bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Current Knowledge and Future Directions for Improving Subsoiling Quality and Reducing Energy Consumption in Conservation Fields
Authors: Lou Shangyi , He Jin , Li Hongwen , Wang Qingjie , Lu Caiyun , Liu Wenzheng , Liu Peng , Zhang Zhenguo , Li Hui
Published: June 2021

Subsoiling has been acknowledged worldwide to break compacted hardpan, improve soil permeability and water storage capacity, and promote topsoil deepening and root growth. However, there exist certain factors which limit the wide in-field application of subsoiling machines. Of these factors, the main two are poor subsoiling quality and high energy consumption, especially the undesired tillage depth obtained in the field with cover crops. Based on the analysis of global adoption and benefits of subsoiling technology, and application status of subsoiling machines, this article reviewed the research methods, technical characteristics, and developing trends in five key aspects, including subsoiling shovel design, anti-drag technologies, technologies of tillage depth detection and control, and research on soil mechanical interaction. Combined with the research progress and application requirements of subsoiling machines across the globe, current problems and technical difficulties were analyzed and summarized. Aiming to solve these problems, improve subsoiling quality, and reduce energy consumption, this article proposed future directions for the development of subsoiling machines, including optimizing the soil model in computer simulation, strengthening research on the subsoiling mechanism and comprehensive effect, developing new tillage depth monitoring and control systems, and improving wear-resisting properties of subsoiling shovels.
Net Energy Balance and Fuel Quality of an Alley Cropping System Combining Grassland and Willow: Results of the 2nd Rotation
Authors: Dzene Ilze , Hensgen Frank , Graß Rüdiger , Wachendorf Michael
Published: June 2021

With the central aim to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, agroforestry systems have become popular because they can provide biomass for bioenergy conversion and thus help replace fossil energy. This article compares the net energy balances of three biomass conversion techniques for an agroforestry system consisting of willows and two types of grassland biomass as well as separate stands of grassland and willow. The period of investigation was the second willow rotation (4–6 years after establishment). The biomass conversion techniques included combustion of hay (CH), integrated generation of solid fuel and biogas from biomass (IFBB), and anaerobic whole crop digestion (WCD). Compared to the first rotation (years 1–3), the net energy yield of the willow stands significantly increased. Nevertheless, the separate stand of willow had higher net energy yield than the agroforestry system. The IFBB technique led to an improvement in solid fuel quality through demineralization. CH and IFBB provided higher net energy yields than WCD.
Prediction of Ratoon Sugarcane Family Yield and Selection Using Remote Imagery
Authors: Todd James , Johnson Richard
Published: June 2021

Remote sensing techniques and the use of Unmanned Aerial Systems (UAS) have simplified the estimation of yield and plant health in many crops. Family selection in sugarcane breeding programs relies on weighed plots at harvest, which is a labor-intensive process. In this study, we utilized UAS-based remote sensing imagery of plant-cane and first ratoon crops to estimate family yields for a second ratoon crop. Multiple families from the commercial breeding program were planted in a randomized complete block design by family. Standard red, green, and blue imagery was acquired with a commercially available UAS equipped with a Red–Green–Blue (RGB) camera. Color indices using the CIELab color space model were estimated from the imagery for each plot. The cane was mechanically harvested with a sugarcane combine harvester and plot weights were obtained (kg) with a field wagon equipped with load cells. Stepwise regression, correlations, and variance inflation factors were used to identify the best multiple linear regression model to estimate the second ratoon cane yield (kg). A multiple regression model, which included family, and five different color indices produced a significant R2 of 0.88. This indicates that it is possible to make family selection predictions of cane weight without collecting plot weights. The adoption of this technology has the potential to decrease labor requirements and increase breeding efficiency.
The Effect of Different Soil Tillage Systems and Crop Residues on the Composition of Weed Communities
Authors: Steponavičienė Vaida , Marcinkevičienė Aušra , Butkevičienė Lina Marija , Skinulienė Lina , Bogužas Vaclovas
Published: June 2021

The composition of weed communities in agricultural crops is dependent on soil properties and the applied agronomic practices. The current study determined the effect of different tillage systems and crop residue on the soil weed community composition. The research programme encompassed 2013–2015 in a long-term field experiment located in the Experimental Station of Vytautas Magnus University in Lithuania. The soil type in the experimental field was qualified as Endocalcaric Stagnosol (Aric, Drainic, Ruptic, Amphisiltic). Weeds were categorised into communities according to soil pH, nitrogen and moisture indicators. The results of investigations were grouped using cluster analysis. Agricultural crops were dominated by different weed species depending on the soil pH and moisture. Weed species were relatively more frequent indicating nitrogen-rich and very nitrogen-rich soils. In the reduced tillage and no-tillage systems, an increase in the abundance of weed species indicating moderate acidity and low acidity, moderately wet and wet, nitrogen-rich and very nitrogen-rich soils was observed. The application of plant residues decreased the weed species abundance. In the reduced tillage and no-tillage systems, the quantitative distribution of weed was often uneven. By evaluating the association of weed communities with groups of different tillage systems with or without plant residues, their control can be optimised.
Effect of Acetic Acid and Sodium Bicarbonate Supplemented to Drinking Water on Water Quality, Growth Performance, Organ Weights, Cecal Traits and Hematological Parameters of Young Broilers
Authors: Martínez Yordan , Almendares Cristopher Isaac , Hernández Cristhian José , Avellaneda Mavir Carolina , Urquía Ana Melissa , Valdivié Manuel
Published: June 2021

To evaluate the effect of acetic acid and sodium bicarbonate supplemented to drinking water on water quality, growth performance, relative organ weights, cecal traits and hematological parameters of broilers, a total of 456 one-day-old Cobb MV × Cobb 500 FF mixed broilers were randomly placed in three experimental treatments, with four replicates per treatment and 38 birds per replicate, for 10 days. The treatments consisted of the use of acetic acid (0.4%; T1) as acidifier, an apparently neutral pH (T2) and sodium bicarbonate (1%; T3) as alkalizer of the drinking water. T3 showed the highest values (p < 0.05) for total dissolved solids, electrical conductivity, salinity and pH. T1 and T2 showed the same productive response (p > 0.05); however, T3 decreased (p < 0.05) body weight, feed intake and the relative weight of the pancreas and immune organs and increased (p < 0.05) water intake, mortality and relative weight of the heart and liver. Likewise, T3 increased (p < 0.05) the cecal pH, although without changes for the cecal lactic cecal bacteria count and blood parameters (p > 0.05). The acid pH of the drinking water had no effect on the biological response of broilers compared to T2; however, the T3 provoked high mortality, ascites, low productivity and abnormal growth of some organs.
Equine Activity Time Budgets: The Effect of Housing and Management Conditions on Geriatric Horses and Horses with Chronic Orthopaedic Disease
Authors: Kelemen Zsofia , Grimm Herwig , Vogl Claus , Long Mariessa , Cavalleri Jessika M. V. , Auer Ulrike , Jenner Florien
Published: June 2021

Housing and management conditions strongly influence the health, welfare and behaviour of horses. Consequently, objective and quantifiable comparisons between domestic environments and their influence on different equine demographics are needed to establish evidence-based criteria to assess and optimize horse welfare. Therefore, the present study aimed to measure and compare the time budgets (=percentage of time spent on specific activities) of horses with chronic orthopaedic disease and geriatric (≥20 years) horses living in different husbandry systems using an automated tracking device. Horses spent 42% (range 38.3–44.8%) of their day eating, 39% (range 36.87–44.9%) resting, and 19% (range 17–20.4%) in movement, demonstrating that geriatric horses and horses suffering from chronic orthopaedic disease can exhibit behaviour time budgets equivalent to healthy controls. Time budget analysis revealed significant differences between farms, turn-out conditions and time of day, and could identify potential areas for improvement. Horses living in open-air group housing on a paddock had a more uniform temporal distribution of feeding and movement activities with less pronounced peaks compared to horses living in more restricted husbandry systems.
HPLC-PDA-ESI-MS/MS Profiling and Anti-Biofilm Potential of Eucalyptussideroxylon Flowers
Authors: Okba Mona M. , El-Shiekh Riham A. , Abu-Elghait Mohammed , Sobeh Mansour , Ashour Rehab M. S.
Published: June 2021

The development of multidrug-resistant bacterial strains is a worldwide emerging problem that needs a global solution. Exploring new natural antibiofilm agents is one of the most important alternative therapies in combating bacterial infections. This study aimed at testing the antimicrobial potential of Eucalyptus sideroxylon flowers extract (ESFE) against Bacillus subtilis, Staphylococcus aureus, Escherichia coli, Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Candida albicans prior to testing the antibiofilm activity against S. aureus, P. aeruginosa and C. albicans. ESFE demonstrated antimicrobial activity and promising inhibition activity against methicillin-resistant S. aureus (MRSA) biofilm formation up to 95.9% (p < 0.05) at a concentration of 0.05 mg/mL and eradicated C. albicans biofilm formation up to 71.2% (p < 0.05) at a concentration of 0.7 mg/mL. LC-MS analysis allowed the tentative identification of eighty-three secondary metabolites: 21 phloroglucinol, 18 terpenes, 16 flavonoids, 7 oleuropeic acid derivatives, 7 ellagic acid derivatives, 6 gallic acid derivatives, 3 phenolic acids, 3 fatty acids and 2 miscellaneous. In conclusion, E. sideroxylon is a rich source of effective constituents that promote its valorization as a promising candidate in the management of multidrug-resistant bacterial infections.
Use of Ceftaroline in Hospitalized Patients with and without COVID-19: A Descriptive Cross-Sectional Study
Authors: Giacobbe Daniele Roberto , Russo Chiara , Martini Veronica , Dettori Silvia , Briano Federica , Mirabella Michele , Portunato Federica , Dentone Chiara , Mora Sara , Giacomini Mauro , Berruti Marco , Bassetti Matteo
Published: June 2021

A single-center cross-sectional study was conducted to describe the use of ceftaroline in a large teaching hospital in Northern Italy, during a period also including the first months of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic. The primary objective was to describe the use of ceftaroline in terms of indications and characteristics of patients. A secondary objective was to describe the rate of favorable clinical response in patients with bloodstream infections (BSI) due to methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA-BSI) receiving ceftaroline. Overall, 200 patients were included in the study. Most of them had COVID-19 (83%, 165/200) and were hospitalized in medical wards (78%, 155/200). Included patients with COVID-19 pneumonia were given empirical ceftaroline in the suspicion of bacterial co-infection or superinfection. Among patients with MRSA-BSI, ceftaroline was used as a first-line therapy and salvage therapy in 25% (3/12) and 75% (9/12) of cases, respectively, and as a monotherapy or in combination with daptomycin in 58% (7/12) and 42% (5/12) of patients, respectively. A favorable response was registered in 67% (8/12) of patients. Improving etiological diagnosis of bacterial infections is essential to optimize the use of ceftaroline in COVID-19 patients. The use of ceftaroline for MRSA-BSI, either as a monotherapy or in combination with other anti-MRSA agents, showed promising rates of favorable response.
Serum and Erythrocyte Antioxidant Defense in Colorectal Cancer Patients during Early Postoperative Period: Potential Modifiers and Impact on Clinical Outcomes
Authors: Krzystek-Korpacka Małgorzata , Mierzchała-Pasierb Magdalena , Zawadzki Marek , Diakowska Dorota , Witkiewicz Wojciech
Published: June 2021

A better understanding of antioxidant status, its modifiers, and its effect on clinical outcomes in patients undergoing colorectal cancer surgery is needed for effective antioxidant-based interventions. The objectives of this cohort study were: to determine baseline serum (total antioxidant capacity (TAC) and ferric reducing antioxidant power (FRAP); n = 72) and erythrocyte (superoxide dismutase (SOD) and glutathione peroxidase (GPx); n = 47) antioxidant capacity and time-course during the 72 h postoperative period, to identify potential modifiers, and to establish impact on clinical outcomes. Older patients with comorbidities had lower baseline FRAP. TAC was inversely and SOD directly correlated with inflammatory markers. Cancer pathology affected GPx (lower in advanced and more aggressive cancers) and SOD (higher in advanced cancers). Surgical intervention induced a transient increase in FRAP and TAC with greater FRAP elevation in older, obese patients with several comorbidities. SOD activity significantly increased while GPx non-significantly decreased between 8 and 24 h post-incision. Poorer health status was associated with an increase in SOD and a decrease in GPx at 72 h. Clinical manifestation of postoperative ileus was preceded by decreased TAC at 24 h and an increase in SOD between 8 and 24 h and anastomotic leak was manifested by diminished SOD at 72 h compared to activities at 8 and 24 h. The time-frame between 8 and 24 h post-incision might be the most critical regarding oxidant/antioxidant balance and therefore the best suited for antioxidant-based intervention.
Physical Exercise and Cardiac Repair: The Potential Role of Nitric Oxide in Boosting Stem Cell Regenerative Biology
Authors: Marino Fabiola , Scalise Mariangela , Cianflone Eleonora , Salerno Luca , Cappetta Donato , Salerno Nadia , De Angelis Antonella , Torella Daniele , Urbanek Konrad
Published: June 2021

Over the years strong evidence has been accumulated showing that aerobic physical exercise exerts beneficial effects on the prevention and reduction of cardiovascular risk. Exercise in healthy subjects fosters physiological remodeling of the adult heart. Concurrently, physical training can significantly slow-down or even reverse the maladaptive pathologic cardiac remodeling in cardiac diseases, improving heart function. The underlying cellular and molecular mechanisms of the beneficial effects of physical exercise on the heart are still a subject of intensive study. Aerobic activity increases cardiovascular nitric oxide (NO) released mainly through nitric oxidase synthase 3 activity, promoting endothelium-dependent vasodilation, reducing vascular resistance, and lowering blood pressure. On the reverse, an imbalance between increasing free radical production and decreased NO generation characterizes pathologic remodeling, which has been termed the “nitroso-redox imbalance”. Besides these classical evidence on the role of NO in cardiac physiology and pathology, accumulating data show that NO regulate different aspects of stem cell biology, including survival, proliferation, migration, differentiation, and secretion of pro-regenerative factors. Concurrently, it has been shown that physical exercise generates physiological remodeling while antagonizes pathologic remodeling also by fostering cardiac regeneration, including new cardiomyocyte formation. This review is therefore focused on the possible link between physical exercise, NO, and stem cell biology in the cardiac regenerative/reparative response to physiological or pathological load. Cellular and molecular mechanisms that generate an exercise-induced cardioprotective phenotype are discussed in regards with myocardial repair and regeneration. Aerobic training can benefit cells implicated in cardiovascular homeostasis and response to damage by NO-mediated pathways that protect stem cells in the hostile environment, enhance their activation and differentiation and, in turn, translate to more efficient myocardial tissue regeneration. Moreover, stem cell preconditioning by and/or local potentiation of NO signaling can be envisioned as promising approaches to improve the post-transplantation stem cell survival and the efficacy of cardiac stem cell therapy.
Impact of Protein-Enriched Plant Food Items on the Bioaccessibility and Cellular Uptake of Carotenoids
Authors: Iddir Mohammed , Porras Yaruro Juan Felipe , Cocco Emmanuelle , Hardy Emilie M. , Appenzeller Brice M. R. , Guignard Cédric , Larondelle Yvan , Bohn Torsten
Published: June 2021

Carotenoids are lipophilic pigments which have been associated with a number of health benefits, partly related to antioxidant effects. However, due to their poor solubility during digestion, carotenoid bioavailability is low and variable. In this study, we investigated the effect of frequently consumed proteins on carotenoid bioaccessibility and cellular uptake. Whey protein isolate (WPI), soy protein isolate (SPI), sodium caseinate (SC), gelatin (GEL), turkey and cod, equivalent to 0/10/25/50% of the recommended dietary allowance (RDA, approx. 60g/d), were co-digested gastro-intestinally with carotenoid-rich food matrices (tomato and carrot juice, spinach), and digesta further studied in Caco-2 cell models. Lipid digestion, surface tension and microscopic visualization were also carried out. Co-digested proteins positively influenced the micellization of carotenes (up to 3-fold, depending on type and concentration), especially in the presence of SPI (p < 0.001). An increased cellular uptake was observed for xanthophylls/carotenes (up to 12/33%, p < 0.001), which was stronger for matrices with an initially poor carotenoid micellization (i.e., tomato juice, p < 0.001), similar to what was encountered for bioaccessibility. Turkey and cod had a weaker impact. Significant interactions between carotenoids, lipids and proteins were observed during digestion. Co-digested proteins generally improved lipid digestion in all matrices (p < 0.001), especially for carrot juice, though slight decreases were observed for GEL. Protein impact on the surface tension was limited. In conclusion, proteins generally improved both carotenoid bioaccessibility and cellular uptake, depending on the matrices and carotenoid-type (i.e., carotene vs. xanthophylls), which may be relevant under specific circumstances, such as intake of carotenoid-rich food items low in lipids.
Comparative Analysis of Clustering Algorithms and Moodle Plugin for Creation of Student Heterogeneous Groups in Online University Courses
Authors: Nalli Giacomo , Amendola Daniela , Perali Andrea , Mostarda Leonardo
Published: June 2021

Online learning environments such as e-learning platforms are often used to encourage collaborative activities amongst students. In this context, group work is often used to improve the learning outcomes. Group formation is often performed randomly since university courses can be composed of a large number of students. While random formation saves time and resources, the student heterogeneity in terms of learning capabilities is not guaranteed. Although advanced e-learning platforms such as Moodle are widely used, they lack plugins that allow the automatic formation of heterogeneous groups of students. This work proposes a novel intelligent plugin for Moodle that allows the creation of heterogeneous groups by using Machine Learning. This intelligent application can be used in order to improve the students’ performance in collaborative activities. Our machine learning approach first uses clustering algorithms on Moodle data to identify homogeneous groups that are composed of students having similar behavior. Heterogeneous groups are then created by combining students selected from different homogeneous groups. To this end, a novel algorithm and the corresponding software, which allow the creation of heterogeneous groups, have been developed. We have implemented our approach by realizing a Moodle plugin where teachers can create heterogeneous groups.
Antibacterial Activity and Characterization of Bacteria Isolated from Diverse Types of Greek Honey against Nosocomial and Foodborne Pathogens
Authors: Tsadila Christina , Nikolaidis Marios , Dimitriou Tilemachos G. , Kafantaris Ioannis , Amoutzias Grigoris D. , Pournaras Spyros , Mossialos Dimitris
Published: June 2021

It has been suggested that microorganisms present in honey are a potential source of antimicrobial compounds. This study aimed to isolate and characterize bacteria from 46 Greek honey samples of diverse botanical and geographical origin and to determine whether these bacteria demonstrate antibacterial activity against five important nosocomial and foodborne pathogens. In total, 2014 bacterial isolates were obtained and screened for antibacterial activity. Overall, 16% of the isolates inhibited the growth of Staphylococcus aureus, 11.2% inhibited the growth of Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Acinetobacter baumannii, 10.2% inhibited the growth of Salmonella Typhimurium and 12.4% of the isolates affected the growth of Citrobacter freundii. In total, 316 isolates that inhibited the growth of more than two of the tested pathogens were grouped by restriction fragment length polymorphisms (RFLP) analysis of the 16S rRNA gene amplicon. Fifty of them were identified by 16S rRNA gene sequencing. The majority, 62% of the isolates, belonged to the genus Bacillus. Only 10% of the isolates were identified as Gram-negative bacteria. Furthermore, in several bacterial isolates, genes encoding polyketide synthases and nonribosomal peptide synthetases that catalyze the biosynthesis of secondary metabolites which might contribute to the exerted antimicrobial activity, were detected. This study demonstrates that honey microbiota exerts antimicrobial activity and is a putative source of secondary metabolites against important nosocomial and food pathogens that warrants further investigation.
Fault Diagnosis Approach of Main Drive Chain in Wind Turbine Based on Data Fusion
Authors: Xu Zhen , Yang Ping , Zhao Zhuoli , Lai Chun Sing , Lai Loi Lei , Wang Xiaodong
Published: June 2021

The construction and operation of wind turbines have become an important part of the development of smart cities. However, the fault of the main drive chain often causes the outage of wind turbines, which has a serious impact on the normal operation of wind turbines in smart cities. In order to overcome the shortcomings of the commonly used main drive chain fault diagnosis method that only uses a single data source, a fault feature extraction and fault diagnosis approach based on data source fusion is proposed. By fusing two data sources, the supervisory control and data acquisition (SCADA) real-time monitoring system data and the main drive chain vibration monitoring data, the fault features of the main drive chain are jointly extracted, and an intelligent fault diagnosis model for the main drive chain in wind turbine based on data fusion is established. The diagnosis results of actual cases certify that the fault diagnosis model based on the fusion of two data sources is able to locate faults of the main drive chain in the wind turbine accurately and provide solid technical support for the high-efficient operation and maintenance of wind turbines.
A Comprehensive Application of Machine Learning Techniques for Short-Term Solar Radiation Prediction
Authors: Wang Linhua , Shi Jiarong
Published: June 2021

Forecasting the output power of solar PV systems is required for the good operation of the power grid and the optimal management of energy fluxes occurring in the solar system. Before forecasting the solar system’s output, it is essential to focus on the prediction of solar irradiance. In this paper, the solar radiation data collected for two years in a certain place in Jiangsu in China are investigated. The objective of this paper is to improve the ability of short-term solar radiation prediction. Firstly, missing data are recovered through the means of matrix completion. Then the completed data are denoised via robust principal component analysis. To reduce the influence of weather types on solar radiation, spectral clustering is adopted by fusing sparse subspace representation and k-nearest-neighbor to partition the data into three clusters. Next, for each cluster, four neural networks are established to predict the short-term solar radiation. The experimental results show that the proposed method can enhance the solar radiation accuracy.
Digitized Reconfigurable Metal Reflectarray Surfaces for Millimeter-Wave Beam-Engineering
Authors: Yi Minwoo , Bae Youngseok , Yoo Sungjun , So Joonho
Published: June 2021

Digitized beam-forming metal reflectarray antennas are designed for the millimeter-wave region. The phase control of antennas has been implemented by the reconfiguration of rectangular grooves on a metal plate. The antenna has 1147 elements arranged in an aluminum metal plate. The depths of all metal grooves are manipulated for designed phase control of high-gain beam-aimed reflectors. We have demonstrated a digitized reconfigurable metal reflectarray to steer a re-radiated millimeter-wave field from the reflector in a two-dimensional scanning plane from −20∘ to 20∘. The far-field patterns show that the measured gain of the 2-bit reflectarray is only 1 dB lower than that of a non-digitized reflectarray antenna. The measured peak gain is higher than 31.7 dB, and the measurements show that the gain of the full 40∘ scanned beam is 31.7 dB and well-defined scanned beams are obtained with a maximum scan gain loss of 0.2 dB. The proposed reconfigurable antennas can be a useful candidate for high-gain beam-aimed antennas for practical reflecting surfaces and a variety of wireless and satellite communication systems.
On the Tortuosity-Connectivity of Cement-Based Porous Materials
Authors: Fenaux Michiel , Reyes Encarnacion , Gálvez Jaime C. , Moragues Amparo , Bernal Jesús
Published: June 2021

In this work, the transport equations of ionic species in concrete are studied. First, the equations at the porescale are considered, which are then averaged over a representative elementary volume. The so obtained transport equations at the macroscopic scale are thoroughly examined and each term is interpreted. Furthermore, it is shown that the tortuosity-connectivity does not slow the average speed of the ionic species down. The transport equations in the representative elementary volume are then compared with the equations obtained in an equivalent pore. Lastly, comparing Darcy’s law and the Hagen–Poiseuille equation in a cylindrical equivalent pore, the tortuosity-connectivity parameter is obtained for four different concretes. The proposed model provides very good results when compared with the experimentally obtained chloride profiles for two additional concretes.
Perceptual Quality of Audio-Visual Content with Common Video and Audio Degradations
Authors: Becerra Martinez Helard , Hines Andrew , Farias Mylène C. Q.
Published: June 2021

Audio-visual quality assessment remains as a complex research field. A great effort is being made to understand how visual and auditory domains are integrated and processed by humans. In this work, we analyzed and compared the results of three psychophisical experiments that collected quality and content scores given by a pool of subjects. The experiments include diverse content audio-visual material, e.g., Sports, TV Commercials, Interviews, Music, Documentaries and Cartoons, impaired with several visual (bitrate compression, packet-loss, and frame-freezing) and auditory (background noise, echo, clip, chop) distortions. Each experiment explores a particular domain. In Experiment 1, the video component was degraded with visual artifacts, meanwhile, the audio component did not suffer any type of degradation. In Experiment 2, the audio component was degraded while the video component remained untouched. Finally, in Experiment 3 both audio and video components were degraded. As expected, results confirmed a dominance of the visual component in the overall audio-visual quality. However, a detailed analysis showed that, for certain types of audio distortions, the audio component played a more important role in the construction of the overall perceived quality.
Screening of Some Romanian Raw Honeys and Their Probiotic Potential Evaluation
Authors: Pașca Claudia , Mărghitaș Liviu , Matei Ioana , Bonta Victorița , Mărgăoan Rodica , Copaciu Florina , Bobiș Otilia , Campos Maria , Dezmirean Daniel
Published: June 2021

This study aimed to characterize raw honeys from different geographical origins in Romania, in respect of chemical composition, microbiological examination and evaluate their probiotic potential. The physico-chemical determinations were performed in APHIS-DIA Laboratory, Cluj-Napoca, Romania, using standard validated methods. Bacterial identification was performed for each sample and each colony type using Vitek® 2 Compact 15 system and PCR amplification using 16S rDNA bacterial universal primers (27F, 1492R), species being confirm by sequences analysis. In five raw honey samples, we have identified probiotic bacteria, such as: Bacillus mycoides, Bacillus thuringiensis, Bacillus amyloliquefaciens, Bacillus subtilis, and Bacillus velezensis. Generally, all honey samples meet the standard values for chemical composition. However, one sample having 7.44% sucrose was found to have also probiotics bacteria from the genus Bacillus because sucrose is a substrate for probiotics development. In conclusion, the Romanian raw honey can be a potential reservoir of probiotics, which confer a health benefit for consumers.
Structural Equation Model of Work Situation and Work–Family Conflict on Depression and Work Engagement in Commercial Motor Vehicle (CMV) Drivers
Authors: Shin Dong-Seok , Jeong Byung-Yong
Published: June 2021

The shortage and aging of drivers are not problems limited to the truck industry, but are common in the broader commercial motor vehicle (CMV) industry of Korea. This study investigates the relationships between work situation, work–family conflict, depression, and work engagement of taxi, bus, and truck drivers. We extracted 512 CMV drivers from the 5th Korea Working Conditions Survey. A structural equation model (SEM) was used to investigate the impact of a work situation or work–family conflict on depression and work engagement. Results showed that 38.9% of all respondents had symptoms of depression. In the SEM, a poor work situation (standardized path coefficient = 0.250) and work–family conflict (0.117) significantly affected depression. ‘Enough time’ and ‘feeling well’ were influential variables of work situation. ‘Responsibility’ and ‘concentration’ were influential variables of work–family conflict. Additionally, depression affected work engagement (0.524). ‘Vigor’ and ‘dedication’ were influential variables of work engagement. These results show that the relationships between work situation, work–family conflict, depression, and work engagement of CMV drivers are intricately linked.
Performance Analysis of Two-Hop mmWave Relay Nodes over the 5G NR Uplink Signal
Authors: Verdecia-Peña Randy , Alonso José I.
Published: June 2021

In this paper, the uplink in a two-hop 5G new radio co-operative system using Relay Nodes (RNs) in millimeter bands has been simulated and studied. We focus on an uplink Amplify-and-Forward Relay Node (A&F RN) and Decode-and-Forward Relay Node (D&F RN) with an mmWave-band transceiver chain (Tx/Rx). We study two uplink mmWave MIMO D&F relaying protocols assuming, firstly, the complete knowledge of the uplink channel and, secondly, the uplink channel estimation through a Least Square (LS) algorithm. To verify the benefits of the proposed uplink mmWave MIMO co-operative network, a link-level co-operative simulator has been developed using MatlabTM and SimulinkTM software, where an indoor-to-outdoor scenario and mmWave transceiver with off-the shelf components are considered. The main novelty of this link-level co-operative simulator and the implemented relay nodes is the usage of signals with 5G NR features, such as UL-SCH transport channel coding and PUSCH generation, which are the other main contributions of this article. Based on the numerical results in terms of the achievable Bit Error Rate (BER) and throughput, we show that the two-hop uplink co-operative network substantially improves the performance in the communications between the NR-User Equipment (NR-UE) and the logical 5G Radio Node (gNodeB). For example, the results from using uplink mmWave NR-D&F protocols far exceed those achieved with the uplink mmWave NR-A&F algorithm; in the case of the 64-QAM modulation scheme for the SISO technique, an improvement of 6.5 Mbps was achieved using the D&F PCE protocol, taking into account that the 256-QAM constellation is higher by 4.05 Mbps. On the other hand, an average throughput enhancement of 28.77 Mbps was achieved when an uplink mmWave (2 × 4 × 4) D&F PCE strategy was used versus an uplink mmWave SISO D&F LS protocol for a Signal-to-Noise Ratio (SNR) = 20 dB and 64-QAM signal. However, an improvement of 56.42 Mbps was reached when a 256-QAM modulation scheme was employed. Furthermore, this paper introduces the first study to develop an uplink mmWave MIMO 5G co-operative network platform through a Software Defined Radio (SDR) from a practical implementation point of view.
Dietary Intake of Milk Thistle Seeds as a Source of Silymarin and Its Influence on the Lipid Parameters in Nonalcoholic Fatty Liver Disease Patients
Authors: Kołota Aleksandra , Głąbska Dominika
Published: June 2021

Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD), which is associated with obesity, is the most common reason for chronic hepatitis in developed countries. Its therapy includes a low-energy diet, physical activity and also various antioxidative compounds, such as milk thistle (Silybum Marianum) seeds, which are a natural source of silymarin. The aim of the study was to assess the influence of 3 months of therapy including dietary and physical activity recommendations combined with a daily milk thistle supply on the biochemical parameters of NAFLD patients. The study was conducted on a group of 20 patients (11 females, 9 males) with NAFLD and excessive body mass diagnosed. For 3 months, participants received daily doses of 7.1 g of milk thistle as a source of silymarin (210 mg a day). They also received dietary and physical activity recommendations and were monitored every 2 weeks. Their diet, body composition and biochemical parameters were assessed. It was observed that the studied patients did not follow their dietary recommendations, as when comparing the baseline diet and the diet after 3 months, there were no differences (for the vast majority of nutrients; p < 0.05). Patients also did not follow their physical activity recommendations, as when comparing baseline results with those after 3 months, there were no differences (for the vast majority of parameters; p < 0.05). However, when comparing baseline biochemical parameters and those after 3 months, it was indicated that blood triglyceride levels (140.36 ± 14.92 vs. 110.04 ± 37.23 mg/dL; p = 0.0017) and gamma-glutamyltransferase (GGT) activity decreased (23.03 ± 12.87 vs. 12.77 ± 5.24 U/L; p = 0.0008). As the diet and physical activity of the studied patients were not changed within the studied period, it may be supposed that the beneficial decrease in blood triglyceride levels and GGT activity were obtained due to the milk thistle supply as a source of silymarin. It may be indicated that including milk thistle in an everyday diet may be an additional recommendation for NAFLD patients, as it allows one to obtain beneficial effects, even if the other recommendations are not followed.
Design Optimization of Centrifugal Microfluidic “Lab-on-a-Disc” Systems towards Fluidic Larger-Scale Integration
Authors: Ducrée Jens
Published: June 2021

Enhancing the degree of functional multiplexing while assuring operational reliability and manufacturability at competitive costs are crucial ingredients for enabling comprehensive sample-to-answer automation, e.g., for use in common, decentralized “Point-of-Care” or “Point-of-Use” scenarios. This paper demonstrates a model-based “digital twin” approach, which efficiently supports the algorithmic design optimization of exemplary centrifugo-pneumatic (CP) dissolvable-film (DF) siphon valves toward larger-scale integration (LSI) of well-established “Lab-on-a-Disc” (LoaD) systems. Obviously, the spatial footprint of the valves and their upstream laboratory unit operations (LUOs) have to fit, at a given radial position prescribed by its occurrence in the assay protocol, into the locally accessible disc space. At the same time, the retention rate of a rotationally actuated CP-DF siphon valve and, most challengingly, its band width related to unavoidable tolerances of experimental input parameters need to slot into a defined interval of the practically allowed frequency envelope. To accomplish particular design goals, a set of parametrized metrics is defined, which are to be met within their practical boundaries while (numerically) minimizing the band width in the frequency domain. While each LSI scenario needs to be addressed individually on the basis of the digital twin, a suite of qualitative design rules and instructive showcases structures are presented.
Measurement of the Concentration and the Brightness for Samples Containing Multiple Molecules with Different Brightness Using Fluorescence Correlation Spectroscopy
Authors: Yamamoto Johtaro , Sasaki Akira
Published: June 2021

In this study, the concentration and brightness measured by fluorescence correlation spectroscopy (FCS) in samples containing multiple species with different brightness levels was demonstrated. FCS measurements of such samples are generally difficult. However, the calculation we introduced here can provide the measurement results of the FCS. The effectiveness of the calculation was investigated based on simulations and experiments in the case of a mixture of fluorescent beads with known brightness and other fluorescent beads with unknown brightness. The results show that the concentration of the known brightness agrees well with the expected values. The obtained concentration and brightness of the species with unknown brightness is possible, and it worked well in the simulation; however, the accuracy for the species was lower than that of the species with known brightness. As a result, the calculation is useful in measuring the concentration of species with known brightness in samples containing undesired bright species, such as aggregation. The calculation for the species with unknown brightness may also be useful if good protocols or instruments are established in the future.
Twelve New Taxa of Xylaria Associated with Termite Nests and Soil from Northeast Thailand
Authors: Wangsawat Niwana , Ju Yu-Ming , Phosri Cherdchai , Whalley Anthony J. S. , Suwannasai Nuttika
Published: June 2021

The diversity of Xylaria species associated with termite nests in northeast Thailand was investigated. Among the 14 taxa included in this study, 11 species and one variety were described as new, and another two species resemble the existing taxa, X. escharoidea and X. nigripes. The newly described taxa are X. chaiyaphumensis, X. conica, X. fulvescens, X. ischnostroma, X. margaretae, X. minima, X. reinkingii var. microspora, X. siamensis, X. sihanonthii, X. subintraflava, X. thienhirunae, and X. vinacea. Their morphological and cultural characteristics are described and illustrated, and their ITS, α-actin and β-tubulin sequences were analysed. A dichotomous key to the 17 species of Xylaria occurring in Thailand is provided.
Clinical and Immunological Biomarkers for Systemic Lupus Erythematosus
Authors: Yu Haitao , Nagafuchi Yasuo , Fujio Keishi
Published: June 2021

Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) is characterized by immune system dysfunction and is clinically heterogeneous, exhibiting renal, dermatological, neuropsychiatric, and cardiovascular symptoms. Clinical and physiological assessment is usually inadequate for diagnosing and assessing pathophysiological processes in SLE. Clinical and immunological biomarkers could play a critical role in improving diagnosis, assessment, and ultimately, control of SLE. This article reviews clinical and immunological biomarkers that could diagnose and monitor disease activity in SLE, with and without organ-specific injury. In addition, novel SLE biomarkers that have been discovered through “omics” research are also reviewed.
MicroRNA Omics Analysis of Camellia sinesis Pollen Tubes in Response to Low-Temperature and Nitric Oxide
Authors: Xu Xiaohan , Wang Weidong , Sun Yi , Xing Anqi , Wu Zichen , Tian Zhiqiang , Li Xuyan , Wang Yuhua
Published: June 2021

Nitric oxide (NO) as a momentous signal molecule participates in plant reproductive development and responds to various abiotic stresses. Here, the inhibitory effects of the NO-dominated signal network on the pollen tube growth of Camellia sinensis under low temperature (LT) were studied by microRNA (miRNA) omics analysis. The results showed that 77 and 71 differentially expressed miRNAs (DEMs) were induced by LT and NO treatment, respectively. Gene ontology (GO) analysis showed that DEM target genes related to microtubules and actin were enriched uniquely under LT treatment, while DEM target genes related to redox process were enriched uniquely under NO treatment. In addition, the target genes of miRNA co-regulated by LT and NO are only located on the cell membrane and cell wall, and most of them are enriched in metal ion binding and/or transport and cell wall organization. Furthermore, DEM and its target genes related to metal ion binding/transport, redox process, actin, cell wall organization and carbohydrate metabolism were identified and quantified by functional analysis and qRT-PCR. In conclusion, miRNA omics analysis provides a complex signal network regulated by NO-mediated miRNA, which changes cell structure and component distribution by adjusting Ca2+ gradient, thus affecting the polar growth of the C. sinensis pollen tube tip under LT.
α-Synuclein Strains: Does Amyloid Conformation Explain the Heterogeneity of Synucleinopathies?
Authors: Hoppe Simon Oliver , Uzunoğlu Gamze , Nussbaum-Krammer Carmen
Published: June 2021

Synucleinopathies are a heterogeneous group of neurodegenerative diseases with amyloid deposits that contain the α-synuclein (SNCA/α-Syn) protein as a common hallmark. It is astonishing that aggregates of a single protein are able to give rise to a whole range of different disease manifestations. The prion strain hypothesis offers a possible explanation for this conundrum. According to this hypothesis, a single protein sequence is able to misfold into distinct amyloid structures that can cause different pathologies. In fact, a growing body of evidence suggests that conformationally distinct α-Syn assemblies might be the causative agents behind different synucleinopathies. In this review, we provide an overview of research on the strain hypothesis as it applies to synucleinopathies and discuss the potential implications for diagnostic and therapeutic purposes.
Cloning and Characterization of Aedes aegypti Trypsin Modulating Oostatic Factor (TMOF) Gut Receptor
Authors: Borovsky Dov , Deckers Kato , Vanhove Anne Catherine , Verstraete Maud , Rougé Pierre , Shatters Robert G. , Powell Charles A.
Published: June 2021

Trypsin Modulating Oostatic Factor (TMOF) receptor was solubilized from the guts of female Ae. Aegypti and cross linked to His6-TMOF and purified by Ni affinity chromatography. SDS PAGE identified two protein bands (45 and 61 kDa). The bands were cut digested and analyzed using MS/MS identifying a protein sequence (1306 amino acids) in the genome of Ae. aegypti. The mRNA of the receptor was extracted, the cDNA sequenced and cloned into pTAC-MAT-2. E. coli SbmA− was transformed with the recombinant plasmid and the receptor was expressed in the inner membrane of the bacterial cell. The binding kinetics of TMOF-FITC was then followed showing that the cloned receptor exhibits high affinity to TMOF (KD = 113.7 ± 18 nM ± SEM and Bmax = 28.7 ± 1.8 pmol ± SEM). Incubation of TMOF-FITC with E. coli cells that express the receptor show that the receptor binds TMOF and imports it into the bacterial cells, indicating that in mosquitoes the receptor imports TMOF into the gut epithelial cells. A 3D modeling of the receptor indicates that the receptor has ATP binding sites and TMOF transport into recombinant E. coli cells is inhibited with ATPase inhibitors Na Arsenate and Na Azide.
Therapeutic Effects of the Addition of Fibroblast Growth Factor-2 to Biodegradable Gelatin/Magnesium-Doped Calcium Silicate Hybrid 3D-Printed Scaffold with Enhanced Osteogenic Capabilities for Critical Bone Defect Restoration
Authors: Lai Wei-Yun , Chen Yen-Jen , Lee Alvin Kai-Xing , Lin Yen-Hong , Liu Yu-Wei , Shie Ming-You
Published: June 2021

Worldwide, the number of bone fractures due to traumatic and accidental injuries is increasing exponentially. In fact, repairing critical large bone defects remains challenging due to a high risk of delayed union or even nonunion. Among the many bioceramics available for clinical use, calcium silicate-based (CS) bioceramics have gained popularity due to their good bioactivity and ability to stimulate cell behavior. In order to improve the shortcomings of 3D-printed ceramic scaffolds, which do not easily carry growth factors and do not provide good tissue regeneration effects, the aim of this study was to use a gelatin-coated 3D-printed magnesium-doped calcium silicate (MgCS) scaffold with genipin cross-linking for regulating degradation, improving mechanical properties, and enhancing osteogenesis behavior. In addition, we consider the effects of fibroblast growth factor-2 (FGF-2) loaded into an MgCS scaffold with and without gelatin coating. Furthermore, we cultured the human Wharton jelly-derived mesenchymal stem cells (WJMSC) on the scaffolds and observed the biocompatibility, alkaline phosphatase activity, and osteogenic-related markers. Finally, the in vivo performance was assessed using micro-CT and histological data that revealed that the hybrid bioscaffolds were able to further achieve more effective bone tissue regeneration than has been the case in the past. The above results demonstrated that this type of processing had great potential for future clinical applications and studies and can be used as a potential alternative for future bone tissue engineering research, as well as having good potential for clinical applications.