bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Modification of Fibronectin by Non-Enzymatic Glycation Impairs K+ Channel Function in Rat Cerebral Artery Smooth Muscle Cells
Authors: Yang Yan , Nourian Zahra , Li Min , Sun Zhe , Zhang Liping , Davis Michael J. , Meininger Gerald A. , Wu Jianbo , Braun Andrew P. , Hill Michael A.
Published: June 2022

Fibronectin (FN) enhances K+ channel activity by integrin-mediated mechanisms. As vascular smooth muscle (VSM) K+ channels mediate vasodilation, we hypothesized that modification of fibronectin, via advanced non-enzymatic glycation, would alter signaling of this extracellular matrix protein through these channels. Bovine FN (1 mg/ml) was glycated (gFN) for 5 days using methylglyoxal (50 mM), and albumin was similarly glycated as a non-matrix protein control. VSM cells were isolated from rat cerebral arteries for measurement of macroscopic K+ channel activity using whole cell patch clamp methodology. Pharmacological inhibitors, iberiotoxin (0.1 μM) and 4-aminopyridine (0.1 mM), were used to identify contributions of large-conductance, Ca2+-activated, K+ channels and voltage-gated K+ channels, respectively. Compared with baseline, native FN enhanced whole cell K+ current in a concentration-dependent manner, whereas gFN inhibited basal current. Furthermore, native albumin did not enhance basal K+ current, but the glycated form (gAlb) caused inhibition. gFN was shown to impair both the Kv and BKCa components of total macroscopic K+ current. Anti-integrin α5 and β1 antibodies attenuated the effects of both FN and gFN on macroscopic K+ current at +70 mV. Consistent with an action on BKCa activity, FN increased, whereas gFN decreased the frequency of spontaneous transient outward current (STOCs). In contrast, gAlb inhibited whole cell K+ current predominantly through Kv, showing little effect on STOCs. A function-blocking, anti-RAGE antibody partially reversed the inhibitory effects of gFN, suggesting involvement of this receptor. Further, gFN caused production of reactive oxygen species (ROS) by isolated VSMCs as revealed by the fluorescent indicator, DHE. Evoked ROS production was attenuated by the RAGE blocking antibody. Collectively, these studies identify ion channel-related mechanisms (integrin and ROS-mediated) by which protein glycation may modify VSMC function.
The Tracking of Moist Habitats Allowed Aiphanes (Arecaceae) to Cover the Elevation Gradient of the Northern Andes
Authors: Sanín María José , Borchsenius Finn , Paris Margot , Carvalho-Madrigal Sara , Gómez Hoyos Andrés Camilo , Cardona Agustín , Arcila Marín Natalia , Ospina Yerson , Hoyos-Gómez Saúl E. , Manrique Héctor Favio , Bernal Rodrigo
Published: June 2022

The topographic gradients of the Tropical Andes may have triggered species divergence by different mechanisms. Topography separates species’ geographical ranges and offers climatic heterogeneity, which could potentially foster local adaptation to specific climatic conditions and result in narrowly distributed endemic species. Such a pattern is found in the Andean centered palm genusAiphanes. To test the extent to which geographic barriers and climatic heterogeneity can explain distribution patterns inAiphanes, we sampled 34 out of 36 currently recognized species in that genus and sequenced them by Sanger sequencing and/or sequence target capture sequencing. We generated Bayesian, likelihood, and species-tree phylogenies, with which we explored climatic trait evolution from current climatic occupation. We also estimated species distribution models to test the relative roles of geographical and climatic divergence in their evolution. We found thatAiphanesoriginated in the Miocene in Andean environments and possibly in mid-elevation habitats. Diversification is related to the occupation of the adjacent high and low elevation habitats tracking high annual precipitation and low precipitation seasonality (moist habitats). Different species in different clades repeatedly occupy all the different temperatures offered by the elevation gradient from 0 to 3,000 m in different geographically isolated areas. A pattern of conserved adaptation to moist environments is consistent among the clades. Our results stress the evolutionary roles of niche truncation of wide thermal tolerance by physical range fragmentation, coupled with water-related niche conservatism, to colonize the topographic gradient.
Environment-Driven Changes in the Functional Traits of Milk Thistle [Silybum marianum (L). Gaertn.] Along an Altitudinal Gradient in the Semi-Arid Environment: Perspective on Future Plant Invasion
Authors: Khan Nasrullah , Ullah Rafi , Alamri Saud S. , Alwasel Yasmeen A. , AL-Hashimi Abdulrahman , Abdel-Maksoud Mostafa A. , Okla Mohammad K. , AbdElgawad Hamada
Published: June 2022

The elevation is an important gradient across which the environmental variables and plant traits vary and is considered as a barrier to the recent global problem of plant invasion. However, certain invasive plants show plasticity traits to adapt and cope with the changes across the elevation. Silybum marianum (S. marianum) is one such invasive species widely spread in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan. Therefore, this study investigates the traits plasticity and invasive behaviors of this plant species across the elevation gradient. Plant functional traits (PFTs) and environmental variables were recorded in forty different low, middle, and high elevation sites. The plant shows a decrease in plant functional traits, i.e., above-ground plant height/plant, leaf length/leaf, leaf width/leaf, leaf dry weight/plant, vegetative dry weight/plant, and number of capitula/plant having the significance of p < 0.05. In contrast, the dry reproductive weight does not change significantly with elevation, while the root length increases across the elevation. The soil and environmental variables such as organic matter, lime percentage, and latitude significantly affected the PFTs. The importance value index of the species was also related to elevation and diversity indices, i.e., species richness, Shannon–Wiener diversity index, and evenness index, indicating that the invasion has strong effects on diversity. This study concludes that S. marianum has traits plasticity across the elevation and affects community diversity. Further investigation is required to understand the invasion and diversity parameters in a better way.
An Industrial-Grade Solution for Crop Disease Image Detection Tasks
Authors: Dai Guowei , Fan Jingchao
Published: June 2022

Crop leaf diseases can reflect the current health status of the crop, and the rapid and automatic detection of field diseases has become one of the difficulties in the process of industrialization of agriculture. In the widespread application of various machine learning techniques, recognition time consumption and accuracy remain the main challenges in moving agriculture toward industrialization. This article proposes a novel network architecture called YOLO V5-CAcT to identify crop diseases. The fast and efficient lightweight YOLO V5 is chosen as the base network. Repeated Augmentation, FocalLoss, and SmoothBCE strategies improve the model robustness and combat the positive and negative sample ratio imbalance problem. Early Stopping is used to improve the convergence of the model. We use two technical routes of model pruning, knowledge distillation and memory activation parameter compression ActNN for model training and identification under different hardware conditions. Finally, we use simplified operators with INT8 quantization for further optimization and deployment in the deep learning inference platform NCNN to form an industrial-grade solution. In addition, some samples from the Plant Village and AI Challenger datasets were applied to build our dataset. The average recognition accuracy of 94.24% was achieved in images of 59 crop disease categories for 10 crop species, with an average inference time of 1.563 ms per sample and model size of only 2 MB, reducing the model size by 88% and the inference time by 72% compared with the original model, with significant performance advantages. Therefore, this study can provide a solid theoretical basis for solving the common problems in current agricultural disease image detection. At the same time, the advantages in terms of accuracy and computational cost can meet the needs of agricultural industrialization.
Blocked at the Stomatal Gate, a Key Step of Wheat Stb16q-Mediated Resistance to Zymoseptoria tritici
Authors: Battache Mélissa , Lebrun Marc-Henri , Sakai Kaori , Soudière Olivier , Cambon Florence , Langin Thierry , Saintenac Cyrille
Published: June 2022

Septoria tritici blotch (STB), caused by the fungus Zymoseptoria tritici, is among the most threatening wheat diseases in Europe. Genetic resistance remains one of the main environmentally sustainable strategies to efficiently control STB. However, the molecular and physiological mechanisms underlying resistance are still unknown, limiting the implementation of knowledge-driven management strategies. Among the 22 known major resistance genes (Stb), the recently cloned Stb16q gene encodes a cysteine-rich receptor-like kinase conferring a full broad-spectrum resistance against Z. tritici. Here, we showed that an avirulent Z. tritici inoculated on Stb16q quasi near isogenic lines (NILs) either by infiltration into leaf tissues or by brush inoculation of wounded tissues partially bypasses Stb16q-mediated resistance. To understand this bypass, we monitored the infection of GFP-labeled avirulent and virulent isolates on Stb16q NILs, from germination to pycnidia formation. This quantitative cytological analysis revealed that 95% of the penetration attempts were unsuccessful in the Stb16q incompatible interaction, while almost all succeeded in compatible interactions. Infectious hyphae resulting from the few successful penetration events in the Stb16q incompatible interaction were arrested in the sub-stomatal cavity of the primary-infected stomata. These results indicate that Stb16q-mediated resistance mainly blocks the avirulent isolate during its stomatal penetration into wheat tissue. Analyses of stomatal aperture of the Stb16q NILs during infection revealed that Stb16q triggers a temporary stomatal closure in response to an avirulent isolate. Finally, we showed that infiltrating avirulent isolates into leaves of the Stb6 and Stb9 NILs also partially bypasses resistances, suggesting that arrest during stomatal penetration might be a common major mechanism for Stb-mediated resistances.
Genomic Analysis Provides Insights Into the Plant Architecture Variations in in situ Conserved Chinese Wild Rice (Oryza rufipogon Griff.)
Authors: Yang Ziyi , Zhang Yilin , Xing Meng , Wang Xiaowen , Xu Zhijian , Huang Jingfen , Wang Yanyan , Li Fei , Nie Yamin , Ge Jinyue , Lou Danjing , Liu Ziran , Han Zhenyun , Liang Yuntao , Zheng Xiaoming , Yang Qingwen , He Hang , Qiao Weihua
Published: June 2022

In situ conserved wild rice (Oryza rufipogon Griff.) is a promising source of alleles for improving rice production worldwide. In this study, we conducted a genomic analysis of an in situ conserved wild rice population (Guiping wild rice) growing at the center of wild rice genetic diversity in South China. Differences in the plant architecture in this population were investigated. An analysis using molecular markers revealed the substantial genetic diversity in this population, which was divided into subgroups according to the plant architecture. After resequencing representative individuals, the Guiping wild rice population was compared with other O. rufipogon and Oryza sativa populations. The results indicated that this in situ conserved wild rice population has a unique genetic structure, with genes that were introgressed from aromatic and O. sativa ssp. indica and japonica populations. The QTLs associated with plant architecture in this population were detected via a pair-wise comparison analysis of the sequencing data for multiple DNA pools. The results suggested that a heading date-related gene (DHD1) might be associated with variations in plant architecture and may have originated in cultivated rice. Our findings provide researchers with useful insights for future genomic analyses of in situ conserved wild rice populations.
The Impact of Parents' Intelligence Mindset on Math Anxiety of Boys and Girls and the Role of Parents' Failure Beliefs and Evaluation of Child's Math Performance as Mediators
Authors: Xie Fang , Duan Xiangfei , Ni Xuelian , Li Lina , Zhang Libin
Published: June 2022

This study aimed to examine the relationship between parents' intelligence mindset and children's math anxiety and the mediating role of parents' failure mindset and evaluations of their child's math performance. A total of 419 Chinese students (196 boys and 223 girls) and their parents were recruited to complete a series of questionnaires on topics such as math anxiety, parent's failure mindset, parent's intelligence mindset, and parents' evaluations of their child's mathematical performance. The results revealed that parents' intelligence mindset was not correlated with children's math anxiety. However, parents' intelligence mindset indirectly predicted children's math anxiety through the chain-mediated role of parents' failure beliefs and parents' evaluations of their child's math performance. Further, sex differences were found through a multigroup analysis, which showed a chain-mediated effect between parents' intelligence mindset and girls' math anxiety.
Different Dimensions of Grit as the Predictor of Job-Search Intensity and Clarity
Authors: Yu Xuan , Yuan Yue , Liu Xuhong , He Bin
Published: June 2022

Job-search is considered as a developmental task for college students to move from campus to workplace. Based on the self-determination theory, 859 Chinese college students were selected as the study sample and hierarchical regression analysis was used to explore the perseverance of effort and consistency of interest on job-search intensity and clarity. The survey showed that the perseverance of effort has a significant positive effect on the job-search intensity, while it has no significant positive effect on job-search clarity. Consistency of interest has a significant negative effect on job-search intensity and a significant positive effect on job-search clarity. Theoretical and practical implications are discussed and the directions for future research are outlined in this study.
Eye-Tracking in Interpreting Studies: A Review of Four Decades of Empirical Studies
Authors: Hu Ting , Wang Xinyu , Xu Haiming
Published: June 2022

It has been four decades since eye-tracking was first used in interpreting studies, and recent years has witnessed a growing interest in the application of this method, which holds great potential for offering a look into the “black box” of interpreting processing. However, little attention has been paid to comprehensively illustrating what has been done, what can be done, and what needs to be done with this method in this discipline. With this in view, this paper sets out to understand contributions of previous studies—key themes discussed, eye-tracking measures used, their limitations and implications, and future directions. To this end, we conduct a review of a total of 26 empirical papers from peer-reviewed journals within a time span of 4 decades ranging from 1981 to 2021. This study, as the first attempt of its kind at a comprehensive review on using eye-tracking in interpreting studies, should have implications for researchers, educators, and practitioners.
What Drives Consumer Purchasing Intention in Live Streaming E-Commerce?
Authors: Qing Chenglin , Jin Shanyue
Published: June 2022

The live streaming e-commerce market continues to grow with the rapid increase in contactless communication due to COVID-19. Live streaming e-commerce goes beyond the confines of traditional e-commerce of simply selling goods or services. It supplies information and allows synchronous information exchange between the online viewer (consumer) and the Internet celebrity, who influences the consumers information behavior and ultimately contributes to the long-term profit generation of the company. From online commerce to new retail and live streaming, China has been at the forefront of innovation in online commerce worldwide. Therefore, this study focuses on investigating the influences of live streaming e-commerce quality, such as service quality (SEQ), information quality (IQ), and system quality (SQ), on consumer purchase intention in China by applying the extended model of technology acceptance. Furthermore, this study analyzes the paths through which the live streaming e-commerce quality affects the consumer purchase intention, based on paths of perceived usefulness (PU), perceived ease of use (PEU), perceived trust (PT), and perceived value (PV). To analyze this study, the data were collected from 231 customers who had used live streaming e-commerce apps in China (e.g., TikTok, Taobao, and Jingdong) and empirical analysis was applied. The results were summarized as follows: SQ is positively related to PU and PT. Similarly, IQ is positively related to PEU and PT. In addition, SEQ is also positively related to PU and PEU. Moreover, SQ affected the PV through PU and PT significantly and ultimately influenced consumer PI. Also, the path in which SEQ affects PU, which in turn affects PV, and ultimately PI, was found. This study found out the paths of how the live streaming E-commerce quality affects the consumer purchasing intention and contributes to the research field of e-commerce and consumer behaviors. Additionally, the results of this study give useful marketing suggestions for relevant financial institutions and enterprises.
The Perceived Impact of COVID-19 on Functional Activities Among Canadian Education Workers: A Cross-Sectional Study
Authors: Serrano Frances , Nowrouzi-Kia Behdin , Oddson Bruce , Bishai Rita , Casole Jennifer , Gohar Basem
Published: June 2022

Objective

This cross-sectional study examined the self-perceived impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on 2,378 education workers in Ontario, Canada, during the second wave.

Methods

We examined six domains of functioning as per the short version of the World Health Organization Disability Assessment Schedule-2.0. Participants selected if their functioning had improved, remained unchanged or worsened during the pandemic for each item.

Results

Educational workers described a general worsening of functional activities since the beginning of the pandemic. Moderate-to-extreme challenges were reported for all six functional domains. These challenges appeared to aggravate functional challenges for workers with disability, as indicated by pre-existing work accommodations. Older participants reported worse mobility than younger participants; however, they appeared to have better coping skills in learning new tasks and maintaining friendships. Women were more likely to report difficulties in maintaining household responsibilities.

Conclusions

We consider the role of mental health challenges and pre-existing inequality as predictors of pandemic-related difficulties. Recommendations include more longitudinal research in this population and policymakers to incorporate a health promotion lens to support their education workers more proactively.
Bulk RNA Sequencing With Integrated Single-Cell RNA Sequencing Identifies BCL2A1 as a Potential Diagnostic and Prognostic Biomarker for Sepsis
Authors: Li Jun , Zhou Mi , Feng Jia-Qi , Hong Soon-Min , Yang Shao-Ying , Zhi Lang-Xian , Lin Wan-Yi , Zhu Cheng , Yu Yue-Tian , Lu Liang-Jing
Published: June 2022

Background

Sepsis is one of the leading causes of morbidity and mortality worldwide in the intensive care unit (ICU). The prognosis of the disease strongly depends on rapid diagnosis and appropriate treatment. Thus, some new and accurate sepsis-related biomarkers are pressing needed and their efficiency should be carefully demonstrated.

Methods

Differential expression analysis and weighted gene co-expression network analysis (WGCNA) were applied to detect sepsis and monocyte/macrophage-related genes. Least absolute shrinkage and selection operator (LASSO) and random forest regression analyses were used in combination to screen out prognostic genes. Single-cell RNA sequence profiling was utilized to further verify the expression of these genes on a single cell level. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve and decision curve analysis (DCA) were also applied to verify the diagnostic value of the target biomarkers.

Results

The intersections of the genes detected by differential expression and WGCNA analyses identified 141 overlapping candidate genes that were closely related to sepsis and macrophages. The LASSO and random forest regression analyses further screened out 17 prognostic genes. Single-cell RNA sequencing analysis detected that FCGR1A and BCL2A1 might be potential biomarkers for sepsis diagnosis and the diagnostic efficacy of BCL2A1 was further validated by ROC curve and DCA.

Conclusions

It was revealed that BCL2A1 had good diagnostic and prognostic value for sepsis, and that it can be applied as a potential and novel biomarker for the management of the disease.
A Separate Reality: An Update on Place Illusion and Plausibility in Virtual Reality
Authors: Slater Mel , Banakou Domna , Beacco Alejandro , Gallego Jaime , Macia-Varela Francisco , Oliva Ramon
Published: June 2022

We review the concept of presence in virtual reality, normally thought of as the sense of “being there” in the virtual world. We argued in a 2009 paper that presence consists of two orthogonal illusions that we refer to as Place Illusion (PI, the illusion of being in the place depicted by the VR) and Plausibility (Psi, the illusion that the virtual situations and events are really happening). Both are with the proviso that the participant in the virtual reality knows for sure that these are illusions. Presence (PI and Psi) together with the illusion of ownership over the virtual body that self-represents the participant, are the three key illusions of virtual reality. Copresence, togetherness with others in the virtual world, can be a consequence in the context of interaction between remotely located participants in the same shared virtual environments, or between participants and virtual humans. We then review several different methods of measuring presence: questionnaires, physiological and behavioural measures, breaks in presence, and a psychophysics method based on transitions between different system configurations. Presence is not the only way to assess the responses of people to virtual reality experiences, and we present methods that rely solely on participant preferences, including the use of sentiment analysis that allows participants to express their experience in their own words rather than be required to adopt the terminology and concepts of researchers. We discuss several open questions and controversies that exist in this field, providing an update to the 2009 paper, in particular with respect to models of Plausibility. We argue that Plausibility is the most interesting and complex illusion to understand and is worthy of significant more research. Regarding measurement we conclude that the ideal method would be a combination of a psychophysical method and qualitative methods including sentiment analysis.
Case Report: Pott's Edematous Tumor: Complicated Frontal Sinusitis - An Unremembered Diagnosis
Authors: Silva Ana Cristina Veiga , Lins Camila Mendonça , Mendes Renan Furtado de Almeida , Silva Marcelo Henrique Simões , de Alencar Neto Joaquim Fechine , Lopes Caio César Maia , Ferraz Gabriela Lisboa de Souza , de Sousa Diego Felipe Rodrigues , Bem Junior Luiz Severo , Valença Marcelo Moraes , Azevedo-Filho Hildo Rocha Cirne de
Published: June 2022

Pott’s Puffy tumor, also called Pott’s edematous tumor (PET), is a subperiosteal abscess of the frontal bone, associated with osteomyelitis of the frontal bone. In this paper, we report the case of a 16-year-old patient who presented with headache associated with progressive forehead swelling and fever. Clinical and imaging exams pointed to the hypothesis of PET associated with brain abscess. Patient was submitted to surgical excision of the abscess and treatment of osteomyelitis, with intraoperative findings corroborating the condition. There was a good clinical-radiological recovery associated with prolonged antibiotic therapy and satisfactory follow-up after hospital. PET, which often results from an underdiagnosed or partially treated frontal sinusitis, is a condition that must be promptly recognized and directed to an adequate therapeutic approach due to the risk of serious complications that it entails.
Bacillus subtilis Produces Amino Acids to Stimulate Protein Synthesis in Ruminal Tissue Explants via the Phosphatidylinositol-4,5-Bisphosphate 3-Kinase Catalytic Subunit Beta–Serine/Threonine Kinase–Mammalian Target of Rapamycin Complex 1 Pathway
Authors: Wang Qiuju , Ren Yulong , Cui Yizhe , Gao Bingnan , Zhang Hao , Jiang Qianming , Loor Juan J. , Deng Zhaoju , Xu Chuang
Published: June 2022

Background

Bacillus subtilis is a probiotic strain that is widely used as a feed supplement for ruminants. In this study, one B. subtilis strain isolated from the ruminal fluid of Holstein dairy cows was used for an ex vivo study with ruminal tissue explants. The main goal was to assess the potential endosymbiotic links between B. subtilis and the ruminal epithelium using molecular analyses and amino acid profiling. The explant culture protocol was first optimized to determine the ideal conditions in terms of tissue viability before performing the actual experiments involving active and inactive bacteria with or without protein synthesis inhibitors, such as LY294002 (phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase inhibitor) or rapamycin [mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) inhibitor].

Results

The mRNA levels of phosphatidylinositol-4,5-bisphosphate 3-kinase catalytic subunit beta (PIK3CB), serine/threonine kinase (AKT), mTOR, P70S6K1, and eukaryotic translation initiation factor 4E binding protein 1 were the highest (p < 0.01), while those of programmed cell death 4 were the lowest when the tissue was incubated with 107 of B. subtilis. Compared with the inactivated bacteria, the expression levels of PIK3CB and AKT, and overall changes in mTOR and P70S6K1 were greater in rumen explants with living bacteria (p < 0.05). With an increase in B. subtilis concentration, the trends of protein and corresponding gene changes were consistent. There were differences in the concentrations of individual amino acids in the supernatants of living and inactivated bacterial culture groups, with most amino acids enriched in pathways, such as aminoacyl tRNA biosynthesis, cyanoamino acid metabolism, monobactam biosynthesis, or glycine, serine, and threonine metabolism. The addition of psilocybin upregulated the expression levels of PIK3CB and AKT. A significant decrease (p < 0.05) in PIK3CB and mTOR protein expression levels was detected after the addition of LY294002 and rapamycin. In addition, These responses were associated with the downregulation (p < 0.05) of AKT and P70S6K protein expression levels.

Conclusions

We confirmed that the in vivo ruminal tissue culture system is a suitable model for studying probiotic-induced alterations in tissue function. As such, this study provides a means for future mechanistic studies related to microbial regulation and the dietary supply of proteins. In addition, living and inactivated B. subtilis can promote protein synthesis in ruminal tissue explants by altering the expression levels of related factors in the PIK3CB–AKT–mTORC1 pathway, which could further aid in optimizing the feed efficiency and increasing the use of inactivated bacteria as additives in dairy cow farming.
Contrasting Treatment- and Farm-Level Metrics of Antimicrobial Use Based on Used Daily Dose vs. Defined Daily Dose for the German Antibiotics Minimization Concept
Authors: Flor Matthias , Tenhagen Bernd-Alois , Käsbohrer Annemarie
Published: June 2022

The German Antibiotics Minimization Concept defines a farm-level benchmarking process based on half-yearly treatment frequencies that applies to six animal populations for fattening: calves (≤ 8 months), cattle (> 8 months), piglets (≤ 30 kg), pigs (> 30 kg), broiler chickens, and turkeys. The treatment frequency defined in the Minimization Concept takes into account the number of animals treated, the treatment duration, and the number of active antimicrobial ingredients, for each individual treatment, and is equivalent to a treatment frequency based on the used daily dose (UDD) and the actual weight of the animals at the time of treatment. With data from the German benchmarking system for the seven half-year periods from the second semester 2014 to the end of 2017, we compared UDD-based metrics of antimicrobial use (AMU) at the treatment and the farm level with metrics based on defined daily doses for animals (DDDvet) and standardized animal weights assumed at the time most likely for treatment. We show the extent to which DDDvet-based metrics would introduce errors into the measurement of AMU at the treatment level and consequently at the farm level. To that end, we introduce the average animal daily dose ratio, an aggregate measure that quantifies how choice of antimicrobial substances, deviations of used doses from recommended doses, of recommended doses from DDDvet values, and of treatment weights from standardized weights, affect a farm's AMU metrics. Our results show that in all animal populations considered benchmarking processes would become less successful at targeting high users. This would be especially true for broiler chickens and turkeys where the relative weight gain during fattening is the largest and overdosing appears to be common practice. Therefore, in AMU monitoring systems with the purpose of benchmarking farms UDD-based metrics are preferable to DDDvet-based metrics.
Factors Exacerbating Clinical Symptoms and CT Findings in Patients with Medication-Related Osteonecrosis of the Jaw Receiving Conservative Therapy: A Multicenter Retrospective Study of 53 Cases
Authors: Kojima Yuka , Soutome Sakiko , Otsuru Mitsunobu , Hayashida Saki , Sakamoto Yuki , Sawada Shunsuke , Umeda Masahiro
Published: June 2022

Recent reports have shown that better treatment outcomes are obtained with surgical therapy in patients with medication-related osteonecrosis of the jaw (MRONJ) than with conservative therapy. However, conservative treatment is selected due to factors such as old age and poor general condition. Conservative therapy aims to relieve symptoms and prevent lesion exacerbation; however, the lesion may expand rapidly in some cases. This study investigated the clinical and imaging findings of 53 MRONJ patients undergoing conservative therapy, and the changes in the clinical findings and the lesion enlargement on CT imaging were examined. Improved clinical findings and no worsening of the imaging findings were considered overall comprehensive treatment successes. Among the 53 patients, the clinical symptoms disappeared or improved in 15 patients, whereas they worsened in 6. In contrast, osteolytic lesion enlargement occurred in 17 patients. The comprehensive treatment outcome of conservative therapy was successful in 12 patients and unsuccessful in 41 patients. The periosteal reaction was significantly correlated with poor comprehensive treatment outcomes (p = 0.038). MRONJ lesions may advance, even if they appear to improve clinically while undergoing conservative treatments. Patients, especially those with periosteal reactions, must be closely followed up with CT examinations, regardless of the clinical findings.
Using Machine Learning Algorithms to Estimate the Compressive Property of High Strength Fiber Reinforced Concrete
Authors: Dai Li , Wu Xu , Zhou Meirong , Ahmad Waqas , Ali Mujahid , Sabri Mohanad Muayad Sabri , Salmi Abdelatif , Ewais Dina Yehia Zakaria
Published: June 2022

The low tensile strain capacity and brittle nature of high-strength concrete (HSC) can be improved by incorporating steel fibers into it. Steel fibers’ addition in HSC results in bridging behavior which improves its post-cracking behavior, provides cracks arresting and stresses transfer in concrete. Using machine learning (ML) techniques, concrete properties prediction is an effective solution to conserve construction time and cost. Therefore, sophisticated ML approaches are applied in this study to predict the compressive strength of steel fiber reinforced HSC (SFRHSC). To fulfil this purpose, a standalone ML model called Multiple-Layer Perceptron Neural Network (MLPNN) and ensembled ML algorithms named Bagging and Adaptive Boosting (AdaBoost) were employed in this study. The considered parameters were cement content, fly ash content, slag content, silica fume content, nano-silica content, limestone powder content, sand content, coarse aggregate content, maximum aggregate size, water content, super-plasticizer content, steel fiber content, steel fiber diameter, steel fiber length, and curing time. The application of statistical checks, i.e., root mean square error (RMSE), determination coefficient (R2), and mean absolute error (MAE), was also performed for the assessment of algorithms’ performance. The study demonstrated the suitability of the Bagging technique in the prediction of SFRHSC compressive strength. Compared to other models, the Bagging approach was more accurate as it produced higher, i.e., 0.94, R2, and lower error values. It was revealed from the SHAP analysis that curing time and super-plasticizer content have the most significant influence on the compressive strength of SFRHSC. The outcomes of this study will be beneficial for researchers in civil engineering for the timely and effective evaluation of SFRHSC compressive strength.
Artificial Neural Network Structure Optimisation in the Pareto Approach on the Example of Stress Prediction in the Disk-Drum Structure of an Axial Compressor
Authors: Kozakiewicz Adam , Kieszek Rafał
Published: June 2022

The article presents the process of selecting and optimising artificial neural networks based on the example of determining the stress distribution in a disk-drum structure compressor stage of an aircraft turbine engine. The presented algorithm allows the determination of von Mises stress values which can be part of the penalty function for further mass optimization of the structure. A method of a parametric model description of a compressor stage is presented in order to prepare a reduced stress distribution for training artificial neural networks. A comparative analysis of selected neural network training algorithms combined with the optimisation of their structure is presented. A genetic algorithm was used to determine the optimal number of hidden layers and neurons in a layer. The objective function was to minimise the absolute value of the relative error and standard deviation of stresses determined by FEM and artificial neural networks. The results are presented in the form of the Pareto front due to the stochastic optimisation process.
Combining X-ray Fluorescence and Monte Carlo Simulation Methods to Differentiate between Tumbaga and Gold-Alloy or Gildings
Authors: Brunetti Antonio , Porcaro Marta , Bustamante Angel , Stegel Giovanni , Cesareo Roberto
Published: June 2022

Depleted metals have been produced since many centuries ago. Probably the most famous examples from ancient times are the so-called Tumbaga gold artifacts, whose production was introduced by the pre-Colombian civilizations. Tumbaga-like structures have been identified also in modern nanotechnological materials. In both cases, but specially for the ancient Tumbaga, due to their preciousness, their characterization should be obtained by non-destructive analysis. Several analytical protocols have been developed, some of them non-destructive, such as those based on X-ray Fluorescence, but the results obtained do not always allow for a reliable identification of Tumbaga with respect to gilding or single alloy samples. Besides the capability to distinguish between different structures of the sample, it is also important to obtain a quantitative estimation of its composition. In order to meet this demand, a new approach based on X-ray Fluorescence coupled to Monte Carlo simulations is proposed. It allows one to distinguish easily between the three manufacturing techniques and to quantify the composition of the sample without any destructive sampling. It constitutes a new tool for the study of complex alloy structures. The protocol is applied here to some ancient Tumbaga gold samples and is described in detail, comparing the results to those obtained with other techniques.
Effect of H2S Corrosion on the Fracture Toughness of the X80 Pipeline Steel Welded Joint
Authors: Wang Xueli , Wang Dongpo , Deng Caiyan , Li Chengning
Published: June 2022

To analyze the causes and mechanisms affecting the fracture toughness of X80 pipeline steel welded joints against H2S, the fracture toughness of different zones of X80 pipeline steel welded joints in both air and saturated H2S solution was investigated. The fracture toughness of welded joints degraded significantly in the saturated H2S solution, where the crack tip opening displacement (CTOD) characteristic value in the coarse grain heat-affected zone (CGHAZ) and weld metal (WM) was only 8% and 12% of that in air, respectively. However, the sub-critical grain heat-affected zone (SCHAZ) showed better resistance to H2S corrosion, with the CTOD characteristic value reaching 42% of that in air. The resistance of the welded joint to H2S corrosion was sensitive to microstructures. The grain boundary ferrite (GBF) presented in WM, and the angle of grain boundary orientation in CGHAZ was not conducive to hindering crack propagation. Moreover, the formation of the resultant hydrogen cracks owing to the H2S corrosion also reduced the fracture toughness of the welded joint.
Correlation of Cell Proliferation with Surface Properties of Polymer-like Carbon Films of Different Thicknesses Prepared by a Radio-Frequency Plasma CVD Process
Authors: Kanasugi Kazuya , Eguchi Hiroaki , Ohgoe Yasuharu , Manome Yoshinobu , Alanazi Ali , Hirakuri Kenji
Published: June 2022

In this study, correlation of cell proliferation with surface properties of the polymer-like carbon (PLC) films of different thicknesses prepared by radio-frequency plasma CVD are investigated. Four PLC samples were prepared via radio frequency plasma chemical vapor deposition on Si substrates. Each PLC film was analyzed using spectroscopic ellipsometry to determine its thickness, refractive index (n), and extinction coefficient (k); the thickness ranged from 29.0 to 356.5 nm. Based on their n–k plots, all the samples were classified as PLC-type films. The biological response of the PLC films was evaluated in vitro using a cell culture. The samples with relatively thick PLC films (>300 nm) exhibited stronger cell proliferation properties than those with thinner films. Moreover, the results of the surface analysis showed no significant differences in the surface composition of those PLC samples, as analyzed using X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, but that as the PLC films became thicker, their surfaces became rougher on the nanoscale and their wettability improved. Overall, this study showed that careful control of the film growth of PLC films, which affects their surface properties, is essential for their use in bio-interface applications.
Underwater Repair of Concrete Elements with TRC Grouting System
Authors: Kim Hyeong-Yeol , You Young-Jun , Ryu Gum-Sung
Published: June 2022

The repair of underwater concrete structures is usually difficult work, requiring specialized materials and installation systems. This paper presents a carbon-textile-reinforced concrete (TRC) grouting system for underwater repair of concrete structures. One multi-purpose grout and two types of underwater grouts were considered in this study, and the bond performance between the substrate and grout was evaluated by a bi-surface shear test with cubic specimens. The bond strength of the repair material is greatly affected by the casting and curing conditions. When the multi-purpose grout is used, the average bond strength of the specimens cast and cured in dry conditions is only 22% of the specimens cast and cured in underwater conditions. On the other hand, the maximum difference in bond strength is, at most, 15.8% when non-dispersive, anti-washout grouts are used. Two types of installation methods were proposed and four full-scale RC slab specimens were repaired with the TRC grouting method, two for each installation method. Regardless of the installation method, the load levels that causes concrete cracking, steel yield, and the failure of specimens repaired with the TRC grouting system are at least 37.5%, 16.6%, and 21.7% greater than those of the unrepaired specimen, respectively. The test results further indicate that the influence of the grouting materials on the ultimate load-carrying capacity of the specimens repaired with the TRC grouting system is insignificant, and the maximum difference is, at most, 4%.
Mechanical Strength and Chloride Ions’ Penetration of Alkali-Activated Concretes (AAC) with Blended Precursor
Authors: Duży Patrycja , Choinska Marta , Hager Izabela , Amiri Ouali , Claverie Jérôme
Published: June 2022

The purpose of this study was to investigate the properties of hardened alkali-activated concrete, which is considered an eco-friendly alternative to Portland cement concrete. In this paper, the precursors for alkali-activated concrete preparations are blends of fly ash and ground-granulated blast-furnace slag in three slag proportions: 5%, 20%, and 35%, expressed as a percentage of fly ash mass. Thus, three concretes were designed and cast, denominated as AAC5, AAC20, and AAC35. Their physical and mechanical characteristics were investigated at 28 and 180 days, as well as their properties of chloride ion transport. The modified NT BUILD 492 migration test was applied to determine the chloride ions’ penetration of the alkali-activated concretes. Improvement of mechanical strength and resistance to chloride aggression was observed with ground-granulated blast-furnace slag content increase in the compositions of the tested concretes. Mercury intrusion porosimetry tests provided insight into the open pore structures of concretes. A significant decrease in the total pore volume of the concrete and a change in the nature of the pore diameter distribution due to the addition of ground granulated blast furnace slag were demonstrated.
Effect of Uniaxial Compressive Stress on Phase Transformation Kinetics of Low-Carbon Steel
Authors: Zuo Shanchao , Cheng Peng , Wang Decheng , Du Bing , Guan Keming , Zhang Jing
Published: June 2022

To attain microstructure transformation and the kinetics of phase transformation under stress during the annealing process, dilatometric curves of phase transformation for Q235 steel were tested using a Gleeble-3500 thermal-mechanical simulator under different uniaxial compressive stresses. The Johnson–Mehl–Avrami (JMA) model considering impingement correction was applied to study the phase-transformation kinetics during annealing. The results showed that the grain size increased with increasing uniaxial compressive stresses because it provided additional energy for grain growth. Furthermore, the interfacial migration velocity decreased with increasing stress owing to grain coarsening and a decrease in the density of the α/γ boundary. Meanwhile, the stress reduces the sum of the misfit accommodation energy and interface energy caused by the transformation, and the driving force required for the transformation of austenite to ferrite decreases. Hence, it was concluded that uniaxial compressive stress plays a complex role in the phase transformation, which inhibits interfacial migration and the transformation rate while providing additional energy for the transformation.
Surface Characteristics of Thermally Modified Bamboo Fibers and Its Utilization Potential for Bamboo Plastic Composites
Authors: Hu Fu , Li Lifen , Wu Zhigang , Yu Liping , Liu Baoyu , Cao Yan , Xu Hailong
Published: June 2022

Bamboo fibers are considered as a more attractive option for the reinforcement of wood plastic composites as compared to wood fiber due to its fast growth rate and good toughness. Heat treatment is an environment-friendly method of improving the integrated performance of bamboo materials. This paper highlights the heat treatment of bamboo fiber for suitable properties as reinforcements in bamboo plastic composites. The effects of vacuum heat treatment on the surface characteristics of bamboo fibers and the properties of bamboo plastic composites were analyzed by studying the chemical composition, surface elements and polarity of bamboo fiber before and after treatment, and the physical and mechanical properties of bamboo plastic composite. The results showed that after vacuum heat treatment, the bamboo fibers became darker and experienced a transition from green to red. Moreover, FTIR, XPS and contact angle analysis indicated that the hemicellulose content, the oxygen/carbon ratio and the polar component of the bamboo fiber had a decreasing trend as the treatment temperature increased. In addition, the 24 h water absorption and the 24 h thickness expansion rate of the water absorption showed a trend of first decreasing and then increasing as the treatment temperature increased, while the bending performance of bamboo plastic composite showed a trend of increasing first and then decreasing as a result of increased treatment temperature. Therefore, a combined process of vacuum heat treatment and the addition of MAPE could improve the physical and mechanical properties of bamboo plastic composites to a certain extent.
Efficient Photothermal Elimination of Formaldehyde under Visible Light at Room Temperature by a MnOx-Modified Multi-Porous Carbon Sphere
Authors: Liu Wanpeng , Shi Liu , Yin Rongyang , Sun Pengfei , Ren Jinming , Wang Yongming
Published: June 2022

Volatile organic compounds (VOCs) exert a serious impact on the environment and human health. The development of new technologies for the elimination of VOCs, especially those from non-industrial emission sources, such as indoor air pollution and other low-concentration VOCs exhaust gases, is essential for improving environmental quality and human health. In this study, a monolithic photothermocatalyst was prepared by stabilizing manganese oxide on multi-porous carbon spheres to facilitate the elimination of formaldehyde (HCHO). This catalyst exhibited excellent photothermal synergistic performance. Therefore, by harvesting only visible light, the catalyst could spontaneously heat up its surface to achieve a thermal catalytic oxidation state suitable for eliminating HCHO. We found that the surface temperature of the catalyst could reach to up 93.8 °C under visible light, achieving an 87.5% HCHO removal efficiency when the initial concentration of HCHO was 160 ppm. The microporous structure on the surface of the carbon spheres not only increased the specific surface area and loading capacity of manganese oxide but also increased their photothermal efficiency, allowing them to reach a temperature high enough for MnOx to overcome the activation energy required for HCHO oxidation. The relevant catalyst characteristics were analyzed using XRD, measurement of BET surface area, scanning electron microscopy, HR-TEM, XPS, and DRS. Results obtained from a cyclic performance test indicated high stability and potential application of the MnOx-modified multi-porous carbon sphere.