bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
From Epidemic to Pandemic Modelling
Authors: Connolly Shannon , Gilbert David , Heiner Monika
Published: July 2022

We present a methodology for systematically extending epidemic models to multilevel and multiscale spatio-temporal pandemic ones. Our approach builds on the use of coloured stochastic and continuous Petri nets facilitating the sound component-based extension of basic SIR models to include population stratification and also spatio-geographic information and travel connections, represented as graphs, resulting in robust stratified pandemic metapopulation models. The epidemic components and the spatial and stratification data are combined together in these coloured models and built in to the underlying expanded models. As a consequence this method is inherently easy to use, producing scalable and reusable models with a high degree of clarity and accessibility which can be read either in a deterministic or stochastic paradigm. Our method is supported by a publicly available platform PetriNuts; it enables the visual construction and editing of models; deterministic, stochastic and hybrid simulation as well as structural and behavioural analysis. All models are available as Supplementary Material, ensuring reproducibility. All uncoloured Petri nets can be animated within a web browser at https://www-dssz.informatik.tu-cottbus.de/DSSZ/Research/ModellingEpidemics, assisting the comprehension of those models. We aim to enable modellers and planners to construct clear and robust models by themselves.
An Outdoor Access Period Improves Chicken Cecal Microbiota and Potentially Increases Micronutrient Biosynthesis
Authors: Varriale Lorena , Coretti Lorena , Dipineto Ludovico , Green Brian D. , Pace Antonino , Lembo Francesca , Menna Lucia Francesca , Fioretti Alessandro , Borrelli Luca
Published: July 2022

Characterizing the gut microbiota of free-range and alternative poultry production systems provides information, which can be used to improve poultry welfare, performance, and environmental sustainability. Gut microbiota influence not only the health and metabolism of the host but also the presence of zoonotic agents contaminating food of animal origin. In this study, the composition and diversity of the cecal microbiota community of free-range grown chickens were characterized by 16S rDNA high-throughput Illumina sequencing. Significant differences were observed in the composition of chicken cecal microbiota at the time points of 28 days of age (Indoor group) and 56 days of age (Outdoor group), i.e., before and after the outdoor access period of chicken groups. The Outdoor group showed a richer and more complex microbial community, characterized by the onset of new phyla such as Deferribacterota and Synergistota, while the Indoor group showed an increase in Campylobacterota. At the species level, it is noteworthy that the occurrence of Mucispirillum schaedleri in Outdoor group is known to potentially stimulate mucus layer formation in the distal intestinal tract, thus being associated with a healthy gut. We also report a significant decrease in the Outdoor group of Helicobacter pullorum, highlighting that the lower abundance at the age of slaughter reduced the possibility to contaminate chickens' carcasses and, consequently, its zoonotic potential. As revealed by a mutual exclusion study in network analysis, H. pullorum was present only if Bacteroides barnesiae, an uncultured organism of the genus Synergistes, and Bacteroides gallinaceum were absent. Finally, microbiome predictive analysis revealed an increase of vitamins and micronutrient biosyntheses such as queuosine (Q) and its precursor pre Q0, in the Outdoor group, suggesting that the outdoor evolved microbiota of chickens do contribute to the vitamin pool of the gut and the biosynthesis of micronutrients involved in vital cell processes.
SteE Enhances the Virulence of Salmonella Pullorum in Chickens by Regulating the Inflammation Response
Authors: Liu Zhike , Wang Li , Yu Yan , Fotin Anatoliy , Wang Qiuxia , Gao Pei , Zhang Yanhong , Fotina Tetiana , Ma Jinyou
Published: July 2022

Salmonella enterica serovar Pullorum (S. Pullorum) is a host-specific pathogen, which causes acute gastroenteritis with high mortality in poultry. However, the association between steE, encoded by type III secretion system 2, and Salmonella virulence is not well-understood. To elucidate the functions of steE in S. Pullorum, ΔsteE strain was constructed using the λ-Red recombination technology. Compared to that in the wild-type, the deletion of steE in S. Pullorum reduced bacterial invasion, proliferation, and late apoptosis in the infected HD-11 cells. In addition, we analyzed the mRNA expression levels of effector genes and cytokines by qRT-PCR. SteE was associated with the regulation of various effector genes and inflammatory cytokines in HD-11 cells during S. Pullorum infection. The wild-type effector steE promoted the expression of anti-inflammatory cytokines (IL-4 and IL-10) and reduced that of pro-inflammatory cytokines (IL-1β, IL-6, and IL-12) compared to that in the ΔsteE-infected HD-11 cells and chicken spleens. Results from the chicken infection model showed that the deletion of steE resulted in significantly decreased colonization and long-term survival of the bacteria and alleviated pathological lesions compared to those in the wild-type. Further, steE increased the virulence of S. Pullorum in chickens by regulating the expression of inflammatory cytokines. Our findings provide insights into the persistent infection and autoimmunity associated with steE in S. Pullorum.
Case Report: Papillary Lesions at the Mouth Floor May Mimic Sialadenoma Papilliferum
Authors: Han Dawool , Cho Eunae Sandra , Park Jiho , Kim Dongwook
Published: July 2022

Salivary gland tumor Sialadenoma papilliferum (SialP) clinically resembles papillary epithelial lesions, such as squamous papilloma (SqP) or verrucous leukoplakia. Pathological sampling including an adequate depth of both the mucosa and submucosa layer is required for discrimination between the diseases. Though ductal proliferation in the submucosa is characteristic in SialP, papillary lesions arising at the mouth floor, specifically near the ductal orifice, are more problematic. Salivary gland ductal ectasia, along with the overlying papillary hyperplasia, may mimic the biphasic tumorous growth pattern of SialP, making discrimination extremely difficult. Further cellular dysplasia in the papillary mucosal lesion raises the possibility of malignant transformation in a known benign lesion, SialP. Herein, we present a case of SqP at the mouth floor which mimicked both clinical and pathological features of SialP and compared it with a definite case of SialP. Moreover, we discuss major differential points that clinicians and pathologists should consider during diagnosis of oral papillary lesions arising near the salivary glands.
Flow Feature in Supersonic Non-Isobaric Jet near the Nozzle Edge
Authors: Zapryagaev Valeriy , Kavun Ivan , Kiselev Nikolay
Published: July 2022

Using the example of studying the supersonic underexpanded jet initial section, the issue of interpreting the experimental visualization data and Pitot pressure measurement data using the results of numerical calculations (2d RANS k-ω SST) is discussed. It is shown that the gradient S-shaped feature of the gas-dynamic structure near the nozzle exit, observed in the form of a barrel shock, is a characteristic that separates the expansion and compression regions, and downstream is transformed into a barrel shock. It has been established that the reason for the observed S-shaped curvature of this feature is the axisymmetric nature of the jet flow.
Zinc Oxide Nanoparticles Improve Salt Tolerance in Rice Seedlings by Improving Physiological and Biochemical Indices
Authors: Singh Abhishek , Sengar Rakesh Singh , Rajput Vishnu D. , Minkina Tatiana , Singh Rupesh Kumar
Published: July 2022

Understanding the salinity stress mechanisms is essential for crop improvement and sustainable agriculture. Salinity is prepotent abiotic stress compared with other abiotic stresses that decrease crop growth and development, reducing crop production and creating food security-related threats. Therefore, the input of metal oxide nanoparticles (NPs) such as zinc oxide nanoparticles (ZnO-NPs) can improve salt tolerance in crop plants, especially in the early stage of growth. Therefore, the aim of the current study was to evaluate the impact of ZnO-NPs on inducing salt tolerance in two rice (Oryza sativa L.) genotypes of seedlings. An undocumented rice landrace (Kargi) and salinity tolerance basmati rice (CSR 30) seeds were grown in a hydroponic system for two weeks with and without 50 mg/L concentrations of ZnO-NPs in various doses of NaCl (0, 60, 80, and 100 mM). Both Kargi (15.95–42.49%) and CSR 30 (15.34–33.12%) genotypes showed a reduction in plant height and photosynthetic pigments (chlorophyll a and b, carotenoids, and total chlorophyll), Zn content, and K+ uptake under stress condition, compared with control seedlings. On the other hand, stress upregulated proline, malondialdehyde (MDA), Na+ content, and antioxidant enzyme activities—namely, those of superoxide dismutase (SOD), ascorbate peroxidase (APX), catalase (CAT), and glutathione reductase (GR)—in both O. sativa genotypes over the control. However, ZnO-NP-treated genotypes (Kargi and CSR 30) restored the photosynthetic pigment accumulation and K+ level, reforming the stomata and trichome morphology, and also increased antioxidant enzymes SOD, APX, CAT, and GR activity, which alleviated the oxidative stress, while reducing the level of MDA, proline, and H2O2 under stress condition. The present findings suggest that adding ZnO-NPs could mitigate the salinity stress in O. sativa by upregulating the antioxidative system and enhancing the cultivation of undocumented landrace (Kargi) and basmati (CSR 30) genotypes of O. sativa in salinity-affected areas.
Work Satisfaction in the Food Industry—A Premise for Economic Performance
Authors: Bodescu Dan , Robu Alexandru-Dragoş , Jităreanu Andy Felix , Puiu Ioan , Gafencu Andrei Mihai , Lipşa Florin Daniel
Published: July 2022

The greatest challenge for Romania’s food industry is to achieve technical and economic parity with the rest of Europe. Therefore, businesses require productive employees, and labor productivity depends on employee satisfaction. This study’s primary objective was to investigate employee satisfaction in the bakery industry in order to enhance economic performance. This topic is rarely researched, but it is necessary to enhance the economic performance and work processes of this industry. A combination of quantitative and qualitative research methods were used, including an online questionnaire survey of 254 employees and a focus group meeting with 17 managers from 60 companies in the Northeast and Southeast regions of Romania. Total pay (5.3 points on a 1–7-point scale), amount of work (4.9 points), and number of working hours (4.8 points) were the top motivators. The average weighted value for job satisfaction on a scale of 100 points was 27.4 points. The relationship between labor costs and employee satisfaction was strong. Low levels of satisfaction are costlier for employers than high levels of satisfaction. The originality of this study lies in its determination of how strongly employees perceive each aspect of job satisfaction and its correlation to the economic performance of companies.
Do Cooperatives Affect Groundwater Protection? Evidence from Rural China
Authors: Deng Xin , Zhang Lingzhi , Xu Rong , Zeng Miao , He Qiang , Xu Dingde , Qi Yanbin
Published: July 2022

Groundwater protection is essential for global sustainable development. Due to the lack of motivation among farmers to build harmless disposal facilities for livestock excrement, there is a huge challenge surrounding groundwater protection, which also threatens the achievement of the UN Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 6: “clean water and sanitation”. Aiming to improve the groundwater protection behavior (GPB) of farmers, this study involved the following approach: (1) the use of rural China as a case area; (2) an exploration of the theoretical mechanisms and quantitative impacts of cooperatives as a way to encourage farmers to build harmless disposal facilities for livestock excrement; (3) a discussion about improvement strategies to increase the possibility of farmers building harmless disposal facilities for livestock excrement. The study highlighted the following findings: (1) compared to farmers who did not participate in cooperatives, farmers who were in cooperatives were 1.18% more likely to build harmless disposal facilities for livestock excrement; (2) compared to the basic scenario, the probability of farmers building harmless disposal facilities for livestock excrement could be increased by 50~1300%. The results of this study could help to provide a reference for the introduction of policies to protect groundwater, as well as an experiential reference for the achievement of the UN SDGs 3 and 6.
Single-Neuron PID UAV Variable Fertilizer Application Control System Based on a Weighted Coefficient Learning Correction
Authors: Su Dongxu , Yao Weixiang , Yu Fenghua , Liu Yihan , Zheng Ziyue , Wang Yulong , Xu Tongyu , Chen Chunling
Published: July 2022

Agricultural unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), which are a new type of fertilizer application technology, have been rapidly developed internationally. This study combines the agronomic characteristics of rice fertilization with weighted coefficient learning-modified single-neuron adaptive proportional–integral–differential (PID) control technology to study and design an aerial real-time variable fertilizer application control system that is suitable for rice field operations in northern China. The nitrogen deficiency at the target plot is obtained from a map based on a fertilizer prescription map, and the amount of fertilizer is calculated by a variable fertilizer application algorithm. The advantages and disadvantages of the two control algorithms are analyzed by a MATLAB simulation in an indoor test, which is integrated into the spreading system to test the effect of actual spreading. A three-factor, three-level orthogonal test of fertilizer-spreading performance is designed for an outdoor test, and the coefficient of variation of particle distribution Cv (a) as well as the relative error of fertilizer application λ (b) are the evaluation indices. The spreading performance of the spreading system is the best and can effectively achieve accurate variable fertilizer application when the baffle opening is 4%, spreading disc speed is 600 r/min, and flight height is 2 m, with a and b of evaluation indexes of 11.98% and 7.02%, respectively. The control error of the spreading volume is 7.30%, and the monitoring error of the speed measurement module is less than 30 r/min. The results show that the centrifugal variable fertilizer spreader improves the uniformity of fertilizer spreading and the accuracy of fertilizer application, which enhances the spreading performance of the centrifugal variable fertilizer spreader.
First Report of Helicoverpa armigera (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae) Resistance to Flubendiamide in Brazil: Genetic Basis and Mechanisms of the Resistance
Authors: Abbade-Neto Dyrson , Amado Douglas , Pereira Rogério Machado , Basso Murilo , Spineli-Silva Sandy , Gonçalves Thaini Mariane , Corrêa Alberto Soares , Omoto Celso
Published: July 2022

The cotton bollworm Helicoverpa armigera (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae) is a significant pest in the world and it was identified in Brazil in 2013, causing severe economic losses. Recent studies showed a significant decrease in the susceptibility of H. armigera to diamide insecticides in Brazil. Understanding the genetic basis and mechanisms of the resistance are essential to develop proactive resistance management strategies. A laboratory strain of H. armigera resistant to the phthalic acid diamide flubendiamide (Flub-R) was selected from a field-collected population to characterize the resistance. The resistance ratio of the Flub-R strain was >50,000-fold. The inheritance pattern of the resistance was characterized as an autosomal dominant trait. Flub-R showed no cross-resistance to the anthranilic diamides chlorantraniliprole, cyantraniliprole or cyclaniliprole. Susceptible strain larvae that fed on flubendiamide-treated soybean leaves at field-recommended rates were killed while heterozygotes and Flub-R larvae showed a high survival and no reduction in the leaf consumption, confirming the functional dominance of the resistance. No indication of metabolic resistance was detected. The partial sequencing of ryanodine receptor (RyR) genes covering the transmembrane II to VI did not show any amino acid mutations, indicating the presence of a non-common resistance mechanism to diamide insecticides in the Flub-R strain.
Effect of Chitosan Molecules on Paraquat Herbicidal Efficacy under Simulated Rainfall Conditions
Authors: Kurniadie Denny , Umiyati Uum , Widianto Ryan , Kato-Noguchi Hisashi
Published: July 2022

Unexpected rainfall before herbicide absorption by plants can wash away herbicides from plant tissue surfaces, which may reduce the herbicidal efficacy and increase the adverse effects on nontarget organisms and the environment, including water networks. The objective of this study was the evaluation of the effect of chitosan on paraquat efficacy under simulated rainfall conditions. Simulated rainfall within 3 h after paraquat application decreased its herbicidal efficacy. A mixture of paraquat (280 g a.i./ha) and chitosan (0.05% w/v) significantly increased the herbicidal efficacy against Ageratum conyzoides L. (21% increase), Borreria alata Aubl. (15%) and Paspalum conjugatum Bergius (8%) under the rainfall conditions. The chemical structure of chitosan may contribute to the penetration of paraquat into plant tissues. However, a mixture of paraquat and chitosan did not affect the herbicidal efficacy against Imperata cylindrica (L.) Beauv. The morphological characteristics of I. cylindrica may interfere with the enhancement effect of chitosan. Chitosan is a degradable, nontoxic and easily available and low-cost material made from crustacean shells. These results suggest that chitosan may increase paraquat efficacy against some noxious weed species under rainfall conditions, which may reduce the risk of paraquat contamination into the environment. Therefore, the application of herbicides with chitosan may provide the economic and environmental benefits. Chitosan may enhance the efficacy of other herbicides under unexpected rainfall conditions; however, this possibility requires further investigation.
Practical Implications of the Availability of Multiple Measurements to Classify Agricultural Soil Compaction: A Case-Study in The Netherlands
Authors: Van Orsouw Tijn L. , Mulder Vera L. , Schoorl Jeroen M. , Van Os Gera J. , Van Essen Everhard A. , Pepers Karin H. J. , Heuvelink Gerard B. M.
Published: July 2022

Soil compaction is a severe threat to agricultural productivity, as it can lead to yield losses ranging from 5% to 40%. Quantification of the state of compaction can help farmers and land managers to determine the optimal management to avoid these losses. Bulk density is often used as an indicator for compaction. It is a costly and time-consuming measurement, making it less suitable for farmers and land managers. Alternatively, measurements of penetration resistance can be used. These measurements are cheaper and quicker but are prone to uncertainty due to the existence of a wide array of thresholds. Classifications using either measurement may provide different outcomes when used in the same location, as they approximate soil compaction using different mechanisms. In this research, we assessed the level of agreement between soil compaction classifications using bulk density and penetration resistance for an agricultural field in Flevoland, the Netherlands. Additionally, we assessed the possible financial implications of misclassification. Balanced accuracy results indicate that most thresholds from the literature show around 70% agreement between both methods, with a maximum level of agreement of 76% at 1.8 and 1.9 MPa. The expected cost of misclassification shows a dip between 1.0 and 3.0 MPa, with an effect of crop value on the shape of the cost function. Although these results are specific to our study area, we believe they show that there is a substantial effect of the choice of measurement on the outcome of soil compaction studies.
Potential Current and Future Distribution of the Long-Whiskered Owlet (Xenoglaux loweryi) in Amazonas and San Martin, NW Peru
Authors: Meza Mori Gerson , Rojas-Briceño Nilton B. , Cotrina Sánchez Alexander , Oliva-Cruz Manuel , Olivera Tarifeño Christian M. , Hoyos Cerna Marlon Y. , Ramos Sandoval Jhonny D. , Torres Guzmán Cristóbal
Published: July 2022

The IUCN has listed the long-whiskered owlet (Xenoglaux loweryi) as vulnerable due to the presence of few geographic records, its restricted range, and anthropogenic threats. Its natural history and ecology are largely unknown, and its distribution is widely debated; therefore, there is an urgent need for the real-time conservation of X. loweryi. In this study, 66 geo-referenced records of X. loweryi, 18 environmental variables, and the maximum entropy model (MaxEnt) have been used to predict the current and future (2050 and 2070) potential distribution of X. loweryi in the Amazonas and San Martin regions of northwestern Peru. In fact, under current conditions, areas of “high”, “moderate”, and “low” potential habitat suitability cover 0.16% (140.85 km2), 0.46% (416.88 km2), and 1.16% (1048.79 km2) of the study area, respectively. Moreover, under future conditions, the “high”, “moderate”, and “low” probability areas present profits and losses in terms of habitat suitability. Based on the environmental variables, this species mostly inhabits areas with a forest fraction with presence of trees with an emergent tree canopy of ~10–30 metres and depends on Yunga montane forest habitats with high humidity but it is not dependent on bare cover area, crops, or grasslands. Nevertheless, most of the current and future distribution areas are not part of the protected natural areas of Amazonas and San Martin. Additionally, the combination of climate change and anthropogenic activities contribute to further losses of this species habitat. Therefore, from the management point of view, corrective and preventive actions will help to preserve this species over time.
Incorporating External Knowledge Reasoning for Vision-and-Language Navigation with Assistant’s Help
Authors: Li Xin , Zhang Yu , Yuan Weilin , Luo Junren
Published: July 2022

Vision-and-Language Navigation (VLN) is a task designed to enable embodied agents carry out natural language instructions in realistic environments. Most VLN tasks, however, are guided by an elaborate set of instructions that is depicted step-by-step. This approach deviates from real-world problems in which humans only describe the object and its surroundings and allow the robot to ask for help when required. Vision-based Navigation with Language-based Assistance (VNLA) is a recently proposed task that requires an agent to navigate and find a target object according to a high-level language instruction. Due to the lack of step-by-step navigation guidance, the key to VNLA is to conduct goal-oriented exploration. In this paper, we design an Attention-based Knowledge-enabled Cross-modality Reasoning with Assistant’s Help (AKCR-AH) model to address the unique challenges of this task. AKCR-AH learns a generalized navigation strategy from three new perspectives: (1) external commonsense knowledge is incorporated into visual relational reasoning, so as to take proper action at each viewpoint by learning the internal–external correlations among object- and room-entities; (2) a simulated human assistant is introduced in the environment, who provides direct intervention assistance when required; (3) a memory-based Transformer architecture is adopted as the policy framework to make full use of the history clues stored in memory tokens for exploration. Extensive experiments demonstrate the effectiveness of our method compared with other baselines.
Estimating Full-Coverage PM2.5 Concentrations Based on Himawari-8 and NAQPMS Data over Sichuan-Chongqing
Authors: Zeng Qiaolin , Zhu Hao , Gao Yanghua , Xie Tianshou , Liu Sizhu , Chen Liangfu
Published: July 2022

Fine particulate matter (PM2.5) has attracted extensive attention due to its harmful effects on humans and the environment. The sparse ground-based air monitoring stations limit their application for scientific research, while aerosol optical depth (AOD) by remote sensing satellite technology retrieval can reflect air quality on a large scale and thus compensate for the shortcomings of ground-based measurements. In this study, the elaborate vertical-humidity method was used to estimate PM2.5 with the spatial resolution 1 km and the temporal resolution 1 hour. For vertical correction, the scale height of aerosols (Ha) was introduced based on the relationship between the visibility data and extinction coefficient of meteorological observations to correct the AOD of the Advance Himawari Imager (AHI) onboard the Himawari-8 satellite. The hygroscopic growth factor (f(RH)) was fitted site-by-site and month by month (1–12 months). Meanwhile, the spatial distribution of the fitted coefficients can be obtained by interpolation assuming that the aerosol properties vary smoothly on a regional scale. The inverse distance weighted (IDW) method was performed to construct the hygroscopic correction factor grid for humidity correction so as to estimate the PM2.5 concentrations in Sichuan and Chongqing from 09:00 to 16:00 in 2017–2018. The results indicate that the correlation between “dry” extinction coefficient and PM2.5 is slightly improved compared to the correlation between AOD and PM2.5, with r coefficient values increasing from 0.12–0.45 to 0.32–0.69. The r of hour-by-hour verification is between 0.69 and 0.85, and the accuracy of the afternoon is higher than that of the morning. Due to the missing rate of AOD in the southwest is very high, this study utilized inverse variance weighting (IVW) gap-filling method combine satellite estimation PM2.5 and the nested air-quality prediction modeling system (NAQPMS) simulation data to obtain the full-coverage hourly PM2.5 concentration and analyze a pollution process in the fall and winter.
RIIAnet: A Real-Time Segmentation Network Integrated with Multi-Type Features of Different Depths for Pavement Cracks
Authors: Yong Pengfei , Wang Niannian
Published: July 2022

Considerable road mileage puts tremendous pressure on pavement crack detection and maintenance. In practice, using a small parameter model for fast and accurate image-based crack segmentation is a challenge. However, current mainstream convolutional neural networks allocate computing resources to the same type of operators, which ignores the impact of different levels of feature extractors on the model performance. In this research, an end-to-end real-time pavement crack segmentation network (RIIAnet) is designed to improve performance by deploying different types of operators in separate layers of the network structure. Based on the extraction characteristics of cracks by convolution, involution, and asymmetric convolution, in the shallow layers the crack segmentation task is matched to extract rich low-level features by the designed asymmetric convolution enhancement module (ACE). Meanwhile, in the deep layers, the designed residual expanded involution module (REI) is used to enhance the high-level semantic features. Furthermore, the existing involution operator that fails to converge during training is improved. The ablation experiment demonstrates that the optimal ratio of the convolution and REI is 1/3 to obtain the optimal resource allocation and ACE improves the performance of the model. Especially compared with seven classical deep learning models of different structures, the results show that the proposed model reaches the highest MIOU, MPA, Recall, and F1 score of 0.7705, 0.9868, 0.8047, and 0.8485, respectively. More importantly, the parameter size of the proposed model is dramatically reduced, which is 0.04 times that of U-Net. In practice, the proposed model can be implemented in images with a high resolution of 2048 × 1024 in real time.
Use of Consumer Neuroscience in the Choice of Aromatisation as Part of the Shopping Atmosphere and a Way to Increase Sales Volume
Authors: Berčík Jakub , Neomániová Katarína , Mušinská Kristína , Pšurný Michal
Published: July 2022

The point of purchase is considered to be one of the few communication channels that is not yet saturated, and it has a relatively large potential for the future. A pleasant smell is also part of the shopping atmosphere. How smell affects customer behaviour and purchasing decisions is addressed by a relatively young scientific field, one of the existing kinds of sensory marketing—aroma marketing, otherwise called aromachology. Smell has mainly a subconscious influence; therefore, its examination is appropriate to be carried out using consumer neuroscience tools. This paper examined the perception of the shopping atmosphere in Slovak grocery shops and comprehensive interdisciplinary research on the impact of selected aromatic compounds on the cognitive and affective processes of the consumer, as well as the evaluation of the effectiveness of their implementation in food retail establishments. At the end of the paper, we recommend the possibilities of effective selection and the implementation of aromatisation of different premises, by which the retailer can achieve not only a more positive perception of the shopping atmosphere, but also an increase in retail turnover in individual sales sections.
STUN: Reinforcement-Learning-Based Optimization of Kernel Scheduler Parameters for Static Workload Performance
Authors: Lee Hyeonmyeong , Jung Sungmin , Jo Heeseung
Published: July 2022

Modern Linux operating systems are being used in a wide range of fields, from small IoT embedded devices to supercomputers. However, most machines use the default Linux scheduler parameters implemented for general-purpose environments. The problem is that the Linux scheduler cannot utilize the features of the various hardware and software environments, and it is therefore, difficult to achieve optimal performance in the machines. In this paper, we propose STUN, an automatic scheduler optimization framework. STUN modifies the five scheduling policies of the Linux kernel and 10 parameters automatically to optimize for each workload environment. STUN decreases the training time and enhances the efficiency through a filtering mechanism and training reward algorithms. Using STUN, users can optimize the performance of their machines at the OS scheduler level without manual control of the scheduler. STUN showed an execution time and improved FPS of 18.3% and 22.4% on a face detection workload, respectively. In addition, STUN showed 26.97%, 54.42%, and 256.13% performance improvements for microbenchmarks with 4, 44, and 120 cores for each.
Time-Weighted Community Search Based on Interest
Authors: Liu Jing , Zhong Yong
Published: July 2022

Community search aims to provide users with personalized community query services. It is a prerequisite for various recommendation systems and has received widespread attention from academia and industry. The existing literature has established various community search models and algorithms from different dimensions of social networks. Unfortunately, they only judge the representative attributes of users according to the frequency of attribute keywords, completely ignoring the temporal characteristics of keywords. It is clear that a user’s interest changes over time, so it is essential to select users’ representative attributes in combination with time. Therefore, we propose a time-weighted community search model (TWC) based on user interests which fully considers the impact of time on user interests. TWC reduces the number of query parameters as much as possible and improves the usability of the model. We design the time-weighted decay function of the attribute. We then extract the user’s time-weighted representative attributes to express the user’s short-term interests more clearly in the query window. In addition, we propose a new attribute similarity scoring function and a community scoring function. To solve the TWC problem, we design and implement the Local Extend algorithm and the Shrink algorithm. Finally, we conduct extensive experiments on a real dataset to verify the superiority of the TWC model and the efficiency of the proposed algorithm.
Research on Droplets Deposition Characteristics of Anti-Drift Spray Device with Multi-Airflow Synergy Based on CFD Simulation
Authors: Fan Guiju , Wang Siyu , Bai Peng , Wang Dongwei , Shi Wenjie , Niu Chengqiang
Published: July 2022

With the increase in orchard areas and the transfer of rural labor, various air-assisted sprayers have been widely used in China. However, the problem of off-target drift still exists, which has caused pesticide waste and environmental pollution. In order to improve the droplet deposition in the canopy of fruit trees, a V-shaped anti-drift spray device with multi-airflow synergy was designed in this paper. A droplet spatial motion model was constructed, and the anti-drift mechanism of multi-airflow synergy was clarified based on particle dynamics analysis. The influences of spray pressure and V-shaped wind speed on droplet movement were investigated by Matlab, and the experimental results showed that the machine’s anti-drift effect was better when the V-shaped wind speed ranged from 15 m/s to 25 m/s. According to modern orchards with low root stock in a high-density planting, a simulation model of the flow field between the spray device and the fruit trees canopy was established by the method of computational fluid mechanics (CFD). By considering crosswind speed, V-shaped wind speed, and spray pressure, three-level simulation experiments of droplet deposition were designed for each factor using a partial multivariate orthogonal regression method. The influence of V-shaped wind speed on the droplets’ spatial distribution was analyzed, and the prediction model of the drift distance of the droplets’ deposition center was established. The simulation results showed that the three factors had a significant influence on the droplets’ deposition characteristics, and the degree from big to small was V-shaped wind speed, crosswind speed, and spray pressure. The fitting degree of the prediction model was high, and the correlation coefficient was 0.998. The anti-drift experiments of the machine were carried out, and the results showed that when the crosswind speed, the spray pressure, and V-shaped wind speed were 2.2 m/s, 0.52 MPa, and 20.8 m/s, respectively, the droplet drift rate was 29.2% lower than that of single-airflow. The drift distance of the droplets deposition center was 5.0 cm, which was consistent with the prediction model. The research can provide a basis for the design and parameters optimization of the similar sprayers used in modern orchards with low root stock in a high-density planting.
Cryptococcus: History, Epidemiology and Immune Evasion
Authors: Diniz-Lima Israel , Fonseca Leonardo Marques da , Silva-Junior Elias Barbosa da , Guimarães-de-Oliveira Joyce Cristina , Freire-de-Lima Leonardo , Nascimento Danielle Oliveira , Morrot Alexandre , Previato Jose Osvaldo , Mendonça-Previato Lucia , Decote-Ricardo Debora , Freire-de-Lima Celio Geraldo
Published: July 2022

Cryptococcosis is a disease caused by the pathogenic fungi Cryptococcus neoformans and Cryptococcus gattii, both environmental fungi that cause severe pneumonia and may even lead to cryptococcal meningoencephalitis. Although C. neoformans affects more fragile individuals, such as immunocompromised hosts through opportunistic infections, C. gattii causes a serious indiscriminate primary infection in immunocompetent individuals. Typically seen in tropical and subtropical environments, C. gattii has increased its endemic area over recent years, largely due to climatic factors that favor contagion in warmer climates. It is important to point out that not only C. gattii, but the Cryptococcus species complex produces a polysaccharidic capsule with immunomodulatory properties, enabling the pathogenic species of Cryptococccus to subvert the host immune response during the establishment of cryptococcosis, facilitating its dissemination in the infected organism. C. gattii causes a more severe and difficult-to-treat infection, with few antifungals eliciting an effective response during chronic treatment. Much of the immunopathology of this cryptococcosis is still poorly understood, with most studies focusing on cryptococcosis caused by the species C. neoformans. C. gattii became more important in the epidemiological scenario with the outbreaks in the Pacific Northwest of the United States, which resulted in phylogenetic studies of the virulent variant responsible for the severe infection in the region. Since then, the study of cryptococcosis caused by C. gattii has helped researchers understand the immunopathological aspects of different variants of this pathogen.
Urban Heat Island and Thermal Comfort Assessment in a Medium-Sized Mediterranean City
Authors: Kalogeropoulos Georgios , Dimoudi Argiro , Toumboulidis Pavlos , Zoras Stamatis
Published: July 2022

One of the greatest issues nowadays is that of the urban heat island effect on the thermal conditions inside cities. The air temperature inside the city core is warmer than that in suburbs, thus deteriorating the quality of life for citizens and making outdoor spaces uncomfortable in terms of thermal comfort. This phenomenon is usually assessed in large scale cities worldwide and less often in medium-sized towns. The current study aimed to investigate the urban heat island effect and, therefore, to assess the outdoor thermal comfort conditions in a medium-sized city. More specifically, the methodology of the current study includes: (i) the combination of different monitoring techniques to quantify the urban heat island effect in a medium-sized Mediterranean city. Both in situ measurements and remote sensing techniques were applied to assess the urban heat island effect in terms of both the canopy layer (CUHI) and the surface (SUHI); (ii) the identification of the parameters that affect thermal comfort and the identification of the most appropriate bioclimatic indices that determine outdoor thermal comfort in the city of interest. Both questionnaire survey and in situ measurements took place on a sidewalk in the city of Xanthi, Northern Greece, during the summer. The CUHI effect was obvious, especially in the morning and afternoon. Downscaled MODIS satellite images also showed that the intensity of SUHI was higher in the morning and afternoon. Apart from air temperature, important differences in the values of most microclimatic parameters were recorded between the meteorological station placed inside the urban area and those gathered from a nearby meteorological station. The narrow roads, the thermal properties of construction materials, and the absence of greenery characterized the area of interest and may be the key factors creating these differences in climate. Concerning the thermal comfort assessment, the most significant parameters were the air temperature and solar radiation, although, both empirical and direct indices were found to describe the comfort values well. According to the results, downscaling techniques are also important for the SUHI effect to be investigating in detail in medium-sized urban environments.
Antibacterial Capability of Air Filter Fiber Materials Treated with Triclosan against Indoor Environmental Microbes
Authors: Li Yanju , Miao Qingqing , Wang Xinyu
Published: July 2022

Antibacterial filtration materials have been used effectively to control biological pollutants and purify indoor air. This study aimed to assess the antibacterial capability of three fiber filter materials treated with triclosan: glass fiber (GF), non-woven fabric (NF) and chemical fiber (CF). Triclosan was loaded onto the filtration materials by the impregnation method. The triclosan-treated filter materials exhibited antibacterial zones obviously: the average antibacterial bands against E. coli were 11.8 mm (GF), 13.3 mm (NF) and 10.5 mm (CF); against S. albus, they were 25.5 mm (GF), 21.0 mm (NF) and 23.5 mm (CF). The percent reductions of bacteria for the antibacterial air fiber materials treated with triclosan against E. coli were 71.4% (CF) and 62.6% (GF), while the percent reductions against S. albus were 61.3% (NF) and 84.6% (CF). These findings could help to reduce the transmission and threat of epidemic and purify the environment through the use of environmentally friendly antibacterial filter fibers.
Correction: Grasgruber et al. Mapping the Mountains of Giants: Anthropometric Data from the Western Balkans Reveal a Nucleus of Extraordinary Physical Stature in Europe. Biology 2022, 11, 786
Authors: Grasgruber Pavel , Mašanović Bojan , Prce Stipan , Popović Stevo , Arifi Fitim , Bjelica Duško , Bokůvka Dominik , Cacek Jan , Davidović Ivan , Gardašević Jovan , Hrazdíra Eduard , Hřebíčková Sylva , Ingrová Pavlína , Potpara Predrag , Stračárová Nikola , Starc Gregor , Mihailović Nataša
Published: July 2022

Note: The authors apologize for the rather extensive text corrections [...]
Comparative Analysis of Gene Correlation Networks of Breast Cancer Patients Based on Mutations in TP53
Authors: Park Byungkyu , Im Jinho , Han Kyungsook
Published: July 2022

Breast cancer is one of the most prevalent cancers in females, with more than 450,000 deaths each year worldwide. Among the subtypes of breast cancer, basal-like breast cancer, also known as triple-negative breast cancer, shows the lowest survival rate and does not have effective treatments yet. Somatic mutations in the TP53 gene frequently occur across all breast cancer subtypes, but comparative analysis of gene correlations with respect to mutations in TP53 has not been done so far. The primary goal of this study is to identify gene correlations in two groups of breast cancer patients and to derive potential prognostic gene pairs for breast cancer. We partitioned breast cancer patients into two groups: one group with a mutated TP53 gene (mTP53) and the other with a wild-type TP53 gene (wtTP53). For every gene pair, we computed the hazard ratio using the Cox proportional hazard model and constructed gene correlation networks (GCNs) enriched with prognostic information. Our GCN is more informative than typical GCNs in the sense that it indicates the type of correlation between genes, the concordance index, and the prognostic type of a gene. Comparative analysis of correlation patterns and survival time of the two groups revealed several interesting findings. First, we found several new gene pairs with opposite correlations in the two GCNs and the difference in their correlation patterns was the most prominent in the basal-like subtype of breast cancer. Second, we obtained potential prognostic genes for breast cancer patients with a wild-type TP53 gene. From a comparative analysis of GCNs of mTP53 and wtTP53, we found several gene pairs that show significantly different correlation patterns in the basal-like breast cancer subtype and obtained prognostic genes for patients with a wild-type TP53 gene. The GCNs and prognostic genes identified in this study will be informative for the prognosis of survival and for selecting a drug target for breast cancer, in particular for basal-like breast cancer. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first attempt to construct GCNs for breast cancer patients with or without mutations in the TP53 gene and to find prognostic genes accordingly.
A Placebo-Controlled Trial of Cannabinoid Treatment for Disruptive Behavior in Children and Adolescents with Autism Spectrum Disorder: Effects on Sleep Parameters as Measured by the CSHQ
Authors: Schnapp Aviad , Harel Moria , Cayam-Rand Dalit , Cassuto Hanoch , Polyansky Lola , Aran Adi
Published: July 2022

Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is often associated with debilitating sleep disturbances. While anecdotal evidence suggests the positive effect of cannabinoids, randomized studies are lacking. Here, we report the effects of cannabinoid treatment on the sleep of 150 children and adolescents with ASD, as part of a double-blind, placebo-controlled study that assessed the impact of cannabinoid treatment on behavior (NCT02956226). Participants were randomly assigned to one of the following three treatments: (1) whole-plant cannabis extract, containing cannabidiol (CBD) and Δ9-Tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) in a 20:1 ratio, (2) purified CBD and THC extract in the same ratio, and (3) an oral placebo. After 12 weeks of treatment (Period 1) and a 4-week washout period, participants crossed over to a predetermined, second 12-week treatment (Period 2). Sleep disturbances were assessed using the Children’s Sleep-Habit Questionnaire (CSHQ). We found that the CBD-rich cannabinoid treatment was not superior to the placebo treatment in all aspects of sleep measured by the CSHQ, including bedtime resistance, sleep-onset delay, and sleep duration. Notably, regardless of the treatment (cannabinoids or placebo), improvements in the CSHQ total score were associated with improvements in the autistic core symptoms, as indicated by the Social Responsiveness Scale total scores (Period 1: r = 0.266, p = 0.008; Period 2: r = 0.309, p = 0.004). While this study failed to demonstrate that sleep improvements were higher with cannabinoids than they were with the placebo treatment, further studies are required.
Differential Neuropathology, Genetics, and Transcriptomics in Two Kindred Cases with Alzheimer’s Disease and Lewy Body Dementia
Authors: Palmieri Ilaria , Poloni Tino Emanuele , Medici Valentina , Zucca Susanna , Davin Annalisa , Pansarasa Orietta , Ceroni Mauro , Tronconi Livio , Guaita Antonio , Gagliardi Stella , Cereda Cristina
Published: July 2022

Alzheimer’s disease (AD) and Lewy body dementia (LBD) are two different forms of dementia, but their pathology may involve the same cortical areas with overlapping cognitive manifestations. Nonetheless, the clinical phenotype is different due to the topography of the lesions driven by the different underlying molecular processes that arise apart from genetics, causing diverse neurodegeneration. Here, we define the commonalities and differences in the pathological processes of dementia in two kindred cases, a mother and a son, who developed classical AD and an aggressive form of AD/LBD, respectively, through a neuropathological, genetic (next-generation sequencing), and transcriptomic (RNA-seq) comparison of four different brain areas. A genetic analysis did not reveal any pathogenic variants in the principal AD/LBD-causative genes. RNA sequencing highlighted high transcriptional dysregulation within the substantia nigra in the AD/LBD case, while the AD case showed lower transcriptional dysregulation, with the parietal lobe being the most involved brain area. The hippocampus (the most degenerated area) and basal ganglia (lacking specific lesions) expressed the lowest level of dysregulation. Our data suggest that there is a link between transcriptional dysregulation and the amount of tissue damage accumulated across time, assessed through neuropathology. Moreover, we highlight that the molecular bases of AD and LBD follow very different pathways, which underlie their neuropathological signatures. Indeed, the transcriptome profiling through RNA sequencing may be an important tool in flanking the neuropathological analysis for a deeper understanding of AD and LBD pathogenesis.