bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Soil Treatment with Nitric Oxide-Releasing Chitosan Nanoparticles Protects the Root System and Promotes the Growth of Soybean Plants under Copper Stress
Authors: Gomes Diego G. , Debiasi Tatiane V. , Pelegrino Milena T. , Pereira Rodrigo M. , Ondrasek Gabrijel , Batista Bruno L. , Seabra Amedea B. , Oliveira Halley C.
Published: November 2022

The nanoencapsulation of nitric oxide (NO) donors is an attractive technique to protect these molecules from rapid degradation, expanding, and enabling their use in agriculture. Here, we evaluated the effect of the soil application of chitosan nanoparticles containing S-nitroso-MSA (a S-nitrosothiol) on the protection of soybeans (Glycine max cv. BRS 257) against copper (Cu) stress. Soybeans were grown in a greenhouse in soil supplemented with 164 and 244 mg kg−1 Cu and treated with a free or nanoencapsulated NO donor at 1 mM, as well as with nanoparticles without NO. There were also soybean plants treated with distilled water and maintained in soil without Cu addition (control), and with Cu addition (water). The exogenous application of the nanoencapsulated and free S-nitroso-MSA improved the growth and promoted the maintenance of the photosynthetic activity in Cu-stressed plants. However, only the nanoencapsulated S-nitroso-MSA increased the bioavailability of NO in the roots, providing a more significant induction of the antioxidant activity, the attenuation of oxidative damage, and a greater capacity to mitigate the root nutritional imbalance triggered by Cu stress. The results suggest that the nanoencapsulation of the NO donors enables a more efficient delivery of NO for the protection of soybean plants under Cu stress.
Metal- and Organ-Specific Response to Heavy Metal-Induced Stress Mediated by Antioxidant Enzymes’ Activities, Polyamines, and Plant Hormones Levels in Populus deltoides
Authors: Kebert Marko , Kostić Saša , Vuksanović Vanja , Gavranović Markić Anđelina , Kiprovski Biljana , Zorić Martina , Orlović Saša
Published: November 2022

Besides anthropogenic factors, climate change causes altered precipitation patterns that indirectly affect the increase of heavy metals in soils due to hydrological effects and enhanced leaching (i.e., Cd and Ni), especially in the vicinity of mines and smelters. Phytoextraction is a well-known, powerful “green” technique for environmental clean-up that uses plants to extract, sequester, and/or detoxify heavy metals, and it makes significant contributions to the removal of persistent inorganic pollutants from soils. Poplar species, due to their growth features, high transpiration rate, large biomass, and feasible reproduction represent great candidates for phytoextraction technology. However, the consequences of concomitant oxidative stress upon plant metabolism and the mechanism of the poplar’s tolerance to heavy metal-induced stress are still not completely understood. In this study, cuttings of poplar species (Populus deltoides W. Bartram ex Marshall) were separately exposed to two heavy metals (Cd2+ and Ni2+) that were triple the maximum allowed amount (MAA) (according to national legislation). The aim of the study was to estimate the effects of heavy metals on: (I) the accumulation of free and conjugated polyamines, (II) plant hormones (including abscisic acid-ABA and indole-3-acetic acid-IAA), and (III) the activities of different antioxidant enzymes at root and leaf levels. By using the selected ion monitoring (SIM) mode of gas chromatography with mass spectrometry (GC/MS) coupled with the isotopically labeled technique, amounts of ABA and IAA were quantified, while polyamine amounts were determined by using high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) with fluorometric detection after derivatization. The results showed that P. deltoides responded to elevated concentrations of heavy metals in soils by exhibiting metal- and organ-specific tolerance. Knowledge about tolerance mechanisms is of great importance for the development of phytoremediation technology and afforestation programs for polluted soils.
Increased Invasion Risk of Tagetes minuta L. in China under Climate Change: A Study of the Potential Geographical Distributions
Authors: Qi Yuhan , Xian Xiaoqing , Zhao Haoxiang , Wang Rui , Huang Hongkun , Zhang Yanping , Yang Ming , Liu Wanxue
Published: November 2022

Tagetes minuta L., a member of the Tageftes genus belonging to the Asteraceae family, is a well-documented exotic plant native to South America that has become established in China. In this study, 784 occurrence records and 12 environmental variables were used to predict the potential geographical distributions (PGDs) of T. minuta under current and future climatic changes using an optimized MaxEnt model. The results showed that (1) three out of the twelve variables contributed the most to the model performance: isothermality (bio3), precipitation in the driest quarter (bio17), and precipitation in the warmest quarter (bio18); (2) the PGDs of T. minuta under the current climate covered 62.06 × 104 km2, mainly in North, South, and Southwest China; and (3) climate changes will facilitate the expansion of the PGDs of T. minuta under three shared socioeconomic pathways (SSP 1-2.6, SSP2-4.5, and SSP5-8.5) in both the 2030s and 2050s. The centroid of suitable habitats under SSP2-4.5 moved the longest distance. T. minuta has the capacity to expand in China, especially in Yunnan, where there exist no occurrence records. Customs, ports, and adjacent regions should strengthen the quarantine of imported goods and mobile personnel for T. minuta, and introduced seedlings should be isolated to minimize their introduction risk.
Irrigation and Crop Load Management Lessen Rain-Induced Cherry Cracking
Authors: Blanco Victor , Blaya-Ros Pedro J. , Torres-Sánchez Roque , Domingo Rafael
Published: November 2022

The combined effects of deficit irrigation and crop load level on sweet cherry (Prunus avium L.) physiological and agronomic response were evaluated during the 2019 season in a commercial orchard located in southeastern Spain. Two irrigation treatments were imposed: (i) control treatment (CTL) irrigated above crop water requirements at 110% of crop evapotranspiration (ETC) and (ii) a deficit irrigation treatment (DI) irrigated at 70% ETC. Within each irrigation treatment, crop load was adjusted to three levels: 100% (natural crop load—high), 66% (medium crop load), and 33% (low crop load). The water relations results were more affected by the irrigation strategies applied than by the crop load management. The deficit irrigation strategy applied reduced soil water availability for DI trees, which led to a continuous decrease in their gas exchange and stem water potential. At harvest, the fruit water potential and osmotic potential of cherries from the DI treatment resulted in significantly lower values than those measured in cherries from CTL trees. On the other hand, both the irrigation strategies imposed and the crop load management used impacted fruit quality. Trees with the lowest level of crop load had fruits of greater size, regardless of the irrigation treatment assayed, and in the DI treatment, cherries from the trees with the lowest crop load were darker and more acidic than those from the trees with the highest crop load. Our results emphasize the different effects that rainfall before harvest has on mature cherries. Thus, cracked cherries at harvest represented 27.1% of the total yield of CTL trees while they were 8.3% of the total yield in DI trees. Cherries from CTL trees also showed a greater cracking index than those from DI trees. Moreover, a linear relationship between crop load and fruit cracked at harvest was observed, particularly for the CTL treatment; thus, the lower the crop load, the greater the proportion of cracked cherries.
Grapevine Leafroll-Associated Virus 3 Replication in Grapevine Hosts Changes through the Dormancy Stage
Authors: Čarija Mate , Černi Silvija , Stupin-Polančec Darija , Radić Tomislav , Gaši Emanuel , Hančević Katarina
Published: November 2022

Grapevine leafroll-associated virus 3 (GLRaV-3) is a graft-transmissible virus present in every viticultural region of the world and poses a large threat to grapevine production. Frequent coinfections with other viruses, the large number of grapevine varieties, the complexity of processes involved in plant response to virus infection, and the lack of studies on GLRaV-3 replication limit our knowledge of GLRaV-3 damaging effects and their background. In this study, five different inocula, one containing GLRaV-3 and others containing GLRaV-3 in combination with different grapevine viruses were green grafted to 52 different grapevine plants of four varieties to analyze the influence of the phenological stage and virus composition on GLRaV-3 replication. Relative concentration analysis by quantitative PCR conducted over a 16-month period revealed that other viruses as well as plant stage had a significant effect on GLRaV-3 replication and symptoms expression. The replication was most pronounced in the deep dormancy stage at the beginning of the infection, and the least at the exit of the dormancy stage. This study brings new insight into GLRaV-3 replication and discusses about viral interactions in one of the most economically important perennial plants, the grapevine.
The Physiological Responses of Wheat and Maize Seedlings Grown under Water Deficit Are Modulated by Pre-Application of Auxin-Type Plant Growth Regulators
Authors: Todorova Dessislava , Katerova Zornitsa , Shopova Elena , Brankova Liliana , Sergiev Iskren , Jankauskienė Jurga , Jurkonienė Sigita
Published: November 2022

The physiological responses of wheat and maize seedlings to exogenous auxin-type compounds 1-[2-chloroethoxycarbonyl-methyl]-4-naphthalenesulfonic acid calcium salt (TA-12) and 1-[2-dimethylaminoethoxicarbonylmethyl]naphthalene chlormethylate (TA-14) application prior to polyethyleneglycol-6000 (PEG) treatment were studied. PEG treatment inhibited seedlings growth and caused alterations in their antioxidant defence which was crop-specific. PEG increased the non-enzymatic antioxidants along with inhibition of enzymatic antioxidant activity in wheat, while in maize the opposite effects were found. The TA-12 and TA-14 applied alone increased most of the growth parameters measured in both crops, as well as the catalase activity and protein content of wheat. The growth of PEG-treated wheat and maize plants was improved by foliar spray with TA-compounds (TAs). Application of TAs before PEG treatment maintained low-molecular weight thiol-containing compounds and protein contents, and catalase and peroxidase activities close to the control levels. This was better expressed in maize than in wheat seedlings. The results showed that the preliminary application of TA-12 and TA-14 can reduce the adverse effects of moderate water deficit by crop-specific adjustment of the antioxidant defence to counteract stress.
Whole-Genome Sequence, Assembly and Annotation of an Invasive Plant, Lonicera maackii (Amur Honeysuckle)
Authors: Kesel Erin , Hudson André O. , Osier Michael V.
Published: November 2022

The invasive species Lonicera maackii (Amur Honeysuckle) is an increasing problem sweeping from the eastern United States toward the west, impacting normal forest development and animal survival across multiple taxa. Little is known about the genomics of this species, although a related invasive, Lonicera japonica, has been sequenced. Understanding the genomic foundation of the Lonicera maackii species could help us understand the biochemistry and life history that are the underpinnings of invasive success, as well as potential vulnerabilities and strengths which could guide research and development to control its spread. Here we present a draft, but high-quality, short-read whole-genome sequence, assembly, and annotation of Lonicera maackii, demonstrating that inexpensive and rapid short-read technologies can be successfully used in invasive species research. Despite being a short-read assembly, the genome length (7.93 × 108) and completeness (estimated as 90.2–92.1% by BUSCO and Merqury) are close to the previously published chromosome-level sequencing of L. japonica. No bias, by means of a Gene Ontology analysis, was identified among missing BUSCOs. A duplication of the 5-enolpyruvylshikimate-3-phosphate (EPSP) synthase gene in both Lonicera species is identified, and the potential impact on controlling these invasive species is discussed. Future prospects for a diversity analysis of invasive species is also discussed.
Effects of Wood-Derived Biochar on Germination, Physiology, and Growth of European Beech (Fagus sylvatica L.) and Turkey Oak (Quercus cerris L.)
Authors: Vannini Andrea , Carbognani Michele , Chiari Giorgio , Forte T’ai G. W. , Lumiero Fabio , Malcevschi Alessio , Rodolfi Margherita , Ganino Tommaso , Petraglia Alessandro
Published: November 2022

Biochar (BC) soil amendments could partially counteract soil carbon (C) stock decrease in broad-leaved forests in Italy; however, its effects on the growth of representative tree species—Fagus sylvatica L. and Quercus cerris L.—has not yet been addressed. We examine whether seed germination and growth of these species are affected by addition of BC obtained from deciduous broadleaf trees. Seeds were left to germinate in greenhouse conditions under three different BC amendments: 0% (control), 10% and 20% (v/v). Seedlings were then subjected to controlled conditions under the same BC percentage. Biochar effects on seed germination were assessed measuring germination time and percentage, while effects on photosynthesis were assessed using leaf chlorophyll content (mg/m2) and photosynthetic efficiency (FV/FM). Plant growth was estimated by recording leaf number, longest leaf length and plant height. Biochar treatments had no negative effects on germination and early growth stage of the two species. Positive effects were found on the chlorophyll content of both species (ca. +8%) regardless of the treatment and on the leaf number (+30%), leaf length (+14%) and plant height (+48%) of Q. cerris (only with 10% BC). Biochar applications seem, therefore, a suitable method for increasing broad-leaved forest C stock in Italy.
Phylogenetic and Phylodynamic Analyses of Soybean Mosaic Virus Using 305 Coat Protein Gene Sequences
Authors: Choi Hoseong , Jo Yeonhwa , Chung Hyunjung , Choi Soo Yeon , Kim Sang-Min , Hong Jin-Sung , Lee Bong Choon , Cho Won Kyong
Published: November 2022

Soybean mosaic virus (SMV) of the family Potyviridae is the most devastating virus that infects soybean plants. In this study, we obtained 83 SMV coat protein (CP) sequences from seven provinces in Korea using RT-PCR and Sanger sequencing. Phylogenetic and haplotype analyses revealed eight groups of 83 SMV isolates and a network of 50 SMV haplotypes in Korea. The phylogenetic tree using 305 SMV CP sequences available worldwide revealed 12 clades that were further divided into two groups according to the plant hosts. Recombination rarely occurred in the CP sequences, while negative selection was dominant in the SMV CP sequences. Genetic diversity analyses revealed that plant species had a greater impact on the genetic diversity of SMV CP sequences than geographical origin or location. SMV isolates identified from Pinellia species in China showed the highest genetic diversity. Phylodynamic analysis showed that the SMV isolates between the two Pinellia species diverged in the year 1248. Since the divergence of the first SMV isolate from Glycine max in 1486, major clades for SMV isolates infecting Glycine species seem to have diverged from 1791 to 1886. Taken together, we provide a comprehensive overview of the genetic diversity and divergence of SMV CP sequences.
Prediction of Buckwheat Maturity in UAV-RGB Images Based on Recursive Feature Elimination Cross-Validation: A Case Study in Jinzhong, Northern China
Authors: Wu Jinlong , Zheng Decong , Wu Zhiming , Song Haiyan , Zhang Xiaoxiang
Published: November 2022

Buckwheat is an important minor grain crop with medicinal and edible functions. The accurate judgment of buckwheat maturity is beneficial to reduce harvest losses and improve yield. With the rapid development of unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) technology, it has been widely used to predict the maturity of agricultural products. This paper proposed a method using recursive feature elimination cross-validation (RFECV) combined with multiple regression models to predict the maturity of buckwheat in UAV-RGB images. The images were captured in the buckwheat experimental field of Shanxi Agricultural University in Jinzhong, Northern China, from September to October in 2021. The variety was sweet buckwheat of “Jinqiao No. 1”. In order to deeply mine the feature vectors that highly correlated with the prediction of buckwheat maturity, 22 dimensional features with 5 vegetation indexes, 9 color features, and 8 texture features of buckwheat were selected initially. The RFECV method was adopted to obtain the optimal feature vector dimensions and combinations with six regression models of decision tree regression, linear regression, random forest regression, AdaBoost regression, gradient lifting regression, and extreme random tree regression. The coefficient of determination (R2) and root mean square error (RMSE) were used to analyze the different combinations of the six regression models with different feature spaces. The experimental results show that the single vegetation index performed poorly in the prediction of buckwheat maturity; the prediction result of feature space “5” combined with the gradient lifting regression model performed the best; and the R2 and RMSE were 0.981 and 1.70 respectively. The research results can provide an important theoretical basis for the prediction of the regional maturity of crops.
Germination Response of Datura stramonium L. to Different pH and Salinity Levels under Different Temperature Conditions
Authors: Nikolić Nebojša , Šoštarčić Valentina , Pismarović Laura , Šćepanović Maja , Masin Roberta
Published: November 2022

Weeds can be one of the most severe threats to crop production, especially when they are widespread and highly adaptable. Part of the adaptive strategy of plants is the ability to germinate in different conditions. Germination is the first developmental phase of plant life and is fundamental for its establishment. In this work, the germination of two populations of Datura stramonium L. at two different sites in Croatia (one cropped, the other non-agricultural) was tested under a wide range of salinity stress, 4, 8, 12, and 16 dS/m, and pH stress, values 1–9, at two temperature ranges of 15–25 °C and 18–30 °C. The results show that this species can tolerate high salinity, with a high number of seeds germinating, even under the highest level of saline stress and especially at higher temperatures: 21.7% of seeds germinated at 15–25 °C and 51.2% at 18–30 °C. D. stramonium also appears to be quite acid tolerant, with a significant reduction in germination only at pH 2, and no germination only at pH 1. Germination was always higher at higher temperatures, independently of abiotic stress. Although there were some differences between the two populations in the final germination percentages, they were similar in their responses to the abiotic stresses.
Phytochemical Profile and Selective Cytotoxic Activity of a Solanum bulbocastanum Dun. Methanolic Extract on Breast Cancer Cells
Authors: Paraschiv Mihnea , Csiki Magda , Diaconeasa Zorita , Socaci Sonia , Balacescu Ovidiu , Rakosy-Tican Elena , Cruceriu Daniel
Published: November 2022

Solanum bulbocastanum is a wild potato species, intensively used in potato breeding programs due to its resistance to environmental factors. Thus, its biochemical profile and putative human health-related traits might be transferred into potato cultivars aimed for consumption. This study aims to assess the phytochemical profile and the selective cytotoxicity of an S. bulbocastanum extract against breast cancer cells. Dry leaves were subjected to ultrasonication-assisted extraction in methanol [70%]. The phenolic and glycoalkaloid profiles were determined by HPLC-PDA/-ESI+-MS. The volatile profile was investigated by nontargeted ITEX/GC-MS. The extract was tested against three breast cancer cell lines (MCF7, MDA-MB-231, HS578T) and a healthy cell line (HUVEC) by the MTT assay, to assess its selective cytotoxicity. The phenolic profile of the extract revealed high levels of phenolic acids (5959.615 µg/mL extract), and the presence of flavanols (818.919 µg/mL extract). The diversity of the volatile compounds was rather low (nine compounds), whereas no glycoalkaloids were identified, only two alkaloid precursors (813.524 µg/mL extract). The extract proved to be cytotoxic towards all breast cancer cell lines (IC50 values between 139.1 and 356,1 µg/mL), with selectivity coefficients between 1.96 and 4.96 when compared with its toxicity on HUVECs. Based on these results we conclude that the exerted cytotoxic activity of the extract is due to its high polyphenolic content, whereas the lack of Solanaceae-specific glycoalkaloids might be responsible for its high selectivity against breast cancer cells in comparison with other extract obtained from wild Solanum species. However, further research is needed in order to assess the cytotoxicity of the individual compounds found in the extract, as well as the anti-tumor potential of the S. bulbocastanum tubers.
Cytotoxicity of Extracts from Petiveria alliacea Leaves on Yeast
Authors: Cal Bruna B. F. , Araújo Luana B. N. , Nunes Brenno M. , da Silva Claudia R. , Oliveira Marcia B. N. , Soares Bianka O. , Leitão Alvaro A. C. , de Pádula Marcelo , Nascimento Debora , Chaves Douglas S. A. , Gagliardi Rachel F. , Dantas Flavio J. S.
Published: November 2022

Petiveria alliacea L. is a plant used in traditional medicine harboring pharmacological properties with anti-inflammatory, antinociceptive, hypoglycemiant and anesthetic activities. This study assessed the potential cytotoxic, genotoxic and mutagenic effects of ethanolic extract of P. alliacea on Saccharomyces cerevisiae strains. S. cerevisiae FF18733 (wild type) and CD138 (ogg1) strains were exposed to fractioned ethanolic extracts of P. alliacea in different concentrations. Three experimental assays were performed: cellular inactivation, mutagenesis (canavanine resistance system) and loss of mitochondrial function (petites colonies). The chemical analyses revealed a rich extract with phenolic compounds such as protocatechuic acid, cinnamic and catechin epicatechin. A decreased cell viability in wild-type and ogg1 strains was demonstrated. All fractions of the extract exerted a mutagenic effect on the ogg1 strain. Only ethyl acetate and n-butanol fractions increased the rate of petites colonies in the ogg1 strain, but not in the wild-type strain. The results indicate that fractions of mid-polarity of the ethanolic extract, at the studied concentrations, can induce mutagenicity mediated by oxidative lesions in the mitochondrial and genomic genomes of the ogg1-deficient S. cerevisiae strain. These findings indicate that the lesions caused by the fractions of P. alliacea ethanolic extract can be mediated by reactive oxygen species and can reach multiple molecular targets to exert their toxicity.
Panax notoginseng Suppresses Bone Morphogenetic Protein-2 Expression in EA.hy926 Endothelial Cells by Inhibiting the Noncanonical NF-κB and Wnt/β-Catenin Signaling Pathways
Authors: Ping Tsu-Ni , Hsieh Shu-Ling , Wang Jyh-Jye , Chen Jin-Bor , Wu Chih-Chung
Published: November 2022

Panax notoginseng (PN) exerts cardiovascular-disease-protective effects, but the effect of PN on reducing vascular calcification (VC) is unknown. Under the VC process, however, endothelial bone morphogenetic protein-2 (BMP-2) signals connect endothelial and smooth muscle cells. To investigate the effects of PN water extract (PNWE) on BMP-2 expression, human EA.hy926 endothelial cells were pretreated with PNWE for 48 h, and BMP-2 expression was then induced using warfarin/β-glycerophosphate (W/BGP) for another 24 h. The expression of BMP-2, the degrees of oxidative stress and inflammation, and the activation of noncanonical NF-κB and Wnt/β-catenin signaling were analyzed. The results showed that the BMP-2 levels in EA.hy926 cells were reduced in the groups treated with 10, 50, or 100 μg/mL PNWE combined with W/BGP. PNWE combined with W/BGP significantly reduced thiobarbituric-acid-reactive substrate and reactive oxygen species levels as well as prostaglandin E2, IL-1β, IL-6, and TNF-α. PNWE (10, 50, and 100 μg/mL) reduced the p52 levels and p52/p100 protein ratio. Wnt and β-catenin protein expression was decreased in the groups treated with PNWE combined with W/BGP. These results showed that PNWE reduced BMP-2 expression in EA.hy926 cells by inhibiting the noncanonical NF-κB and Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathways.
Infrared Thermal Imaging and Morpho-Physiological Indices Used for Wheat Genotypes Screening under Drought and Heat Stress
Authors: Ashfaq Waseem , Brodie Graham , Fuentes Sigfredo , Gupta Dorin
Published: November 2022

Bread wheat, one of the largest broadacre crops, often experiences various environmental stresses during critical growth stages. Terminal drought and heat stress are the primary causes of wheat yield reduction worldwide. This study aimed to determine the drought and heat stress tolerance level of a group of 46 diverse wheat genotypes procured from the Australian Grains Gene Bank, Horsham, VIC Australia. Two separate drought stress (DS) and heat stress (HS) pot experiments were conducted in separate growth chambers. Ten days after complete anthesis, drought (40 ± 3% field capacity for 14 days) and heat stress (36/22 °C for three consecutive days) were induced. A significant genotype × environment interaction was observed and explained by various morpho-physiological traits, including rapid, non-destructive infrared thermal imaging for computational water stress indices. Except for a spike length in DS and harvest index in HS, the analysis of variance showed significant differences for all the recorded traits. Results showed grains per spike, grains weight per spike, spike fertility, delayed flag leaf senescence, and cooler canopy temperature were positively associated with grain yield under DS and HS. The flag leaf senescence and chlorophyll fluorescence were used to measure each genotype’s stay-green phenotype and photosystem II activity after DS and HS. This study identified the top ten best and five lowest-performing genotypes from drought and heat stress experiments based on their overall performance. Results suggest that if heat or drought adaptive traits are brought together in a single genotype, grain yield can be improved further, particularly in a rainfed cropping environment.
Edible Flowers Used in Some Countries of the Mediterranean Basin: An Ethnobotanical Overview
Authors: Motti Riccardo , Paura Bruno , Cozzolino Alessia , Falco Bruna de
Published: November 2022

Edible flowers are becoming an essential component of people’s nutrition in the Mediterranean basin. In the last decades, many researchers also have focused their attention on the nutritional composition of the edible flowers, as well as their antioxidant and antimicrobial properties, including studies on their safety issues. Despite the growing interest in the use of flowers in human nutrition, the ethnobotanical literature is lacking coverage of some important issues, particularly those which concern the use of flowers in the folk tradition. Only recently, a review regarding the contribution of 32 edible flowers to the Mediterranean diet was published. The aim of the present review is to document the plant lore regarding the wild and cultivated edible flowers consumed in the Mediterranean basin. Based on the 112 studies reviewed, we documented 251 taxa as being used in the Mediterranean basin as edible flowers. The plant species belong to 45 families and 141 genera. Asteraceae (54 taxa) is the most frequently cited family. Sambucus nigra L. is the most cited species. This study can be the basis for future research on the supposed bioactivity and toxicity of wild and cultivated flowers.
Evidence from Phylogenomics and Morphology Provide Insights into the Phylogeny, Plastome Evolution, and Taxonomy of Kitagawia
Authors: Lei Jia-Qing , Liu Chang-Kun , Cai Jing , Price Megan , Zhou Song-Dong , He Xing-Jin
Published: November 2022

Kitagawia Pimenov is one of the segregate genera of Peucedanum sensu lato within the Apiaceae. The phylogenetic position and morphological delimitation of Kitagawia have been controversial. In this study, we used plastid genome (plastome) and nuclear ribosomal DNA (nrDNA) sequences to reconstruct the phylogeny of Kitagawia, along with comparative plastome and morphological analyses between Kitagawia and related taxa. The phylogenetic results identified that all examined Kitagawia species were divided into Subclade I and Subclade II within the tribe Selineae, and they were all distant from the representative members of Peucedanum sensu stricto. The plastomes of Kitagawia and related taxa showed visible differences in the LSC/IRa junction (JLA) and several hypervariable regions, which separated Subclade I and Subclade II from other taxa. Fruit anatomical and micromorphological characteristics, as well as general morphological characteristics, distinguished the four Kitagawia species within Subclade I from Subclade II and other related genera. This study supported the separation of Kitagawia from Peucedanum sensu lato, confirmed that Kitagawia belongs to Selineae, and two species (K. praeruptora and K. formosana) within Subclade II should be placed in a new genus. We believe that the “core” Kitagawia should be limited to Subclade I, and this genus can be distinguished by the association of a series of morphological characteristics. Overall, our study provides new insights into the phylogeny, plastome evolution, and taxonomy of Kitagawia.
Reinforcement Learning Control with Deep Deterministic Policy Gradient Algorithm for Multivariable pH Process
Authors: Panjapornpon Chanin , Chinchalongporn Patcharapol , Bardeeniz Santi , Makkayatorn Ratthanita , Wongpunnawat Witchaya
Published: November 2022

The pH treatment unit is widely used in various processes, such as wastewater treatment, pharmaceutical manufacturing, and fermentation. It is essential to get the on-specifications product. Thus, controlling pH is key management for accomplishing the manufacturing objective. However, the highly nonlinear pH characteristics of acid–base titration make pH regulation difficult. Applications of artificial intelligence for process control have progressed and gained popularity recently. The development of reinforcement learning (RL) control with a deep deterministic policy gradient (DDPG) algorithm to handle coupled pH and liquid level control in a continuous stirred tank reactor with a strong acid–base reaction is presented in this study. To validate the RL model, the reward functions are created individually for the level and pH controls. The grid search technique is deployed to optimize the hyperparameters of the RL controller models, including the number of nodes in the hidden layers and the number of episodes. The control performance of the proposed RL control system was compared with that of the proportional-integral controller in a servo-regulatory test. The simulation results show that the proposed RL controllers outperform the proportional-integral controllers in approaching setpoints faster, with better performance and less oscillation.
Research and Practice of Risk Early Warning Technology for Lost Circulation with Drilling under the Conditions of Geological Engineering Information Fusion: The Example of the Yuanba Area
Authors: Liu Zhikun , Luo Rongtao , Yang Zhe , Wang Linjie , Wang Liupeng
Published: November 2022

In the Yuanba area, many lost circulation accidents occur due to the complex geological structure, broken strata, and developed fractures, which seriously affect construction safety and drilling costs. Therefore, the Yuanba district is the focus of this paper. Firstly, a three-dimensional geomechanical model is established through multi-source information fusion to identify the main geological risk factors of lost circulation, according to the data on drilling and well logging in the operation area. Then a risk warning model and evaluation methods for loss circulation, based on geological engineering data fusion, are established, through which the characteristic parameters of various loss of circulation risks can be calculated in real time, parameters along the well trajectory can be extracted and compared, and thus, the risk of lost circulation is warned and analyzed in real time. The early warning of lost circulation risk can be achieved during drilling operations, which can improve the drilling efficiency and shorten the drilling cycle as a result.
Two-Dimensional Age Replacement Decision for Structural Dependence Parallel Systems via Intelligent Optimization Algorithm
Authors: Dong Enzhi , Cheng Zhonghua , Wang Rongcai , Yue Shuai
Published: November 2022

From large-scale aerospace systems to household appliances and other systems in daily life, the application of parallel systems is involved. A parallel system is a typical structural dependence multi-component system, in addition to a series system and hybrid system. This paper takes a parallel system as the research object and minimizes the expected cost rate or maximizes the availability by determining the optimal two-dimensional age replacement interval. The structural dependence of the components is described by the copula function, and the system life model is established. Based on the system life model, the two-dimensional age replacement expected cost rate model and availability model are proposed. In case analysis, the simulated annealing algorithm (SAA), genetic algorithm (GA) and particle swarm optimization (PSO) algorithm are used to find the optimal warranty scheme for the engine fuel fine filter. SAA can converge faster and find a warranty scheme that makes the warranty cost rate lower or the availability higher. Compared with one-dimensional age replacement, two-dimensional age replacement strategy has more advantages in saving warranty costs and improving system availability. Finally, rationalization suggestions are put forward for managers to make maintenance decisions through comparative analysis and sensitivity analysis.
Sustainable Business Models—Crisis and Rebound Based on Hungarian Research Experience
Authors: Csutora Maria , Harangozo Gabor , Szigeti Cecilia
Published: November 2022

Sustainable business models can help us move beyond the current consumer society and integrate sustainability into our lifestyles. The COVID-19 crisis was a strong test of sustainability for these models. In our study, we assessed which business models are highly dependent on the economic cycle and are highly embedded in consumer society. We conducted our research at the height of the second wave of the pandemic and asked university students about changes in their consumption patterns and their expectations for the future. We carried out cluster analysis on our sample of 622 respondents. We were interested in the extent to which participation in certain business models could be associated with the rebound effect that could be predicted after the epidemic. The stronger this effect, the more embedded a sustainable business model is in consumer society and the less able it is to reduce its environmental impacts in the long term. We found that resource efficiency, the sharing economy, and digitalization fall into this category. Participation in sufficiency and stewardship-based business models predicted much less rebound impact. These models showed more clearly the sustainability characteristics of sustainable business models.
Compliant and Flexible Robotic System with Parallel Continuum Mechanism for Transoral Surgery: A Pilot Cadaveric Study
Authors: Li Changsheng , Gu Xiaoyi , Xiao Xiao , Lim Chwee Ming , Ren Hongliang
Published: November 2022

As one of the minimally invasive surgeries (MIS), transoral robotic surgery (TORS) contributes to excellent oncological and functional outcomes. This paper introduces a compliant and flexible robotic system for transoral surgery, consisting of an execution part with flexible parallel mechanisms and a positioning part with a continuum structure. A pilot cadaveric study that mimics the procedure of the TORS using an intact cadaveric human head was conducted to evaluate the feasibility and efficiency of this robotic system. Both the initial setup time and the time cost by the robot to safely access the deep surgical area in the upper aerodigestive tract are shortened due to the enlarged workspace, compact structure, and increased flexibility. The proposed surgical robotic system is preliminarily demonstrated to be feasible for TORS, especially for the in-depth surgical sites in the upper aerodigestive tract.
Efficient MIMO Configuration for Bi-Directional Vertical FSO Link with Multiple Beam Induced Pointing Error
Authors: Kim Sung-Jin , Han Sang-Kook
Published: November 2022

We proposed the statistical misalignment model and the power-efficient configuration of transceivers for bi-directional multi-input and multi-output (MIMO) based vertical free space optical (FSO) links. Spatial diversity based MIMO FSO systems could be used to mitigate atmospheric fading issues. However, the increased number of channels can cause additional pointing error in pointing, acquisition and tracking (PAT) systems. The statistical misalignment model for detecting misalignment error is derived from the multiple transceivers. For the bi-directional characteristics of non-terrestrial back-haul networks, transmission performance is down-leveled to the worse in the asymmetric MIMO configuration of transceivers. The symmetric structure can mitigate the effect of increased pointing error to improve transmission performance. The proposed technique can be applied to the design of power-efficient FSO systems for non-terrestrial wireless back-haul networks.
Simple Design of Broadband Polarizers Using Transmissive Metasurfaces for Dual Band Ku/Ka Band Applications
Authors: Fahad Ayesha Kosar , Nazir Rabia , Ruan Cunjun
Published: November 2022

Major challenges affecting polarizers for communication systems include the inability to perform over a wide bandwidth with a simple design. Orthogonal outgoing polarization for polarization-diverse applications and stable performances for oblique incidence angles are also major requirements. This paper presents the design of a polarizer that can perform over a wide range of bandwidths in dual frequency bands. The unit cell is uniquely designed using a split circular ring resonator enclosed in a square ring with the addition of three-square patches. As a result, the incoming linearly polarized x(y) wave is converted into a transmitted LHCP (RHCP) wave in the Ku and Ka bands. The operational bandwidths are 11.05~16.75 GHz (41%) and 34.16~43.03 GHz (23%). The proposed polarizer is ultrathin, works in dual wide-bands, is polarization-diverse, and maintains performance over ±45° and ±30° oblique incidences, which makes it a strong candidate for many communication systems.
Design and Analysis of Area and Energy Efficient Reconfigurable Cryptographic Accelerator for Securing IoT Devices
Authors: Zhang Xvpeng , Liu Bingqiang , Zhao Yaqi , Hu Xiaoyu , Shen Zixuan , Zheng Zhaoxia , Liu Zhenglin , Chong Kwen-Siong , Yu Guoyi , Wang Chao , Zou Xuecheng
Published: November 2022

Achieving low-cost and high-performance network security communication is necessary for Internet of Things (IoT) devices, including intelligent sensors and mobile robots. Designing hardware accelerators to accelerate multiple computationally intensive cryptographic primitives in various network security protocols is challenging. Different from existing unified reconfigurable cryptographic accelerators with relatively low efficiency and high latency, this paper presents design and analysis of a reconfigurable cryptographic accelerator consisting of a reconfigurable cipher unit and a reconfigurable hash unit to support widely used cryptographic algorithms for IoT Devices, which require block ciphers and hash functions simultaneously. Based on a detailed and comprehensive algorithmic analysis of both the block ciphers and hash functions in terms of basic algorithm structures and common cryptographic operators, the proposed reconfigurable cryptographic accelerator is designed by reusing key register files and operators to build unified data paths. Both the reconfigurable cipher unit and the reconfigurable hash unit contain a unified data path to implement Data Encryption Standard (DES)/Advanced Encryption Standard (AES)/ShangMi 4 (SM4) and Secure Hash Algorithm-1 (SHA-1)/SHA-256/SM3 algorithms, respectively. A reconfigurable S-Box for AES and SM4 is designed based on the composite field Galois field (GF) GF(((22)2)2), which significantly reduces hardware overhead and power consumption compared with the conventional implementation by look-up tables. The experimental results based on 65-nm application-specific integrated circuit (ASIC) implementation show that the achieved energy efficiency and area efficiency of the proposed design is 441 Gbps/W and 37.55 Gbps/mm2, respectively, which is suitable for IoT devices with limited battery and form factor. The result of delay analysis also shows that the number of delay cycles of our design can be reduced by 83% compared with the state-of-the-art design, which shows that the proposed design is more suitable for applications including 5G/Wi-Fi/ZigBee/Ethernet network standards to accelerate block ciphers and hash functions simultaneously.
Efficient Approach for Extracting High-Level B-Spline Features from LIDAR Data for Light-Weight Mapping
Authors: Usman Muhammad , Ali Ahmad , Tahir Abdullah , Rahman Muhammad Zia Ur , Khan Abdul Manan
Published: November 2022

Light-weight and accurate mapping is made possible by high-level feature extraction from sensor readings. In this paper, the high-level B-spline features from a 2D LIDAR are extracted with a faster method as a solution to the mapping problem, making it possible for the robot to interact with its environment while navigating. The computation time of feature extraction is very crucial when mobile robots perform real-time tasks. In addition to the existing assessment measures of B-spline feature extraction methods, the paper also includes a new benchmark time metric for evaluating how well the extracted features perform. For point-to-point association, the most reliable vertex control points of the spline features generated from the hints of low-level point feature FALKO were chosen. The standard three indoor and one outdoor data sets were used for the experiment. The experimental results based on benchmark performance metrics, specifically computation time, show that the presented approach achieves better results than the state-of-the-art methods for extracting B-spline features. The classification of the methods implemented in the B-spline features detection and the algorithms are also presented in the paper.
An Intelligent Machinery Fault Diagnosis Method Based on GAN and Transfer Learning under Variable Working Conditions
Authors: He Wangpeng , Chen Jing , Zhou Yue , Liu Xuan , Chen Binqiang , Guo Baolong
Published: November 2022

Intelligent fault diagnosis is of great significance to guarantee the safe operation of mechanical equipment. However, the widely used diagnosis models rely on sufficient independent and homogeneously distributed monitoring data to train the model. In practice, the available data of mechanical equipment faults are insufficient and the data distribution varies greatly under different working conditions, which leads to the low accuracy of the trained diagnostic model and restricts it, making it difficult to apply to other working conditions. To address these problems, a novel fault diagnosis method combining a generative adversarial network and transfer learning is proposed in this paper. Dummy samples with similar fault characteristics to the actual engineering monitoring data are generated by the generative adversarial network to expand the dataset. The transfer fault characteristics of monitoring data under different working conditions are extracted by a deep residual network. Domain-adapted regular term constraints are formulated to the training process of the deep residual network to form a deep transfer fault diagnosis model. The bearing fault data are used as the original dataset to validate the effectiveness of the proposed method. The experimental results show that the proposed method can reduce the influence of insufficient original monitoring data and enable the migration of fault diagnosis knowledge under different working conditions.
Machine Learning Models for Weight-Bearing Activity Type Recognition Based on Accelerometry in Postmenopausal Women
Authors: Huggins Cameron J. , Clarke Rebecca , Abasolo Daniel , Gil-Rey Erreka , Tobias Jonathan H. , Deere Kevin , Allison Sarah J.
Published: November 2022

Hip-worn triaxial accelerometers are widely used to assess physical activity in terms of energy expenditure. Methods for classification in terms of different types of activity of relevance to the skeleton in populations at risk of osteoporosis are not currently available. This publication aims to assess the accuracy of four machine learning models on binary (standing and walking) and tertiary (standing, walking, and jogging) classification tasks in postmenopausal women. Eighty women performed a shuttle test on an indoor track, of which thirty performed the same test on an indoor treadmill. The raw accelerometer data were pre-processed, converted into eighteen different features and then combined into nine unique feature sets. The four machine learning models were evaluated using three different validation methods. Using the leave-one-out validation method, the highest average accuracy for the binary classification model, 99.61%, was produced by a k-NN Manhattan classifier using a basic statistical feature set. For the tertiary classification model, the highest average accuracy, 94.04%, was produced by a k-NN Manhattan classifier using a feature set that included all 18 features. The methods and classifiers within this study can be applied to accelerometer data to more accurately characterize weight-bearing activity which are important to skeletal health.
Review on the Research and Applications of TLS in Ground Surface and Constructions Deformation Monitoring
Authors: Teng Jinlong , Shi Yufeng , Wang Helong , Wu Jiayi
Published: November 2022

With the gradual maturity of the terrestrial laser scanners (TLS) technology, it is widely used in the field of deformation monitoring due to its fast, automated, and non-contact data acquisition capabilities. The TLS technology has changed the traditional deformation monitoring mode which relies on single-point monitoring. This paper analyzes the application of TLS in deformation monitoring, especially in the field of ground surface, dam, tunnel, and tall constructions. We divide the methods for obtaining ground surface deformation into two categories: the method based on point cloud distance and the method based on displacement field. The advantages and disadvantages of the four methods (M2M, C2C, C2M, M3C2) based on point cloud distance are analyzed and summarized. The deformation monitoring methods and precisions based on TLS for dams, tunnels, and tall constructions are summarized, as well as the various focuses of different monitoring objects. Additionally, their limitations and development directions in the corresponding fields are analyzed. The error sources of TLS point cloud data and error correction models are discussed. Finally, the limitations and future research directions of TLS in the field of deformation monitoring are presented in detail.