefore, we propose a novel pipeline that trains models using data synthesized from non-local data to estimate local crop yields. Our pipeline, synthesized non-local training (SNLT pronounced like sunlight), achieves a gain of 42.9% accuracy over the best results from regular non-local and local training on our very small target dataset. This pipeline produced the highest accuracy of 85.7% with a decision tree classifier. From these results, we conclude that SNLT can be a useful tool in helping to estimate crop yields with ML. Furthermore, we propose a software application called Predict Your CropS (PYCS pronounced like Pisces) designed to help farmers and researchers estimate and predict crop yields based on pretrained models.
Genetic Diversity of Wild Boar and Deer
Authors: Pérez-González Javier , Carranza Juan
Published: December 2022

Genetic diversity provides the long-term capacity of species, communities, and the biosphere to persist under change [...]
Effect of Dietary Inclusion of Riboflavin on Growth, Nutrient Digestibility and Ruminal Fermentation in Hu Lambs
Authors: Ren Na , Zhang Xuanzi , Hao Xiaoyan , Dong Yingrui , Wang Xinggang , Zhang Jianxin
Published: December 2022

The study evaluated the influences of riboflavin (RF) supply on the growth performance, nutrient digestibility and ruminal fermentation in lambs. Forty-eight Hu lambs were randomly assigned into four groups receiving RF of 0, 15, 30 and 45 mg/kg dry mater (DM), respectively. Increasing RF supply did not affect the DM intake, but quadratically increased the average daily gain and linearly decreased feed conversion ratio. Total-tract DM, neutral detergent fibre, acid detergent fibre and crude protein digestibility increased quadratically. Rumen pH and propionate molar percentage decreased linearly, total volatile fatty acids concentration, acetate proportion and the ratio of acetate to propionate increased linearly, but ammonia nitrogen concentration was unchanged with increasing RF supply. Linear increases were observed on the activities of carboxymethyl-cellulase, xylanase, pectinase and protease, and the populations of bacteria, fungi, protozoa, dominant cellulolytic bacteria, Ruminobacter amylophilus and Prevotella ruminicola. Methanogens population was not affected by RF supplementation. The microbial protein amount and urinary total purine derivatives excretion increased quadratically. The results indicated that 30 mg/kg DM RF supply improved growth performance, rumen fermentation and nutrient digestion in lambs.
Human Health Benefits of Non-Conventional Companion Animals: A Narrative Review
Authors: Macauley Luke , Chur-Hansen Anna
Published: December 2022

Research investigating health benefits from household human–animal bonds has focused mostly on bonds with companion dogs, cats, and horses. Wellbeing benefits associated with other companion animal species such as birds, fish, and reptiles are described and anecdotally reported, but there is little empirical literature supporting this. The literature suggests that health benefits of companion animals are predicated on human perceptions of the animal rather than the animal’s species. Therefore, relationships with non-conventional companion animals of diverse species may benefit the health of their human guardians as do dogs, cats, and horses. This narrative review summarizes the current literature exploring perceived health benefits gained from non-conventional companion animals. Searches were conducted for published literature and grey literature up to October 2022 across PsycINFO and PubMed databases, and Newsbank media database for commercial media publications. Nineteen studies and 10 media articles were included in the review. Gaps in the literature include a lack of rigorous research to investigate the health benefits of non-conventional companion animals. Non-conventional companion animals may benefit their guardians by providing social support through acting as attachment figures, facilitating social opportunities and daily routines, fulfilling cognitive needs, and recreating restorative capacities of mindfully observing natural landscapes. Further high-quality research into the human-non-conventional companion animal bond is warranted.
Syndromic Testing in Infectious Diseases: From Diagnostic Stewardship to Antimicrobial Stewardship
Authors: Săndulescu Oana , Streinu-Cercel Anca , Moțoi Maria Magdalena , Streinu-Cercel Adrian , Preoțescu Liliana Lucia
Published: December 2022

The implementation into clinical practice of syndromic testing by multiplex polymerase chain reaction allows early etiological diagnosis and paves the way towards timely targeted treatment. However, there is stringent need for diagnostic stewardship, as multiplex testing can also come with a high risk of misdiagnosis if improperly ordered or interpreted. We report two cases that illustrate proper and improper diagnostic stewardship, having important implications for correct patient management and application of antimicrobial stewardship into current clinical practice.
Effectiveness of Oscillating and Rotating versus High-Frequency Sonic Powered Toothbrush in Dental Hygiene University Students: A Proof-of-Concept Study
Authors: Ferrillo Martina , Mariani Paola , Gallo Vittorio , Leone Silvia , Pezzotti Federica , Fortunato Leonzio , Giudice Amerigo , Migliario Mario
Published: December 2022

Plaque biofilm is considered one of the etiological factors involved in the onset of caries and gingivitis, and is associated with the progression of periodontitis and peri-implant inflammation. There is no agreement in the literature on the effectiveness of the oscillating-rotating (OR) powered toothbrush (PTB) and high-frequency sonic (HFS) PTB in improving oral health. Thus, using the present proof-of-concept study we aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of OR PTB versus HFS PTB in terms of the improvement in plaque, gingival inflammation, and lingual patina indexes in dental hygiene university students. Dental hygiene students from the University of Eastern Piedmont “A. Avogadro” of Novara, Italy from November 2019 to October 2021 were recruited. Based on the type of toothbrush previously used for at-home plaque removal, the study participants were divided into two groups: Group 1 (subjects that used MTB prior to the study beginning, asked to use OR PTB for 2 times/day for a minimum of 3 months) and Group 2 (subjects that used HFS PTB prior to the study beginning). All the participants were instructed to avoid floss aids during the study (i.e., pipe cleaners, dental floss, and mouthwash). The outcome measures were: New Method of Plaque Scoring (NMPS), simplified Oral Disease Index (OHI-S), Plaque Control Record (PCR), Gingival Bleeding Index, and Winkel Tongue Coating Index (WTCI). All the outcomes were assessed at baseline (T0) in both groups and after 3 months (T1) in Group 1. Fifty-seven subjects (44 females and 13 males) were included and allocated to the study group (n = 30, 22 females and 8 males) and control group (n = 27, 22 females and 5 males). At T0, all the indexes were significantly higher in Group 2 (p < 0.0001). At T1, NMPS, OHI-S, PCR, GBI, and WTCI were statistically improved in Group 1 (p < 0.0001). Lastly, there was a statistically significant difference between Group 1 at T1 and Group 2 at T0 in terms of NMPS (p = 0.043), OHI-S (p = 0.032), and PCR (p < 0.001). Taken together, the findings of this proof-of-concept study showed the effectiveness over a 3-month period of both oscillating-rotating and sonic PTB in terms of oral health status in a sample of dental hygiene students.
Experimental Research on Unit Operation for Fruit Crops’ Bones Calibration
Authors: Bondarenko Larysa , Halko Serhii , Matsulevych Oleksandr , Tetervak Illia , Vershkov Oleksandr , Miroshnyk Oleksandr , Nitsenko Vitalii , Havrysh Valerii
Published: December 2022

The article presents the results of the implementation of the mathematical planning of the experiment to determine the optimal parameters of the calibration process of cherry, sweet cherry, cherry plum, apricot and almond seeds. The essence of this process is the separation of seeds (bones) of fruit crops into fractions homogenous in size in order to highlight the middle fraction, which is about 80% of the total number of bones. The bones of the middle fraction are of the highest quality and are most suitable for sowing. The shape of the bones was evaluated by three parameters: length, width, and height. Calibration was performed according to the width of the bone. To carry out experimental studies, a calibration device was developed, the working body of which is the sieve part. Ball cleaners were used to prevent clogging of the perforated sieve. A mathematical theory of experimental planning was used. The criterion of optimization for all fruit crops was taken as an indicator of the quality of bone division into homogeneous fractions. The functional dependence of this indicator on the frequency and amplitude of oscillations of the grating part of the calibration unit, as well as on the angle of inclination of the sieves, was investigated. To implement the experimental data, we used a rotatable Boks plan of the second order. Regression models of the cherry, sweet cherry, cherry plum, apricot, and almond calibration process were obtained. Adequacy of the models was assessed by Fisher’s criterion. As a result, the optimal operating parameters of the installation were determined. This ensures the qualitative separation of the bones of fruit crops into homogeneous fractions with a mass deviation of up to 7%. An assessment of the quality of work of ball sieve cleaners was carried out. To do this, we used the coefficient of efficiency of the live cross-section. With the optimal parameters of the installation, the value of this coefficient of the unit for all fruit crops is within 0.87 to 0.95. This indicates that the calibration process is of high quality.
Computer Simulations of Dual-Antenna Microwave Ablation and Comparison to Experimental Measurements
Authors: Wang Jinying , Huang Shengyang , Gao Hongjian , Liu Ju , Zhang Yubo , Wu Shuicai
Published: December 2022

Single-antenna microwave ablation (MWA) is mainly used to treat small tumors less than 3 cm in diameter. To obtain a larger coagulation zone in a single ablation, a dual-antenna ablation approach was proposed. A three-dimensional finite element method (FEM) simulation model of parallel dual-antennas was developed. Ex vivo experiments at 50 W for 8 min were performed to verify the model. Both the temperature changes in tissue and the size of the coagulation zone were recorded. The effects of dual-antenna spacing, heating power, and blood perfusion on the coagulation zone were analyzed. Fifteen experiments were carried out. The errors between the mean measurements and simulated results at the set temperature points were 1.08 °C, 0.95 °C, and 2.1 °C, respectively. For the same conditions, the blood perfusion of 1.0, 1.5, and 3.0 kg/(m3·s) can result in a reduction in the coagulation volume by 18.4%, 25.4%, and 42.5%. As the spacing increased, the coagulation zone of each antenna started to fuse together later and the resulting integral coagulation zone became larger. Dual-antenna MWA is expected to be used for the treatment of tumors larger than 5 cm in diameter.