bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
A comprehensive comparative genomic analysis revealed that plant growth promoting traits are ubiquitous in strains of Stenotrophomonas
Authors: Zhao Yang , Ding Wen-Jing , Xu Lian , Sun Ji-Quan
Published: May 2024

Stenotrophomonas strains, which are often described as plant growth promoting (PGP) bacteria, are ubiquitous in many environments. A total of 213 genomes of strains of Stenotrophomonas were analyzed using comparative genomics to better understand the ecological roles of these bacteria in the environment. The pan-genome of the 213 strains of Stenotrophomonas consists of 27,186 gene families, including 710 core gene families, 11,039 unique genes and 15,437 accessory genes. Nearly all strains of Stenotrophomonas harbor the genes for GH3-family cellulose degradation and GH2- and GH31-family hemicellulose hydrolase, as well as intact glycolysis and tricarboxylic acid cycle pathways. These abilities suggest that the strains of this genus can easily obtain carbon and energy from the environment. The Stenotrophomonas strains can respond to oxidative stress by synthesizing catalase, superoxide dismutase, methionine sulfoxide reductase, and disulfide isomerase, as well as managing their osmotic balance by accumulating potassium and synthesizing compatible solutes, such as betaine, trehalose, glutamate, and proline. Each Stenotrophomonas strain also contains many genes for resistance to antibiotics and heavy metals. These genes that mediate stress tolerance increase the ability of Stenotrophomonas strains to survive in extreme environments. In addition, many functional genes related to attachment and plant colonization, growth promotion and biocontrol were identified. In detail, the genes associated with flagellar assembly, motility, chemotaxis and biofilm formation enable the strains of Stenotrophomonas to effectively colonize host plants. The presence of genes for phosphate-solubilization and siderophore production and the polyamine, indole-3-acetic acid, and cytokinin biosynthetic pathways confer the ability to promote plant growth. These strains can produce antimicrobial compounds, chitinases, lipases and proteases. Each Stenotrophomonas genome contained 1–9 prophages and 17–60 genomic islands, and the genes related to antibiotic and heavy metal resistance and the biosynthesis of polyamines, indole-3-acetic acid, and cytokinin may be acquired by horizontal gene transfer. This study demonstrates that strains of Stenotrophomonas are highly adaptable for different environments and have strong potential for use as plant growth-promoting bacteria.
Nanotechnology boosts the production of clean energy via nanoparticle addition in anaerobic digestion
Authors: Castro J. Cunha de , Resende E. , Taveira Igor , Enrich-Prast A. , Abreu F.
Published: May 2024

Biogas production via anaerobic digestion is an established and robust technology that produces energy and recycles nutrients. Several biotechnological attempts have been applied to this process to increase biogas production, including adding nanoparticles, but several discrepancies have been reported. To elucidate the contradictory results, we performed a literature review followed by a meta-analysis to evaluate the effect of adding natural nanoparticles to biogas sludge. Our results showed that adding nanoparticles can increase biogas production by up to two orders of magnitude. Considering that, we attribute these results to variability in the nanoparticles applied, leading to less reliable, consistent, and even contradictory results. We observed that the magnetite nanoparticles are the most tested ones with the most promising positive effects. In addition, we observed that concentrations of nanoparticles higher than 100 mg/L can have adverse effects, with an overall decrease in biogas production. The findings in this study highlight the need for a proper characterization of the nanomaterials type and concentration applied to the process to understand the interactions and effects on the microbial communities and dynamics that lead to an overall increase or decrease in biogas yield.
Counting dense object of multiple types based on feature enhancement
Authors: Fu Qiyan , Min Weidong , Sheng Weixiang , Peng Chunjiang
Published: May 2024

Introduction

Accurately counting the number of dense objects in an image, such as pedestrians or vehicles, is a challenging and practical task. The existing density map regression methods based on CNN are mainly used to count a class of dense objects in a single scene. However, in complex traffic scenes, objects such as vehicles and pedestrians usually exist at the same time, and multiple classes of dense objects need to be counted simultaneously.

Methods

To solve the above issues, we propose a new multiple types of dense object counting method based on feature enhancement, which can enhance the features of dense counting objects in complex traffic scenes to realize the classification and regression counting of dense vehicles and people. The counting model consists of the regression subnet and the classification subnet. The regression subnet is primarily used to generate two-channel predicted density maps, mainly including the initial feature layer and the feature enhancement layer, in which the feature enhancement layer can enhance the classification features and regression counting features of dense objects in complex traffic scenes. The classification subnet mainly supervises classifying dense vehicles and people into two feature channels to assist the regression counting task of the regression subnets.

Results

Our method is compared on VisDrone+ datasets, ApolloScape+ datasets, and UAVDT+ datasets. The experimental results show that the method counts two kinds of dense objects simultaneously and outputs a high-quality two-channel predicted density map. The counting performance is better than the state-of-the-art counting network in dense people and vehicle counting.

Discussion

In future work, we will further improve the feature extraction ability of the model in complex traffic scenes to classify and count a variety of dense objects such as cars, pedestrians, and non-motor vehicles.
Integrative analysis of transcriptomics and metabolomics reveals the protective effect and mechanism of salidroside on testicular ischemia-reperfusion injury
Authors: Jiang Ya Ping , Liu Bao Gui , Dang Yi , Liu Lin Jie , Pang Yang , Bai Xiao Dong , Sun Feng , Kang Tian Hong , Zhao Zheng Hang
Published: May 2024

Testicular torsion is a critical urologic condition for which testicular detorsion surgery is considered irreplaceable as well as the golden method of reversal. However, the surgical treatment is equivalent to a blood reperfusion process, and no specific drugs are available to treat blood reperfusion injuries. Salidroside (SAL) is one of the main effective substances in rhodiola, which has been shown to have antioxidant and antiapoptosis activities. This study was designed to determine whether SAL exerted a protective effect on testicular ischemia-reperfusion (I/R) injury. In this study, the I/R injury model of the testes and reoxygenation (OGD/R) model were used for verification, and SAL was administered at doses of 100 mg/kg and 0.05 mmol/L, respectively. After the experiments, the testicular tissue and TM4 Sertoli cells were collected for histopathologic and biochemical analyses. The results revealed that SAL improves the structure of testicular tissue and regulates the oxidation–antioxidation system. To further understand the molecular mechanisms of SAL in treating testicular I/R injuries, transcriptomics and metabonomics analyses were integrated. The results show that the Nfr2/HO-1/GPX4/ferroptosis signaling pathway is enriched significantly, indicating that it may be the main regulatory pathway for SAL in the treatment of testicular I/R injuries. Thereafter, transfection with Nrf2 plasmid–liposome was used to reverse verify that the Nfr2/HO-1/GPX4/ferroptosis signaling pathway was the main pathway for SAL anti-testicular I/R injury treatment. Thus, it is suggested that SAL can protect against testicular I/R injuries by regulating the Nfr2/HO-1/GPX4 signaling pathway to inhibit ferroptosis and that SAL may be a potential drug for the treatment of testicular I/R injuries.
Nitrogen migration and transformation characteristics of the soil in karst areas under the combined application of oxalic acid and urea inhibitors
Authors: Jiafeng Wang , Qiuliang Cai
Published: May 2024

Objective

We investigated the horizontal migration and transformation of nitrogen in soil with oxalic acid and inhibitors (e.g., nitrification inhibitors, DMPP, urease inhibitors, and NBPT) under different soil water contents to provide a basis for the efficient utilization of nitrogen fertilizer in agricultural production in karst areas.

Methods

Four nitrogen fertilizers (e.g., ammonium bicarbonate, ammonium sulfate, ammonium chloride, and urea) were applied separately and combined with oxalic acid, DMPP, and NBPT. The ammonium and nitrate nitrogen contents in the different soil layers were measured. The soil columns were cultured through an indoor soil column simulation at water content levels of 30%, 40%, and flooded (50%) for 30 days.

Results

Ammonium bicarbonate with inhibitors increased soil NH4+-N content by 15.42–21.12%. Ammonium sulfate with oxalic acid or NBPT increased soil NH4+-N content by 27.56–52.25% at 30% and 40% moisture content treatments, compared to ammonium sulfate alone. Urea with DMPP application significantly increased soil NH4+-N content by 11.93–14.87% at 40% water content and flooded conditions. In all treatments, the NH4+-N content in the soil treated with 30% water content of ammonium chloride with oxalic acid was the highest. The NH4+-N content showed a decreasing trend with an increase in the water content. The NO3−-N content in soil treated with ammonium bicarbonate and DMPP was higher than that treated with other nitrogen fertilizers at 30% moisture. The NO3−-N content decreased with increased water content. Under all treatments, ammonium chloride with oxalic acid had the highest percentage of soil NH4+-N and soil soluble inorganic nitrogen at 30% water content, with 55.29% and 55.97%, respectively.

Conclusion

Among the nitrogen fertilizer treatments, the soil NH4+-N content increased in ammonium bicarbonate with DMPP or NBPT, ammonium sulfate with oxalic acid or NBPT, and urea with DMPP. The four nitrogen fertilizers with DMPP increased the soil NO3−-N content. Nitrogen fertilizer combined with oxalic acid and inhibitors could effectively improve the effective use of nitrogen fertilizer.
Bulked segregant RNA-seq reveals complex resistance expression profile to powdery mildew in wild emmer wheat W762
Authors: Qian Zejun , Liu Ruishan , Liu Xueqing , Qie Yanmin , Wang Jiangchun , Yin Yan , Xin Qingguo , Yu Ningning , Zhang Jiadong , Li Yaoxue , Li Jiatong , Dai Yintao , Liu Cheng , Jin Yuli , Ma Pengtao
Published: May 2024

Powdery mildew, caused by Blumeria graminis f. sp. tritici (Bgt), is one of the most destructive fungal diseases threatening global wheat production. Exploring powdery mildew resistance (Pm) gene(s) and dissecting the molecular mechanism of the host resistance are critical to effectively and reasonably control this disease. Durum wheat (Triticum turgidum L. var. durumDesf.) is an important gene donor for wheat improvement against powdery mildew. In this study, a resistant durum wheat accession W762 was used to investigate its potential resistance component(s) and profile its expression pattern in responding to Bgt invasion using bulked segregant RNA-Seq (BSR-Seq) and further qRT-PCR verification. Genetic analysis showed that the powdery mildew resistance in W762 did not meet monogenic inheritance and complex genetic model might exist within the population of W762 × Langdon (susceptible durum wheat). After BSR-Seq, 6,196 consistently different single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) were called between resistant and susceptible parents and bulks, and among them, 763 SNPs were assigned to the chromosome arm 7B. Subsequently, 3,653 differentially expressed genes (DEGs) between resistant and susceptible parents and bulks were annotated and analyzed by Gene Ontology (GO), Cluster of Orthologous Groups (COG), and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) pathway enrichment. The potential regulated genes were selected and analyzed their temporal expression patterns following Bgt inoculation. As a result, nine disease-related genes showed distinctive expression profile after Bgt invasion and might serve as potential targets to regulate the resistance against powdery mildew in W762. Our study could lay a foundation for analysis of the molecular mechanism and also provide potential targets for the improvement of durable resistance against powdery mildew.
Multimorbidity patterns and trajectories in young and middle-aged adults: a large-scale population-based cohort study
Authors: Ioakeim-Skoufa Ignatios , González-Rubio Francisca , Aza-Pascual-Salcedo Mercedes , Laguna-Berna Clara , Poblador-Plou Beatriz , Vicente-Romero Jorge , Coelho Helena , Santos-Mejías Alejandro , Prados-Torres Alexandra , Moreno-Juste Aida , Gimeno-Miguel Antonio
Published: May 2024

Introduction

The presence of multiple chronic conditions, also referred to as multimorbidity, is a common finding in adults. Epidemiologic research can help identify groups of individuals with similar clinical profiles who could benefit from similar interventions. Many cross-sectional studies have revealed the existence of different multimorbidity patterns. Most of these studies were focused on the older population. However, multimorbidity patterns begin to form at a young age and can evolve over time following distinct multimorbidity trajectories with different impact on health. In this study, we aimed to identify multimorbidity patterns and trajectories in adults 18–65 years old.

Methods

We conducted a retrospective longitudinal epidemiologic study in the EpiChron Cohort, which includes all inhabitants of Aragón (Spain) registered as users of the Spanish National Health System, linking, at the patient level, information from electronic health records from both primary and specialised care. We included all 293,923 patients 18–65 years old with multimorbidity in 2011. We used cluster analysis at baseline (2011) and in 2015 and 2019 to identify multimorbidity patterns at four and eight years of follow-up, and we then created alluvial plots to visualise multimorbidity trajectories. We performed age- and sex-adjusted logistic regression analysis to study the association of each pattern with four- and eight-year mortality.

Results

We identified three multimorbidity patterns at baseline, named dyslipidaemia & endocrine-metabolic, hypertension & obesity, and unspecific. The hypertension & obesity pattern, found in one out of every four patients was associated with a higher likelihood of four- and eight-year mortality (age- and sex-adjusted odds ratio 1.11 and 1.16, respectively) compared to the unspecific pattern. Baseline patterns evolved into different patterns during the follow-up.

Discussion

Well-known preventable cardiovascular risk factors were key elements in most patterns, highlighting the role of hypertension and obesity as risk factors for higher mortality. Two out of every three patients had a cardiovascular profile with chronic conditions like diabetes and obesity that are linked to low-grade systemic chronic inflammation. More studies are encouraged to better characterise the relatively large portion of the population with an unspecific disease pattern and to help design and implement effective and comprehensive strategies towards healthier ageing.
Breast Cancer Awareness and Screening Perceptions of Women in Yerevan, Armenia
Authors: Tupper Haley , Ghukasyan Razmik , Bayburtyan Armine , Hovhannisyan Marine , Shekherdimian Shant
Published: May 2024

Objectives:

Breast cancer is the leading cause of female cancer mortality in Armenia. The government is considering covering breast cancer screening, but prevailing attitudes towards it are unknown. This cross-sectional study assessed Armenian women’s awareness and perceptions of breast cancer screening.

Methods:

We administered a validated telephone survey to women ages 35–65 registered in Yerevan’s polyclinic system between 2019–2021, assessing sociodemographic characteristics, breast cancer exposure and screening attitudes, using an adapted Champion’s Health Belief Model Scale (CHBMS). We analyzed the association, unadjusted and adjusted, between sociodemographic characteristics, screening exposure, and CHBMS scores.

Results:

170 women completed surveys. Most (82.9%) were aware of screening, 48.5% knew someone with breast cancer, but only 42.5% had undergone screening, predominantly without their physician’s recommendation (63.2%). Despite elevated awareness, 76.2% had never discussed screening with their provider. Barriers included cost and mistreatment concerns. Education consistently predicted prior screening and most CHBMS scores.

Conclusion:

Armenian women are highly exposed to breast cancer, but knowledge and prior screening primarily emanate from non-physician sources. Results highlighted the influence of education, patient-provider relationships, and healthcare costs, underscoring the importance of multi-level interventions.
An Interface to Monitor Process Variability Using the Binomial ATTRIVAR SS Control Chart
Authors: Violante João Pedro Costa , Machado Marcela A. G. , Mendes Amanda dos Santos , Almeida Túlio S.
Published: May 2024

Control charts are tools of paramount importance in statistical process control. They are broadly applied in monitoring processes and improving quality, as they allow the detection of special causes of variation with a significant level of accuracy. Furthermore, there are several strategies able to be employed in different contexts, all of which offer their own advantages. Therefore, this study focuses on monitoring the variability in univariate processes through variance using the Binomial version of the ATTRIVAR Same Sample S2 (B-ATTRIVAR SS S2) control chart, given that it allows coupling attribute and variable inspections (ATTRIVAR means attribute + variable), i.e., taking advantage of the cost-effectiveness of the former and the wealth of information and greater performance of the latter. Its Binomial version was used for such a purpose, since inspections are made using two attributes, and the Same Sample was used due to being submitted to both the attribute and variable stages of inspection. A computational application was developed in the R language using the Shiny package so as to create an interface to facilitate its application and use in the quality control of the production processes. Its application enables users to input process parameters and generate the B-ATTRIVAR SS control chart for monitoring the process variability with variance. By comparing the data obtained from its application with a simpler code, its performance was validated, given that its results exhibited striking similarity.
Heat Transfer Models and Measurements of Brushless DC Motors for Small UASs
Authors: Saemi Farid , Whitson Annalaine , Benedict Moble
Published: May 2024

Heat transfer affects a motor’s sizing, its performance, and, ultimately, the overall vehicle’s range and endurance. However, the thermal literature does not have early-stage models for outrunner brushless DC (BLDC) motors found in small unmanned aerial systems (UASs). To address this gap, we have developed a non-dimensional heat transfer model (Nusselt correlation). Parametric experiments of four different-sized BLDC motors under load in Reynolds-matched wind tunnel tests generated data for model correlation. The motors’ aspect ratios (diameter/length) ranged from 0.9 to 1.5. The freestream Reynolds number of the axial flow over the motors ranged from 20,000 to 40,000. The rotational Reynolds number ranged from 10,000 to 20,000. The results showed that aspect ratio had the largest influence on heat transfer, followed by rotational and freestream Reynolds numbers. A steady-state model used the correlation to predict the motor’s ambient temperature differential within 10 K of experimental data. A case study applied the correlation to predict a hypothetical motor’s continuous torque in different environments. The correlation enables conceptual designers to capture thermally-driven trade-offs in early design stages and reduce costly revisions in later stages.
Numerical Investigation on Flowability of Pulverized Biomass Using the Swelling Bed Model
Authors: Przywara Mateusz , Przywara Regina , Zapała Wojciech
Published: May 2024

Numerical investigations on the flowability of pulverized biomass are crucial for agriculture, aiding in optimizing biomass use, crop residue management, soil health improvement, and environmental impact mitigation. Rising interest in biomass and conversion processes necessitates deeper property understanding and technological process optimization. Moisture content is a key parameter influencing biomass quality. In this paper, computer simulations of shear tests depending on the moisture content using the discrete element method were carried out and compared with experimental results. An experimental study and modeling for Jenike’s direct shearing apparatus was carried out. A swelling bed model was proposed to account for the effect of moisture. The swelling bed model assumed an increase in biomass grain vorticity proportional to the moisture content. The model was solved using the discrete element method (DEM). The model considers the effect of moisture on the values of Young’s and Kirchoff’s moduli for biomass grains. The model assumed that moisture is not present in surface form, the total amount of moisture is absorbed into the interior of the material grains, and the volume of a single grain increases linearly with an increase in the volume of the absorbed moisture. The tested materials were pulverized sunflower husks, apple pomace, distiller’s dried grains with solubles (DDGS), meat and bone meal (MBM), and sawdust. Samples with moisture contents of 0%, 10%, 20%, and 30% were tested. The best agreement of the model with the experimental data was observed for the most absorbent materials in which moisture was not present in surface form, such as apple pomace, DDGS, and sawdust. Research data are important for the proper design of biomass storage, transportation equipment, and utilization as feedstock for bioenergy production or soil enrichment.
Effect of Soil Acidification on Temperature Sensitivity of Soil Respiration
Authors: Jin Lin , Hua Keke , Zhan Linchuan , He Chuanlong , Wang Daozhong , Nagano Hirohiko , Cheng Weiguo , Inubushi Kazuyuki , Guo Zhibin
Published: May 2024

Soil pH significantly impacts microbial activity and community assembly, which in turn determines the temperature sensitivity (Q10) of soil respiration. Due to the high soil acidification in China, it is necessary to understand how soil acidification impacts Q10. Here, the Q10 of soil respiration was examined in a long-term field experiment (1982–present) with different soil pH caused by fertilization management. In this experiment, we selected treatments with neutral pH: (1) no crops and fertilization (CK); (2) crops without fertilization (NF); low pH with (3) crops with chemical fertilization (NPK); and (4) crops with chemical fertilization combined with wheat straw incorporation (WS). Under natural soil temperature changes, we observed that soil acidification lowered the Q10 value of soil respiration. Considering only temperature changes, the Q10 of soil respiration was strongly associated with microbial community composition, alpha diversity, and soil ammonium nitrogen. Considering the interaction between soil pH and temperature, warming strengthened the negative effect of soil pH on the Q10 of soil respiration, and the pathway through which soil pH mediated Q10 included not only microbial community composition, alpha diversity, and biomass but also the soil’s available phosphorus. This work enhanced our insights into the relationships between Q10, temperature, and soil pH by identifying important microbial properties and key soil environmental factors.
An Intelligent Detection System for Wheat Appearance Quality
Authors: Liang Junling , Chen Jianpin , Zhou Meixuan , Li Heng , Xu Yiheng , Xu Fei , Yin Liping , Chai Xinyu
Published: May 2024

In the realm of commercial trade, the appearance quality of wheat is a crucial metric for assessing its value and grading. Traditionally, evaluating wheat appearance quality is a manual process conducted by inspectors, which is time-consuming, laborious, and error-prone. In this research, we developed an intelligent detection system for wheat appearance quality, leveraging state-of-the-art neural network technology for the efficient and standardized assessment of wheat appearance quality. Our system was meticulously crafted, integrating high-performance hardware components and sophisticated software solutions. Central to its functionality is a detection model built upon multi-grained convolutional neural networks. This innovative setup allows for the swift and precise evaluation and categorization of wheat quality. Remarkably, our system achieved an exceptional overall recognition accuracy rate of 99.45% for wheat grain categories, boasting a recognition efficiency that was approximately five times faster than manual recognition processes. This groundbreaking system serves as a valuable tool for assisting inspectors, offering technical support for customs quarantine, grain reserves, and food safety.
Effects of Cultivation Years on the Distribution of Nitrogen and Base Cations in 0–7 m Soil Profiles of Plastic-Greenhouse Pepper
Authors: Lv Haofeng , Pang Zhongjun , Chen Fei , Ji Hongxu , Wang Weixuan , Zhou Weiwei , Dong Jing , Li Junliang , Liang Bin
Published: May 2024

To clarify the migration and accumulation of nitrogen (N), magnesium (Mg), calcium (Ca), and potassium (K) in soil profiles of plastic-greenhouse vegetable fields with cultivation years, soil samples from the 0–7 m soil profiles were collected from 10 pepper greenhouses with 10 and 20 years planting history, and parallel soil samples were taken from adjacent wheat-maize fields as controls. The results showed that: (1) Compared with wheat-maize fields, the total N amount in the 0–7 m soil layers from the greenhouses increased by 6.19 ± 1.16 and 9.11 ± 3.43 t ha−1 at 10 and 20 years, respectively, accounting for about 30.4% and 17.5% of the N input. (2) The N amount that entered the environment outside the 0–7 m soil layers were 6.95 t ± 2.76 and 29.10 ± 10.14 t ha−1 after 10 and 20 years of continuous planting, accounting for approximately 34.2% and 55.9% of the N input, respectively. (3) The concentration of water-soluble Ca and Mg in the 0–7 m soil layers increased significantly with cultivation years, and correlated positively with mineral N concentration. (4) Moreover, K mainly accumulates in the form of non-exchangeable K in the surface layers (0–50 cm). Our results demonstrated that huge amounts of N migrate to the deep soil with the extension of cultivation years in plastic-greenhouse pepper production systems, accompanied by significant leaching of Ca and Mg, while K mainly accumulates in the surface layers.
Generative Adversarial Networks for Synthetic Data Generation in Finance: Evaluating Statistical Similarities and Quality Assessment
Authors: Ramzan Faisal , Sartori Claudio , Consoli Sergio , Reforgiato Recupero Diego
Published: May 2024

Generating synthetic data is a complex task that necessitates accurately replicating the statistical and mathematical properties of the original data elements. In sectors such as finance, utilizing and disseminating real data for research or model development can pose substantial privacy risks owing to the inclusion of sensitive information. Additionally, authentic data may be scarce, particularly in specialized domains where acquiring ample, varied, and high-quality data is difficult or costly. This scarcity or limited data availability can limit the training and testing of machine-learning models. In this paper, we address this challenge. In particular, our task is to synthesize a dataset with similar properties to an input dataset about the stock market. The input dataset is anonymized and consists of very few columns and rows, contains many inconsistencies, such as missing rows and duplicates, and its values are not normalized, scaled, or balanced. We explore the utilization of generative adversarial networks, a deep-learning technique, to generate synthetic data and evaluate its quality compared to the input stock dataset. Our innovation involves generating artificial datasets that mimic the statistical properties of the input elements without revealing complete information. For example, synthetic datasets can capture the distribution of stock prices, trading volumes, and market trends observed in the original dataset. The generated datasets cover a wider range of scenarios and variations, enabling researchers and practitioners to explore different market conditions and investment strategies. This diversity can enhance the robustness and generalization of machine-learning models. We evaluate our synthetic data in terms of the mean, similarities, and correlations.
Evaluation of Disease Spectrum in Hospitalized Cats with Hyperlipasemia: Pancreatitis Alone Is Rare, Hyperlipasemia without Suspected Pancreatitis Is Common
Authors: Hotz Vanessa , Brugger Daniel , Kook Peter Hendrik
Published: May 2024

Histological evidence of pancreatitis is commonly found in necropsy studies in cats. A clinical diagnosis of pancreatitis is challenging due to nonspecific clinical signs, a lack of diagnostic lipase cutoffs, and frequent presence of multiple diseases. It is still unknown how often pancreatitis alone is found in sick cats and how often clinicopathological evidence of pancreatitis in sick cats does not lead to a clinical diagnosis of pancreatitis. Our aims were to evaluate the extent of comorbidities in cats with suspected pancreatitis, evaluate how often sick cats with hyperlipasemia are diagnosed only with non-pancreatic diseases, and compare their clinical findings. Medical records of 563 client-owned hospitalized cats with available lipase activity measurement (LIPC Roche) > 30 U/L (RI, 6–26) were searched and medical diagnoses recorded and grouped by organ system. Clinicopathological findings were compared between cats with pancreatitis alone (PA), pancreatitis with concurrent disease (PD), and no suspected pancreatitis (NP). We found that PA was present in 33 (6%) cats, 159 cats (28%) were in the PD group, and 371 cats (66%) had no suspected pancreatitis (NP). Clinical, laboratory, and ultrasonographic findings did not differ between PA and PD cats. Lipase activities did not differ between the three groups. The most common disease categories in PD and NP cats were gastrointestinal, hepatobiliary, renal/urinary, and endocrine, and renal/urinary, gastrointestinal, cardiac, and musculoskeletal, respectively. We conclude that cats are rarely hospitalized because of suspected pancreatitis alone, and PA cats did not differ clinically from PD cats. Hyperlipasemia in sick cats without a diagnosis of pancreatitis may be due to a reactive pancreatopathy or preexisting chronic pancreatitis.
Early Feeding Strategy Mitigates Major Physiological Dynamics Altered by Heat Stress in Broilers
Authors: Gouda Ahmed , Al-Khalaifah Hanan , Al-Nasser Afaf , Kamel Nancy N. , Gabr Sherin , Eid Kamal M. A.
Published: May 2024

Heat stress is one of the stressors that negatively affect broiler chickens, leading to a reduction in production efficiency and profitability. This reduction affects the economy in general, especially in hot and semi-hot countries. Therefore, improving heat tolerance of broiler chicks is a key to sustained peak performance, especially under adverse environmental heat stress conditions. The present study investigated three early feed withdrawal regimes (FWD) as a potential mitigation for thermal stress exposure. A total of 240 unsexed one-day-old Cobb-500 chicks were randomly recruited to one of four experimental groups using a completely randomized design (10 birds × 6 replicates). The experimental groups included the control group with no feed withdrawal (control), while the other three groups were subjected to early feed withdrawal for either 24 h on the 5th day of age (FWD-24), 12 h on the 3rd and 5th day of age (FWD-12), or 8 h on the 3rd, 4th, and 5th day of age (FWD-8), respectively. Production performance was monitored throughout the experiment. Meanwhile, blood and liver samples were taken at the end of the experimental period to evaluate major physiological dynamic changes. Our findings demonstrated that under chronic heat stress conditions, FWD treatments significantly improved broilers’ production performance and enhanced several physiological parameters compared with the control. Serum levels of thyroid hormones were elevated, whereas leptin hormone was decreased in FWD groups compared with the control. Moreover, serum total protein, globulin, and hemoglobin levels were higher, while total cholesterol and uric acid were lower in the FWD groups. Furthermore, FWD groups showed significantly higher antioxidant marker activity with a significantly lower lipid peroxidation level. Immunoglobulin levels, lysozyme, complement factor C3, and liver heat shock protein 70 (HSP70) concentration were also elevated in FWD compared with the control. Also, serum interleukin-1β (IL-1β) and interferon-gamma (IFN-γ) significantly increased with FWD. Based on our findings, early feed withdrawal can be applied as a promising non-invasive nutritional strategy for broilers reared under chronic heat stress conditions. Such a strategy promotes the alleviation of the deleterious effects of heat stress on broiler performance, immunity, and redox status, owing to the onset of physiological adaptation and the development of thermotolerance ability.
Rumi and Pasteurized Kareish Cheeses Are a Source of β-Lactam-Resistant Salmonella in the Nile Delta Region of Egypt: Insights into Their Incidence, AMR Pattern, Genotypic Determinants of Virulence and β-Lactam Resistance
Authors: Elzhraa Fatma , Al-Ashmawy Maha , El-Sherbini Mohammed , El-Sebaey Ahmed M. , Mohácsi-Farkas Csilla , Kiskó Gabriella , Belák Ágnes
Published: May 2024

The spread of superbugs in dairy products can jeopardize global public health. To date, information on the incidence rates of virulent and β-lactams-resistant (BLR) Salmonella in cheeses from rural areas of Egypt has been lacking. Biochemical, serological, antibiotic susceptibility, and multiplex PCR (M-PCR) tests were performed to identify and characterize Salmonella isolates. In this study, 44 (15.71%) Salmonella isolates of eight different serotypes were recovered from 280 samples of Rumi and pasteurized Kariesh cheeses across the Nile Delta region of Egypt. The most predominant serotypes were S. Typhimurium, S. Enteritidis, and S. Infantis. The virulence genes (invA, stn, and hilA) were identified in all isolates. However, spvC was only detected in S. Typhimurium. The highest resistance was developed against Erythromycin and Clindamycin (90.91%), followed by Ceftazidime and Cephalothin (84.09%). Meropenem and colistin were the most effective antibiotics. A high proportion (79.55%) of multi-drug resistance (MDR) isolates carried narrow spectrum (NS), extended-spectrum (ES), and AmpC-BLR genes. The blaOXA-1, blaOXA-2, blaTEM-1, blaCTX-M, blaCMY-1, and blaCMY-2 BLR genes were positive in 37.04%, 29.63%, 25.93%, 14.81%, 37.04%, and 3.70% of isolates, respectively. In conclusion, a high prevalence of virulence and BLR genes harboring Salmonella strains in Egyptian cheeses is considered a great threat to public health.
In Vitro Antioxidant and In Silico Evaluation of the Anti-β-Lactamase Potential of the Extracts of Cylindrospermum alatosporum NR125682 and Loriellopsis cavenicola NR117881
Authors: Ikhane Albert O. , Sithole Siphesihle Z. , Cele Nkosinathi D. , Osunsanmi Foluso O. , Mosa Rebamang A. , Opoku Andrew R.
Published: May 2024

Cyanobacteria in recent times have been touted to be a suitable source for the discovery of novel compounds, including antioxidants and antibiotics, due to their large arsenal of metabolites. This study presents the in vitro antioxidant and in silico evaluation of Cylindrospermum alatosporum NR125682 and Loriellopsis cavenicola NR117881, isolated from freshwater ponds around the campus of the University of Zululand, South Africa. The isolates were confirmed using 16S rRNA. Various crude extracts of the isolated microbes were prepared through sequential extraction using hexane, dichloromethane, and 70% ethanol. The chemical constituents of the crude extracts were elucidated by FTIR and GC-MS spectroscopy. The antioxidant potential of the extracts was determined by the free radical (DPPH, ABTS, •OH, and Fe2+) systems. Molecular docking of the major constituents of the extracts against β-lactamase was also evaluated. GC-MS analysis indicated the dominating presence of n-alkanes. The extracts exhibited varying degrees of antioxidant activity (scavenging of free radicals; an IC50 range of 8–10 µg/mL was obtained for ABTS). A good binding affinity (−6.6, −6.3 Kcal/mol) of some the organic chemicals (diglycerol tetranitrate, and 2,2-dimethyl-5-(3-methyl-2-oxiranyl)cyclohexanone) was obtained following molecular docking. The evaluated antioxidant activities, coupled with the obtained docking score, potentiates the antimicrobial activity of the extracts.
Zinc and Its Antioxidant Properties: The Potential Use of Blood Zinc Levels as a Marker of Cancer Risk in BRCA1 Mutation Carriers
Authors: Matuszczak Milena , Kiljańczyk Adam , Marciniak Wojciech , Derkacz Róża , Stempa Klaudia , Baszuk Piotr , Bryśkiewicz Marta , Sun Ping , Cheriyan Angela , Cybulski Cezary , Dębniak Tadeusz , Gronwald Jacek , Huzarski Tomasz , Lener Marcin R. , Jakubowska Anna , Szwiec Marek , Stawicka-Niełacna Małgorzata , Godlewski Dariusz , Prusaczyk Artur , Jasiewicz Andrzej , Kluz Tomasz , Tomiczek-Szwiec Joanna , Kilar-Kobierzycka Ewa , Siołek Monika , Wiśniowski Rafał , Posmyk Renata , Jarkiewicz-Tretyn Joanna , Scott Rodney J. , Narod Steven A. , Lubiński Jan
Published: May 2024

BRCA1 mutations predispose women to breast and ovarian cancer. The anticancer effect of zinc is typically linked to its antioxidant abilities and protecting cells against oxidative stress. Zinc regulates key processes in cancer development, including DNA repair, gene expression, and apoptosis. We took a blood sample from 989 female BRCA1 mutation carriers who were initially unaffected by cancer and followed them for a mean of 7.5 years thereafter. There were 172 incident cases of cancer, including 121 cases of breast cancer, 29 cases of ovarian cancers, and 22 cancers at other sites. A zinc level in the lowest tertile was associated with a modestly higher risk of ovarian cancer compared to women with zinc levels in the upper two tertiles (HR = 1.65; 95% CI 0.80 to 3.44; p = 0.18), but this was not significant. Among those women with zinc levels in the lowest tertile, the 10-year cumulative risk of ovarian cancer was 6.1%. Among those in the top two tertiles of zinc level, the ten-year cumulative risk of ovarian cancer was 4.7%. There was no significant association between zinc level and breast cancer risk. Our preliminary study does not support an association between serum zinc level and cancer risk in BRCA1 mutation carriers.
Maximum Operational Fluence Limits for Temporally Shaped Nanosecond Long Pulses
Authors: Oliveira Pedro , Galletti Mario , Suciu Cosmin , Galimberti Marco
Published: May 2024

The maximum energy at which a laser can be operated safely is a matter of paramount importance. This is patently related to laser induced damage. In the nanosecond regime, this poses a unique challenge, as it is not solely influenced by laser intensity or thermal load. Instead, it arises from the cumulative effects that includes those two factors. While extensive research has explored this dependence for various pulse lengths, the exploration of different longitudinal modes and temporal shapes is relatively limited. Our study aims to fill this gap by determining the safe operational fluence for any pulse shape, leveraging established dependencies on pulse duration. We propose a straightforward and adaptable method to ascertain these operational limits, independent of the type or origin of laser damage. This approach allows us to derive fluence limits for diverse pulse shapes.
Secure and Scalable Internet of Things Model Using Post-Quantum MACsec
Authors: Choi Juhee , Lee Junwon
Published: May 2024

For the secure deployment of network platforms tailored for IoT devices, the encryption of data transmission is equally as crucial as the process of authentication. In this context, we introduce the Secure and Scalable IoT network (SSI) network platform, designed to accommodate a diverse range of IoT devices. It provides scalability and implements effective many-to-many and end-to-end encryption across extensive regions. With the emergence of quantum computing, secure public key exchange mechanisms have become important. Among the various post-quantum cryptography (PQC) algorithms assessed, Nth Degree Truncated Polynomial Ring Units (NTRUs) have emerged as an optimally suited PQC algorithm for IoT devices constrained by limited computational capabilities. We have integrated NTRUs with SSI as a lightweight PQC solution. Moreover, SSI-PQM (Post-Quantum MACsec) enhances the SSI’s initial authentication structure to minimize PQC-TLS session attempts and protect the SSI’s important configuration information. When applying TLS with PQC for secret key exchange purposes, it was verified that this approach ensures stable performance in IoT environments. Upon the implementation of our proposed SSI-PQM on Raspberry Pi 3B+ based IoT devices, SSI-PQM exhibited acceptable performance at security levels from 80 to 128 and achieved a minimum speed improvement of 161% over RSA at security levels above 160. It can be concluded that SSI-PQM stands out as an effective Zero Trust-based IoT network platform, demonstrating its viability and efficiency in safeguarding data transmission against potential quantum computing threats.
Testing of Permeability of RFID Access Control System for the Needs of Security Management
Authors: Veľas Andrej , Boroš Martin , Kuffa Radoslav , Lenko Filip
Published: May 2024

Access control systems are part of the overall protection of objects. It is often the first system with which it is necessary to start the contact system; therefore, it is necessary to ensure its proper functioning. In the event of a malfunction, it can cause downtime in production, and it is triggered by a bad replacement of workers. Access control systems have their own specificities that need to be considered when designing security. Poor selection of access control devices can cause inefficient system functionality, resulting in downtime and loss. Based on experimental testing and related work in access control systems, this paper discusses the possibilities of testing the throughput of access control systems. The manuscript presents the design of a unique test device that can be used in the assessment of the reliability and throughput of access control systems. With the help of tests, we were able to determine the probability of downtime due to inappropriately set time intervals for changing employees on a work shift.
SARFNet: Selective Layer and Axial Receptive Field Network for Multimodal Brain Tumor Segmentation
Authors: Guo Bin , Cao Ning , Yang Peng , Zhang Ruihao
Published: May 2024

Efficient magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) segmentation, which is helpful for treatment planning, is essential for identifying brain tumors from detailed images. In recent years, various convolutional neural network (CNN) structures have been introduced for brain tumor segmentation tasks and have performed well. However, the downsampling blocks of most existing methods are typically used only for processing the variation in image sizes and lack sufficient capacity for further extraction features. We, therefore, propose SARFNet, a method based on UNet architecture, which consists of the proposed SLiRF module and advanced AAM module. The SLiRF downsampling module can extract feature information and prevent the loss of important information while reducing the image size. The AAM block, incorporated into the bottleneck layer, captures more contextual information. The Channel Attention Module (CAM) is introduced into skip connections to enhance the connections between channel features to improve accuracy and produce better feature expression. Ultimately, deep supervision is utilized in the decoder layer to avoid vanishing gradients and generate better feature representations. Many experiments were performed to validate the effectiveness of our model on the BraTS2018 dataset. SARFNet achieved Dice coefficient scores of 90.40, 85.54, and 82.15 for the whole tumor (WT), tumor core (TC), and enhancing tumor (ET), respectively. The results show that the proposed model achieves state-of-the-art performance compared with twelve or more benchmarks.
Genomic and Functional Characterization of CTX-M-15-Producing Klebsiella pneumoniae ST307 Isolated from Imported Leopard Tortoises in Germany
Authors: Schmidt Tammy J. , Aurich Sophie , Unger Franziska , Eisenberg Tobias , Ewers Christa
Published: May 2024

The Klebsiella pneumoniae ST307 clone, identified in the mid-1990s, has emerged as a global antimicrobial-resistant (AMR) high-risk clone, significantly contributing to the global health challenge also posed by other AMR K. pneumoniae lineages. The acquisition of a blaCTX-M-15-carrying plasmid has facilitated its widespread dissemination. At Europe’s major transport hub for the movement of live animals, Frankfurt Airport, a shipment of 20 live leopard tortoises was sampled during German border control in 2014. Phylogenetic analysis (MLST) identified a K. pneumoniae ST307 strain, prompting further investigation. Our analysis revealed the presence of a ~193 kb plasmid carrying a broad range of AMR genes, including blaCTX-M-15, blaTEM-1B, blaOXA-1, aac(3)-IIa, aac(6′)-Ib-cr, aph(3″)-Ib, aph(6)-Id, and qnrB1. Additionally, mutations in the quinolone resistance-determining region in gyrA (S83I) and parC (S80I) were detected. Phenotypic testing demonstrated resistance of the isolate to the most common antimicrobials used in both human and veterinary medicine; exceptions included carbapenems and newer β-lactamase inhibitor combinations. Because the role of imported exotic animals in the dissemination of AMR genes is largely deficient, the present study fills yet missing mosaic pieces in the complete picture of extended-spectrum β-lactamase (ESBL)-producing Enterobacterales.