bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Genome-Wide Association Analysis and Genomic Prediction for Adult-Plant Resistance to Septoria Tritici Blotch and Powdery Mildew in Winter Wheat
Authors: Alemu Admas , Brazauskas Gintaras , Gaikpa David S. , Henriksson Tina , Islamov Bulat , Jørgensen Lise Nistrup , Koppel Mati , Koppel Reine , Liatukas Žilvinas , Svensson Jan T. , Chawade Aakash
Published: May 2021

Septoria tritici blotch (STB) caused by the fungal pathogen Zymoseptoria tritici and powdery mildew (PM) caused by Blumeria graminis f.sp tritici (Bgt) are among the forefront foliar diseases of wheat that lead to a significant loss of grain yield and quality. Resistance breeding aimed at developing varieties with inherent resistance to STB and PM diseases has been the most sustainable and environment-friendly approach. In this study, 175 winter wheat landraces and historical cultivars originated from the Nordic region were evaluated for adult-plant resistance (APR) to STB and PM in Denmark, Estonia, Lithuania, and Sweden. Genome-wide association study (GWAS) and genomic prediction (GP) were performed based on the adult-plant response to STB and PM in field conditions using 7,401 single-nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) markers generated by 20K SNP chip. Genotype-by-environment interaction was significant for both disease scores. GWAS detected stable and environment-specific quantitative trait locis (QTLs) on chromosomes 1A, 1B, 1D, 2B, 3B, 4A, 5A, 6A, and 6B for STB and 2A, 2D, 3A, 4B, 5A, 6B, 7A, and 7B for PM adult-plant disease resistance. GP accuracy was improved when assisted with QTL from GWAS as a fixed effect. The GWAS-assisted GP accuracy ranged within 0.53–0.75 and 0.36–0.83 for STB and PM, respectively, across the tested environments. This study highlights that landraces and historical cultivars are a valuable source of APR to STB and PM. Such germplasm could be used to identify and introgress novel resistance genes to modern breeding lines.
Postpartum HPV Vaccination Rate and Differences in Background Characteristics Between HPV Vaccinated and Unvaccinated Postpartum Women: Strict Monitoring and Follow-Up of Postpartum HPV Vaccination Program
Authors: Lee Chung-Yuan , Tseng Chih-Jen , Chang Chi-Chang , Lee Meng-Chih , Yang Shun-Fa
Published: May 2021

There is a need to increase the vaccine completion rates in women who have already received human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccines. With vaccines requiring multiple doses, designing a vaccination control program and increasing the proportion of women who complete vaccination are critical and remain as huge challenges. Currently, there are no published reports on the differences in the background characteristics between postpartum women who are vaccinated or unvaccinated against HPV. This study aimed to determine the vaccination rates of the second and third doses of HPV vaccination utilizing an achievable HPV vaccination program in postpartum women. In this retrospective study, 243 postpartum women attending Chiayi Chang Gung Memorial Hospital between March and September 2014 were enrolled. These women were classified into two groups: one group received the HPV vaccine under a practical, controlled postpartum HPV vaccination program, and the other group did not. The rates for the second and third rounds of HPV vaccination in postpartum women were calculated. The differences in the background characteristics between the two groups were determined using the Student’s t test, chi-square test or Fisher’s exact test, and the multiple logistic models, as appropriate. Under the controlled postpartum HPV vaccination program, the completion rate for the three doses of postpartum HPV vaccination was 97.2%. Significant differences were observed according to maternal age, gender of the newborn, and postpartum Pap smear results between the two groups in our study. In conclusion, the controlled postpartum HPV vaccination program is a reasonable method for achieving an excellent completion rate for the three doses of postpartum HPV vaccination and may be a good model for any multiple-dose vaccination protocol.
Oxygen-Mediated Suppression of CD8+ T Cell Proliferation by Macrophages: Role of Pharmacological Inhibitors of HIF Degradation
Authors: Gojkovic Milos , Cunha Pedro P. , Darmasaputra Gabriella S. , Barbieri Laura , Rundqvist Helene , Veliça Pedro , Johnson Randall S.
Published: May 2021

Myeloid cell interactions with cells of the adaptive immune system are an essential aspect of immunity. A key aspect of that interrelationship is its modulation by the microenvironment. Oxygen is known to influence myelosuppression of T cell activation in part via the Hypoxia inducible (HIF) transcription factors. A number of drugs that act on the HIF pathway are currently in clinical use and it is important to evaluate how they act on immune cell function as part of a better understanding of how they will influence patient outcomes. We show here that increased activation of the HIF pathway, either through deletion of the negative regulator of HIF, the von Hippel-Lindau (VHL) gene, in myeloid cells, or through pharmacological inhibitors of VHL-mediated degradation of HIF, potently suppresses T cell proliferation in myeloid cell/T cell culture. These data demonstrate that both pharmacological and genetic activation of HIF in myeloid cells can suppress adaptive cell immune response.
Interleukin-17A Causes Osteoarthritis-Like Transcriptional Changes in Human Osteoarthritis-Derived Chondrocytes and Synovial Fibroblasts In Vitro
Authors: Mimpen Jolet Y. , Baldwin Mathew J. , Cribbs Adam P. , Philpott Martin , Carr Andrew J. , Dakin Stephanie G. , Snelling Sarah J.B.
Published: May 2021

Increased interleukin (IL)-17A has been identified in joints affected by osteoarthritis (OA), but it is unclear how IL-17A, and its family members IL-17AF and IL-17F, can contribute to human OA pathophysiology. Therefore, we aimed to evaluate the gene expression and signalling pathway activation effects of the different IL-17 family members in chondrocytes and synovial fibroblasts derived from cartilage and synovium of patients with end-stage knee OA. Immunohistochemistry staining confirmed that IL-17 receptor A (IL-17RA) and IL-17RC are expressed in end-stage OA-derived cartilage and synovium. Chondrocytes and synovial fibroblasts derived from end-stage OA patients were treated with IL-17A, IL-17AF, or IL-17F, and gene expression was assessed with bulk RNA-Seq. Hallmark pathway analysis showed that IL-17 cytokines regulated several OA pathophysiology-related pathways including immune-, angiogenesis-, and complement-pathways in both chondrocytes and synovial fibroblasts derived from end-stage OA patients. While overall IL-17A induced the strongest transcriptional response, followed by IL-17AF and IL-17F, not all genes followed this pattern. Disease-Gene Network analysis revealed that IL-17A-related changes in gene expression in these cells are associated with experimental arthritis, knee arthritis, and musculoskeletal disease gene-sets. Western blot analysis confirmed that IL-17A significantly activates p38 and p65 NF-κB. Incubation of chondrocytes and synovial fibroblasts with anti-IL-17A monoclonal antibody secukinumab significantly inhibited IL-17A-induced gene expression. In conclusion, the association of IL-17-induced transcriptional changes with arthritic gene-sets supports a role for IL-17A in OA pathophysiology. Future studies should further investigate the role of IL-17A in the OA joint to establish whether anti-IL-17 treatment could be a potential therapeutic option in OA patients with an inflammatory phenotype.
Pan-Mitogenomics Approach Discovers Diversity and Dynamism in the Prominent Brown Rot Fungal Pathogens
Authors: Yildiz Gozde , Ozkilinc Hilal
Published: May 2021

Monilinia fructicola and Monilinia laxa species are the most destructive and economically devastating fungal plant pathogens causing brown rot disease on stone and pome fruits worldwide. Mitochondrial genomes (mitogenomes) play critical roles influencing the mechanisms and directions of the evolution of fungal pathogens. The pan-mitogenomics approach predicts core and accessory regions of the mitochondrial genomes and explains the gain or loss of variation within and between species. The present study is a fungal pan-mitogenome of M. fructicola (N = 8) and M. laxa (N = 8) species. The completely sequenced and annotated mitogenomes showed high variability in size within and between the species. The mitogenomes of M. laxa were larger, ranging from 178,351 to 179,780bp, than the mitogenomes of M. fructicola, ranging from 158,607 to 167,838bp. However, size variation within the species showed that M. fructicola isolates were more variable in the size range than M. laxa isolates. All the mitogenomes included conserved mitochondrial genes, as well as variable regions including different mobile introns encoding homing endonucleases or maturase, non-coding introns, and repetitive elements. The linear model analysis supported the hypothesis that the mitogenome size expansion is due to presence of variable (accessory) regions. Gene synteny was mostly conserved among all samples, with the exception for order of the rps3 in the mitogenome of one isolate. The mitogenomes presented AT richness; however, A/T and G/C skew varied among the mitochondrial genes. The purifying selection was detected in almost all the protein-coding genes (PCGs) between the species. However, cytochrome b was the only gene showing a positive selection signal among the total samples. Combined datasets of amino acid sequences of 14 core mitochondrial PCGs and rps3 obtained from this study together with published mitochondrial genome sequences from some other species from Heliotales were used to infer a maximum likelihood (ML) phylogenetic tree. ML tree indicated that both Monilinia species highly diverged from each other as well as some other fungal species from the same order. Mitogenomes harbor much information about the evolution of fungal plant pathogens, which could be useful to predict pathogenic life strategies.
System-Theoretic Methods for Designing Bio-Inspired Mem-Computing Memristor Cellular Nonlinear Networks
Authors: Ascoli Alon , Tetzlaff Ronald , Kang Sung-Mo Steve , Chua Leon
Published: May 2021

The introduction of nano-memristors in electronics may allow to boost the performance of integrated circuits beyond the Moore era, especially in view of their extraordinary capability to process and store data in the very same physical volume. However, recurring to nonlinear system theory is absolutely necessary for the development of a systematic approach to memristive circuit design. In fact, the application of linear system-theoretic techniques is not suitable to explore thoroughly the rich dynamics of resistance switching memories, and designing circuits without a comprehensive picture of the nonlinear behaviour of these devices may lead to the realization of technical systems failing to operate as desired. Converting traditional circuits to memristive equivalents may require the adaptation of classical methods from nonlinear system theory. This paper extends the theory of time- and space-invariant standard cellular nonlinear networks with first-order processing elements for the case where a single non-volatile memristor is inserted in parallel to the capacitor in each cell. A novel nonlinear system-theoretic method allows to draw a comprehensive picture of the dynamical phenomena emerging in the memristive mem-computing array, beautifully illustrated in the so-called Primary Mosaic for the class of uncoupled memristor cellular nonlinear networks. Employing this new analysis tool it is possible to elucidate, with the support of illustrative examples, how to design variability-tolerant bio-inspired cellular nonlinear networks with second-order memristive cells for the execution of computing tasks or of memory operations. The capability of the class of memristor cellular nonlinear networks under focus to store and process information locally, without the need to insert additional memory units in each cell, may allow to increase considerably the spatial resolution of state-of-the-art purely CMOS sensor-processor arrays. This is of great appeal for edge computing applications, especially since the Internet-of-Things industry is currently calling for the realization of miniaturized, lightweight, low-power, and high-speed mem-computers with sensing capability on board.
Silk Vista Baby Is a Safe and Technically Feasible Flow Diverting Stent for Distal Aneurysm Treatment
Authors: Gavrilovic Vladimir , Dapoto Annarita , Marotti Nicola , Pellegrin Andrea , Pauro Alessandro , Vit Alessandro , Sponza Massimo
Published: May 2021

Background and Purpose: Flow diverting stents are designed to divert blood flow from the aneurysm sac, allowing for eventual occlusion following endovascular therapy. This case series reports clinical experience using the Silk Vista Baby (SVB, Balt Extrusion, Montmorency, France), a flow diverter (FD) designed to treat intracranial aneurysms in small, distal vessels.

Methods: All patients who underwent treatment with SVB at the University Hospital “Santa Maria della Misericordia” of Udine between July 2018 and September 2020 were retrospectively identified. Baseline patient and aneurysm characteristics, intraprocedural technical outcomes, periprocedural complications, modified Rankin Scale (mRS) at discharge, magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) results at 3-month follow-up, and angiographic results at 6-month follow-up were collected.

Results: A total of 18 patients (55.6% [10/18] male; mean age 62.6 years, range: 42–77 years) were retrospectively identified, receiving treatment for 22 aneurysms. Most patients were symptomatic (14/18, 77.8%) and approximately half had subarachnoid hemorrhage (10/18, 55.6%). Sufficient aneurysm coverage was achieved in 88.9% (16/18) of patients with a single device. Mortality did not occur (0/18, 0%); adverse device-related events included side branch occlusion (1/18, 5.6%) and in-stent thrombosis (1/18, 5.6%). At discharge, 77.8% (14/18) had an mRS of 0. In most cases, patients showed complete occlusion (10/15, 66.7%) or a small aneurysmal remnant (3/15, 20.0%) upon MRI; upon angiography, most showed complete occlusion (10/13, 76.9%) or only a small aneurysmal remnant (2/13, 15.4%).

Conclusion: This case series showed that the SVB FD is safe and feasible to use in patients with aneurysms in small, distal vessels. Additional randomized, prospective studies with larger cohorts are needed for the SVB.
Hepatic Arterial Infusion Chemotherapy of Oxaliplatin, Fluorouracil, and Leucovorin With or Without Sorafenib as Initial Treatment for Advanced Hepatocellular Carcinoma
Authors: Liang Run-Bin , Zhao Yang , He Min-Ke , Wen Dong-Sheng , Bu Xiao-Yun , Huang Ye-Xing , Lai Zhi-Cheng , Xu Yu-Jie , Kan Anna , Wei Wei , Zhang Yao-Jun , Chen Min-Shan , Guo Rong-Ping , Li Qi-Jiong , Shi Ming
Published: May 2021

Purpose

Our previous study showed that hepatic arterial infusion chemotherapy (HAIC) using oxaliplatin, fluorouracil, and leucovorin (FOLFOX) plus sorafenib provided a significant survival benefit over sorafenib for advanced hepatocellular carcinoma. However, it is unclear whether the survival benefit should be attributed to the synergism between HAIC and sorafenib or just HAIC alone. We aim to compare HAIC using FOLFOX plus sorafenib with HAIC alone in patients with advanced hepatocellular carcinoma.

Materials and Methods

This was a retrospective study including 225 eligible patients treated with HAIC using FOLFOX (HAIC alone group, n=126, oxaliplatin 85 mg/m², leucovorin 400 mg/m², fluorouracil bolus 400 mg/m² and 2400 mg/m² for 46 hours, every 3 weeks) alone or HAIC plus sorafenib (soraHAIC group, n=99, sorafenib 400 mg twice daily). Survival curves were calculated by the Kaplan-Meier method, and propensity-score matching was used to reduce bias.

Results

The soraHAIC group showed a longer overall survival (12.9 [95% CI, 10.4-15.4] vs. 10.5 [95% CI, 9.5-11.5] months, HR=0.71 [95% CI, 0.53-0.96]; P=0.025), a better progression free survival (7.0 [95% CI, 5.3-8.8] vs. 5.3 [95% CI, 3.5-7.1] months, HR=0.76 [95% CI, 0.58-0.99]; P=0.046), and a higher disease control rate (RECIST 1.1: 74.8% vs. 61.1%, P=0.030) than the HAIC alone group. In multivariate analysis, soraHAIC was an independent favor factor for survival. In terms of the grade 3/4 adverse event, hand–foot skin reaction was more frequent in the soraHAIC group than the HAIC alone group. In the propensity-score matched cohorts (93 pairs), the overall survival, the progression free survival and disease control rates in the soraHAIC group were also better than those in the HAIC group (P<0.05).

Conclusion

HAIC plus sorafenib may improve overall survival and progression free survival compared with HAIC alone as initial treatment for advanced hepatocellular carcinoma.
RETRACTED: AnnexinA5 Might Suppress the Phenotype of Human Gastric Cancer Cells via ERK Pathway
Authors: Wang Xiaojie , Dai Yarui , Zhao Yina , Li Meichuan , Zhang Jialu , Ci Yunzhe , Wang Huan , Li Xin
Published: May 2021

Gastric cancer is one of the most fatal diseases around the world. However, the mechanism of the development of gastric cancer is still not clarified. In addition, the anticancer drugs have cytotoxicity with different degrees. AnnexinA5, a member of the annexin family, has a great binding ability with the membrane phospholipid in a calcium dependent manner and is involved in the development of various cancers. This study aims to explore the influence of annexinA5 on human gastric cancer cells and whether it has the potential to be an auxiliary treatment to gastric cancer. In this study, the role of annexinA5 was detected from both the endogenous and the exogenous aspects on the gastric cancer cell lines MGC-803 and MKN-45. The cells were divided into a knockdown group in which RNA interference technique was used to suppress annexinA5 expression and a protein-supplementing group in which annexinA5 protein was added in the culture supernatant. After the suppression ratio of RNA interference was determined and the IC50 of annexinA5 protein was decided respectively, the cells’ proliferation was detected by MTT assay, colony formation assay, and the expression of PCNA. FCM assay and PI staining methods were applied to test cell apoptosis and necrosis. To investigate whether ANXA5 influence cell metastasis, wound healing assay and transwell assay were employed. To further detect the mechanism of annexinA5 action, the signal pathway was examined with Western Blot method. When ANXA5 gene was knocked down, cell proliferation and metastasis were promoted, while cell apoptosis was suppressed. On the other hand, after the annexinA5 protein was applied to the gastric cancer cells, cell proliferation and metastasis were inhibited, while cell apoptosis and necrosis were promoted. AnnexinA5 played its role via ERK signal pathway. ANXA5 acted as tumor suppressor gene in the gastric cancer by suppressing ERK signal pathway and has the potentiality to be an auxiliary anticancer agent.
Authoritarianism and Attitudes Toward Welfare Recipients Under Covid-19 Shock
Authors: Blanchet Alexandre , Landry Normand
Published: May 2021

This paper has looked at the evolution of attitudes toward welfare recipients and the impact of authoritarian dispositions on these attitudes in the context of the Covid-19 health crisis. We used two representative surveys, the first (n= 2,054) conducted in the summer of 2019 and the second (n= 2,060) in Quebec in June 2020, near the end of the first wave of the Covid-19 pandemic in the province. One thousand one hundred and seventy eight participants in the second survey had also participated in the first, allowing to analyze potential movement among many of the same individuals. Overall, while our results clearly indicated that authoritarian dispositions were associated with more negative views of welfare recipients, the pandemic does not appear to have affected the relationship between these attitudes and authoritarian traits. Additionally, we found no evidence that a direct measure of perceived threat moderated the relation between authoritarianism and attitude toward welfare recipients. Yet, we did find that, in the context of the pandemic, authoritarianism was associated with the attribution of lower deservingness scores to welfare recipients who were fit for work, suggesting that authoritarianism interacts with an important deservingness heuristic when evaluating who deserves to be helped.
What Cognitive Mechanism, When, Where, and Why? Exploring the Decision Making of University and Professional Rugby Union Players During Competitive Matches
Authors: Ashford Michael , Abraham Andrew , Poolton Jamie
Published: May 2021

Over the past 50 years decision making research in team invasion sport has been dominated by three research perspectives,information processing,ecological dynamics, andnaturalistic decision making. Recently, attempts have been made to integrate perspectives, as conceptual similarities demonstrate the decision making process as an interaction between a players perception of game information and the individual and collective capability to act on it. Despite this, no common ground has been found regarding what connects perception and action during performance. The differences between perspectives rest on the role of stored mental representations, that may, or may not facilitate the retrieval of appropriate responses in time pressured competitive environments. Additionally, in team invasion sports like rugby union, the time available to players to perceive, access memory and act, alters rapidly between specific game situations. Therefore, the aim of this study was to examine theoretical differences and the mechanisms that underpin them, through the vehicle of rugby union. Sixteen semi-elite rugby union players took part in two post-game procedures to explore the following research objectives; (i) to consider how game situations influence players perception of information; (ii) to consider how game situations influence the application of cognitive mechanisms whilst making decisions; and (iii) to identify the influence of tactics and/or strategy on player decision making. Deductive content analysis and elementary units of meaning derived from self-confrontation elicitation interviews indicate that specific game situations such as; the lineout, scrum or open phases of play or the tackle situation in attack or defence all provide players with varying complexity of perceptual information, formed through game information and time available to make decisions. As time increased, players were more likely to engage with task-specific declarative knowledge-of the game, stored as mental representations. As time diminished, players tended to diagnose and update their knowledge-in the game in a rapid fashion. Occasionally, when players described having no time, they verbalised reacting on instinct through a direct connection between perception and action. From these findings, clear practical implications and directions for future research and dissemination are discussed.
Clinical Characteristics of Patients With Re-admitted of Novel Coronavirus 2019 (nCOVID-19) in Wenzhou, China
Authors: Ye Xinchun , Yuan Yuping , Huang Risheng , Cheng Aiqiong , Yu Zhijie , Huang Ziyang , Chen Rongrong , Jiang Xiangao , Zheng Yuanliang , Shi Jichan
Published: May 2021

Background: During the COVID-19 pandemic, many patients admitted to hospital for treatment have recovered and been discharged; however, in some instances, these same patients are re-admitted due to a second fever or a positive COVID-19 PCR test result. To ascertain whether it is necessary to treat these patients in hospitals, especially in asymptomatic cases, we summarize and analyze the clinical and treatment characteristics of patients re-admitted to hospital with a second COVID-19 infection.

Methods: Of the 141 COVID-19 cases admitted to the Wenzhou Central Hospital between January 17, 2020, to March 5, 2020, which were followed until March 30, 2020, 12 patients were re-admitted with a second COVID-19 infection. Data was collected and analyzed from their clinical records, lab indexes, commuted tomography (CT), and treatment strategies.

Results: Most of the 141 patients had positive outcomes from treatment, with only 12 (8.5%) being re-admitted. In this sub-group: one (8.3%) had a fever, a high white blood cell count (WBC), and progressive CT changes; and one (8.3%) had increased transaminase. The PCR tests of these two patients returned negative results. Another 10 patients were admitted due to a positive PCR test result, seven of which were clinically asymptomatic. Compared to the CT imaging following their initial discharge, the CT imaging of all patients was significantly improved, and none required additional oxygen or mechanical ventilation during their second course of treatment.

Conclusions: The prognoses of the re-admitted patients were good with no serious cases. We conclude that home treatment with concentrated medical observation is a safe and feasible course of treatment if the patient returns a positive PCR test result but does not display serious clinical symptoms. During medical observation, patients with underlying conditions should remain a primary focus, but most do not need to be re-admitted to the hospital.
Good Vibes: What Happens When Monkeys Are Nice to Each Other?
Authors: Semple Stuart
Published: May 2021

Humans belong to a group of animals known as primates. This group includes the lemurs, monkeys, and apes. Scientists have studied the behavior of primates for many years, and one reason for doing this is to find out how similar—or not—primates are to us. This article will tell you about research we have carried out into the social behavior of a monkey known as the Barbary macaque. We looked at a special behavior, grooming, where one animal does a favor to another by cleaning its fur, removing dirt, ticks, and fleas. We discovered that doing grooming makes monkeys feel relaxed, and that even observing others groom has the same effect. These findings suggest that for monkeys, being nice—or just watching others being nice—makes them feel good. This is also true for humans, so our lives and those of the other primates are more similar than we previously thought.
What Drives Farm Structural Change? An Analysis of Economic, Demographic and Succession Factors
Authors: Corsi Alessandro , Frontuto Vito , Novelli Silvia
Published: May 2021

The evolution of farm size and land use are important determinants of the efficiency and profitability of agriculture and the configuration of the territory. In this paper, a conceptual framework of the evolution of the number of farms and land use is presented, arguing that a major determinant of the change in the number of farms is the presence or absence of successors to ageing farmers and that these socio-demographic variables shape the evolution of the sector in terms of farm size, while they do not significantly affect the changes in the farmed area. This hypothesis was empirically tested with data drawn from individual farm records of the Italian Agricultural Censuses of 2000 and 2010—aggregated at the municipality level for an Italian region—by estimating regressions on the decrease rates of the number of farms, the utilised agricultural area and the total agricultural area. The results support the conclusion that the change in the number of farms was largely determined by the absence of successors in family farms and by the average operators’ age, unlike the change in the farmed area, for which natural land conditions were the main drivers.
Effect of Hydrogen Cyanamide on Bud Break, Fruit Yield and Quality of Highbush Blueberry in Greenhouse Production
Authors: Wang Hao , Xia Xiuying , An Lijia
Published: May 2021

Highbush blueberries need sufficient chilling exposure to induce bud break and flowering, which limits their cultivation in warm areas as well as the profitability of protected cultivation in greenhouses. Hydrogen cyanamide (H2CN2, HC), gibberellic acid (GA3), ethephon (CE), mineral oil (MO), and potassium nitrate (KNO3) are often applied to deciduous fruit trees to advance bud break and fruit set. In this study, experiments were conducted in northeast China to determine the effects of different concentrations of HC or HC in combination with GA3, CE, MO, and KNO3 on bud break, fruit quality, and fruit yield in greenhouse-grown highbush blueberry (Vaccinium corymbosum L.). The results showed that all of the treatment agents could advance bud break by at least 15 days and fruit ripening by 16 days compared to the control. In addition, all treatments could promote the development of flowers and fruits and shorten the flowering and harvest periods. Compared with the control, 0.5% HC or 0.67% HC treatment increased the fruit yield of 5-year-old and 7-year-old bushes, especially early yield. Experiments carried out over two consecutive years in two different varieties, namely ‘M7’ and ‘Brigitta’, further confirmed the positive effect of 0.67% HC application on fruit yield. The results also showed that 0.67% HC had no negative effects on fruit quality. These findings may encourage growers to consider spraying HC in greenhouses to increase fruit yield, especially early yield, in order to schedule the harvest time for a more lucrative marketing period.
Relationship between Colonization by Onion Thrips (Thrips tabaci Lind.) and Leaf Colour Measures across Eight Onion Cultivars (Allium cepa L.)
Authors: Pobożniak Maria , Olczyk Marta , Wójtowicz Tomasz
Published: May 2021

Thrips tabaci Lindeman is a global pest and also represents a serious threat to onion production in Poland. In 2 years (2015–2016) of field studies, 8 onion cultivars were evaluated to characterize their susceptibility to onion thrips and to determine if leaf colour is associated with thrips preference. The actual count and the proportional abundance of adult thrips collected from onion leaves during plant colonization by insects were both used to express the preference of thrips for different onion cultivars. At the same time, the colour measurements were analysed by considering the CIELAB (CIE 1976 L*a*b*) and CIE L*C*h* colour spaces. There were distinct differences in the susceptibility of onion cultivars to colonization by onion thrips. Leaf colour coordinate values were correlated with attractiveness to thrips; typically, higher lightness (L*), yellowness (b*), chroma (C*), hue (h*), and lower redness (a*) attracted more thrips. We concluded that the vivid, intense green-yellowish leaf colour of susceptible varieties might have been the cause of the thrips preference observed. We also identified useful genotypes, Tęcza and Wenta, for host plant resistance to thrips and suggest a link between colour and antixenotic resistance. The resistant cultivars had darker, green-grey-yellowish leaves.
Evaluation of an Image Analysis Approach to Predicting Primal Cuts and Lean in Light Lamb Carcasses
Authors: Batista Ana Catharina , Santos Virgínia , Afonso João , Guedes Cristina , Azevedo Jorge , Teixeira Alfredo , Silva Severiano
Published: May 2021

Carcass dissection is a more accurate method for determining the composition of a carcass; however, it is expensive and time-consuming. Techniques like VIA are of great interest once they are objective and able to determine carcass contents accurately. This study aims to evaluate the accuracy of a flexible VIA system to determine the weight and yield of the commercial value of carcass cuts of light lamb. Photos from 55 lamb carcasses are taken and a total of 21 VIA measurements are assessed. The half-carcasses are divided into six primal cuts, grouped according to their commercial value: high-value (HVC), medium-value (MVC), low-value (LVC) and all of the cuts (AllC). K-folds cross-validation stepwise regression analyses are used to estimate the weights of the cuts in the groups and their lean meat yields. The models used to estimate the weight of AllC, HVC, MVC and LVC show similar results and a k-fold coefficient of determination (k-fold-R2) of 0.99 is achieved for the HVC and AllC predictions. The precision of the weight and yield of the three prediction models varies from low to moderate, with k-fold-R2 results between 0.186 and 0.530, p < 0.001. The prediction models used to estimate the total lean meat weight are similar and low, with k-fold-R2 results between 0.080 and 0.461, p < 0.001. The results confirm the ability of the VIA system to estimate the weights of parts and their yields. However, more research is needed on estimating lean meat yield.
Milk Fatty Acids Composition Changes According to β-Hydroxybutyrate Concentrations in Ewes during Early Lactation
Authors: Fiore Enrico , Lisuzzo Anastasia , Tessari Rossella , Spissu Nicoletta , Moscati Livia , Morgante Massimo , Gianesella Matteo , Badon Tamara , Mazzotta Elisa , Berlanda Michele , Contiero Barbara , Fiore Filippo
Published: May 2021

Ketosis is a metabolic disease of pregnant and lactating ewes linked to a negative energy balance which can cause different economic losses. The aims of this study were to understand the metabolic status of the early-lactating ewes and to identify biomarkers for early diagnosis of subclinical ketosis. Forty-six Sarda ewes were selected in the immediate post-partum for the collection of the biological samples. A blood sample from the jugular vein was used to determine β-Hydroxybutyrate (BHB) concentrations. Animals were divided into two groups: BHB 0 or healthy group (n = 28) with BHB concentration < 0.86 mmol/L; and BHB 1 or subclinical ketosis (n = 18) with a BHB concentration ≥ 0.86 mmol/L. Ten mL of pool milk were collected at the morning milking for the analyses. The concentration of 34 milk fatty acids was evaluated using gas chromatography. Two biochemical parameters and 11 milk fatty acids of the total lipid fraction presented a p-value ≤ 0.05. The study revealed different relationships with tricarboxylic acid cycle, blood flows, immune and nervous systems, cell functions, inflammatory response, and oxidative stress status. Eight parameters were significant for the receiver operating characteristic (ROC) analysis with an area under the curve greater than 0.70.
Comparison of the Shear Modulus of an Offshore Elastomeric Bearing between Numerical Simulation and Experiment
Authors: Han Dongseop , Che Wooseong
Published: May 2021

The most important item when indicating the mechanical properties of offshore elastomeric bearings is the shear modulus, and the method of measuring this is shown in EN 1337-3, a regulation related to offshore elastomeric bearings. In this work, we conducted an experimental and numerical study on an offshore elastomeric bearing to find its shear modulus. Shear modulus tests were conducted according to the procedure specified in EN 1337-3 Annex F, while simulations were performed using the finite element analysis (FEA) software, ANSYS. The main objective of this research work is to determine optimum analysis conditions for the simulation method that considers a nonlinear model for the elastomer material and predicts the experimental results accurately. We considered the Mooney–Rivlin (M-R) model that has two-parameter (2P), five-parameter (5P), and nine-parameter (9P) forms, depending on the number of terms in the series. We observed that the load-displacement graph is linear, and the percentage error between the results obtained with 2P and 5P M-R models is around 2.23% in the compression and 0.38% in the shear. The simulation results from 2P M-R model showed a good agreement with the experimental results with the correlation coefficient (R2) being 0.999 with an average error of about 2%. However, the deviation between the experimental and simulation results from the 9P M-R model is very high, with about 7%. Based on this study, we can say that the 2P M-R model can accurately predict the nonlinear behavior of hyperelastic material used in elastomer bearing. In addition, the shear modulus of elastic bearings for Class 3 Shore hardness was verified by comparing the numerical simulation values with those presented in EN 1337-3 Annex D.
Characteristic Study of Briquette Cyanobacteria as Fuel in Chemical Looping Combustion with Hematite as Oxygen Carrier
Authors: Zhang Haifeng , Shen Laihong , Ge Huijun , Bai Hongcun
Published: May 2021

Due to the more and more serious cyanobacteria bloom problem, it is particularly urgent to find a technology suitable for large-scale disposal and the efficient recovery of abundant nitrogen and phosphorus resources in cyanobacteria. The combination of chemical looping combustion (CLC) and biomass densification technology is thought to be a promising utilization selection. Based on the experimental results, the mechanical strength and energy density of briquette cyanobacteria are evidently increased with the compressive load; whereas, 10% is the optimal moisture content in the densification process. A higher heating rate in TGA would result in the damage of the internal structure of the briquette cyanobacteria, which are conducive to the carbon conversion efficiency. The presence of a hematite oxygen carrier would enhance the carbon conversion and catalyzed crack liquid products. CO2 yield is increased 25 percent and CH4 yield is decreased 50 percent at 900 °C in the CLC process. In addition, the lower temperature and reduction atmosphere in CLC would result in a lower NO emission concentration. The reactivity and porous property of hematite OC in CLC also increased during 10 redox cycle experiments. The CLC process accelerates the generation of CaH2P2O7 and CaHPO4 in cyanobacteria ash, which is more conducive to phosphorus recovery.
Analysis of Quality of Backyard Compost and Its Potential Utilization as a Circular Bio-Waste Source
Authors: Ujj Apolka , Percsi Kinga , Beres Andras , Aleksza Laszlo , Diaz Fernanda Ramos , Gyuricza Csaba , Fogarassy Csaba
Published: May 2021

The use and quality analysis of household compost have become very important issues in recent years due to the increasing interest in local food production and safe, self-produced food. The phenomenon was further exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic quarantine period, which gave new impetus to the growth of small home gardens. However, the knowledge associated with making high-quality compost is often lacking in home gardeners. Therefore, the objective of this research was to find answers to the following questions: can the quality of backyard compost be considered safe in terms of toxicity and nutrient content? Can weed seed dispersion affect the usability of backyard compost? In general, can the circulation of organic matter be increased with the spread of home composting? In this study, 16 different house composts were analysed for stability, weed seed contamination, toxic elements, and nutrient content using analysis of variance. The results of the research showed that the quality properties of the composts (including their weed seed dispersion effect) were greatly influenced by the different techniques and raw materials used. The toxicity levels, as well as the content of macro and microelements, were within the parameters of safe-quality compost. The specific macronutrient (Ca, Mg) and micronutrient (Fe, Mn) contents of the tested composts have a similar and, in some cases, more favorable nutrient supply capacity in crop production than the frequently-used cow manure-based composts. With a plan of basic education on composting, there is potential to encourage farmyard composting.
Image Processing and QR Code Application Method for Construction Safety Management
Authors: Kim Joon-Soo , Yi Chang-Yong , Park Young-Jun
Published: May 2021

Construction safety accidents occur due to a combination of factors. Even a minor accident that could have been treated as a simple injury can lead to a serious accident or death, depending on when and where it occurred. Currently, methods for tracking worker behavior to manage such construction safety accidents are being studied. However, applying the methods to the construction site, various additional elements (e.g., sensors, transmitters, wearing equipment, and control systems) that must be additionally installed and managed are required. The cost of installation and management of these factors increases in proportion to the size of the site and the number of targets to be managed. In addition, the application of new equipment and new rules lowers the work efficiency of workers. In this paper, the following contents are described: (1) system overview, (2) image processing-QR code-based safety management target recognition methodology, and (3) object location discrimination technique applying the geometric transformation. Finally, the proposed methodology was tested to confirm the operation in the field, and the experimental results and conclusions were described in the paper.
Special Issue on State-of-the-Art Renewable Energy in Korea
Authors: Geem Zong Woo , Hong Junhee , Hwang Woohyun
Published: May 2021

Nowadays, renewable energy plays an important role in nationwide power systems [...]
Application of Geological Mapping Using Airborne-Based LiDAR DEM to Tunnel Engineering: Example of Dongao Tunnel in Northeastern Taiwan
Authors: Lo Pai-Chiao , Lo Wei , Wang Tai-Tien , Hsieh Yu-Chung
Published: May 2021

The use of digital elevation models (DEMs) that use airborne-based light detection and the ranging technique (airborne-based LiDAR) to understand large-scale geological structures has become important in geological surveying and mapping. Taking the Dongao Tunnel area in northeastern Taiwan as the study area, this study used the airborne-based LiDAR DEM and related value-added maps to interpret the topographic and geomorphic features of the area and identify locations for geological investigation. The characteristics of the rock mass were observed on-site and revealed by excavation of the highway tunnel in the study area; they were compared with the interpreted topographic and geomorphic features to determine the potential of using 1 m-resolution LiDAR DEM in geological surveys and in the evaluation of engineering characteristics of underground rock masses. The results of this study demonstrated that the DEM accurately captured geomorphic features: the strata composed of slate and schist had distinct appearances in both the clinometric map and the hillshade map; the locations of faults, lineaments, and drainage were consistent with those observed on-site, and the positions of these features were captured more accurately than those on conventional maps. Evident microrelief features, including the distribution of scarps, erosion gullies, and mini-drainage systems provide an effective basis for interpreting a deep-seated gravitational deformation slope and for an on-site inspection for validation. The use of high-resolution LiDAR DEM to interpret geomorphic features along with geological surveys provides a more comprehensive understanding of the survey area, supporting surveys and geological mapping, revealing the locations of potential slope failures, and enabling the assessment of tunnel engineering risks.
Impacts of Meteorology and Emissions on O3 Pollution during 2013–2018 and Corresponding Control Strategy for a Typical Industrial City of China
Authors: Yao Shiyin , Wei Wei , Cheng Shuiyuan , Niu Yuan , Guan Panbo
Published: May 2021

The air quality of Handan, a typical industrial city in China, has been significantly improved through atmospheric pollution control, except for ozone (O3) pollution. We found that, in summer, emissions of anthropogenic volatile organic compounds (VOCs) and NOx decreased yearly in Handan, but the O3 concentration significantly declined yearly during 2013–2015, whereas it experienced worsening O3 pollution after 2015. Therefore, we used the Weather Research and Forecasting Community Multiscale Air Quality (WRF–CMAQ) modeling system to simulate the influence of the meteorological conditions and emission changes in Handan during the typical period (June) of O3 pollution in 2013–2018. For benchmarked June 2013, the results showed that the reduction of the O3 concentration in June of 2014–2016 was mainly caused by emission reduction, while in June of 2017–2018, the combined effect of changes in emissions and meteorological conditions led to aggravated O3 pollution. Sensitivity analysis indicated that combined VOCs and NOx emission controls would effectively reduce incremental O3 formation when the abatement ratio of VOCs/NOx should be no less than 0.84, and we found that VOCs reduction would continusouly bring about O3 decreases under various NOx reductions, but its positive sensitivity to O3 would become smaller with NOx reduction. However, the positive influence of NOx reduction on O3 would happen until NOx reduction exceeding 45–60%. The findings will be helpful in formulating emission control strategies for coping with O3 pollution in an industrial city.
Mean Radiant Temperature Measurements through Small Black Globes under Forced Convection Conditions
Authors: d’Ambrosio Alfano Francesca Romana , Ficco Giorgio , Frattolillo Andrea , Palella Boris Igor , Riccio Giuseppe
Published: May 2021

One of the most critical variables in the field of thermal comfort measurements is the mean radiant temperature which is typically measured with a standard 150 mm black globe thermometer. This is also the reference instrument required for the assessment of heat stress conditions by means of the well-known Wet Bulb Globe Temperature index (WBGT). However, one of the limitations of this method is represented by the relatively long response time. This is why in recent years there has been a more and more pressing need of smart sensors for controlling Heating Ventilation and Air Conditioning (HVAC) systems, and for pocket heat stress meters (e.g., WBGT meters provided with table tennis balls). Although it is widely agreed that there is a clear advantage of small probes in terms of response times, their accuracy is a still a debated matter and no systematic studies aimed at metrologically characterizing their performances are actually available, due to the difficulty of reproducing measuring conditions such as a black enclosure at uniform temperature. In this paper the results of a metrological analysis of two small globes (38 and 50 mm diameter) carried out by means of an experimental apparatus specifically designed to reproduce a black uniform enclosure are presented and discussed. Experimental results revealed a systematic underestimation of the mean radiant temperature predicted by small globes of more than 10 °C in forced convection and at high radiative loads.
Projected Changes in Extreme Temperature and Precipitation Indices Over CORDEX-MENA Domain
Authors: Ozturk Tugba , Saygili-Araci F. Sibel , Kurnaz M. Levent
Published: May 2021

In this study, projected changes in climate extreme indices defined by the Expert Team on Climate Change Detection and Indices were investigated over Middle East and North Africa. Changes in the daily maximum and minimum temperature- and precipitation- based extreme indices were analyzed for the end of the 21st century compared to the reference period 1971–2000 using regional climate model simulations. Regional climate model, RegCM4.4 was used to downscale two different global climate model outputs to 50 km resolution under RCP4.5 and RCP8.5 scenarios. Results generally indicate an intensification of temperature- and precipitation- based extreme indices with increasing radiative forcing. In particular, an increase in annual minimum of daily minimum temperatures is more pronounced over the northern part of Mediterranean Basin and tropics. High increase in warm nights and warm spell duration all over the region with a pronounced increase in tropics are projected for the period of 2071–2100 together with decrease or no change in cold extremes. According to the results, a decrease in total wet-day precipitation and increase in dry spells are expected for the end of the century.