bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Influence of Microgreens Biofortification with Selenium on Their Quantitative and Qualitative Parameters
Authors: Mezeyová Ivana , Hegedűsová Alžbeta , Golian Marcel , Andrejiová Alena , Šlosár Miroslav , Mezey Ján
Published: May 2022

The study monitored the effect of differentiated mineral nutrition of microgreens species by solution of sodium selenate (2 mg Se/L) on the content of Se, chlorophylls, and other minerals. Chlorophylls were measured spectrophotometrically, Se by electrothermal atomic absorption method (ETAAS) with Zeeman-effect background and elements’ concentration was performed by a dual Inductively coupled plasma atomic emission spectroscopy (ICP-OES) iCAP7600 instrument. The content of selenium in fresh weight moved on average from 0.013 to 12.556 μg/g. Selenisation increased the content of Se in all tested species significantly (p < 0.05) without impacting yield. The content of chlorophyll a moved from 249.9 mg/kg (Mizuna) to 604.4 mg/kg (Arugula) with significant differences between the species, without significance (p ≤ 0.05) between tested variants. The influence of selenisation on other minerals significantly differed (p < 0.05) due to the genetic variability. A significant (p ≤ 0.05) increase in Ca was observed in green basil (10.7%) and cress (20.9%); of Fe in green basil (1.6%) and cress (40.9%); of K in arugula (1.6%), green basil (3.9%) and cress (2.8%); of Zn in arugula (2.6%), green basil (8.6%), cress (2.7%) and radish (5.9%); and of Ba in green basil (5.6%) and cress (23.9%).
Comparison of Proximal Remote Sensing Devices of Vegetable Crops to Determine the Role of Grafting in Plant Resistance to Meloidogyne incognita
Authors: Hamdane Yassine , Gracia-Romero Adrian , Buchaillot Maria Luisa , Sanchez-Bragado Rut , Fullana Aida Magdalena , Sorribas Francisco Javier , Araus José Luis , Kefauver Shawn C.
Published: May 2022

Proximal remote sensing devices are novel tools that enable the study of plant health status through the measurement of specific characteristics, including the color or spectrum of light reflected or transmitted by the leaves or the canopy. The aim of this study is to compare the RGB and multispectral data collected during five years (2016–2020) of four fruiting vegetables (melon, tomato, eggplant, and peppers) with trial treatments of non-grafted and grafted onto resistant rootstocks cultivated in a Meloidogyne incognita (a root-knot nematode) infested soil in a greenhouse. The proximal remote sensing of plant health status data collected was divided into three levels. Firstly, leaf level pigments were measured using two different handheld sensors (SPAD and Dualex). Secondly, canopy vigor and biomass were assessed using vegetation indices derived from RGB images and the Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI) measured with a portable spectroradiometer (Greenseeker). Third, we assessed plant level water stress, as a consequence of the root damage by nematodes, using stomatal conductance measured with a porometer and indirectly using plant temperature with an infrared thermometer, and also the stable carbon isotope composition of leaf dry matter.. It was found that the interaction between treatments and crops (ANOVA) was statistically different for only four of seventeen parameters: flavonoid (p < 0.05), NBI (p < 0.05), NDVI (p < 0.05) and the RGB CSI (Crop Senescence Index) (p < 0.05). Concerning the effect of treatments across all crops, differences existed only in two parameters, which were flavonoid (p < 0.05) and CSI (p < 0.001). Grafted plants contained fewer flavonoids (x¯ = 1.37) and showed lower CSI (x¯ = 11.65) than non-grafted plants (x¯ = 1.98 and x¯ = 17.28, respectively, p < 0.05 and p < 0.05) when combining all five years and four crops. We conclude that the grafted plants were less stressed and more protected against nematode attack. Leaf flavonoids content and the CSI index were robust indicators of root-knot nematode impacts across multiple crop types.
Red Harvester Ant (Pogonomyrmex barbatus F. Smith; Hymenoptera: Formicidae) Preference for Cover Crop Seeds in South Texas
Authors: Elliott-Vidaurri Lilly Victoria , Rivera Daniela , Noval Adrian , Choudhury Robin A. , Penn Hannah J.
Published: May 2022

Harvester ants often selectively forage seeds, causing these ants to be viewed as pests in agricultural areas where they may forage on crop seeds. While little research has been done on harvester ant preferences for cover crop seeds, grower observations in the Lower Rio Grande Valley (LRGV) suggest that ants may remove these seeds before germination. We examined red harvester ant (Pogonomyrmex barbatus F. Smith) preferences for cover crop seeds (fescue, oat, sunn hemp, radish, vetch, and wheatgrass) and the effects of a commonly used bacterial seed inoculant. We evaluated relative preferences using seed depots presented to colonies with no prior exposure to the selected seeds or inoculants. After 24 h, ants had removed oat and radish seeds at the same rate as the preferred wheatgrass control. Fescue, sunn hemp, and vetch seeds were less preferred. The bacterial inoculation of wheatgrass and radish seeds did not alter the removal rates. Further, ant removal of seeds in both trials was dependent on the month and temperature, indicating potential interactions of colony activity levels, availability of seeds in the seed bank, and the intensity of cover crop seed removal. Together, these data indicate that harvester ant foraging preferences and seasonal activity should be considered to help mitigate potential ant predation of cover crops via planting less preferred seeds and at times of lower ant foraging intensity.
Effects of Green Manure Combined with Phosphate Fertilizer on Movement of Soil Organic Carbon Fractions in Tropical Sown Pasture
Authors: Hu An , Huang Rui , Liu Guodao , Huang Dongfen , Huan Hengfu
Published: May 2022

The application of green manure is a common way to increase the soil’s level of total organic carbon (TOC) and its fractions. However, the amount of green manure to apply and how the combined application of phosphate fertilizer affects the movement of TOC, and of its fractions, is still unclear. We conducted a column experiment with two treatments of phosphate fertilizer (with and without) and green manure (0, low amount level, high amount level). The longitudinal movement distance and accumulation amount of each organic carbon fraction were investigated after 14 days and 28 days. The results indicated that green manure, phosphate fertilizer, and incubation time affected the movement of the soil organic carbon fractions by affecting the initial quality of the green manure (TOC, cellulose, and lignin content), as well as the changes in quality. Green manure significantly increased the accumulation amount of the organic carbon fractions in the soil, and the high-level input of green manure increased the movement distance and accumulation amount of the organic carbon fractions; phosphorus fertilizer did not have a significant effect on the movement distance of the organic carbon fractions, but it did significantly affect accumulation amount. The 28-day incubation period increased the movement distance and the accumulation amount of the organic carbon fractions, with the exception of the particulate organic carbon (POC), compared to the 14-day incubation period. Taken together, these findings suggest that the high-level of input of green manure combined with the application of P fertilizer is beneficial for increasing the movement of the organic carbon fractions to the depth of the soil, and promotes their accumulation, which is an important agronomic management strategy for improving soil acidity in tropical regions.
Antioxidant Activity of Aqueous and Ethanolic Extracts of Coconut (Cocos nucifera) Fruit By-Products
Authors: Leliana Lulum , Setyaningsih Widiastuti , Palma Miguel , Supriyadi  , Santoso Umar
Published: May 2022

Coconut is widely used as a food source in producing countries, and during consumption, the waste that is generated needs to be reduced through by-products processing to ensure environmental sustainability. This study aimed to assess the functionality of by-products (endo- and mesocarp) of coconuts at early and mature stages. The aqueous and ethanolic (50 and 100% ethanol in water) extracts of coconut by-products were evaluated for the DPPH radical scavenging activity and subjected to linoleic acid-β-carotene system assay in contrast with synthetic antioxidants. Ultrasound-producing extract of young coconut mesocarp provided the highest antioxidant activity with a lower IC50 value (117 µg mL−1) than butylhydroxytoluene (BHT, 170 µg mL−1). Based on the linoleic acid-β-carotene system assay, the extract exhibited a higher antioxidant activity (1.25×) than tertiary butylhydroquinone (TBHQ, 200 µg mL−1); and comparable with butylhydroxyanisole (BHA, 250 µg mL−1). Therefore, extracts of coconut by-products, particularly the young mesocarp, can be an alternative natural antioxidant.
Nitrogen-Reduction in Intensive Cultivation Improved Nitrogen Fertilizer Utilization Efficiency and Soil Nitrogen Mineralization of Double-Cropped Rice
Authors: Luo Zhuo , Song Haixing , Huang Min , Zhang Zhenhua , Peng Zhi , Zi Tao , Tian Chang , Eissa Mamdouh A.
Published: May 2022

Under the current rice cropping system, excessive nitrogen application has become a major issue that needs to be changed, and nitrogen reduction has become a hot research topic in recent years. The use of optimum planting density is becoming a common agronomic management system in addition to nitrogen reduction, especially under double cropping rice systems. In this paper, changes in rice yield, nitrogen-use efficiency (NUE) and net N mineralization under dense planting with a reduced nitrogen rate (DPRN) were studied. By comparing DPRN with high-nitrogen sparse planting (SPHN), we found that the population tiller number (tiller number per unit area) increased by 9–27% under DPRN cultivation. Nitrogen accumulation under DPRN treatment of double-cropped rice was basically stable. NUE under DPRN was significantly higher by 1.3–22.7% compared to SPHN. The partial factor productivity of applied N (PFPN) was significantly higher than that of SPHN, with an increase of 4.3–22.8%. The net N mineralized of double-cropped rice under DPRN increased at different stages, and the increase in late-season rice (LSR) was greater than that of early-season rice (ESR). The highest net N mineralized in double cropping rice at different stages was found in the dense planting treatment (DP) and N2 (120 kg N h−1). In conclusion, DPRN cultivation of double-cropped rice could be accepted as a proper management strategy for reducing nitrogen input, improving NUE and promoting soil nitrogen mineralization under given conditions.
A Study on Optimum Insulation Thickness in Walls of Chinese Solar Greenhouse for Energy Saving
Authors: Xu Hui , Ding Juanjuan , Li Tianlai , Mu Chunyan , Gu Xuan , Wang Rui
Published: May 2022

Chinese solar greenhouses (CSGs) are characterized by unique walls to reduce the transmission of heat and promote the energy conservation in winter production, which promotes cultivation in the northeast region of China in winter. Effective selection of insulation material is important for the CSG based on the energy consumption and economic analysis. However, choosing the thickness of the insulation material in walls often discussed with the structure of CSG. There is a lack of research combing the optimal insulation thickness for improving the energy conservation. The aim of this study was to find the optimum insulation thickness during the energy conservation based on the structure of walls, the energy consumption in local climatic conditions, the cost of insulation material, and economic payback period over a lifetime. By the economic analysis of insulation thickness, thermal resistance, lifetime energy saving, and payback period, three kinds of typical walls (clay brick (CB), hollow concrete block (HCB) and fly ash block (FAB)) combed with four insulation materials including the expanded polystyrene, the foamed PVC, the perlite, and the rock wool were calculated. The optimum insulation thickness can be found when energy savings reached the maximum. In the northeast region, the association of FAB with rock wool as the insulation layer was the most economic composite wall structure. The optimum insulation thickness was 0.05 m, with the cost only 5 USD/m2. The thermal resistance of composite wall had a significant effect on the payback period. When thermal resistance increased from 0.2 to 1.2 m2K/W, the payback period varied from 0.4 to 4.3 years. What is more, the energy consumption in local climatic conditions had a more significant effect on payback period. It can be assumed that insulation materials are more favored in cold climatic regions where heating degree-days over 1600 °C days for payback periods is less than 2 years. These results have strong practical and economical significance in saving energy and improving the environment of CSG.
Effect of Mechanical Pruning on Olive Yield in a High-Density Olive Orchard: An Account of 14 Years
Authors: Dias António , Falcão José , Pinheiro Anacleto , Peça José
Published: May 2022

In Portugal, the study of mechanical pruning in olive orchards began in 1997. Trials were carried out in traditional orchards, and the obtained results revealed that mechanical pruning can contribute to the reduction in pruning costs without a reduction in yield. In 2005, the authors started an evaluation of mechanical pruning in high-density olive orchards. The trial was organised in a randomised, complete block design, with three replications. Four treatments were compared: T1—manual pruning, using chain saws in 2005, 2010, 2014, and 2017; T2—mechanical pruning, topping, and hedging (two sides) in 2014 and 2017, followed by manual pruning complement; T3—mechanical pruning, topping in 2005, topping and hedging (west side) in 2008 and 2012, topping and hedging (east side) in 2010, 2014 and 2017, summer topping in July 2015, and hedging (west side) in winter 2016; T4—mechanical pruning, topping in 2005, topping and hedging (two sides) in 2010, 2014, and 2017, and summer topping in July 2015. The average yield per tree for each treatment was evaluated. In the first period (5 years), no significant differences were found between treatments. In the second period (4 years), a greater frequency of mechanical pruning (T3) showed a lower yield, with significant differences with treatment T2. In the third period of 5 years, a greater pruning severity reduced the olive yield (2014). Manual pruning complement after mechanical pruning (T2) did not increase olive yield; however, the average yield over this period of time was similar. The olive yield was maintained over a period of 14 years by only applying mechanical pruning, without manual pruning complement inside the canopy.
A Particle Swarm Optimization Backtracking Technique Inspired by Science-Fiction Time Travel
Authors: Fedor Bob , Straub Jeremy
Published: May 2022

Artificial intelligence techniques, such as particle swarm optimization, are used to solve problems throughout society. Optimization, in particular, seeks to identify the best possible decision within a search space. Problematically, particle swarm optimization will sometimes have particles that become trapped inside local minima, preventing them from identifying a global optimal solution. As a solution to this issue, this paper proposes a science-fiction inspired enhancement of particle swarm optimization where an impactful iteration is identified and the algorithm is rerun from this point, with a change made to the swarm. The proposed technique is tested using multiple variations on several different functions representing optimization problems and several standard test functions used to test various particle swarm optimization techniques.
Muscle Fatty Acids, Meat Flavor Compounds and Sensory Characteristics of Xiangxi Yellow Cattle in Comparison to Aberdeen Angus
Authors: Chen Dong , Wang Xiaoyan , Guo Qian , Deng Huifen , Luo Jie , Yi Kangle , Sun Ao , Chen Kun , Shen Qingwu
Published: May 2022

The objective of this study was to investigate meat quality of Xiangxi yellow cattle of different ages in comparison to Aberdeen Angus. At the ages of 6, 18, and 30 months, 10 female animals for both Xiangxi yellow cattle and Aberdeen Angus cattle were randomly selected and slaughtered. The proximate composition analysis, fatty acid profiles and flavor compounds were measured on the longissimus thoracis (LT) muscle samples. One boneless loin chop was dissected and used for sensory evaluation by a 10-persoon trained taste panel. The data obtained showed that Xiangxi yellow cattle deposited similarly high level of intramuscular fat as Angus at the age of 18 month and the polyunsaturated fatty acid in muscle along with the PUFA/SFA ratio reached the highest levels at this age. Inosine 5′-monophosphate (IMP) was the predominant umami compound in beef, which concentration was significantly higher (p < 0.05) at month 18, but not different between Angus and Xiangxi yellow cattle. Multiple volatile flavor compounds were higher (p < 0.05) in concentrations in meat from Xiangxi yellow cattle at ages of 18 and 30 months when compared to Angus. Sensory analysis revealed that Xiangxi yellow cattle (18 and 30 months) and Angus (30 months) were superior in meat overall eating quality to Xiangxi yellow cattle (6 months) and Angus (6 and 18 months). This study showed that Xiangxi yellow cattle are a fine cattle breed with equal or even better meat quality attributes when compared to Angus. It is proper to slaughter Xiangxi yellow cattle at the age of 18 months for high quality beef production.
Male African Elephant (Loxodonta africana) Behavioral Responses to Estrous Call Playbacks May Inform Conservation Management Tools
Authors: O’Connell-Rodwell Caitlin E. , Sandri Monica N. , Berezin Jodie L. , Munevar Jaquelyn M. , Kinzley Colleen , Wood Jason D. , Wiśniewska Maggie , Kilian J. Werner
Published: May 2022

Driven by reproductive motives, male African elephants (Loxodonta africana) in musth often expand their home ranges to locate estrous females. This extended range, coupled with heightened aggression often observed in musth males, can be particularly problematic in regions where human-modified landscapes and elephant territories increasingly overlap. Several mitigation tools have been tested to resolve a wide range of human–elephant conflicts with varying degrees of success due to geographical disparities and habituation. We present findings on the potential application of estrous call playbacks in manipulating the behavior and movement of male elephants non-invasively, particularly mature musth adults and younger post-dispersal males, in Etosha National Park. Estrous vocalizations were presented across 26 experimental trials to mature musth adults (n = 5), mature non-musth adults (n = 6), and non-musth males belonging to younger, post-dispersal age classes (n = 8), with behavioral responses scored on a gradient scale from 0–1. Both mature musth adults and younger non-musth elephants were significantly more likely to respond with the highest intensity by approaching the acoustic source compared to mature non-musth adults that avoided the call. However, younger males tested in the presence of an older, higher-ranking male tended to react with a lower intensity than those tested alone. This result likely demonstrates the influence of social hierarchy and associations on male elephant behavior. We also observed a significant increase in physiological response, measured by defecation rate, across all male groups in response to the estrous call playbacks. Our findings suggest that using estrous calls as acoustic deterrents may effectively and non-invasively aid in reducing tension at the human–elephant interface, depending on the age, social context, and reproductive status of the male elephant.
Current Feeding Practice of Xenopus laevis in a Laboratory Setting
Authors: Böswald Linda F. , Matzek Dana , Popper Bastian
Published: May 2022

African clawed frogs are common animal models used in various research areas. However, husbandry and especially feeding regimens are not nearly as standardized as is established for other laboratory animals. We recorded the diets and feeding protocols commonly used in laboratory practice in a questionnaire (18 responses). The survey revealed a wide variety of housing conditions. Feeding protocols and, in particular, diet composition varied considerably between facilities. While diets tailored to Xenopus were used in the majority, differences in feeding frequency and dietary components were noted. From five responses, the weekly feed intake per frog could be calculated, showing considerable differences in dry matter intake (1.37–5.4 g). The labelled nutrient content of the diets fed in the facilities (n = 10) met the recommendations in most cases, with protein as the major energy source. However, the mineral content varied markedly between diets. Both floating and sinking diets were used, while quickly sinking diets were associated with feed leftovers. Feed processing may likely influence feed intake behavior. Further research is needed to ensure standardization for aquatic species with respect to husbandry systems, feeding regimens, and especially the nutrient composition of feeds. Furthermore, this work will contribute positively to animal welfare and the comparability of research results.
Optimal Dose of Cefoperazone-Sulbactam for Acute Bacterial Infection in Patients with Chronic Kidney Disease
Authors: Chao Chien-Ming , Lai Chih-Cheng , Lee Chen-Hsiang , Tang Hung-Jen
Published: May 2022

The optimal dosage of cefoperazone-sulbactam for patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD) remains unclear. This study aimed to investigate two treatment strategies of cefoperazone-sulbactam–2 g/2 g twice daily and adjusted dose according to renal function for patients with CKD. A total of 155 patients with CKD received cefoperazone-sulbactam either at a dose of 2 g/2 g twice daily (study group) or adjusted according to renal function (control group) for the treatment of acute bacterial infection. The primary outcome was the clinical response rate at day 14 and the secondary outcomes included treatment failure and all-cause death. The study group had a higher clinical response rate (80.0% vs. 65.0%) and a lower treatment failure rate (4.0% vs. 23.8%) as compared with the control group. Further multivariable analysis showed that compared with the control group, the study group had a higher clinical response rate (adjusted OR = 4.02; 95% CI, 1.49–10.81) and lower treatment failure rate (adjusted OR = 0.06; 95% CI, 0.01–0.28). In addition, no significant difference in all-cause mortality was observed between the study and the control group (adjusted OR = 1.95; 95% CI, 0.57–6.66). Finally, no significant difference was observed between the study and the control group in the risk of the adverse events (AEs)–diarrhea (p = 0.326), eosinophilia (p = 1.000), prolonged PT (p = 0.674), alteration in renal function (p = 0.938) and leukopenia (n = 0.938). In conclusion, cefoperazone-sulbactam at a dose of 2 g/2 g twice daily could achieve better clinical efficacy than the reduced dosage regimen. Additionally, this dosage did not increase the risk of AE compared to the reduced dose. Therefore, cefoperazone-sulbactam at a dose of 2 g/2 g twice daily is an effective and safe regimen for acute bacterial infection in patients with CKD.
Development of and User Feedback on a Board and Online Game to Educate on Antimicrobial Resistance and Stewardship
Authors: Ashiru-Oredope Diane , Nabiryo Maxencia , Yeoman Andy , Bell Melvin , Cavanagh Sarah , D’Arcy Nikki , Townsend William , Demenciukas Dalius , Yadav Sara , Garraghan Frances , Carter Vanessa , Rutter Victoria , Skone-James Richard
Published: May 2022

Antimicrobial resistance (AMR), particularly antibiotic resistance, is one of the most challenging global health threats of our time. Tackling AMR requires a multidisciplinary approach. Whether a clinical team member is a cleaner, nurse, doctor, pharmacist, or other type of health worker, their contribution towards keeping patients safe from infection is crucial to saving lives. Existing literature portrays that games can be a good way to engage communities in joint learning. This manuscript describes an educational antimicrobial stewardship (AMS) game that was co-created by a multidisciplinary team of health professionals spanning across high- and low- to middle-income countries. The online AMS game was promoted and over 100 players across 23 countries registered to participate on 2 occasions. The players were asked to share feedback on the game through a short online form. Their experiences revealed that the game is relevant for creation of awareness and understanding on antimicrobial stewardship in both high- and low-to-middle income settings worldwide.
Thioredoxin-1 Ameliorates Oxygen-Induced Retinopathy in Newborn Mice through Modulation of Proinflammatory and Angiogenic Factors
Authors: Ozawa Junichi , Tanaka Kosuke , Arai Yukio , Haga Mitsuhiro , Miyahara Naoyuki , Miyamoto Ai , Nishimura Eri , Namba Fumihiko
Published: May 2022

Oxygen-induced retinopathy (OIR) is an animal model for retinopathy of prematurity, which is a leading cause of blindness in children. Thioredoxin-1 (TRX) is a small redox protein that has cytoprotective and anti-inflammatory properties in response to oxidative stress. The purpose of this study was to determine the effect of TRX on OIR in newborn mice. From postnatal day 7, C57BL/6 wild type (WT) and TRX transgenic (TRX-Tg) mice were exposed to either 21% or 75% oxygen for 5 days. Avascular and neovascular regions of the retinas were investigated using fluorescence immunostaining. Fluorescein isothiocyanate-dextran and Hoechst staining were used to measure retinal vascular leakage. mRNA expression levels of proinflammatory and angiogenic factors were analyzed using quantitative polymerase chain reaction. Retinal histological changes were detected using immunohistochemistry. In room air, the WT mice developed well-organized retinas. In contrast, exposing WT newborn mice to hyperoxia hampered retinal development, increasing the retinal avascular and neovascular areas. After hyperoxia exposure, TRX-Tg mice had enhanced retinal avascularization compared with WT mice. TRX-Tg mice had lower retinal neovascularization and retinal permeability during recovery from hyperoxia compared with WT mice. In the early stages after hyperoxia exposure, VEGF-A and CXCL-2 expression levels decreased, while IL-6 expression levels increased in WT newborn mice. Conversely, no differences in gene expressions were observed in the TRX-Tg mouse retina. IGF-1 and Angpt1 levels did not decrease during recovery from hyperoxia in TRX-Tg newborn mice. As a result, overexpression of TRX improves OIR in newborn mice by modulating proinflammatory and angiogenic factors.
Paraoxonase-1 Regulation of Renal Inflammation and Fibrosis in Chronic Kidney Disease
Authors: Khalaf Fatimah K. , Mohammed Chrysan J. , Dube Prabhatchandra , Connolly Jacob A. , Lad Apurva , Ashraf Usman M. , Breidenbach Joshua D. , Su Robin C. , Kleinhenz Andrew L. , Malhotra Deepak , Gohara Amira F. , Haller Steven T. , Kennedy David J.
Published: May 2022

Papraoxonase-1 (PON1) is a hydrolytic lactonase enzyme that is synthesized in the liver and circulates attached to high-density lipoproteins (HDL). Clinical studies have demonstrated an association between diminished PON-1 and the progression of chronic kidney disease (CKD). However, whether decreased PON-1 is mechanistically linked to renal injury is unknown. We tested the hypothesis that the absence of PON-1 is mechanistically linked to the progression of renal inflammation and injury in CKD. Experiments were performed on control Dahl salt-sensitive rats (SSMcwi, hereafter designated SS rats) and Pon1 knock-out rats (designated SS-Pon1em1Mcwi, hereafter designated SS-PON-1 KO rats) generated by injecting a CRISPR targeting the sequence into SSMcwi rat embryos. The resulting mutation is a 7 bp frameshift insertion in exon 4 of the PON-1 gene. First, to examine the renal protective role of PON-1 in settings of CKD, ten-week-old, age-matched male rats were maintained on a high-salt diet (8% NaCl) for up to 5 weeks to initiate the salt-sensitive hypertensive renal disease characteristic of this model. We found that SS-PON-1 KO rats demonstrated several hallmarks of increased renal injury vs. SS rats including increased renal fibrosis, sclerosis, and tubular injury. SS-PON-1 KO also demonstrated increased recruitment of immune cells in the renal interstitium, as well as increased expression of inflammatory genes compared to SS rats (all p < 0.05). SS-PON-1 KO rats also showed a significant (p < 0.05) decline in renal function and increased renal oxidative stress compared to SS rats, despite no differences in blood pressure between the two groups. These findings suggest a new role for PON-1 in regulating renal inflammation and fibrosis in the setting of chronic renal disease independent of blood pressure.
Inflammatory and Oxidative Stress Markers Related to Adherence to the Mediterranean Diet in Patients with Metabolic Syndrome
Authors: Quetglas-Llabrés Maria Magdalena , Monserrat-Mesquida Margalida , Bouzas Cristina , Gómez Cristina , Mateos David , Ripoll-Vera Tomàs , Tur Josep A. , Sureda Antoni
Published: May 2022

Metabolic syndrome (MetS) is characterized by increased pro-oxidative stress and a pro-inflammatory state. Several studies emphasized the protective effect of the Mediterranean dietary pattern (MDP). To assess the oxidative and inflammatory state according to the adherence to MDP using biomarkers in patients with MetS. Antioxidant and pro-inflammatory biomarkers were determined in plasma, peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs), and neutrophils of adults (aged 55–75 years old; 60% women) with MetS living in Mallorca (Spain). Anthropometrics, dietary intake by a validated semi-quantitative 143-item food frequency questionnaire, and a Dietary Inflammatory Index were measured. Patients with low adherence to MDP showed higher levels of glycated haemoglobin A1c and triglycerides, and lower levels of HDL cholesterol. Plasma levels of interleukin-1β, IL-6, IL-15, tumour necrosis factor α, xanthine oxidase, and ghrelin, and activities of superoxide dismutase, and myeloperoxidase were higher in subjects with low adherence to the MDP. Reactive oxygen species production in PBMCs and neutrophils stimulated with lipopolysaccharide was higher in participants with low adherence to the MDP. Patients with MetS and higher adherence to the MDP showed less altered anthropometric parameters, blood biochemical profile, and better oxidative and inflammatory status.
Surface Morphology Changes of Bleached Dental Ceramics
Authors: Morkūnaitė Giedrė , Ožiūnas Rimantas , Čeplauskas Vytautas , Tučkutė Simona , Laurikaitienė Jurgita , Adlienė Diana
Published: May 2022

Tooth whitening is one of the most conservative procedures for increasing the aesthetics of patients, but the effect of bleaching on ceramic restorations has not been extensively studied. In this study, the bleaching effect on three dental restoration materials (polished/glazed lithium disilicate glass ceramic, leucite reinforced glass ceramic and zirconium dioxide ceramic) has been investigated in terms of surface roughness changes of the exposed samples. Philips Zoom NiteWhite 16% carbamide peroxide, Philips Zoom 6% hydrogen peroxide with following LED illumination and Pola Office 6% hydrogen peroxide have been used for ceramic bleaching. The experimental investigation and performed statistical analysis revealed that the highest surface roughness changes of all investigated ceramics were caused by the hydrogen peroxide and the lowest by carbamide peroxide. These findings correlated well with the colour changes observed in the same bleached dental ceramic samples indicating potential of carbamide peroxide as the most prospective bleaching agent.
Self-Reporting Technique-Based Clinical-Trial Service Platform for Real-Time Arrhythmia Detection
Authors: Kim Heejin , Huh Ki Young , Piao Meihua , Ryu Hyeongju , Yang Wooseok , Lee SeungHwan , Kim Kyung Hwan
Published: May 2022

The analysis of the electrocardiogram (ECG) is critical for the diagnosis of arrhythmias. Recent advances in information and communications technology (ICT) have led to the development of wearable ECG devices and arrhythmia-detection algorithms. This study aimed to develop an ICT-based clinical trial service platform using a self-reporting technique for real-time arrhythmia detection. To establish a clinical-trial service platform, a mobile application (app), a demilitarized zone (DMZ), an internal network, and Amazon web services virtual private cloud (AWS-VPC) were developed. The ECG data acquired by a wearable device were transmitted to the mobile app, which collected the participants’ self-reported information. The mobile app transmitted raw ECG and self-reported data to the AWS-VPC and DMZ, respectively. In the AWS-VPC, the live-streaming and playback-reviewer services were operational to display the currently and previously acquired ECG data to clinicians through the web client. All the measured data were transmitted to the internal network, in which the arrhythmia-detection algorithm was executed and all the data were saved. The self-reporting technique and arrhythmia-detection algorithm are the key elements of this platform. In particular, subjective information of participants can be easily collected using a self-reporting technique. These features are particularly of critical importance for treating painless, sparsely occurring arrhythmias.
An Adaptive UI Based on User-Satisfaction Prediction in Mixed Reality
Authors: Choi Yujin , Kim Yoon Sang
Published: May 2022

As people begin to notice mixed reality, various studies on user satisfaction in mixed reality (MR) have been conducted. User interface (UI) is one of the representative factors that affect interaction satisfaction in MR. In conventional platforms such as mobile devices and personal computers, various studies have been conducted on providing adaptive UI, and recently, such studies have also been conducted in MR environments. However, there have been few studies on providing an adaptive UI based on interaction satisfaction. Therefore, in this paper, we propose a method based on interaction-satisfaction prediction to provide an adaptive UI in MR. The proposed method predicts interaction satisfaction based on interaction information (gaze, hand, head, object) and provides an adaptive UI based on predicted interaction satisfaction. To develop the proposed method, an experiment to measure data was performed, and a user-satisfaction-prediction model was developed based on the data collected through the experiment. Next, to evaluate the proposed method, an adaptive UI providing an application using the developed user-satisfaction-prediction model was implemented. From the experimental results using the implemented application, it was confirmed that the proposed method could improve user satisfaction compared to the conventional method.
Recent Advances in Intrinsically Fluorescent Polydopamine Materials
Authors: Su Hang , Zhao Fei
Published: May 2022

Fluorescence nanoparticles have gained much attention due to their unique properties in the sensing and imaging fields. Among the very successful candidates are fluorescent polydopamine (FPDA) nanoparticles, attributed to their simplicity in tracing and excellent biocompatibility. This article aims to highlight the recent achievements in FPDA materials, especially on the part of luminescence mechanisms. We focus on the intrinsic fluorescence of PDA and will not discuss fluorescent reaction with a fluorometric reagent or coupling reaction with a fluorophore, which may cause more in vivo interferences. We believe that intrinsic FPDA presents great potential in bioapplications.
A Comparative Energy and Economic Analysis of Different Solar Thermal Domestic Hot Water Systems for the Greek Climate Zones: A Multi-Objective Evaluation Approach
Authors: Bellos Evangelos , Papavasileiou Lydia , Kekatou Maria , Karagiorgas Michalis
Published: May 2022

The exploitation of solar irradiation in the building sector is a promising way to achieve decarbonization and reduce the operating costs of the building. The potential of solar energy in Greece is high and therefore this idea can lead to excellent results. In this direction, the goal of the present analysis is the detailed investigation of different solar thermal systems for domestic hot water production in the different climate zones of Greece. Four typical cities are studied in order to examine the climate zones A, B, C, and D, while three different solar thermal collectors coupled to insulated storage tanks are studied for every city. The simple flat plate collector, the advanced flat plate collector, and the evacuated tube collector are the selected solar systems for the present work. The climate data and the characteristics of the solar thermal systems follow the Greek Chamber regulations known as “KENAK”. The analysis is conducted by following the well-known f-chart method and every design is optimized by using energy and financial criteria. The final design is determined by conducting a multi-objective evaluation methodology. It is notable to state that the collector slope and the collecting area are important parameters of this work, while the study case regards a building with 30 residents. According to the final results, the advanced flat plate collector is the best choice according to the multi-objective evaluation procedure.
Dry Eye Disease and Vitamins: A Narrative Literature Review
Authors: Hyon Joon Young , Han Sang Beom
Published: May 2022

Dry eye disease (DED) is a major public health problem worldwide that seriously impairs the quality of life, reduces work productivity, and poses significant economic burden. In DED, tear film instability or hyperosmolarity activates a self-perpetuating vicious cycle that may aggravate ocular surface inflammation and damage. Thus, treatment approaches should focus on interrupting this cycle and ameliorating inflammation. In addition to anti-inflammatory medications, such as corticosteroids, cyclosporine, and lifitegrast, nutrients with anti-inflammatory and anti-oxidative properties may also be effective for the treatment of DED. Evidence indicates that vitamin deficiencies may be associated with an increased risk of DED and that vitamin supplementation can be an effective treatment for DED. In the present review, we introduce the results of clinical and experimental studies on the association between vitamin deficiencies and DED. The potential efficacy of systemic and topical supplementation in the treatment of DED is also discussed.
Wear Resistance Comparison Research of High-Alloy Protective Coatings for Power Industry Prepared by Means of CMT Cladding
Authors: Kołodziejczak Paweł , Bober Mariusz , Chmielewski Tomasz
Published: May 2022

In this study, four protective coating materials: Inconel 718, Inconel 625, Alloy 33 and Stellite 6 were deposited on 16Mo3 steel tubes by means of CMT (Cold Metal Transfer), as an advanced version of MAG (Metal Active Gas) welding method. In the next step, the surface of the deposited coating was remelted by means of TIG (Tungsten Inert Gas) welding method. SEM microstructure of coatings–substrate has been reported, and an EDX-researched chemical composition of the coatings was compared to the nominal chemical composition. The hardness distribution in the cross-section was performed, which revealed that among investigated coatings, Stellite 6 layer is the hardest, at about 500 HV0.2. Other materials such as Inconel 625, Inconel 718 and Alloy 33 represented a cladded zone hardness about 250 HV0.2. Stellite 6 layer had the lowest wear resistance in the dry sand/rubber wheel test, and Stellite 6 layer had the highest wear resistance in the erosive blasting test. This proved the existence of different wear mechanisms in the two test methods used. In the dry sand/rubber wheel test, the Alloy 33 and Inconel 718 only represented higher wear resistance than substrate 16Mo3 steel. In abrasive blasting tests all coatings had higher wear resistance than 16Mo3 steel; however, Stellite 6 coatings represented an approximately 5 times higher durability than other investigated (Inconel 625, Inconel 718, and Alloy 33) coatings.
Comparison of the Concentrations of Heavy Metals in PM2.5 Analyzed in Three Different Global Research Institutions Using X-ray Fluorescence
Authors: Kim Yeonjin , Rudasingwa Guillaume , Cho Seung-Hyun , McWilliams Andrea , Kang Choong-Min , Kim Simon , Kim Sungroul
Published: May 2022

This inter-lab study aimed to evaluate the comparability of heavy metal concentrations in the same samples using three X-ray fluorescence spectrometers (XRFs) in three different global re-search institutions, namely a collaboration lab between Soonchunhyang University (Asan, Korea). and PAN (a branch of Malvern PANalytical, Seoul, Korea), RTI (Research Triangle Institute, NC, U.S.A), and Aerosol laboratory in Harvard University, Boston, U.S.A. Indoor air filter samples were collected from 8 homes using 3 filters in each household (n = 24) of individuals with asthma, and the same filter samples were sequentially analyzed separately in the collaboration lab Soonchunhyang-PAN, Harvard University, and RTI. Results showed the detection rates of most heavy metals (n = 25 metals) across the three institutions to be approximately 90%. Of the 25 metals, 16 showed coefficient of determination (R²) 0.7 or higher (10 components had 0.9 or higher) implying high correlation among institutions. Therefore, this study demonstrated XRF as a useful device, ensuring reproducibility and compatibility in the measurement of heavy metals in PM2.5, collected from indoor air filters of asthmatics’ residents.
The Functionality Verification through Pilot Human Subject Testing of MyFlex-δ: An ESR Foot Prosthesis with Spherical Ankle Joint
Authors: Tabucol Johnnidel , Kooiman Vera Geertruida Maria , Leopaldi Marco , Brugo Tommaso Maria , Leijendekkers Ruud Adrianus , Tagliabue Gregorio , Raveendranathan Vishal , Sotgiu Eleonora , Benincasa Pietro , Oddsson Magnus , Verdonschot Nico , Carloni Raffaella , Zucchelli Andrea
Published: May 2022

Most biomechanical research has focused on level-ground walking giving less attention to other conditions. As a result, most lower limb prosthesis studies have focused on sagittal plane movements. In this paper, an ESR foot is presented, of which five different stiffnesses were optimized for as many weight categories of users. It is characterized by a spherical ankle joint, with which, combined with the elastic elements, the authors wanted to create a prosthesis that gives the desired stiffness in the sagittal plane but at the same time, gives flexibility in the other planes to allow the adaptation of the foot prosthesis to the ground conditions. The ESR foot was preliminarily tested by participants with transfemoral amputation. After a brief familiarization with the device, each participant was asked to wear markers and to walk on a sensorized treadmill to measure their kinematics and kinetics. Then, each participant was asked to leave feedback via an evaluation questionnaire. The measurements and feedback allowed us to evaluate the performance of the prosthesis quantitatively and qualitatively. Although there were no significant improvements on the symmetry of the gait, due also to very limited familiarization time, the participants perceived an improvement brought by the spherical ankle joint.
Software Defect Prediction Using Stacking Generalization of Optimized Tree-Based Ensembles
Authors: Alazba Amal , Aljamaan Hamoud
Published: May 2022

Software defect prediction refers to the automatic identification of defective parts of software through machine learning techniques. Ensemble learning has exhibited excellent prediction outcomes in comparison with individual classifiers. However, most of the previous work utilized ensemble models in the context of software defect prediction with the default hyperparameter values, which are considered suboptimal. In this paper, we investigate the applicability of a stacking ensemble built with fine-tuned tree-based ensembles for defect prediction. We used grid search to optimize the hyperparameters of seven tree-based ensembles: random forest, extra trees, AdaBoost, gradient boosting, histogram-based gradient boosting, XGBoost and CatBoost. Then, a stacking ensemble was built utilizing the fine-tuned tree-based ensembles. The ensembles were evaluated using 21 publicly available defect datasets. Empirical results showed large impacts of hyperparameter optimization on extra trees and random forest ensembles. Moreover, our results demonstrated the superiority of the stacking ensemble over all fine-tuned tree-based ensembles.
Visual and Phonological Feature Enhanced Siamese BERT for Chinese Spelling Error Correction
Authors: Liu Yujia , Guo Hongliang , Wang Shuai , Wang Tiejun
Published: May 2022

Chinese Spelling Check (CSC) aims to detect and correct spelling errors in Chinese. Most CSC models rely on human-defined confusion sets to narrow the search space, failing to resolve errors outside the confusion set. However, most spelling errors in current benchmark datasets are character pairs in similar pronunciations. Errors in similar shapes and errors which are visually and phonologically irrelevant are not considered. Furthermore, widely-used automatically generated training data in CSC tasks leads to label leakage and unfair comparison between different methods. In this work, we propose a feature (visual and phonological) enhanced siamese BERT to (1) correct spelling errors without using confusion sets; (2) integrate phonological and visual features for CSC by a glyph graph; (3) improve performance for unseen spelling errors. To evaluate CSC methods fairly and comprehensively, we build a large-scale CSC dataset in which the number of samples in different error types is the same. The experimental results show that the proposed approach achieves better performance compared with previous state-of-the-art methods on three benchmark datasets and the new error-type balanced dataset.
Evaluation of Different Plagiarism Detection Methods: A Fuzzy MCDM Perspective
Authors: Jambi Kamal Mansour , Khan Imtiaz Hussain , Siddiqui Muazzam Ahmed
Published: May 2022

Due to the overall widespread accessibility of electronic materials available on the internet, the availability and usage of computers in education have resulted in a growth in the incidence of plagiarism among students. A growing number of individuals at colleges around the globe appear to be presenting plagiarised papers to their professors for credit, while no specific details are collected of how much was plagiarised previously or how much is plagiarised currently. Supervisors, who are overburdened with huge responsibility, desire a simple way—similar to a litmus test—to rapidly reform plagiarized papers so that they may focus their work on the remaining students. Plagiarism-checking software programs are useful for detecting plagiarism in examinations, projects, publications, and academic research. A number of the latest research findings dedicated to evaluating and comparing plagiarism-checking methods have demonstrated that these have restrictions in identifying the complicated structures of plagiarism, such as extensive paraphrasing as well as the utilization of technical manipulations, such as substituting original text with similar text from foreign alphanumeric characters. Selecting the best reliable and efficient plagiarism-detection method is a challenging task with so many options available nowadays. This paper evaluates the different academic plagiarism-detection methods using the fuzzy MCDM (multi-criteria decision-making) method and provides recommendations for the development of efficient plagiarism-detection systems. A hierarchy of evaluation is discussed, as well as an examination of the most promising plagiarism-detection methods that have the opportunity to resolve the constraints of current state-of-the-art tools. As a result, the study serves as a “blueprint” for constructing the next generation of plagiarism-checking tools.