bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
The Impact of Urbanization on Cultivated Land Use Efficiency in the Yangtze River Economic Belt in China
Authors: Feng Xiuju , Gao Jian , Sriboonjit Jittaporn , Wang Zhongmin , Liu Jianxu , Sriboonchitta Songsak
Published: March 2023

The Yangtze River Economic Belt (YREB), an important industrial belt for food security for China, is facing the challenge of decreasing cultivated land in the process of rapid urbanization. In this case, how to improve the cultivated land use efficiency (CLUE) has become the top priority. Based on data from 108 cities of YREB from 2001 to 2019, we measured CLUE using a slack-based measure with undesirable output (SBM-Undesirable). The high-value area of CLUE shows a trend from multi-core agglomeration to two-core agglomeration, mainly concentrated in Chengdu-Chongqing urban agglomeration and the northern part of the YREB. Then the paper examines the spatial effect of urbanization on CLUE using the Spatial Error Model (SEM). The result shows that population urbanization has significantly promoted the improvement of CLUE in YREB during the sample period. With each percentage point increase in population urbanization, CLUE will increase by 2.99%. Land urbanization has a negative impact on CLUE, for each percent increase in the expansion of urban spatial scope, CLUE will decrease by 0.06%. The spatial heterogeneity analysis shows that population urbanization in the lower reaches has significantly promoted CLUE, with a coefficient of 1.053. The population urbanization level in the middle and lower reaches of the region has no obvious effect on CLUE. The coefficient of land urbanization in the downstream region is 0.35, which significantly promotes CLUE. The coefficient in the middle is −0.26, which implies the CLUE decreases by 0.26% for every one percentage point increase in land urbanization. Land urbanization in the upper has no significant impact on the CLUE. Policy implications include improving the quality of the three major urban clusters along the YREB, building an ecologic protective screen in the upper, encouraging a new agricultural management system and detailed regulations related to the cultivated land protection in YREB.
A Hybrid Framework for Detection and Analysis of Leaf Blight Using Guava Leaves Imaging
Authors: Mumtaz Sidrah , Raza Mudassar , Okon Ofonime , Rehman Saeed , Ragab Adham , Rauf Hafiz
Published: March 2023

Fruit is an essential element of human life and a significant gain for the agriculture sector. Guava is a common fruit found in different countries. It is considered the fourth primary fruit in Pakistan. Several bacterial and fungal diseases found in guava fruit decrease production daily. Leaf Blight is a common disease found in guava fruit that affects the growth and production of fruit. Automatic detection of leaf blight disease in guava fruit can help avoid decreases in its production. In this research, we proposed a CNN-based deep model named SidNet. The proposed model contains thirty-three layers. We used a guava dataset for early recognition of leaf blight, which consists of two classes. Initially, the YCbCr color space was employed as a preprocessing step in detecting leaf blight. As the original dataset was small, data augmentation was performed. DarkNet-53, AlexNet, and the proposed SidNet were used for feature acquisition. The features were fused to get the best-desired results. Binary Gray Wolf Optimization (BGWO) was used on the fused features for feature selection. The optimized features were given to the variants of SVM and KNN classifiers for classification. The experiments were performed on 5- and 10-fold cross validation. The highest achievable outcomes were 98.9% with 5-fold and 99.2% with 10-fold cross validation, confirming the evidence that the identification of Leaf Blight is accurate, successful, and efficient.
A Perspective Review on Green Nanotechnology in Agro-Ecosystems: Opportunities for Sustainable Agricultural Practices & Environmental Remediation
Authors: Bhandari Geeta , Dhasmana Archna , Chaudhary Parul , Gupta Sanjay , Gangola Saurabh , Gupta Ashulekha , Rustagi Sarvesh , Shende Sudhir , Rajput Vishnu , Minkina Tatiana , Malik Sumira , Slama Petr
Published: March 2023

The modern agricultural system is facing the unprecedented task of contriving the extensive demand for agrarian production owing to population explosion and global climate change. The employment of Nanotechnology in agriculture has gained immense interest in recent times for the development of sustainable agricultural technologies and environmental remediation strategies. Nanotechnology pertains to the employment of nanoparticles and furnishes the potential to fabricate novel materials and products possessing improved quality. The nanomaterials may be used as; nanosensors, nanocides, nanofertilizers, nanobarcodes, and nano-remediators, which play a significant role in modern agricultural practices. However, the physical and chemical processes of nanoparticle production is neither economical nor environmentally sustainable. Therefore, the need for green or biogenic nanoparticles obtained from plants, bacteria, fungi or their metabolites has emerged as novel, sustainable, economical, biocompatible, and eco-friendly technology. In this perspective, the production and sources of biogenic nanoparticles and their implication in agro-ecosystems for crop productivity, soil health management, biocontrol, and environmental remediation have been focused on in this review. The potential development and implementation challenges are also explored.
Contribution of Agro-Physiological and Morpho-Anatomical Traits to Grain Yield of Wheat Genotypes under Post-Anthesis Stress Induced by Defoliation
Authors: Kandić Vesna , Savić Jasna , Rančić Dragana , Dodig Dejan
Published: March 2023

Post-anthesis drought affects wheat production worldwide, primarily through the limitation of grain filling. The enhanced remobilization of stem reserves induced by drought can provide considerable carbon sources for grain filling. The aim of this study, which was part of an ongoing wheat-breeding program targeting drought tolerance, was to assess the ability of 20 contrasting common wheat genotypes (2 cultivars, 8 F6:7 families (FAM), and 10 parent genotypes (PAR) used to make the families) to remobilize stem dry matter under water-stressed conditions simulated via defoliation 10 days after anthesis, and to estimate the contribution of stem dry matter remobilization to grain weight. In two-year field trials, the genotypes were scored for agro-physiological and peduncle morpho-anatomical traits. Stem reserve contribution to grain weight per spike was significantly enhanced in defoliated plants but did not differ amongst the groups of genotypes. F6:7 families had higher grain-filling rate and 1000-grain weight but without improvement in grain weight per spike under defoliation compared with parental groups. The total area of chlorenchyma, phloem-area-related traits, and stem reserve contribution to grain weight were positively associated with grain weight per spike under defoliation, whilst in both treatments, the grain-filling rate was determined by stem height. These results imply that the grain-filling rate is a trait desirable for drought tolerance that can be improved during the breeding process.
Short-Term Crop Residue Management in No-Tillage Cultivation Effects on Soil Quality Indicators in Virginia
Authors: Battaglia Martin L. , Thomason Wade , Ozlu Ekrem , Rezaei-Chiyaneh Esmaeil , Fike John H. , Diatta André Amakobo , Uslu Omer Suha , Babur Emre , Schillaci Calogero
Published: March 2023

The use of crop residues for biofuel production has the potential to provide environmental and economic benefits to modern societies. Because of the profound impacts that crop residues have on agricultural productivity and soil health, a sustainable utilization of these residues is required. Thus, we determined crop yield and quality response for a range of biomass retention rates in grain cropping systems. Combinations of corn (Zea mays L.) stover (0, 3.33, 6.66 and 10 Mgha−1) and wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) straw (0, 1.0, 2.0, and 3.0 Mgha−1) were soil applied in a corn-wheat/soybean (Glycine max L. Merr.) rotation in Virginia’s Coastal Plain. Corn stover (0, 3.33, 6.66, 10 and 20 Mg ha−1) was applied in a continuous corn cropping system in the Ridge/Valley province. For each system, residues were applied following grain harvest over two production cycles. Each experiment was conducted as a randomized complete block design with four replications. Two cycles of crop residue management, with retention rates of up to 20 Mg ha−1 of corn stover retention in Blacksburg, and up to 13 Mg ha−1 of corn stover and wheat straw in New Kent, had no effect on total nitrogen (TN) and carbon (TC) concentrations, CN ratios, bulk density (BD), soil pH, field capacity, permanent wilting point, plant available water and water aggregate stability across soil depths and aggregate sizes in Virginia. In one situation when residue management slightly affected BD (0–2.5 cm depth, NK1), differences across the sixteen total retained residues treatments were less than 5%, thus rendering them not biologically or environmentally meaningful. Overall, results of this study did not show any clear short-term impact, resulting from various rates of crop residue retention in Virginia cropping systems. These incipient negative impacts resulting from very low rates of residue return warrant further studies to corroborate whether these results are to be found following long-term scenarios of crop residue management.
Bacillus velezensis: A Beneficial Biocontrol Agent or Facultative Phytopathogen for Sustainable Agriculture
Authors: Rabbee Muhammad Fazle , Hwang Buyng-Su , Baek Kwang-Hyun
Published: March 2023

Microbial biocontrol agents are efficient and environment-friendly in eradicating plant pathogenic bacteria. In recent years, Bacillus velezensis has gained popularity as a potential biocontrol agent in many countries. Several B. velezensis-based biocontrol products, previously identified as B. amyloliquefaciens or B. amyloliquefaciens subsp. plantarum, have received commercial approval, particularly in China and Europe. In this study, we compiled recent research findings on B. velezensis related to the production of antimicrobials, volatile organic compounds, induction of disease resistance, and the effect of this bacterium on plant growth promotion and yield. However, some recent research indicates that this important resource is also linked to several diseases in crops, including peach, onion, and potato, and the negative aspects of this bacterium in terms of its virulence traits to infect crops have not been summarized before. In this review, we compile the recent reports of this bacterium in term of its beneficial properties in agriculture. In addition, we also discuss several reports about its harmful effect on several crops as well. Therefore, due to the inherent pathogenicity of this bacterium to several crops, care must be taken when using it in a novel crop cultivation technique.
The Effect of Deep Placement of Basal Nitrogen Fertilizer on Gaseous Nitrogen Losses and Nitrogen Use Efficiency of Paddy Fields under Water-Saving Irrigation in Northeast China
Authors: Li Tiecheng , Zhang Zhongxue , Chen Peng , Qi Zhijuan , Nie Tangzhe , Zhang Zuohe , Sun Di , Du Sicheng , Zhou Xin
Published: March 2023

As a widely implemented irrigation regime for paddy fields, water-saving irrigation (WSI) is capable of ensuring water resource security and improving nitrogen use efficiency (NUE). Higher gaseous nitrogen losses (GNL) lead to a low recovery rate of basal nitrogen, and this is the primary reason that restricts further improvements in the NUE under WSI. The deep placement of nitrogen fertilizer (DPN) is considered an efficient agricultural management measure to reduce GNL. However, the effects of WSI combined with the deep placement of basal nitrogen fertilizer on NUE, GNL, and rice yield in paddy fields remain largely unknown. In this study, a 2-year field experiment was conducted to measure GNL (N2O emissions and NH3 volatilization), NUE, and rice yield. Four treatments were utilized: (i) conventional flooding irrigation + broadcast of nitrogen fertilizer (110 kg N hm−2, CFN); (ii) water-saving irrigation + deep placement of basal nitrogen fertilizer (110 kg N hm−2, WSN); (iii) water-saving irrigation + deep placement of basal nitrogen fertilizer (99 kg N hm−2, WSN1); (iv) water-saving irrigation + deep placement of basal nitrogen fertilizer (88 kg N hm−2, WSN2). The results showed that the GNL in paddy fields under treatment ranged from 5.29 to 10.67 kg hm−2. Deep placement of basal nitrogen fertilizer mitigated the GNL of the paddy fields under WSI. The GNL of CFN was significantly higher than those of WSN1 and WSN2 by 26.9% and 54.0% in 2021 and 14.4% and 23.3% in 2022, respectively (p < 0.05). Under WSI, the deep placement of basal nitrogen fertilizer reduced the GNL primarily via the reduction of NH3 volatilization. NH3-N of CFN was higher than those treatments under WSI. The rice yield of CFN was significantly lower than those of WSN and WSN1 by 22.4% and 21.6% in 2021 and 4.6% and 1.5% in 2022, respectively. (p < 0.05). Moreover, the NUE of each treatment under WSI was higher than that of CFN. These changes exhibited similar trends in 2021 and 2022. These results demonstrated that deep placement of basal nitrogen fertilizer is an effective practice to ensure food and environmental security under WSI.
Three Bayesian Tracer Models: Which Is Better for Determining Sources of Root Water Uptake Based on Stable Isotopes under Various Soil Water Conditions?
Authors: Liu Junming , Si Zhuanyun , Li Shuang , Abubakar Sunusi Amin , Zhang Yingying , Wu Lifeng , Gao Yang , Duan Aiwang
Published: March 2023

Stable hydrogen and oxygen isotopes provide a powerful technique for quantifying the proportion of root water uptake (RWU) from different potential water sources. Although many models coupled with stable isotopes have been developed to estimate plant water source apportionment, inter-comparisons of different methods are still limited, especially their performance under different soil water content (SWC) conditions. In this study, three Bayesian tracer mixing models, which included MixSIAR, MixSIR and SIAR, were tested to evaluate their performances in determining the RWU of winter wheat under various SWC conditions (normal, dry and wet) in the North China Plain (NCP). The proportions of RWU in different soil layers showed significant differences (p < 0.05) among the three Bayesian models, for example, the proportion of 0–20 cm soil layer calculated by MixSIR, MixSIAR and SIAR was 69.7%, 50.1% and 48.3% for the third sampling under the dry condition (p < 0.05), respectively. Furthermore, the average proportion of the 0–20 cm layer under the dry condition was lower than that under normal and wet conditions, being 45.7%, 58.3% and 59.5%, respectively. No significant difference (p > 0.05) was found in the main RWU depth (i.e., 0–20 cm) among the three models, except for individual sampling periods. The performance of three models in determining plant water source allocation varied with SWC conditions: the performance indicators such as coefficient of determination (R2) and Nash-Sutcliffe efficiency coefficient (NS) in MixSIAR were higher than that in MixSIR and SIAR, showing that MixSIAR performed well under normal and wet conditions. The rank of performance under the dry condition was MixSIR, MixSIAR, and then SIAR. Overall, MixSIAR performed relatively better than other models in predicting RWU under the three different soil moisture conditions.
Improvement of Climate Resource Utilization Efficiency to Enhance Maize Yield through Adjusting Planting Density
Authors: Wu Wenming , Zhang Lin , Chu Zhaokang , Yue Wei , Xu Ying , Peng Chen , Chen Xiang , Jing Lili , Ma Wei , Wang Shiji
Published: March 2023

The sustainable high yield of crops is critically important under the current situation of global climate warming. In order to improve regional yield, it is urgent to clarify the limiting factors of local grain yield and change the traditional planting measurements to adapt to the warming climate and make full use of climate resources. Long-term field experiments over seven years from 2014 to 2021 were conducted with the same maize cultivar (i.e., Luyu9105) with seven planting density treatments: 3.0 × 104 (D1), 4.5 × 104 (D2), 6.0 × 104 (D3), 7.5 × 104 (D4), 9.0 × 104 (D5), 10.5 × 104 (D6), and 12.0 × 104 (D7) plants per hectare in Taihe and Hefei, which belong to the southern Huang-Huai-Hai (SHHH) and southeast (SE) maize-producing areas in China. According to the field experiment data, differences in grain yield, ear number, kernel number per spike, and 1000-kernel weight of different treatments were analyzed. The utilization efficiency of climate resources in Taihe and Hefei was calculated using daily solar radiation, mean temperature, and precipitation data. The results showed that Taihe had 7.8% higher solar radiation during the growing season of maize than Hefei, while accumulated temperature ≥10 °C (AT10) was 3.9% lower than Hefei. The grain yields of different planting densities in Taihe were 9.7~23.6% higher than in Hefei. The agronomic optimal planting density (AOPD) was 8.6 × 104 plants ha−1 in Taihe and 8.0 × 104 plants ha−1 in Hefei. Compared to the actual grain yields, when the agronomic optimal planting densities were adopted, the simulated yield increased by 51.3% and 59.6%, respectively. The radiation utilization efficiency, temperature utilization efficiency, and precipitation utilization efficiency in Taihe were 12.9%, 24.6%, and 26.7% higher than the values of Hefei, respectively, and D4 and D5 treatments had significantly higher climatic resource utilization efficiency than D1 and D2 treatment. The grain yield was negatively correlated with accumulated temperature ≥10 °C and positively correlated with solar radiation. The multiple linear regression model among solar radiation, accumulated temperature was ≥10 °C, and grain yield was y = 0.550R−0.562AT10 + 14,593.6 (R = 0.379). Accumulated temperature ≥10 °C was the main climatic factor affecting the grain yield due to the higher occurrence probability of a maximum temperature ≥35 °C. Overall, in the future, increasing planting density and alleviating heat stress may enhance grain yield. These results could provide cultivation measurements with regional characteristics to adapt to the local climate and maximize the utilization efficiency of climatic resources.
Physiological Quality of Soybean Seeds as a Function of Soil Management Systems and Pre-Harvest Desiccation
Authors: Silva Gustavo Ferreira da , Chamma Larissa , Luperini Bruno Cesar Ottoboni , Chaves Prínscilla Pâmela Nunes , Calonego Juliano Carlos , Nakagawa João , Silva Edvaldo Aparecido Amaral da
Published: March 2023

Soil management systems directly interfere in the soil–plant relationship. However, there are still few studies evaluating the influence of long-term management systems on the physiological quality of soybean seeds. Another little-known topic is the influence of pre-harvest desiccation on the physiological quality of soybean seeds, especially on seed longevity. Thus, the aim of this research was to evaluate the physiological quality of soybean seeds cultivated under conventional tillage and no-tillage systems with and without desiccant use. The experiment was carried out in design is a split plot in a randomized complete block design. The treatments consisted of soil management systems (conventional tillage and no-tillage), with and without pre-harvest desiccation. In the treatment with desiccation, the herbicide Paraquat was applied, when the plants were at the R7.3 phenological stage (most of the seeds had a yellowish coat, with a shiny surface and were already detached from the pod). Seed germination, vigor (first germination count, seedling dry mass, seedling length, time to reach 50% germination (T50), seedling emergence and emergence speed index) and longevity (P50) were evaluated. Seeds cultivated under conventional tillage showed greater vigor for most traits evaluated, with values of T50 and seedling length higher by 24.39% and 24.77%, respectively, compared to NT. In addition, non-desiccation increased the seedling length and dry mass, in 15.45% and 21.59%, respectively. The use of desiccant aiming at seed vigor is dependent on the soil management system. Soybean seed longevity was superior in the no-tillage system, but desiccant application reduced seed longevity.
Advanced Study of Drought-Responsive Protein Pathways in Plants
Authors: Movahedi Ali , Dzinyela Raphael , Aghaei-Dargiri Soheila , Alhassan Abdul Razak , Yang Liming , Xu Chen
Published: March 2023

Drought, the most significant environmental stressor, severely limits plant growth and development and significantly reduces crop production. Drought stress responses vary among plants, allowing them to withstand and survive adverse conditions. Plants resist drought by maintaining signaling pathways, such as the abscisic acid pathway, and activating unusual proteins, such as dehydrins. This study aims to investigate signaling pathways and the biological structures and activities of proteins involved in these processes. We also look into the occurrence of crosstalk across multiple signaling pathways and what it means for agricultural plant enhancement. By incorporating the most common components across all abiotic stress situations, this review provides insight into the evolution of drought stress tolerance in agricultural plants. This review could be helpful for crop drought stress researchers.
Exploration of Social Proximity and Behavior in Captive Malayan Tigers and Their Cubs
Authors: Holland Aimee , Galardi Elena Giulia , Fabbroni Martina , Hashmi Anita , Catinaud Jerome , Preziosi Richard , Brereton James Edward , Quintavalle Pastorino Giovanni
Published: March 2023

The survival of endangered felids is becoming increasingly dependent on the successful management and breeding of reserve populations in captivity. While most felid species are reported to be solitary in the wild, increasing evidence suggests that some big cats have greater social plasticity than is currently acknowledged. This social plasticity allows felids to be sometimes socially housed in environments such as zoos and rescue centers. While the effects of such shared enclosures remain in question, many reports provide evidence of several welfare benefits of maintaining these large carnivores in pairs or even groups. Since 2019, Le Parc des Félins has housed a breeding pair of Malaysian tigers (Panthera tigris jacksoni) alongside their offspring. The purpose of this study was to quantify the social affiliation between the male tiger and his cubs and to investigate the female’s tolerance toward him. The data were collected using video recordings in the outdoor enclosure when social interactions were observed. The data were coded and categorized in the open-source software BORIS, from which behavioral activity budgets were calculated. Data were analyzed using the chi-squared test for association to determine differences in affiliative frequency, with directed and undirected sociograms created to visualize individual relationships. Overall, the male regularly engaged in affiliative behaviors with the cubs, with no significant difference found in the frequency of interactions with them compared to the female. No physical aggression was directed by the male toward the cubs. Although the female maintained a stronger bond with the cubs compared to the male, he displayed a greater range of affiliative behaviors toward them than male tigers are thought to exhibit. Both adults showed a high degree of tolerance toward their conspecifics, suggesting that maintaining breeding pairs with their offspring is a viable management strategy in zoological collections. This study could therefore improve husbandry and conservation practices by developing our understanding of felid sociality and the potential welfare benefits of social housing, allowing for evidence-based captive management decisions.
Maslinic Acid Supplementation during the In Vitro Culture Period Ameliorates Early Embryonic Development of Porcine Embryos by Regulating Oxidative Stress
Authors: Yang Ting-Ting , Qi Jia-Jia , Sun Bo-Xing , Qu He-Xuan , Wei Hua-Kai , Sun Hao , Jiang Hao , Zhang Jia-Bao , Liang Shuang
Published: March 2023

As a pentacyclic triterpene, MA exhibits effective free radical scavenging capabilities. The purpose of this study was to explore the effects of MA on porcine early-stage embryonic development, oxidation resistance and mitochondrial function. Our results showed that 1 μM was the optimal concentration of MA, which resulted in dramatically increased blastocyst formation rates and improvement of blastocyst quality of in vitro-derived embryos from parthenogenetic activation (PA) and somatic cell nuclear transfer (SCNT). Further analysis indicated that MA supplementation not only significantly decreased the abundance of intracellular reactive oxygen species (ROS) and dramatically increased the abundance of intracellular reductive glutathione (GSH) in porcine early-stage embryos, but also clearly attenuated mitochondrial dysfunction and inhibited apoptosis. Moreover, Western blotting showed that MA supplementation upregulated OCT4 (p < 0.01), SOD1 (p < 0.0001) and CAT (p < 0.05) protein expression in porcine early-stage embryos. Collectively, our data reveal that MA supplementation exerts helpful effects on porcine early embryo development competence via regulation of oxidative stress (OS) and amelioration of mitochondrial function and that MA may be useful for increasing the in vitro production (IVP) efficiency of porcine early-stage embryos.
Susceptibility of Ovine Bone Marrow-Derived Mesenchymal Stem Cell Spheroids to Scrapie Prion Infection
Authors: Hernaiz Adelaida , Cobeta Paula , Marín Belén , Vázquez Francisco José , Badiola Juan José , Zaragoza Pilar , Bolea Rosa , Martín-Burriel Inmaculada
Published: March 2023

In neurodegenerative diseases, including prion diseases, cellular in vitro models appear as fundamental tools for the study of pathogenic mechanisms and potential therapeutic compounds. Two-dimensional (2D) monolayer cell culture systems are the most used cell-based assays, but these platforms are not able to reproduce the microenvironment of in vivo cells. This limitation can be surpassed using three-dimensional (3D) culture systems such as spheroids that more effectively mimic in vivo cell interactions. Herein, we evaluated the effect of scrapie prion infection in monolayer-cultured ovine bone marrow-derived mesenchymal stem cells (oBM-MSCs) and oBM-MSC-derived spheroids in growth and neurogenic conditions, analyzing their cell viability and their ability to maintain prion infection. An MTT assay was performed in oBM-MSCs and spheroids subjected to three conditions: inoculated with brain homogenate from scrapie-infected sheep, inoculated with brain homogenate from healthy sheep, and non-inoculated controls. The 3D conditions improved the cell viability in most cases, although in scrapie-infected spheroids in growth conditions, a decrease in cell viability was observed. The levels of pathological prion protein (PrPSc) in scrapie-infected oBM-MSCs and spheroids were measured by ELISA. In neurogenic conditions, monolayer cells and spheroids maintained the levels of PrPSc over time. In growth conditions, however, oBM-MSCs showed decreasing levels of PrPSc throughout time, whereas spheroids were able to maintain stable PrPSc levels. The presence of PrPSc in spheroids was also confirmed by immunocytochemistry. Altogether, these results show that a 3D culture microenvironment improves the permissiveness of oBM-MSCs to scrapie infection in growth conditions and maintains the infection ability in neurogenic conditions, making this model of potential use for prion studies.
Validation of the HHHHHMM Scale in the Italian Context: Assessing Pets’ Quality of Life and Qualitatively Exploring Owners’ Grief
Authors: Testoni Ines , De Vincenzo Ciro , Campigli Michela , Caregnato Manzatti Aljosha , Ronconi Lucia , Uccheddu Stefania
Published: March 2023

Witnessing a companion animal’s death can be a stressful psychological experience for human guardians, affecting their ability to grieve. The veterinary and psychological sciences offer useful tools for supporting human guardians during their companion animal’s terminal illness. Accordingly, the present study aimed to validate the HHHHMM Quality of Life Scale in the Italian context. The study followed a mixed-methods design and involved 314 participants. The Mourning Dog Questionnaire (MDQ), Lexington Attachment to Pets Scale (LAPS), Pet Bereavement Questionnaire (PBQ), and open-ended questions were adopted to test the research hypotheses and qualitatively explore the grieving experience. The results showed that the model’s fit was partially adequate, with all parameters being significant and over 0.40. Moreover, human guardians’ anger levels were high when their companion animal’s quality of life was poor, and greater levels of grief were associated with higher levels of attachment. Gender differences were observed only with the LAPS, and a negative correlation with age was found with the LAPS and PBQ. A thematic qualitative analysis revealed four themes: continuing bonds, coping strategies, shared moral values, and perceived support. Thus, the research reaffirmed the importance of adequate veterinary and psychological support for human guardians experiencing the loss of companion animals.
Bioinformatics Approaches Applied to the Discovery of Antifungal Peptides
Authors: Rodríguez-Cerdeira Carmen , Molares-Vila Alberto , Sánchez-Cárdenas Carlos Daniel , Velásquez-Bámaca Jimmy Steven , Martínez-Herrera Erick
Published: March 2023

Antifungal peptides (AFPs) comprise a group of substances with a broad spectrum of activities and complex action mechanisms. They develop in nature via an evolutionary process resulting from the interactions between hosts and pathogens. The AFP database is experimentally verified and curated from research articles, patents, and public databases. In this review, we compile information about the primary databases and bioinformatics tools that have been used in the discovery of AFPs during the last 15 years. We focus on the classification and prediction of AFPs using different physicochemical properties, such as polarity, hydrophobicity, hydrophilicity, mass, acidic, basic, and isoelectric indices, and other structural properties. Another method for discovering AFPs is the implementation of a peptidomic approach and bioinformatics filtering, which gave rise to a new family of peptides that exhibit a broad spectrum of antimicrobial activity against Candida albicans with low hemolytic effects. The application of machine intelligence in the sphere of biological sciences has led to the development of automated tools. The progress made in this area has also paved the way for producing new drugs more quickly and effectively. However, we also identified that further advancements are still needed to complete the AFP libraries.
Antimicrobial Resistance Linked to Septic System Contamination in the Indiana Lake Michigan Watershed
Authors: Sidhu Angad S. , Mikolajczyk Faith N. , Fisher Jenny C.
Published: March 2023

Extended-spectrum β-lactamases confer resistance to a variety of β-lactam antimicrobials, and the genes for these enzymes are often found on plasmids that include additional antimicrobial resistance genes (ARG). We surveyed aquatic environments in the Indiana Lake Michigan watershed in proximity to areas with high densities of residential septic systems to determine if human fecal contamination from septic effluent correlated with the presence of antimicrobial resistance genes and phenotypically resistant bacteria. Of the 269 E. coli isolated from environmental samples and one septic source, 97 isolates were resistant to cefotaxime, a third-generation cephalosporin. A subset of those isolates showed phenotypic resistance to other β-lactams, fluoroquinolones, sulfonamides, and tetracyclines. Quantitative PCR was used to quantify human-associated Bacteroides dorei gene copies (Human Bacteroides) from water samples and to identify the presence of ARG harbored on plasmids from E. coli isolates or in environmental DNA. We found a strong correlation between the presence of ARG and human fecal concentrations, which supports our hypothesis that septic effluent is a source of ARG and resistant organisms. The observed plasmid-based resistance adds an additional level of risk, as human-associated bacteria from septic systems may expand the environmental resistome by acting as a reservoir of transmissible resistance genes.
Ultra-Small Silver Nanoparticles: A Sustainable Green Synthesis Approach for Antibacterial Activity
Authors: Castañeda-Aude Javier Emanuel , Morones-Ramírez José Rubén , De Haro-Del Río David Alejandro , León-Buitimea Angel , Barriga-Castro Enrique Díaz , Escárcega-González Carlos Enrique
Published: March 2023

The present study centers on the synthesis of ultra-small silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) with antibacterial properties using citrus peel residues (orange, lemon, and grapefruit) as reducing and stabilizing agents, and on assessing their antibacterial activity against multidrug-resistant clinical Staphylococcus aureus. The synthesized AgNPs were analyzed by various techniques, including UV-Vis spectroscopy, SAED, TEM, XRD, FTIR, and Raman. The results demonstrate the formation of ultra-small, monodisperse, quasi-spherical AgNPs with an average particle size of 2.42 nm for AgNPs produced with mixed extracts. XRD analysis indicated that the AgNPs have a crystal size of 9.71 to 16.23 nm. The AgNPs exhibited potent inhibitory activity against resistant S. aureus, with a minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) of 15.625 to 62.50 ppm. The findings suggest that the ultra-small nanometer size of the AgNPs could be attributed to the synthesis method that employs ambient conditions and the presence of polyphenolic compounds from citrus peel. Consequently, AgNPs obtained through sustainable green synthesis hold significant potential in combating clinical multi-resistant bacterial strains that are challenging to treat and eradicate. This approach also contributes to the revaluation of citrus residues in the region, which is an ongoing environmental issue today.
Effects of Sulfamethoxazole and Florfenicol on Growth, Antioxidant Capacity, Immune Responses and Intestinal Microbiota in Pacific White Shrimp Litopenaeus vannamei at Low Salinity
Authors: Chen Yunsong , Zhou Li , Yu Qiuran , Li Erchao , Xie Jia
Published: March 2023

Antibiotic residue may pose a serious risk to aquaculture, and the culture of Litopenaeus vannamei in a low-salinity environment is a growing trend over the world. Here, we aimed to understand the combined effect of low salinity and sulfamethoxazole (SMZ) and florfenicol (FLO) antibiotics on L. vannamei. The growth performance, immune functions, antioxidant capacity and intestinal microbiota were investigated. Compared with the control group, the weight gain and survival rate significantly decreased (p < 0.05) in shrimp after they were exposed to low-salinity (salinity 3) water and the mixture of antibiotics and low-salt conditions for 28 days. The antioxidant activities of SOD and T-AOC, shown at low salinity and in the higher concentration of the SMZ treatment group (SMZH), were significantly decreased, while the GST activity was significantly increased in each treatment group in comparison with the control group. The expression of immune-related genes, including TOLL, LvIMD, PPO and HSP, in the low concentration of the SMZ treatment group (SMZL) was higher than that in the other groups. The diversity of intestine microbiota was disturbed with a lower Shannon index in the low-salinity and SMZH groups, and a higher Simpson index in the SMZH group. Proteobacteria, Actinobacteria and Bacteroidetes were the dominant phyla in the gut of L. vannamei. At the genus level, Microbacterium, Shewanella, Aeromonas, Acinetobacter, Gemmobacter, Paracoccus and Lysobacter were significantly decreased in the low-salinity group. However, the abundance of opportunistic pathogens belonging to the genus Aeromonas in the FLO group was increased. The predicted microbe-mediated functions showed that the pathway for “amino acid metabolism” and “replication and repair” was significantly inhibited in both the low-salinity and antibiotic-exposed groups. All the findings in this study indicate that the combined effect of antibiotics and low salinity on L. vannamei negatively impacted the physiological and intestinal microbiota functions.
Flowers of Allium cepa L. as Nutraceuticals: Phenolic Composition and Anti-Obesity and Antioxidant Effects in Caenorhabditis elegans
Authors: Moliner Cristina , Núñez Sonia , Cásedas Guillermo , Valero Marta Sofía , Dias Maria Inês , Barros Lillian , López Víctor , Gómez-Rincón Carlota
Published: March 2023

Allium cepa L., commonly known as onion, is one of the most-consumed vegetables. The benefits of the intake of its bulb are well studied and are related to its high polyphenol content. The flowers of onions are also edible; however, there are no studies about their biological properties. Our aim was to determine the polyphenolic profile and assess the antioxidant and anti-obesity capacity of an ethanolic extract from fresh flowers of A. cepa. The phenolic constituents were identified through LC-DAD-ESI/MSn. For the anti-obesity potential, the inhibitory activity against digestive enzymes was measured. Several in vitro assays were carried out to determine the antioxidant capacity. A Caenorhabditis elegans model was used to evaluate the effect of the extract on stress resistance and fat accumulation. For the first time, kaempferol and isorhamnetin glucosides were identified in the flowers. The extract reduced fat accumulation in the nematode and had a high lipase and α- glucosidase inhibitory activity. Regarding the antioxidant activity, the extract increased the survival rate of C. elegans exposed to lethal oxidative stress. Moreover, the activities of superoxide dismutase and catalase were enhanced by the extract. Our results demonstrate, for the first time, the antioxidant and anti-obesity activity of onion flowers and their potential use as functional foods and nutraceuticals.
Ultrasound-Assisted Extraction of Isoquercetin from Ephedra alata (Decne): Optimization Using Response Surface Methodology and In Vitro Bioactivities
Authors: El Maaiden Ezzouhra , Qarah Nagib , Ezzariai Amine , Mazar Adil , Nasser Boubker , Moustaid Khadija , Boukcim Hassan , Hirich Abdelaziz , Kouisni Lamfeddal , El Kharrassi Youssef
Published: March 2023

Isoquercetin (ISQ) is reported to be a powerful antioxidant with extremely high bioavailability and structural stability compared to aglycone quercetin. Despite this, it is not well studied due to the limited methods for its extraction. With the growing interest in the research and analysis of ISQ-rich herbs, there is a need to optimize an efficient and rapid method for their extraction. In the present study, the ultrasound-assisted extraction of ISQ from Ephedra alata Decne was optimized by a response surface methodology (RSM) using high-performance liquid chromatography as a separation method. The best possible ranges for extraction time (10–30 min), temperature (50–70 °C), ultrasonic power (60–90 W), solvent-to-solid ratio (50–70 mL/g), and ethanol concentration (50–70%) were determined using a single factor analysis. Subsequently, an optimization of the extraction conditions was performed with RSM using the Box–Behnken design. An ultrasonication time of 10 min, a temperature of 60 °C, a power of 75 W, a solvent-to-solid ratio of 60 mL/g, and an ethanol concentration of 70% were determined to be the optimal conditions for the highest recovery of isoquercetin (1033.96 ± 3.28 µg/g). Furthermore, E. alata powder morphology (using a scanning electron microscope), antioxidant activities, and the inhibition potential of key enzymes involved in skin aging (elastase and collagenase), hyperpigmentation (tyrosinase), diabetes (α-amylase), inflammation (hyaluronidase), and neurodegenerative disorders (cholinesterase) were determined and compared with those using the Soxhlet method. This study established a highly efficient method for ISQ extraction and suggested several potential applications of ISQ in the pharmaceutical and cosmetics industries.
Simplified Calculation Model for Contact Resistance Based on Fractal Rough Surfaces Method
Authors: Zhang Changgeng , Yu Baichuan , Li Yongjian , Yang Qingxin
Published: March 2023

Electrical contact resistance (ECR) is critical to evaluate the stability and reliability of electrical connections. In this paper, a simplified contact model is established for rough surfaces based on the fractal theory and Monte Carlo method, which can overcome the difficulty of constructing the resistance networks for traditional contact models. The model reveals the influence of fractal parameters D and G on the surface morphology and contact characteristics. The established surface method can simulate Gaussian and non-Gaussian isotropic surfaces. Then the contact resistance considering a contaminated film is calculated, which provides a quantitative analysis of the change and the influencing factors. The accuracy of the calculation method in this paper is ensured by comparing the existing experimental data and finite element results. The results show that the contact surface with D of 1.5 has the largest real contact area and the smallest contact resistance. The model has accurate calculation results when dimensionless contact load F* is less than 4 × 10−3.
Raman Investigations on the Frame of the Painting “White Man’s Buffalo” by the Artist Charles M. Russell
Authors: Saggio Francesca , Rizzuto Carmen , Teeters Dale , Didik Joanna , Barberi Riccardo C. , Castriota Marco
Published: March 2023

The present work was a part of pre conservation treatment investigation. Micro-Raman Spectroscopy has been used for the characterization of a specimen belonging to the frame of the Gilcrease Museum oil painting “White Man’s Buffalo” by the artist Charles M. Russell. The main components of the Van Dyck Brown pigment (VDK) such as hematite (Fe2O3), α-goethite (α-FeOOH), amorphous carbon, and humic substances were identified by using two different excitation sources (514 and 633 nm). Traces of hematite and intercalated barite (BaSO4) were found and could come from the Armenian Bole that is commonly used in the water gilding technique of gold leaf. The use of a protein-organic binding medium such as rabbit-skin glue was indicated.
CDSTAEP: Cross-Domain Spatial-Temporal Association Learning for Abnormal Events Prediction
Authors: Gao Mingcheng , Wang Ruiheng , Zhu Hongliang , Xin Yang
Published: March 2023

Predicting network abnormal events and behavior can enhance security situation awareness and the ability to infer attack intentions. Most of the existing abnormal event prediction methods usually rely on the temporal relationship features between events and the spatial relationship features between hosts. However, the existing spatio-temporal anomaly event prediction methods do not fully consider the spatial relationship between events and the cross-domain environment of the behavior, resulting in poor performance in practical applications. In addition, the existing methods are mostly based on Euclidean space and hyperbolic space in terms of feature space relationship representation and do not fully consider the complexity of the relationship structure of anomalous events. In this paper, we propose a cross-domain spatio-temporal abnormal events prediction method, referred to as CDSTAEP. This method divides the local event sequence based on the temporal behavior sequence of entities and realizes the graphical representation of the multi-domain event correlation relationship. In the mixed-curvature space, we realize the representation learning of the correlation relationship of complex events and combine the event mixed-curvature vector representation and attention-based long short-term memory (LSTM-ATT) to capture the spatial and temporal correlation characteristics of cross-domain events, and finally realize the prediction. In this paper the proposed CDSTAEP is verified with the live network data set collected by a national key research and development plan. The results demonstrate that CDSTAEP can retain more spatial relationship features between events, the area under roc curve (AUC) score is better than the result of single-space representation and is 4.53% and 6.699% higher than the baseline models such as LSTM and LSTM-ATT.
Developing an IoT Framework for Industry 4.0 in Malaysian SMEs: An Analysis of Current Status, Practices, and Challenges
Authors: Abdulaziz Qusay Adnan , Mad Kaidi Hazilah , Masrom Maslin , Hamzah Halim Shah , Sarip Shamsul , Dziyauddin Rudzidatul Akmam , Muhammad-Sukki Firdaus
Published: March 2023

This qualitative study aimed to explore the current status, practices, and challenges of Internet of Things (IoT) implementation and to develop an IoT framework for Industry 4.0 in Malaysia. Industry 4.0 enhances a company’s manufacturing competitiveness and efficiency. However, the implementation of Industry 4.0 in Malaysian small- and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) is still in its early stages. Five participants from three different SMEs were selected for online interviews and a focus group. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the interviews were conducted online and lasted about 30 to 45 min. The data collected from the interviews were analyzed through thematic analysis and used to validate the literature review and to identify gaps in existing frameworks. The IoT framework was developed through a focus group of experts. This study found that the implementation of Industry 4.0 is relatively low in Malaysian manufacturing SMEs. SMEs are facing various challenges, including the need for education and training, budget constraints, and a lack of experience and knowledge among workers. This study found that the positive impact of IoT implementation included improved internal communication, reduced errors, and enhanced product quality and safety. In addition, this study resulted in the development of an IoT framework for SMEs in Malaysia.
Process Development of Low-Loss LPCVD Silicon Nitride Waveguides on 8-Inch Wafer
Authors: Li Zhaoyi , Fan Zuowen , Zhou Jingjie , Cong Qingyu , Zeng Xianfeng , Zhang Yumei , Jia Lianxi
Published: March 2023

Silicon nitride is a material compatible with CMOS processes and offers several advantages, such as a wide transparent window, a large forbidden band gap, negligible two-photon absorption, excellent nonlinear properties, and a smaller thermo-optic coefficient than silicon. Therefore, it has received significant attention in the field of silicon photonics in recent years. The preparation of silicon nitride waveguides using low-pressure chemical vapor deposition methods results in lower loss and better process repeatability. However, due to the higher temperature of the process, when the thickness of the silicon nitride film exceeds 300 nm on an 8-inch wafer, it is prone to cracking due to the high stress generated by the film. Limited by this high stress, silicon nitride waveguide devices are typically developed on wafers with a thickness of 4 inches or less. In this work, we successfully fabricated a 400 nm-thick silicon nitride waveguide on an 8-inch wafer using a Damascene method similar to the CMOS process for copper interconnects and demonstrated propagation losses of only 0.157 dB/cm at 1550 nm and 0.06 dB/cm at 1580 nm.