bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Inulin supplementation prior to mild traumatic brain injury mitigates gut dysbiosis, and brain vascular and white matter deficits in mice
Authors: Yanckello Lucille M. , Chang Ya-Hsuan , Sun McKenna , Chlipala George , Green Stefan J. , Lei Zhentian , Ericsson Aaron C. , Xing Xin , Hammond Tyler C. , Bachstetter Adam D. , Lin Ai-Ling
Published: November 2022

Introduction

Mild traumatic brain injury (mTBI) has been shown to negatively alter bacterial diversity and composition within the gut, known as dysbiosis, in rodents and humans. These changes cause secondary consequences systemically through decreased bacterial metabolites such as short chain fatty acids (SCFAs) which play a role in inflammation and metabolism. The goal of the study was to identify if giving prebiotic inulin prior to closed head injury (CHI) could mitigate gut dysbiosis, increase SCFAs, and improve recovery outcomes, including protecting cerebral blood flow (CBF) and white matter integrity (WMI) in young mice.

Methods

We fed mice at 2 months of age with either inulin or control diet (with cellulose as fiber source) for two months before the CHI and continued till the end of the study. We analyzed gut microbiome composition and diversity, determined SCFAs levels, and measured CBF and WMI using MRI. We compared the results with Naïve and Sham-injury mice at 24 hours, 1.5 months, and 3-4 months post-injury.

Results

We found that both CHI and Sham mice had time-dependent changes in gut composition and diversity after surgery. Inulin significantly reduced the abundance of pathobiont bacteria, such as E. coli, Desulfovibrio spp and Pseudomonas aeruginosa, in Sham and CHI mice compared to mice fed with control diet. On the other hand, inulin increased SCFAs-producing bacteria, such as Bifidobacterium spp and Lactobacillus spp, increased levels of SCFAs, including butyrate and propionate, and significantly altered beta diversity as early as 24 hours post-injury, which lasted up to 3-4 months post-injury. The mitigation of dysbiosis is associated with protection of WMI in fimbria, internal and external capsule, and CBF in the right hippocampus of CHI mice, suggesting protection of memory and cognitive functions.

Discussion

The results indicate that giving inulin prior to CHI could promote recovery outcome through gut microbiome modulation. As inulin, microbiome analysis, and MRI are readily to be used in humans, the findings from the study may pave a way for a cost-effective, accessible intervention for those at risk of sustaining a head injury, such as military personnel or athletes in contact sports.
The capabilities and deficiencies of life cycle assessment to address the plastic problem
Authors: Miller Shelie A.
Published: November 2022

Plastic is a ubiquitous material that has caused major environmental impacts. Ecosystem damage from improperly disposed plastic waste is the most visible of these impacts; however, plastic also has less visible environmental impacts throughout its supply chain. At the same time, plastic is not unique in possessing severe, often invisible, environmental impacts that occur throughout its life cycle. Life cycle assessment (LCA) is a helpful tool can be used to contextualize the environmental impacts of plastic compared with alternative solutions or material substitutes. LCA can broaden our understanding of the environmental impacts of a product beyond what is the most obvious and visible, taking a comprehensive view that encompasses raw material extraction, manufacturing, transportation, use, and end-of-life. LCA can be used to target specific areas for improvement, understand and evaluate tradeoffs among different materials, and can be helpful to avoid environmental problem-shifting. This review provides an overview of the LCA process and describes the benefits and limitations of LCA methods as they pertain to plastic and plastic waste. This paper summarizes major trends that are observed in prior LCA studies, along with a discussion of how LCA can best be used to help resolve the plastics problem without causing other unintended issues. The life cycle perspective analyzes the environmental impact associated with a specific product, often comparing the environmental impacts of one alternative to another. An alternative perspective analyzes the aggregated environmental impacts of the entire plastic sector, analyzing the full scope and scale of plastics in the environment. Both perspectives provide meaningful data and insights, yet each provides an incomplete understanding of the plastics problem. The comparative LCA perspective and the aggregated environmental impact perspective can complement one another and lead to overall improved environmental outcomes when used in tandem. The discussion highlights that reduced consumption of the underlying need for plastic is the only way to ensure reduced environmental impacts, whereas interventions that promote material substitution and or incentivize shifts toward other kinds of consumption may result in unintended environmental consequences.
Microwave remote sensing for agricultural drought monitoring: Recent developments and challenges
Authors: Vreugdenhil Mariette , Greimeister-Pfeil Isabella , Preimesberger Wolfgang , Camici Stefania , Dorigo Wouter , Enenkel Markus , van der Schalie Robin , Steele-Dunne Susan , Wagner Wolfgang
Published: November 2022

Agricultural droughts are extreme events which are often a result of interplays between multiple hydro-meteorological processes. Therefore, assessing drought occurrence, extent, duration and intensity is complex and requires the combined use of multiple variables, such as temperature, rainfall, soil moisture (SM) and vegetation state. The benefit of using information on SM and vegetation state is that they integrate information on precipitation, temperature and evapotranspiration, making them direct indicators of plant available water and vegetation productivity. Microwave remote sensing enables the retrieval of both SM and vegetation information, and satellite-based SM and vegetation products are available operationally and free of charge on a regional or global scale and daily basis. As a result, microwave remote sensing products play an increasingly important role in drought monitoring applications. Here, we provide an overview of recent developments in using microwave remote sensing for large-scale agricultural drought monitoring. We focus on the intricacy of monitoring the complex process of drought development using multiple variables. First, we give a brief introduction on fundamental concepts of microwave remote sensing together with an overview of recent research, development and applications of drought indicators derived from microwave-based satellite SM and vegetation observations. This is followed by a more detailed overview of the current research gaps and challenges in combining microwave-based SM and vegetation measurements with hydro-meteorological data sets. The potential of using microwave remote sensing for drought monitoring is demonstrated through a case study over Senegal using multiple satellite- and model-based data sets on rainfall, SM, vegetation and combinations thereof. The case study demonstrates the added-value of microwave-based SM and vegetation observations for drought monitoring applications. Finally, we provide an outlook on potential developments and opportunities.
Texting in a crisis—using SMS for information and emotional support during COVID-19: A mixed methods research study
Authors: Wang Mengdi , Wang Changzheng , Peng Xiaobing
Published: November 2022

In the era of new media, short message service (SMS) is no longer seen as advantageous and it is no longer used very much by the Chinese public. However, as a traditional media, local governments managing public health crises used SMS as a way of meeting the public's need for emotional support during the COVID-19 pandemic. Our study examined 108 SMS texts pushed to phones in Chongqing between January and December 2020, and carried out in-depth interviews with ten interviewees. This mixed research method of descriptive and grounded theory analysis was designed to investigate how SMS was used to communicate prevention guidelines and give emotional support during COVID-19. The results show that Chongqing Municipal Health and Health Commission gained the public's attention with SMS messages consisting of neutral, objective advice, and guidance to reduce people's anxiety and panic. However, with the stabilization of COVID-19, SMS has once again been discarded by users, including the public health sector. The study found that the emotional support offered by SMS was limited to the elderly, a subset of the population considered to be weak users of the internet. SMS has been replaced by other technologies, but along with other media, such as official media and social media, it has shaped the media communication environment and served as an emotional support channel for the public. Undoubtedly,the use of SMS during COVID-19 presents a research opportunity for exploring its capacity for prevention, control and emotional support.
Reliability in measurement of three-dimensional anterior pelvic plane orientation by registration with an inertial measurement unit
Authors: Kim Kyungsoo , Wei Ruoyu , Kim Yoon Hyuk
Published: November 2022

It is strongly challenging to obtain functional movement of the pelvis based on the three-dimensional (3D) dynamic anterior pelvic plane (APP) orientation information. This study provided the 3D APP orientation measurement technique by registration with an inertial measurement unit (IMU), and its reliability was tested. The local coordinate systems of the APP and the IMU sensor were registered using two images of the pelvic part from the frontal and left sagittal views in a neutral standing posture. Then, the measurement errors in the APP orientation were analyzed by comparing the values obtained from manually measured four points in the IMU sensor and the known exact values in 10 different postures. Moreover, the errors between values obtained from manually measured three anatomical points and the known exact values were also compared. The average errors were quite small (less than 0.6°) when measuring from three anatomical points and were acceptable (1.6°–3.4°) when measuring from four points in the IMU sensor. These results indicate that the measurement of APP direction using four points in the IMU sensor could be considered reliable in terms of intra-participant and inter-participant. The present technique to register the IMU sensor position and the APP direction by taking X-ray images from the frontal and sagittal directions can be fundamental information to measure the APP direction during dynamic motion when the IMU position is obtained from the IMU sensor data instead of the four-point location information.
Active Disturbance Rejection Control of Voice Coil Motor Active Suspension Based on Displacement Feedback
Authors: Pan Feng , Luo Junlin , Wu Wei
Published: November 2022

Electromagnetic active suspension is an important technique used in vehicles to improve ride comfort and handling stability. To achieve satisfactory suspension performance, the active suspension control requires strong robustness against the vehicle uncertainties and external disturbances. The voice coil motor (VCM) is applied to the active suspension. A suspension model considering the actuator is established. An active suspension controller based on the active disturbance rejection control (ADRC) method is proposed. Through the test platform built, it is demonstrated that the ADRC of VCM active suspension has better performance than the PID. The results indicate that the overshoot and adjustment time of ADRC controller is reduced by 80% and 50%, respectively. The body vertical displacement of the ADRC is 50% smaller than PID.
Hybrid Electric Powered Multi-Lobed Airship for Sustainable Aviation
Authors: Murugaiah Manikandan , Theng Darpan F. , Khan Tabrej , Sebaey Tamer A. , Singh Balbir
Published: November 2022

The excessive depletion of fossil fuels and increasing environmental concerns have led to the need to explore alternative sources of power for aircraft. This has spurred various stakeholders in the aerospace industry to explore hybrid electric propulsion technology and fully electric vehicles. Airships are aerial platforms based on lighter-than-air systems technology. They have several unique features compared to other vehicles, chiefly their being more environmentally friendly due to low fuel consumption. Among airships, lifting-body dynastats are the most suitable configuration for implementing different levels of hybridization in propulsion systems owing to their large surface-to-volume ratio. The present study deals with the relevance of a hybrid propulsion (conventional engine + electric motor) system and its comparison to conventional ones. An objective function based on envelope volume is formulated to achieve an optimal configuration of a tri-lobed dynastat to carry 10 tons of payload over a 500 km range for specified operating conditions powered by conventional fuel and batteries. The design space is explored assuming a predicted future battery technology level with specific energies ranging from 250 to 750 Wh/kg. Three case studies based on the source of power are investigated: fuel alone, fuel + batteries, and fuel + batteries + solar array. It is seen that the airship can be fully electric with zero carbon emissions but at the expense of a longer length (+18%) and higher envelope volume (+63%) compared to the baseline model.
Pose Estimation Method for Non-Cooperative Target Based on Deep Learning
Authors: Deng Liwei , Suo Hongfei , Jia Youquan , Huang Cheng
Published: November 2022

The scientific research strength in the aerospace field has become an essential criterion for measuring a country’s scientific and technological level and comprehensive national power, but in the grand scheme, many factors are beyond human control. As is known, the difficulty with non-cooperative target intersection docking is its failure to provide attitude information autonomously. The existing non-cooperative target poses estimation methods with low accuracy and high resource consumption. This paper proposes a deep-learning-based pose estimation method for solving these problems. The proposed pose estimation method consists of two distinctly innovative works. You Only Look Once v5 (YOLOv5) is an innovative and lightweight network that is used to pre-recognize non-cooperative targets. Another part introduces concurrent space and channel compressor theory modules in a lightweight High-Resolution Network (HRNet) to extend its advantages in real-time, and hence proposes a spatial and channel Squeeze and Excitation—Lightweight High-Resolution Network (scSE-LHRNet) network for pose estimation. To verify the superiority of the proposed network, experiments were conducted on a publicly available dataset with multiple evaluation metrics to compare and analyze existing methods. The experimental results show that the proposed pose estimation method dramatically reduces the complexity of the model, effectively decreases the amount of computation, and achieves significant pose estimation results.
Effects of Flow Spillage Strategies on the Aerodynamic Characteristics of Diverterless Hypersonic Inlets
Authors: Yu Zonghan , Huang Huihui , Wang Ruilin , Lei Yuedi , Yan Xueyang , Jin Zikang , Musa Omer , Huang Guoping
Published: November 2022

This paper compares the aerodynamic characteristics of a central-spillage diverterless hypersonic inlet (i.e., bump inlet, Form 1) with a side-spillage inlet (Form 2) under on/off design conditions when faced with non-uniform inflow. Both forms are designed for a flight Mach number of 6.0 and a cruise altitude of 24.0 km. Numerical methods are introduced and validated. Integrated design results indicate that based on identical contraction ratios, Form 2 is 27.8% lower in height, 28.3% shorter in length, and 34.4% smaller in the windward projection area than Form 1. This provides the evidence that the side-spillage strategy will suppress the external drag less. Then, the aerodynamic performance is investigated under various upstream/downstream boundary conditions (inflow speed range: Mach 2.0~6.0; backpressure fluctuation range: 1~110.0 times the freestream static pressure). The evaluation methods for non-uniform flow fields are first introduced in this paper. Form 2 has a relatively stronger shock system, which allows it to suppress 4.52% more of the pressure fluctuation from the downstream combustion chamber than Form 1. The inlet start margin is widened by approximately 250% due to the self-adaptive flow spillage ability established by the side-spillage strategy. Furthermore, the compression efficiency, internal shock system, spillage ability, etc., are analyzed in detail. In summary, the side-spillage flow organization strategy has better potential for designing wide-ranging air-breathing flight vehicles.
Numerical Research on the NS-SDBD Control of a Hypersonic Inlet in Off-Design Mode
Authors: Yan Yilun , Wang Jiangfeng
Published: November 2022

The overall performance of a scramjet inlet will decline while entering off-design mode. Active flow control using nanosecond surface dielectric barrier discharge (NS-SDBD) can be a novel solution to such inlet–unstart problems. NS-SDBD actuators are deployed on the surface of the internal compression section, controlling the shock waves and the separation area. Numerical simulations of hypersonic flows are carried out using the compressible Reynolds average Navier–Stokes equation (RANS), along with the plasma phenomenological model which is added in as the energy source term. Flow structures and the evolution of performance parameters are analyzed. Results show that NS-SDBD actuators are able to increase the static pressure behind the cowl shock, boosting the downstream total pressure. The compression effect becomes stronger while raising the frequency or shortening the spacing between the actuators. Under the inlet–unstart conditions, the compression wave generated by the actuator pushes the reattachment point forward, making the separation bubble longer in length and shorter in height, which reduces the strength of the separation shock. The results provide a numerical basis for the state control of a hypersonic inlet.
Evaluation and Analysis on the Temperature Prediction Model for Bailing Mushroom in Jizhou, Tianjin
Authors: Liu Ruolan , Yuan Shujie , Han Lin
Published: November 2022

Based on the air temperature, wind speed, humidity, air pressure, etc., of the regional automatic weather station in Chutouling Town, Jizhou from April 2019 to November 2020, and the air temperature of the microclimate observation station receiving data every 10 min in a bailing mushroom greenhouse, this paper analyzed and evaluated a BP (back propagation) neural network and stepwise regression method to establish a prediction model for the temperature in the Bailing mushroom greenhouse for different seasons. The results showed that: (1) The air temperature, wind speed, humidity and air pressure outside the shed were the main factors for building the temperature prediction model for the inside temperature, and the air temperature was the most important factor affecting the temperature inside the shed. After introducing humidity, wind speed and air pressure, the accuracy of the model was significantly improved. (2) The temperature prediction model based on the BP neural network method, for every 10 min interval in the greenhouse, for the Bailing mushroom in different seasons, was more accurate than the stepwise regression model. The simulation results of the two models had the highest accuracy in summer, followed by autumn. (3) The root means square error of the BP neural network and stepwise regression model for inside the greenhouse, simulating the daily temperature variations for different seasons, was 1.25, 1.10, 1.08, 1.31 °C and 1.29, 1.19, 1.11, 1.37 °C, respectively. The BP neural network method performed better for predicting the daily temperature variations in seasons. (4) The specifying data of high temperature (24 July 2020) and strong cold wave (31 December 2019) were selected to test the two model methods; the results showed that the simulation of the BP neural network model was better than the stepwise regression model.
Frequency-Enhanced Channel-Spatial Attention Module for Grain Pests Classification
Authors: Yu Junwei , Shen Yi , Liu Nan , Pan Quan
Published: November 2022

For grain storage and protection, grain pest species recognition and population density estimation are of great significance. With the rapid development of deep learning technology, many studies have shown that convolutional neural networks (CNN)-based methods perform extremely well in image classification. However, such studies on grain pest classification are still limited in the following two aspects. Firstly, there is no high-quality dataset of primary insect pests specified by standard ISO 6322-3 and the Chinese Technical Criterion for Grain and Oil-seeds Storage (GB/T 29890). The images of realistic storage scenes bring great challenges to the identification of grain pests as the images have attributes of small objects, varying pest shapes and cluttered backgrounds. Secondly, existing studies mostly use channel or spatial attention mechanisms, and as a consequence, useful information in other domains has not been fully utilized. To address such limitations, we collect a dataset named GP10, which consists of 1082 primary insect pest images in 10 species. Moreover, we involve discrete wavelet transform (DWT) in a convolutional neural network to construct a novel triple-attention network (FcsNet) combined with frequency, channel and spatial attention modules. Next, we compare the network performance and parameters against several state-of-the-art networks based on different attention mechanisms. We evaluate the proposed network on our dataset GP10 and open dataset D0, achieving classification accuracy of 73.79% and 98.16%. The proposed network obtains more than 3% accuracy gains on the challenging dataset GP10 with parameters and computation operations slightly increased. Visualization with gradient-weighted class activation mapping (Grad-CAM) demonstrates that FcsNet has comparative advantages in image classification tasks.
Direct and Indirect Effects of Planting Density, Nitrogenous Fertilizer and Host Plant Resistance on Rice Herbivores and Their Natural Enemies
Authors: Horgan Finbarr G. , Crisol-Martínez Eduardo , Stuart Alexander M. , Villegas James M. , Peñalver-Cruz Ainara , Mundaca Enrique A. , Perez Marivic O. , Bernal Carmencita C. , Almazan Maria Liberty P. , Ramal Angelee F.
Published: November 2022

In rice ecosystems, seeding densities can be adjusted to compensate for lower nitrogen levels that reduce GHG emissions, or to increase farm profitability. However, density-induced changes to plant anatomy could affect herbivore-rice interactions, and alter arthropod community dynamics. We conducted an experiment that varied transplanting density (low or high), nitrogenous fertilizer (0, 60 or 150 kg added ha−1) and rice variety (resistant or susceptible to phloem-feeding insects) over two rice-growing seasons. Yields per plot increased with added nitrogen, but were not affected by variety or transplanting density. Planthopper and leafhopper densities were lower on resistant rice and in high-density field plots. Nitrogen was associated with higher densities of planthoppers, but lower densities of leafhoppers per plot. High planting densities and high nitrogen also increased rodent damage. The structure of arthropod herbivore communities was largely determined by season and transplanting density. Furthermore, two abundant planthoppers (Sogatella furcifera (Horváth) and Nilaparvata lugens (Stål)) segregated to low and high-density plots, respectively. The structure of decomposer communities was determined by season and fertilizer regime; total decomposer abundance increased in high-nitrogen plots during the dry season. Predator community structure was determined by season and total prey abundance (including decomposers) with several spider species dominating in plots with high prey abundance during the wet season. Our results indicate how rice plasticity and arthropod biodiversity promote stability and resilience in rice ecosystems. We recommend that conservation biological control, which includes a reduction or elimination of insecticides, could be promoted to attain sustainable rice production systems.
Transcriptome Profiling to Identify Genes Involved in Non-Target-Site-Based Resistance to Clodinafop-Propargyl in Asia Minor Bluegrass (Polypogon fugax)
Authors: Zhou Fengyan , Meng Ziwei , Tang Wei , Han Yunjing , Zhang Yong
Published: November 2022

Asia Minor bluegrass (Polypogon fugax Nees ex Steud.) is a problematic grass weed of winter crops in China, where some populations have become resistant to herbicides. Previously, we identified a P. fugax population QS exhibiting target-site-based resistance (TSR) and non-target-site-based resistance (NTSR) to clodinafop-propargyl. This study aims to understand the metabolic resistance to clodinafop-propargyl between susceptible (XC) and resistant (QS) populations of P. fugax in the seedling and tillering stage, separately. Several differentially expressed candidate genes in the seedling and tillering stages were identified by RNA-Seq, including three P450 family genes, one glutathione S-transferase (GST) gene, and two ATP-binding cassette transporters. Additionally, we discovered a GST gene that was significantly differentially expressed in the resistant population during the seedling stage, as well as three peroxidase genes that were presumed to be related to NTSR metabolism. Three other peroxidase genes and one esterase were presumed to be related to NTSR metabolism during the tillering stage of the resistant population. Overexpression of the three randomly selected candidate genes can enhance herbicide-resistance in Arabidopsis transgenic plants. This study provided a novel insight into herbicide metabolism regulation genes during the different growth stages of resistant P. fugax population.
Evaluation of Allelopathic Activity Interactions of Some Medicinal Plants Using Fractional Inhibitory Concentration and Isobologram
Authors: Sadeqifard Somayeh , Mirmostafaee Somayeh , Joharchi Mohammad Reza , Zandavifard Jaleh , Azizi Majid , Fujii Yoshiharu
Published: November 2022

Allelopathy is a physiological process with an ecological concept and application. Allelopathy is the result of the production of biologically active molecules by growing plants or their remains, which may have a direct effect on the growth and development of individuals of the same species or other species after changing their shape and entering the environment. As regards, the use of natural compounds in the control of weeds and pests is a priority. In this research, the allelopathic activity of 123 specimens of medicinal and aromatic plants were investigated individually by the dish-pack method using lettuce seeds as a model. Then, the strongest inhibitory ones were selected and their allelopathic interaction effects were investigated for the first time by interacting them together. Two methods were used to evaluate allelopathic interaction effects: calculating Fractional Inhibitory Concentration (FIC) and drawing Isobologram diagrams. Lettuce hypocotyl length, root length, germination percentage, and germination rate were investigated. Pelargonium graveolens (leaf) had the greatest inhibitory effect on lettuce radicle growth (EC50 = 5.31 mg/well) and Echinophora platyloba (stem) had the greatest effect on hypocotyl growth inhibition (EC50 = 7.91 mg/well). Also, the lowest lettuce germination percentages were observed in the treatments Lavandula officinalis (flower) and Nepeta binaloudensis (leaf), respectively (23.61, 22.85%). The highest inhibitory effect by considering lettuce germination rate was detected in Salvia ceratophylla (leaf), (12.86 seed/day) and the lowest belonged to Nepeta binaloudensis (leaf) and Lavandula officinalis (flower), respectively (3.60, 3.32 seed/day). According to FIC calculations and isobolograms, two types of interaction, including synergist (Nepeta binaloudensis (leaf) with Trachyspermum ammi (fruit) and Nepeta binaloudensis (leaf) with Lavandula officinalis (flower) and antagonist (Pelargonium graveolens (leaf) with Lavandula officinalis (flower)), were observed significantly among the plants tested in this research. These interactions can be used to prepare more effective natural herbicides and decrease the use of herbicides.
A Comparative Evaluation of Aquaponic and Soil Systems on Yield and Antioxidant Levels in Basil, an Important Food Plant in Lamiaceae
Authors: Albadwawi Maryam A. O. K. , Ahmed Zienab F. R. , Kurup Shyam S. , Alyafei Mohammed A. , Jaleel Abdul
Published: November 2022

Greenhouse and aquaponic productions of basil (Ocimum basilicum L.) are well established, but the comparison between these two methods is not studied in detail. A study was conducted to evaluate the performance of basil in both aquaponic and soil systems under greenhouse conditions. The plants were raised in aquaponic beds with ornamental fish and a set of plants was raised in soil pots under a greenhouse setup. The studied parameters were morphological, biochemical and antioxidant levels. In order to analyze the stress effects of an aquaponic system on plant defense mechanism, two different antioxidant enzymes (catalase and peroxidase) were analyzed. Water quality parameters were monitored during the entire study period. Based on the results, there was a significant increase in growth parameters in the aquaponic system when compared to the conventional greenhouse cultivation of basil plants. The photosynthetic parameters showed a decline in the aquaponic system, but the biochemical parameters showed an enhancement in the aquaponic system of growing basil plants. The antioxidants exhibited a significant increase in the aquaponic system, which suggests a water stress effect on the plants induced by the aquaponic growing system. From the results of this study, it can be concluded that the aquaponic system is the best suitable method for basil production in the UAE condition.
Effects of Sowing Date and Nitrogen (N) Application Rate on Grain Yield, Nitrogen Use Efficiency and 2-Acetyl-1-Pyrroline Formation in Fragrant Rice
Authors: Zhang Lihe , Shen Congcong , Zhu Shuangbing , Ren Ningning , Chen Kai , Xu Jianlong
Published: November 2022

Purpose: This study aimed to assess the effects of the sowing date and nitrogen application rate on the grain yield, nitrogen use efficiency (NUE), 2-acetyl-△1-pyrroline (2-AP) contents and biochemical parameters related to 2-AP formation in fragrant rice. Methods: A factorial split-plot arrangement of treatments was set up in a split-zone experiment with two factors and three levels carried out for 3 years. The main plots included two sowing dates: April 1st and May 1st. Subplots contained three different nitrogen levels i.e., 0 kg N ha−1 (N0), 120 kg N ha−1 (N1) and 180 kg N ha−1 (N2). Results: The results indicated that compared with April 1st, the delay in the sowing date (May 1st) decreased the number of grains per panicle, 1000-grain weight, grain yield, NUE and contents of 2-AP, △1-pyrroline, proline and pyrroline-5-carboxylic acid (P5C), as well as the proline dehydrogenase (ProDH) activity. Furthermore, compared with N0, higher-N (N1 and N2) applications increased the panicle number, the number of grains per panicle, grain yield and contents of 2-AP, △1-pyrroline, proline and P5C, as well as the activities of ProDH and ornithine aminotransferase (OAT). The seed-setting rate, 1000-grain weight and NUE were decreased under N2 compared to N1, but the 2-AP content and yield were higher under the high-N application N2 (180 kg ha−1) compared to N1 (120 kg ha−1). Conclusions: Sowing on April 1st and the N2 (180 kg ha−1) application improved the yield and promoted 2-AP biosynthesis, while sowing on May 1st reduced the yield and 2-AP content. Therefore, sowing on April 1st with 180 kg ha−1 of nitrogen is the best, which can not only ensure the yield but also improve the fragrant quality of rice.
Impacts of Rumen Degradable or Undegradable Protein Supplementation on Supplement Intake and Performance of Yearling Heifers and Cows Grazing Dryland Pastures
Authors: Manoukian Marley K. , DelCurto Timothy , Kluth Janessa , Carlisle T. J. , Davis Noah , Nack Makae , Wyffels Samuel A. , Scheaffer Abe , Geary Tom W. , Van Emon Megan L.
Published: November 2022

Angus and Red Angus-based yearling heifers (n = 40) and lactating cows (n = 51) were each used in a complete randomized design and stratified by weight and body condition score to one of two treatments: (1) pressed supplement block containing rumen undegradable protein (RUP) and (2) pressed supplement block containing rumen degradable protein (RDP). Heifer and cow supplement intake displayed (p < 0.01) a treatment × period interaction. The RUP heifers and RDP cows consumed more in Period 2 than Period 1, whereas RDP heifers and RUP cows consumed more in Period 1 than Period 2, respectively. Intake rate demonstrated (p < 0.01) a treatment effect for heifers, with RUP consuming supplement faster than the RDP treatment. Intake rate for cows demonstrated (p < 0.01) a treatment × period interaction with RUP cows in Period 1 having faster intakes than Period 2, and RDP cows having the inverse. Cow intake variation displayed (p < 0.01) a treatment × period interaction with RUP cows having more variation in Period 2, while RDP cows had less variation in intake in Period 2. In conclusion, RDP and RUP impacted intake behavior of cows and heifers but had minimal impacts on performance.
Association between Synonymous SNPs of SOX10 and Plumage Color and Reproductive Traits of Ducks
Authors: Sarjana Teysar Adi , Zhang Gongyan
Published: November 2022

Mutations in the SOX10 gene affect the plumage color of chickens and pigeons. The mutation also causes abnormal pigmentation of the skin and hair color, as well as postnatal growth retardation and reproduction problems in humans and mice. In this study, we investigated the association between the SOX10 gene and plumage color and reproductive traits of ducks using SNPs. We found six novel SNPs from 11 identified SNP sites using direct sequencing for PCR products from three different mixed DNA pools. We found two coding SNPs to be associated with the plumage color of ducks (ZJU1.0 Chr1. g.54065419C>T and g.54070844C>T), and found three coding SNPs associated with the reproductive traits of ducks (g.54065419C>T, g.54070844C>T, and g.54070904C>T), which were age at sexual maturity, body weight at sexual maturity, and the Haugh unit for egg quality traits and egg production in different productive periods. These results also indicated that the T alleles of the three SNPs of the coding region of SOX10 contribute to lower reproductive traits.
Total Replacement of Fish Meal by the Combination of Fish Residue Meal and Soy Protein from Soymilk in the Diet of Red Sea Bream (Pagrus major)
Authors: Biswas Amal , Takahashi Yuta , Isaka Kota , Takakuwa Fumiaki , Tanaka Hideki , Takii Kenji
Published: November 2022

Three experiments were performed to explore (i) the complete replacement of fish meal (FM) with a combination of fish residue meal (FRM, 65% round discarded fish + 35% byproduct), soy protein concentrate (SPC) from soymilk and corn gluten meal (CGM) in Trial 1 and (ii) the utilization of diets composed of increasing byproducts in FRM in the summer (Trial 2) and winter (Trial 3) seasons. In Trial 1, the ratio of (SPC + CGM):FM in the control diet (C) was 8:2. The FM component from diet C was replaced with FRM (diet, RM20), where the ratio of (SPC + CGM):FRM became 8:2, and this ratio was changed to 6:4, 4:6 and 2:8, and referred to as RM40, RM60 and RM80, respectively. In Trials 2 and 3, the ratios of round discarded fish and byproducts in FRM were adjusted to 65:35 (FRM1), 30:70 (FRM2) and 0:100 (FRM3), and the FRM component from diet RM40 in Trial 1 was replaced with FRM1, FRM2 and FRM3 to formulate diets RM1, RM2 and RM3, respectively. In Trials 1, 2 and 3, rearing periods were 10, 8 and 12 weeks, respectively. In Trials 1 and 3, there were no significant differences in growth parameters, nutrient retention efficiency or plasma constituents among the treatments, irrespective of the inclusion levels of FRM in the diets (p > 0.05). Although there were no significant differences in final mean weight (p > 0.05), daily feeding rate and feed conversion ratio in diet RM3 were significantly higher and lower, respectively, compared to the control group in Trial 2 (p < 0.05). These results suggest that FM can be entirely replaced with FRM, and that the total elimination of round discarded fish from FRM does not affect growth or health status in red sea bream either in summer or winter seasons.
Hemiurid Trematodes (Digenea: Hemiuridae) from Marine Fishes off the Coast of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, with Novel Molecular Data
Authors: Pantoja Camila , Kudlai Olena
Published: November 2022

Brazil is a tropical country with remarkably diverse marine habitats that harbour a rich diversity of fish. Only a small portion of this fish diversity has been investigated for parasites, and thus the diversity of their trematode parasites remains unexplored. Moreover, only 5 out of 184 known digenean trematode species of marine fish in Brazil have been genetically characterised. The Hemiuridae Looss, 1899 is the second most speciose trematode family in marine fishes from Brazil but, in many ways, it remains a neglected group. Forty-three trematode specimens from nine fish species were collected from the coastal zone off Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Trematodes were found in the stomach of 14 specimens of 9 fish species belonging to 8 families (Carangidae, Clupeidae, Haemulidae, Muraenidae, Percophidae, Pinguipedidae, Trichiuridae, and Triglidae). Trematode specimens were studied using morphological and molecular genetic analyses. A total of eight hemiurid species from four genera, Ectenurus, Lecithochirium, Myosaccium, and Parahemiurus were identified. This paper reports on new host records for four species of hemiurids, adds a new record on the geographical distribution for one species, and provides the first DNA sequence data supplemented with the detailed description of morphology for five species. Phylogenetic analyses supported that the subfamily classifications of the Hemiuridae—based entirely on morphological characters—needs to be reconsidered, taking into account a wider range of information sources.
One- and Two-Month-Old Dog Puppies Exhibit Behavioural Synchronization with Humans Independently of Familiarity
Authors: Duranton Charlotte , Courby-Betremieux Cécile , Gaunet Florence
Published: November 2022

Behavioural synchronization is a widespread skill in social species as it helps increase group cohesion among individuals. Such a phenomenon is involved in social interactions between conspecifics as well as between individuals from different species. Most importantly, familiarity and affiliation between interacting partners influence the degree of behavioural synchronization they would exhibit with each other. For example, in human–dog dyads, the more a dog is affiliated with its human partner, the more it behaves in a synchronous way with them. However, little is known about the ontogeny of such a behaviour, especially from an interspecific perspective. The aim of the present study was thus to investigate the existence and modalities of activity synchrony, a type of behavioural synchronization, between humans and puppies. To do so, we observed 29 dog puppies interacting with two different humans (familiar and unfamiliar experimenters). Puppy movements and general activity in relation to the human ones were observed. Results evidenced that puppies did exhibit locomotor synchrony with humans, but familiarity did not affect its degree. It is the first time that activity synchrony with human walk is evidenced in puppies, highly suggesting that dogs’ ability to behave in synchronization with humans seems to be genetically selected through the process of domestication, while the effect of familiarity on it might develop later during the individual ontogeny.
Molecular Characterization of Salmonella spp. Isolates from Wild Colombian Babilla (Caiman crocodilus fuscus) Isolated In Situ
Authors: Rodríguez-Hernández Roy , Herrera-Sánchez María Paula , Ortiz-Muñoz Julián David , Mora-Rivera Cristina , Rondón-Barragán Iang Schroniltgen
Published: November 2022

Salmonella enterica is a pathogen capable of colonizing various environments, including the intestinal tract of different animals such as mammals, birds, and reptiles, which can act as carriers. S. enterica infection induces different clinical diseases, gastroenteritis being the most common, which in some cases, can evolve to septicemia and meningitis. Reptiles and amphibians have been reported as a reservoir of Salmonella, and transmission of the pathogen to humans has been documented. This study aimed to determine the presence of virulence genes and characterize the genotypic antibiotic resistance profile in Salmonella strains isolated from Caiman crocodilus fuscus obtained in situ (natural habitat) in Prado, Tolima, Colombia in a previous study and stored in a strain bank in our laboratory. Fifteen Salmonella strains were evaluated through endpoint PCR to determine the presence of resistance genes and virulence genes. The genes blaTEM, strB, and sul1 were detected in all the strains that confer resistance to ampicillin, streptomycin, and sulfamethoxazole, as well as the virulence genes invA, pefA, prgH, spaN, tolC, sipB, sitC, pagC, msgA, spiA, sopB, sifA, lpfA, csgA, hilA, orgA, iroN, avrA, and sivH, indicating the possible role of babilla (Caiman crocodilus fuscus) as a carrier of multidrug-resistant bacteria.
A Study Evaluating Consumer Motivations, Perceptions, and Responses to Direct-to-Consumer Canine Genetic Test Results
Authors: Bennett Nikki E. , Gray Peter B.
Published: November 2022

Direct-to-consumer genetic services allow companion animal guardians to purchase a DNA test and receive detailed results about their pet’s ancestry, health, and traits results. In collaboration with Wisdom Panel, we present novel findings about consumer motivations, perceptions, and responses to their use of canine genomic services. Wisdom Panel customers were invited to complete an online survey anonymously in which they were asked about their reasons for using a genetic test for their dog, how they perceived the test’s results, and how they responded to the results they received. Participant data revealed most utilized a test that provided more ancestry/breed results (75.9%) as compared to health-related results. The majority of participants perceived the breed test results as accurate (52.0% strongly agree, 27.6% somewhat agree) and the genetic services provided as having great value (49.6% strongly agree, 32.7% somewhat agreed). In responding to their dog’s results, participants indicated they shared the information with family (88.1%) and friends (84.2%). Collectively, our study indicates consumers are more focused on their dog’s ancestry than other test results. Using these findings and previous literature on human direct-to-consumer genetic testing, human–animal dyads, and identity construction, we consider the possibility of “breed options theory” and future areas of research.
Fish Oil Replacement by Camelina (Camelina sativa L.) Oil in Diets for Juvenile Tench (Tinca tinca L.): Effects on Survival, Growth, and Whole-Body Fatty Acid Profile
Authors: García Teresa , Carral José M. , Sáez-Royuela María , Celada Jesús D.
Published: November 2022

Tench (Tinca tinca L.) plays a key role in the diversification of inland aquaculture, but its culture is mainly based on extensive culture systems with usually low and unpredictable yields. Rearing procedures under controlled conditions are essential to promote and consolidate tench production, and it is necessary to set up adequate feeding in early growth phases. Fish oil (FO) is currently the main source of lipids in aquafeeds, but considering the stagnation of smaller pelagic fisheries, alternative oils should be addressed. In a ninety-day experiment, the effects of partial and total replacement of FO with camelina oil (CO) on juvenile tench growth performance and whole-body composition were evaluated. Six isonitrogenous and isolipidic diets with different levels of CO were tested: 0% (control), 20%, 40%, 60%, 80%, and 100%. The survival rate was 100%, and no significant differences in growth performance (total length, weight, specific growth rate, feed conversion ratio, and biomass gain) were found. The lipid content in whole-body juveniles was significantly lower when juveniles were fed diets containing 40% and higher levels of CO than those fed the control diet whereas linolenic acid content was significantly higher. No differences in ΣSFA, ΣMUFA, ΣPUFA, Σn − 3, or Σn − 6 whole-body content were found. The nutritional indices ΣPUFA/ΣSFA and Σn − 6/Σn − 3 showed a linear increase trend with dietary CO inclusion whereas the EPA + DHA showed an opposite tendency. Compared to the control diet, EPA + DHA content (g kg−1) was significantly lower in juvenile tench fed a 100% CO diet, and Σn − 6/Σn − 3 was significantly higher in juvenile tench fed 80% and 100% CO diets. Overall, the results indicate that the total replacement of FO with CO in diets is feasible without negative effects on growth performance whereas the nutritional quality of juvenile tench was unaffected with a maximum replacement of 80%.
Is the IL1RA/IL1B Ratio a Suitable Biomarker for Subclinical Endometritis in Dairy Cows?
Authors: Kneidl Anna Maria , Marth Christina Deborah , Kirsch Sandra , Weber Frank , Zablotski Yury , Helfrich Anika Luzia , Schabmeyer Simone Tamara , Schneider Julia Katharina , Petzl Wolfram , Zerbe Holm , Meyerholz-Wohllebe Marie Margarete
Published: November 2022

The adequate expression of cytokines is essential for the prevention and healing of bovine endometrial inflammation. This study investigated the intra-uterine concentration of the proinflammatory cytokine interleukin (IL)1B and its antagonist IL1RA in cows with and without subclinical endometritis (SE). Samples were taken from 37 uteri at the abattoir and 26 uteri in vivo. Uterine secretion samples were classified as showing no signs of SE (SEneg; polymorphonuclear neutrophil granulocyte (PMN) < 5%) or showing signs of SE (SEpos; PMN ≥ 5%). Concentrations and ratios for IL1B and IL1RA were measured using a commercial and a newly established AlphaLISA kit, respectively. In both groups, a higher concentration of IL1B was detected in the SEpos group compared with the SEneg group (abattoir: p = 0.027; in vivo p < 0.001). No significant differences were observed in the concentration of IL1RA (p > 0.05). In uterine secretion samples retrieved in vivo, a lower IL1RA/IL1B ratio was detected in the SEpos group compared with the SEneg group (p = 0.002). The results of this study highlight the important role of IL1B and IL1RA during endometritis and the potential of the IL1RA/IL1B ratio as a possible biomarker for SE.