bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
In Vitro Incubations Do Not Reflect In Vivo Differences Based on Ranking of Low and High Methane Emitters in Dairy Cows
Authors: Cabezas-Garcia Edward H. , Danielsson Rebecca , Ramin Mohammad , Huhtanen Pekka
Published: November 2021

This study evaluated if ranking dairy cows as low and high CH4 emitters using the GreenFeed system (GF) can be replicated in in vitro conditions using an automated gas system and its possible implications in terms of fermentation balance. Seven pairs of low and high emitters fed the same diet were selected on the basis of residual CH4 production, and rumen fluid taken from each pair incubated separately in the in vitro gas production system. In total, seven in vitro incubations were performed with inoculums taken from low and high CH4 emitting cows incubated in two substrates differing in forage-to-concentrate proportion, each without or with the addition of cashew nutshell liquid (CNSL) as an inhibitor of CH4 production. Except for the aimed differences in CH4 production, no statistical differences were detected among groups of low and high emitters either in in vivo animal performance or rumen fermentation profile prior to the in vitro incubations. The effect of in vivo ranking was poorly replicated in in vitro conditions after 48 h of anaerobic fermentation. Instead, the effects of diet and CNSL were more consistent. The inclusion of 50% barley in the diet (SB) increased both asymptotic gas production by 17.3% and predicted in vivo CH4 by 26.2%, when compared to 100% grass silage (S) substrate, respectively. The SB diet produced on average more propionate (+28 mmol/mol) and consequently less acetate compared to the S diet. Irrespective of CH4 emitter group, CNSL decreased predicted in vivo CH4 (26.7 vs. 11.1 mL/ g of dry matter; DM) and stoichiometric CH4 (CH4VFA; 304 vs. 235 moles/mol VFA), with these being also reflected in decreased total gas production per unit of volatile fatty acids (VFA). Microbial structure was assessed on rumen fluid sampled prior to in vitro incubation, by sequencing of the V4 region of 16S rRNA gene. Principal coordinate analysis (PCoA) on operational taxonomic unit (OTU) did not show any differences between groups. Some differences appeared of relative abundance between groups in some specific OTUs mainly related to Prevotella. Genus Methanobrevibacter represented 93.7 ± 3.33% of the archaeal sequences. There were no clear differences between groups in relative abundance of Methanobrevibacter.
Impact of Heat Stress on Selected Parameters of Robotic Milking
Authors: Gálik Roman , Lüttmerding Gabriel , Boďo Štefan , Knížková Ivana , Kunc Petr
Published: November 2021

The values of the temperature-humidity index and its influence on the performance parameters of dairy cows were monitored on four farms located in the southern part of the central Slovakia during a period of three years. The observed parameters included: the milk yield per cow per day, average milk speed and maximum milk speed. The thermal-humidity index was calculated based on a formula. The individual periods were divided according to the achieved THI. The results of dairy cows with a milk yield of 29 kg to 31 kg show that there is not a decrease in the milk yield per milking if the THI value is lower than 68. It was also found that there was a decrease in the milk yield per dairy cow in the robotic milking parlor for a THI value greater than 72. The influence of a THI value higher than 68 in these dairy cows results in a higher average milk speed, as well as a higher maximum milk speed. These two parameters are not yet in the main area of research interest. This study enriches the area with new knowledge, according to which dairy cows can show thermal stress by increasing the milk speed as well as the maximum milk speed.
Fatal Streptococcus iniae Infection in a Juvenile Free-Ranging Short-Beaked Common Dolphin (Delphinus delphis)
Authors: Souter Rebecca , Chaber Anne-Lise , Lee Ken , Machado Aaron , Lam Jia , Woolford Lucy
Published: November 2021

Streptococcus iniae (S. iniae) is a significant aquatic pathogen of farmed fish species, important zoonotic pathogen, and reported cause of disease in captive Amazon River dolphins (Inia geoffrensis) and a bottlenose dolphin (Tursiops truncatus). Here we report S. iniae as the cause of subcutaneous abscesses, sepsis and mortality in a juvenile free-ranging short-beaked common dolphin (Delphinus delphis) found deceased on a metropolitan Australian beach. Body surfaces were covered by multifocal, depressed, deep, irregular cutaneous ulcerations, which microscopically were characterised by ruptured subcutaneous abscesses with intralesional cocci. Routine microbiological investigations revealed a heavy growth of beta-haemolytic Streptococcus sp. identified as Streptococcus iniae in skin lesions as well as from heart blood, the latter supportive of sepsis. Tissues were negative for cetacean morbillivirus and no other disease processes were identified. S. iniae has not been reported in free-ranging marine mammals, nor in Australian delphinids, previously. More notably a pathogen of captive animals, this case report identifies S. iniae as a pathogen of wild dolphins also. In addition to expanding the host reservoir of a significant zoonotic pathogen, determining the source of infection as well as possible consequences for other marine mammals and wild and intensive fish stocks warrants further investigations.
Calving Management: A Questionnaire Survey of Veterinary Subject Matter Experts and Non-Experts
Authors: Voß Anna Lisa , Heuwieser Wolfgang , Mee John F. , Fischer-Tenhagen Carola
Published: November 2021

Accurate detection of the onset of parturition is a key factor in the prevention of dystocia. In order to establish current best practice recommendations for calving management, we asked subject matter experts (SME) who had published on calving management (by online survey, n = 80) and non-SMEs, veterinary practitioners (by workshop survey, n = 24) for their opinions. For this, we designed a questionnaire on the significance of signs of imminent parturition (SIP), the frequency of calving observation, and influencing factors for the timing of cow movement to a maternity pen. The response rate was 67.5% in the online survey and 100% in the workshop survey. The majority (89.7%) of all respondents agreed that it is beneficial for successful calving management to differentiate between stage I and II of parturition. Of 12 signs of imminent parturition (for stage I and II), “restlessness” and “visibility of fetal parts in vulva” were cited by 56.5% and 73.3% of SME and non-SME respondents, respectively. There was no consensus on the right time to move the cow to the maternity pen; recommendations varied from one to over 21 days. Almost half of the respondents (45.7%) recommended a 6-h observation interval for prepartum cows in the maternity pen. This study identified a strong consensus on the SIP and how and when to observe cows prior to parturition. SMEs and non-SMEs provided broadly similar recommendations, while the SMEs and the non-SMEs differed significantly in the number of publications on calving they authored, they differed little in their knowledge of calving management.
Antimicrobial Resistance and Molecular Epidemiological Characteristics of Methicillin-Resistant and Susceptible Staphylococcal Isolates from Oral Cavity of Dental Patients and Staff in Northern Japan
Authors: Hirose Mina , Aung Meiji Soe , Fukuda Atsushi , Yahata Shoko , Fujita Yusuke , Saitoh Masato , Hirose Yukito , Urushibara Noriko , Kobayashi Nobumichi
Published: November 2021

The acquisition of drug resistance and virulence by staphylococcal species colonizing humans is a growing public health concern. The present study was conducted to investigate the prevalence, antimicrobial resistance and genetic characteristics of Staphylococcus isolates from the oral cavity and skin (hand) of systemically healthy subjects with dental disease and dental staff in northern Japan. Among a total of 133 subjects (91 patients and 42 staff), 87 coagulase-positive Staphylococcus (83 S. aureus/4 S. argenteus) and 162 coagulase-negative Staphylococcus (CoNS) isolates were recovered from 59 (44.4%) and 95 (71.4%) subjects, respectively. Three oral isolates were methicillin-resistant S. aureus (MRSA) (3.6%, 3/83) that were genotyped as ST8-SCCmec-IVl, ST4775(CC1)-SCCmec-IVa and ST6562(CC8)-SCCmec-IVa. Remarkably, the ST6562 isolate harbored PVL genes on ΦSa2usa and type I ACME (arginine catabolic mobile element). Four methicillin-susceptible isolates were identified as S. argenteus belonging to ST1223 and ST2250, which harbored enterotoxin genes egc-2 and sey, respectively. Among the fourteen CoNS species identified, methicillin-resistant (MR) isolates were detected in five species (11 isolates, 13.3% of CoNS), with S. saprophyticus and S. haemolyticus being the most common. ACME was prevalent in only S. epidermidis and S. capitis. These findings indicated the potential distribution of USA300 clone-like MRSA, toxigenic S. argenteus and MR-CoNS in the oral cavity of dental patients.
Characteristics of Carbapenem-Resistant Gram-Negative Bacilli in Patients with Ventilator-Associated Pneumonia
Authors: Mohamed Amira , Daef Enas , Nafie Amany , Shaban Lamia , Ibrahim Maggie
Published: November 2021

Carbapenem-resistant Gram-negative bacilli (CR-GNB) has become a global threat. In hospital settings, the association of CR-GNB with ventilator-associated pneumonia (VAP) is a critical public health concern owing to their high resistance rate to most antibiotics. The present study aims to identify the frequency of carbapenem-resistance and to determine the rate of multidrug resistance (MDR), extensive drug resistance (XDR) and pan-drug resistance (PDR) among CR-GNB infections in VAP. Antimicrobial susceptibility testing was carried out using the disk diffusion method and the detection of carbapenemases was screened using the imipenem-E test and the modified carbapenem-inactivation method (mCIM). The isolates were verified by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) for the presence of blaNDM, blaSPM, blaVIM, blaIMP and blaGIM genes. 89.5%, 14%, 17.5%, 10.5%, 3.5% of isolates exhibited the presence of blaNDM, blaVIM, blaSPM, blaIMP and blaGIM, respectively. 76%, 17% and 7% of isolates were PDR, XDR, and MDR, respectively. Carbapenem-resistance genes were identified in a significant percentage and blaNDM was the most predominant gene. All isolates were highly resistant to most antibiotics. This health concern has proven to be a big challenge in developing countries such as Egypt, as it is associated with high morbidity, high mortality, and raised healthcare costs.
Oxidative Stability, Carcass Traits, and Muscle Fatty Acid and Amino Acid Profiles in Heat-Stressed Broiler Chickens
Authors: El-Tarabany Mahmoud S. , Ahmed-Farid Omar A. , Nassan Mohamed Abdo , Salah Ayman S.
Published: November 2021

The objective was to elucidate the effects of chronic heat stress on carcass traits, muscle oxidative stability, muscle fatty acids and amino acid profiles in broiler chickens. A total of 100-day-old male Ross broiler chicks were divided into two equal groups of five replicates. The control group (TN) was maintained on a thermoneutral condition, while the experimental group (HS) was subjected to 8 h of heat stress (34 °C). The HS group showed lower dressing percentage and breast yield compared with the TN group (p = 0.040 and 0.042, respectively). Meanwhile, heat stress significantly increased the percentage of abdominal fat in broiler chickens (p = 0.001). The HS group showed significantly lower levels of PUFA (linoleic, docosahexaenoic and eicosapentaenoic) in the breast (p = 0.003, 0.002 and 0.001, respectively) and thigh (p = 0.001, 0.009 and 0.003, respectively) muscles than did the TN group. The levels of α-lenolinec acid in the breast and thigh muscles did not differ between both experimental groups (p = 0.818 and 0.060, respectively). With exception of threonine, tyrosine and phenylalanine, the levels of essential AA in the breast muscles were significantly (p ˂ 0.05) reduced in the HS group. The HS group showed significantly higher concentration of malondialdehyde (MDA) in the breast muscles (p = 0.032). Meanwhile, the concentration of MDA in the thigh muscles did not differ between both experimental groups (p = 0.149). Furthermore, the HS group showed significantly lower superoxide dismutase and catalase in heart tissues (p = 0.005 and 0.001, respectively). In conclusion, chronic thermal stress deteriorates carcass yield and the oxidative stability of breast muscles, as well as the levels of PUFA and essential AA in broiler chickens. However, the oxidative stability of thigh muscles was not affected.
A Study on Myogenesis by Regulation of Reactive Oxygen Species and Cytotoxic Activity by Selenium Nanoparticles
Authors: Lee Sang-Cheol , Lee Na-Hyun , Patel Kapil D. , Jun Soo-Kyung , Park Jeong-Hui , Knowles Jonathan Campbell , Kim Hae-Won , Lee Hae-Hyoung , Lee Jung-Hwan
Published: November 2021

Reactive oxygen species (ROS) are continuously produced by skeletal muscle during contractile activity and even at rest. However, the ROS generated from excessive exercise or traumatic damage may produce more ROS than can be neutralized by an antioxidant capacity, which can be harmful to muscle function. In particular, selenium is a known antioxidant that regulates physiological functions such as cell differentiation and anti-inflammatory function. In this study, we developed nano-sized antioxidative biomaterials using selenium to investigate the protective and differentiation effects against C2C12 myoblasts in an H2O2-induced oxidative stress environment. The selenium nanoparticles (SeNPs) were produced with a size of 35.6 ± 4.3 nm and showed antioxidant effects according to the 3,3′,5,5′-tetramethylbenzidine assay. Then, SeNPs were treated to C2C12 cells with or without H2O2. Our results showed that SeNPs reduced C2C12 apoptosis and intracellular ROS levels. Additionally, SeNPs effectively up-regulated in the presence of H2O2, MyoD, MyoG, α-actinin, and myosin heavy chain, which are well known to increase during myoblast differentiation as assayed by qRT-PCR, immunocytochemistry-staining, western blotting. These results demonstrate that SeNPs can accelerate differentiation with its protective effects from the ROS environment and can be applied to the treatment of skeletal muscle in a cellular redox environment.
2-Hydroxymelatonin, Rather Than Melatonin, Is Responsible for RBOH-Dependent Reactive Oxygen Species Production Leading to Premature Senescence in Plants
Authors: Lee Hyoung Yool , Back Kyoungwhan
Published: November 2021

Unlike animals, plants amply convert melatonin into 2-hydroxymelatonin (2-OHM) and cyclic 3-hydroxymelatonin (3-OHM) through the action of melatonin 2-hydroxylase (M2H) and melatonin 3-hydroxylase (M3H), respectively. Thus, the effects of exogenous melatonin treatment in plants may be caused by melatonin, 2-OHM, or 3-OHM, or some combination of these compounds. Indeed, studies of melatonin’s effects on reactive oxygen species (ROS) production have reported conflicting results. In this study, we demonstrated that 2-OHM treatment induced ROS production, whereas melatonin did not. ROS production from 2-OHM treatment occurred in old arabidopsis leaves in darkness, consistent with an ethylene-mediated senescence mechanism. Transgenic tobacco plants containing overexpressed rice M2H exhibited dwarfism and leaf necrosis of the upper leaves and early senescence of the lower leaves. We also demonstrated that 2-OHM-mediated ROS production is respiratory burst NADPH oxidase (RBOH)-dependent and that 2-OHM-induced senescence genes require ethylene and the abscisic acid (ABA) signaling pathway in arabidopsis. In contrast to melatonin, 2-OHM treatment induced senescence symptoms such as leaf chlorosis and increased ion leakage in arabidopsis. Senescence induction is known to begin with decreased levels of proteins involved in chloroplast maintenance, including Lhcb1 and ClpR1. Together, these results show that 2-OHM acts as a senescence-inducing factor by inducing ROS production in plants.
Protective Effects of Melatonin on Saccharomyces cerevisiae under Ethanol Stress
Authors: Sunyer-Figueres Mercè , Mas Albert , Beltran Gemma , Torija María-Jesús
Published: November 2021

During alcoholic fermentation, Saccharomyces cerevisiae is subjected to several stresses, among which ethanol is of capital importance. Melatonin, a bioactive molecule synthesized by yeast during alcoholic fermentation, has an antioxidant role and is proposed to contribute to counteracting fermentation-associated stresses. The aim of this study was to unravel the protective effect of melatonin on yeast cells subjected to ethanol stress. For that purpose, the effect of ethanol concentrations (6 to 12%) on a wine strain and a lab strain of S. cerevisiae was evaluated, monitoring the viability, growth capacity, mortality, and several indicators of oxidative stress over time, such as reactive oxygen species (ROS) accumulation, lipid peroxidation, and the activity of catalase and superoxide dismutase enzymes. In general, ethanol exposure reduced the cell growth of S. cerevisiae and increased mortality, ROS accumulation, lipid peroxidation and antioxidant enzyme activity. Melatonin supplementation softened the effect of ethanol, enhancing cell growth and decreasing oxidative damage by lowering ROS accumulation, lipid peroxidation, and antioxidant enzyme activities. However, the effects of melatonin were dependent on strain, melatonin concentration, and growth phase. The results of this study indicate that melatonin has a protective role against mild ethanol stress, mainly by reducing the oxidative stress triggered by this alcohol.
Conserved and Diversified Mechanism of Autophagy between Plants and Animals upon Various Stresses
Authors: Rehman Naveed Ur , Zeng Peichun , Mo Zulong , Guo Shaoying , Liu Yunfeng , Huang Yifeng , Xie Qingjun
Published: November 2021

Autophagy is a highly conserved degradation mechanism in eukaryotes, executing the breakdown of unwanted cell components and subsequent recycling of cellular material for stress relief through vacuole-dependence in plants and yeast while it is lysosome-dependent in animal manner. Upon stress, different types of autophagy are stimulated to operate certain biological processes by employing specific selective autophagy receptors (SARs), which hijack the cargo proteins or organelles to the autophagy machinery for subsequent destruction in the vacuole/lysosome. Despite recent advances in autophagy, the conserved and diversified mechanism of autophagy in response to various stresses between plants and animals still remain a mystery. In this review, we intend to summarize and discuss the characterization of the SARs and their corresponding processes, expectantly advancing the scope and perspective of the evolutionary fate of autophagy between plants and animals.
The Effect of Cold Plasma Pretreatment on Water-Suspended Herbs Measured in the Content of Bioactive Compounds, Antioxidant Activity, Volatile Compounds and Microbial Count of Final Extracts
Authors: Pogorzelska-Nowicka Ewelina , Hanula Monika Maria , Brodowska-Trębacz Marta , Górska-Horczyczak Elżbieta , Jankiewicz Urszula , Mazur Tomasz , Marcinkowska-Lesiak Monika , Półtorak Andrzej , Wierzbicka Agnieszka
Published: November 2021

Cold plasma is a new technology of promising potential to use as a part of technological extraction lines constructed to implement green chemistry solutions or simply to reduce resources in solvent-based extraction lines. The present study was undertaken to verify the effect of nitrogen cold plasma pre-treatment conducted for 8 min (20 kHz) on the content of antioxidants, antioxidant activity, the profile of volatile compounds, microbial count, pH and color measured in herb extracts (12 herbs: Echinacea purpurea; Salvia officinalis; Urtica dioica; Polygonum aviculare; Vaccinium myrtillus; Taraxacum officinale; Hypericum perforatum; Achillea millefolium; Sanguisorba officinalis; Leonurus cardiaca; Ballota nigra; Andrographis paniculata) obtained with its usage. The surface morphology of extracted herbs was examined as well. Herbs used for extraction were ground and suspended in water before cold plasma treatment, which is a novel approach not studied before. Most plasma-treated extracts were characterized by a higher content of polyphenols (11 out of 12). Content of flavonoids and anthocyanins increased in four extracts and in the case of anthocyanins was significantly higher in comparison to control (up to 77%). The antioxidant activity measured at least by one method (ABTS, DPPH, FRAP) was also higher in nine plasma-treated solutions. Moreover, plasma decreased total aerobic bacteria, affected the color and increased pH of the extracts. The surface structure of the plant material after the extraction process was significantly damaged, which probably led to a higher extraction yield of bioactive compounds and in consequence to the higher antioxidant activity of extracts obtained with the cold plasma treatment.
Relationships of Telomere Homeostasis with Oxidative Stress and Cardiac Dysfunction in Human Ischaemic Hearts
Authors: Tarazón Estefanía , Pérez-Carrillo Lorena , Giménez-Escamilla Isaac , Ramos-Castellanos Pablo , Martínez-Dolz Luis , Portolés Manuel , Roselló-Lletí Esther
Published: November 2021

Although the roles of telomeres and oxidative stress in ischaemic cardiomyopathy (ICM) are known, mechanisms of telomere homeostasis and their relationship with oxidative stress are incompletely understood. We performed two RNA-seq analyses (mRNA n = 23; ncRNA n = 30) and protein validation on left ventricles of explanted hearts from ICM and control subjects. We observed dysregulation of the shelterin and cohesin complexes, which was related to an increase in the response to cellular oxidative stress. Moreover, we found alterations at mRNA level in the mechanisms of telomeric DNA repair. Specifically, increased RAD51D mRNA levels were correlated with left ventricular diameters. RAD51D protein levels were unaltered, however, and were inversely corelated with the miR-103a-3p upregulation. We also observed the overexpression of lncRNAs (TERRA and GUARDIN) involved in telomere protection in response to stress and alterations in their regulatory molecules. Expression of the TERRA transcription factor ATF7 was correlated with superoxide dismutase 1 expression and left ventricular diameters. The levels of GUARDIN and its transcription factor FOSL2 were correlated with those of catalase. Therefore, we showed specific alterations in the mechanisms of telomeric DNA repair and protection, and these alterations are related to an increase in the response mechanisms to oxidative stress and cardiac dysfunction in ICM.
Recombination of Poly(Acrylic Acid) Radicals in Acidic Aqueous Solutions: A Pulse Radiolysis Study
Authors: Matusiak Małgorzata , Kadłubowski Sławomir , Ulański Piotr
Published: November 2021

Carbon-centered radicals have been randomly generated on the chains of poly(acrylic acid), PAA, the simplest synthetic anionic polyelectrolyte, by pulse-irradiating its dilute, oxygen-free aqueous solutions by 6 MeV electron beam. In some experiments, oligo(acrylic acid), OAA, and propionic acid, PA, were used as PAA models. Recombination kinetics of PAA radicals has been followed by fast spectrophotometry. A strong pH dependence of radical lifetime on pH, and thus on the linear charge density due to deprotonated carboxylate groups, has been confirmed, while a weaker amplitude of pH dependence was observed for OAA and PA. Decay kinetics of PAA radicals in the protonated state, at pH 2, have been studied in some detail. At moderate doses of ionizing radiation, resulting in a moderate average initial number of radicals per chain, ZR0, the decay can be satisfactorily described by a second-order kinetic model, but a somewhat better fit is obtained by using a dispersive kinetics approach. While for a constant polymer concentration the reciprocal half-lives are proportional to the initial radical concentrations, such a data series for different PAA concentrations do not overlap, indicating that the overall radical concentration is not the decisive factor controlling the kinetics. Arranging all data, in the form of second-order rate constants, as a function of the average initial number of radicals per chain allows one to obtain a common dependence. The latter seems to consist of two parts: a horizontal one at low ZR0 and another one of positive slope at higher ZR0. This is interpreted as two kinetic regimes where two distinct reactions dominate, intermolecular and intramolecular recombination, respectively. Comparison of the low ZR0 data with calculations based on the translational diffusion model indicate that the latter is not the rate-controlling process in intermolecular recombination of polymer radicals; segmental diffusion is the more likely candidate.
Optimization of Multimodal Discrete Network Design Problems Based on Super Networks
Authors: Zhou Yaling , Cao Chengxuan , Feng Ziyan
Published: November 2021

In this paper, we investigate the multimodal discrete network design problem that simultaneously optimizes the car, bus, and rail transit network, in which inter-modal transfers are achieved by slow traffic modes including walking and bike-sharing. Specifically, a super network topology is presented to signify the modal interactions. Then, the generalized cost formulas of each type of links in the super network are defined. And based on the above formulas a bi-objective programming model is proposed to minimize the network operation cost and construction cost with traffic flow equilibrium constraints, investment constraints and expansion constraints. Moreover, a hybrid heuristic algorithm that combines the minimum cost flow algorithm and simulated annealing algorithm is presented to solve the proposed model. Finally, the effectiveness of the proposed model and algorithm is evaluated through two numerical tests: a simple test network and an actual multimodal transport network.
Evaluation of Antioxidant and Anticorrosive Activities of Ceriops tagal Plant Extract
Authors: Shamsuzzaman Md , Kalaiselvi Kathirvel , Prabakaran Mayakrishnan
Published: November 2021

Mangroves are plants known for their various medicinal and economical values, and therefore are widely investigated for their phytochemical, antioxidant, antidiarrheal, and antimicrobial activities. In the present study, we analyze the antioxidant and anticorrosive properties of Ceriops tagal (C. tagal), a tropical and subtropical mangrove plant of the Rhizophoraceae family. The total phenolic content (TPC) and total flavonoid content (TFC) were found to be 101.52 and 35.71 mg/g, respectively. The extract (100 µg/mL) exhibited 83.88, 85, and 87% antioxidant property against 1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH), nitric oxide, and hydrogen peroxide free radicals. In addition, 600 ppm of C. tagal extract showed 95% corrosion inhibition against 1 M HCl attack on mild steel at 303 ± 1 K, which declined over other concentrations and temperatures, where AAS produced 82% inhibition at 600 ppm. UV-visible spectroscopy analysis revealed the formation of an inhibitor metal complex. The elemental analysis provided the presence of 84.21, 9.01, and 6.37% of Fe, O, and C, respectively, in inhibited mild steel, whereas the same were 71.54, 22.1, and 4.34%, respectively, in uninhibited specimen, stressing the presence of protective film on the metal surface. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) also showed some noteworthy changes in both uninhibited and inhibited mild steel, making C. tagal plant a better alternative than any other synthetic inhibitors. Further, the atomic force microscopy (AFM) surface topography analysis showed that 600 ppm of C. tagal extract significantly diminished corrosion on the surface of mild steel.
Spatiotemporal Protein Expression Profiles of QSOX1 in the Murine Uterus, Placenta, and Embryo during Pregnancy
Authors: Lin Hung-Shih , Lee Robert Kuo-Kuang , Yang Tsung-Hsien , Fang Hsu-Wei , Li Sheng-Hsiang
Published: November 2021

Quiescin Q6 sulfhydryl oxidase 1 (QSOX1) catalyzes the oxidation of the sulfhydryl group to disulfide bond and is widely expressed in various tissues. This study focuses on investigating QSOX1′s spatiotemporal and cellular protein expression profile of the pregnant uterus, placenta, and developing embryo during mouse pregnancy. Immunohistochemical staining was used to reveal the localization of QSOX1 protein, and HistoQuest was applied to quantify protein levels. The expression level of QSOX1 in the decidua and muscle cells of the pregnant uterus fluctuated dramatically during pregnancy. QSOX1 was ubiquitously expressed in the labyrinth, junction zone, and chorionic plate in the placenta. The quantitative analysis found that this protein was highly expressed in the spinal cord, lens, midbrain, cerebellum, medulla oblongata, and tooth of mouse embryos, followed by the heart, intercostal muscle, diaphragm, intermediate zone, extrinsic ocular muscle, spine, pons, epidermis, tongue, ganglion, vomeronasal organ, thoracic vertebrae, and thymus. Interestingly, QSOX1 was also markedly expressed in olfactory system tissues. This comprehensive spatiotemporal study of QSOX1 protein expression will provide a basis for further investigations of the QSOX1 physiological function in the pregnant uterus, placenta, and developing embryo.
Damage Identification Method Using Additional Virtual Mass Based on Damage Sparsity
Authors: Zhang Qingxia , Xu Dengzheng , Hou Jilin , Jankowski Łukasz , Wang Haiyan
Published: November 2021

Damage identification methods based on structural modal parameters are influenced by the structure form, number of measuring sensors and noise, resulting in insufficient modal data and low damage identification accuracy. The additional virtual mass method introduced in this study is based on the virtual deformation method for deriving the frequency-domain response equation of the virtual structure and identify its mode to expand the modal information of the original structure. Based on the initial condition assumption that the structural damage was sparse, the damage identification method based on sparsity with l1 and l2 norm of the damage-factor variation and the orthogonal matching pursuit (OMP) method based on the l0 norm were introduced. According to the characteristics of the additional virtual mass method, an improved OMP method (IOMP) was developed to improve the localization of optimal solution determined using the OMP method and the damage substructure selection process, analyze the damage in the entire structure globally, and improve damage identification accuracy. The accuracy and robustness of each damage identification method for multi-damage scenario were analyzed and verified through simulation and experiment.
Applications of Deep Eutectic Solvents Related to Health, Synthesis, and Extraction of Natural Based Chemicals
Authors: Lomba Laura , García Cristina B. , Ribate Mª Pilar , Giner Beatriz , Zuriaga Estefanía
Published: November 2021

Deep eutectic solvents are liquid mixtures of solid components at room temperature, which present exceptional properties: high solvent capacity, high biodegradation, low volatile organic compound character, and relatively low toxicity. Furthermore, there are an important number of DES described, formed by different components and ratios, and thus, the studied applications are also numerous. In this review, we focused on the applications related to health. One of the most promising applications of DES is the development of oral liquid formulations of poorly soluble active pharmaceutical ingredients, although it currently remains at an early stage. We have analyzed the potential and limitations of DES with this regard. Furthermore, DES have been used as synthesis media. In this work, we revised the use of DES to obtain bioactive natural products via synthesis or extraction process. Finally, the usefulness of DES in other interesting applications for promoting health has been also examined: this is the case of genomics studies, nano-carriers for the encapsulation of anticancer drugs or stabilization of samples for medical purposes.
Statistical Inversion Approach for Stress Estimation Based on Strain Monitoring in Continuously Pre-Stressed Concrete Beams
Authors: Xie Huibing , Han Bing , Yan Wutong , Jiang Peng
Published: November 2021

Stress is one of the most important physical indexes reflecting the mechanical behavior of concrete structures. In general, stress in structures cannot be directly monitored and can only be estimated through an established model of stress and strain. The accuracy of the estimated stress depends on the rationality of the established model for stress and strain. As the strain measured by sensors contains creep, shrinkage, and elastic strain, it is difficult to establish an analytical model for strain and stress. In this paper, a statistical inverse method was utilized to estimate the stress in continuously pre-stressed concrete beams based on the monitored strain. Stress in the beams and the model uncertainty factors were treated as model parameters. A linear-simplified method was adopted to determine the prior distribution of the stresses. The posterior distribution of the stresses at different locations during bridge construction can be obtained by the proposed method. A continuously pre-stressed concrete beam bridge was taken as the case study to verify the effectiveness of the proposed method. Additionally, the constitution of the total strain in the different construction stages was calculated. It was concluded that the creep strain is the dominant part of the total strain.
Near-Field-Based 5G Sub-6 GHz Array Antenna Diagnosis Using Transfer Learning
Authors: Lim Hong Jun , Lee Dong Hwan , Park Hark Byeong , Hwang Keum Cheol
Published: November 2021

In this paper, we propose a method for near-field-based 5G sub 6-GHz array antenna diagnosis using transfer learning. A classification network was implemented for normal/abnormal operation of the array antenna and the failure of a specific port. Furthermore, a regression network that could predict the amplitude and phase of the excitation signal of the array antenna was employed. Additionally, to accelerate the array antenna diagnosis, several near-field lines were sampled and reflected in the regression network. The proposed method was verified by measuring a fabricated 5G sub-6 GHz band 4×4 array antenna in various scenarios using a divider and coaxial cables. The tests showed that the trained network accurately diagnosed 29 of 30 measurement results.
Analysis of Water Consumption in Fruit and Vegetable Processing Plants with the Use of Artificial Intelligence
Authors: Trajer Jędrzej , Winiczenko Radosław , Dróżdż Bogdan
Published: November 2021

Fruit and vegetable processing has a significant impact on the environment due to its consumption of a significant amount of water. Water consumption mainly depends on the type of production and the technology used. Water in fruit and vegetable processing plants is used as a raw material, an energy carrier, and in hydro transport, as well as for washing raw materials and maintaining production hygiene. The variety of technological operations carried out in the production process and the seasonality of production make it difficult to objectively assess the use of water in fruit and vegetable processing plants. Few available publications in this field provide numerical values of water unit consumption indices, with none entering into the cause-and-effect relationships of water use in plants in this industry. The aim of this study was to analyze the research to date and to verify the following research hypothesis: the structure of processing and the relationship between the weights of individual products have an impact on water consumption in fruit and vegetable processing plants. For this purpose, neural models of water consumption were developed for the largest agri-food processing plants in Poland that use similar technology. Water consumption was then optimized using genetic algorithms for the processing structure. The results confirmed the hypothesis that production structure has a significant impact on the rationalization of water consumption. The optimization results show that the production of concentrates, juices, and drinks has the greatest impact on water consumption. The lowest water consumption will be achieved when the production of concentrates is at a 2 to 1 ratio to the production of juices and drinks.
On Selecting Composite Functions Based on Polynomials for Responses Describing Extreme Magnitudes of Structures
Authors: Pokusiński Bartłomiej , Kamiński Marcin
Published: November 2021

The main aim of this work was to investigate a numerical error in determining limit state functions, which describe the extreme magnitudes of steel structures with respect to random variables. It was assisted here by the global version of the response function method (RFM). Various approximations of trial points generated on the basis of several hundred selected reference composite functions based on polynomials were analyzed. The final goal was to find some criterion—between approximation and input data—for the selection of the response function leading to relative a posteriori errors less than 1%. Unlike the classical problem of curve fitting, the accuracy of the final values of probabilistic moments was verified here as they can be used in further reliability calculations. The use of the criterion and the associated way of selecting the response function was demonstrated on the example of steel diagrid grillages. It resulted in quite high correctness in comparison with extended FEM tests.
Simplified Approach to Detect Satellite Maneuvers Using TLE Data and Simplified Perturbation Model Utilizing Orbital Element Variation
Authors: Mukundan Arvind , Wang Hsiang-Chen
Published: November 2021

In this study, an algorithm to identify the maneuvers of a satellite is developed by comparing the Keplerian elements acquired from the two-line elements (TLEs) and Keplerian elements propagated from simplified perturbation models. TLEs contain a specific set of orbital elements, whereas the simplified perturbation models are used to propagate the state vectors at a given time. By comparing the corresponding Keplerian elements derived from both methods, a satellite’s maneuver is identified. This article provides an outline of the working methodology and efficacy of the method. The function of this approach is evaluated in two case studies, i.e., TOPEX/Poseidon and Envisat, whose maneuver histories are available. The same method is implemented to identify the station-keeping maneuvers for TDRS-3, whose maneuver history is not available. Results derived from the analysis indicate that maneuvers with a magnitude of even as low as cm/s are detected when the detection parameters are calibrated properly.
Process Quality Evaluation Model with Taguchi Cost Loss Index
Authors: Huang Chiao-Tzu , Lai Kuei-Kuei
Published: November 2021

Process Capability Indices (PCIs) are not only a good communication tools between sales departments and customers but also convenient tools for internal engineers to evaluate and analyze process capabilities of products. Many statisticians and process engineers are dedicated to research on process capability indices, among which the Taguchi cost loss index can reflect both the process yield and process cost loss at the same time. Therefore, in this study the Taguchi cost loss index was used to propose a novel process quality evaluation model. After the process was stabilized, a process capability evaluation was carried out. This study used Boole’s inequality and DeMorgan’s theorem to derive the (1−α)×100% confidence region of (δ,γ2) based on control chart data. The study adopted the mathematical programming method to find the (1−α)×100% confidence interval of the Taguchi cost loss index then employed a (1−α)×100% confidence interval to perform statistical testing and to determine whether the process needed improvement.
A Case Study of Floating Offshore Super-Long Steel Pipeline Combing with Field Monitoring
Authors: Yu Jin , Ren Chonghong , Cai Yanyan , Chen Jian , Wang Yuanqing , Chen Weiyun
Published: November 2021

How to control deformation and avoid resonance is the key to ensuring the safety of the super-long pipeline when it is floating in the sea. Based on the deformation warning value of pipeline prototype composite material obtained from laboratory tests, the raw water pipeline project in Tong’an Xiamen adopts wireless communication equipment to transmit data, supplemented by aerial photography technology to monitor and feedback the strain and vibration during the dynamic construction of long-distance pipeline floating transportation. Combined with dynamic construction, this monitoring method avoids excessive deformation and resonance of the steel pipeline during floating transportation, and prevents the destruction of the anticorrosive coating. The airtightness test after completion shows that the whole pipeline meets the acceptance requirements. The monitoring results show that the strain at the bent position of the pipeline is large in the process of floating transportation, and the jacking speed and position of the tugboats have an important influence on the deformation of the pipeline. The same type of project should focus on these aspects and timely feedback monitoring data. At the same time, the study also provides detailed strain, modal analysis and effective monitoring technology for the safety of offshore steel pipeline floating transportation.
Influence of Carbon: Metal Ratio on Tribological Behavior of Mo-W-C Coating
Authors: Mandal Paranjayee
Published: November 2021

Mo-W-C coatings with three different C/(Mo+W) ratios (5:1, 2.8:1 and 2.2:1) were deposited by using combined unbalanced magnetron sputtering (UBMS) and high-power impulse magnetron sputtering (HIPIMS) technology. The influence of the C/(Mo+W) ratio on coating microstructure and related tribological properties at ambient temperature and at 200 °C were studied in lubricated condition (up to 7500 m and 1800 m of sliding distances, respectively). Results showed that a decrease in the C/(Mo+W) ratio could be correlated with an increase in coating thickness, adhesion strength, hardness and elastic modulus values, and a decrease in the degree of graphitization. At ambient temperature, outstanding tribological properties (very low friction and negligible wear) were observed irrespective of the C/(Mo+W) ratio. At 200 °C, low C/(Mo+W) ratios (2.8:1 and 2.2:1) were found particularly beneficial to achieve excellent tribological properties. The keys to significant friction reduction at 200 °C were (i) in situ formation of MoS2 and WS2 due to tribo-chemical reactions and (ii) presence of amorphous carbon debris particles in the protective tribolayer. With an increase in sliding distance, the tribolayer gradually lowered the friction coefficient by protecting both the coating and counterpart from severe wear. On the other hand, a high C/(Mo+W) ratio (5:1) led to low friction but noticeable abrasive wear at 200 °C.
The Influence of Binaural Room Impulse Responses on Externalization in Virtual Reality Scenarios
Authors: Li Song , Schlieper Roman , Tobbala Aly , Peissig Jürgen
Published: November 2021

A headphone-based virtual sound image can not be perceived as perfectly externalized if the acoustic of the synthesized room does not match that of the real listening environment. This effect has been well explored and is known as the room divergence effect (RDE). The RDE is important for perceived externalization of virtual sounds if listeners are aware of the room-related auditory information provided by the listening environment. In the case of virtual reality (VR) applications, users get a visual impression of the virtual room, but may not be aware of the auditory information of this room. It is unknown whether the acoustic congruence between the synthesized (binaurally rendered) room and the visual-only virtual listening environment is important for externalization. VR-based psychoacoustic experiments were performed and the results reveal that perceived externalization of virtual sounds depends on listeners’ expectations of the acoustic of the visual-only virtual room. The virtual sound images can be perceived as externalized, although there is an acoustic divergence between the binaurally synthesized room and the visual-only virtual listening environment. However, the “correct” room information in binaural sounds may lead to degraded externalization if the acoustic properties of the room do not match listeners’ expectations.
Comparative Transcriptomics for Pepper (Capsicum annuum L.) under Cold Stress and after Rewarming
Authors: Miao Wu , Song Jingshuang , Huang Yanwu , Liu Rongyun , Zou Gaofeng , Ou Lijun , Liu Zhoubin
Published: November 2021

Cold stress has become one of the main abiotic stresses in pepper, which severely limits the growth and development of pepper. In this study, the physiological indicators and transcriptome of a cold-tolerance (CT) inbred line A188 and a cold-sensitive (CS) inbred line A122 under cold–rewarm treatments were studied; the aim of this study was to determine the potential of the key factors in pepper response to cold stress. Compared with CT, CS wilts more seriously after cold stress, with poor resilience, higher content of malondialdehyde, and lower content of soluble sugar and total chlorophyll. Moreover, during cold treatment, 7333 and 5953 differentially expressed genes (DEGs) were observed for CT and CS, respectively. These DEGs were significantly enriched in pathways related to photosynthesis, plant hormone signal transduction, and DNA damage repair. Interestingly, in addition to the widely studied transcription factors related to cold, it was also found that 13 NAC transcription factors increased significantly in the T4 group; meanwhile, the NAC8 (Capana02g003557) and NAC72 (Capana07g002219) in CT were significantly higher than those in CS under rewarming for 1 h after 72 h cold treatment. Notably, weighted gene coexpression network analysis identified four positively correlated modules and eight hub genes, including zinc finger proteins, heat shock 70 kda protein, and cytochrome P450 family, which are related to cold tolerance. All of these pathways and genes may be responsible for the response to cold and even the cold tolerance in pepper.
Generating Scenery Images with Larger Variety According to User Descriptions
Authors: Cheng Hsu-Yung , Yu Chih-Chang
Published: November 2021

In this paper, a framework based on generative adversarial networks is proposed to perform nature-scenery generation according to descriptions from the users. The desired place, time and seasons of the generated scenes can be specified with the help of text-to-image generation techniques. The framework improves and modifies the architecture of a generative adversarial network with attention models by adding the imagination models. The proposed attentional and imaginative generative network uses the hidden layer information to initialize the memory cell of the recurrent neural network to produce the desired photos. A data set containing different categories of scenery images is established to train the proposed system. The experiments validate that the proposed method is able to increase the quality and diversity of the generated images compared to the existing method. A possible application of road image generation for data augmentation is also demonstrated in the experimental results.