bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Insights into cognitive and behavioral comorbidities of SLC6A1-related epilepsy: five new cases and literature review
Authors: Trivisano Marina , Butera Ambra , Quintavalle Chiara , De Dominicis Angela , Calabrese Costanza , Cappelletti Simona , Vigevano Federico , Novelli Antonio , Specchio Nicola
Published: August 2023

Introduction

SLC6A1 pathogenic variants have been associated with epilepsy and neurodevelopmental disorders. The clinical phenotype includes different seizure types, intellectual disability, and psychiatric symptoms affecting mood and behavior. Few data regarding neuropsychological features have been described, and details on cognitive profiles are often missing due to the lack of standardized tests.

Methods

We retrospectively reviewed the neuropsychological assessments of five subjects carrying heterozygous missense genetic variants in SLC6A1. We also collected data on epileptic features, EEGs, and brain MRIs. Additionally, we reviewed neuropsychological data from 204 previously reported patients with SLC6A1 pathogenic variants.

Results

In our series, at the last evaluation (median 12.6 years), three patients had borderline intellectual functioning, one patient had mild cognitive impairment, and one patient presented with a moderate cognitive disability. Three out of five patients underwent at least two neuropsychological evaluations, which revealed a worsening of cognitive functions over time. We detected attention deficits in all patients. In addition, we observed anxiety, disruptive behavior disorder, emotional instability, and hetero aggressiveness. We also performed a literature review that highlighted that most of the patients with SLC6A1 pathogenic variants have mild-to-moderate intellectual disability and that one-third of cases have autistic traits.

Discussion

Based on the literature review and the detailed description of our cases, we conclude that patients with SLC6A1-related epilepsy mostly present with mild-to-moderate intellectual disability, often associated with attention disorders. Such symptoms may worsen over time. Periodic standardized neuropsychological tests may be useful tools to follow development over time, and patient-specific rehabilitation programs could be tailored consistently.
Impact of gender and mutational differences in hormone receptor expressing non-small cell lung cancer
Authors: Hsu Robert , Chen Denaly , Xia Bing , Feldman Rebecca , Cozen Wendy , Raez Luis E. , Borghaei Hossein , Kim Chul , Nagasaka Misako , Mamdani Hirva , Vanderwalde Ari M. , Lopes Gilberto , Socinski Mark A. , Wozniak Antoinette J. , Spira Alexander I. , Liu Stephen V. , Nieva Jorge J.
Published: August 2023

Background

The incidence of lung cancer in the US has been decreasing but a bigger decline has been observed in men despite similar declines in tobacco use between men and women. Multiple theories have been proposed, including exposure to exogenous estrogens. Our study seeks to understand the relationship between hormone receptors (HR), gender, and the genomic landscape of non-small lung cancer (NSCLC).

Methods

3,256 NSCLC tumor samples submitted for molecular profiling between 2013-2018 were retrospectively identified and assessed for HR expression. Hormone receptor (HR+) was defined as ≥ 1% nuclear staining of estrogen receptor-alpha (ER-a) or progesterone receptor (PR) by immunohistochemistry. DNA sequencing by NGS included cases sequenced by the Illumina MiSeq hot spot 47 gene panel (n=2753) and Illumina NextSeq 592 gene panel (n=503). An adjusted p-value (q-value) <0.05 was determined significant.

Results

HR+ was identified in 18.3% of NSCLC. HR+ occurred more commonly in women compared to men (19.6% vs 11.4%, p <0.0001, q <0.0001). EGFR mutations occurred more commonly in HR+ NSCLC than HR- NSCLC (20.2% vs. 14.6%, p = 0.002, q=0.007). Overall, men with EGFR mutations were affected by HR status with a higher prevalence in HR+ NSCLC while such differences were not seen in women. However, in women ages ≤45, there was a trend towards greater prevalence HR+ NSCLC (25.25% vs. 11.32%, q= 0.0942) and 10/25 (40.0%) of HR+ cases in young women were found to be EGFR mutated. KRAS mutations and ALK+ IHC expression occurred more in HR+ NSCLC whereas TP53 mutations occurred more in HR- NSCLC.

Conclusions

Women were more likely to have HR+ NSCLC than men and EGFR and KRAS mutations occurred more commonly in HR+ NSCLC. Additional studies with more strict inclusion criteria for HR+ are warranted to see if there is benefit to targeting HR in these subgroups.
Impact of HR-HPV infection on oncological outcomes in early cervical cancer
Authors: Su Xiaoqiang , Liu Pan , Zhao Hongwei , Sun Lixin , Wang Wuliang , Jin Shuanglin , Wang Hui , Liu Ping , Chen Chunlin , Hao Min
Published: August 2023

Background

This study aimed to investigate the differences in long-term oncological outcomes between high-risk human papillomavirus (HR-HPV) negative and HR-HPV positive early-stage cervical cancers.

Methods

We retrospectively analysed 2061 cases of early-stage cervical cancer from the Chinese cervical cancer clinical diagnosis and treatment database. Kaplan-Meier curves were used to describe the survival outcomes of different HR-HPV infections. Cox proportional hazard regression model was used to analyze and determine independent risk factors.

Results

K-M analysis revealed no significant difference in 5-year OS between HR-HPV negative and HR-HPV positive groups (OS: 95.0% vs.95.6%, P=0.900). A significant difference was observed in 5-year DFS between the HR-HPV negative and HR-HPV positive groups (DFS: 87.2% vs.91.9%, P=0.025). Cox proportional hazard regression model indicated that HR-HPV infection (negative vs. positive) was an independent factor influencing 5-year DFS after early cervical cancer surgery (DFS: hazard ratio [HR]=1.862, P=0.022). HR-HPV infection (negative vs positive) was not an independent factor influencing 5-year OS after early cervical cancer surgery (OS: P=0.813). After 1:1 PSM pairing, there was no significant difference in 5-year OS and DFS between HR-HPV negative group and HR-HPV positive group (OS: 91.6% vs.95.0%, P=0.297; DFS: 87.2% vs.85.1%, P=0.758). Cox multivariate analysis indicated that HR-HPV infection was not an independent factor influencing 5-year OS and DFS after early cervical cancer surgery (OS: P=0.806, DFS: P=0.251).

Conclusions

The tumour results of HR-HPV negative group and HR-HPV positive group were similar, after eliminating the differences in known variables that affect the oncological outcomes of cervical cancer. The treatment plan of HR-HPV positive cervical cancer is suitable for HR-HPV negative cervical cancer.
Analysis of ethics dumping and proposed solutions in the field of biomedical research in China
Authors: Liao Bohua , Ma Yonghui , Lei Ruipeng
Published: August 2023

As international academic exchanges and cooperation deepen, China has actively engaged in international biomedical research collaboration and achieved significant success. However, these accomplishments have been accompanied by ethical controversies and issues, with ethics dumping being a recurrently discussed focus among scholars. This paper reviews ethics dumping incidents in China’s biomedical research field and analyzes the underlying causes to answer why China is often susceptible to ethics dumping. We argue that the primary reasons include weak ethical awareness among some researchers, an oversimplified research evaluation system, gaps in relevant ethics governance and oversight mechanisms, and limited capabilities of certain ethics committees. To address these issues, we propose five ethics governance recommendations: establishing refined ethics committees at various levels and types; advancing theoretical and practical research on science and technology ethics governance; strengthening legislation and regulation related to emerging science and technology; emphasizing self-regulation and capacity building of research institutions; and providing special protection and healthcare for victims of ethics dumping. The aim is to enhance China’s research supervision system and prevent similar ethics dumping incidents from recurring.
Synthesis of an insulin-loaded mucoadhesive nanoparticle designed for intranasal administration: focus on new diffusion media
Authors: Jamshidnejad-Tosaramandani Tahereh , Kashanian Soheila , Karimi Isaac , Schiöth Helgi B.
Published: August 2023

Intranasal administration is a drug delivery approach to provide a non-invasive pharmacological response in the central nervous system with relatively small peripheral side effects. To improve the residence time of intranasal drug delivery systems in the nasal mucosa, mucoadhesive polymers (e.g., chitosan) can be used. Here, insulin-loaded chitosan nanoparticles were synthesized and their physiochemical properties were evaluated based on requirements of intranasal administration. The nanoparticles were spherical (a hydrodynamic diameter of 165.3 nm, polydispersity index of 0.24, and zeta potential of +21.6 mV) that granted mucoadhesion without any noticeable toxicity to the nasal tissue. We applied a new approach using the Krebs–Henseleit buffer solution along with simulated nasal fluid in a Franz’s diffusion cell to study this intranasal drug delivery system. We used the Krebs–Henseleit buffer because of its ability to supply glucose to the cells which serves as a novel ex vivo diffusion medium to maintain the viability of the tissue during the experiment. Based on diffusion rate and histopathological endpoints, the Krebs–Henseleit buffer solution can be a substituent solution to the commonly used simulated nasal fluid for such drug delivery systems.
Manipulation of magnetization and spin transport in hydrogenated graphene with THz pulses
Authors: Svaneborg Jakob Kjærulff , Bach Lorentzen Aleksander , Gao Fei , Jauho Antti-Pekka , Brandbyge Mads
Published: August 2023

Terahertz (THz) field pulses can now be applied in scanning tunneling microscopy (THz-STM) junction experiments to study time-resolved dynamics. The relatively slow pulse compared to the typical electronic time-scale calls for approximations based on a time-scale separation. Here, we contrast three methods based on non-equilibrium Green’s functions: i) the steady-state, adiabatic results, ii) the lowest-order dynamic expansion in the time variation, and iii) the auxiliary mode propagation method without approximations in the time variation. We consider a concrete THz-STM junction setup involving a hydrogen adsorbate on graphene where the localized spin polarization can be manipulated on/off by a local field from the tip electrode and/or a back-gate affecting the in-plane transport. We use steady-state non-equilibrium Green’s function theory combined with density functional theory to obtain a Hubbard model for the study of the junction dynamics. Solving the Hubbard model in a mean-field approximation, we find that the near-adiabatic first-order dynamic expansion in the time variation provides a good description for STM voltage pulses up to the 1 V range.
Genomic predictions to leverage phenotypic data across genebanks
Authors: El Hanafi Samira , Jiang Yong , Kehel Zakaria , Schulthess Albert W. , Zhao Yusheng , Mascher Martin , Haupt Max , Himmelbach Axel , Stein Nils , Amri Ahmed , Reif Jochen C.
Published: August 2023

Genome-wide prediction is a powerful tool in breeding. Initial results suggest that genome-wide approaches are also promising for enhancing the use of the genebank material: predicting the performance of plant genetic resources can unlock their hidden potential and fill the information gap in genebanks across the world and, hence, underpin prebreeding programs. As a proof of concept, we evaluated the power of across-genebank prediction for extensive germplasm collections relying on historical data on flowering/heading date, plant height, and thousand kernel weight of 9,344 barley (Hordeum vulgare L.) plant genetic resources from the German Federal Ex situ Genebank for Agricultural and Horticultural Crops (IPK) and of 1,089 accessions from the International Center for Agriculture Research in the Dry Areas (ICARDA) genebank. Based on prediction abilities for each trait, three scenarios for predictive characterization were compared: 1) a benchmark scenario, where test and training sets only contain ICARDA accessions, 2) across-genebank predictions using IPK as training and ICARDA as test set, and 3) integrated genebank predictions that include IPK with 30% of ICARDA accessions as a training set to predict the rest of ICARDA accessions. Within the population of ICARDA accessions, prediction abilities were low to moderate, which was presumably caused by a limited number of accessions used to train the model. Interestingly, ICARDA prediction abilities were boosted up to ninefold by using training sets composed of IPK plus 30% of ICARDA accessions. Pervasive genotype × environment interactions (GEIs) can become a potential obstacle to train robust genome-wide prediction models across genebanks. This suggests that the potential adverse effect of GEI on prediction ability was counterbalanced by the augmented training set with certain connectivity to the test set. Therefore, across-genebank predictions hold the promise to improve the curation of the world’s genebank collections and contribute significantly to the long-term development of traditional genebanks toward biodigital resource centers.
Nutrient management: as a panacea to improve the caryopsis quality and yield potential of durum wheat (Triticum turgidum L.) under the changing climatic conditions
Authors: Melash Anteneh Agezew , Bogale Amare Assefa , Bytyqi Bekir , Nyandi Muhoja Sylivester , Ábrahám Éva Babett
Published: August 2023

The increasing human population and the changing climate, which have given rise to frequent drought spells, pose a serious threat to global food security, while identification of high-yielding drought-tolerant genotypes coupled with nutrient management remains a proficient approach to cope with these challenges. An increase in seasonal temperature, recurring drought stress, and elevated atmospheric CO2 are alarmingly affecting durum wheat production, productivity, grain quality, and the human systems it supports. An increase in atmospheric carbon dioxide can improve wheat grain yield in a certain amount, but the right amount of nutrients, water, and other required conditions should be met to realize this benefit. Nutrients including nitrogen, silicon, and sulfur supply could alleviate the adverse effects of abiotic stress by enhancing antioxidant defense and improving nitrogen assimilation, although the effects on plant tolerance to drought stress varied with nitrogen ionic forms. The application of sewage sludge to durum wheat also positively impacts its drought stress tolerance by triggering high accumulation of osmoregulators, improving water retention capacity in the soil, and promoting root growth. These beneficial effect of nutrients contribute to durum wheat ability to withstand and recover from abiotic stress conditions, ultimately enhance its productivity and resilience. While these nutrients can provide benefits when applied in appropriate amounts, their excessive use can lead to adverse environmental consequences. Advanced technologies such as precision nutrient management, unmanned aerial vehicle-based spraying, and anaerobic digestion play significant roles in reducing the negative effects associated with nutrients like sewage sludge, zinc, nanoparticles and silicon fertilizers. Hence, nutrient management practices offer significant potential to enhance the caryopsis quality and yield potential of durum wheat. Through implementing tailored nutrient management strategies, farmers, breeders, and agronomists can contribute to sustainable durum wheat production, ensuring food security and maintaining the economic viability of the crop under the changing climatic conditions.
Identification and evolution analysis of YUCCA genes of Medicago sativa and Medicago truncatula and their expression profiles under abiotic stress
Authors: Shao An , Fan Shugao , Xu Xiao , Wang Wei , Fu Jinmin
Published: August 2023

The YUCCAs (YUC) are functionally identified flavin-containing monooxidases (FMOs) in plants that act as an important rate-limiting enzyme functioning in the auxin synthesis IPA (indole-3-pyruvic acid) pathway. In this study, 12 MsYUCs and 15 MtYUCs containing characteristic conserved motifs were identified in M. sativa (Medicago sativa L.) and M. truncatula (Medicago truncatula Gaertn.), respectively. Phylogenetic analysis revealed that YUC proteins underwent an evolutionary divergence. Both tandem and segmental duplication events were presented in MsYUC and MtYUC genes. Comparative syntenic maps of M. sativa with M. truncatula, Arabidopsis (Arabidopsis thaliana), or rice (Oryza sativa L.) were constructed to illustrate the evolution relationship of the YUC gene family. A large number of cis-acting elements related to stress response and hormone regulation were revealed in the promoter sequences of MsYUCs. Expression analysis showed that MsYUCs had a tissue-specific, genotype-differential expression and a differential abiotic stress response pattern based on transcriptome data analysis of M. sativa online. In addition, RT-qPCR confirmed that salt stress significantly induced the expression of MsYUC1/MsYUC10 but significantly inhibited MsYUC2/MsYUC3 expression and the expression of MsYUC10/MsYUC11/MsYUC12 was significantly induced by cold treatment. These results could provide valuable information for functional analysis of YUC genes via gene engineering of the auxin synthetic IPA pathway in Medicago.
Vowel production: a potential speech biomarker for early detection of dysarthria in Parkinson’s disease
Authors: Roland Virginie , Huet Kathy , Harmegnies Bernard , Piccaluga Myriam , Verhaegen Clémence , Delvaux Véronique
Published: August 2023

Objectives

Our aim is to detect early, subclinical speech biomarkers of dysarthria in Parkinson’s disease (PD), i.e., systematic atypicalities in speech that remain subtle, are not easily detectible by the clinician, so that the patient is labeled “non-dysarthric.” Based on promising exploratory work, we examine here whether vowel articulation, as assessed by three acoustic metrics, can be used as early indicator of speech difficulties associated with Parkinson’s disease.

Study design

This is a prospective case–control study.

Methods

Sixty-three individuals with PD and 35 without PD (healthy controls-HC) participated in this study. Out of 63 PD patients, 43 had been diagnosed with dysarthria (DPD) and 20 had not (NDPD). Sustained vowels were recorded for each speaker and formant frequencies were measured. The analyses focus on three acoustic metrics: individual vowel triangle areas (tVSA), vowel articulation index (VAI) and the Phi index.

Results

tVSA were found to be significantly smaller for DPD speakers than for HC. The VAI showed significant differences between these two groups, indicating greater centralization and lower vowel contrasts in the DPD speakers with dysarhtria. In addition, DPD and NDPD speakers had lower Phi values, indicating a lower organization of their vowel system compared to the HC. Results also showed that the VAI index was the most efficient to distinguish between DPD and NDPD whereas the Phi index was the best acoustic metric to discriminate NDPD and HC.

Conclusion

This acoustic study identified potential subclinical vowel-related speech biomarkers of dysarthria in speakers with Parkinson’s disease who have not been diagnosed with dysarthria.
The relationship between resilience and quality of life in advanced cancer survivors: multiple mediating effects of social support and spirituality
Authors: Chen Cancan , Sun Xiaofei , Liu Zhenya , Jiao Miaorui , Wei Wanhong , Hu Yanli
Published: August 2023

Background

While previous studies have revealed a positive association between resilience and quality of life in advanced cancer survivors, the mechanisms of the relationship is still unclear. This study aimed to explore the relationships between resilience, social support, spirituality, and quality of life and determine the multiple mediation effects of social support and spirituality on the relationship between resilience and quality of life.

Methods

With 286 advanced cancer survivors, a cross-sectional, correlational survey was adopted using convenience sampling. Resilience, social support, spirituality, and quality of life were evaluated by self-report questionnaires. The PROCESS macro for SPSS was used to test the multiple mediation model.

Results

The scores for resilience, social support, spirituality and quality of life were positively correlated with one another. Resilience was found to be directly impact quality of life. Meanwhile, the relationship between resilience and quality of life was mediated by social support (effect = 0.067, 95% CI [0.019, 0.120]) and by spirituality (effect = 0.221, 95% CI [0.134, 0.332]), respectively, and by these two serially (effect = 0.036, 95% CI [0.015, 0.067]).

Conclusion

Social support and spirituality played multiple mediating roles in the relationship between resilience and quality of life. Interventions aimed at increasing resilience, and then boosting social support and spirituality may be beneficial for promoting quality of life of advanced cancer survivors.
Aging, adaptation and maladaptation
Authors: Lissek Thomas
Published: August 2023

Aging is accompanied by a dysregulation of adaptive processes. On the one hand, physiological adaptation mechanisms such as learning and memory, immune system plasticity and exercise-dependent muscle remodeling are blunted. On the other hand, several maladaptive processes increase with age including cancer, pathological cardiovascular remodeling and metabolic dysregulation. With increasing age the quotient of beneficial adaptation (Ab) to harmful adaptation (Ah), Ab/Ah, decreases. The adaptation-maladaptation framework of aging entails that there are age-related pathological phenotypes that are the result of activation of physiological adaptation mechanisms (e.g., maladaptation as a result of misdirection of adaptive cascades and molecular damage incurred by adaptation processes) and their occurrence over time might, to some degree, be inevitable. Aging might hence result from the organism’s inability to solve the adaptation-maladaptation dilemma. The present work explores the concept of counteracting aging through adaptation and proposes that interventions such as exercise, environmental enrichment and dietary restriction work in counteracting aging because they increase the ratio Ab/Ah by both raising Ab (e.g., by inducing metaplasticity in cells, meaning they raise the adaptability of cells to future stimuli) and decreasing Ah (e.g., through desensitizing certain potentially harmful adaptive mechanisms). Molecules whose aging-related expression changes can explain aspects of dysfunctional adaptation such as CREB and certain immediate early genes are examined and it is delineated how a better understanding of the dynamical organization of adaptation cascades could elucidate the seemingly complex role of adaptation in driving aging as well as protecting against it.
The Scary Tale of Snakesss… and Their Bitesss
Authors: Ross Jennifer A. , Charlton Nathan P.
Published: August 2023

If you have a fear of snakes, you are not alone! There are over 3,000 species of snakes in the world and many of them are poisonous. The most common poisonous snake in the United States is called the pit viper. Poisonous snakes use their venom to capture prey or to bite their enemies in self-defense. If a snake bites you, it is important that you go to the hospital to get treated. Some doctors specialize in recognizing and treating snakebites, and there is an antidote that can be given for bites from the most dangerous snakes. In this article, we review why some snakebites are worse than others and what to do if you are bitten.
A Hybrid Discrete Memetic Algorithm for Solving Flow-Shop Scheduling Problems
Authors: Fazekas Levente , Tüű-Szabó Boldizsár , Kóczy László T. , Hornyák Olivér , Nehéz Károly
Published: August 2023

Flow-shop scheduling problems are classic examples of multi-resource and multi-operation scheduling problems where the objective is to minimize the makespan. Because of the high complexity and intractability of the problem, apart from some exceptional cases, there are no explicit algorithms for finding the optimal permutation in multi-machine environments. Therefore, different heuristic approaches, including evolutionary and memetic algorithms, are used to obtain the solution—or at least, a close enough approximation of the optimum. This paper proposes a novel approach: a novel combination of two rather efficient such heuristics, the discrete bacterial memetic evolutionary algorithm (DBMEA) proposed earlier by our group, and a conveniently modified heuristics, the Monte Carlo tree method. By their nested combination a new algorithm was obtained: the hybrid discrete bacterial memetic evolutionary algorithm (HDBMEA), which was extensively tested on the Taillard benchmark data set. Our results have been compared against all important other approaches published in the literature, and we found that this novel compound method produces good results overall and, in some cases, even better approximations of the optimum than any of the so far proposed solutions.
End-to-End Approach for Autonomous Driving: A Supervised Learning Method Using Computer Vision Algorithms for Dataset Creation
Authors: Ribeiro Inês A. , Ribeiro Tiago , Lopes Gil , Ribeiro A. Fernando
Published: August 2023

This paper presents a solution for an autonomously driven vehicle (a robotic car) based on artificial intelligence using a supervised learning method. A scaled-down robotic car containing only one camera as a sensor was developed to participate in the RoboCup Portuguese Open Autonomous Driving League competition. This study is based solely on the development of this robotic car, and the results presented are only from this competition. Teams usually solve the competition problem by relying on computer vision algorithms, and no research could be found on neural network model-based assistance for vehicle control. This technique is commonly used in general autonomous driving, and the amount of research is increasing. To train a neural network, a large number of labelled images is necessary; however, these are difficult to obtain. In order to address this problem, a graphical simulator was used with an environment containing the track and the robot/car to extract images for the dataset. A classical computer vision algorithm developed by the authors processes the image data to extract relevant information about the environment and uses it to determine the optimal direction for the vehicle to follow on the track, which is then associated with the respective image-grab. Several trainings were carried out with the created dataset to reach the final neural network model; tests were performed within a simulator, and the effectiveness of the proposed approach was additionally demonstrated through experimental results in two real robotics cars, which performed better than expected. This system proved to be very successful in steering the robotic car on a road-like track, and the agent’s performance increased with the use of supervised learning methods. With computer vision algorithms, the system performed an average of 23 complete laps around the track before going off-track, whereas with assistance from the neural network model the system never went off the track.
The Response of Chlorophyll Content and Ionic Composition in Tomato and Pepper Seedlings to Foliar Nutrition in Growing Chambers
Authors: Massimi Mohunnad , Radócz László , Kabashi Besarta
Published: August 2023

Studies have shown that applying specific solutions to the leaves of tomato and pepper plants can boost their output by enhancing nutrient absorption. The factorial analysis of two factors was used in data collection and statistical analysis in this experiment. The first factor was the cultivar (Mobil, Korall, and Tyking F1 for tomatoes, and while cultivars of Carma, Fokusz, and Bobita F1 for sweet pepper), and the second was the spray treatment. Sprays used were sodium bicarbonate (0.52%), 50 mg·L−1 salicylic acid, and distilled water. The parameters collected were the SPAD index of chlorophyll and the plant sap’s content of calcium, potassium, and nitrates, with five observations for each record. Salicylic acid 50 mg·L−1 caused the highest multiple contents, particularly in the tomato cultivar Korall. The lowest multiple contents were for the Mobil cultivar. Spraying Mobil with salicylic acid (50 mg·L−1) and sodium bicarbonate (0.52%) produced the lowest chlorophyll and ionic content. Salicylic acid 50 mg·L−1 also led to the highest multiple values, particularly in the Carma pepper cultivar. The results revealed the multiple lowest contents of measured parameters were for the Bobita F1 cultivar. Finally, gardeners should consider growing Korall tomato and Carma pepper with a supportive spraying application of salicylic acid 50 mg·L−1 before seedlings are transferred to an open-air garden. Gardeners should consider the additional production-improving aspects described in existing research and seed manufacturer recommendations.
Study on the Accumulation of Heavy Metals in Different Soil-Crop Systems and Ecological Risk Assessment: A Case Study of Jiao River Basin
Authors: Dong Hongzhi , Gao Zongjun , Liu Jiutan , Jiang Bing
Published: August 2023

The purpose of this study is to evaluate the bio-accumulation of different soil-crop systems (SCSs) for heavy metals (HMs) and the geo-accumulation of different agricultural growing regions. The ecological risk (ER) assessment was conducted to understand the impact of intensive agricultural production on the environment. To achieve this aim, four typical crops, wheat, corn, potatoes, and leeks grown in the Jiao River Basin (JRB), were selected as the research objects. The concentrations of eight HMs, including copper (Cu), lead (Pb), zinc (Zn), nickel (Ni), chromium (Cr), cadmium (Cd), arsenic (As), and mercury (Hg) in crop tissue and soil were detected. The statistical analysis, including the geo-accumulation index (Igeo), geostatistical analysis, correlation and cluster analysis were then used to evaluate soil contamination and determine the source types of HMs. The results show that the average concentrations of eight HMs in the soil follow the order: Zn > Cr > Ni > Pb > Cu > As > Cd > Hg and the calculated concentration coefficients (K) vary from 0.41–1.12, indicating relative scarcity in sources of HMs. All the Igeo values of HMs are less than 0 except the Igeo of Cr within potato-farmland is from 0 to 1, illustrating that the soil in JRB is uncontaminated. The correlation and cluster analysis reveal that Cu, Zn, and Cd have a strong relationship with each other and the relationship between Pb, Ni, and Cr is general. The content of eight HMs in different crops varies greatly and most of them are within the scope of National Food Safety Standards—Limit of Pollutants in food of China. The bioconcentration factors (BCF) indicate that wheat, corn, potato, and leek have strong bio-accumulation ability of Cu, Zn, and Cd. The ecological risk factor (Er) shows that JRB is in low risk of Cu, Pb, Zn, Ni, Cr, and As; however, the risk of Cr and Hg are mostly low, characterized by partially dotted moderate risk. The risk index (RI) is mainly moderate with partially low risk distributed in planar and high risk distributed in point.
Effects of Saline-Alkali Stress on Sugar Metabolism of Jujube Fruit: A Metabolomic Analysis
Authors: Wang Yan , Feng Yifeng , Yan Min , Zhou Xiaofeng , Yuan Ze , Zhang Qiaoqiao , Yan Haoyu , Wu Cuiyun
Published: August 2023

There have been numerous studies on the effects of salt stress on jujube fruit; however, only a few studies have reported the changes in fruit quality, particularly sugar content, under conditions of combined salt and alkali stress. Therefore, the present study aimed to investigate the performance of jujube fruits under Saline-Alkali stress and the changes in sugar content in fruits. To achieve this, jujube fruits were treated with varying concentrations of salt and alkali during five developmental periods. The content of relevant sugar components was determined, and metabolomics data were analyzed in combination with relevant quantitative gene data. The results indicated that 100 days after flowering, the surface color of jujube fruit gradually turned red, and the cell structure of the fruit gradually loosened with increasing salt and alkali concentration. The content of sugar components at each stage showed that glucose and fructose primarily accumulate in the early stage of development, while sucrose is the main component in the later stage of development. Metabolomic correlation network maps showed that six differentially accumulated metabolites were closely related to specific genes. Among these metabolites, sucrose was identified as the core metabolite in the metabolic pathway. Quantitative analysis of the related genes revealed that ZjvINV2 and ZjHK2 exhibited prolonged adaptability to stress. Additionally, the expression levels of ZjSS1 and ZjSPS2 under Saline-Alkali stress were consistent with the trend of sucrose content during the same period. In conclusion, the variations in sugar content in jujube fruits during different growth stages and under Saline-Alkali treatment conditions were recorded as reference data, and the primary metabolic substances and related regulatory genes produced in jujube fruits under Saline-Alkali stress were preliminarily identified.
Enhancing Corn Pest and Disease Recognition through Deep Learning: A Comprehensive Analysis
Authors: Xu Wenqing , Li Weikai , Wang Liwei , Pompelli Marcelo F.
Published: August 2023

Pests and diseases significantly impact the quality and yield of maize. As a result, it is crucial to conduct disease diagnosis and identification for timely intervention and treatment of maize pests and diseases, ultimately enhancing the quality and economic efficiency of maize production. In this study, we present an enhanced maize pest identification model based on ResNet50. The objective was to achieve efficient and accurate identification of maize pests and diseases. By utilizing convolution and pooling operations for extracting shallow-edge features and compressing data, we introduced additional effective channels (environment–cognition–action) into the residual network module. This step addressed the issue of network degradation, establishes connections between channels, and facilitated the extraction of crucial deep features. Finally, experimental validation was performed to achieve 96.02% recognition accuracy using the ResNet50 model. This study successfully achieved the recognition of various maize pests and diseases, including maize leaf blight, Helminthosporium maydis, gray leaf spot, rust disease, stem borer, and corn armyworm. These results offer valuable insights for the intelligent control and management of maize pests and diseases.
Transcriptome Analyses Reveal the Mechanism of Changes in the Sugar Constituents of Jujube Fruits under Saline–Alkali Stress
Authors: Wang Yan , Feng Yifeng , Yan Min , Pu Xiaoqiu , Lu Dengyang , Yuan Hengzhou , Wu Cuiyun
Published: August 2023

Saline–alkali stress is an important environmental factor affecting the growth and development of plants. Plants affected by saline–alkali stress can mitigate the damage by regulating the content of osmoregulatory substances such as soluble sugars. Elucidating the regulatory mechanism of the changes in sugar fractions in jujube fruits under saline–alkali stress is crucial for the development of the jujube fruit industry in saline areas. In this study, we investigated the effects of saline–alkali stress on the development and sugar contents of jujube fruits by subjecting jujube trees to low- and high-saline–alkali stress treatments. The result showed that low saline–alkali stress increased the content of each sugar component and total sugar, whereas high saline–alkali stress suppressed their contents. In the early developmental stage, the fruit mainly accumulated fructose and glucose, whereas in the late stage, it accumulated mainly sucrose. We screened various genes, namely trehalose 6-phosphate phosphatase gene (LOC107418410), α-amylase gene (LOC107428855), α-glucosidase gene (LOC107418468), sucrose synthase gene (LOC107416188), and β-amylase gene (LOC107430415, LOC107406235), all of which were highly correlated with sucrose content in saline–alkali stress, indicating that the starch and sucrose metabolic pathways of jujube fruit are the key pathways regulating sugar accumulation in response to saline–alkali stress. To summarize, this study provides a system-level perspective on the dynamic transcriptional regulation of jujube fruits under saline–alkali stress. Additionally, the study preliminarily screened key differentially expressed genes that affect sugar accumulation in response to saline–alkali stress, providing a theoretical basis for the scientific regulation of jujube fruit quality.
Study of the Effect of Mowing and Drying on the Lipid Composition of Grass Leaves in Permafrost Ecosystems
Authors: Nokhsorov Vasiliy V. , Dudareva Lyubov V. , Semenova Natalia V. , Petrov Klim A.
Published: August 2023

Mowing the plant shoots under hot, sunny, and dry conditions severely traumatizes the entire vegetative body, and the overall life cycle of the plant is altered. The purpose of the present research was to investigate the effects of mowing and drying on lipids, fatty acids (FA), sterols, and the systemic responses in leaves of plant material at three time points (24 h, 72 h, and leaves of new shoots after traumatic mowing in summer (1 July) and those subjected to cold hardening by autumn temperatures in September (aftergrass)) were analyzed for the first time. The leaves of five species of herbaceous plants growing in permafrost ecosystems were analyzed by HPTLC and GC-MS. It was established that fatty acids in the tissues of aftergrass leaves were characterized by higher values of the n-6/n-3 ratio than in summer grasses. It was demonstrated that exposure of leaves for 72 h in natural conditions in summer and at low temperatures in autumn in leaves of aftergrass resulted in significant changes in the composition of membrane phospholipids. The obtained findings indicate that leaves of aftergrass are the most valuable plant raw material in terms of FAs and phytosterols content compared to hay mowed in summer.
A Study on the Optimal Grasping Angle Algorithm for Plug Seedlings Based on Machine Vision
Authors: Liu Junjie , Xiao Zhang , Tan Yu , Sun Erjie , He Bin , Ma Guoning
Published: August 2023

During the replanting operation of a seedling tray, the end-effector needs to repeatedly grab the qualified plug seedlings in the supply tray and release them to the target tray for replanting, and in the process of grasping, the end-effector may cause some mechanical damage to the plug seedlings, thus affecting their quality. Therefore, in order to be able to adjust the position of the hand claw grasping point according to the morphological characteristics of the plug seedlings and select the optimal grasping point, this paper proposes research on the optimal grasping angle algorithm for plug seedlings based on machine vision. Firstly, a rotatable three-jaw end-effector is designed, which uses a three-jaw structure for grasping the burrowing seedlings. The three claws are driven with a telescopic cylinder to carry out clamping and relaxing actions. The rotation of the three claws is controlled with the stepper motor to adjust the optimal grasping position. Secondly, based on the pre-processing of an image of the hole tray seedling, the extraction of feature points in the region of interest, and the calculation of localization, the angle between the angular bisector of the cotyledon leaf blade of the hole tray seedling and the horizontal positive direction is solved. In this paper, two methods are designed to calculate the coordinates of feature points: one is the geometric method and the other is the center-of-mass method. Finally, the optimal grasping angle is calculated by analyzing the angle between the angular bisector of the cotyledon leaf blade and the horizontal positive direction of the cavity seedlings. According to the test, the average calculation error of the proposed algorithm is 3.12 degrees, and the average calculation time is 0.512 sec/sheet, which meet the requirements of the replanting operation.
A Lightweight, Secure Authentication Model for the Smart Agricultural Internet of Things
Authors: Pan Fei , Zhang Boda , Zhao Xiaoyu , Shuai Luyu , Chen Peng , Duan Xuliang
Published: August 2023

The advancement of smart agriculture, with information technology serving as a pivotal enabling factor, plays a crucial role in achieving food security, optimizing production efficiency, and preserving the environment. Simultaneously, wireless communication technology holds a critical function within the context of applying the Internet of Things in agriculture. In this research endeavor, we present an algorithm for lightweight channel authentication based on frequency-domain feature extraction. This algorithm aims to distinguish between authentic transmitters and unauthorized ones in the wireless communication context of a representative agricultural setting. To accomplish this, we compiled a dataset comprising legitimate and illegitimate communication channels observed in both indoor and outdoor scenarios, which are typical in the context of smart agriculture. Leveraging its exceptional perceptual capabilities and advantages in parallel computing, the Transformer has injected fresh vitality into the realm of signal processing. Consequently, we opted for the lightweight MobileViT as our foundational model and designed a frequency-domain feature extraction module to augment MobileViT’s capabilities in signal processing. During the validation phase, we conducted a side-by-side comparison with currently outstanding ViT models in terms of convergence speed, precision, and performance parameters. Our model emerged as the frontrunner across all aspects, with FDFE-MobileViT achieving precision, recall, and F-score rates of 96.6%, 95.6%, and 96.1%, respectively. Additionally, the model maintains a compact size of 4.04 MB. Through comprehensive experiments, our proposed method was rigorously verified as a lighter, more efficient, and more accurate solution.
Chemical and Biological Profiling of Fish and Seaweed Residues to Be Applied for Plant Fertilization
Authors: Maroulis Marios , Matsia Sevasti , Lazopoulos Georgios , Pârvulescu Oana Cristina , Ion Violeta Alexandra , Bujor Oana-Crina , Cabell Joshua , Løes Anne-Kristin , Salifoglou Athanasios
Published: August 2023

Brown algae and fish waste contain high-value compounds with potentially beneficial effects on plant growth. Several commercial fertilizer products are currently available, but the characteristics of the materials are usually not well-described. Fish and seaweed residues originating from the Norwegian coast are available, after industrial processing, which may be combined into complete fertilizers exerting additional effects on crop plants (biostimulants). In this study, raw samples of fish and seaweed residues were investigated using ecofriendly technologies (drying, leaching), targeting search and isolation of potential biostimulants, followed by physicochemical characterization (elemental analysis, UV–visible, FT-IR, ICP-MS, ICP-OES, electrical conductivity, pH, etc.). Organic solvent extractions were employed to determine the available mineral content, micro- and macro-nutrients, antioxidant compounds, and amino acid content by chemical hydrolysis. The in vitro biotoxicity profile (cell viability, morphology, migration) of the generated extracts was also perused, employing Gram-positive (Staphylococcus aureus) and Gram-negative bacteria (Escherichia coli) along with sensitive neuronal eukaryotic cell lines N2a58 and SH-SY5Y, to assess their time- and concentration-dependent efficacy as antimicrobials and agents counteracting oxidative stress. The analytical composition of all raw materials showed that they contain important nutrients (K, P, Ca, N) as well as organic compounds and amino acids (Gly, Asp, Glu, Leu, Phe) capable of acting as plant biostimulants. Concurrently, the inherently high conductivity values and salt content necessitated leaching processes, which result in Na+ and K+ decreasing by more than ~60% and justifying further their use in soil treatment formulations. The aforementioned results and assertions, combined with physical measurements (pH, electrical conductivity, etc.) on naturally occurring and dried samples as well as green solvent extracts, formulated a physicochemical profile reflecting well-defined inorganic–organic species that might function as biostimulants. The collective physicochemical and biological properties support the notion that appropriate mixtures of marine organism residues may be efficient fertilizers for crop plants and concurrently possess biostimulant characteristics.
Noticeable Shifts in Soil Physicochemical and Biological Properties after Contrasting Tillage Management in Crop Rotations of Bean, Maize, and Amaranth in Ecuadorian Highland Soils
Authors: Avila-Salem María Eugenia , Aponte Humberto , Montesdeoca Fabián , Urgiles Gómez Narcisa , Cruz Dayana , Orellana Marco , Pacheco Katherine , Alvarado Ochoa Soraya , Espinosa José , Borie Fernando , Cornejo Pablo
Published: August 2023

Soil biological properties are sensitive indicators of soil quality changes due to perturbations occurred under agricultural management. The effects of contrasting tillage, increasing nitrogen fertilization doses, and crop rotations [e.g., bean, maize, bean (BMB) and bean, amaranth, bean (BAB)] on soil physicochemical and biological properties in an Andean soil from Ecuadorian highlands were evaluated in this study. Acid phosphatase, β-Glucosidase, fluorescein diacetate hydrolysis, microbial biomass carbon (Cmic), soil basal respiration (BR), arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) spore density, total glomalin content (TGRSP), and soil physicochemical properties were analyzed. Conventional tillage (CT) and crop rotation showed significant effects on soil physicochemical and biological properties. Towards the final crop rotations, no-tillage (NT) promoted BR, TGRSP, and higher AMF spore density in both crop rotations; the Cmic kept stable along time in BMB and BAB, while BR doubled its value when compared to CT. Results indicated that the AMF spore density increased by 308% at the end of the BMB, and 461% at the end of the BAB, while TGRSP increased by 18% and 32% at the end of BMB and BAB, respectively. Biological traits demonstrated to be strongly associated to the organic matter accumulation originated from crop residues under the NT post-harvest which improved soil moisture, biological activity, and AMF interaction. The conservative soil management system has definitively improved general soil properties when compared to soil conditions under the intensive soil management system in this research.