bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Bridging the gap in healthcare: creating an online health information prototype for individuals with intellectual disabilities to promote equity and knowledge transfer
Authors: Dam Lisa T. , Heidler Petra , King Isabel
Published: September 2023

Introduction

The prevalence of intellectual disabilities (ID) in Austria is estimated to be approximately 1% of the population. Growing awareness of the major challenges faced by individuals with ID, including difficulties in comprehending written health information, communication barriers with healthcare professionals, and limited inclusion in health education research, necessitates concerted efforts to address these issues. The utilization of guidelines promoting easy-to-read language, web accessibility, and usability can significantly enhance access to health information and improve health literacy among people with ID. The “LUCHS-Gesundheitsinformationen (Health Information)” project aimed to improve knowledge transfer of health information for people ID by creating a website prototype.

Methods

Unstructured interviews were conducted with two focus groups (n = 20) people with ID and their caretakers to elicit relevant topics and ensure the quality, comprehensibility, and usability of a website prototype. A convenience sample of 20 adults employed in sheltered workshops of the Caritas Lower Austria West facility who met the inclusion criteria participated.

Results

The prototype addressed four main topics, namely nutrition, medical specialization, first aid, and patient information, offering comprehensive information using easy-to-read language and pictorial content. The website prototype followed web accessibility suggestions and incorporated external resources, such as brochures and emergency contact details, to enhance usability and provide a reliable source of health information for individuals with ID.

Discussion

The findings suggest that a website format is a feasible means of providing accessible online health information for people with ID. However, further research is warranted to explore the potential of digital health applications for individuals with ID, as inclusion in the Austrian register for digital health applications necessitates meeting multiple quality standards, thereby instilling trust among the target group.
Does the need for uniqueness lead to non-suicidal self-injury? The mediation of depression and the moderation of gender
Authors: Zhang Xian , Cao Wanjun , Fang Jiashuai , Hu Dongxu
Published: September 2023

Objective

Based on the integrated theoretical model of the development and maintenance of non-suicidal self-injury (NSSI) and gender role theory, this study investigated the longitudinal impact of the need for uniqueness on NSSI among adolescents, and the mediating role of depression and the moderating role of gender.

Participants

A total of 1,166 middle school students (Mean age = 13.04, SDage = 0.78, range = 11–16) from a city in central China was recruited to complete the Need for Uniqueness Scale, Depression Scale, and Adolescent Self-Injury Questionnaire at two waves. The participants included 475 boys and 457 girls.

Methods

Convenience sampling was used, and a longitudinal study (2 time points with a 6-month interval) was conducted to test our hypotheses. SPSS 25.0 was used to evaluate reliability, and to calculate descriptive statistics and Pearson correlation. PROCESS version 3 was used to test longitudinal relationships among the need for uniqueness, depression and NSSI, and construct a moderated mediation model.

Results

Results revealed that T1 need for uniqueness in adolescents was significantly positively associated with T2 NSSI and T2 depression, and T2 depression was significantly positively associated with T2 NSSI. After controlling for gender, T1 need for uniqueness positively predicted T2 NSSI. Furthermore, the mediation analysis demonstrated that the pathway linking T1 need for uniqueness to T2 NSSI through T2 depression was statistically significant. Moreover, gender moderated the indirect effect from T2 depression to T2 NSSI in the association between T1 need for uniqueness and T2 NSSI. Compared to boys in the same situation, girls who are susceptible to depression were more likely to commit NSSI.

Conclusion

This study demonstrated that the need for uniqueness in adolescents longitudinally predicts NSSI through the mediating role of depression and gender moderates the indirect effect from depression to NSSI. The current study not only suggests that the need for uniqueness is a risk factor for NSSI among adolescents, but also provides an empirical basis for the prevention and intervention of NSSI.
Influence of CurQfen®-curcumin on cognitive impairment: a randomized, double-blinded, placebo-controlled, 3-arm, 3-sequence comparative study
Authors: Das S. Syam , Gopal Prasad M. , Thomas Jestin V. , Mohan Mohind C. , Thomas Siju C. , Maliakel Balu P. , Krishnakumar I. M. , Pulikkaparambil Sasidharan Baby Chakrapani
Published: September 2023

Background

Although curcumin is a blood-brain-barrier permeable molecule with the ability to bind and segregate β-amyloid plaques and neurofibrillary tangles of hyperphosphorylated tau proteins, its poor oral bioavailability, rapid biotransformation to inactive metabolites, fast elimination from the systemic circulation, and hence the poor neuronal uptake has been limiting its clinical efficacy under neurodegenerative conditions.

Objective

We hypothesized that the highly bioavailable CurQfen-curcumin (CGM), which has been shown to possess significant blood-brain-barrier permeability and brain bioavailability, would ameliorate dementia in neurodegenerative conditions.

Methods

In the present double-blinded placebo-controlled 3-arm 3-sequence comparative study, 48 subjects characterized with moderate dementia due to the onset of Alzheimer's disease were randomized into three groups (N = 16/group) and supplemented with 400 mg × 2/day of either placebo (MCC), unformulated standard curcumin complex with 95% purity (USC), or CGM as a sachet for six months. The relative changes in cognitive and locomotor functions and biochemical markers were compared.

Results

Supplementation with CGM produced significant (P < 0.05) improvement in the Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE) and the Geriatric Locomotive Function Scale (GLFS) scores in both intra- and inter-group comparison by 2 × 2 repeated measures (RM) ANOVA. Further, analysis of the serum levels of specific biomarkers (BDNF, Aβ42, tau protein, IL-6, and TNF-α) also revealed a significant (P < 0.05) improvement among CGM subjects as compared to placebo and the USC groups.

Conclusion

Supplementation with CGM as sachet was found to offer significant delay in the progress of Alzheimer's disease, as evident from the improvements in locomotive and cognitive functions related to dementia.

Clinical trial registration

http://ctri.nic.in, identifier: CTRI/2018/03/012410.
Exploring the impact of imaging cadence on inferring CME kinematics
Authors: Vashishtha Nitin , Majumdar Satabdwa , Patel Ritesh , Pant Vaibhav , Banerjee Dipankar
Published: September 2023

The kinematics of coronal mass ejections (CMEs) are crucial for understanding their initiation mechanism and predicting their impact on Earth and other planets. With most of the acceleration and deceleration occurring below 4 R⊙, capturing this phase is vital to better understand their initiation mechanism. Furthermore, the kinematics of CMEs in the inner corona (< 3 R⊙) are closely related to their propagation in the outer corona and their eventual impact on Earth. Since the kinematics of CMEs are mainly probed using coronagraph data, it is crucial to investigate the impact of imaging cadence on the precision of data analysis and the conclusions drawn from it and also for determining the flexibility of designing observational campaigns with upcoming coronagraphs. This study investigates the impact of imaging cadence on the kinematics of ten CMEs observed by the K-Coronagraph of the Mauna Loa Solar Observatory. We manually track the CMEs using high cadence (15 s) white-light observations of K-Cor and vary the cadence as 30 s, 1, 2, and 5 min to study the impact of cadence on the kinematics. We also employed the bootstrapping method to estimate the confidence interval of the fitting parameters. Our results indicate that the average velocity of the CMEs does not have a high dependence on the imaging cadence, while the average acceleration shows significant dependence on the same, with the confidence interval showing significant shifts for the average acceleration for different cadences. The impact of degraded cadence is also seen in the estimation of the time of onset of acceleration. We further find that it is difficult to find an optimum cadence to study all CMEs, as it is also influenced by the pixel resolution of the instrument and the speed of the CME. However, except for very slow CMEs (speeds less than 300 km−1), our results indicate a cadence of 1 min to be reasonable for the study of their kinematics. The results of this work will be important in the planning of observational campaigns for the existing and upcoming missions that will observe the inner corona.
Comparison of echocardiographic methods for calculating left ventricular mass in elite rugby football league athletes and the impact on chamber geometry
Authors: McGregor-Cheers Rebecca , Forsythe Lynsey , Cooper Robert , Johnson Christopher , Sculthorpe Nicholas , Papadakis Michael , Mill Nathan , Daniels Matt , Kleinnibbelink Geert , George Keith , Oxborough David
Published: September 2023

Background

Recommendations for the echocardiographic assessment of left ventricular (LV) mass in the athlete suggest the use of the linear method using a two-tiered classification system (2TC). The aims of this study were to compare the linear method and the area-length (A-L) method for LV mass in elite rugby football league (RFL) athletes and to establish how any differences impact the classification of LV geometry using 2TC and four-tier (4TC) classification systems.

Methods

Two hundred and twenty (220) male RFL athletes aged 25 ± 5 (14–34 years) were recruited. All athletes underwent echocardiography and LV mass was calculated by the American Society of Echocardiography (ASE) corrected Linear equation (2D) and the A-L method. Left ventricular mass Index (LVMi) was used with relative wall thickness to determine geometry in the 2TC and with concentricity and LV end diastolic volume index for the 4TC. Method specific recommended cut-offs were utilised.

Results

Higher values of absolute (197 ± 34 vs. 181 ± 34 g; p < 0.0001) and indexed (92 ± 13 vs. 85 ± 13 g/m2; p < 0.0001) measures of LV mass were obtained from A-L compared to the linear method. Normal LV geometry was demonstrated in 98.2% and 80% of athletes whilst eccentric hypertrophy in 1.4% and 19.5% for linear and A-L respectively. Both methods provided 0.5% as having concentric remodelling and 0% as having concentric hypertrophy. Allocation to the 4TC resulted in 97% and 80% with normal geometry, 0% and 8.6% with eccentric dilated hypertrophy, 0% and 7.7% with eccentric non-dilated hypertrophy, 1.4% and 0.5% with concentric remodelling and 1.4% and 3% with concentric non-dilated hypertrophy for linear and A-L methods respectively. No participants had concentric dilated hypertrophy from either methods.

Conclusion

The linear and A-L method for calculation of LV mass in RFL athletes are not interchangeable with significantly higher values obtained using A-L method impacting on geometry classification. More athletes present with eccentric hypertrophy using 2TC and eccentric dilated/non-dilated using 4TC. Further studies should be aimed at establishing the association of A-L methods of LV mass and application of the 4TC to the multi-factorial demographics of the athlete.
The future of protein sources in livestock feeds: implications for sustainability and food safety
Authors: Pexas Georgios , Doherty Bob , Kyriazakis Ilias
Published: September 2023

The feed-food competition for environmental and economic resources raises increasing concerns about the production and supply of protein for the global livestock sector. Risks to food-security and approaching deadlines for global sustainable development, means exploring alternative protein feed ingredients is imperative. This Review discusses the potential for soilless, local and circular protein feed sources to provide solutions for key sustainability and food-security threats to the global livestock sector, through their partial incorporation in future livestock feeds and feeding systems. In doing so, it offers a holistic insight into the potential opportunities, but also risks associated with such alternatives. Through this analysis, a four-point strategic plan is synthesized to facilitate higher-level policy making that may enable implementation of these alternative ingredients at commercial scales, building toward a more sustainable and resilient livestock industry.
Assessments of epidemic spread in aquaculture: comparing different scenarios of infectious bacteria incursion through spatiotemporal hybrid modeling
Authors: Roh HyeongJin , Kannimuthu Dhamotharan
Published: September 2023

The sustainable development of the aquaculture sector is at risk due to the significant challenges posed by many emerging infectious diseases. While disease prevention and control measures are becoming increasingly critical, there is a dearth of studies on the epidemiological aspects of disease transmission in aquatic ecosystems. This study aims to forecast the spread of a bacterial disease between fish farms in two regions, Romsdalsfjord in Norway and Gujwa in South Korea by applying a DTU-DADS-Aqua spatiotemporal hybrid simulation model. The simulation model assessed the pattern of disease transmission between fish farms under different degrees of transmission power based on the distance between farms (ScalingInf), host susceptibility (RelSusceptibility), the origin site of disease, and the capacity of culling fish. The distance between fish farms was found to have significant associations with disease transmission. In most simulation conditions, the disease transmission between different bay management areas (BMAs) was not evident in Romsdalsfjord. In the Guwja region, where there are relatively narrow distances between fish farms, the spread of infectious disease was greatly affected by ScalingInf. The impact of RelSusceptibility on disease transmission patterns is a critical factor to consider in simulation modeling. When RelSusceptibility ranges from 0.5–1, there is little impact on the likelihood of disease transmission. Conversely, lower ranges (0.2 and 0.05) of RelSusceptibility result in a significant decrease in the area affected by the spread of disease. Eradication measures could control the patterns of infectious disease transmission, but the effectiveness of the depopulation strategy can be dramatically changed depending on the geographical environment. In conclusion, through a comparative analysis of the disease transmission and management scenarios, this study demonstrates the potential use of existing simulation models in predicting the spread of infectious diseases under different epidemiological circumstances and quarantine actions.
Activation Function Dynamic Averaging as a Technique for Nonlinear 2D Data Denoising in Distributed Acoustic Sensors
Authors: Turov Artem T. , Barkov Fedor L. , Konstantinov Yuri A. , Korobko Dmitry A. , Lopez-Mercado Cesar A. , Fotiadi Andrei A.
Published: September 2023

This work studies the application of low-cost noise reduction algorithms for the data processing of distributed acoustic sensors (DAS). It presents an improvement of the previously described methodology using the activation function of neurons, which enhances the speed of data processing and the quality of event identification, as well as reducing spatial distortions. The possibility of using a cheaper radiation source in DAS setups is demonstrated. Optimal algorithms’ combinations are proposed for different types of the events recorded. The criterion for evaluating the effectiveness of algorithm performance was an increase in the signal-to-noise ratio (SNR). The finest effect achieved with a combination of algorithms provided an increase in SNR of 10.8 dB. The obtained results can significantly expand the application scope of DAS.
Ethics and Sustainability in Hospitality Employer Branding
Authors: Santos Vasco , Simão Patrícia , Reis Isabel , Sampaio Marta Correia , Martinho Filipa , Sousa Bruno
Published: September 2023

Tourism is currently one of the main sectors of profit for the worldwide economy. This study aims to explore ethics and sustainability in employer branding applied in the hotel industry, which is intended to correlate these very current and little-explored themes. This study aims to explore the investigation of these concepts that have grown, especially in the area of tourism and hospitality, as a way to better understand how the hotel sector can improve and develop strategic tools to achieve organisational success and capture the best talent. Methodologically, a Delphi method (three rounds) was performed through 26 participants recognised as experts of three major associations within the hotel industry in Portugal. As the main outcome, this research validated the Ethics and Sustainability in Hospitality Employer Branding Model, comprising three dimensions (HRM and EB Practices; Factors of business ethics and environmental sustainability; and Advantages of UH in implementing the EB strategy and RS communication) and underlying categories. Findings and practical implications to management are presented.
Suggestions for Criteria to Evaluate Lateral-Directional Nonlinear Pilot-Induced Oscillations Due to Fly-by-Wire Civil Aircraft Landing Configuration Switch
Authors: Wang Lixin , Lu Chang , Jin Tao , Liu Hailiang , Yue Ting
Published: September 2023

Using a nonlinear pilot-induced oscillation prediction method based on digital virtual flight simulation calculations, digital experiments on predicting lateral-directional nonlinear pilot-induced oscillations due to landing configuration switching of fly-by-wire civil aircraft with different closed-loop dynamic characteristics are carried out. It is proposed that the lateral-directional pilot-induced oscillations due to the landing configuration switch can be evaluated using the changes in dynamic characteristic parameters before and after the configuration switch. The quantitative boundaries of the dynamic characteristic parameters of an example aircraft are determined, and a criterion suggestion is formed to predict the lateral-directional nonlinear pilot-induced oscillations due to landing configuration switching. This study provides a reference for the optimal design of the lateral-directional flight control law of fly-by-wire aircraft during the approach stage and provides suggestions for the formulation of evaluation criteria for other nonlinear pilot-induced oscillation phenomena.
Analysis of the Fruit Drop Rate Caused by Typhoons Using Meteorological Data
Authors: Choi Su-Hoon , Park So-Yeon , Yang Ung , Lee Beomseon , Kim Min-Soo , Lee Sang-Hyun
Published: September 2023

Typhoons, which are a common natural disaster in Korea, have seen a rapid increase in annual economic losses over the past decade. The objective of this study was to utilize historical crop insurance records to predict fruit drop rates caused by typhoons from 2016 to 2021. A total of 1848 datasets for the fruit drop rate were generated based on the impact of 24 typhoons on 77 cities with typhoon damage histories. Three different types of measures—the average value, the maximum or minimum value, and the value at a specific point during the typhoon—were applied to four meteorological factors, yielding a total of twelve variables used as model inputs. The predictive performance of the proposed models was compared using five evaluation metrics, and SHAP analysis was employed to assess the contribution of predictor variables to the model output. The most significant variable in explaining the vulnerability to typhoons was found to be the maximum wind speed. The categorical boosting model outperformed the other models in all evaluation metrics, except for the mean absolute error. The proposed model will assist in estimating the potential crop loss caused by typhoons, thereby aiding in the establishment of mitigation strategies for the main crop-producing areas.
What Is More Important to Host-Seeking Entomopathogenic Nematodes, Innate or Learned Preference?
Authors: Gaffke Alexander , Romero Maritza , Alborn Hans
Published: September 2023

Entomopathogenic nematodes (EPNs), small soil-dwelling non-segmented roundworms, are obligate parasites of insects and commonly used in agriculture for biological control of insect pests. For successful reproduction, EPNs must identify, move towards, and successfully infect a suitable insect host in a chemically complex soil environment. EPNs can have innate host insect preferences and can be attracted to semiochemicals associated with that host. They can also develop strong learned preferences for chemical signals associated with the presence of a host, such as herbivory-induced volatiles. We hypothesized that simultaneous manipulation of innate and learned preferences could result in increased biological control services of EPNs in agriculture. Separate cohorts of the EPN Steinernema diaprepesi were raised on two insect hosts, Galleria mellonella and Tenebrio molitor, for multiple generations until the nematodes in a dual-choice olfactometer exhibited preference for the host they were reared on. Subsequently, the two strains of nematodes were imprinted on three plant-produced terpenoids of agricultural significance: pregeijerene, β-caryophyllene, and α-pinene. After exposure to one of the plant compounds, the behavior of the EPNs was assayed in an olfactometer where the two host insects were presented with and without the plant compounds. We found that plant volatile exposure increased the infection rate of the nematodes, and some host–compound combinations proved to be attractive, but other combinations appeared to become repellent. These results indicate that learned preference is neither subordinate nor superior to innate preference, and that infection efficiency can vary with compound exposure and insect host.
Combined Cold and Drought Stress-Induced Response of Photosynthesis and Osmotic Adjustment in Elymus nutans Griseb.
Authors: Liu Bowen , Wang Ruijia , Gong Jiongjiong , Zhu Tianqi , Long Si , Guo Huan , Liu Tieyuan , Yang Peizhi , Xu Yuefei
Published: September 2023

Elymus nutans Griseb. is a dominant forage in the Qinghai–Tibetan Plateau. However, the combined cold and drought (CD) stress is a major problem inhibiting its growth, development, and yield. Here, the responses of morphological, photosynthetic, osmoregulation levels, and signal transduction under cold, drought, and CD stress were explored. Both cold- and drought-stressed plants showed varying degrees of damage. In addition, CD stress led to more severe damage than single stress, especially in total biomass, photosynthetic capacity, and electron transfer efficiency. The total biomass, net photosynthetic rate, and maximal quantum yield of photosystem II (PSII) photochemistry reduced by 61.47%, 95.80%, and 16.06% in comparison with the control, respectively. Meanwhile, CD stress was accompanied by lower chlorophyll contents, down-regulated expression level of key photosynthetic enzymes (EnRbcS, EnRbcL, and EnRCA), stomatal closure, disrupted chloroplast ultrastructure, and reduced starch content. Furthermore, CD stress induced some adaptability responses in cold- and drought-tolerant E. nutans seedlings. The combined stress provoked alterations in both cold- and drought-related transcription factors and responsive genes. EnCBF12, EnCBF9, EnCBF14, and EnCOR14α were significantly up-regulated under cold or drought stress, and the transcript level of EnCBF3 and EnCBF12 was even 2.94 and 12.59 times higher than control under CD treatment, which indicated the key role of transcription factors activation in coping with CD stress. In addition, the content of soluble sugar, reducing sugar, proline, glycine betaine, and other osmolytes was significantly improved under CD stress. Therefore, we demonstrated that exposure to CD stress led to severe morphological and photosynthetic damage and revealed the acclimation to the cold and drought stress combination via osmotic adjustment and transcription factors activation in the Tibetan wild E. nutans.
Drip Irrigation Soil-Adapted Sector Design and Optimal Location of Moisture Sensors: A Case Study in a Vineyard Plot
Authors: Arnó Jaume , Uribeetxebarria Asier , Llorens Jordi , Escolà Alexandre , Rosell-Polo Joan R. , Gregorio Eduard , Martínez-Casasnovas José A.
Published: September 2023

To optimise sector design in drip irrigation systems, a two-stage procedure is presented and applied in a commercial vineyard plot. Soil apparent electrical conductivity (ECa) mapping and soil purposive sampling are the two stages on which the proposal is based. Briefly, ECa data to wet bulb depth provided by the VERIS 3100 soil sensor were mapped before planting using block ordinary kriging. Looking for simplicity and practicality, only two ECa classes were delineated from the ECa map (k-means algorithm) to delimit two potential soil classes within the plot with possible different properties in terms of potential soil water content and/or soil water regime. Contrasting the difference between ECa classes (through discriminant analysis of soil properties at different systematic sampling locations), irrigation sectors were then designed in size and shape to match the previous soil zoning. Taking advantage of the points used for soil sampling, two of these locations were finally selected as candidates to install moisture sensors according to the purposive soil sampling theory. As these two spatial points are expectedly the most representative of each soil class, moisture information in these areas can be taken as a basis for better decision-making for vineyard irrigation management.
Neodymium Nitrate Improves the Germination of Aged Wheat Seeds by Increasing Soluble Substances and Activating Antioxidative and Metabolic Enzymes in Seeds
Authors: Hu Genhai , Zhou Xiuren , Zhu Qidi , Chao Maoni , Fu Yuanzhi , Hu Haiyan
Published: September 2023

Seeds stored for a prolonged period are subject to aging and a reduction in germination potential (GP), which will negatively affect seed sales. Rare-earth elements have a synergistic effect on the improvement of seed GP. In this study, we examined the effects of neodymium on biochemical components, the antioxidant protective system, and metabolism-related enzymes during germination of naturally and artificially aged seeds of three wheat cultivars. Seed germination indices, biochemical substance contents, and enzyme activities decreased after seed aging. Soaking seeds in a neodymium nitrate solution revived aged wheat seeds at an optimal concentration of 20 µmol/L for 8 h. Soaking in a neodymium nitrate solution increased the GP4 (by 2.25–60.9%), germination index (by 1.69–29.2%), and vigor index (by 3.36–18.7%) of aged seeds. Compared with non-soaked seeds, soaking significantly changed the contents of biochemical substances, and the activities of antioxidant protective enzymes and metabolic enzymes in seedlings were increased. Soaking with neodymium may revive aged seeds by regulating the synthesis of soluble sugars, soluble proteins, chlorophyll, and carotenoids and decomposing malondialdehyde in the germinating seed. Root dehydrogenase and amylase showed different responses to the aging modes. The differential responses of root dehydrogenase and amylase may reflect differences in the resistance of enzymes to long-term mild seed aging and short-term severe environmental aging.
A Hybrid Prediction Model for CatBoost Tomato Transpiration Rate Based on Feature Extraction
Authors: Tong Zhaoyang , Zhang Shirui , Yu Jingxin , Zhang Xiaolong , Wang Baijuan , Zheng Wengang
Published: September 2023

The growth and yield of crops are highly dependent on irrigation. Implementing irrigation plans that are tailored to the specific water requirements of crops can enhance crop yield and improve the quality of tomatoes. The mastery and prediction of transpiration rate (Tr) is of great significance for greenhouse crop water management. However, due to the influence of multiple environmental factors and the mutual coupling between environmental factors, it is challenging to construct accurate prediction models. This study focuses on greenhouse tomatoes and proposes a data-driven model configuration based on the Competitive adaptive reweighted sampling (CARS) algorithm, using greenhouse environmental sensors that collect six parameters, such as air temperature, relative humidity, solar radiation, substrate temperature, light intensity, and CO2 concentration. In response to the differences in crop transpiration changes at different growth stages and time stages, the t-Distributed Stochastic Neighbor Embedding (t-SNE) algorithm was used to identify three characteristic intervals: florescence stage, fruiting stage daytime, and fruiting stage night-time. Based on this, a greenhouse tomato Tr prediction model (CARS-CatBoost model) based on the CatBoost machine learning algorithm was constructed. The experimental verification shows that the coefficient of determination (R2) of the constructed CARS-CatBoost single model for the whole growth stage is 0.92, which is higher than the prediction accuracy of the traditional single crop coefficient model (R2 = 0.54). Among them, the prediction accuracy at night during the fruiting stage is the highest, and the Root Mean Square Error (RMSE) drops to 0.427 g·m−2·h−1. This study provides an intelligent prediction method based on the zonal modeling of crop growth characteristics, which can be used to support precise irrigation regulation of greenhouse tomatoes.
Photosynthesis, Yield and Quality in Wild Rocket (Diplotaxis tenuifolia L.) under Photoluminescent Greenhouse Covers
Authors: Paradiso Roberta , Di Mola Ida , Conti Stefano , Ottaiano Lucia , Cozzolino Eugenio , Rippa Massimo , Mormile Pasquale , Melchionna Giuseppe , Testa Antonino , Beltrame Luca , Mori Mauro
Published: September 2023

Manipulation of light spectral composition is a useful tool to drive morphological, physiological and metabolic responses in several crops, ultimately improving yield and quality. Novel materials for greenhouse covering are being developed in order to make a better use of the available sunlight: among these are the cover films or panels incorporating fluorescent additives which are able to convert UV solar radiation into visible light. In this research, we compared the physiological traits and the agronomical performance of wild rocket grown in pots in the winter–spring season, under four different greenhouse prototypes covered with poly-methyl-methacrylate (PMMA)-based panels. PMMA panels doped at 3% (Dop3) or 7% (Dop7) w/w with a blend of rare-earth elements (partially converting the solar UV radiation to red and blue wavelengths) were compared with an undoped (UD) and a whitewashed (WW) PMMA greenhouse. The rocket yield was higher in Dop3 (+30%), while it was unaffected in Dop7 and lower in WW (−39%), compared to the control (6.06 kg m−2). The leaf greenness decreased while both the ABTS and the hydrophilic antioxidant activities increased under the doped and the whitewashed greenhouses. The Dop3 treatment provided the best results in terms of yield and quality of greenhouse wild rocket in winter–spring cycle. However, the analysis of OJIP kinetics of chlorophyll fluorescence revealed that the main factor affecting the photosynthetic performance was the light intensity inside each greenhouse rather than the modulation of light spectrum, because of the different shading properties of the doping and whitewashing treatments. Although these results did not allow us to distinguish between the combined effects of shading and light spectrum modulation, the use of photoluminescent covers can be foreseen as a promising innovation in greenhouse horticulture.
Growth and Photosynthetic Responses to Increased LED Light Intensity in Korean Ginseng (Panax ginseng C.A. Meyer) Sprouts
Authors: Song Jinnan , Yang Jingli , Jeong Byoung Ryong
Published: September 2023

Compared to the traditional production of ginseng roots, Panax ginseng sprouts (PGSs) are currently regarded as a substitute due to the relatively short-term culture but still high nutrition. However, the optimal light intensity for the growth ability of PGSs and the characterizations of the responses of PGSs to the light intensity have been largely neglected. This study aimed to determine the influences of the light intensity on the growth, morphogenesis, and photosynthetic responses in PGSs. To this end, two-year-old ginseng rootlets were subjected to one of six light intensities (from 30 to 280 PPFD with 50 PPFD intervals) in a plant factory with artificial lighting (PFAL) via LED light for 10 weeks. On the whole, the recorded parameters of the PGSs showed gradually decreasing trends in response to the increasing light intensities. However, the 80 PPFD-treated PGSs possessed similar or greater root dry weights, leaf areas, carotenoids levels, and photosynthesis (the maximal PSII quantum yield) compared to those in the 30 PPFD regime. Additionally, photoinhibition symptoms as evidenced by chlorosis, necrosis, and stunted growth were observed as the light intensity attained 180 PPFD. Thus, 130 PPFD could be considered a safe point for the appearance of photoinhibition in PGSs. Taken together, we show that the light intensity range of 30–80 PPFD is suitable for maximizing the production of PGSs in PFALs.
Effects of Concentrate Feeding Sequence on Growth Performance, Nutrient Digestibility, VFA Production, and Fecal Microbiota of Weaned Donkeys
Authors: Xie Lan , Xing Jingya , Qi Xingzhen , Lu Ting , Jin Yaqian , Akhtar Muhammad Faheem , Li Lanjie , Liu Guiqin
Published: September 2023

In this study, effects on the growth performance, nutrient digestibility, volatile fatty acids (VFA) production, and fecal microbiota of weaned donkeys were observed using different concentrate feeding sequences. Fifteen healthy 6-month-old weaned male donkeys with a body weight of 117.13 ± 10.60 kg were randomly divided into three treatment groups, including group C1 (roughage-then-concentrate), group C2 (concentrate-then-roughage), and group C3 (total mixed ration, TMR). The experiment lasted 35 d. We measured nutrient digestion by the acid-insoluble ash method and analyzed the fecal microbiota of the weaned donkeys by high-throughput sequencing of 16s rRNA genes in the V3-V4 region. The results show that group C3 obtained the best growth performance, and the digestibility of crude protein (CP) and crude extract (EE) was significantly higher than that of group C1 (p < 0.05). Acetic acid, isobutyric acid, valeric acid, isovaleric acid, and caproic acid were notably different among all groups (p < 0.05). In addition, we observed that Firmicutes and Bacteroidetes were dominant in the fecal microbes of each group, and Firmicutes was significantly higher in group C3 (p < 0.05). At the genus level, the different genera were Treponema, Rikenellaceae-RC9-gut-group, Unidentified-F082, and Bacteroidales-RF16-group (p < 0.05). The prediction of fecal microbiota function by PICRUSt indicated that different feeding sequences had minimal impact on the function of the fecal microbiota, particularly on the high-abundance pathway. In summary, the concentrate feeding sequence changed the composition of the fecal microbe of weaned donkeys.
Helicobacter pylori Infections in Children
Authors: Nguyen Julie , Kotilea Kallirroi , Bontems Patrick , Miendje Deyi Veronique Yvette
Published: September 2023

In the context of epidemiology, host response, disease presentation, diagnosis, and treatment management, the manifestation of Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) infection diverges between children and adults. H. pylori infection stands out as one of the most prevalent bacterial infections globally, and its prevalence in both children and adults is decreasing in many developing countries but some still struggle with a high prevalence of pediatric H. pylori infection and its consequences. The majority of infected children are asymptomatic and pediatric studies do not support the involvement of H. pylori in functional disorders such as recurrent abdominal pain. The pathophysiology of H. pylori infection relies on complex bacterial virulence mechanisms and their interaction with the host immune system and environmental factors. This interaction gives rise to diverse gastritis phenotypes, which subsequently influence the potential development of various gastroduodenal pathologies. In clinical settings, the diagnosis of this infection in childhood requires an upper gastrointestinal endoscopic exam with mucosal biopsy samples for histology and culture, or Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) at the very least. When warranted, eradication treatment should be given when good compliance is expected, and there should be systematic use of a treatment adapted to the antimicrobial susceptibility profile. To combat the burgeoning threat of multidrug resistance, vigilant surveillance of resistance patterns and strategic antibiotic management are paramount.
The Significance of Bayesian Pharmacokinetics in Dosing for Critically Ill Patients: A Primer for Clinicians Using Vancomycin as an Example
Authors: Alnezary Faris S. , Almutairi Masaad Saeed , Gonzales-Luna Anne J. , Thabit Abrar K.
Published: September 2023

Antibiotic use is becoming increasingly challenging with the emergence of multidrug-resistant organisms. Pharmacokinetic (PK) alterations result from complex pathophysiologic changes in some patient populations, particularly those with critical illness. Therefore, antibiotic dose individualization in such populations is warranted. Recently, there have been advances in dose optimization strategies to improve the utilization of existing antibiotics. Bayesian-based dosing is one of the novel approaches that could help clinicians achieve target concentrations in a greater percentage of their patients earlier during therapy. This review summarizes the advantages and disadvantages of current approaches to antibiotic dosing, with a focus on critically ill patients, and discusses the use of Bayesian methods to optimize vancomycin dosing. The Bayesian method of antibiotic dosing was developed to provide more precise predictions of drug concentrations and target achievement early in therapy. It has benefits such as the incorporation of personalized PK/PD parameters, improved predictive abilities, and improved patient outcomes. Recent vancomycin dosing guidelines emphasize the importance of using the Bayesian method. The Bayesian method is able to achieve appropriate antibiotic dosing prior to the patient reaching the steady state, allowing the patient to receive the right drug at the right dose earlier in therapy.
Building the National Antimicrobial Resistance Surveillance Network in Animals in Greece: A “One Health” Approach
Authors: Zafeiridis Christos , Valiakos George , Giakoupi Panagiota , Papadogiannakis Emmanouil
Published: September 2023

It is widely accepted that, in order to prevent and control antimicrobial resistance (AMR), surveillance systems across human, animal and environmental sectors need to be integrated, in a One Health approach. Currently, in Europe, there are surveillance networks established only for the human and food sector and, until now, there has been no organized effort to monitor AMR in bacterial pathogens derived from diseased animals in Europe. Since 2017, efforts to fill this gap have taken place by the European Antimicrobial Resistance Surveillance network in a veterinary medicine (EARS-Vet) initiative, included in the EU Joint Action on AMR and Healthcare-Associated Infections (EU-JAMRAI). EARS-Vet is designed to complement and integrate with existing European monitoring systems for AMR as well as constitute a European network of national monitoring systems. As Greece has no national AMR surveillance system for pathogens of animal origin currently in place, in the context of the development of EARS-Vet, an initiative took place for the organization of such a system by competent agencies and other stakeholders. In this article, the steps to organize a first AMR national surveillance network in Greece are presented and a Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, and Threats (SWOT) analysis is performed to present main characteristics of the approach implemented.
DDAH1 Protects against Cardiotoxin-Induced Muscle Injury and Regeneration
Authors: Feng Fei , Cui Bingqing , Fang Li , Lan Ting , Luo Kai , Xu Xin , Lu Zhongbing
Published: September 2023

Nitric oxide (NO) is an important biological signaling molecule affecting muscle regeneration. The activity of NO synthase (NOS) is regulated by dimethylarginine dimethylaminohydrolase 1 (DDAH1) through degradation of the endogenous NOS inhibitor asymmetric dimethylarginine (ADMA). To investigate the role of DDAH1 in muscle injury and regeneration, muscle-specific Ddah1-knockout mice (Ddah1MKO) and their littermates (Ddah1f/f) were used to examine the progress of cardiotoxin (CTX)-induced muscle injury and subsequent muscle regeneration. After CTX injection, Ddah1MKO mice developed more severe muscle injury than Ddah1f/f mice. Muscle regeneration was also delayed in Ddah1MKO mice on Day 5 after CTX injection. These phenomena were associated with higher serum ADMA and LDH levels as well as a great induction of inflammatory response, oxidative stress and cell apoptosis in the gastrocnemius (GA) muscle of Ddah1MKO mice. In the GA muscle of CTX-treated mice, Ddah1 deficiency decreased the protein expression of M-cadherin, myogenin, Bcl-2, peroxiredoxin 3 (PRDX3) and PRDX5, and increased the protein expression of MyoD, TNFα, Il-6, iNOS and Bax. In summary, our data suggest that DDAH1 exerts a protective role in muscle injury and regeneration.
Effects of Inorganic and Organic Pollutants on the Biomarkers’ Response of Cerastoderma edule under Temperature Scenarios
Authors: Mesquita Andreia F. , Gonçalves Fernando J. M. , Gonçalves Ana M. M.
Published: September 2023

Currently, there is increased chemical pollution, and climate change is a major concern to scientific, political and social communities globally. Marine systems are very susceptible to changes, and considering the ecological and economic roles of bivalve species, like Cerastoderma edule, studies evaluating the effects of both stressors are of great importance. This study intends to (a) determine the toxicity of copper (Cu) and oxyfluorfen at the lethal level, considering the temperature; (b) assess the changes in the antioxidant defence enzymes as a consequence of the simultaneous exposure to chemical and warming pressures; and (c) determine if lipid peroxidation (LPO) and neurotoxic effects occur after the exposure to chemical and temperature stressors. C. edule was exposed to Cu and oxyfluorfen at different temperatures (15 °C, 20 °C and 25 °C) for 96 h. The ecotoxicological results reveal a higher tolerance of C. edule to oxyfluorfen than to Cu, regardless of the temperature. The antioxidant defence system revealed efficiency in fighting the chemicals’ action, with no significant changes in the thiobarbituric reactive species (TBARS) levels to 15 °C and 20 °C. However, a significant inhibition of acetylcholinesterase (AChE) was observed on the organisms exposed to oxyfluorfen at 20 °C, as well as a decreasing trend on the ones exposed to Cu at this temperature. Moreover, the catalase (CAT) showed a significant increase in the organisms exposed to the two highest concentrations of Cu at 15 °C and in the ones exposed to the highest concentration of oxyfluorfen at 20 °C. Looking at the temperature as a single stressor, the organisms exposed to 25 °C revealed a significant increase in the TBARS level, suggesting potential LPO and explaining the great mortality at this condition.
Generalized Thrust Network Analysis of Triangular Masonry Cross Vaults Inspired by Musmeci
Authors: Nodargi Nicola A. , Intrigila Claudio , Bisegna Paolo
Published: September 2023

A triangular parabolic cross vault, that was designed by Musmeci in the 1950s as a reinforced concrete structure but remained unbuilt, is revisited from the original perspective of its reinvention as a masonry structure. In the framework of static limit analysis under classical Heyman’s assumptions, a generalized thrust network analysis is adopted for a structural safety assessment. The performances of the vault, subject to its self-weight, are investigated through minimum-thrust and minimum-thickness analyses by conforming to the original geometry and assuming the vault thickness as the only design parameter. Further insight is achieved by exploring a more general class of triangular parabolic masonry cross vaults, whose rise-to-span ratio is an additional design parameter. The static efficiency of the smart and unconventional geometry proposed by Musmeci is thus proven, motivating the possibility of bringing it to new life in the form of a masonry structure.
A Low-Brightness Image Enhancement Algorithm Based on Multi-Scale Fusion
Authors: Zhang Enqi , Guo Lihong , Guo Junda , Yan Shufeng , Li Xiangyang , Kong Lingsheng
Published: September 2023

Images captured in low-brightness environments typically have low brightness, low contrast, and high noise levels, which significantly affect the overall image quality. To improve the image quality, a low-brightness image enhancement algorithm based on multi-scale fusion is proposed. First, a novel brightness transformation function is used for the generation of two images with different brightnesses. Then, the illumination estimation technique is used to construct a weight matrix, which facilitates the extraction of advantageous features from each image. Finally, the enhanced image is obtained by the fusion of two images using the weight matrix and the pyramid reconstruction algorithm. The proposed method has a better enhancement effect as shown by the experimental results. Compared to other image enhancement algorithms, it has lower evaluation values in the natural image quality evaluator (NIQE) and lightness order error (LOE) indices. The lowest average NIQE value of the proposed algorithm in each dataset is 2.836. This further demonstrates its superior performance.
LTransformer: A Transformer-Based Framework for Task Offloading in Vehicular Edge Computing
Authors: Yang Yichi , Yan Ruibin , Gu Yijun
Published: September 2023

Vehicular edge computing (VEC) is essential in vehicle applications such as traffic control and in-vehicle services. In the task offloading process of VEC, predictive-mode transmission based on deep learning is constrained by limited computational resources. Furthermore, the accuracy of deep learning algorithms in VEC is compromised due to the lack of edge computing features in algorithms. To solve these problems, this paper proposes a task offloading optimization approach that enables edge servers to store deep learning models. Moreover, this paper proposes the LTransformer, a transformer-based framework that incorporates edge computing features. The framework consists of pre-training, an input module, an encoding–decoding module, and an output module. Compared with four sequential deep learning methods, namely a Recurrent Neural Network (RNN), Long Short-Term Memory (LSTM), a Gated Recurrent Unit (GRU), and the Transformer, the LTransformer achieves the highest accuracy, reaching 80.1% on the real dataset. In addition, the LTransformer achieves 0.008 s when predicting a single trajectory, fully satisfying the fundamental requirements of real-time prediction and enabling task offloading optimization.