bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
The Effects of Agricultural Socialized Services on Sustainable Agricultural Practice Adoption among Smallholder Farmers in China
Authors: Huan Meili , Li Yajuan , Chi Liang , Zhan Shaoguo
Published: September 2022

In recent years, a growing body of literature has explored the determinants and impacts of sustainable agricultural technologies. However, little is known about the relationship between agricultural socialized services that have reshaped the smallholder agricultural system and promoted scale operation in rural China and environmentally friendly agricultural innovation adoption of the farm. Our study examines the effects of agricultural socialized services on the adoption of sustainable agricultural practices (SAPs). In this study, we capture the number of SAPs adopted, unlike most existing studies that analyze the dichotomous decision of agricultural technology adoption. We apply an endogenous-treatment Poisson regression model to analyze using a national representative farm-level survey data set with 1357 farm households from 132 villages in China. The results show that socialized service use has a significantly positive effect on the number of SAPs adopted. Our results suggest that agricultural socialized services can promote the adoption of sustainable agricultural technologies among smallholders, and thus help transform conventional agriculture into sustainable agriculture.
Effect of Brown Marmorated Stink Bug (Halyomorpha halys Stål.) Infestation on the Phenolic Response and Quality of Olive Fruits (Olea europaea L.)
Authors: Ivancic Tea , Grohar Mariana Cecilia , Jakopic Jerneja , Veberic Robert , Hudina Metka
Published: September 2022

Olives ripen in the late autumn and represent a good source of nutrients that Halyomorpha halys uses to prepare for diapause. This is the first study to investigate the impact of H. halys infestation on the phenolic response and olive fruit quality in the pierced tissue of damaged fruits and in the non-pierced part of damaged fruits of ‘Istrska belica’ and ‘Pendolino’ cultivars. Both total phenolic content and antioxidant capacity contents significantly increased in the infested fruits of the cultivar ‘Istrska belica’. Total phenolic content in the pierced tissue of damaged fruits increased by 10.7%, while the content of AC in the non-pierced tissue of damaged fruits increased by 7.11% and in the pierced tissue of damaged fruits by 6.1% compared to control. A total of 44 individual phenolic compounds were identified, 21 of them increased in at least one cultivar after infestation. Huge increases in phenolic content were observed in both cultivars, particularly for flavones, secoiridoids, anthocyanins, and flavonols in the pierced tissue of damaged fruits. The most responsive individual phenolic compound in both cultivars was oleuropein. Its content in the pierced tissue of damaged fruits increased by 44.7% in the cultivar ‘Pendolino’ and for 82.6% in the cultivar ‘Istrska belica’.
Anticipating the Climate Change Impacts on Madeira’s Agriculture: The Characterization and Monitoring of a Vine Agrosystem
Authors: Pinheiro de Carvalho Miguel Â. A. , Ragonezi Carla , Oliveira Maria Cristina O. , Reis Fábio , Macedo Fabrício Lopes , de Freitas José G. R. , Nóbrega Humberto , Ganança José Filipe T.
Published: September 2022

Climate—Madeira Strategy (CMS) foresees two models to describe the climate scenarios for the Madeira region in 2050 and 2070. These scenarios anticipate an average temperature rise of 1.4 to 3.7 °C and a decrease in precipitation by 30 to 40%. Consequently, Madeira’s agriculture will suffer the impacts of climate change. To understand these impacts, a baseline of major agrosystem components needs to be established, with the ultimate goal to monitor its consequences in its functioning. CASBio project used the 1961–1991 and 2010–2020 meteorological data series to modulate climate conditions and characterize and monitor six agrosystems for 2 years. One of them was a vineyard, Quinta das Vinhas, representing a typical agrosystem in the Mediterranean climate. The annual and seasonal variation in climatic parameters, soil conditions, microbiological communities, floristic and insect diversity, and crop production was assessed, using a total of 50 parameters. The results were used to establish a baseline of the agrosystem components and their seasonal and annual variation. The major findings are: (i) winter and summer extreme events show a trend in temperature and precipitation supporting a fast change in climate; (ii) a critical imbalance between nitrogen-fixing and denitrifying bacteria was identified, especially in summer, that could be determined by the rise in temperature and drought; (iii) among floristic diversity, the therophytes and geophytes confirm to be the most suitable indicators for the rise in temperature and reduction in precipitation in the agrosystems; (iv) an imbalance in favor of C. capitata plague was observed, associated with the summer rise in temperature and decrease in precipitation; (v) despite an increase in most of the grape varieties production, the Madeiran wine local varieties were shown to be less stable in productivity under observed climate conditions. The agrosystem baseline is a starting point for long-term monitoring and allows for further quantifying the influence of climate change on agrosystem productivity, resilience, and sustainability.
Chemical Composition and Insecticidal Properties of Origanum vulgare (Lamiaceae) Essential Oil against the Stored Product Beetle, Sitophilus granarius
Authors: Plata-Rueda Angelica , Santos Marcelo Henrique Dos , Serrão José Eduardo , Martínez Luis Carlos
Published: September 2022

Although phosphides are utilized in stored pest control, efforts have been made to discover environmentally friendly insecticides. For insecticidal properties, essential oils (EOs) are considered to be novel alternatives for pesticide use. This study characterized the Origanum vulgare EO by gas chromatography–flame ionization detector (GC–FID) × gas chromatography–mass spectrometry (GC–MS) and assessed the insecticidal activities against Sitophilus granarius. Mortality, post-exposure survival, behavior, and respiration caused by this EO in S. granarius were investigated. The majority of the compounds were p-cymene, carvacrol, linalool, and thymol. In dose–mortality bioassays, the lethality of this EO (LD50 = 3.05 µg insect−1 and LD90 = 10.02 µg insect−1) was confirmed in S. granarius. The survival rate was 99.9% in adults not treated with O. vulgare EOs, reducing to 44.9% and 10.3% in weevils treated with 3.05 µg insect−1 and 10.02 µg insect−1, respectively. The O. vulgare EO alters the behavioral pattern in terms of walking distance and resting time, displaying repellency. Additionally, this EO reduced the gas exchange of weevils from 2.78 to 2.36 µL CO2 h−1 at 3.05 µg insect−1, after 3 h EO exposure. The results suggest that O. vulgare EOs affect different biological functions in the insect, and open new perspectives for controlling stored pests, representing a first step in the innovation of green pesticides.
A High-Performance Day-Age Classification and Detection Model for Chick Based on Attention Encoder and Convolutional Neural Network
Authors: Ren Yufei , Huang Yikang , Wang Yichen , Zhang Shijie , Qu Hao , Ma Jie , Wang Longhe , Li Lin
Published: September 2022

Thanks to the boom of computer vision techniques and artificial intelligence algorithms, it is more available to achieve artificial rearing for animals in real production scenarios. Improving the accuracy of chicken day-age detection is one of the instances, which is of great importance for chicken rearing. To solve this problem, we proposed an attention encoder structure to extract chicken image features, trying to improve the detection accuracy. To cope with the imbalance of the dataset, various data enhancement schemes such as Cutout, CutMix, and MixUp were proposed to verify the effectiveness of the proposed attention encoder. This paper put the structure into various mainstream CNN networks for comparison and multiple ablation experiments. The final experimental results show that by applying the attention encoder structure, ResNet-50 can improve the accuracy of chicken age detection to 95.2%. Finally, this paper also designed a complete image acquisition system for chicken houses and a detection application configured for mobile devices.
Growth Performance, Digestive Efficiency, and Meat Quality of Two Commercial Crossbred Rabbits Fed Diets Differing in Energy and Protein Levels
Authors: Birolo Marco , Xiccato Gerolamo , Bordignon Francesco , Dabbou Sihem , Zuffellato Andrea , Trocino Angela
Published: September 2022

The present study evaluated the effect of digestible energy (DE) and crude protein (CP) levels on growth, digestive efficiency, slaughter yield and meat quality in growing rabbits of two genotypes (Grimaud, G vs. Hyla, H). A total of 384 crossbred rabbits (192 G and 192 H), half males and half females, were divided into eight experimental groups according to a bi-factorial arrangement (2 genotypes × 4 diets; 48 animals/group) and reared in individual cages. From 33 to 64 days of age, rabbits were fed four diets obtained by combining two DE levels (high, HE—10.9 MJ/kg vs. low, LE—9.2 MJ/kg, on average) and two CP levels (high, HP—159 g/kg vs. low, LP—144 g/kg, on average). Then, all rabbits received the same fattening diet (10.7 MJ DE/kg; 156 g CP/kg) until slaughtering (77 days of age). Growth performance did not differ between genotypes for the entire trial (on average final live weight 3010 g; daily weight gain 50.5 g/d), but H rabbits showed a faster growth during the post-weaning period (p ≤ 0.01) compared to G rabbits, while exhibiting lower slaughter yield and lower carcass fatness (p ≤ 0.01). As DE level increased, feed intake decreased and feed conversion improved (p < 0.001), while caecal volatile fatty acid concentration increased and caecal pH and N-ammonia decreased (p ≤ 0.01). The reduction in the CP level did not affect performance and carcass traits. No significant interaction was detected between genotype and diet. In conclusion, G rabbits may have an advantage over H rabbits because of the higher slaughter yield. As for the nutritional characteristics of diets for high-producing crossbred rabbits, high energy levels are confirmed to enhance feed efficiency, whereas dietary CP can be reduced to 144 g/kg without negative effects on performance and carcass traits.
“Guess Who’s Coming to Dinner”: Molecular Tools to Reconstruct multilocus Genetic Profiles from Wild Canid Consumption Remains
Authors: Velli Edoardo , Mattucci Federica , Lazzeri Lorenzo , Fabbri Elena , Pacini Giada , Belardi Irene , Mucci Nadia , Caniglia Romolo
Published: September 2022

Non-invasive genetic sampling is a practical tool to monitor pivotal ecological parameters and population dynamic patterns of endangered species. It can be particularly suitable when applied to elusive carnivores such as the Apennine wolf (Canis lupus italicus) and the European wildcat (Felis silvestris silvestris), which can live in overlapping ecological contexts and sometimes share their habitats with their domestic free-ranging relatives, increasing the risk of anthropogenic hybridisation. In this case study, we exploited all the ecological and genetic information contained in a single biological canid faecal sample, collected in a forested area of central Italy, to detect any sign of trophic interactions between wolves and European wildcats or their domestic counterparts. Firstly, the faecal finding was morphologically examined, showing the presence of felid hair and claw fragment remains. Subsequently, total genomic DNA contained in the hair and claw samples was extracted and genotyped, through a multiple-tube approach, at canid and felid diagnostic panels of microsatellite loci. Finally, the obtained individual multilocus genotypes were analysed with reference wild and domestic canid and felid populations to assess their correct taxonomic status using Bayesian clustering procedures. Assignment analyses classified the genotype obtained from the endothelial cells present on the hair sample as a wolf with slight signals of dog ancestry, showing a qi = 0.954 (C.I. 0.780–1.000) to the wolf cluster, and the genotype obtained from the claw as a domestic cat, showing a qi = 0.996 (95% C.I. = 0.982–1.000) to the domestic cat cluster. Our results clearly show how a non-invasive multidisciplinary approach allows the cost-effective identification of both prey and predator genetic profiles and their taxonomic status, contributing to the improvement of our knowledge about feeding habits, predatory dynamics, and anthropogenic hybridisation risk in threatened species.
Use of a Smartphone-Based Device for Fundus Examination in Birds: A Pilot Study
Authors: Grillot Aure-Eline , Coutant Thomas , Louste Eva , Le Barzic Cécile , Arné Pascal , Payen Guillaume , Huynh Minh
Published: September 2022

Ophthalmic examination is essential in the avian triage process in order to apply prompt therapeutic plans and evaluate rehabilitation potential. Fundoscopy is traditionally performed by direct or indirect ophthalmoscopy. Recent technological developments have enabled the design of a small-sized and affordable retinal imaging system to examine the fundus. We investigate the use of a smartphone-based device to realize fundus examination through a prospective cross-sectional observational study. Seventy-seven eyes of 39 birds of 15 different species were evaluated using the smartphone-based device in a rescue wildlife center. Pupil dilation was achieved prior to examination via rocuronium topical application. Assessment of fundus by the smartphone was classified as satisfactory, moderately satisfactory, and unsatisfactory. Fundus examination was also performed with a 20D, 30D, or 78D lens for comparison. Pupillary dilation was satisfactory, moderately satisfactory, or absent in 17, 32, and 28 eyes, respectively. Fundus examination with the smartphone-based device was satisfactory, moderately satisfactory, or unsatisfactory in 44, 15, and 18 eyes, respectively. The feasibility of the fundus examination was affected by the form of the globe; by the quality of pupil dilation; by the color of the iris (images could not be obtained from species with an orange, bright iris); and by the species, with owls (Strigiformes) being the easiest to observe. Based on these findings, fundus examination was feasible in most bird species examined in this study.
Effects of N Acetylcysteine on the Expression of Genes Associated with Reproductive Performance in the Goat Uterus during Early Gestation
Authors: Fu Kaibin , Chen Xiang , Guo Wei , Zhou Zhinan , Zhang Yan , Ji Taotao , Yang Peifang , Tian Xingzhou , Wang Weiwei , Zou Yue
Published: September 2022

N acetylcysteine (NAC) affects antioxidation and reactive oxygen species scavenging in the body and thereby promotes embryonic development and implantation and inhibits inflammation. The mechanism through which NAC regulates reproductive performance in the uteri of goats during early gestation remains unclear. In this study, the treatment group was fed 0.07% NAC for the first 35 days of gestation, whereas the control group received no NAC supplementation. The regulatory genes and key pathways associated with goat reproductive performance under NAC supplementation were identified by RNA-seq. RT–qPCR was used to verify the sequencing results and subsequently construct tissue expression profiles of the relevant genes. RNA-seq identified 19,796 genes coexpressed in the control and treatment groups and 1318 differentially expressed genes (DEGs), including 787 and 531 DEGs enriched in the treatment and control groups, respectively. A GO analysis revealed that the identified genes mapped to pathways such as cell activation, cytokine production, cell mitotic processes, and angiogenesis, and a KEGG enrichment analysis showed that the DEGs were enriched in pathways associated with reproductive regulation, immune regulation, resistance to oxidative stress, and cell adhesion. The RT–qPCR analysis showed that BDNF and CSF-1 were most highly expressed in the uterus, that WIF1 and ESR2 showed low expression in the uterus, and that CTSS, PTX3, and TGFβ-3 were most highly expressed in the oviduct, which indicated that these genes may be directly or indirectly involved in the modulation of reproduction in early-gestation goats. These findings provide fundamental data for the NAC-mediated modulation of the reproductive performance of goats during early gestation.
Sperm Quality in Young Bull Semen Can Be Improved by Single Layer Centrifugation
Authors: Lima-Verde Isabel , Hurri Emma , Ntallaris Theodoros , Johannisson Anders , Stålhammar Hans , Morrell Jane M.
Published: September 2022

Interest in using semen from young bulls is increasing due to identifying promising animals by genomic selection. However, sperm quality in these ejaculates may not reach currently accepted standards for the cattle breeding industry. The purpose of this study was to determine if centrifugation of semen from young bulls through the Bovicoll colloid could improve sperm quality sufficiently for the frozen semen to be acceptable for artificial insemination. Ejaculates from 19 young bulls were split and either processed by Single-Layer Centrifugation (SLC) or not (CON) before freezing. After thawing, sperm quality was evaluated by determination of membrane integrity, mitochondrial membrane potential, DNA integrity, production of reactive oxygen species, sperm morphology and motility. Approximately half of the CON samples reached acceptable post-thaw quality (membrane integrity ≥ 40%) despite being below the breeding company´s desired sperm concentration threshold pre-freezing. In the remaining samples, sperm quality was improved by SLC such that 45% of them reached acceptable quality post-thaw. Almost 75% of the young bull sperm samples could have produced usable frozen semen doses by adjusting the breeding company´s current processing protocols. Since lowering the generation interval has a direct effect on the genetic gain per year, SLC could aid genetic progress in cattle breeding.
A Proteomic Study of the Effect of N-acetylcysteine on the Regulation of Early Pregnancy in Goats
Authors: Yang Peifang , Chen Xiang , Tian Xingzhou , Zhou Zhinan , Zhang Yan , Tang Wen , Fu Kaibin , Zhao Jiafu , Ruan Yong
Published: September 2022

Dietary supplementation with N-acetyl-L-cysteine (NAC) may support early pregnancy regulation and fertility in female animals. The purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of supplementation with 0.07% NAC on the expression of the uterine keratin gene and protein in Qianbei-pockmarked goats during early pregnancy using tandem mass spectrometry (TMT) relative quantitative proteomics. The results showed that there were significant differences in uterine keratin expression between the experimental group (NAC group) and the control group on day 35 of gestation. A total of 6271 proteins were identified, 6258 of which were quantified by mass spectrometry. There were 125 differentially expressed proteins (DEPs), including 47 upregulated and 78 downregulated proteins, in the NAC group. Bioinformatic analysis showed that these DEPs were mainly involved in the transport and biosynthesis of organic matter and were related to the binding of transition metal ions, DNA and proteins and the catalytic activity of enzymes. They were enriched in the Jak-STAT signalling pathway, RNA monitoring pathway, amino acid biosynthesis, steroid biosynthesis and other pathways that may affect the early pregnancy status of does through different pathways and thus influence early embryonic development. Immunohistochemistry, real-time quantitative PCR and Western blotting were used to verify the expression and localization of glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP) and pelota mRNA surveillance and ribosomal rescue factor (PELO) in uterine horn tissue. The results showed that both PELO and GFAP were localized to endometrial and stromal cells, consistent with the mass spectrometry data at the transcriptional and translational levels. Moreover, NAC supplementation increased the levels of the reproductive hormones follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH), luteinizing hormone (LH), oestradiol (E2), progesterone (P4), superoxide dismutase (SOD), glutamate peroxidase (GSH-Px) and nitric oxide (NO) in the serum of does. These findings provide new insight into the mechanism by which NAC regulates early pregnancy and embryonic development in goats.
Comparison of Locomotor and Feeding Rhythms between Indoor and Outdoor Cats Living in Captivity
Authors: Parker Marine , Serra Jessica , Deputte Bertrand L. , Ract-Madoux Brunilde , Faustin Marie , Challet Etienne
Published: September 2022

The plastic nature of cat behaviour allows this “friendly symbiont” of humans to adapt to various housing conditions. Beyond daylight, one could wonder if other environmental factors affect its patterns. Yet, how its activity and feeding rhythms are impacted by its environment is rarely studied in standardised conditions between populations. We compared the behaviour of cats living in a 29 m2 indoor room and cats living in a 1145 m2 outdoor enclosure, tracking them simultaneously in summer for 21 days, with advanced technologies. Both populations received daylight but weather fluctuations only occurred outdoors. Bimodality was detected in the activity and feeding rhythms of both groups, while twilight triggered crepuscular peaks. Daily, the outdoor population covered more distance (4.29 ± 0.27 km; p < 0.001) and consumed more food (67.44 ± 2.65 g; p < 0.05) than the indoor population (2.33 ± 0.17 km, 57.75 ± 2.85 g, respectively), but displayed less rhythmic behaviours, assumedly because of rhythm disruptors met only in outdoor conditions. Finally, outdoor housing seemed to promote the exploratory behaviour of the cats at night, while indoor housing increased both meal frequency (p = 0.063) and the impact of human interactions on the feeding rhythms of the cats.
Evaluation of Pulmonary Hypertension in Dogs with Heartworm Disease Using the Computed Tomographic Pulmonary Trunk to Aorta Diameter Ratio
Authors: Matos Jorge Isidoro , Falcón-Cordón Yaiza , García-Rodríguez Sara Nieves , Costa-Rodríguez Noelia , Montoya-Alonso José Alberto , Carretón Elena
Published: September 2022

Dirofilaria immitis causes proliferative pulmonary endoarteritis that leads to the appearance of chronic precapillary pulmonary hypertension (PH) in dogs. Pulmonary trunk to aorta ratio (PT:Ao ratio) obtained by computed tomography (CT) was studied and the quantitative measure of the diameters of the pulmonary trunk (PT), the descending thoracic aorta (DAo) and ascending thoracic aorta (AAo) were evaluated for the determination of the presence of moderate to severe PH in 59 dogs. The diagnosis of PH was echocardiographically determined, based on the determination of the right pulmonary artery distensibility (RPAD) index (<29.5%), and compared with other parameters for estimating PH. The results showed a very high concordance: 0.976 (p-value 0.000) between the two CT methods (PT:DAo and PT:AAo) with an excellent intraclass correlation coefficient > 0.95. Moreover, cut-off values of ≥1.111 for PT:DAo, and ≥1.057 for PT:AAo were determined for dogs with an RPAD index < 29.5%, which suggests a cut-off value between healthy dogs and the presence of PH. As has been previously published, The PT:Ao ratios did not determine the presence of mild PH, so the measurements cannot be considered useful for the early diagnosis of PH in dogs with heartworm.
Streptococcosis a Re-Emerging Disease in Aquaculture: Significance and Phytotherapy
Authors: Van Doan Hien , Soltani Mehdi , Leitão Alexandra , Shafiei Shafigh , Asadi Sepideh , Lymbery Alan J. , Ringø Einar
Published: September 2022

Streptococcosis, particularly that caused by S. iniae and S. agalactiae, is a major re-emerging bacterial disease seriously affecting the global sustainability of aquaculture development. Despite a wide spread of the disease in aquaculture, few studies have been directed at assessing the in vitro antagonistic activity and in vivo efficacy of medicinal herbs and other plants against streptococcal agents. Most in vitro studies of plant extractives against S. iniae and S. agalactiae have found antibacterial activity, but essential oils, especially those containing eugenol, carvacrol or thymol, are more effective. Although essential oils have shown better anti-streptococcal activity in in vitro assays, in vivo bioassays require more attention. The extracts examined under in vivo conditions show moderate efficacy, increasing the survival rate of infected fish, probably through the enhancement of immunity before challenge bioassays. The available data, however, lack dosage optimization, toxicity and bioavailability assays of a specific plant or its bioactive compound in fish organs; hence, it is difficult to judge the validation of clinical efficacy for the prevention or treatment of fish streptococcosis. Despite the known bioactive compounds of many tested plants, few data are available on their mode of action towards streptococcal agents. This review addresses the efficacy of medicinal plants to fish streptococcosis and discusses the current gaps.
Oxidative Stress Induces Bovine Endometrial Epithelial Cell Damage through Mitochondria-Dependent Pathways
Authors: Song Pengjie , Liu Chen , Sun Mingkun , Liu Jianguo , Lin Pengfei , Wang Aihua , Jin Yaping
Published: September 2022

Bovine endometritis is a mucosal inflammation that is characterized by sustained polymorphonuclear neutrophil (PMN) infiltration. Elevated PMN counts in the uterine discharge of dairy cows affected by endometritis suggest that oxidative stress may be among the causes of impaired fertility due to the condition. Nevertheless, the effects of oxidative stress-mediated endometritis in dairy cows largely remain uninvestigated. Therefore, fresh uterine tissue and uterine discharge samples were collected to diagnose the severity of endometritis according to the numbers of inflammatory cells in the samples. Twenty-six fresh uteri were classified into healthy, mild, moderate, and severe endometritis groups based on hematoxylin and eosin stain characteristics and the percentage of PMNs in discharge. BEECs were treated with graded concentrations of H2O2 from 50 μM to 200 μM in vitro as a model to explore the mechanism of oxidative stress during bovine graded endometritis. The expressions of antioxidant stress kinases were detected by quantitative fluorescence PCR to verify the oxidative stress level in uteri with endometritis. Reactive oxygen species were detected by fluorescence microscope, and inflammation-related mRNA expression increased significantly after H2O2 stimulation. Moreover, mRNA expression levels of antioxidant oxidative stress-related enzymes (glutathione peroxidase, superoxide dismutase, and catalase) and mitochondrial membrane potential both decreased. Further investigation revealed that expression of the apoptosis regulator Bcl-2/Bax decreased, whereas expression of the mitochondrial apoptosis-related proteins cytochrome c and caspase-3 increased in response to oxidative stress. Our results indicate that an imbalance exists between oxidation and antioxidation during bovine endometritis. Moreover, apoptosis induced in vitro by oxidative stress was characterized by mitochondrial damage in BEECs.
Antifungal Effect of Brassica Tissues on the Mycotoxigenic Cereal Pathogen Fusarium graminearum
Authors: Ashiq Samina , Edwards Simon , Watson Andrew , Blundell Emma , Back Matthew
Published: September 2022

Fusarium graminearum is a globally important cereal pathogen, causing head blight in wheat, resulting in yield losses and mycotoxin contamination. Currently, triazole fungicides are used to suppress Fusarium graminearum, however, the declining effectiveness of triazoles and concerns over the safety of pesticides have led to the pursuit of safe alternative crop protection strategies such as biofumigation. In the present study, species belonging to Brassicaceae (Brassica juncea, Raphanus sativus, Eruca sativa) were assessed for their biofumigation potential against F. graminearum and the glucosinolate profile of the brassicas was determined. In Petri dishes, mycelial plugs of Fusarium graminearum were exposed to frozen/defrosted leaf discs of brassicas collected at early-leaf, stem-extension, and early-bud stages. Additionally, F. graminearum inoculum was incubated in soil amended with chopped tissues of brassicas in a closed jar experiment. Glucosinolate analysis of the leaf tissue of brassicas revealed that the total glucosinolate concentration of B. juncea ‘Brons’ increased with advancing growth stage (24.5–51.9 µmol g−1). Brassica juncea leaf discs were effective against mycelial growth, while the sinigrin content in the leaf tissue corresponded to the level of suppression. At the stem-extension and early-bud stages, B. juncea ‘Brons’ showed 87–90% suppression with four leaf discs, and 100% suppression with eight leaf discs. Brassica juncea ‘Caliente Rojo’ leaf discs collected at the stem-extension stage showed 94% inhibition with eight discs. In the closed jar experiment, each brassica species significantly suppressed F. graminearum inoculum by 41–55%. The findings suggest that the brassica species investigated in the present study could be effective in reducing the inoculum of F. graminearum in soil prior to cereal production.
Minocycline and the SPR741 Adjuvant Are an Efficacious Antibacterial Combination for Acinetobacter baumannii Infections
Authors: Alamneh Yonas A. , Antonic Vlado , Garry Brittany , Pucci Michael J. , Abu-Taleb Rania , Shearer Jonathan P. , Demons Samandra T. , Getnet Derese , Swierczewski Brett E. , Lister Troy , Zurawski Daniel V.
Published: September 2022

Antibiotic resistance, when it comes to bacterial infections, is not a problem that is going to disappear anytime soon. With the lack of larger investment in novel antibiotic research and the ever-growing increase of resistant isolates amongst the ESKAPEE pathogens (Enterobacter cloacae, Staphylococcus aureus, Klebsiella pneumoniae, Acinetobacter baumannii, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Enterococcus sp., and Escherichia coli), it is inevitable that more and more infections caused by extensively drug-resistant (XDR) and pandrug-resistant (PDR) strains will arise. One strategy to counteract the growing threat is to use antibiotic adjuvants, a drug class that on its own lacks significant antibiotic activity, but when mixed with another antibiotic, can potentiate increased killing of bacteria. Antibiotic adjuvants have various mechanisms of action, but polymyxins and polymyxin-like molecules can disrupt the Gram-negative outer membrane and allow other drugs better penetration into the bacterial periplasm and cytoplasm. Previously, we showed that SPR741 had this adjuvant effect with regard to rifampin; however, rifampin is often not used clinically because of easily acquired resistance. To find additional, appropriate clinical partners for SPR741 with respect to pulmonary and wound infections, we investigated tetracyclines and found a previously undocumented synergy with minocycline in vitro and in vivo in murine models of infection.
The Epidemiology of Multidrug-Resistant Sepsis among Chronic Hemodialysis Patients
Authors: Zilberman-Itskovich Shani , Elukbi Yazid , Weinberg Sibony Roni , Shapiro Michael , Zelnik Yovel Dana , Strulovici Ariela , Khatib Amin , Marchaim Dror
Published: September 2022

Sepsis is one of the leading causes of hospitalization and death among hemodialysis patients. Infections due to multidrug-resistant organisms (MDROs) are common among these patients, but empiric broad-spectrum coverage for every septic patient is associated with unfavorable outcomes. A retrospective case–control study was conducted at Shamir Medical Center, Israel (July 2016–April 2020), to determine predictors of MDRO infections among septic (per SEPSIS-3) ambulatory adult hemodialysis patients with permanent dialysis access (i.e., fistula, graft, or tunneled Perm-A-Cath). MDROs were determined according to established definitions. Least Absolute Shrinkage and Selection Operator (LASSO) regression was used to construct a prediction score and determine its performance. Of 509 patients, 225 (44%) had microbiologically confirmed infection, and 79 patients (35% of 225) had MDROs. The eventual independent predictors of MDRO infections were Perm-A-Cath access (vs. fistula or graft, aOR = 3, CI-95% = 2.1–4.2) and recent hospitalization in the previous three months (aOR = 2.3, CI-95% = 1.6–3.3). The score to predict MDRO sepsis with the highest performances contained seven parameters and displayed an area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (ROC AUC) of 0.74. This study could aid in defining a group of hemodialysis patients for which empiric broad-spectrum agents could be safely avoided.
Activity of Phage–Lactoferrin Mixture against Multi Drug Resistant Staphylococcus aureus Biofilms
Authors: Kosznik-Kwaśnicka Katarzyna , Kaźmierczak Natalia , Piechowicz Lidia
Published: September 2022

Biofilms are complex bacterial structures composed of bacterial cells embedded in extracellular polymeric substances (EPS) consisting of polysaccharides, proteins and lipids. As a result, biofilms are difficult to eradicate using both mechanical methods, i.e., scraping, and chemical methods such as disinfectants or antibiotics. Bacteriophages are shown to be able to act as anti-biofilm agents, with the ability to penetrate through the matrix and reach the bacterial cells. However, they also seem to have their limitations. After several hours of treatment with phages, the biofilm tends to grow back and phage-resistant bacteria emerge. Therefore, it is now recommended to use a mixture of phages and other antibacterial agents in order to increase treatment efficiency. In our work we have paired staphylococcal phages with lactoferrin, a protein with proven anti-biofilm proprieties. By analyzing the biofilm biomass and metabolic activity, we have observed that the addition of lactoferrin to phage lysate accelerated the anti-biofilm effect of phages and also prevented biofilm re-growth. Therefore, this combination might have a potential use in biofilm eradication procedures in medical settings.
Knockout and Inhibition of Ape1: Roles of Ape1 in Base Excision DNA Repair and Modulation of Gene Expression
Authors: Xue Zhouyiyuan , Demple Bruce
Published: September 2022

Apurinic/apyrimidinic endonuclease 1/redox effector-1 (Ape1/Ref-1) is the major apurinic/apyrimidinic (AP) endonuclease in mammalian cells. It functions mainly in the base excision repair pathway to create a suitable substrate for DNA polymerases. Human Ape1 protein can activate some transcription factors to varying degrees, dependent on its N-terminal, unstructured domain, and some of the cysteines within it, apparently via a redox mechanism in some cases. Many cancer studies also suggest that Ape1 has potential for prognosis in terms of the protein level or intracellular localization. While homozygous disruption of the Ape1 structural gene APEX1 in mice causes embryonic lethality, and most studies in cell culture indicate that the expression of Ape1 is essential, some recent studies reported the isolation of viable APEX1 knockout cells with only mild phenotypes. It has not been established by what mechanism the Ape1-null cell lines cope with the endogenous DNA damage that the enzyme normally handles. We review the enzymatic and other activities of Ape1 and the recent studies of the properties of the APEX1 knockout lines. The APEX1 deletions in CH12F3 and HEK293 FT provide an opportunity to test for possible off-target effects of Ape1 inhibition. For this work, we tested the Ape1 endonuclease inhibitor Compound 3 and the redox inhibitor APX2009. Our results confirmed that both APEX1 knockout cell lines are modestly more sensitive to killing by an alkylating agent than their Ape1-proficient cells. Surprisingly, the knockout lines showed equal sensitivity to direct killing by either inhibitor, despite the lack of the target protein. Moreover, the CH12F3 APEX1 knockout was even more sensitive to Compound 3 than its APEX1+ counterpart. Thus, it appears that both Compound 3 and APX2009 have off-target effects. In cases where this issue may be important, it is advisable that more specific endpoints than cell survival be tested for establishing mechanism.
The Putative Auto-Inhibitory Domain of Durum Wheat Catalase (TdCAT1) Positively Regulates Bacteria Cells in Response to Different Stress Conditions
Authors: Ghorbel Mouna , Feki Kaouthar , Tounsi Sana , Bouali Nouha , Besbes Malek , Brini Faiçal
Published: September 2022

Catalase is a crucial enzyme in the antioxidant defense system protecting organisms from oxidative stress. Proteins of this kind play important roles in controlling plant response to biotic and abiotic stresses by catalyzing the decomposition of H2O2. The durum wheat catalase 1, TdCAT1, has been previously isolated and characterized. Here, using bio-informatic analysis, we showed that durum wheat catalase 1 TdCAT1 harbors different novel conserved domains. In addition, TdCAT1 contains various phosphorylation residues and S-Nitrosylation residues located at different positions along the protein sequence. TdCAT1 activity decreased after treatment with λ−phosphatase. On the other hand, we showed that durum wheat catalase 1 (TdCAT1) exhibits a low CAT activity in vitro, whereas a deleted form of TdCAT1 has better activity compared to the full-length protein (TdCAT460), suggesting that TdCAT1 could present a putative autoinhibitory domain in its C-terminal portion. Moreover, we showed that TdCAT1 positively regulates E. coli cells in response to salt, ionic and osmotic stresses as well as heavy metal stress in solid and liquid mediums. Such effects had not been reported and lead us to suggest that the durum wheat catalase 1 TdCAT1 protein could play a positive role in response to a wide array of abiotic stress conditions.
NADPH Oxidases in Diastolic Dysfunction and Heart Failure with Preserved Ejection Fraction
Authors: Teuber James P. , Essandoh Kobina , Hummel Scott L. , Madamanchi Nageswara R. , Brody Matthew J.
Published: September 2022

Nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide phosphate (NADPH) oxidases regulate production of reactive oxygen species (ROS) that cause oxidative damage to cellular components but also regulate redox signaling in many cell types with essential functions in the cardiovascular system. Research over the past couple of decades has uncovered mechanisms by which NADPH oxidase (NOX) enzymes regulate oxidative stress and compartmentalize intracellular signaling in endothelial cells, smooth muscle cells, macrophages, cardiomyocytes, fibroblasts, and other cell types. NOX2 and NOX4, for example, regulate distinct redox signaling mechanisms in cardiac myocytes pertinent to the onset and progression of cardiac hypertrophy and heart failure. Heart failure with preserved ejection fraction (HFpEF), which accounts for at least half of all heart failure cases and has few effective treatments to date, is classically associated with ventricular diastolic dysfunction, i.e., defects in ventricular relaxation and/or filling. However, HFpEF afflicts multiple organ systems and is associated with systemic pathologies including inflammation, oxidative stress, arterial stiffening, cardiac fibrosis, and renal, adipose tissue, and skeletal muscle dysfunction. Basic science studies and clinical data suggest a role for systemic and myocardial oxidative stress in HFpEF, and evidence from animal models demonstrates the critical functions of NOX enzymes in diastolic function and several HFpEF-associated comorbidities. Here, we discuss the roles of NOX enzymes in cardiovascular cells that are pertinent to the development and progression of diastolic dysfunction and HFpEF and outline potential clinical implications.
Tamarix articulata Induced Prevention of Hepatotoxicity Effects of In Vivo Carbon Tetrachloride by Modulating Pro-Inflammatory Serum and Antioxidant Enzymes to Reverse the Liver Fibrosis
Authors: Alnuqaydan Abdullah M. , Almutary Abdulmajeed G. , A. Alsahli Mohammed , Alnasser Sulaiman , Rah Bilal
Published: September 2022

This study evaluates the hepatoprotective activity of a Tamarix articulata extract against carbon tetrachloride-mediated hepatotoxicity in Wistar rats. Our results demonstrated that the oral administration of Tamarix articulata extract (50 mg/kg b.w.) significantly restored the serum levels of liver enzymes and antioxidant parameters (superoxide dismutase, catalase, glutathione reductase, and thiobarbituric reactive substances). Histopathology analysis revealed that Tamarix articulata extract significantly reduced hepatic fibrosis by inhibiting the necrosis of hepatocytes. Furthermore, serum pro-inflammatory (tumor necrosis factor-alpha, tumor growth factor-beta, and interleukin-6) markers were significantly restored. However, the anti-inflammatory cytokine adiponectin levels increased to normal levels in the group treated with Tamarix articulata extract. Additionally, we observed diminished reactive oxygen species production and the depolarization of mitochondrial membrane potential in hepatocytes extracted from animal livers treated with Tamarix articulata extract. Our findings suggest that Tamarix articulata extract prevents liver fibrosis induced by carbon tetrachloride and decreases the necrotic population of hepatocytes. These events restored the antioxidant enzymatic activity, serum levels of liver enzymes, and pro-inflammatory markers to their normal levels.
A Novel Variable-Proportion Desaturation PI Control for Speed Regulation in Sensorless PMSM Drive System
Authors: Wei Zihan , Zhao Mi , Liu Ximu , Lu Min
Published: September 2022

The problem of integral saturation greatly restricts the engineering application of PID controller in AC speed regulator systems, which also affects the control performance of sensorless drive system with the phase-locked loop (PLL) structure. To address this, this paper proposes a novel variable-proportion desaturation PI (VPDPI) control method for permanent magnet synchronous motor (PMSM) sensorless drive system. Firstly, an overall scheme of sensorless control system with sliding mode observer (SMO)-PLL observer is presented, which includes the equivalent mathematical model and its parameter identification model of PMSM. Secondly, the control principle of the VPDPI algorithm is innovatively designed. Note that the novel regulator scheme consists of two interconnected components in terms of the concepts of threshold segmentation, i.e., the variable-proportion link and desaturation PI part. Meanwhile, the stability analysis of the regulator is further discussed by the root locus and the Bode diagram analysis. Finally, the numerical simulations of speed regulation are carried out under the various operation conditions, and the effectiveness of the proposed method is further verified by experimental platform. Several groups of comparative experiments reveal that the proposed method has a more higher control performance for the sensorless drive system, especially in the ability of overshoot suppression.
The Effect of the Petrography, Mineralogy, and Physical Properties of Limestone on Mode I Fracture Toughness under Dry and Saturated Conditions
Authors: Safari Farrokhad Sajad , Lashkaripour Gholam Reza , Hafezi Moghaddas Nasser , Aligholi Saeed , Sabri Mohanad Muayad Sabri
Published: September 2022

Determining the fracture toughness of rock materials is a challenging, costly, and time-consuming task, as fabricating a sharp crack in rock specimens will lead to failure of the specimen, and preparing specimens for determining the rock fracture toughness requires special equipment. In this paper, the relationship between mode I fracture toughness (KIC) with the rock index properties, mineralogy, and petrography of limestone is investigated using simple nonlinear and simple/multiple linear regression analyses to provide alternative methods for estimating the fracture toughness of limestones. The cracked chevron notched Brazilian disk (CCNBD) method was applied to 30 limestones with different petrographic and mineralogical characteristics under both dry and saturated conditions. Moreover, the index properties of the same rocks, including the density, porosity, electrical resistivity, P and S wave velocities, Schmidt rebound hardness, and point load index, were determined. According to the statistical analyses, a classification based on the petrography of the studied rocks was required for predicting the fracture toughness from index properties. By classifying the limestones based on petrography, reliable relationships with high correlations can be introduced for estimating the fracture toughness of different limestones using simple tests.
A Deep-Convolutional-Neural-Network-Based Semi-Supervised Learning Method for Anomaly Crack Detection
Authors: Gao Xingjun , Huang Chuansheng , Teng Shuai , Chen Gongfa
Published: September 2022

Crack detection plays a pivotal role in structural health monitoring. Deep convolutional neural networks (DCNN) provide a way to achieve image classification efficiently and accurately due to their powerful image processing ability. In this paper, we propose a semi-supervised learning method based on a DCNN to achieve anomaly crack detection. In the proposed method, the training set for the network only requires a small number of normal (non-crack) images but can achieve high detection accuracy. Moreover, the trained model has strong robustness in the condition of uneven illumination and evident crack difference. The proposed method is applied to the images of walls, bridges and pavements, and the results show that the detection accuracy comes up to 99.48%, 92.31% and 97.57%, respectively. In addition, the features of the neural network can be visualized to describe its working principle. This method has great potential in practical engineering applications.
Gases Emissions during Composting Process of Agri-Food Industry Waste
Authors: Czekała Wojciech , Janczak Damian , Pochwatka Patrycja , Nowak Mateusz , Dach Jacek
Published: September 2022

The vegetable production is an important part of agriculture sector in every country. In Poland, vegetables and fruits production covering the area of no more than 3% of agricultural land, is more than 36% of plant production and 14–15% of the whole agricultural production. The study aim was to determine the management possibilities of the selected waste from vegetable production in composting process. Laboratory tests were carried out using the bioreactor set-up with capacity of 165 dm3, respectively, for each chamber. The composting process has been tested for the following mixtures: K1—cabbage leaves, tomato dry leaves + manure and slurry additive; K2—cabbage leaves, solid fraction from biogas plant + manure and straw additive; K3—cabbage leaves, onion husk + straw additive. In all three composts the thermophilic phase occurred which indicates that the process ran correctly. In each chamber, the temperature exceeded 70 °C and its maximum value during the experiment was 77.5 °C for K2 compost. The article discusses changes in O2, CO2, NH3 and H2S emissions during composting. The carbon dioxide concentration in the exhausted gas from analyzed composts and the ratio with oxygen they testify to the decomposition of raw materials in the composting process. The results showed that the agri-food waste can be a proper substrate for composting production. Due to legal regulations and the increase in prices of mineral fertilizers, the development of the compost market should be expected.